“How did you do that?” I asked, knowing that he now had the advantage.
“Beat me and I’ll show you how.” Felix said. The knife in his left hand glowed blue while the one in his right hand glowed purple.
“Matthew the knife in his right hand is emitting Void energy. The other one’s generating Arc energy.” Jace told me, knowing that any info he could give me could help.
“Wonder if there’s anyway I could use the Arc energy for myself`.” I murmured. Felix and I slowly walked around in a circle stabbing and slashing at each other, trying to get the first hit. Eventually Felix managed to cut me on my left arm with his Arc dagger. As I felt the current in it discharge into my body I felt most of it course through me while some was absorbed by the Arc current that always flows within me, waiting to charge up enough energy so I can unleash it through my knives again. While I was distracted by the current flowing through me Felix fused his knives together and swung at my chest, which I barely managed to block before I threw a flux grenade that bounced off the solar energy that flowed out of his sword. I fired at him with my sniper, resulting in him switching to Void before the bullet left the barrel. As my mind processed what I just saw I thought of a very, very risky idea.
“Sarah, Ashley on my mark both of you throw a grenade at Felix.” I said as I slowly gave ground, walking backwards towards the hill
“Ok.” Sarah and Ashley replied.
“Now!” I shouted jumping back towards where Sarah used the ward earlier as Solar and Void grenades flew towards Felix, causing him to guard himself with the Arc energy in his sword. Fueled by the energy in the orbs that Sarah created I encased my blades and myself in Arc energy and rushed towards Felix. Hoping that this would work, I swung my knife cutting through the sword’s energy like paper, and then connecting with his chest plate. There was a slight pause before my knife sheared through his armor and released a deadly snap of energy into Felix, disintegrating him cloak and all. I continued the momentum of my attack, overextending myself and falling over letting the Arc energy evaporate.
“Get up. Its not over yet.” Felix said, appearing in front of me, extending his hand. I took it and he pulled me up. He let go of my hand and placed something in it. Looking down I saw the Hunter relic in my hand.
“You have all three relics, but there’s still more.” Felix continued, looking towards the top of the hill where the puzzle waited. Without hesitating I scaled the hill. Looking down I saw Sarah and Ashley trying to stop Angel from following me up the hill. I reached the top and immediately ran towards the closest table, which was the Warlock table. Inspecting the table I saw no slot to put the relic in. running my hand over some of the relics my hand passed through one of the relics on the table.
“A hologram.” I breathed, placing the Warlock relic in the slot hidden by the hologram. The green glow seeped though the gap between the relic and its slot. I reached the table on my left when Sarah appeared behind me.
“Have you solved any of the puzzles?” Sarah asked, I nodded and pointed at the Warlock table, which she took cover behind.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Trying to help us win.” Sarah replied. I smiled at her answer, turning my attention to the puzzle in front of me. I ran my hands over them pausing over one that moved when my hand ran over it. I tried one of the relics next to it and it didn’t budge. I picked up the fake relic and tossed it aside, replacing it with the real one causing the same thing to happen.
“One more.” I told Sarah as Angel climbed up from behind the table that Sarah was using as cover.
“If you think I’m going to let you finish this then you’re wrong.” Angel stated, walking forward.
“Well the two of us disagree with that.” I shouted, pulling out my handcannon.
“You and who else, your Ghost?” Angel taunted, unknowingly walking closer to Sarah.
“He’s talking about me!” Sarah yelled, tackling Angel and launching both of them off the hill.
“She bought you time! Finish it!” Jace exclaimed, snapping me back to reality. I ran to the final table and searched for the slot, knowing that I might have only seconds left. After a few seconds I found it hidden in the same fashion as the last one. I pulled the relic out causing smoke to burst out of the slot, getting through my filter. I fell backwards, hearing the hiss of the air cycler in my helmet working overtime to remove the smoke, but not before the toxin blinded me.
“Matthew can you hear me?” Jace asked, panicking, hoping that this wasn’t the end.
“I can… but the smoke blinded me.” I said.
“Ok. You dropped the relic on the floor, it’s by your right leg.” Jace informed me. I felt around for a few seconds before I found it.
“The table is behind you and the slot is towards the center of the table” Jace said. “A little to the left and up a bit.” Jace said, watching me feel for the slot with my left hand. I felt a corner of the slot and moved the relic over it trying to get it in.
“You’re holding it upside down!” Jace shouted. I flipped it over and slammed it into the slot.
“This test is over! Fireteam Winter Wins!” The instructor shouted through the loudspeakers. I fell onto my knees, exhausted by the toxins and the physical exertion from the test.
“You did it! We won!” Jace exclaimed.
I was to busy blacking out to listen.
-
Large bump!