Chapter 6: New World I rose to a violent shaking feeling, I couldn’t see anything but everything seemed wrong. I looked about in fear, not being able to muster a sound. The shaking went on for what seemed like forever, but ended with a violent jerk. I couldn’t remember much, but I saw that the pod door had flown off. A field made of dirt and grass, choked out by a white dust, glistening in front of a beautiful sunrise that beamed the clouds and showed the remains of a lost civilization. I looked at this land and shivered at the gust of wind that filled the pod. Pulling my cloak over my mouth, I crawled to the lip of the pod, staring at the ground of this dead land. I crept one of my hands out to feel this new ground, and a shock of cold struck my fingers and I pulled it back, scolding myself. I felt a tremble fall down my spine and I took a breath in. I placed my hand on the snow, a nostalgic feeling floated through me and I managed to stumble out of the pod. Home, this is what home feels like. I snapped out of my trance and came back to reality, I screamed, surprised, at the cold and jumped backward. I took a few sharp breaths but soon got used to it. I rubbed at my arms and looked about. The place was vast and it gave me a headache. I shivered again and looked around for a place to stay. The pod had cooled to the air outside and wouldn’t serve any more purpose than the broken machines that tattered the land. I wandered fearfully, hoping that nothing would catch my foreign scent. To my luck, I spotted a cave that would serve as shelter from the freezing wind. As I approached the cave, I caught a scent of something new and foul, causing me to gag at the scent. I soon found out that it was the smell of burning flesh radiating from the cave. I heard creaking bones and a few low rumbling tones, but my current situation and curiosity got the best of me. I trailed the side of the cave with my bottom set of arms and walked in. My breathing began to slow as the temperature rose. I took a few relieved breaths, but something caught my eye. Did a shadow just move? No I must be seeing things, this cold is messing with my head. I was wrong, so very wrong. Fifteen eyes opened, glowing with an inner hate that was growing in strength between their slit pupils, devoid of reason. I was met with a terrible shrill that made my ears ring and I dashed for the exit of the cave. One of the horrid creatures leaps in front of me and lashes its gnarled claws at me, striking my shoulder as I attempted to duck under it. I shrieked as cyan blood drools from the wound, I wrap my jaws around his bony leg and tore him to the ground, its claws flailing, trying to catch balance. I lept onto the beast, trying to sink my blades in him. I didn’t have time to unsheathe them as another one of the creatures threw me off his ally and charged at me. I managed to pull my blades out in time and stabbed through the charging pile of flesh and bone. Two more assualted and rammed me against the wall, a squeak of pain escaping me, I felt a claw rip through my armor and into my belly. Adrenaline rushed through me and I thrust my blade into the belly of the abnormality that had his claws in mine, doubling it over. I was met with another claw striking for my eyes. I instinctively cut the arm away and leapt into the air. I tried to come down on the armless beast but I landed on cold rock, causing me a blow to the side, I swung my sword into the bone that struck at me, killing it with a guttural cry. The last two threw themselves on me, chewing on my back like primal animals, I shoved a blade into the ankle of one and lobbed him off my back and painfully swung him and the blade into the other of his allies. They both screamed and melted into black dust. I took sharp breaths, pain ripping through me, I sat on the wall of the cave waiting for my ether to fix my wounds. I stared out at the sun that warmed the intestines of the shallow cave and comforted me in this time of hurt. I scoffed and smiled before closing my eyes, hoping that nothing like that would come around these parts again. I felt my flesh being sewn together as my wounds healed, the ether pulling each thread together. I felt an lowness and drowsiness as I stood up. I needed to scavenge for ether. I walked to the lip of the cave, but a worry washed over me, maybe if I left there would be more of those horrid creatures. I spotted a broken machine nearby and crawled over to it, I looked around to try and find anything of use. Ah-hah! a light, so pretty, so shiny, so…. I drooled and stared at the swinging light, my childhood nostalgia was over run by my head ringing at the loss of ether. I shook my head and pulled the whole mechanics of the light with me, a bit of it popping and sputtering sparks. I carried it into the cave and set it in the place where it illuminated most of the cave. I used my claws to carefully shove the wires into the box of the light to stop the horrid popping. I was proud of my work and got a good look at the grey walls of the cave. The place seemed empty and sad, maybe I could liven it a bit? A ring came to my head and reminded me of my current mission. Ether, where does one find ether, Eliksni houses had ether right?. I walked out of the cave and looked around for anything that indicated Eliksni life. I saw a red flag waving in the sky, the symbol I recognized. “Devils…” I whispered to myself, a puff of air escaping as it touched the air. I pulled my bearings together and started to walk for the flag, knowing the trek may be dangerous, but such an essential ingredient to my wellbeing was my mission. The wind bit at my skin with its frozen teeth, and the walk seemed to take forever. I was grateful when a broken machine shielded my figure from the jaws of the cold. The flag flowed overhead, I had made it. I observed the old metal hull, trying to see if there was an opening big enough for me to traverse. A gaping hole where the metal had been chewed away was conveniently placed on the body of the machine. I pulled my small weight in, relieved to be out of the cold for once. Lights swung and spat sparks in every direction. Metal hunks and machinery glowed quietly and soft mumbles and creaks could be heard in the belly of the machine. I took careful steps, quieting them by lifting my heels with each step. Carefully, I snuffed at each marking that seemed unusual, trying to see if anyone had been here recently. My ears rose with alarm as I heard something CL-CHUNK I froze and lowered to the ground. Heavy footsteps traveled toward me, I prayed to Mother’s soul that whatever it was , wouldn’t see me. The steps quickened and I unsheathed my swords. There standing down the large vein of this machine, was a creature with only two arms and two legs.The thing had a cloak wrapped over its strangely crafted armor and it held a scary looking weapon in his hands. I stared in both awe and fear as he began to traverse down where I was; but what made my veins freeze, was when he started to look around as he stood right next to my poor hiding spot behind a couple boxes. He seemed to shrug and take a turn down another hall. I hopped out of my hiding place and shuffled quickly down the hall. Whatever that was, he seemed powerful ad must’ve killed fallen on the way. I began to pick up the scent of ether and my body shivered in hunger. I used my slowly drifting senses to locate the ether and to my luck; I found the ether room. The ether seemed to be in only small amounts, I took my helmet’s mouthpiece off and licked my teeth at the substance. I took in a deep breath but it wasn’t long before I started sputtering and wheezing as painful tears streamed down my cheeks. “Augh!” I screeched in pain and backed away. What in the world! Isn’t ether supposed to heal! I wiped my stinging tears and put my mouthpiece back on and the little ether that I had began to surge into my eyes. I walked around the spring and found a pool of un-wafted ether, I groaned at the sight of the awful fluid. Reluctantly, I took a scoopful of the fluid and poured the awful liquid down my throat after removing my mouthpiece. The familiar pain began to stain my throat and the taste made me gag, but I felt my energy began to spike. I pulled out whatever I could fill with ether and drew a heavy breath. This place had bad news written all over it and It was going to be long before I could get back to my cave. Whatever that was from before I didn’t want it anywhere near me Like my mind had summoned it I heard that CL-CHUNK and the heavy footsteps. My head boomed as they sounded like they were heading directly towards me with intent.