Emergence: Chapter 49

It was the day of Ash's second fight.

Like before, Carnat made sure he ate well, or at least, as well as they could on the foul cubes. As usual, Ash ate slowly, while Carnat got it over and done with. After eating, Carnat gave Ash a makeshift bow he'd made, and gave him some target practise. Ash pulled the string back, feeling his muscles tense as it reached his chin. Then he let go, watching the arrow fly through the air. It hit its target, and the target wobbled slightly.

“I did it!” Ash cheered.

Carnat gave him another arrow. “Try and hit me.”

“What?” Ash was confused. “Why?”

Carnat's exoskeletal armour encased him. “Because you need to hit a moving target, and it probably won't hurt me much because of the armour.”

Ash pulled the string back as Carnat ran back and forth across one side of their room. He ran a lot faster than a human, almost superhumanly fast. Ash tracked his movements with the bow, watching his movements, judging his speed. He loosened the string, relaxing the bow as Carnat taught him. Judged the speed. Followed his movements. Ash pulled the string back, and fired the arrow.

Carnat caught it just before it hit him in the chest. Smiling, he handed Ash the arrow back. “Good. Now do that in the arena, and we should be fine.”

“Is there nothing else I can do?” Ash had never been confident at letting Carnat fight mostly alone.

“Nah,” Carnat clapped him on the shoulder, “no offence, but you're shit with most weapons. I need to train you again, but keeping away from the creatures is your best bet for now. Just put arrows in the fucker. If that fails, run.”

Ash nodded. “Alright. Just don't feel comfortable letting you fight along.”

“I'm not fighting alone.” Carnat gave him a knowing look. “You might do something.”

Carnat shoved the bow back in the corner where the guards wouldn't be able to see it; he wasn't certain if weapons were meant to be used in their rooms rather than the training pits. Soon after, Hak'i came down, escorting them to the arena.

Ash still couldn't get over the size of the arena; rows upon rows of people, all cheering or jeering them. He felt slightly paranoid and somewhat claustrophobic in the arena, knowing that people were watching him everywhere, behind, front, left and right. In the seperate box above the spectators, he could just about make out the Hak'i Dominort and his deputies. He raised a hand and roared, through a speaker system obviously, so that all could hear. “It's Carnat and the “gladiator” again.” People laughed at the mocking name they gave Ash. Carnat glanced at him, checking his temper. Ash nodded, indicating that he was fine.

They walked over to the weapon rack, and Carnat picked out a compound bow for Ash, rather than a crossbow. “You seem better with a proper bow, so this is the closest thing. It packs a punch, so you'll do more damage.” Carnat reassured him.

“Are you getting a weapon this time?” Ash took the bow from him, as well as a quiver, which he hooked on his belt; it might be easier to get the arrows that way.

“Yeah.” Carnat picked out a small dagger. “Just to slow it down if I need to.”

When they were ready, they stepped out into the centre of the arena, and Carnat shouted up to the Dominort. “We're ready to fight, esteemed Dominort. Let the beast loose.”

The door opened, and two dead Hak'i fell out. The crowd gasped, even before the monster appeared. When it appeared, Carnat backed away, shoving Ash with him.

“What is it?” Ash asked.

“You've heard me speak of Corlens.” The creature was like a giant centaur, but made of shifting metal. There were no real features of note, aside from the ovoid head, which split open like a petal when it roared. “That isn't a Corlen. Occasionally, two Corlens join together, and meld both body and mind and form this thing; an Ipsacorlen. Both larger and more powerful than the standard Corlens.”

“You said that Corlens were difficult to kill; what about these?” They continued backing away; the beast hadn't noticed them yet.

Carnat gave a little laugh. “No-one's ever killed one. Ever.”

“Oh shit.” Ash swore under his breath.

The Ipsacorlen turned to look at them. “Run!” Carnat yelled. The Ipsacorlen's arm extended, smashing a molten metal pole into the arena's wall. People seated above it screamed, and scrambled to get higher. Ash raised his. “Do not fire!” Carnat yelled, dragging Ash with him. “Only one way out of this alive.”

The Ipsacorlen roared, before chasing after them, gaining ground quickly; Ash wasn't even as tall as one of the beast's legs. It reached down with clawed hands, swiping at them, but Carnat tackled Ash out of the way. “Get to the door; Ipsacorlens are dumber than Corlens because the minds mess up in the melding process. We can use that.”

They ran to the door and waited. The Ipsacorlen ran at them, ready to punch them into the afterlife. Carnat put on a burst of speed, moving Ash forcefully out of the fist's path. The fist hit the door.

And smashed it right off of its hinges.

“Follow me!” Carnat dragged Ash up, and they through the tunnels. Hak'i guards came round the corner, brandishing electro-spears which crackled and glowed in the darkness. Ash drew the bow, readied the arrow and fired, taking out a guard, who dropped their spear. Carnat threw his dagger at one, which embedded itself in the guard's face. Grabbing a spear, Ash dodged a wild thrust, before knocking the guard down with the butt of the spear, before stabbing him with the pointed end. “Go, Ash!” Carnat said, his armour twisting into a blade, right before he beheaded the final guard.

There was a crash behind them. Metal and sand rained down upon them as they realised that the Ipsacorlen hadn't forgot about them at all. It burst through a wall, throwing the Hak'i corpses into the air, and knocking Carnat into a wall. Ash turned to go back and help him, but Carnat yelled, “Run” to him. Split as to what to do, he took his fight instinct and ran to Carnat.

Carnat was up on his feet and more Hak'i guards had joined. They held him back as they spoke to the Ipsacorlen in its own language, seeming to calm it. Carnat had forgotten one fact about the Corlens; they, for some reason, had a natural affinity with the Hak'i. Watching the distraction, he took his chance and ran towards Ash, who was running towards him. Ash turned as Carnat ran with him.

The tunnel was wide, which was good; Ash was tired and found it difficult running, let alone in a straight line. “Come one.” Carnat said gently. “We're nearly there; let's go before the guards catch up. Or they loose the Ipsacorlen on us again.”

Ash considered this as some damn good motivation, and continued to run until they could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Panting and gasping for air, they finally reached the surface of Rat'hak and bathed in natural light; they had escaped.