Enter the Horde pt. 2

I was clumsy with fighting even with my new powers as a shapeshifter. I was just to inexperienced to effectively fight and defend myself, you could tell because there I was barely hanging on and blocking with a simple hand axe and even running around a tree at times just to dodge attacks from the small rabbits that were attacking me. Meanwhile Merida was over there fighting a big bull sized rabbit with ease with jumps and bites. Everytime it seemed like she was close to getting hit, her fur seemed to glow almost like an ember being fed oxygen and she would get faster for a split second and dodge just in the nick of time.

I tried to counter attack the rabbits around me but their teamwork was really impressive as once one finished a charge and landed, then another one was already in the air heading towards me full sprint. I had several bite marks that were slowly healing and my weapons handle was broken from the many attacks that I forced it to take. I needed to figure something out and fast. That was when I had the last ditch idea of going berserker mode. If I was going to get attacked, then why not get attacked but dish out some damage in return? So I started to take off my clothes all the while getting hit and damaged. I didn't care, the pain hurt yea, but once it comes down to your survival or death and you make up your mind to do what needs to be done than you can do anything.

Once my armor was off, I willed the Ember fur to cover all over my body, at first it was slow but after a minute I was fully covered from head to toe in the soft fur that covered Merida and gave that also gave me a weird partial fire ability. I figured I will now start taking hits but try and grab then as they hit me and start 'hugging' them. If I could activate the fur to give off the Embers and light them on fire than it would work way better than me trying to defend and attack with some weapon I'm not used to.

So there I am... Fully covered in fur that when rubbed releases glowing embers... and without stopping my first experiment jumps and headbutts directly into my chest. Without a second thought I grab it in a bear hug and with a surprised squeek it starts to struggle and try and escape, thereby causing the the embers to be released and slowly I start to feel as it gets warmer and warmer and I can start to smell a faint hint of hair burning. The squeeks are now starting to get more panicked and frantic and I am putting more and more strength into holding it in my arms while trying to release more embers. I'm trying to actually catch it on fire somehow but no matter how much I focus the fur just doesn't respond, there goes that training montage I guess.

The other rabbits by now are hitting me even faster and harder trying to get me to release their friend but I am adamant and not giving up. By now I have crouched down and started to cover the captured rabbit with my body for maximum coverage, the more it moves and the more the other rabbits hit me, the more embers that get released out into the surroundings.... Yes, I've realized by now that this is a horrible and a slowly tortorous way to kill a rabbit that up until a few minutes ago was just minding it's own business but still I don't want to die and they attacked me first....

But still, hearing those squeeks of torment was breaking my heart so I did what I could and while it was focused on trying to escape I quickly grabbed the axe that I dropped next to me and chopped it. The rabbits that attacked me stopped for a second after I did this and I used that hesitation to do the same to the one closest to me before the others broke out of their stupor and attacked me again. It was easier to handle 2 rabbits instead of 4 and after a few more minutes of blocking I was able to grab one and repeat the process to finish the last 2 off.

I quickly leave them behind and run to join Merida and find that the large rabbit had cornered Merida up against a large tree and was about to pounce on her. I took my axe and quickly threw it with all my strength and with a wet thunk it stuck deep into the side of its large body. It roared in agony as it looked in my direction before turning and rushing towards me with bloodshot eyes.

"Ric get down!" I barely heard those words and ducked before I felt a gush of wind go over top of my head and seconds later the sound of a boom coming from the base. I raise my head and in front of me was nothing but a the legs of the bull sized rabbit as everything in a circle down the middle of it was evaporated and even going for what seemed like forever down a line towards the horizon was large holes with burning areas in trees and bushes where a large circular hole remained. I turned to look and atop the wall was Barton with one of the largest sniper rifles I had ever seen, video game or other wise.

I could hear as there was movement and squeeks coming from everywhere and even the ground was rumbling, I knew the horde was coming and it was going to be a bitch. "MERIDA, LET'S GO GIRL!" I yelled and started running towards the base as along the way I started to just rub the fur along anything dry I came across, it didn't matter aslong as it would take a spark and set ablaze. Just anything to help us with what's about to happen.

I get ontop of the wall and Barton hands me a couple of the flame grenades and a AR with a mag filled with rounds that had red glowing tips. I had a guess at what these were but still looked at him confused.

"Combustion ammo, take careful shots as there aren't a whole lot that I was able to bring with us. I'd say we have about 4 more between the 2 of us. I have 5 more of those sniper rounds but those I snuck in since they were only meant for S class Tear boss' I wanted to see what would happen when a little rabbit got hit with one and let me tell you I was not disappointed haha."

"Anyways, I have several other elements here, some that freeze in areas, some that elecrify, some that explode in acid, and some that are toxic gas. I just brought whatever since we would be facing a shit ton all at once. But since you had that bright idea of the fire, I figured we start with the fire and then go from there, how's that sound? It looks like you and Merida could use a rest so while the horde is getting ready to destroy us I suggest you take a quick little power nap."

Barton seemed like a douche now after that little challenge thing that we had, but besides that he was still the same good guy that helped me out after turning me. So after looking at Merida for a second, she nodded at me and she hopped on my lap as I laid back against a side and closed my eyes, I tried to keep my consciousness just on the edge in case I needed to wake up fast enough but just deep enough to rest partially.

I faded in and out of consciousness as the sound of Barton polishing a gun made a soothing lullaby to drift off to. The sounds of the horde in the background made sure to keep my mind partially awake but only just, and pretty soon I was fully asleep.

"..ic ..ke up, Ric wa.e up, ALARIC WAKE UP!" I jumped awake to Barton shaking me viciously with one hand while holding a rifle steady on the wall and firing with the other. I didn't understand what was going on and was confused where I was and who he was for a moment before the recent events came flooding back to me.

"They started! Pick up your gun and start shooting dammit!" Barton shouted as he reloaded as quickly as he could after throwing what looked like one of the flame grenades. I heard a loud boom shortly after that was followed by several loud squeeks filled with pain. I grabbed the gun next to me and raised over the wall and went wide eyed at the sight before me.

The once peaceful fields that had only trees and bushes scattered around was now covered in moving masses of different colors of fur that were all smashed together that if not looked at closely would actually look like one big living breathing rug. If it wasn't for the eyes and huge teeth that screamed out anger and hunger for my flesh I would have thought exactly that.

"Fuck me man quit staring and shoot already unless you want to die fucking idiot!" Barton yelled again as he finished yet another magazine. He reloaded again but this time instead of one that had the red tipped bullets he loaded one that had a sickly yellow glowing tipped ones.

"These are the acid filled ones. It's going to get a bit messy and gross to look at but hopefully the splash damage and the pools leftover will create some zones that they won't cross." He said as he carefully aimed at some of the creatures before firing. I took a couple shots after shaking my head but soon my sight was glued to the ones hit by the acid bullets, they started to slowly melt but the thing was that they didn't scream in pain or anything, it was just all of a sudden they stopped moving and their bodies just pooled.

"That acid is from a Nightshade Spider, it injects its prey with this acid that melts it all away and then it just slurps it up like a smoothie. It's gross I know but hey it works."

I just gulped at the thought of never wanting to meet said spider and turned to start shooting again. I hit a couple creatures and they burst into flames like a bundle of dried twigs, thankfully they went on to spread those flames to the others since they were so jam packed together so these flame bullets were making short work. But in the back I started to see a movement of a large mass that was accompanied by 2 slightly smaller masses.

"Hey, I see something in the distance? actually 3 somethings, Are there supposed to be bosses in a horde Tear?" I asked Barton and quickly shot him a glance while reloading the last mag of flame bullets.

"Fuck..... I forgot about those. That must be the monarch and her partners. They are going to be the strongest ones but if we can kill them then we can finish this Tear and leave. Here you take all of the bullets leftover and just start spraying, I will take the sniper and I will see if I can take out the two smaller ones at her side atleast before they get closer."

He instantly put down his gun and picked up the sniper rifle before putting in a bullet that was easily the of double my hand alone. No wonder it took out that one bull sized rabbit and even then still kept going to do even more damage after that.

"This is going to have a ton of kickback but thanks to our regen as Alphas, it shouldn't effect me for to long but until then you're going to be on your own ok?" He said quickly before he lined up a shot on one of em and he gave me a signal to cover my ears. Seconds after I did I saw as he was launched backwards like a ragdoll on some bad graphics computer game and a visible wave of air came from the muzzle of the rifle. Then a loud boom sounded and a sizzle and pop rang out in my ears as warmth spread down my hands and neck at the same time a searing pain erupted deep in my ears.

I think I was screaming in pain but I couldn't hear anything. I was looking around and by the way my throat was starting to hurt I think I was screaming? By the look and waves of emotion coming from Merida I think I was? It wasn't until Barton ran over to me and slapped me and held his hand over my mouth that I realized I was, his mouth was moving but sounds couldn't be heard.

*Oops, me again. I totally forgot to mention that while you gain the powers of others bloodline, you improve on their blood and make them stronger aswell, so super hearing? well go ahead and bump that up to ultra hearing.... Hahahahah till next time!*

The voice of that man appeared in my head for just a split second only to give me that bullshit piece of information now when it was necessary.... If I knew this before I would have ran into the fucking horde to get away from that rifle.

"A..... ..n ..u ..ar m.?"

"Ala... Ca. you He.. m.?"

I started to finally hear bits and pieces of his voice again so I raised my hand and waved it back in forth like so-so.

He nodded then pointed to his ears then to his wrist then mouthed the words 'takes time.' I nodded before heaving myself up and over to my gun. I'm sure that with all the screaming the rabbits are even more frenzied, but looking over all I saw was a horde of petrified bodies shaking in total fear while looking up at me. I looked at Barton and he was smiling but in his eyes even he had a look of partial fear that he was trying his best to hide.

I then looked at Merida and sent over a questioning feeling and in return she sent back a feeling that made me think of an image of a predator roaring over its prey. I only shook my head since that made me more confused and I looked back at Barton and asked.

"Did I use my alpha roar?"