[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

GUARDIANS, THIEVES, AND INDUSTRY--The battle for Last Legs (cont.)

Buildings were shaven down, snow was stained red with blood, and the sounds of gunfights flurried in the air. It reminded Umi of the battlefield back on Halo. It was a terrible misery, to see all the dead bodies of both human and Covenant, fighting mindlessly to see who was the more superior race. It didn’t make any sense. And it was turning all around, like déjÃ* vu. There were, instead of human, Grubb bodies scattered around the half-snowy ground, plus Wolvarks as well. But instead of sadness building up in her, anger only blocked her thoughts. The Wolvarks spilt too much innocent blood on the Grubb’s sacred land. That was too much of a reason to make her angry. She swung her rifle to her hands, cocked it off of safety, and followed Stranger. He had his bow unlocked and held out right in front of him, already pre-loaded with Boom-bat Seekers and Riot Slugs. He wanted to see some Wolvark’s blood shed. They came to the end of the narrow corridor, hearing the loud screeches of the dropships hovering overhead the towers of Last Legs. Some lowered to the frosty ground, and dropped off Wolvark troopers. They pressed themselves against a half-blown off house, Stranger peeking over the edge; two autos and three semi-autos. This wasn’t going to be a challenge. He swung his arm over the side of the stone house, and aimed carefully. He sneered right when he got a lock-on, then let the Boom-bat Seekers go out first. When he heard the first cry of the Wolvarks, he jumped out quickly, staring at the survivors plucked out of the hoard. Blood was splattered among the fresh powder snow with scraps of blue cloth and shards of yellow ugly skin. The rest laid belly-first in the snow, groaning weakly with one of their limbs scorching with fire, and their guns scattered in to a small pile. Stranger made a gruff, angry noise through his flared nostrils, walking up to the small piled-up Wolvarks.
“Damn Wolvark pricks,� he growled, baring his fangs down to them. They quivered their lips with a small hum of fear running through their panic-stricken voices. He had Riot Slugs on both of the double-barreled bow, their blue crystalline eyes shimmering blankly upon the Wolvarks like eight small sapphires. Their spikes gleamed to the tip under the dim sunlight along with their magenta-colored exoskeleton.
“Oh, this is gonna hur-“ he hurled the Riot Slugs off his bow on to the Wolvarks, snapping nearly every bone in their bodies, and sending sharp pains from the spikes clamping in to their skin up to their small brains. He let them to their excruciating pained selves to their slow death, and passed on from them. Umi stopped at the pileup of the Wolvarks, and grunted disappointingly. She knew Stranger wanted them to suffer, but not like this. It was too cruel. The Wolvarks looked up to her with shining wet eyes, mumbling sadly to her.
‘Put them out of their misery, Umi. It’s the only way to get yer mind off’a ‘em,’ she thought, raising her rifle to her chest. They began to nod, smiling with their crooked jaws, then shut their eyes tightly. ‘Even they want it to happen,’ she thought again, then aimed at the pile of Wolvarks. She stared at them for a moment, feeling tears build up in her eyes.
“I’m sorry,� she whispered nearly inaudible, then squeezed the trigger. The gun vibrated as the bullets shot out in a sloppy line to the Wolvarks. She kept her eyes tightly shut, not letting go of the trigger until she felt the deed was done. She stopped for a moment, then looked at the pile. The Wolvarks were only a steaming pile of blood and flesh, wafting in to the snow. She gave a great sigh, nearly dropping her rifle on the ground, but swung it over her shoulder. Her eyes stung with the cold wind and tears left in her eyes. She turned away from them, then ran behind Stranger, who was too far ahead. Purple streams of laser bullets whizzed by and over their heads. Wolvark snipers held out in small window shafts of the village’s homes and perched high above a high bridge. As they got deeper in to the city, the buildings seemed to increase to a concrete jungle, perfect enough for snipers to hunt their prey. And by the looks of it, they were far ahead of hunting their prey. Frantic Grubbs trying to delude the shocked bullets of the sniper lasers, but ending up to have their legs wounded, or even shot in a critical place. Stranger trotted out to the perched Wolvarks on the bridge, and zoomed in on them with his Snuzi darts. He shot them down, one by one, like cans on the side of a road with a BB gun. Grubbs saw the Steef take down the threats, and scrambled passed him and out of the village. Out further in front of him were more Wolvark troopers. A large gate blocked the way to a large stone fortress. That must’ve been where the Rebel Leader was. Chunks of stone wall flung out to barriers for the Wolvarks. This now was going to be more of a challenge. He locked his bow down with Rabid Fuzzles and Super Stingbees, his now most-favorite combination. He shot out the Fuzzles to the hiding Wolvarks behind the stone chunks, luring them out the painful way. They sighted the trouble-making Steef, and got in to a strange formation behind the barriers, poking out their guns and heads over the stones. He grunted in frustration, then began to dodge the flesh-tearing bullets of the security force’s rifles. Umi came lagging from behind, seeing Stranger having trouble with the Wolvarks. He fell down all of a sudden with a loud grunt, snapping his head back, and tripping down in to the snow. He lay in the snow, unable to move. Umi gasped.
“Stranger!â€� she screamed. The bullets shot wounded his two front legs, making him paralyzed to move. The Wolvarks began to move in on the helpless Stranger, he growling defensively at the Wolvarks. She ran on in closer to the Wolvarks, and knelt on one knee. She aimed carefully so she wouldn’t get Stranger, and squeezed the trigger. Shrapnel of snow, dirt, and flesh veiled over Stranger, he holding him arm over his face to block the flying pieces of Wolvark. The gunfire stopped, and the dust and dirt settled in front of him. Stranger lowered his arm, then snapped his head over to Umi, she heavily sighing and lowering her gun down in to the cold snow. He began to struggle to stand up on his two hind legs, keeping balance with one arm and his stronger front leg. Umi ran over to him, heaving his arm over her shoulder. This was bit of a déjÃ* vu again. She remembered when they fought Meagley McGraw. His shotgun was right at her legs. He was attempting to wound the humans’ leg so he could capture it. Unexpected when Stranger leaped in to save her, but got shot in the leg. She practically carried Stranger back to Buzzarton. His arm tightened around her neck.
“You ok?� she asked deeply with concern in her throat. His head hung low, looking at his bleeding legs. He then lifted back up to her.
“Yeah…Yeah…I’m ok, kid. Dun’ worry ‘bout me…� he nodded. She hefted up his arm more, then looked to the closed gate with a large pillar structure in the middle. The stone walls behind it began to crack with some heavy force. She stopped abruptly, both looking at the wall beginning to press out in a curved shape. Her grip on his arm began to tighten with fear. The walls then exploded in to large chunks of rubble and rock. Dust parted to a large circular object, spewing large bolts of electricity. It only had one large orange eye, glaring down at the Steef and human. All it was was a big metal ball of electricity.
“Alright! Bring on out the new Shock tank! Git that Steef!� a Wolvark shouted. Umi swallowed, her eyes sparkling brightly in fear. This thing was large and zappy. Stranger unfurled his arm over from Umi’s shoulder, and stepped up in front of her, holding out his arm with his bow, loaded with twin Boom-bat Seekers.
“Stranger, you’re not strong enough!� Umi pleaded.
“I’m strong enough ter take on tha’ tank,� Stranger growled behind him.
“That thing’ll turn yer in to a light bulb in a second’s flat!� Umi ran up to him arm. He didn’t reply. His stubbornness really was bugging her down to the point she’d slap him silly. Even her pleading voice wouldn’t stop him from getting himself killed.
‘It’s hopeless, Umi. He’s just like you: Stubborn and crazy,’ she thought, then slumped down in to the snow. He limped out further closer to the tank, holding out his bow with the Boom-bat Seekers glowering at the tank’s orange eye.
“Fine!� she cried, tears forming in her red, bloodshot eyes. “Go get yerself killed!� she slammed her arms in the snow. “See if I care!� Stranger didn’t even care what she screamed to him. He was more focused on getting the tank that to listen to her. It was like he was merging to some different side of him. Careless. Reckless. He wasn’t like this when they fought against the Outlaws of the Mongo Valley. But she was also changing. Caring. Concerned. She was too intent of caring to Stranger than to think of the dangers ahead that she was about to take on. But right now, she didn’t care. All she thought about is Stranger and his reckless side. His golden armor now stained with red blood and vitriolic anger. His face now a darker shade and his eyes gleaming brightly of his fury. He wasn’t the same Stranger she knew from the first day they met. She watched him fight the Shock tank alone. With no partner to count on.

Boom-bat Seekers impacted on the Shock tank’s metal coating, weakening it to the state of breaking it with a punch. A shock bristled among Stranger’s helmet, giving him a brief jolt. He recovered quickly, now using Super Stingbees in all its glory, and began to shoot holes through the weakened part of the tank. He heard a howl of pain inside the encasing, which meant a Wolvark only operated the thing. He kept the flow of rabid Stingbees concentrated on the widening hole of the hull. The tank fell over, and the Wolvark escaped from the burning wreckage of what used to be its tank. A mass of Wolvarks emerged from behind the created barriers, reloading their rifles with threatening grins. Stranger frowned angrily, holding out his bow to the Wolvarks. They came on in near him slowly. The first shot was fired by a Wolvark on his left side. He flinched over to that Wolvark, and shot out Stingbees to it. The others began to pounce on him, punching and flailing so they could bring him down. He bellowed a roar of fury, scraping off the Wolvarks like they were flies. She watched the entire thing. He was helpless, as the Wolvarks began to pile on him again. One stood out, reloading its rifle quickly, watching the Steef fling off the Wolvarks. Umi’s nerves shot out, her blood running cold. They were really going to get him this time. And it would be all her fault. Because she didn’t bother to help out her partner. Grief flooded all around her. Horror struck her mind. She didn’t want it to end like this, especially if it had to end up with Stranger, her best friend, becoming dead, right in front of her eyes. Then she’d be next. No. That wouldn’t happen. Not unless she changed her ways, and started to save her friend.
“NO!� she roared, whipping out her rifle. “GET YER HANDS OFF’A ‘IM! NOW!� she bellowed, aiming her rifle at the Wolvark with its semi-auto. She pulled the trigger, holding the gun tightly so it wouldn’t shake out of her grip. She finished off the Wolvark, then slammed her rifle down, and ran to the pile of Wolvarks on top of Stranger. She ripped off one on his head beating him senseless, and kicked him aside in the ribs. She even heard a series of cracks when she delivered the blow. She growled more like of a dragon, punching and ripping the Wolvarks attached to him off. He lay on the snow, panting heavily with a drip of blood trickling out of his nose and mouth. The Wolvarks laid in a sloppy circle away from Stranger, groaning in pain. She knelt on the ground, crying unstoppably.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Stranger! I didn’t mean ter leave you alone like that,� she sobbed, putting her head down to her knees. “I won’t do it again. I promise!� she cried. Stranger blinked at her. He might’ve seen her cry before, but not like this. He wiped hid bloodied nose on his arm, then put his heavy arms in the snow. He perked his hand under her chin, and lifted her head back up. Her eyes were brightly stained of red and her face was a flush. He put his arm back down by his ribs.
“Don’t you be feelin’ sorry fer me, kid,� he gently said. “It’s my fault that I didn’t listen ter you,� he nodded. “If I’d listened ter yeh, I wouldn’t be like this,� he brought his arms around her, and slid her near his chest. “I’m glad you care, Umi,� he whispered down to her. She snuffled her runny nose, nodding under his arms. But she didn’t feel better. Her guilt had already taken over her mind.
“I still think it’s my fault,� Umi said. Stranger hummed in his throat.
“Don’t say tha’…� he said. A cold wind flushed through the frosty street. Goosebumps prickled her hair up. She thought she wouldn’t be cold, since from the last experience, but she thought wrong.
“Cold…� she said quietly.
“Me, too,� Stranger lifted his head up to the gate. It was open now. Maybe the Grubbs saw them take out the Wolvark guards, and it was safe to enter now. He bundled Umi up in his arms, and trotted through the gate. He nearly stumbled over, which made Umi jump.
“Maybe I should help you, rather than you carry me,� Umi lifted her neck up to him.
“Nah…I’m fine,� Stranger said. His stubbornness was still annoying to her. Why couldn’t he just accept that he couldn’t walk?
‘Oh, that’s right…’ Umi thought. ‘He’s a big boy now,’ she rolled her eyes.

The Grubbs inside heard the sloppy hoof trots in to the building. They all turned to the entrance, watching the Steef enter weakly on his two shot legs.
“Steef dude! You made it! We could use your help, man!� a rebel nodded shakily. The Rebel leader turned to Stranger and Umi with lavender-purple eyes. She had purple markings on her smooth discolored green skin, with a dark brown skirt on her hips.
“Well…It’s about time you got ‘ere, you guys! We have our ass pinned here!� she scolded.
“Yeah, looks like it. But I still got’s te, get up to Sekto’s dam, an’…take ‘im out, ‘fore he does,� Stranger grinned.
“Hmm…� a rebel tapped his bottom lip thoughtfully. “Well, if Steef dude can help us to get outta here, and get up to the city’s cannons…� it tapped its foot on the smooth stone ground. “Y-e-eeah. That’s what we’ll do,� it nodded up to the Steef. The Rebel leader smiled to her trooper, and punched him respectfully on its arm.
“Good thinkin’ there! Now, Steef dude! Get goin’, and we’ll meet you near the docks to the city! There, we’ll take control of the cannons, and beat that Sekto prick! Yeah!� she ran over to a table with a two-part map laid flat out with pictures of the Mongo River and Sekto’s dam far at the head of the river. A rebel Grubb quickly jumped, making a forgetful noise, and ran back to a darker room behind the Rebel Leader. It came back, with a blue suit and armor folded in its arms.
“Steef! Here, take this armor,� the Grubb smiled. The Rebel Leader turned back to Stranger, then smiled as well.
“It’s bad-ass armor,� she said quietly with excitement. He pulled on the blue stretchy suit first, over his legs, arms, and chest. Then hung over his head was the armored poncho. It felt like the same poncho with his bounty hunter suit, but it was blue instead of a leathery brown. The helmet was the most interesting to Umi. It was a large cover that took up entirely on Stranger’s mane of hair. Two curling, twisted horns javelined out on both sides of his head. It made him look almost mythical, like the bull god of the Greeks. And what astounded Umi, was that his face looked lighter. A shade lighter of brown, like he became something good and light. Stranger nodded respectfully and gratefully at the rebels but held him there for a quick moment. There, they bandaged up Stranger’s hurt legs with a strong medical tape and somewhat of a soft splint of wood, which didn’t cause any uncomfortableness. Stranger thanked the rebels, and left out of the rebel base, the backside way. There, it led to a tall maze-like pathway to the docks. The walls were broken down, but stood tall over Stranger’s sight. Ladders began to bang across the outside of the walls, with Wolvark grunts pushing over the wall. Stranger made a pitiful noise to the Wolvarks for their dumbfound plan of cutting them off, holding down the Spark Stunkz down at the point of where they were going to land.
“Stand back, Umi. Yer know what these things’ll do ter yeh,� Stranger cautioned. Umi nodded quickly, and stood a great distance away from Stranger’s area of the Sparks. He saw the Wolvarks head pop over the walls, and drop down like boulders on the powdered ground. He kept a steady arm where the Wolvarks landed, the jumped back, and shot the Spark Stunkz in front of him. There, the stench of the Stunk sucked up the fresh air, along with the Wolvarks, whom were suffocating from the extreme smell the Spark Stunkz produced. Next came the Rabid Fuzzles and Bola Blasts. He shot his rounds of the Bola Blast, then left the rest of the coop to suffer the wrath of the Fuzzles. He bountied the wrapped officers, turning them in to live ammo food, but left the rest to die. He led them near the end, but had another delay with more Wolvarks climbing over the walls and two automatics waiting at the entrance hall down to the docks.
“My turn,� Umi stepped up with her rifle up to the Wolvarks. They began to run closer to the intruders. Umi pressed on the trigger, but didn’t fire. They knew she’d fire at them if they got close.
“Bring ‘em closer, Stranger,� she said, not looking back. Stranger grinned, holding out a Spark Stunkz again. The Wolvarks held off a few long meters away from Umi’s range. Stranger fired the Stunkz out in front of Umi, she keeping a steady ground without falling in to the trap. She did, however, felt herself gag from the stinky stench that brought a teardrop to her eye. She sniffed up fresh air, then looked at the piled-up Wolvarks. She now squeezed the trigger, sprawling bullets by the hundreds at the Wolvarks. They struck like hail in a storm, sticking out of their bloody tattered blue uniforms. She watched the Wolvarks as they side-stepped them in to the entrance hallway. Umi ran beside Stranger with rifle tightly in hand. They sharply turned down the stone hallway, a handful of rebel Grubbs waiting for them. They jumped in surprise.
“The Steef’s here, guys! Steef’s here! Run to the cannons! Make ‘em proud! Make ‘em proud!� the rebels spun around, running with Stranger and Umi down to the docks. There, two large bow-shaped cannons held boulders in their launchers, smothered in a flammable liquid the others gushed on.
“Light the fireballs!� a rebel shouted up. The Grubbs nodded, holding a torch up to the rocks, and dropping it on the boulders. The rocks were inflamed in a twister of fire, crackling a red-hot heat on the wooden catapults.
“All ready!� a Grubb shouted down to the rebel.
“Fire then, already!� it shouted again. Stranger and Umi climbed up to a secure wall lower beside the catapults’ platforms. A loud rumble shook their insides, then the fire bolts were shot out. A small cement dam blocked the river’s path. The rocks headed in that direction. They were melting over the frosty waters, molten rock dripping off like running water. The boulders smashed upon the dam, cracking and melting it down to a half bridge.
“Fire again!� the rebel yelled. Another boulder was placed upon the catapult’s launcher, splashing the flammable liquid over it again, and lighting it with a torch. The Grubbs released the launcher’s strings, and the rock went flying again. They shaved down the dam down to two halves in the water.
“Once more! That’ll get us through!� the rebel said. The Grubbs pushed on one more boulders on to the launchers, spilled the liquid, lit it, and let it fly. Both of the boulders headed their direction, one for each side of the half-broken dam. The boulders smashed the dam down to a crumbling wall of nothing in to the arctic water. The melted boulders hissed in to the water, steam rising from the spot where it landed. All the rebels began to shout and cheer at their success of breaking the dam down that blocked their way.
“Yeah! We did it!� the rebel jumped beside Stranger.
“Good…Now tha’ only leaves Sekto’s dam,� Stranger smiled craftily.
“Ok, ok. Now, Steef! We’ve taken down the dam that would’ve blocked you to get to Sekto! Go on down the river, until you find it! And, hey! Don’t you worry! We’ll have your back! We’ll bring cannons to support you while you head for Sekto!� the rebel led them down from the cannons, down to the dock that the Grubb had parked his boat at.
“Good luck, Steef! We’ll see you there at Sekto’s dam!� the Grubb smiled. Stranger bowed his head at the rebels, and stepped in to his boat. Umi carefully got to the bow again, holstering the gun turret again. The Grubbs watched him push off from the dock, then paddle themselves down the river away from Last Legs. The fight for Last Legs was victorious. But the war for Sekto and his dam, was on now.