The Odd New World

Chapter 12 - Fighting Back

The blue flying snake-like creatures, which are called the Arabuas according to Rulo, got closer to us. They were ready to attack.
I really didn't want to resolve to using my rifle at this moment, but I did not have many options. I needed a way to put them down effectively before we all could get hurt.
It didn't help that we were on top of a city building either.

I aim my rifle at the first Arabua heading towards us.
I pull the trigger, feeling the rifle kick back onto my shoulder.
The bullet flies and strikes the Arabua, causing the creature to lose its momentum and falls from the air.

There were still more coming.
I quickly grab another bullet and load it into the rifle.

A second Arabua was approaching us.
I aim once again and pull the trigger, taking another one down.

Then there was a third, which had followed not too far from the second.
I didn't have much time to load another bullet.
I switched over to my silenced sidearm and shot a few rounds into the next Arabua.

I missed a few of my shots, but I managed to shoot it enough to make it go crashing down.

"Watch out, Faith! To your left!" Rulo calls out.

I look to my left and spotted another Arabua flying it's way towards us.
I grab another rifle bullet and reload before it gets close.

I shot a fourth round and took it down.

Aldo exhales heavily.

"Aldo spotted more coming from behind us!" Rulo adds.

At this rate, I'm going to run out of rifle bullets.

I grab another round and load it into the rifle. However, I didn't have time to aim, as the next Arabua was close.

I throw myself to the side and away from its path before it got to bite my head clean off.
The Arabua misses Aldo and Rulo as well as they both dodge away from it.

The Arabua then changes direction to face us once more.
I took that opportunity to aim and shoot it, bringing another down.

I spotted one more approaching me from my right.
I flip back to my sidearm, loading a fresh magazine into it.
As it got closer, I started to open fire.
I shot six rounds out of twelve, and it still did lose momentum.
I frantically fire the rest of the magazine.
The Arabua tries its best to keep its momentum. But thankfully, it begins falling down too.

"Faith!" Rulo screamed. "Behind you!"

I quickly look back. My heart stops and my body paralyses at the sight of another Arabua getting very close.
Before I could react, Aldo runs towards the Arabua and rams his horns through it.

Because of the momentum the Arabua has gathered, it continued to move after Aldo struck it.
The Arabua began falling from the building. Aldo's horns were still stuck in the creature, so he went down with it.

"Aldo! No!"

I watched in horror as both Aldo and the Arabua descended further down.

If only I had something to help him, but I couldn't do anything. I felt helpless.
There's not much Rulo can do either. He is too small to do anything about this predicament.

Why did Aldo have to do that?
Why did this have to happen now?

Before I could feel a tear forming in my eye, I notice something approaching Aldo and the Arabua.

It was the Spawner!

She flew towards them and grabbed them as they were falling.
The Spawner flies further up, freeing Aldo's horns from the Arabua while doing so.
She then lets the Arabua fall and flies back toward us carrying Aldo in her hands.