Lost Scout

Urik woke the up with a roaring headache, the strange fluffy birds that seem to drop fruit provisions for his group were always chirping and singing to one another. His brow was sweating from the humid air that he would wake up to for the last several days. It had almost been a month and a half in the Rift when he guessed only a week passed on Earth. They had been fighting off strange dinosaur looking creatures, hunting very large elk, and staying hidden and protected from the loud roars coming from the south of their camp. No soldier or scout wanted to go out to investigate the sounds alone for its echo was possibly causing a sense of primal fear in them.

Urik rubbed his head and took a two pills, something to help with his headache. Though he was running out, he didn't expect it to take so long to find the Chaos Beast responsible for the Rift to appear. All he knew was that it was strong enough to make such a large expanse without turning it into a Chaos Tear. Having sent out scouts in the areas nearby led to them able to collect Beast Crystals that were much better quality than some he has seen. The Beta and Alpha tier crystals had more energy coming off of them than normal, like the place was enhancing the creatures.

Putting on his armor then grabbing his shield and warhammer Urik stepped out of his tent to be greeted with a morning commotion.

With a sigh, Urik went to ask, "What is going on, speak up or I'll make you all do training reps for the next two hours." The group of men and women turned and saluted to Urik.

"Sir," a woman responded, "we have yet to hear back from the last scout deployed, Sir!" Urik let them rest at ease, they all went into a resting position behind their backs. Urik looked around the base and then back to the group.

"Who did we lose?" Urik placed his hand on his forehead.

"Lieutenant Barns, Sir!" The man next to the woman responded sharply. Urik squinted as he eyed the soldier.

"How do you know he is lost and not just scouting?" The group stepped aside and found his gear all broken and torn apart. As Urik saw the devastation on the gear, he walked over and picked up a few pieces.

"We believe he was attacked by some vicious creature sir, it isn't like Lieutenant Barns to be caught by surprise." Urik thoroughly checked every piece he picked up. Luckily, he didn't discover any blood. With a sigh of relieve but quickly turned to worry.

Urik looked at the man, "Where did you find these?"

"Two clicks South West sir. We also found a battle site that had taken place, but as you probably saw yourself, no blood." The soldiers all stood at attention waiting for his order.

Which Urik gave, "Alright, assemble 4 others that will accompany us and leave the other 14 to guard the base. Stay in radio frequency at all times, go dark if necessary. Be back here in 10 minutes!" They all nodded and were dismissed, leaving Urik to examine the scraps for himself.

'What kind of creature could do something like this and not leave a speck of blood on the gear?' He thought to himself. Urik wasn't one to shy from a fight, but he didn't know what his adversary was, or how it worked. He spent a lot of time as a strategic specialist in the United Armed Forces before having gotten his powers as a Tank. He built battle plans, estimated the power and number of enemy soldiers and armor the enemy side had. But this, ever since the Rifts opened more frequently, he has yet to get a grasp of what enemy he would face. He didn't have back up plans, no strategy, or even a guess on what could have done something like this.

Setting the scraps back down he sighed and cracked his neck letting out a sigh of relief. He needed it for the moment, it was a thing he would do in order to straighten himself out when he was nervous or scrambled. Allowed him to focus on what he can see, which he did take another look at the clothing and gear.

'Looks like the force to break an Delta tier weapon like this was definitely strong. The clothing is torn and shredded as if cut by a blade of some sort.' He ran his hand across the edges, 'Though the cuts were messed with somewhat as to possibly throw off anyone guess as to if it was a weapon or a natural attack.' He brought it to his face and took a whiff of the cloth. When he did, his eyes opened and he pulled it away.

'There is no smell?' He sniffed again and still nothing. He knew Lieutenant Barns wore a type of cologne that smelt like a skunks butt and tangerines, but he would always say his wife loved it. It's like it was washed away by a stream. He would smell again and find that it was maybe somewhere wet and with a lot of water. Though he had to count for the rain that falls every so often in the day.

Urik set the items down and nodded, "Someone had tampered with these and made it look like a creature or he barely escaped. He is a wily one, but not that wily to escape with no injury." Urik turned to find that the two had returned with the group of other soldiers. A healer, two Evokers, one summoner, and 3 warriors. This would make him the tank of the group making a total of seven units.

He nodded, "Good, made it here quickly and without much alarm either, impressive." Urik smiled then reported to his soldiers that he had discovered that Barns was likely attacked then found out that his gear had been cleaned. No blood smell or even his perfume. Which many shivered by the thought of his smell choice of cologne. He also told them that it is likely a creature or even a humanoid creature with enough intelligence for something like this.

"We must be aware at all times, no mistakes, no one gets left behind." Urik hefted his hammer into the air. "We travel South West!" The others hollered and followed Urik to the gate. He pounded his shield as the Evoker in charge of the door lowered it back into the earth. The group of 7 headed out and the door closed behind them. Urik had the man known as Jack lead him to where they found Lieutenant Barns' gear.

Jack was a scout like Barns, but Jack had the ability of communing with animals and nature itself. For he was the one to discover some unique things about the world as he found out from the birds that they could eat anything but preferred fruit. If angered or threatened, they gather in a large swarm and pick the meat off the attacker's bones. Jack was useful for his ability when animals were around.

Being that his ability allowed him to commune with nature, meant he could use it to track people, creatures, even manipulate plants to his will. He couldn't summon them, they had to exist beforehand. Right now, Jack was taking the lead as he was following the tracks left behind as they had finally came upon the clearing of fallen trees, slashed ground, and tossed stones. Whatever attacked Barns wasn't there to play with him. It was intent to kill him. But the question remained, what did it?

Urik ordered a clean sweep of the area, soldiers from his group scattered from Urik as they all started searching the area for clues. For roughly 10 minutes, nothing was found other than churned dirt, presumably claw marks, and spatters of some odd liquid. When someone poked the liquid with a stick it began to dissolve and melt away. Urik didn't like the idea of Barns being melted away. But that wouldn't have explained why his gear was broken and cut up.

Urik decided to step forward and place his hand on the ground whispering words to himself, "Hand of the Almighty, guide my path to the one who is lost, I ask for clairvoyance." With finishing his sentence, Urik felt his body become lighter briefly as he saw a path of blue light leading him into the forest further south. Urik stood and closed his fist, "Form up!" His soldiers regrouped with him as he lead them away from the scene.

Getting to see the blue energy meant that Barns was alive. Though if it showed up but not gone anywhere, it would have told him Barns was dead. With the hope that Barns was alive, meant he was more determined to find him. Though he was going to get an earful from Urik as it was his job to report back often. As well as for getting caught.

Urik marched his forces south, heading for a dense part of the forest as the ground became soft and muddy. He was close to Barns' location as the blue energy had gotten brighter. Though the problem was that it had led up into a tree, very high up and unable to be clearly seen. Urik placed his hand on the tree and then felt something nearby.

Activating his detection ability, he counted 6 Chaos Beasts were closing in on their location. He called out to his men to make a protective formation of the healer and the casters. While he and the Warriors would protect them while having their back to the tree. The beasts leapt from the water as 6 legged reptilian creatures sprang at them. The warriors held spears and swords, though using each one with a shield. The two spearmen had raised up their weapons to catch the beast landing on them. While the one swordsmen prepared a counter attack.

Urik slammed his shield into the ground and submerging some of it into the water. His hammer raised high as it glowed with yellow and sparked flames to life. His activated his taunting ability which compelled the beasts to attack him. Each of the reptilian creatures looked at Urik as they shot out their tongues and ran at him.

One of the Evokers had cast an ice wall which caused the beast's tongue to get trapped in the ice. While the other sent up earthen spikes to pierce another one. Two had reached Urik, but the spearmen managed to stab one while Urik himself brought his hammer down on the creature's head. The impact sent a sound wave rippling the water around them. As it suddenly caught fire even while standing in the water the beast couldn't put it out.

Each of the creatures weren't easy to put down as each one took multiple hits from his warriors and Evokers. The reptile's hide was incredibly strong and their 6 legs helped in mobility. With sticky tongues and sharp claws, these beasts weren't easy to fell. Urik even felt that his hammer was hitting stone as if it was a normal sledgehammer. But luckily if one was frozen in ice it made attacking its body much easier. So having Hilda, the ice Evoker, with them really was a stroke of luck.

Having fought off the beasts for only a few moments, it looked like Urik and his men had the situation under control. But something bothered Urik as his detection aura had managed to locate another 30 creatures. All converging on their location. Preparing for the worst, for each of the reptiles were close to Alpha tier by themselves. Which didn't make their chances of survival very good as 3 warriors, 2 Evokers, a healer, and himself. He could take a lot of hits before he needed to heal, but 30 more of them was going to be the death of the group.

He watched as they climbed down from the trees, from under the water, and all he could think was how they could get out of it. As he braced himself for the assault, suddenly several spears of ice rained down on the creatures. Skewering one after another as they approached the group. Some stuck to trees, other impaled into the water, while one had its head pierced in front of Urik.

From up above, Urik looked to see a black figure falling from the tree. When it had landed, it did so on the large ice shard in front of Urik. The figure had a black cowl on obscuring his face, a long black coat, and a book floating next to him. The book's cover had a glowing blue gem that blinked at Urik. In front of him, was the Renegade.