Just Getting By: Skin of Our Teeth

Sam and I stood there for a solid second. The sand stopped shifting and on top of it were thirteen skeleton warriors. Each holding a different type of weapon. I could quickly make out axes, swords, spears, and the like. The skeleton that was now hovering above the ground seemed to still be laughing in that weird chattering way. He raised the arm that was holding the staff and pointed it at us. The skeletons all turned their heads towards us, and they charged swiftly making their way across the sand.

"You run around and try to see if you can shoot him. I'll try to hold them off!" I pointed Sam in the direction that went all the way around the arena.

"Try not to die!" She took off running to see if she could get behind the skeleton summoner.

"Lets go you little shits!" I roared at the skeletons that were quickly approaching me. The thing that scared me the most was their speed. I honestly didn't expect the speed that they were charging me with. I quickly revved up my chainsaw, and looked at the number display for the remaining energy.

49%

The first skeleton showed up in front of me and I quickly kicked it's ribs with my foot. It went falling a few feet back, and I swiftly brought the teeth of my chainsaw down against it's skull. I wasn't able to do too much damage as the other twelve were quickly approaching. I stood up and started running backwards to make some space. I saw that the skeleton I let the teeth dig into had bits of it's face falling off. Behind the empty space I could make out what appeared to be an inscription of purple markings. Maybe that's what was keeping them standing were those weird purple magic inscriptions.

The first of the other twelve was brandishing an axe. It raised it above it's head and swiftly brought it down almost cutting me in two. I jumped backwards stumbling on the steps that were behind me. I scrambled up but not before the skeleton with a spear made a slice across my back. I ignored it as I had bigger issues to worry about. I felt like I was doing more running than killing, and I decided that the next one to attack I would attempt to at least cut a leg off of. Sure enough the next one to attack was the spear user again. I jumped to the side and swung the blade of my chainsaw at it's leg allowing the teeth to dig in deep. The leg came off with a sickening snap and it dropped to the floor. I made a grab for the spear but warning signs were tingling off in my head. I jumped back again leaving the spear on the floor.

An axe was where my head was just moments ago, and I quickly took off once again. I repeated this process until I had sawed off the legs of three of my assailants. I circled back around until I came face to face with a hobbling spear wielding skeleton. I swiftly planted my foot in his chest allowing the teeth of my blade to tear away his face until I stabbed cleanly through the purple markings. He disappeared in that weird haze, and I grabbed his spear which thankfully hadn't yet vanished.

"Acquired common spear"

Attack- 25

Speed- 30

Skill- none

I de-summoned my chainsaw and savagely laid waste to the few assailants who had caught back up with me. None had been laid to rest but I could tell that they were worse for wear than when we started.

"TONY!!!" I heard a shrill scream come from the other side of the arena and my blood ran cold. I looked over to the other side of the arena and I could see Sam dangling from the hands of the summoner. She was lifted off the ground about six to ten feet having the life choked from her body. A sword slashed a deep klepht into my forearm but I didn't care. I pushed the spear head directly into his head.

"Dead come fight my battles!" I screamed, and I could feel that same whooshing feeling of energy being savagely sucked from my body. I didn't allow myself to feel the energy drain as I stabbed another enemy in the head.

"Skeleton warrior fend off the rest of these enemies here!" I sprinted across the stadium not even checking to see if he obeyed the command. My feet dug into the sand. I could feel myself slowing down, but I pushed even harder. I could see Sam's eyes starting to bulge and her face changing color.

"Fucker let her go. I'm the one you want. Hey put her down!" I was on the verge of tears. I was still several feet away, and I didn't think I could move fast enough. I griped my spear tightly in my hand and chucked it as hard as I could. It soared through the air, but I didn't have faith in my ability to throw a spear as I had never done so in the past. I kept charging on in the hopes that my spear throw would at least distract him.

CRACK

The spear hit the bottom of one of his dangling feet, and let out a sickeningly large crack. He roared in pain, but instead of letting Sam go he seemed to clutch even tighter.

"Please let her go!" My breath was coming in ragged gasps at this point, but I didn't let myself falter.

"Pet has finished it's hibernation period. A random pet will now be provided to the player."

That loud booming voice played out.

"Then give me one that could save Sam!" I pleaded to the voice, but of course no answer was provided. The egg that was in my inventory shoot out of nowhere and began glowing with a bright light. I was still surging forward, but the egg was keeping pace with my charging speed. Then all of a sudden a deep blue beam shot forth from the egg piercing the skeleton in the face. It dropped Sam who seemed to go limp from loss of oxygen. She plopped into the sand and I charged even harder to get to her.

"I don't know what kind of pet you are but please keep him busy." I pleaded to the mysterious pet who was still hiding in the shell of the egg. I ran to Sam sliding on my knees until I was by her face.

"Hey now I need you to be ok, alright?!" I could see deep red and purple marks where he squeezed her neck. I didn't see her breathing and panic struck my body. No. No. No. You can't be dead. Please don't be dead. Then she gasped deeply and sat up clutching at her chest.

"Oh thank fucking god you're alive!" I grabbed her in my arms.

"Lets go kill that fucker. Ok?" she remarked, and I awkwardly stood back up with her joining soon after. I could now finally get a look at what came out of the egg. It seemed to be a tiny looking elf. It maybe stood three feet tall, with a bow in her hands. It's hair was a pure gold with pointed ears jutting out to the side. She had a stern face while she seemed to be taking aim at the skeleton summoner. She was firing at a surprisingly fast rate blue beams like the one I had seen before. The skeleton screamed in pain each time one of those beams struck it's bones. I saw that same purple marking behind it's jaws on the inside of it's skull.

"Sam you need to shoot it in the back of the skull!" I shouted at her. She grabbed her nail gun and laid waste to the back of his head. I've never seen her look so serious before, but coming close to death seemed to make something snap inside of her. She clicked her gun again and it vanished into thin air. It seemingly had run out of ammo. At least now I knew what happened when you run out of energy for a weapon. She snatched the spear that I had thrown that was pinned into the sand, and sprinted after the skeleton. She came within about five yards away and chucked it. It spiraled through the air and impaled him right through the back of his skull. All I had to say in retort was one simple word.

"Fuck."

The boss let out an eerie moan and vanished into thin air. I looked around and the other skeleton's that had survived my summon were vanishing as well. The nightmare of our boss battle was finally over. We could live to see another day.