Subsequent Fall Part 32.75: Beacon Neon Yellow

Achilles looked around as it was a clear sunny day for them. That is a good thing, the grass at their feet waved back and forth as Nevada, Wash and Neigel readied themselves. "Do we have any plans till night?"

"Can you handle the flank by yourself?" Neigel asked as Achilles started laughing.

"Yeah, more than handle." He drew his sword from his side as a stampede started to close in from his side. 

"Achilles, push the line forward, I will cover his flanks and you two hold the rear and stick tight?" Neigel gave them a thumbs up as they readied their carbines. Achilles already had started to slash through the pack of void buffalo.

His speed was still extreme. As the other three helped in whatever way they could. Achilles used his blade like a blender. The rapid movement was untrackable, the other three saw not even a blur, just a man surrounded by smoke and ask. 'This is my test to myself, prove that I can keep up with Astral and spar with him once again.' 

Nevada noticed a shadow above them as his eyes flicked upwards. Seeing a giant dark bird circling them. "Wash, use your ice rockets." Nevada pointed upwards as the bird swooped down. Covering Neigel, his suit took the crushing attack well. Wash locked on as he hoisted up his hip launcher. Firing mini rockets that chased the flying creature of darkness down and crystalized it.

'Oh, that's my ribs.' Nevada tapped his sides as they hurt, nothing collapsed but he was bruised. Achilles was slashing even faster than what they were watching, the endless amounts of buffalo seemed to not even bother him as the stampede was getting another layer to it. 

Elephants and rhinos joined in on the attack of void. In the charge Achilles breathed, his methods will be more than enough. Just need to make it to sundown. Pressing a button the blade split in half as he used both hands to keep it clear for the four of them as their flank was not targeted by the void, rushing like a wave of darkness.

Once the elephants and rhinos made it to Achilles, he had to stop moving forward and figure out how to take them down right away and in one slice. His focus became sharpened to the highest of his abilities. Each slash found its mark as Achilles felt something shift deep down inside of him. Was it the next gear he needed to surpass those brats?

Memories flooded his mind, that's why he has so much respect for Astral, it's unwarranted and improper. His anger boiled over. "Why can't these things just die!" Achilles picked up two steps and charged through the void. His attacks flying as Achilles became lost in thought and a creature of instinct as the void all started attacking him.

'He still hasn't truly earned my respect.' Achilles felt deep inside of himself. The amount of trust he also shows in him would be surprising for someone who was an enemy. His mind hesitated as his body kept moving.

'Could I ever forgive him?' his body tightened up for a moment as the rest of his squad started gunning down the void around him. Ducking low he dodged the bullets then went back to the thoughtless combat.

'He is acting weirder than before.' Neigel kept his finger on the trigger looking at Achilles through his peripheral vision. He grabbed a molotov grenade from his side and chucked it into the sea of darkness ahead of them. After it detonated the void funneled around it. "Do either of you have access to napalm or more flammable things?"

Nevada shrugged as Wash pulled out a new style round and plugged it into his launcher. Firing it into the air it split in the sky as it rained embers down onto the ground. Once they hit the ground they erupted into pylons of flame. Scaring the void for but the one moment needed for Achilles as he took the initiative from their cowardice.

Achilles saw all of them back up, they lost. Achilles slashed down the treeline in the distance, allowing for the trees to be lit ablaze from their weapons. His swordplay slashed through the masses of void as the sun slowly set, their source of light being the burning fires around them.

By the time the sun had set, they started the entire forest on fire. Their flank protected as Achilles started to take a quick nap for their sake. The three looked out into the darkness as Achilles slept.

"We can do this, he can do it!" Neigel kept his voice down as he wanted their star to be well rested.

"If we create a consistent funnel for the void to come into, it would make his life a lot easier." Nevada pulled out a map as they viewed it. "This place is massive! Look at where the evac zone is for us."

"That is the universal evacuation zone. Look at all of us, we are all an equal amount away. Some probably got closer during this initial chaotic day." Wash looked at the beacons as he pointed each one out. "Look at the paths. The only ones to not move from their spawn point is Astral."

"Do they think they can keep their pace up?" Neigel looked at it as Nevada and Wash looked up and were disgusted.

"It'll require a miracle in order for anyone outside of him to win, even through one day his score alone dwarfs every other team. And his team has more than every team combined." Wash pointed at the numbers on the corner of the map.

"Well, looks like that bonus is looking like he doesn't want to pay out. We have to change that." Nevada looked back over to Achilles as he was fast asleep. "I have an idea. We need to make Astral distracted."

"By using our best player as someone to distract the best, could that work?" Neigel looked confused as Achilles stood up, his shadow looming over them.

"It means we are certainly out of the running for the bonus winnings. But I am looking for a chance to spar against that bastard. See you three in two days." Achilles took off in a flash as the other three looked at each other.

"We should use the cover of night and get to that evac zone. Then hunker down during the day." Nevada pointed to the evacuation beacon as they started running.