The hivemind is conquering for me? - Chapter 145

Chapter 145: Sacrifice
The mercenaries began to double time away from the now scrap metal that was the Thurx battle droids. They would not have a lot of time to leave before the noise was investigated.

We had actually managed to make great distance over an hour or so, before we came across a large fight. The Spartari Phalanx, the Hive, and some Lizard men? were battling between each other. Answering my question for me, Kathrine muttered through her helmet. “Starforged.” ‘Ah, what that man was going on about earlier.’ I thought, having a body to the description.

The star forged were wearing very little protective armour and took around 20 laser shots to the chest before one seemed to go down. They were overrunning the Spartari with their melee combat, but were somewhat struggling against the swarm, as the warriors scythes could cut through their tough skin with relative ease.

Some of the mercenaries were ready to join in the fight, but Kathrine raised her hand. “We do not have the time for this, let them fight and keep a good distraction.” The mercenaries seemed both relived and disappointed at the result, but began rounding a building away from the intersection the battle was taking place at.

I was at the rear, making sure no one lagged behind. As I finally covered myself with the building, down the street that lead towards the fight, a woman had just appeared. She was walking at a leisurely pace, disregarding the fight near to her. Her body guard however, was getting hot as the blood in the air was making him battle hungry. “My Seer. Should you not aid the warriors? Your power could wipe out the enemy in short time.” Rekosh urged.

Aeletha ignored her guard. A blip of foresight returned to her a moment. She looked down the street with her blind eyes, to a corner of a building. “What was that I felt just now?” She murmured. She ignored Rekosh’s further questions and slowly began to walk down the road to follow the blip.

Onyx was panting heavily. Her face was missing an eye and she had lost many teeth. She was missing two arms one sword arm and a claw from her left side. Half of her tail had been severed and a huge hole was in her torso.

Onyx may have some minor flesh wounds, but before her lay a large corpse. Its body riddled with spiked, venom tipped projectiles, slashes, cuts, bite marks, punctures and many more injuries. It took an incredible amount on her part to defeat the fake prime, but she managed it.

She wondered how long she would last against an actual prime instead of this mutated drone variant. As she looked down at the corpse with her one eye, Green began to swirl amidst the black. “I better gobble you up to regenerate and unite with my beloved! Who knows what the queen might do with my king if she gets to him first!”

Onyx wasted no more time and limped over to the biomass before her. She gave it a creepy stroke on the head and whispered. “Don’t worry my baby, Mother will eat you up nice so we can go find your daddy.” She then proceeded to dig in to the all you can eat biomass buffet.

…

We had made good progress in the last two hours. Our only engagements were with Thurx droids and a few strafing drones. Things seemed to be going well for the mercenaries, until as we were walking past a storefront and an idiot civilian looter inside the store sounded the alarm accidentally causing every mercenary present to flinch.

Caleb knew the sound was large enough to be heard by whatever swarm warriors were nearby and shouted. “Run!” The mercenaries dropped half of their equipment for easier movement and began to book it down a street. It was too late however as a scout warrior had heard the noise and ran over to investigate.

The mercenaries were not fast enough to find cover and the warrior spotted them and it let out a shriek while also showing what it had seen through the link. Even though it was on its own, it began to give chase so the hive would have a live location to track the prey.

As it rounded to corner, It was shot in the head by a mercenary killing it, but in that millisecond, It saw something, meaning the whole hive saw something. An armour, unique in design as it was given to their mate.

Those that were scavenging and those that were trying to get into buildings to eat the delicious bio mass inside stopped what they were doing and turned and began sprinting in the direction of their mate. They wanted to see him, they needed to see him. It had been too long.

It was not long until a gigantic swarm of Hive bio-forms began to make their way to the mercenaries.

The mercenaries could not stop. Run and shoot. Run and shoot. At first the standard warriors were the first to show up. Only in the dozens, easy enough to clear. But as more and more began to swarm and follow. The mercenaries were running out of shooting room.

As I was running along I was shooting my guns while intentionally missing. Every so often, A mercenary would get grabbed by a warrior and that would slow down the pocket of warriors for a while, but another pocket would take its place.

Salvation came for the mercenaries when they could hear heavy artillery and weaponry nearby. “Spartari must have set up a defensive line. Hurry Hurry!” Jacob yelled as he ran. In his fervour, he had not noticed a warrior jump off a roof until it was right in front of him as it shoved its scythe deep into his stomach while biting a chunk out of his arm. “AAAARH!” he screamed in pain as the warrior was shot off him. He was still alive, but barely and one of his burly men dropped all his gear and decided to carry his leader back.

As we neared the defensive line, hope drained from the mercenaries as before them lay a blockade. Countless Swarm warriors. Elites such as the basilisks and the Basilisk queen guards. There was even five Brain bursters. The mercenaries came to a standstill as they realised the swarm was not moving.

“W-w-w Why have they stopped? Someone asked.” “They should be tearing us to pieces right now.” another yelled. Even behind us the swarm had stopped. To the right, was the only street that was available for escape. I wanted to save my friends that I had made. So I yelled so the hive could here me. “Everyone listen up! Retreat down that road now! I am going to unleash all my Psionic might and hold back the swarm until you are safe. Do not look back. Only forward. GO! GO! GO!” Most began running straight away at the first sign of escape. A few lingered.

I turned my back to the mercenaries and unsheathed Zircon, gripping her tight. Kathrine, who had lingered a moment longer than the rest saw my tight grip and remembered my forged past. ‘His family and planet died to these accursed beings. He wants revenge.’ Kathrine wanted to stay behind and help Apollo, but her position denied her the ability. She believed deep down he would be fine somehow and began to run away.

“Janine you need to leave.” I whispered. as the hive began to walk slowly forward. “No, you are my friend. I die with you I don’t care.” She responded. To this I grew angry and took of my helm. I picked her up with one hand and made her make eye contact. “Look at my eyes and I meant it. I will be fine. I will not die. You leave here now if you want to live and continue to be my friend. Do you understand.”

Janine did not know why, but she could tell Apollo was telling 100% the truth. “If you die I swear I will piss on your grave!” She said after I placed her down. She then leaned up and placed a kiss on the cheek. “Good luck, and remember pissy grave, no one wants that.” she said as she began to run.

Those remaining were 15 mercenaries who had loved ones they wish to protect. “Guys, I am serious. Now is your last chance to leave. You dont need to stay behind, I can hold off this swarm.

“Nah, we have got your back pal, You saved my life in that temple, Its only fair I help protect you until my end.” A Tuarox said. “Yes and my brother can continue the family name anyway. I won the rock paper scissors and I get the glorious Death hahaha!” Bertram yelled as Paul stood next to him, determination in his eyes to be with his partner to the end.

As the swarm grew closer, many other mercs said their piece, steeling themselves for the very end. ‘Idiots the lot of you.’ I thought angrily. Once the swarm was close, The mercenaries began charging while shooting their weapons. Their sacrifice would be remembered by their companies for life and a valiant death was better than old age to them.

As we all charged forward, I stopped and began walking as they hit the line of warriors. I continued to walk forward as the warriors parted ways for me. Behind me, the mercenaries were too preoccupied to notice the strange phenomenon take place and lasted quite a fair amount of time before their screams were replaced with silence.