The hivemind is conquering for me? - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Stalker Attack
I awoke sometime later feeling fully refreshed after our wild night together. I went to stroke the hair of Orchid as she usually clings to me until the moment I wake up but My hand found no Orchid. Opening my eyes fully, It seemed Orchid had left early. She probably had something she wanted to do so I just shrugged my shoulders and sat up right.

While positioning myself upright, My hand touched a cold surface, looking down I spotted Zircon on the floor my hand covering a portion of its blade.

“Strange, I thought you would have stayed in my lab until later. What are you doing on the floor anyway, you can hover?” I asked my sword like any sane man would. As if remembering That she could, Zircon released herself from underneath my hand and began floating up next to me.

Not questioning further why she was here I jauntily waded deeper into the pool in front of me as I stunk of nightly activities. As I was floating upon the surface Zircon silently floated her way directly above my head like the sword of Damocles leaving me feel a tad bit concerned.

Changing my position in the water so I was now standing I queried. “what’s gotten into you today acting all clingy? Do you want me to oil you up? huahh, fine come on then.” Zircon began shaking in the air like she does when she knows combat is near but I mistook it for excitement.

As I grabbed her I yawned. “Come on then I need a relaxin-” I was rudely interrupted by a sharp whooshing noise in the air followed by a sharp pain in my left shoulder. “AAAH SON OF A WHORE!!!” I exclaimed in surprise, anger and pain. looking towards the source of my anguish, a large spike was prominently protruding out of my shoulder as if making itself known that it was the cause of pain.

Noticing the type of spike It was I opened my eyes in slight fear before ripping it out hoping it was not laced with any types of poisons she can coat her spikes with. Ripping out an object that had pierced deeply into you is usually a bad idea but fortunately for me one of my enhancements helps close up exposed wounds very quickly and the hole would coagulate in no time.

Giving the bloody spike a quick sniff I sighed in relief when I found no trace of poison on it before discarding it in anger. Knowing exactly who was responsible for my sudden ambush, I quickly waded myself to shallow waters so I could better defend myself. Upon reaching my destination I took up a defensive stance with my sword and listened.

If I think what is happening is happening my eyes will currently be useless until I hear a specific sound. so I closed my eyes and waited patiently for a change in my surroundings.

The serenity of the waterfall clashing into the plunge pool below, the trickling of the first pool pouring over into the second and the calm artificial breeze rustling through the foliage leaves had become a tense backdrop to the sounds I am listening for.

60 meters away atop a bio artificial tree, Stalker designation Onyx had failed in immobilising her targets arm a last second shift had turned her shot from a precise disable shot to just large wound which now had filled her target full of adrenaline. “I can not get close to target designation ‘reason to exist’ without causing ripples in the water. He is smart enough to have figured out I am hunting him from a single observation.”

Although Onyx could take out her target in an instant usually, the shred of herself from before the rest of her emotions were ripped from herself had stated to severely hold back as although the hunt may feel genuine to her emotionless self, it was training for the beautiful prey target in front of her.

It was of no help to her that there was an anti psionic sphere of influence around the surrounding area that was too powerful for her to counter leaving her a little dizzy at all times Still she must continue her hunt to prove to this desirable prey target that she was worthy of eating him- being with him.

Deciding to prod the targets defences she lined up her tail and compressed the first two compression chambers, any more and the spike would turn her target into meat mist, and fired.

Still listening out for any sounds out of the Ordinary, I was about to give up and attempt relocation when from behind me at roughly a 40 degree incline I heard a slight shift in the air. The position was terrible for me I would not be able to turn in time, fortunately for me my legs had been tense since my defence took hold and with a large amount of water upturning I sprang 10 meters to my left in an instant. where I was just standing a spike identical to the one that pierced my shoulder was now slightly sticking out of the water.

I let out a cold sweat at the sight. from the trajectory I could tell that thing would have hit me square in the spine right between my shoulder blades. I did not let that deter my focus thankfully as I heard another whoosh pierce the air In front. I raised Zircon high in the trajectory I heard the sound coming from and deflected the spike with pain evident on my face. There was a lot of power behind the shot and while using both hand my shoulder was crying out in agony. I did not vocalise my pain as it would encourage the attacker but I’m sure that Onyx had seen me wince. “Stop playing hide and seek sweetie its not going to work you need to enter the water if you want a chance at taking me out.” I taunted. I knew it was not going to work all the parts that made Onyx unstable were flying around as tangible emotions inside of my head leaving nothing but a cold practical murder machine.

Onyx felt a weakness fall over her body when the mandible watering target in front of her called her sweetie. A psionic attack maybe? no with the bubble of anti psionic energy weighing down on her its very unlikely something could get through it if she could not use any of her gifts. “Perhaps its a reaction from the emotion that was impossible to remove such a conflicted one. I wish to devour the target Infront of me whole and at the same time wish for it to impale me with that fleshy appendage between its legs.”

Knowing the target would not leave the advantage the shallow water provides and also knowing her spikes while restricting herself would not prove a sufficient tool of elimination, Onyx decided to take the gambit of headlong combat and jumped from her new tree 50 meters away from her target to shorten the distance as fast as possible.

While defensively standing still once more after my taunt I was awaiting Onyx next move. I suddenly through her bondage link felt her extremely close Looking in the direction I felt her the water was not making any ripples but I knew she was there and still getting closer. “Shit!” I exclaimed upon realisation and summoned a psionic bullet directly above myself.

The once invisible Onyx upon being struck by the bullet had ripples travel through her invisible form before it fully revealed herself. The bullet had no effect upon her nor did it slow her down in any way but It gave me enough time to evade her two sword arms with a well timed evasive back dash.

We stared at each other for a moment sizing each other up. I lost on all accounts. She had a speed advantage over me, a 4 meter height gap, Her combat capabilities were greater then mine and her mind worked faster than mine. I knew I would not win just like with Orchid but I also knew that unlike with Orchid, Onyx was only holding back her strength and not her killing intent.

Preying to myself as all the gods of this universe were independent contractors, I shook of any nerves and decided to initiate combat. With a flurry of strikes I attempted to advance but it seemed Onyx was toying with me. Unlike Orchid who used her 2 swords for a flurry of attacks, Onyx was using her sword arms as shields while he used her free arms to hit me heavily causing the maximum amount of pain with minimal damage to myself.

I did not know this but the cause of this was Onyx’s subconscious trying its best not to injure me while her cold side was doing its best to finish the task it was given.

I knew now that close combat was not going to be the answer so a change in strategy was needed.