Training Hall Three
The Academy
The lenses of Drew’s goggles dimmed, keeping him from being momentarily blinded by the intense light that filled the massive domed chamber. He raised his right arm and triggered a series of laser bursts from the gatling, as the multiple barrels spun a torrent of steam blasted from vents in the base of the weapon.
Across the ring Drew’s opponent, a tall and broadly built young man, crouched as a barrier of blue energy appeared between them. The energy field fluctuated and pulsed as the laser burst splashed into it. The boy, whose name Drew had heard was Dylan Rudenko, held his outs out and energy coalesced into an ethereal bow and pulled a nonexistent string back.
Drew walked to the side, gatling continuing to fire as he went. Dylan leaned around his barrier and loosed an energy arrow at Drew, just missing him but blasting a shallow smoking crater into the concrete floor. Each time he fired Dylon had to snap out and quickly let fly, as the constant stream of laser fire was too intense to linger to aim.
The barrier began to fluctuate, pale areas forming where it was thinning. Several energy arrows blasted near Drew as he kept moving, hoping to flank the barrier and get a clean shot on his opponent. Dylan waved his hand and a new barrier appeared between them, the first flickering out of existence. This new barrier showed the same pale regions.
Je t'ai Drew thought. He only has a finite amount of energy to power his field with. I must keep firing.
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As the barrier continued to flicker, causing Dylan to become noticeably worried, warnings began to flash across the display projected onto Drew’s goggles lenses. The laser was reaching critical heat. It was not meant for continuous fire, but short controlled bursts. Drew reached his left hand around and toggled an override, keeping the auto shut off from activating.
This brief distraction was all that was needed to give Dylan a chance to aim. The next arrow blasted into the center of Drew’s chest. His own forcefield held but he was knocked backwards by the force of the blow. The next blast caught him in the leg, sending him spiralling to the ground. A third impact, this time to his back, send more warnings off on his display as his forcefield reached failure levels.
Drew rolled to a sitting position, blindly firing as overlapping warning displays clouded his vision and the heat from the gattling burned his forearm. A fourth arrow sizzled into Drew, knocking him flat and shorting out his defensive field. The remnant of the ethereal arrow’s energy delivered a massive shock to his nervous system, causing convulsions as his muscles spasmed uncontrollably.
After seemingly an eternity, the convulsions stopped and his body relaxed. He lay on the cold concrete groaning as he heard, but did not comprehend a voice near him.
“Fichu,” he had lost...again.
“Hang on Poulin. I will get to you in a sec, Rudenko is worse off.” Through the cloud of pain and bitter defeat, Drew thought he made out most of what Instructor Pearson said. Drew raised his head and lifted his goggles off. Across the ring Dylan was curled into a tight ball, muttering foul curses upon Drew’s ancestors. Instructor Pearson kneeled next to the wounded boy and placed his hands on Dylan’s shoulders. Dylan relaxed as his wounds mended. With his patient’s wounds mostly handled the instructor stood straightened up and walked to where Drew lay, his muscles still gently twitching.
Drew caught Dylan’s pained voice muttering, “...damn near neutered me...” He let his head lay back on the concrete, a slow grin coming to his face.