Azure: Gunner

Quadrosaurs are territorial, making it rare to spot them in groups bigger than a family unit of three or four. Solo encounters are common. Larger attacks are still possible, generally as a result of fluctuations in the ambient mana Levels.

They strongly prefer to remain within a region of equivalent ambient mana, but will aggressively explore and claim neighboring areas should the mana shift. When a higher-Level zone expands, more powerful predators – often other quadrosaurs – will push out the lower-Level ones, causing them to flee. Attempting to stop a quadrosaur stampede is not recommended.

They are surprisingly fast – documented reaching 60mph in a straight line even at high Tier 0. Typically they lie in wait for prey or use primitive pack tactics to drive their meals into an ambush. However, they will directly engage any perceived threats encroaching on their territory, or when stampeding. Their stamina over large distances is questionable, but you are unlikely to outrun one for long enough to exploit this.

- Bonnie, Level 41 Beastmaster, Bonnie’s Bestiary

The sunlight flashed off the back of Tara’s armor as the Defender raised her shield while the orcs jammed the butts of their long weapons – totem and staff – into the dirt, ready for impact.

The injured quadrosaur stumbled forward, not moving as fast as before thanks to the damage it had taken and the relatively minor effects of Slow. It was still a ton of weight coming in hard, and I saw Tara’s body flash with energy as she activated Brace. The defensive Skill locked her in place just in time as the monster crashed into our line. G’hala’s totem penetrated deep into its shoulder as its head smashed into Tara’s shield with a resounding clang!

Without her Skill, Tara would have been tossed through the air, but instead the monster crunched into her with a sickening impact and she was merely driven back a couple of feet. Her hammer flashed down in a short, brutal chopping motion, as a Stone Spike erupted under the monster. The orcs bellowed with the strain, fighting to keep the quadrosaur back with all of their might – and mass. The monster reared up, trying to pull itself away from the cutting spear and burning staff, and for a moment I had a perfect shot.

click

FUCK! I screamed in my head, fumbling with the selector switch even as the monster crashed back down. I’d screwed up and forgotten to switch it after my last shot, still unused to my new gun. Fortunately, my teammates were also ready and nearly as quick off the mark as I was.

WHOMP!

Jayce’s Spell punched a small crater into the creature’s upper chest. Stunned by the deafening blast, the monster crashed to the ground, twitching in agony. Then the third and last quadrosaur scrambled right over its body, claws tearing deep gashes into the downed monster.

With Brace on cooldown and the orcs trying desperately to reset their weapons, even our powerful frontline was no match for the thousands of pounds of monster that crashed into it. Tara was knocked backwards into me, and I stumbled, tripping over a loose rock and crashing to the ground with the Defender on top of me. The combined impact blasted away most of my barrier, and I grunted as we frantically tried to untangle ourselves.

Her weight was ripped off me, and I heard her scream as the monster lifted her into the air by one arm. Then a huge clawed foot crashed down onto my chest, crushing me into the ground. My cuirass was driven painfully into my chest, the claws digging into the gaps around it and piercing deep into my flesh. I would have screamed too, if there was any air in my lungs.

My shotgun was missing, thrown from my hands in the fall, and my right arm was trapped by the weight of the creature. I struggled, trying awkwardly to draw my sword with my left hand, and I saw Tara thrown free as the creature thrashed. Spells cracked through the air, and I saw the monster’s head plunge down straight at my face, jaws wide.

<CLEAR!> Raylan screamed, and then a form blurred into view, knife gleaming.

The vicious teeth were less than an arm’s length away when his blade drove into one dark eye. With a flash of power, a ghostly echo of the point erupted from the other side, spraying gore everywhere. Then everything went black as the full weight of the monster crashed down.

I awoke with a groan, blinking as I found myself still on my back, staring up into the sun. A shadow loomed over me, then Raylan was there, helping me up to a sitting position. I looked around blearily, and saw the body of the quadrosaur that had almost squashed me flat sprawled against the cliff on its back. I realized my chestplate was missing when I saw it lying on the ground next to Raylan.

Wasted fuck, it’s… fucked. I didn’t have any other words to describe it. The metal had been rounded to fit my body. Now it was bent the other way, with the chest area completely crushed in. I swallowed, realizing my baselayer was covered in blood – my blood. The coppery taste in my mouth was definitely not the monster’s ichor.

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The rest of the team was sitting on the rocks or leaning against the cliffs nearby, looking almost as battered as I felt. Espinosa was now tending to Tara, who was clutching her right arm to her chest, its armor completely missing. Shit, did it rip her arm off?! I hope it was just the armor… I really didn’t want to know.

“Fuck,” I breathed, taking in the carnage. “What Level were they?” I asked Raylan. “Also, thanks.”

Before the Knife Fighter could reply, a much taller figure stepped into the light.

“That’s four,” Mason rumbled, and I blinked.

“Four what?” I asked, confused. There had been only three monsters, right?

“Four mistakes you made,” he answered, and I flushed, angry at myself. I was sure he was right, and I didn’t like it.

I forced myself to my feet with Raylan’s help, running through the fight in my head. I picked up my wrecked breastplate and held it up to my chest as I thought. It reattached to my baselayer just fine, although it didn’t fit in the slightest. I poured mana into my armor, and winced as it took more than twenty points to repair and clean my gear. When I was done I looked back at Mason, who was watching impassively.

“One, I didn’t Identify any of the monsters,” I said, holding up one finger. “Two, I miscounted my shots and didn’t switch magazines when the first one was empty. Three, when we switched the second rank should have fallen back further, so we weren’t in the way when the front line got knocked backwards.”

Mason nodded, but I was out of ideas.

“Um, I don’t know what the last one was,” I finally admitted.

“You never reported the contact or your plan of engagement to your superior officer,” he said.

I exhaled slowly, then nodded. I’d totally forgotten that I was the only one with a Comm channel to him and just assumed he was hearing everything – that was how things had been on our first trip.

“So, four mistakes,” Mason repeated. “Two of them understandable – you’re still unfamiliar with your weapon, and not used to this Comms setup. For the others, I expect better. Let’s make sure they don’t happen again, yes?”

I nodded, crestfallen, then my eyes widened. While we’d been talking, Rhyme had been standing in front of the downed quadrosaur, whistling a jaunty tune. The elf had just turned around, and I saw that they’d carved the beast’s chest open. They were holding what had to be its heart casually in one bloody hand. The Wasted thing was at least the size of my head.

“Ah Mason, you’re such a bore. They lived! A battle such as this deserves a celebration, not shame! Come, Azure – to the victors go the spoils!” Rhyme spoke in a silken tone.

The slender elf stepped towards me, holding out the heart as if they expected me to take it. I just looked at the massive, bloody organ with wide, confused eyes.

“Eat, Azure! While it’s fresh!”

“What!?” I replied in shock. The elf wanted me to… Seriously, I mean… What. The. Fuck?!

The elf’s face fell, their gorgeous smile slipping.

“Azure, it is a sacred tradition of my people that the leader of the victors takes the first bite of the monster’s heart! Surely you don’t intend to disrespect our centuries-old traditions, do you?” Rhyme said, their disappointment clear as hurt tinged their beautiful voice.

Oh no, they look so sad now… What do I do!?

I looked at Mason, but the Black Razor was staring back at me impassively, arms crossed. The rest of my team was just watching in fascination, offering no support. Jerks. I glanced back at Rhyme’s face, and saw tears appearing in the corners of their beautiful eyes.

Shit, I can’t make them cry! Not after I already fucked up the fight!

I braced myself, then opened my mouth and leaned forward. The heart smelled… spicy. Like blood mixed with pepper. I forced myself to bite down, tearing off a hunk of bloody meat. It took all my willpower to force myself to swallow, blood dripping down my chin.

At least the pepper drowns out the flavor of the blood… I tried to console myself by focusing on the fiery taste rather than the disgusting rubbery texture.

I met Rhyme’s eyes and the elf dropped the heart with a wide smile. Instinctively, I caught it, then looked back up at the grinning Bard.

“Ahahaha!” Their laugh was the most musical thing I’d ever heard, and for a moment I was distracted by the purity of the sound.

“Oh dead gods, your face!” The elf’s face was now twisted in mirth. “Hahaha! Ah, I love rookies! A ‘sacred tradition’, my delectable derriere! Oh, that was a good one,” they chortled.

I almost threw the heart in their face, suddenly furious. It was a trick the whole time?! That ASSHOLE! I’m going to… shit, they’re Tier 4. What the fuck can I do?

There was definitely only one thing to be done. Holding the heart in both hands – it had to weigh ten pounds at least – I raised it back to my mouth. I forced my expression into stillness as I opened my mouth again, teeth ripping off an even bigger bite this time. Peppery fire exploded on my tongue as I chewed slowly, then swallowed as blatantly as possible.

The elf’s laughter had stilled as they looked at me in surprise. I grinned at them, blood dripping from my mouth.

“Tastes like… victory!” I growled, then turned and tossed the heart to G’hala.

The Shaman snatched it out of the air with a wide grin, then lifted the heart and tore off a huge hunk of meat with her fangs. She chewed with a satisfied smile, passing the still-huge chunk of monster to her brother, who copied her with equal enthusiasm.

<Az, you are fucking crazy!> Raylan said enthusiastically as H’ruk handed the heart to a scowling Tara.

<Az, I think I hate you,> the blonde added, but she caved to the pressure and took the smallest bite possible.

I definitely didn’t smirk at either her discomfort or the scowl on Rhyme’s face as the rest of the Squad followed suit. I did feel a little bad when it turned out that Zaire couldn’t handle the peppery spice of the monster’s blood, frantically drinking from his canteen as he broke out in a sweat.

Mason chuckled as Jayce was the last to sample the ‘delicacy’. Before the Sound Mage could discard the remaining meat, G’hala and H’ruk eagerly grabbed it back and continued eating with obvious enjoyment.

I turned my very best smile on the annoyed Bard, who stomped off in a huff.

“Point to Azure and team,” Mason said, and Phyx started clapping enthusiastically.

I shot Mason a scowl.

“You let them trick me!” I accused him, crossing my arms indignantly.

“Mistakes must be punished, Azure,” the Black Razor replied, sharp teeth bared in a grin.

Defeated, I flung my arms up in surrender, then started looking around for any expended slug cases. At least I’d gotten even with the elf, right? I mean, it’s not like they totally got my entire team to eat raw monster heart…

Shit! This is going to be a LONG trip, isn’t it?!