Sara’s Conundrum
Chapter 1: Training to fight Death
Sara was a nice young lady, decent to look at and very friendly. She had a lot of friends but when she got tested in school she had abilities many of them didn’t have, and after some preliminary tests she was transfered to a school for special people known as Slayers.
Their world all but ended a few centuries ago, and now millions of odd creatures swarmed the planet killing and eating the spirits of everything they found. They were both material and energy based creatures and the more they ate the bigger they got, and so they sought out creatures with higher spirit energy, and Humans were at the top of that list.
It had long been mentioned some people had ‘real spirit’ when they fought or did contests or other things, and it was true. Someone with a lot of energy had an advantage over other,less motivated individuals.
Also, these people were a bit more rare, and while it was said anyone could attain this ‘spirit’ by looking hard, over the centuries it was proven not to be true. Attitude was not the same as Spirit Energy and while one might wain in hard times, the other was as constant as the sun.
So today people get found early, then trained to be the saviors of others, and Teams get made and placed to patrol, and through them the millions of creatures are slowly being lowered to what they hope will be a more manageable level.
They could now teach you to have even more energy, if properly motivated and taught. It was not as simple as being born with it, that part was certain, but being motivated to help or defend meant something too... and ones energy could surge when it was needed...helping you to survive.
There were a million Slayers around the world, and they were at a disadvantage because the number of Demons they found never seemed to get less no matter how many they killed.So it becomes a perpetual job, training slayers to fight enemies that never seem to end, and then another generation after them.
Slayers are like the Police or Military of the past, only today they fight for the survival of their entire race and being eaten by a Demon is not the type of thing any Humans wants to see happen, and after a while some Slayers retire with mental problems from seeing just that, and the thought that they couldn’t save that person when the time came. Seeing a screaming, crying person you personally know being bit in two and chewed up is not something you want to see, if ever, but its a reality in this world, as many agree and look sadly thinking it.
Sara was one such individual, her Spirit Energy dwarfed her friends by a good amount and her ability to use it was second to none in her little school where she lived. Now she was in a different area and bigger school and here she wasn’t as impressive, since many others with the same kind of Energy were brought here to train. What had started out as her being a top end student with huge energy, now made her dead average as even others there laughed at her attempts to catch up.
But having it is not the same as using it, and they found that out quickly. If you have enormous energy you might not be able to channel it properly. So scoring high on the retention test doesn’t mean you can become a great Slayer, as one loud young man found out the first time on the practice range.
They were taught to ‘throw ‘ their energy, like a ball on a ball team and you formed your energy into a ball, and tossed it back and forth, and the entire time you needed to hold that orb together even when it was flying to the other person. It was a mental test and a skill you would need later, and while some could do it all day like it was nothing, it was exceedingly hard for others.
When it was Sara’s turn she easily formed the ball, round and blue, and tossed it gently to her partner who caught it and passed it back. It really was just that simple, but others formed a ball all right, but the minute it left their hands it was gone, and the teacher yelled at them for not concentrating hard enough, and they had to try again and again, until they could do it.
Fundamental Lesson Number 1...Control... and many had to really strain to hold that thought and even the slightest sound or motion caused them to lose it in a second.
“If you cant play ball with someone this close how will you hold your power together during a battle?” The teacher would scream, and many who could do it easily tried hard not to laugh to loud at those that just didn’t get it at all. “Again!” he screamed as a few looked like their heads were going to split, holding them between their hands and screaming it hurt...but they really didn’t understand that trying to force the thought isn’t the trick... and it took some a week or more to get it right.
Chapter 2: Weapons
When weapons training started the school had a good idea what each was capable of. The young man with the big attitude could form almost anything...if he never had to let go of it...so he got told and trained to make a spear, long and sharp. Then others with more control could do other things. Sara could manipulate her energy really well, even thought she only had a small amount compared to a few others. But she was told not to worry, she was average in retention, not low at all, and her ability to make and hold objects even after she released them from her hands helped her a great deal.
So while others trained to stab and slice, she got trained to make different things, and throw or drop them on command. Laying an explosive device behind you as you travel can be really helpful when you’re being followed, and throwing small charges can hurt or take down several small creatures at once, cutting down their numbers when they gather close together.
She became an all purpose Slayer, and many were shocked she could do so much. But she got taught that you can only do what your Spirit Energy allows, and if you overdo it then you’ll suddenly become just as helpless as anyone else.
“There’s a daily limit..” The teacher added after a question abut just this thing. “Once you’ve used it up then your abilities are gone until you rest a while. So don’t ever go off alone, Teams protect each other.” he mentioned and todays lesson was over.
But she did decide that knowing this she needed backup to her designs, and so after talking to and watching a friend she could make a short sword in an instant, and it used much less energy and concentration to make it happen.
“Now you’re covered even in hand to hand.” Got mentioned, and she agreed and started practicing with it out of class and on weekends.
Physical Fitness was also stressed. If you’re a hundred yards from shelter and being chased by a hoard of creatures then you better be able to make it, or you’ll surely wish you did. So Sara started jogging each day, starting out at a hundred yards, then slowly gaining until she could run for a good while without stopping for breath.
In an emergency its all up to you, and so there’s no one to blame if things go badly.
6 months into training and they were doing attacks by 3d creatures on the holo-range. In some instances they seemed almost too real, and half the class saw what it would be like to fail and be eaten, and that was a powerful incentive to get better fast.
But others took it in stride, and Sara left a few get closer so she could use her sword, and even the instructors nodded appreciatively to see it. She was rapidly becoming the all purpose slayer, and they knew a lot of serious Teams that would want someone like her with them in combat.
The training also showed them the many types of creatures their computers had seen and added. The worst were ape like creatures with bright red eyes and drooling moths. They were quick and could climb easily, making them a real threat even when you thought you were safe. Then others like lizards, running in packs, and even humanoid shapes all dark and nearly indistinguishable from shadows. But together they were a serious threat to civilization, and had been for years. But with todays advanced training they were losing faster than before, and the Leaders of their world were hoping that someday they would get the upper hand.
Sara’s senior year she was in the top 5 for Slayer Recruits, and she got told at least 4 top of the line Teams were fighting over her. It was something to hear for a girl that left a small town not more than 2 years ago, but she took it in stride and on graduation she got orders to report to Chambersburg, and Team 4 who obviously won the fight for her.
It wasn’t that far away, but not as close as she had hoped. She had friends to visit on days off here, but a couple hundred miles away she knew no one, but she knew she would meet new people and get along, its just the way things were.
Her Team Leader was a guy named James Hudson, and he introduced her to everyone else, and they smiled and welcomed her with open arms. The Team had 5 members, counting her. The tall Team Captain, his Second a young lady that was as tall as many men and strong looking, another smaller young lady who seemed a little shy but smiled a lot, and a young man that seemed to think the world revolved around him.
He started hitting on Sara the first day, and Helen, the Second grabbed him by the top of the head and squeezed until he swore he wouldn’t do it again, but they all knew better.
“If he bothers you too much just punch him...” Sara got told as the young man’s eyes popped and even the Leader agreed that he needed to cool it on Team members, and finally he agreed, sadly.
“He’s our sniper...” Sara got told as she smiled and nodded she understood.” He thinks that makes him cool or something but trust me..it doesn’t.” Helen added as the young man looked sadly away.
Chapter 3: Patrols
Sara settled in and at 7 am the next day they were on their first patrol.
They drove a large heavy armored vehicle, tall enough you had to climb inside and with 4 doors to make it easy to get in and out of quickly in emergencies. Nothing more than an armored jeep it had lots of room for the Team and their hardware.
They had a base set up in an old school building and from there they traveled out into the countryside looking for trouble. They had cameras set up every so often on trees etc, and that helped to see what was happening even while they were back as base.
But today was just a normal patrol. Nothing had been seen yet but they knew it was only a matter of time, since creatures were constantly drawn to the city looking for the energy that lived there. And driving along slowly through the countryside was like a magnet to creatures looking for food, and more than once trips like this ended badly as groups of creatures attacked together and overran the Teams the vehicles carried. So they were always on edge while out, and for good reason.
They were about 5 miles out when a call came in, another Team 10 miles to the South was having a bad day and were calling for assistance and so they turned and ran that way at best speed.
“That’s Team 7...” Sara got told as they ran and she nodded she understood. Creatures aren’t usually well organized but they do travel in family units it seems. So one large mature animal and then smaller ones, sometimes quite a few of they haven’t been in contact with Security before.
“Need help...trapped inside our vehicle now, killed a few but they just keep coming...” Was the call and they all gritted their teeth and ran even faster. They an into an old deserted town and in almost the center they saw the vehicle sitting, now swarmed by over a dozen large reptiles, clawing and trying to get inside.
“How much can the windshield stand?” Sara asked quickly as the Leader said the vehicles were armored and the glass was bulletproof, and she agreed and asked for them to stop here, now still 50 yards away and he agreed as they all piled out.
“Semi auto...” Sara heard as the sniper went to his alternative gun and set up beside their vehicle waiting on the word to attack.
“Allow me...” Sara said and cupping her hands over each other she concentrated and in a minute she held 6 large marbles and she gave them a hard throw and they landed short of the animal group but not my much. “ OK now.” She hinted as shots ran out and the animals turned to see the new threat and started running their way.
But the minute they started towards them the distance closed quickly and one by one they stepped onto those marbles and lost legs and even got thrown into the air by the force.
“Nice... grenades...” James said, as Sara smiled and said they were mini-mines and that each could hurt something this size badly. “you just paid for your weeks salary.” he hinted as he got his gun out and started shooting too. By now there was only two left moving and one of the combat specialists ran in and cut one up quickly with a sword, and the last one got killed by the snipers automatic weapon.
The people in the other vehicle slowly got out and two of them needed medical treatment. The two Teams worked together and after a while everyone that needed it had some bandages and healing done for them.
“We saw three on our local cameras.” The Leader said as James listened.” but when we got here the place was swarming with them. We threw a few grenades into the mess and got a few shots fired, but we got over run.” he added as James agreed against so many they had little chance.
“They’ve probably been gathering these old houses.” James hinted as the other man agreed.” So when you came rolling in they rushed you. happens form time to time just be more careful.” he added as the man agreed they were careless today.
“I better get my people some medical care.” he said and they got back into their vehicle and turned and ran back the way they came.
“Even the best among us gets careless sometimes.” James hinted as they split up and checked all the houses for more and after a while they went back to their own patrol and finished their day with another mishap.
“How many of those little mines can you make in a day?” Sara got asked and she thought about that and said maybe 20 or so and the Team got the biggest smile and James said he was glad she joined them then, because none of them had any explosives skills and they do come in handy.
“I use explosives at a distance and a short sword for self-protection.” Sara said as everyone nodded they understood. Throwing explosives takes a lot out of you, but something you hold in your hands takes next to nothing at all, and without that fact half the Slayers out there wouldn’t be doing their jobs today.
Bookmarks