OoC: For I moment I thought I had deleted it and nearly died o.O

IC:

Nathan lashed out with deadly accuracy at one of the many garbed attackers. His shimmering blade struck the enemy’s neck, creating a putrid flow of blood. The vile corpse dropped to the muddy earth as Nate sheathed his sword just as swiftly as it had come out. He retrieved his pistol from his other holster and fired several controlled shots, each of them severely wounding or killing a foe. All around him people were dying at his hands; a lanky, brown-haired man felled by a bullet; a more muscular, yet short man sent to an early grave. More kept on running in fury at him though, and Nate was trapped in a reluctant battle to the death with the men. Why won’t they just give up? He screamed in his head as yet another crazed figure attacked him. He met the fumbling oaf with a quick dodge and bullet in the back, making the foe intake sharply and crash to the ground. They’re only shortening their own lives with this fighting. The unplanned attack had left Nathan startled and another muscular attacker had charged into him, locking his arms on the damp ground. Nathan retaliated with a bolt of lightning that struck his assailant from the quietly pouring heavens. The body on top of him went limp, giving Nate a chance to push him off of him.

He got up and dusted some of the drowning mud off of his rugged costume. The last attacker wasn’t dead, but he wasn’t going to wake up any time soon. Nate had to get away from the place soon. Killing so many men was almost certainly a big enough crime to merit a death warrant. He had to go into hiding to escape justice. Or was it injustice? He was after all, the victim in this unfair drama. Was lethal retaliation still a crime? The boy didn’t want to risk his life even if it wasn’t at stake; so he hurried out of the rain to find shelter.

The explorer hurriedly trudged out of the rain, desperately searching for sanctuary. Everywhere in the dreary village that he had found himself in was either closed, dilapidated beyond repair, or seething with malevolence. All around too, people stared at the boy, as if they knew of the acts he had committed only minutes ago. He abandoned his trudge and set off more desperately to find solace. The menacing village quickly disappeared beneath the horizon and Nate breathed a sigh of relief as it did so. Now the only things around him were the earth he tread on and the fast-darkening skies above. Night would fall soon: the all-enveloping safety of darkness. He slackened his pace a little and sauntered along, trying to push morbid thoughts out of his head.

The sky darkened quicker than he imagined, and the prospect of hiking cold and alone in the endless wilderness was suddenly a very real possibility. Taken over by the dark thoughts, Nate set off at a wild pace in a random direction. He shot a thunderbolt as far ahead as he could manage and almost skipped with joy. The silent flash showed him a town larger than the village he had come through. Surely there was an inn or hotel that he could seek solace from in reasonable comfort? Knowing now that he was in very little danger, Nate, for the last time changed his pace. To pass the time until he reached the settlement Nathan began whistling a happy tune. The melody echoed throughout the barren landscape, being replied to with a few bird squeals and scampers of furry mammals. One other sound however, could be heard amongst the peaceful sounds. It was the hurried tread of dangerous footsteps. Nathan stopped in his tracks, listening intently for any sign of danger. Sensing the abrupt silence, his stalkers too became still.

The boy pushed any thoughts of murderers out of his head and continued on his way to the town; this time humming for comfort. He had no chance to react before the attackers were among him: there were two of them. Women, Nate guessed by their light footfalls. One brought out a long, thin knife while the other remained unarmed. The first struck at Nathan with frightening speed, but the boy parried the blow with his sword just in time. They had clearly rehearsed this though and the unarmed attacker kicked the blade out of Nate’s hands. The two of them then kicked him to his knees and together clasped their hands around his throat. Nate screamed for a second and then lost his voice. The world began spinning and fading, he heard a voice whisper “This is for you” and then he was unconscious.

He awakened staring up at an unblemished sky. He scanned his surroundings: a clearing in an otherwise dense forest with a stream trickling alongside him. He tried to get up, but was submerged in immense, blunt pain. He crashed back down on the ground, gasping for breath. He lay for minutes regaining strength and facts before once again attempting to get up. Nate strode weakly over to the brook and splashed his face with the cool, clean water. His rippled reflection was a hideous picture: blackened eyes and a split lip; haggard and dirty hair; vicious purple grip-marks on his neck. He winced as a drop of the water struck his cracked lip and stepped away form the eerie flow. What shall I do now? he thought. Perhaps just sitting here would be the best thing. He lay down again on the harsh ground and fell into a dreamless stupor.

Nate was awakened once again by the two robed assailants. This time though, they pulled him up by the hands and slung one arm over a shoulder. They transported him like this to the end of the little stream and easily threw him into the pool that the never-ending flow had created. Instead of floating like a dead weight in the water Nate sank downwards. He spiralled further and further towards the bottom of the pool before feeling gravity’s tug on him. The water started draining away and Nate fell downwards onto cold stone. Instantly several old, robed men surrounded him and muttered in unison, “Welcome to the Dome.”

OoC: Go, Super Aiko! Rip it to shreds!

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