[_____V_____]

(From above...)

Despare walked forward in urgency. Soon he crossed his sector and reached Paul The Monk.

"We need to find NE. And fast," Despare said.

"I think the river took him straight forward. Come with me," Paul indicated to Despare and both of them hurried into the trees.


Roshiq looked around hurriedly. He had a hunch he was near someone but didnt know which way to move ahead to. Just then, a sudden burning smell hit his nostrils. He smelled the air long and hard, and moved towards the source. Soon, he came across the unconscious Chrono and leaned over her. He then peeked into her HP bag, and pulled 5 HPs out from his own bag. Stuffing them into her bag, Roshiq departed from where he had come.


Paul and Despare came through the trees, and looked around. A smell of burning clothes and flesh hit both their noses instantly. Paul moved to the left, slowly. Soon, he came through the clearing where Chrono lay, stirring back to her senses. Roshiq's movements had caused her brains to wake up, but she was waking up at a very wrong time. Paul looked back at Despare, and motioned ahead.

Despare moved forward quickly. He was beside Paul in a flash, and both of them lifted their Launchers together.

HISSS!!! HISSS!!!

Both had ONE rocket each left, and both let it fly almost simultaneously.

BOOM!! BOOM!!

Both rockets exploded mercilessly near Chrono. She was lifted in the air and thrown away by the impact, her chest bursting out into a big, gaping red wound which vomited blood. By the time Chrono hit the ground, she was bleeding profusely. She grabbed all her remaining 10 HPs and patched herself fully. She had survived an intense and gruelling outing in the Zone, and made it out by the skin of her teeth, fully FIT.


Elsewhere, Dude had gone out of the shelter of the cave. He had patched himself up and was looking for a new place to hide. But unfortunately for him, he wandered right into a clearing where Noir lay, heavily breathing and recuperating from the Predator's blast. Noir looked at Dude who was approaching from afar, and lifted her Launcher up. Fighting back severe jolts of pain, Noir aimed carefully.

HISSS!!!

Dude heard the rocket but couldnt do anything to move out of its way.

BOOM!!!

The impact sent Dude reeling. His wounds opened up again, and he started coughing blood from them. He grabbed at his HPs hastily, and patched himself again. Noir sighed deeply once, and dumped her empty Launcher away.


Status updates next...