There was a heavy crash, and thick cloud of dust where Zephyr landed. His quills were now tangled in ripped up grass and unearthed soil. Slowly he unrolled from the ball he curled up into, and crawled out of the newly formed ditch. He spat out the small amount of dirt he accidentally swallowed, and a large smile split his face.
"I stayed rolled up that time!" Zephyr cheered.
Mari appeared in front of him in blue flash, her face blank "You missed you target," she pointed up the hill at the blow-up robot.
"Yeah, but I didn't whip out. That's something right?"
"Something? Yes. Enough? No."
"Really?"
"In the heat of battle, you can never assume your opponents will make mistakes. You have to think they'll have their techniques perfected."
"So, expect the worst-case scenario?"
"Don't be arrogant. Confidence in your skill is one thing, but there's a thin line between confidence and arrogance. Which side of the line you are on will determine the outcome of the fight."
"Let me guess, arrogance gets you killed?"
Mari remained as she was, but continued to explain, "It is one weakness that all opponents can be susceptible too. However, you can as well. There is only one way to not grow arrogant in a battle."
"Stay humble?"
"Stay scared."
"Scared?" Zephyr gave her a flat disbelieving look.
Mari rolled her eyes, "If you fear your opponents, you'll pay more attention to there movements and your body will going into fight or flight. Adrenaline and other chemicals will heighten your senses and instincts upping your chances of survival."
"Right, like you're scared of anything..."
"All creatures are biologically built to fear. If mother nature crafted a species without the ability to fear they would be doomed to extinction."
"Really?"
"Just because I don't show it, doesn't mean I don't feel it."
"So, if you feel? Does that mean we can stop for the day?"
"No."
Zephyr's ears flopped down annoyed and he tried not to roll his eyes.
"Mari! Zephyr!"
The young hedgehog and crossbreed turned to see the bright red form of Angie flying towards them on black wings. The half-bred girl landed in front of them, a look of determination.
"Mission?" Mari asked, seemingly reading Angie's eyes.
Angie nodded, "For all of us."
"All of us?" Mari raised a brow.
"Does that mean me?" Zephyr.
Angie nodded again, "We can't risk this one, and you've been working hard."
"What are we up against?" Zephyr said.
"Intel found another weapons factory, we're going in to steal all designs and whatever was already built," Angie answered.
YOU ARE READING
A Second Wind: Book One, A Legacy Found
FanfictionIt had been twenty years since the events of the Phantom Ruby and almost fifteen since the Equinox War. The team of heroes known as the Chaos League are missing. Now, a dark cloud rests over the land, as the tyranny of King Scourge rules. It's up to...
