Bring The Heat

13. VS Arms Race Pt 2

Wren tightened her fists. Metal was back on his feet now. The two glared at one another, waiting for the other to attack. Blood dripped from Wren's chin. Metal staggered slightly... Suddenly, he jolted his arm!

Wren flung herself to the ground, throwing her arm out behind her as a pillar of steel shot just above her head. She felt energy surge through her arm, and as the fog of adrenaline momentarily cleared... Wren felt alive again. The look of serious determination on her face twisted into an explosive grin.

With powerful blasts propelling her forward, Wren flung herself at Metal. But then, right as she was flying through the air towards him, and the pillar of steel retracted back into his hand... something began to take form. Wren slammed her feet into the ground, sliding and skidding along the ground right into Metal. As she approached, he raised his synthesis arm, and something glistened. At the very last moment, Wren flung her hand up to block her head... catching a large, serrated knife inches from her face!

It cut deep into her hand, slicing deeply right between her thumb and index finger. With the adrenaline pumping, it only felt like a small sting, but Wren gasped at the sight of her injury. Before she could react properly, the knife melted and sunk into her skin through the wound. It was a horrific sensation, as it sloshed between her bones before hardening into a thin metal casing. Wren clenched her jaw, and smashed her injured hand into Metal's chest. He just stood there, grinning, and Wren began to understand why. With the metal casing under her skin, the energy of an explosion wouldn't leave her hand. It would shatter her entire arm!

Wren felt ill. A cold sweat fell over her, and she desperately raised her other hand to let off a blast, but Metal was quick. In a flash, a long, thin needle had stabbed right through her palm, and also turned to molten metal, seeping into her hand. SHIT! As it dawned on Wren that she could now do nothing, Metal punched her square in the face. She staggered backwards, and slumped to the ground. Her head smacked on the wooden floorboards.

Wren's body was swallowed in a tingling sensation, like she was drenched in carbonated water. She felt that cold sweat, that ringing in her ears - her eyes screwed shut as blood flowed from her nose and she gasped for air. Her injured hand now screamed with white hot pain, and both felt completely cramped as they were locked in place by a metal sheet.

And then she heard the others screaming. Wren's eyes fluttered open. She saw that after hesitating and watching her attack, Tenson had launched himself at Metal. She felt that feeling you get when you chuckle to yourself, but she didn't. Tenson was brave, sure; but he stood no chance. And Wren was right! Tenson only managed to slice at Metal's chest, ducking under a pillar, before Metal uppercut him in the gut, and headbutted him, sending Tenson stumbling back. Metal formed a gun from his arm, and raised it to Tenson. Cece protested weakly, collapsing in the doorway still.

At the sight of this, Wren got up. Her consciousness was so faded that she didn't even feel herself do it. She dragged herself towards Metal.