A Shrouded World 8 Asgard by John O’Brien

Author:John O’Brien
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: DevilDogPress
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

I POP INTO EXISTENCE. That’s about the best way to describe it. There was no portal transference or any sensation other than I was standing in one place one moment and in another the next. I’m getting rather tired of these abrupt transitions.

Hauling my carbine to my shoulder, I quickly check out my surroundings. I’m on a grass prairie with two suns shining down from a bleached-out sky. This looks very much like the whistler world I left, which is where I was trying to get to anyway. In the very far distance, I see several of those inverted pyramids. They seem tiny, so they’re miles and miles away, considering the true nature of their size.

I only remember seeing the one, so I wonder which one Mike is in. I’m not all that eager to venture back in there, but we need to start taking the whistlers down a notch somehow. Plus, the number one goal here is to help Mike escape.

As I’m staring across the distance, I suddenly feel the lack of oxygen. Sitting down, I cut away the long tubes of the mask and place it on my face. The fans turn, compressing the air and allowing me to breathe more easily. I test the mask to make sure I can take it off and replace it readily. With that, I set off across the prairie, watching the surrounding area for any sign of whistler patrols.

After walking a while, I’m about to crest a rise when I hear a faint whine. Going to ground, I crawl through the grass until I’m able to see what’s causing the noise. In the far distance, one of the large hovercraft is accompanied by a smaller version. Glassing them, I watch as they settle to the ground. Two whistlers emerge from each one to stand in a circle next to one of the craft. It looks like a road crew gathering at lunch.

Removing the sniper from my shoulder, I look through the scope and determine that the range is nearly that of the towers. The whistlers landed on another hill, nearly level with the one I’m lying on. So, the bullet drop should be an inch or two less than back at the portal complex. Taking aim at the one nearest with its back to me, I fire.

The bullet streaks over the valley to crash into the back of the whistler’s head. The creature drops straight down as if all of its knees suddenly didn’t exist. Quickly switching to the one now visible and facing me, I set my aimpoint and pull the trigger. The second whistler staggers backward, hitting the smaller hovercraft and slumping to the ground. The third and fourth alien look around, searching for their assailant as their hands raise their stapler weapons.

I fire. The third launches to the side as if attached to a bungie rope, slamming into one of the craft and dropping out of sight. The fourth starts running, staggering in mid-stride as my round hits it in the shoulder.

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