Starbound: A Space Odyssey

"You underestimate me too much." John helplessly shook his head. "Well...I'm already used to it, so your commentary won't affect my mind state. I won't act impulsive and neither try to prove myself, or something along these lines."

"Well, why don't-"

*PENG!!!!!!*

A loud sound of something metallic being hit resounded throughout the entire swamp landscape.

John stopped looking at Nuru and stared at the source of the sound.

*PENG!!!!!!!*

The whole place place trembled with each impact in the metallic door that was just a few dozen meters away from John and Nuru.

*PENG!!!!!*

Nuru's expression instantly changed when she saw a huge dent that appeared in the door.

She was able to feel...the overwhelming animalistic killing intent coming from that direction. It was on a level way higher than anything she ever felt before.

The creature behind that door...[It's way too strong...] She frowned at her thought.

Nuru snuck a glance at John and saw that his expression had became ugly as well. It was clear to her that even a human was able to feel the strong presence that was on the other side.

*PENG!!!!!*

With another hit, the dent widened a bit more and some cracks could be seen appearing around the metallic door.

"I don't think we have time to fight againssst each other now." Nuru commented with a grim expression on her face.

"Agreed." John nodded in acknowledgement and slowly started to retreat.

Nuru saw John's actions and decided to follow suit, but before she did that, she went back to a Floran that was on the ground a few meters away and retrieved her spear.

She was about to leave when she stopped on her tracks and glanced around at Oktar and his crew that were on the ground unconscious.

John felt that Nuru stopped following him and curiously looked behind him.

With a single look he realized the situation, but there was basically nothing he could do about it, there was simply way too many of them for him and Nuru to carry into safety since the door was almost falling apart from the strong bashing.

He also hesitated on whatever or not leave the place.

To possibly have a single chance to save all of them he would have to...

"I'm going to face it head on." Nuru said with determination.

John glared at Nuru. He wasn't surprised by the decision she just took. From the few interactions he had with her, he already had a understanding of her personality.

John shrugged his shoulders and helplessly sighed, "I can't simply leave them here to die as well. Besides, that thing is probably my prey, I need the prize of the game."

Nuru smiled in response to John. She didn't speak but she really appreciated the fact that John was willing to risk his own life to protect the life of others.

Even though she criticized his selflessness, she still appreciated it, admired even.

*PENG!!!!!*

*CRACK, CRACK, CRACK...*

With another slam, a gaping hole was made in the door.

John lifted his head to look at it. Nuru followed him and also glanced at the situation in the door.

From the dark hole in the door all they could see was an eerie, red eye looking at them.

Nuru had already seen a few of these creatures in her previous participation on the Great Hunt.

But somehow she felt that this one was somewhat different from the previous one she fought.

*PENG!!!!!*

The creature slammed its body once again in the door, sending more metal shards in the air and widening the hole.

"We need to get closer." John said while looking at Peri. "If we fight here, they might get killed."

"Yes, let'sss go." Nuru nodded and was about to go when John called out from behind.

"Wait!" John shouted when he saw that Nuru was leaving. "I need to be certain of something. If we actually kill it, who's going to claim the prize?" John asked seriously while keeping a close watch at every bit of change in expression coming from her face.

Nuru glanced back as her eyes flashed with a sharp glint before it returned to normal. She calmed herself and calmly thought about it.

She doesn't want to lose and neither she wants to go through the risk of letting Oktar and his comrades die by chasing out John. "I don't need the prize, you can keep it." She flatly spoke and left in hurry toward the door.

John sighed in relief and followed along.

*CLANG!!!!!!!!*

"What's that thing?" John asked Nuru that was beside him while staring at the little he could see through the hole in the door.

They stopped just a few meters away from the door, so after every slam they could feel the strength of the creature that was trying to break out.

"It wasss sssupposed to be an adult Ixodoom..." Nuru went in deep thought while looking at the door.

"Supposed to be?" John switched his sight from the door to Nuru.

"I'm not certain." She frowned. "Ixodoomsss are huge, but thisss one isss bigger and looksss like more aggressssive than the previousss onesss I killed."

"That's bad news..."

"Very bad. They are already hard to kill normally sssince they always have a group of Ixolingsss, now that thisss one is going to be more agressssive, I can only imagine that thisss isn't going to be the sssmoothessst fight-"

*CLANG!!!!*

*BAM!!!*

With another powerful slam the hinges of both side of the door were broken and fell on the ground sending a huge amount of dust and swamp water into the air.

"Well..." John grimly glared at the door that was about to fall. "It's too late to run now."

He stored his pistol and reached into his PIPS for the Spitfire assault rifle. To fight something huge as the one he was about to, fire power and fire rate of a weapon were very important.

"What? Were you thinking of fleeing?" Nuru said in a joking manner, trying to ease up John.

"The thought really crossed my mind, but...there some things that I must do, not just for myself, but also for a lot of people." John mysteriously smiled.

*BAM*

With another slam the door was finally put down by the creature that was on the other side.

Its enormous shadow could be seen emerging from the dark room that was on the side.

Once John saw the creature that destroyed the door, he couldn't help but swear a little under his breathe.