His Last Blast

     He adjusted his goggles, puffed up his chest, and began his search. Having just gotten back in to the game, he couldn't remember for the life of him why he had retired in the first place. Over the past few years he had thought he was enjoying himself, relaxing on the beaches of Mystery Island and drinking Coconut Cocktails, but now all he saw was a dull, pointless existence. This was what he lived for. The thrill of the fight, the love of the people.

     He fetched his yellowed map from his pocket, cursing his luck that it was too dangerous to bring technology to Kreludor. Dr Sloth's minions would easily be able to detect the signal of a foreign device on the moon, and so Zarex was forced to do things the old fashioned way. He squinted at the complex mass of lines and dots on the page, his reading glasses firmly secured behind his goggles.

     Finding it hard to decipher where exactly on the map he had been dropped off, he scrunched it up, stuffing it in his top pocket before confidently making his way around craters and boulders.

     He was Sergeant Zarex, retired commando from Section Six, hero of the people, and he could make his way around this bare moon without needing help from anything, be it technology or paper. He could find that mine on his own, destroy the robot invasion single-handedly and emerge unscathed. He was most likely the most competent neopet in Neopia at this point and so he knew it was only his own initiative that he would have to rely on. He was obviously the most skilled neopet Section Six knew of, for why bring a man out of retirement when they had a more skilled operative already in their grasp?

     A smug grin slid over Zarex's face. He was ready for this.

     He strode forward, stomping his way through the dusty rock. His foot landed on something hollow, making a dull thud before a loud crack resounded. The ground beneath him gave way, and with a yelp he dropped into the dark below.

     Walls of brown rock surrounded him, a welcome break from the dry grey, and rocky dirt lay beneath him. He shakily got to his feet, dusting himself off and looked upwards. It seemed he had fallen through a large wooden hatch, but to where he had fallen he had no idea. Hopefully a shaft of the mine. Through a small doorway in his cave, he could see the weak glow of artificial lighting. The slight gleam highlighted the cave for Zarex and, as his eyes adjusted, he managed to make out the jagged rocky walls, dusty floor, old rotting barrels and brown mushrooms, probably best to be avoided.

     Then it caught his eye, a shining black square so out of place on the rock wall. He approached it tentatively, not out of fear, he was quick to tell himself, but out of professionalism. He needed to stay hidden until he had found his bearings.

     Cautious fingers reached out to brush the sleek surface, and the screen instantly came to life. There was a grid, with green lines and blue and red circles and an arrow. Perplexed, he tilted his head to the side. What could this odd device be, situated in a dank cavity under the surface of Kreludor?

     Then it hit him, it was so obvious. He had obviously been retired too long; his brain had turned to mush. It was a map. A map hopefully more useful than the chaos of twisting lines on that cracked piece of parchment he had been given before he set out that night.

     He squinted further, trying to get his brain into gear. That white flashing dot must obviously represent his position, and the arrow showed the way out. Those other circles, he had no idea. He tried to think back to his briefing he had been given, trying to recall some sort of clue as to what he had to do. He knew the system of doors down here was complicated. Switches, there were switches. Huge, ugly, circular things, quite horrifying in their design.

     He studied the map, his eyes scouring every line and detail, memorising the layout of the level he was on. Three switches, one door. Sounded easy enough.

     The Sergeant crept towards the doorway, trying not to alert any robot guard there might be to his presence. He unhooked his Goo Blaster, pointing it before him, before he entered the lit corridor. No robots in sight. He jogged forward, aware of his limited amount of oxygen and his need to get this mission over with as soon as possible. A popping sound from behind him made him turn abruptly. A small robot spyder stood before him with fierce red eyes. It rushed forward suddenly, its speed startling him. He shot, once, twice, and the robot lay destroyed on the floor.

     Struggling to get his breath back, he turned to go on. No one had warned him of the advanced nature of these robots. Fast, deadly, and with the ability to teleport? A Coconut Cocktail on Mystery Island sounded so much more appealing now.

     Many more spyders lept out at him as he made his way to each alcove the switches were located on, alarming him that there were so many enemies to defeat even at the start of his quest. He tucked his Blaster away for use later, hoping that he had brought enough ammo to last him. It would not do to be close to his goal and run out of ammunition. He would be a laughing stock.

     The door to the next level slid open painfully slowly, creaking the whole way, and Zarex braced himself for another onslaught. His Virtublaster made easy work of the next set of robot spyders, who were worryingly increasing in size. He would have effortlessly made his way through this mission as a young commando but now, old and rusty, he was starting to think that he just wasn't up to work such as this.

     He barrelled on, unwilling to let his doubts about his own ability ruin his work. He was nearly there, he could taste it. No amount of green tentacled aliens, tracked robots or giant Sloth robots could get in his way. On the third level, the warmth and glow of the lava surrounding his path gave him hope, casting a friendlier look on the depressing and damp underground mine.

     He was Sergeant Zarex, retired commando from Section Six, hero of the people, and he was ready for this.

     For what seemed like hours all he could hear was the zap from his blaster, the pop of teleporting robots, the clunk of destroyed metal and his own wheezy breaths. Exhaustion was setting in, but he was nearly there. All he had to do now was to find the computer core, destroy it, and make his way out again.

     He checked his oxygen tank, finding it dangerously low. He had entered the mine at the wrong point, meaning he had further to travel and more fighting to do, and now he was running out of resources. He wished he had used that first map.

     The last doorway could be seen ahead, large and gaping, and he knew he had made it. Just a little bit longer and he would be free from here. He would go back home to be rejoiced by the people. This was what he was born for.

     Zarex stumbled through the rusting metal opening, struggling to breathe. He hadn't expected for there to be so many foes down here, and all that extra physical effort to fight them off had severely depleted his oxygen stores. A bright glow lit his armour green and he grasped at the nearest wall for support. He had found it. He was so close to completing his task. It was nearly over.

     He staggered towards the computer core, gripping rails and walls along the way, edging closer and closer. He counted three spheres floating in and around his target, and he heaved his Virtublaster up to aim. He lifted his second arm up to steady his shaking weapon arm, collapsing against a handrail in the process. He let out three unsure shots, missing twice, his vision wavering with the weakening of his body. He gasped for air, desperate for some focus. He lifted his arm again, this time rapidly shooting at the dancing spheres. Click, click, click. He flung his empty weapon at the last surviving sphere, missing it by a mile.

     Knees buckling, the Sergeant hit the hard ground. He had one last shot. He fumbled with the clips on his belt, straining to free his Bzzt Blaster. Finally it fell, landing on to the rocks and mud with a thud. Trembling fingers reached forward, further, further, until they wearily curled around the blue and red device. His hands shook violently as he slowly took aim. He took a few rasping breaths before he fired a single shot.

     With a bang, the last sphere was destroyed. The computer core hovered before him unprotected. He leaned forward, resting on all fours, trying to gather the energy to fire one last shot and end this mission once and for all. His lungs screamed for air, the blue antennae atop his head drooping. He gripped his blaster once more. Just shoot one last time and this would be all over. He would end his career on a high.

     His numbed hand slowly dragged the weapon off the ground, only for weak fingers to lose their grip on it. Thud. He scrambled to find his gun, unable to see it with his swiftly blackening vision. His arms buckled beneath him and he landed face first in the dry dirt. His arms reached out, his frenzied searching continuing. He was their last hope.

     His fingertips touched cool metal. Too far. He stretched again, just as the distant sound of scampering metal feet could be made out. They were coming. He couldn't reach.

     The sound grew louder, louder. Grimacing, he pressed the small red button on his belt that would alert Section Six of his need to be rescued. Cracking his eyes open he unclipped his last blaster from his belt; his Sleep Ray. He knew the it wouldn't be strong enough to destroy the computer core and so he gathered the last of his strength, deciding to fling the ray straight at the computer core. Just after the comfort of smooth metal was propelled from his fingertips, his eyes drooped one last time and sleep overtook him.

     The last thing he knew before he completely succumbed to his dreams was the sound of neopets shouting his name, searching, the gleam of deadly red eyes and the white heat suddenly exploding from the computer core.

The End