User blog:LoganWoerner/On Chapter Four Preview: Merall vs. Niha

Hey, guys, I know I haven't been active recently, and work on On Chapter Four has slowed. Just want to let you all know that that some of the chapter is written, and I want to let you read it now. Enjoy!

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As the Toa of Stone advanced towards Niha, a frantic feeling was steadily growing inside of her. Her core processor was working on overtime as she searched her memory banks for previous experiences that she could draw from, anything that would help her fight back. She found nothing, so she fell back to the age-old tactic that was engrained even into her artificial brain: get away. In any other circumstance, Niha would have thought her choice to either go on the offensive or escape was much like the primal fight-or-flight instincts of her biological counterparts, the Toa, but in this situation, there was no time for thoughtful musing, there was only the battle, the need to end it, with minimal injury.

All of this whirred through Niha's brain in a split-second, but that split-second was costly; Merall was already only a few meters away, ready to strike. Niha prepared for a painful blow as the Toa of Stone's fist flew forward, but the punch never came; Niha had narrowly avoided the overhead blow with a quick dodge to her left. Merall quickly regained her footing and prepared for another strike, this time aiming for Niha's head. Niha quickly readied herself to dodge again, this time to her right. As she lunged to the side, she felt arms quickly embracing her waist. Niha realized that Merall's uppercut was just a bluff, and instead Merall had tackled her while she was off balance. As they fell, Niha twisted her body so that she hit the ground next to her opponent, instead of underneath, where she would surely be defeated. Niha kicked and struggled, but Merall's grip was too strong. Even with one arm raised to finally punch Niha, the muscular female Toa had Niha pinned to the ground. Merall positioned herself over Niha; the artificial Toa's attempts to not be underneath Merall were futile. ''This is going to hurt. Bad,'' Niha thought.

Merall brought her fist down, and Niha heard the metalic klunk! it made when it connected with her faceplate. Niha cried out in pain. It blinded her for a few seconds, but that didn't keep her from fighting back. Merall's grip had loosened after the punch, and Niha's limbs flailed about. Her foot hit something, and her opponent fell with an oof'! Niha got up. She looked down at Merall who was slow to get up. Niha hesitated for one moment, then swung her leg in a sideways arc toward Merall. Niha's moment of hesitation was crucial, and it costed her; Merall had time to register that Niha had gone on the offensive, and the Toa of Stone grabbed Niha's leg before it made contact and threw her far, using the momentum from Niha's kick against her. Niha felt like she was soaring for a few moments and then hit the steel wall of the chamber, landing on the dusty floor hard. Niha pushed herself up, her creaking legs painfully supporting her weight; they were threatening to fail, ready at any moment to topple beneath her. She leaned against the wall, wishing the pain would be over. But Merall, always on the offensive, always ready to throw the next punch, had already reached Niha, and the spry young robot had to keep moving, lest she be pounded into scrap metal.

End preview

I hope you all enjoyed it! This was just a short post. I'm a bit busy at the moment, but I wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive!