The Last Hunter: Collected Edition (Antarktos Saga #1-5)

Cresty-Alpha! I think, sending out a command that gets a loud roar in response. The cresties, natural fighters and killers have no doubt been impatiently waiting for their chance to join the fray. Well, now they’re going to get it.

With a thunder that matches that of the approaching Nephilim, the dinosaurs race out from around the base, joining the front line of hunters. Grumpy finds me and lets out an annoyed sounding grunt. He’s not happy about being sidelined for so long.

“Quit whining,” I tell him and he crouches down. I climb onto his back and I’m happy to see many other hunters and cresties joining forces as well. Em and Kainda climb onto Zok’s long back, ready to continue the fight. But we can’t see what’s coming from here, even from the back of a thirty foot tall cresty, and that’s not a good thing.

“Fall back to the tanks!” I shout, and I then remember to think the command. As one, the force of dinosaurs and hunters races back toward the tanks, which are still firing over our heads, smiting the distant Nephilim forces. Before the concussive force of each fired tank shell becomes almost too much to bear, and before we put ourselves in the tanks’ sights, I turn Grumpy around and the rest of my army follows suit.

Further away from the behemoth, I can see the bottleneck again. It’s a mess. Nephilim bodies litter the area. Some are clearly dead, the shapes of their bodies barely discernable. Others are moving still, healing from wounds that would have killed a mortal. But the wave of monsters flooding into the valley continues...as does the barrage keeping them at bay.

A never ending stream of missiles and high caliber tank and artillery shells rain down on them, rocking the valley with thunder and cloaking the scene in smoke. But the effort is paying off. Not only are many Nephilim dying under the force of the barrage, but the number getting through and continuing the charge are manageable.

Hold your positions, I tell my front line. Save your strength.

During the momentary reprieve, while trying to regain some of my own strength, I turn my eyes upward to the cliffs. The winged warriors are all airborne, battling with the helicopters in a deadly aerial dance. The warriors outnumber the choppers by a large margin, but the helicopters are fast and can strike from a distance. Despite the modern advantages, it’s still a losing fight. As I watch, a warrior with little regard for his own safety, perhaps empowered by the knowledge that he will heal, or simply looking forward to the pain, tackles a helicopter. He slams into the side of the chopper, flips it upside down and as the rotor blades propel the vehicle toward the ground, he hangs on for the ride, laughing sadistically all the way down. The pair slams into the side of the temple where the helicopter explodes. I can’t see what happens next, but I think I hear a fresh spat of gunfire over the din of the continuing battle.

Are you okay? I ask Luca.

What was that? he asks, which I suppose means he’s fine.

Don’t worry about it, I tell him.

Getting light headed, Merrill thinks, joining the mental conversation. He’s been blowing that horn non-stop from the beginning of this battle. Without a breather, he could pass out. Luckily, he’s not alone under the temple.

Have Aimee take over for a bit, I tell him.

Then, to Kat, I think, what happened with the Nephilim on the temple?

Mira got him, Kat replies. XM-29. Explosive rounds. It was messy. If too many more of these guys bite it inside the base, we’re not going to be able to maneuver.

She’s worried about the Nephilim blood. If it gets on anyone’s skin, it will result in a horrible death. That said, the blood could also be diluted with water and used to quickly heal our wounded. Just don’t walk through it barefoot, I think to her, and then I transmit my thoughts about using the blood for medicinal purposes to the medics set up beneath the temple.

Kid, Kat says. You’re doing a good job. If things go south, I’m proud of you.

I don’t have to think my thanks, she can feel it through Luca.

As for our current predicament, Kat thinks, the cliffs are clear. Have the snipers take out the big guys’ knees. Then you can take them before they get up.

Before she’s even done thinking the idea, I shoot the order off to the snipers gathered from around the world and sense their aim shift as one.