The Alpha

Nero's eyes widened as He cast his eyes around the field of jagged stones in the seconds before the Screamers had erupted, watching as the Membranous structures that Nero now knew where Mantari shifted, drawing back their Crimson wings and slipping suddenly to life, making Nero freeze as He saw the hundreds of Mantari in full... and recognised them?

The huge Beast's raised their heads, Thick manes of shaggy crimson hair pickled against the breeze, powerful clawed paws agile and intricate as human hands grasping at the rocks with huge Black claws to pull their Lion shaped bodies up straight. Jagged tails came to life, their sharp stingers sending echoing rattles into the air, stretching their massive Bat-like wings as they all peered with silent rage into the Maw where Nero and the Others were still hiding.

Hard faces with long strong snouts, patterned with spirals of Black and Brown that converged on their black milky White-eyes looking uselessly around as their long sharp ears shimmered at the stimuli of sound. Luminous Red tongues lapped the Glowing red rows of teeth withing their mouths, sniffing at the air with their black noses, the Many many Mantari all looked at The Litchen groups, releasing an ominous whistling growl that was so low that the Stone maze around them trembled "That. is absolutely. without a doubt. a Manticore!" Nero thought with certainty, Lion's mane and body, the wings, the Huge spiralling horns, the Scorpion like tail it had to be, his nerdy recollection of reading about the Persian Mythical beasts many times in the library as a kid.

It couldn't have been seconds, or if they were they weren't very long seconds between the Manticore's waking and the screamers going off. They knew they were there, blind or not their twisted Feline faces were staring right at them, silently tensing up, perching on stones with their razor-sharp claws, He couldn't quite explain why, but just by the way they silently growled and bunched their armoured rear to spring at them, He felt certain that He was going to die, there was an almost sentient ire of bloodlust in their expressions that his **** felt almost imminent. But luckily, the Screamers did go off, easily a hundred of them, and boy did it do the trick.

The explosive high pitched cry of the Screamers slashed into the air, emitting in a burst of staggeringly loud hosting that it made Nero dizzy for a moment, but this was nothing compared to what it did to the Manticores.

Ears trembling and bodies writhing, the Beasts all yelped in pain, their screams matching that of the explosive cries of the traps, their faces twisting with agony as they spread their wings in unison, struggling to take into the air as their powerful forms burst into the sky, the collective whip of windswept violently into the Maw, hundreds and hundreds of screaming crimson Beasts darting away with incredible speed out into the sky, away from the God's fangs, and more importantly away from the Maw.

"It worked!" Nero said, though He could barely hear himself, Fiore stuffed some black plugs into her ears, handing another pair to Nero who in turn, plugged his ears with the soft rubbery studs which helped keep the screamers from deafening him.

Nero and Fiore kept pressed behind the arch, looking into the Great Maw's cave, along with other masked faces that looked intently at the gigantic Black tale of the Alpha, slither along the ground slowly, it's body rustling to life as it's thunderous growl along made the ground bellow Nero's feet Vibrate.

The Alpha emerged silently, moving patiently on its massive paws which flexed with muscle, its claws raking the ground as its head peaked outside.

Its eyes were the colour of faded Gold, it's luminous Red jaws parting as it snarled angrily, it's elegantly shaped face, long with seeping patterns of Crimson twisted with malice, Nero couldn't decide if its ears were down because of the Screamers or because of the boiling wrath that it doubtlessly felt as it's Sea of Midnight Black mane came into view.

The Creature's wings spread wide as it stepped out into the clearing, the Onyx membrane sweeping to such a span that it filled the entire Maw. flicking its long and heavy tail, the Alpha winced as it tried to listen around for its brethren.

Fiore gestured to the Other's aiming Her rifle at the Colossal Beast with complete focus, Nero following suit, looking down his sights to the Alpha's massive Black ribs _"Aim for the Middle, Aim for the Middle." _He reminded himself, as his finger squeezed gently on the rifle's trigger.

A dozen Shots of Aurous Electrical light streaked through the air towards the Alpha's chest, though as if by magic, the Beast's ears pricked up, its Wings like an onyx shield wall collapsed down to protect its torso, the Electrical blasts rippling through its Membranes as it released an earth-shattering roar that made Nero's head ring even with the plugs in. It knew that they were there.

Quick as lightning and without hesitation, the Alpha's monstrously large tail whipped at thee East arches of the Maw, sending an explosion of rock and dust into the air. Fiore swung out fearlessly, releasing a flurry of gunfire at the shoulder blades of the Beast.

Nero and the other Litchen swept along the Maw, firing tirelessly at the monster's Neck. A few shots met, the energy-burning against the Alpha, embers flying through the air as it's whipped around swiftly, sending a Car sized claw into the direction of the party.

Throwing their body's out of the way, it's claws sliced through the rock like butter, it's tail hurtling into the East Litchen party where Nero looked with horror as it's spears crushed into the body of one of the Hunters before she could even make a sound of fear.

Looking at the Bloody smear of the Woman's body, Nero whipped around another arch, providing suppressing fire on the Beast's face which contorted with rage as it burst forward towards him. tossing himself upward and firing right, Nero dodged the Monster's horns which collided with the formation of stones, now rubble against the sheer ****.

He didn't have time to think, all He could do was run, the Alpha's head swinging upward in an arc to crush him, but fast and agile, Nero slid away through a passage, pointing his rifle back to miss several shots for its eyes. How in the Hell was He supposed to Aim with this thundering inside, this almost uncontrollable fire that dictated to him to run, jump and dodge his way from the Monster's claws!

The Other Hunter's did not falter, however, one taking the opportunity to plunge their spear into the Alpha's wing, making it yelp in pain as it's wrecking ball Tail swiftly cleaved Her in half, her Crimson droplets of blood flying through the air like Ruby orbs under the sunlight "HOLY SHIT!" Nero cried as the Monster swung around to slice at the Warriors behind it, the massive tail writhing towards him, rendering the stone arches to nothing.

It was fast, to fast, something this big should not have been able to move like this, The ball of black **** flying at Nero, who's back was against a wall. His insides exploded as He suddenly growled desperately, his left hand sweeping upward and cutting through the air like a blade.

Creation crackled to life on his bicep, a bolt of Crimson electricity converging through his arm as one thought of Explosive rage struck at his soul "FUCK YOOU!"

With the smallest of whips on the air, Nero's hand sparked lightly as the Tail's spearhead was about to hit him, a sudden rush of intense heat and light blowing out in front of him like a grenade, His finger's cracking painfully as a white-hot explosion blew the Alpha's tail away, shattering it's thick black scales a waterfall of dark red blood oozing from the burned and torn stub where it's Stinger used to be.

Nero gasped, his left arm igniting with pain as it fell uselessly at his side, cracked and broken. The Alpha screeched with pain and rage as it planted a claw into a hunter with Golden hair... Misa's body was cleaved in two, her rifle flying off as Fiore cried out angrily Slashing at the Monster's arm, opening an oozing wound which made the Alpha whine as she slid across the stone firing masterfully at its left wrist, making it wobble further with pain.

His body screaming for him to push on, Nero sprinted along the passage of ruined stone, his left arm swinging uselessly by his side, shooting one-handed at the Monster's spine, his rifle kicking back hard as the shot met the animal's shoulder.

Injured as it was the Alpha did not falter, smashing it's head sideways into Fioremika, making the girl fly backwards and into a wall, Nero let out a rage-filled cry as the Beast's Stingerless tail crushed into the other's hunters with incredible speed, their forms ragdolling off to the side as the Monster looked to Fiore with complete and utter spite, it's glowing jaws opening in anticipation of the taste of Fiore's flesh.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Nero yelled, gritting his teeth against the pain as He ran towards the Monster, his inner flame smouldering with significantly less strength than before as Fiore looked at the Alpha through Her splintered mask, terror in her Mahogany eyes.

Nero strode in a bound across the rocks, kicking off an arch in a leap through the air towards the giant manticore's body. The Alpha had tried to spin around, but Nero was already on him, sinking the spear into the flesh of it's back and holding on for dear life as the beast bucked wildly.

Cold fury flowed through that Raven haired man's body as the Manticore struggled, pulling the Spear blade free and lifting it high above, letting out a roar that matched the Alpha's, chopping ceaselessly at the stem of its wing with such **** that it's bone cracked under the pressure. Nero was going to kill this thing, completely destroy it, no matter the cost, He didn't care about his arm, or pain in general, all that mattered was getting rid of this wing and running his spear into its heart.

He had seen the other wing coming, but His reactions were dulled by his Wrath, and so when the wall of Black broke into his side, cracking his arm even more and sending his Rifle flying, Nero could do nothing as He flew through the air, His body twisting and turning as He began to fall to the ground.

It looked like a long way down, falling easily fifteen meters onto the hard stone would not end well, his Instinct felt burnt out, his Mysteria wouldn't work and so it seemed his likely fatal meeting with the ground was imminent. He was worried as He fell, not for him for himself, but for Fiore, She looked badly injured and the other hunters were still staggering to their feet, He hoped that she would get out of it okay, and He was sad that He had gotten to see so little in his time on Mars.