Chapter Six - Gunner With a Crossbow
Off the Coast of Maine
Several boats were being attacked by Crane Wraiths while being held in place by the Faceless Dragoons. It was utter bedlam in the northeastern most parts off the coast of New England. One in particular was a Lobster boat checking on traps near the continental slope. Normally it would be a good day for Jameson Adams - a West Australian expatriate - to have a bowl of clam chowder in the mess before he turns in to prepare for a night shift. However, how easily the fates can change.
One of the Crane Wraiths grabbed onto the Captain's face. The struggle was strong but as the struggle lessened, a monstrous face started to form on the faceless visage of Altruista's footsoldier. Jameson had a shotgun for deterring pirates in hand, and pumped the handle to load a cartridge. He was brought on the crew not only for his willingness to work hard in somewhat hazardous conditions on a stormy day; he was a excellent marksman as evidenced by his grey eyes. He fired a round into the Crane Wraith with the face forming, but the bullets went through it. "What in the world?" shouted Jameson, knowing that many shots would fell a man, even one hit in the most critical targets. He then got to see the visage of the face forming on the Faceless Footsoldier. It was a horrifying sight, especially watching the hand of the fiend pulse as the Captain was ending his struggle.
Suddenly an arrow stabbed through the head of the Crane Wraith and the transformation was reversed. Letting go of its victim as it fell, the Captain's face was released, there was a big bruise ring around the face, but he was still alive. The Ivory Archer nocked another arrow into her selfbow. "Bullets won't do anything to these monsters. Gotta use something with an arrow on it."
Jameson cursed at that. He knew that the ships were at a crushing defeat, especially with the serpentine draconic monstrosities destroying nearby fishing boats; the shark fin poaching boats were a good riddance as far as this marksman was concerned. He looked up, and remembered the Captain had an emergency crossbow rifle hidden away in case of emergencies. He heard stories of their captain being a former big fish hunter before settling on a lucrative commercial Lobster fishing. He showed where he hid the a special crossbow meant to fire harpoons to hook onto swordfish. Dunno about arrows, but what about harpoons out of crossbows, Jameson thought strategically. His eyes looking at the dragoon holding their ship. He then said, "I got an idea." He ran to the bridge of the lobster ship, and looked to the hidden floor panels for the harpoon crossbow.
"Then I'll hold off the Crane Wraiths," the Ivory Archer said quietly as she pulled back on the spread arrow she summoned. She fired it and managed to defeat five at once "Mainframe, set the Arrow Falcon Zord on auto-pilot and have it harass the Dragoons. We need to distract for this Mr. Adams to find the key." She then activated the summoning arrow from her buckle, and set it on her selfbow. She fired the summoning arrow high in the air. Beyond the Dragoons did the Arrow Falcon Zord take form, and started to harass the gigantic super-grunts with its beak and talons.
It was pure luck that Jameson was able to find the Scorpyd Crossbow made to accept a small harpoon instead of bolts in the riser. He had a struggle cocking the reverse-draw crossbow, but it wasn't like he had a choice; he had to learn this on the fly; he remembered only seeing a crossbow cocked once. He loaded the harpoon in there, and grabbed a couple spares with ropes attached. He then unfolded the butt and came out with it. and fired a harpoon at one of the Dragoons once his aim was good. He fired it at the neck, and in that instant the attached rope went flying out with it, it went through the neck. The new piercing made the dragoon roar out in pain before falling into the water!
"That's a Scorpyd reverse-draw, the fastest crossbow on the open market; modified to accept harpoons instead of bolts." She slung the FalconTalon Selfbow around her torso. "Boomer Crossbow!" appearing on her left wrist was a gauntlet made to summon various bolts and in her right appeared a pistol-like quick-draw crossbow akin to the Cobra self-cocking series of crossbows. It was already loaded with a crossbow bolt she aimed it at the last Crane Wraith and fired upon it. "8-ball, corner pocket!" And it went down once it got struck. As the Falcon was taunting the last two dragoons. "Mr. Adams," said the Ivory Archer in her disguised voice. "I have been informed that your expertise in guns is bar-none. Since they won't work on the Faceless monstrosities, I challenge you to try a new weapon. This crossbow is easy to learn. I only ask that you give it a chance, and join the crusade against this evil force that steals faces of their victims."
"As long as they are not as hard to load as my Captain's rifle, you got a deal!"
She demonstrated the easy style of cocking the Boomer Crossbow, and placed a grappling bolt attachment onto the riser before leaping down and handing it to Jameson. "Just aim for the Falcon with me and watch it take down the foes. She attached her grappling arrow to her personal bow and aimed for her Zord along with her new ally. "Crossbows are easier to learn on the fly, Mr. Adams... bolts can be just as effective as bullets once properly trained."
Once the marksman and Ivory Archer were aboard the Arrow Falcon Zord it did several aerial maneuvers, before shooting like an arrow right through the last two Dragoons, destroying them and heading back to Colorado Springs with the Toad Wraith watching from the trainwreck. He had taken the face of a survivor, and thus had a monstrous toad-like visage. "Soon enough, Ivory Archer... your face will be ripped from your skull by the Faceless Lord Altruista. Your plans with gathering hunters will fail!"
End of Chapter Six.
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