[ IP ] Survival of the Fittest

`` Kyle of House Durineth, it's your turn. Ready your spear, push your emotions to the back of your mind and God be willing, may you pass this trial.'' 
 
 `` Yes, Your Grace.'' 
 
 
 Given all of our vast array of projectile weaponry, our melee tools and the unending innovations of self-destruction, I chose the simplest of choices. 
 
 
 A homemade platinum coated, tungsten core-drilled, steel spear. 
 
 
 Moments before I leaped onto the gargantuan beast, I shut my eyes. *God Willing, may I pass this trial* 
 
 
 As my eyelids opened, I hit the exo-skeleton of the beast hard. I dug my spear into the outer layer and quickly grabbed onto a loose spike. I balanced myself as I looked back to the outpost, thinking of nothing but how to bring down this beast. 
 
 
 Size of a small spaceship, the worm of the sands was no easy feat to take down with an army, let alone a single soldier. But this was my test, my rite of passage into the elite forces. I had come a from humble beginnings to achieve the impossible. 
 
 
 Swiftly with ease, I ran across the backbone of the worm, dodging rocks and alternating holding my spear with either hand. Rocks and sand scratched my helm, my body felt numb. I trudged on, breaking into a sprint as the worm's head began to show. 
 
 
 This was my chance. 
 
 
 There was only a brief opening of the skin when the worm breathed. It had adapted itself to breathe once per day, and when it did, it was forced to go above ground. While they were vunerable, they were in no way easy prey. I had reached the top of the head. 
 
 
 Blind of my position, the worm quickened it's paced. The only sound it made was the waving of it's tail, vigorously to shake me off. 
 
 
 I saw the opening. It was only a small horizontal slit that measured two spears long. Dark brown, smelling of foul ooze, I stood above it, waiting for the moment to strike. 
 
 
 The worm suddenly opened it's mouth. It roared a thundering roar, a perfect avalanche of sound that would instantly deafen any thoughts to the sound of pure terror. 
 
 
 The slit opened. 
 
 
 I prepared myself. 
 
 
 I dived in, spear first. 
 
 
 I shut my eyes. 
 
 
 *God Willing... * 

