Field Work

The next stop for both of them was heading to the distress signal. 

Well, Now that this is out of the way, are you ready to do fieldwork?

Don´t think I have too many options, but how are we going to get there?

Our primary way of transportation is flying so...

Like on a plane?

Something better

A few moments later

This is insane! get me to land.

Eden was flying on his armor while carrying Lisa on his arms, the velocity and visible lack of security measures made her freak out.

Isn't this way more fun than a plane?

I am more fond of the idea of being seated with a seatbelt in a plane rather than this!.

That would require too much time, we need to be efficient time wise.

I'm convinced every single one of you have some loose screws!

We are almost there, hold on to me.

After a few minutes of improvised flying. Eden slows the velocity, aims his legs propulsors to the land in order to do a soft landing. Lisa stands up on her feets.

It wasn't that bad was it?

I can't wait to get my own armor to not do this ever again.

What a party pooper, come on, is this way.

On their way, Lisa ask questions about the distress signal.

What's the reason for the distress signal? did something go wrong?

is very likely they suffered an attack and need a hand with it.

An attack?....by who?

Eden stops for a moment, turning his body towards Lisa, from his helmet he projected an hologram that would show a humanoid figure but with visible deformities and a rusty skin.

This what you are seeing, is what we call an "howler", these enigmatic creatures pop us from zones that are far beyond the city limits, and ocasionally comes in groups to attack the city or their habitants.
Despite to seemingly not having heads or mouths they produce quite the eerie sounds once they are defeated, thus the name.

Eden closes the hologram.

So, that's why she mentioned that fighting was the only way to survive. Because those "things" come to attack us every now and then?

 Mhm, luckily, they possess no real threat to us if there are at least, one armored person to take care of them, which makes me wonder why they would need with that since they should have enough guards to surveillance the area.

Sounds like it will be dangerous out there.

Lisa showed concern after hearing the brief from Eden.

Don't worry, I'm right here remember? I have enough experience dealing with them so there is nothing to fear.

After a few minutes of walking they arrive at the destinated area. It was near the city border, the scene was quite a disaster to see. Everything was in ruins and there was a dusty fog in the air. At the sight of this, Eden became more serious.

Go and check  if there are survivors for me, I need to verify something.

Lisa hesitated for a moment after watching Eden´s concerned expression but ultimately went to scavenge around the place.

She could only see debrish and signs of a clash between both factions, there were weapon fire marks all over the place but no bodies at all. When she saw this scene she inmediatly Remembered Eden's previous word of them not being a real threat and started to question if this was really true after watching such scene. She returned back to Eden to report her findings.
She sees Eden is doing something with his armor, he is holding a very small glowing ball at the top of his fingers, when he starts spinning his finger around. The light starts to flicker.

Mmm, as I feared.

Is there something wrong?

I'm just testing the etherflow current output in this place, the light flickering means something is disrupting it. What did you find?

I found nobody, neither persons or those monsters. Everything is messed up pretty bad, like there was a huge standoff but no casualties apparently. It feels something does not add up.

You are right, something is definitely off here, there is no way a few of those howlers were able to manage such levels of damages.

While they were speaking to each other, something was lurking right at their backs. Eden turned around for a moment just to see a howler jumped out of nowhere and was just about to hit Lisa with his arm that resembled a blade.

Watch out!

Eden quickly put his arm in between them to cover Lisa from the attack. The blade hit Eden´s hand which was cover in the armor, leaving just a scratch. With his other arm he reachs out to his back to pull out a energy gun which fires at the howler several times point blank.

The attacking howler desintegrated in a scream , only a small cloud of dust remained out of it.

Lisa was shocked from the surprise attack, but that was far from being the last one, behind her there was another howler ready to jump in. Eden noticed it when he looked back at her.

Get down!

The howler jumps in for an attack. This time Eden pulls an energy sword from his back,  making an horizontal slice, perfectly cutting the howler in half. Inmediatly, a group of howlers showed theirself, ready to attack in group this time around.

Stay behind me. Said Eden to Lisa.

The howlers went in to attack as a pack, Eden started to dispatch them one by one with his small fire arm to the foes affair and then switch to the sword for the closest one. Lisa is the first one to speak after the encounter ends.

Are those all of them?

Seems like it.

They were hiding all this time, waiting for an opportunity to attack us, are they really no that dangerous as you said?

Well, this behaviour of them is certainly unexpected, an ambush like this requires some level of intelligence and coordination, both aspects that we though they didn't have until now. 
This is. slighty concerning, we need to head back inmediatly and inform them of this.

What happened to the people that were here?

I can't really tell, for now they will be marked as Missing In Action.

Let´s go, is not safe here.

Eden and Lisa flew back to the city.