Shot
Shot (real name Shane Greyson) is a character in The Metalwood Saga. Introduced as an ambitious eighteen-year-old underkid and a key member of Shock Crew, he later rises to become the leader of the Under and eventually takes command of the United Sky Cities' operations during the final war.
Appearance and Personality
Shot is described as a physically fit and imposing teenager. He is frequently seen wearing a dirty cap, which he doffs when attempting to show manners, such as when he first introduces himself to Elanil. He speaks with a rough Under Crew cadence, utilizing a quick, sharp delivery that makes him sound bold and restless.
Personality-wise, Shot is confident, cocky, and highly ambitious. He possesses a restless, youthful energy, with flashes of bravado that sometimes mask his inexperience. Despite his tough, street-smart exterior, he is fiercely loyal to his Crew and deeply committed to the survival of the underkids.
Biography
Shock Crew and the Under
Shot began as a trusted member of Dill's inner circle within Shock Crew, operating alongside Small and Grime. During a secret underground rally that was ambushed by the Department of Corrections, Shot demonstrated his lethal capabilities by using his mergegun to fight off the police. When the situation became dire, he used his weapon to shoot the cement floor, breaking it apart and dropping his attackers out of the sky city.
Fennas Elenathon and the Prime Forest
Prior to the Conjunction, Shot accompanied Dill, Rylan, Small, and Elanil on a mission to infiltrate the Cothellon's Fennas Elenathon receiver site on Earth. When the group was trapped by the powerful forcefinder Elion, Shot proved the true extent of his magic. He used his mergemelding abilities to "fuzz" his own body, rendering himself semi-transparent to physically walk through Elion's impregnable forcefields. He successfully rescued Dill by pulling him out, and saved Rylan by pushing him through the barriers. However, the massive exertion of overusing his darkprime oak magic caused him to pass out immediately afterward, leaving Dill to kill Elion with a mundane knife.
Shortly after recovering, Shot participated in the massive battle in the Prime Forest on Earth, fighting alongside the underkids to protect the Eldrim's ritual. Supplied by the underkid engineer Smoke (Luthar), Shot was a formidable force, dual-wielding mergeguns to strafe through the woods and mow down waves of Cothellon soldiers. His lethal efficiency with the weapons, shooting effortlessly through wood and armor, proved vital in holding off the enemy forces.
Following the Conjunction—when the sky cities connected and gated Earth to the Persephone system—Shot did not travel to Valaralda. Instead, he remained aboard the newly-formed United Sky Cities to continue leading the underkids and eventually manage Mission Control operations.
Uniting the Under
When Dill left to pursue Orym into the desert, Shot took over as the boss of Shock Crew. Under his leadership, the Crew expanded exponentially, absorbing thousands of underkids from across the sky cities and establishing massive hydroponic farms to help solve their food crisis. Working in tandem with his father, President Greyson, Shot helped unite over four hundred disparate groups of kids, giving them a safe and legal place within the city's infrastructure. He even reached out to the human Remnant (the Splinter) on Earth, offering them residence in the cities.
The Final War
During the apocalyptic conflict against the Twin Nelenor, Shot took command of Mission Control. Operating with the full authorization of his father, he directed the elven and human scientists to mobilize the United Sky Cities. When Rylan proposed using the cities' power systems as a weapon against the Twin, Shot coordinated with Small to reverse the energy flow of the massive batteries, turning the floating cities themselves into a devastating orbital weapon.
Powers and Abilities
- Mergemelder (Dark Oak): Shot's natural Alignment allows him to use darkprime oak to perform mergemelding. He can render his physical body semi-transparent ("fuzzing"), allowing him to pass harmlessly through solid objects and magical forcefields.
- Mergeguns: Shot is a deadly marksman who famously wields mergeguns—specialized darkprime firearms crafted by the underkid Smoke. When fired by a mergemelder, the bullets from these weapons can shoot through anything, including metal, wood, water, and armor.
- Leadership: Without the use of magic, Shot successfully managed the logistics and governance of over twenty thousand underkids, transforming a disorganized population into a unified, self-sustaining army.
Key Relationships
- Greyson: His father. Greyson's rise to President of the United Sky Cities allows Shot to bridge the gap between the topsiders and the underkids.
- Dill (Dillon): His former Captain. Shot served loyally as Dill's enforcer before inheriting leadership of the Crew.
- Small: His closest friend in Shock Crew. The two constantly banter, with Shot's brash attitude perfectly complementing Small's technical genius and wit.
- Spike and Stick: His trusted seconds-in-command after he takes over Shock Crew, who help him manage the massive influx of new recruits.