Unleashed

by D. R. Johnson

  The crew exchanged another look of affirmation and ran down Kossk’s corridor. Selas took the lead and Fi joined his side, removing her sword from her back. Jaskia and Nait kept their pace, while Kossk, Trika, and Natalia trailed in the back. Selas and Fi rounded a corner to the left, proceeding through the next corridor and to the opening in the middle of the hall. Lightning highlighted the outside.

  Selas and Fi led the crew into the downpour. Queen Bettina, adorned in black armor and a golden crown, marched toward the tower. Her double-edged sword rested in her hand and her expression didn’t change when Selas and Fi came onto the landing pad. The rain drenched the monarch, but nothing affected her stoic face.

  He expected as much.

  “A grand disappointment that you chose not to redeem yourself,” Queen Bettina said, locking onto Fi. “You continue to live a life of disappointment.”

  “I don’t need redemption,” Fi said, raising her sword. “If I’ve disappointed you, I’ve succeeded.”

  Selas aimed his rifle and fired. The Queen spun to the right, while Fi ducked and sprinted for her former captor. She swung her sword forward but Bettina blocked it with the end of her own. He grimaced and stepped closer before firing again, attempting to give Fi cover. Again, the Queen dodged.

  Two blue bolts flew past him, and Bettina’s armor absorbed the blast. She spun around, blocking another attack from Fi, and turned her eyes to Nait and Jaskia as they caught up to Selas.

  “Jaskia, you should have remained hidden,” Queen Bettina said, raising her leg and kicking Fi backward. Selas rushed and caught her before she hit the ground. “You’re no stronger now than you were in my palace.”

  “Nice to see you, too,” Jaskia said, moving in a circular motion toward the edge of the platform.

  “You’re outnumbered,” Nait said, following Jaskia. Both of their pistols didn’t stray from Bettina, but she seemed unconcerned. “We’re getting Scout back. I could kill you for what you did to her. And tricking us with that corpse? How sick are you?”

  “Don’t baby me,” Fi whispered, jumping to her feet and glaring at Selas. They moved opposite to Nait and Jaskia, stepping to the other edge.

  “Don’t push yourself,” Selas said, narrowing his eyes and again aiming his rifle.

  “There was no trick,” Queen Bettina said, staring at Nait but pointing her sword toward Selas and Fi. Another crash screamed from the skies and gunfire grew louder in Selas’ ears. “I killed Scout, just as I originally intended to do inside the palace. You should thank me for gracefully allowing traitors such as yourselves for gifting you with the time to mourn her.”

  “You turned her into your robot!” Nait said, screaming and firing. The Queen sidestepped the laser and Nait screamed again. “You preyed on, tortured, and devalued her, and you want me to thank you?!”

  “Have your mind take heed. If not, her body will gain an advantage,” Kossk said, hissing at Nait and leaping to the Queen’s position. She threw herself backward, blocking the stab from his spear. Fi rushed the Queen again, but she used the other end of her sword to cut her off.

  Fi and Kossk pressed on the Queen, shoving her back several steps. However, Bettina tightened her grip on her double-edged sword and didn’t allow them to gain an advantage. Selas glanced at his trigger, knowing that his blue orb would hit Fi and Kossk if he fired. Jaskia and Nait each fired another, smaller shot, but Queen Bettina swung her head out of the way.

  “Wish I had the turret again,” Trika said, motioning to the Killer as she emerged from the shadows. She joined Selas’ side of the platform and waved her rifle toward Bettina, attempting to get a clear shot in-between Fi and Kossk. “You really should think about surrendering, your Highness!”

  Selas heard another blast behind him and several shrieks followed. The situation grew grimmer as time passed.

  “You speak as if I lead this attack,” Queen Bettina said, shoving Kossk and Fi back before twirling her sword and attempting to strike them both. Kossk dodged while the sword cut Fi’s arm. Selas prepared to fire, but Fi shook her head in his direction and regained her offensive stance.

  “Who else would?” Nait said, scoffing and firing again. The bolt hit the Queen’s armor but didn’t do much damage.

  “My most faithful follower, Lady Cerasi,” Queen Bettina said, swinging her sword toward Fi again. This time, Fi evaded. “Did she not arrive first and give Catalan the opportunity to submit? Did she not bring the first group of soldiers? Your affection insists on blaming me, but she carries out my tasks with dedication.”

  Kossk’s spear clanged against the Queen’s armor, nearly sliding in-between her side and arm, but Bettina’s sword swatted the spear away and she spun around again. More gunfire echoed from the towers, reaching the pitch of an explosion rather than a mere gunfight.

  Selas glanced behind him. All four towers still stood but smoke rose from several different windows. No bomb or grenade had detonated, but the carnage reached such levels.

  “As you can see, I will not be surrendering,” Queen Bettina said, hopping away from Fi and Kossk. “My rule is inescapable and Lady Cerasi proves it.”

  Another blue bolt zoomed out of the doorway behind the crew and nearly broke through Bettina’s chest armor, but Selas could identify that the armor had more protection against lasers than that of her army. Natalia stepped out of the doorway’s shadow, extending her rifle toward the Queen. She stepped in-between Trika and Nait, completing the circle around Bettina.

  “Catalan’s not dead yet,” Natalia said, flicking the trigger. The thick laser zoomed past the monarch’s side. “Burning holes into walls and marching across a landing pad is just a demonstration. Nothing real.”

  “I see that you’ve finished your tantrum, Senator Valie,” Queen Bettina said, spinning her sword and shifting her gaze to Natalia. The rest of the crew moved closer and all weapons focused on the Queen.

  Selas knew that defeating her wouldn’t take place in such a simple manner. Wisdom should tell her to have more concern, but she didn’t, which didn’t bode well.

  “I’m through giving you that kind of satisfaction,” Natalia said, firing again and taking a deep breath. The blast again hit Bettina’s chest armor.

  The Queen glanced at every member of the crew, twirling her sword defensively. Fi and Kossk looked ready to make their next strike, while everyone else’s fingers touched their respective triggers. They could overwhelm her, but Selas didn’t know if that stood as the best tactical decision. He didn’t worry for himself, but he worried for any of the others. Nerves already attacked most crew members, hindering their clarity. She could strike them down if the situation became even more chaotic.

  “Jet Arbol, Cecil Badesha, this population,” Queen Bettina said, raising her sword to the towers. Another crash of thunder echoed and lightning caused the platform to shine in blue. “Two members of your own crew. How many more people will you force me to kill before you end this fruitless journey? All of you have gallivanted across the Nebula and what have you reaped? Suffering, injury, and death? My reign is firmer than any other time in the history of the royal family.”

  Jaskia edged closer to Bettina and Selas saw her finger begin to apply pressure. The Queen slid toward Jaskia and elbowed her wrist, knocking the weapon to the ground. Jaskia hissed, while Nait rushed forward and fired. Queen Bettina danced out of the way and rammed her boot into Nait’s stomach. He cried out and fell to his knees, clutching his scar.

  Two more bolts came from Natalia and Trika, while Fi and Kossk charged from behind. Queen Bettina leapt above one laser and flipped out of the trajectory of another, landing in time to block Fi and Kossk’s attack. Selas growled, desiring to fire but knowing that it would injure Fi and Kossk.

  Shuffling boots and repeated gunfire came nearer to Selas’ ear. A yelp followed seconds later.

  “Allow me to show you what is real, Natalia,” Queen Bettina said, elbowing Kossk in the face and pushing Fi off her. She pointed to the doorway.

>   Selas, Natalia, and Trika whirled around to see the corridor drenched in red. Li and Sem stumbled through the door, still carrying their weapons but clearly burnt and injured. Sem breathed heavily, lifting her rifle again to fire in the direction that they came.

  “There’s t-too many,” Li said, falling into the exterior wall. “They’re right on us.”

  The shuffling boots became louder. Smoke rose from the other towers and Selas still heard muffled shrieks and explosions. He glanced back to see the entire crew focused on the doorway. Jaskia stood, attempting to get to her wards.

  “Victory is real,” Queen Bettina said, raising her sword to the doorway. Sem backed away as soldiers shot through the opening. “My throne is real.”

  Another crash came from the sky. The singular crash turned into multiple, echoing across the planet. Selas closed his eyes, listening to the thundering power on Nash. However, this time, no lightning sky came before the thunder. No, again, these clouds didn’t seem like the clouds on Nash. These crashes didn’t seem like thunder.

  Selas opened his eyes and his head snapped to the sky. Three yellow transports broke through the clouds and zoomed toward the towers. Three red, unfamiliar transports appeared at their side and descended to the last settlements of Catalan. Most transports went for the other landing pads, but one yellow transport and one red transport honed in on this group. They captured the attention of both Queen Bettina and the crew.

  As the transports came to hover over the platform, both ramps lowered. Ursun Taylor, adorned in his full black armor, leapt off the yellow transport’s ramp and fired his rifle repeatedly at the soldiers. More pirates followed his lead as Ursun landed near Li and Sem. Takk Tennan screamed a battle cry as he made the jump off the red transport’s ramp and Alsia Fel jumped at his side, focusing their fire on the soldiers. Others, dressed in beige armor, followed them off the ramp.

  Selas looked to the other landing pads. Pirates and militia soldiers poured off both transports. The noise of gunfire increased as purple and blue lasers drilled into the red that nearly conquered the towers.

  Queen Bettina flipped backward, nearly stabbing Kossk. Kossk swerved out of the way, and as the Queen landed, she stared at the militia and the pirates who now opposed her soldiers. She didn’t show disappointment, but Selas felt it somewhere beneath the stoic gaze.

  Natalia and Trika again fired at Bettina, while Nait regained his footing. Selas spun to face the doorway again. Ursun, Takk, Alsia, Li, and Sem didn’t stop firing as royal soldiers tried to overwhelm the area. Red lasers swirled around but didn’t deter them. As two final soldiers appeared in the doorway, they fell before any laser could reach them.

  Kurt kicked the corpses out of his path and replaced the clip in his pistol. Jenn followed, pausing when she saw her former leader. Lighter footsteps echoed behind her but no one else appeared.

  “Ursun?”

  “Jenn,” Ursun said, nodding. “Nice to see you’ve done well for yourself.”

  Nait and Trika kept firing at Bettina, while Fi and Kossk attempted more offensive maneuvers. The monarch still evaded them, but it prevented her from reaching the newcomers. Natalia and Selas ran to Takk, Alsia, and Ursun, taking advantage of the brief pause.

  “What are you all doing here?” Natalia said, catching her breath.

  “This is the underground movement, isn’t it?” Ursun said, shrugging.

  “Navit took what Sora said seriously,” Alsia said, nodding to Ursun. “People standing together.”

  Selas smiled. Sora’s belief held true.

  “So, uh, as cool as this is, what’s the plan?” Takk said, motioning to the towers. “Because things look pretty bleak! The Queen’s right over there!”

  “Have all of your forces push the army back and keep the citizens safe,” Natalia said, glancing at Selas. “We can handle Bettina. Just find a man named Kasco and secure the towers.”

  “Li, Sem,” Jaskia called, staying near Nait. “Go with them. They’ll protect you.”

  “You got it,” Alsia said, motioning to the other militia soldiers.

  “For our base,” Ursun said, looking at his pirates and Jenn.

  The group charged into the tower, while Selas, Natalia, and Jaskia returned their focus to Queen Bettina. She rolled forward, dodging a shot from Nait and a slash from Fi. Natalia and Jaskia raised their rifles, but Bettina’s eyes lifted and looked beyond the crew. Lightning and thunder still revealed themselves, but the sound of surrounding gunfire overshadowed the thunder’s boom.

  However, none of that seemed to concern Queen Bettina. Selas glanced to the doorway again, realizing that the lighter footsteps ceased.

  “Take care of Li and Sem,” Felicia Malone said, dropping her fur coat onto a royal soldier’s corpse. “I am more than well-equipped to deal with her majesty.”

  “Your money, your rules,” Kurt said, grunting with a shrug and retreating down the corridor with Jenn. Felicia sauntered onto the platform, narrowing her eyes and smirking at Bettina.

  “The hypocrisy of your journey continues to surpass expectations,” Queen Bettina said, glancing again at every crew member. They still surrounded her, but Selas detected everyone’s uncertainty on how to proceed. “This drug lord has attempted to murder all of you and now she is your ally? Monstrous.”

  Felicia threw her arms forward and sprinted for Queen Bettina, aiming a pistol. She fired and Selas heard nothing, but rather, he saw one bullet zoom through the rain. Felicia fired Kurt’s silenced pistol again and another bullet followed the first.

  The Queen dodged one bullet, but the other broke through her armor and flew into her side. Bettina jolted but she didn’t display any sign of pain, returning Felicia’s charge.

  “She’s wounded,” Fi said, edging close to Selas. As he looked at her, he noticed the Killer’s ramp lowering on the other end of the platform. “Now is the time.”

  Before he could question the ramp or Fi, Queen Bettina and Felicia collided. Bettina put her sword to Felicia’s neck while Felicia rested the pistol on Bettina’s crown. They paused, locking eyes and exchanging stares of hatred. Fi crouched, preparing to join the new fight.

  Selas shook his head. “Fi, wait—”

  Fi ran and lifted her sword again, aiming for Bettina’s exposed side. She reached her target and swiped her sword across the new injury, causing Queen Bettina to spin around and cut Fi’s chest with one edge of her sword, while shoving the pistol out of Felicia’s hand with the other. Selas lifted his weapon while everyone else fired their pistol and rifles, but Bettina pushed Fi away before launching at her again. Fi blocked her next strike.

  Felicia grabbed the pistol and fired again, but Bettina’s quick movements caused the bullet to fly through the space between her arm and bleeding side. She still swung her sword toward Fi. Fi’s sword met Bettina’s in the air, while Fi breathed heavily. Rain still beat down on all of them but Selas saw the perspiration on Fi’s face, especially as her breaths grew faster. The others tried to aim but Fi and Bettina danced around each other.

  Kossk leaned back and charged forward, rushing for Fi’s position. Queen Bettina released the pressure on her sword, locking eyes with Fi. She masked her pain but Selas knew darkness. He knew that the pain filled Bettina with fury.

  “Thank you, Fi Kal, for preparing Lady Cerasi.”

  Queen Bettina headbutted Fi, slamming her golden crown into Fi’s forehead. Fi dropped her sword and toppled, while Kossk threw his spear aside and caught her before she hit the ground. She blinked, trying to remain conscious, and Selas roared, pressing the trigger on his rifle.

  The Queen lifted her sword to stab Fi and Selas’ rifle released the blue orb. However, Selas saw two skeletal arms wrap themselves around Bettina’s neck and pull her a step away from Fi and Kossk. Queen Bettina attempted to throw off her assailant, but Jekk’s head appeared over her shoulder, clinging to her back.

  Selas’ eyes widened. The blue orb hit his brother and the monarch, exploding immediately. Both of t
hem slid to the edge of the platform and Selas darted toward them, followed by the others while Fi regained her balance.

  “Jekk?”

  Selas saw the lightning sky and heard the thundering power. Queen Bettina rose, battered and unstable but conscious. Jekk’s charred hands sunk into the new holes in her armor, yanking her closer to the edge. He glanced to the sky, allowing rain to fall into his mouth and taking in the stormy view.

  His face no longer paled. Selas saw no hint of harm, confusion, or fear.

  “Jekk Taban, I see you rekindled your brotherly affection,” Queen Bettina said, coughing and gripping her sword. Blood dripped from her side and the integrity of her armor looked compromised, but her face still held no emotion. Her make-up and crown still sat in place.

  “Brother, I’m ready for that experience. Sunlight,” Jekk said. His right eye twitched and rested on Selas. “This is your time.”

  Jekk’s blackened face twisted in pain as he pulled the Queen again. Their feet went over the edge, but Bettina flipped her sword behind her and sliced through Jekk’s neck with both blades. Blood gushed and they both disappeared into the levels below.

  Selas collapsed at the edge of the platform, weeping. The others peered over the edge and looked at each other, while Fi knelt at his side and put her head on his.

  “I-I’m sorry,” Fi said. “She hit the part of my head that—”

  “You don’t need redemption,” Selas said, sniffing and shaking his head. He looked over the edge and saw nothing below except platforms and walkways. “It’s what he wanted. He felt complete.”

  “That fall wasn’t far,” Nait said, biting his lip. “It wouldn’t have killed her.”

  “It keeps her away from Scout,” Selas said, inhaling and closing his eyes. “Jekk finished our task.”

  More tears escaped, but not only because of Jekk’s death. Selas cried because he saw the resolution and peace on his twin brother’s face. Selas lost his brother again, but not like last time. This time, he didn’t lose Jekk to darkness. Indeed, Jekk answered the question he asked Selas: He was ready.