The Black Knight Box Set

by Christian J Gilliland

  "Don't even think about it ol' boy." He chuckled as he lit another cigarette. "You'd split her like a log." He took a drag and sighed.

  ***

  "Ah, Hells!" Dauid declared, pointing out the front glass of the cockpit, "Looks like we got company!"

  "I see them," Alec replied. He counted the headlights of four Govian HAPTs in the distance, and he dipped the nose of his own vehicle down. The transport skirted the canopy of the Belhaas forest, and Alec flipped the light switch in an attempt to hide his flyer from incoming Govian craft. He heard a bit of cursing come from the back as the vehicle bumped against the limbs and leaves of the trees, but he blocked it out.

  "You see that over there?" Dauid pointed a robotic finger toward the left side of the vehicle. "Looks like fire." Alec looked and saw exactly that. Something was burning brightly East of their position, and a few dozen smaller lights were moving toward the fire.

  "You reckon that has anything to do with your friend?" Dauid inquired, looking at his grandson. Alec nodded and brought the HAPT to a stop, hovering slightly above the trees.

  "We are close," Alec commented. He had no doubt that the fire had something to do with Crinnan. He gave Dauid another nod of and then turned around and looked back into the cargo hold of the vehicle. Kelso's lifeless body was laying on the floor; someone had covered it with a tarp. Matalo glared at Alec and then looked away, he was apparently not pleased with him at that point. Dierlock was sitting next to Matalo, and he too seemed dismayed by the death of Kelso. Alec shifted his focus to Elia who gave him a faint yet warm smile. Flox had fallen asleep next to her.

  "We are close," Alec informed his team, "Something is going on down there; I think Crinnan may be in trouble."

  "Well we can't fucking have that now can we?" Matalo replied as he lit a cigarette, "God forbid your little butt buddy is having a hard time. You sure you don't want to wait around for Flox to die before we make a move?"

  "Cut it out Matalo," Elia glared at him from the corner of her eye, "Alec is doing the best he can."

  "Alec's bullshit got Kelso killed," Matalo retorted, "Kelso's been in this squad for twelve years without dying. I've fought alongside him on dozens of missions. He was a good Knight and didn't deserve to die like a fucking pig on a worthless mission." Elia was silent as she looked over to Alec. Alec in return had no words to offer. He just turned back around and looked out the cockpit windshield.

  "He is right," Alec groaned, looking down at his lap, "It was my fault."

  "Bullshit," Dauid snapped, "Those fuckers woke up and decided to follow you, you didn't make them. You soldiers know what's possible every morning when you get out of bed. This world don't promise you nothin'."

  "I made the call though; I turned this mission into a risky one."

  "And they followed right along with you," Dauid replied, "They signed up for this. Let them be mad, let them be dead. You worry about getting your friend home." Alec looked at his grandfather and shook his head.

  He wished it were that simple, that he could just let them be dead. He looked back at Kelso's body again and ran his hand through his blonde hair. He knew that they had chosen to come with him, he had given them the opportunity not to… that fact did not make anything any more comfortable for him.

  Oscar Kelso had been a friend to Alec. Because he was a reserve pilot for Century, there had been many occasions where he had flown alongside Kelso as his wingman or co-pilot. Kelso had taught him things about flying that Alec never would have picked up on his own, the two had flown missions together, talked about life and death… Alec felt great remorse seeing the lifeless body of the best pilot he had ever seen.

  A pair of Govian transports flew by overhead and briefly engulfing the HAPT in bright yellow light. Alec tensed in his seat as he watched them fly by and then he waited for the right amount of distance to get between them before he lifted his hands to continue their journey. As he was about to flip the headlights back on, however, he saw something. It was a brief flash of light of some sort followed by what sounded like a tiny clap of thunder. Alec turned to look at Dauid.

  "Did you see that?" He asked.

  "Sure did," Dauid replied, "Something going on down there." Alec flipped the headlights on and powered the thrusters back up. He found himself praying to the suns, or whoever else may have been listening that what he had seen had to do with Crinnan.

  "Flox, wake up!" Alec called back. He turned around and watched as Flox immediately sat up and turned to him.

  "I am awake," Flox informed him as he cracked his neck, "What do you need?"

  "Below us, use your infrared to scan for heat signatures. I think we are hovering above Crinnan." Flox grabbed his rifle and slid one of the doors open. He held the scope of his weapon to his eye and scanned below us.

  "Heat signatures below us," Flox quickly reported. He paused for a moment and did a quick count in his head. "Looks like we have seven bodies… someone seems to be pursuing them, though there's a lot of distance between them."

  "Can you tell if any of them are Crinnan?" Alec asked.

  "No, I can only tell that they are people," Flox adjusted his scope, "But let me try,"

  He watched one of the bodies shake its head and walk away from the body that was lying on its back. He focused on it and squinted.

  "Looks like one of them is Crinnan's size…" He murmured, "Body language is pissed off. Sword on his back and pistols hanging from shoulder holsters… Probably Crinnan."

  "Crinnan…" Alec felt a bit of warmth in his belly that was not unlike taking a shot of whiskey on an empty stomach. For a split second, he rested his head against the back of his seat, just long enough for Dauid to punch him in the arm.

  "We gotta find a place to land!" He shouted as he leaned forward in his seat to look out the glass. He lit one of his cigarettes and removed his breathing mask, "Canopy looks too thick to bring her down right here. These buildings don't look like they can support her weight either…" He scanned the area and saw something outside Alec's window. "There we go. Put her down over there." His robotic hand pointed at a building that was raised slightly above the canopy and had a large circular roof.

  "Not on the roof, but it looks like there is room for the HAPT in front of it." Alec looked at the building and nodded his head in agreement. It was not too far away from Crinnan's position and offered a bit of cover if they needed it.

  "Flox!" Alec shouted, "You see that building with the circular roof to our left?" Flox leaned out the hatch and located the tower.

  "I do." He replied.

  "We will be there," Alec informed him, "Get to Crinnan and lead him to us." Flox nodded his head and leaped out of the HAPT and into the canopy. Matalo shook his head at how easy it was for him to just jump out of a mid-flight transport.

  "Everyone else get ready," Alec ordered, thinking of the Govian craft that had flown by. He also thought back to Rubaan's warning and the smaller lights he had seen heading toward the fire. He knew that there was something else down there. "We may be in for a rough night."

  Chapter Four

  Rubaan VII

  22nd of Ramlia - 346AG

  14:00 - Canrom City

  "Why!" Rubaan shouted at his father. He slammed his hand against the bed of the truck that he sat in and shouted through the rear window, "I should have been on that HAPT with them, this is just as much my battle as it is theirs!"

  "And you think it's not mine, son?" Commander Crinnan retorted as he navigated the truck down one of the dark alleys of Canrom City, "You think I didn't want to be on that HAPT as well?"

  "I didn't stop you!" Rubaan replied. "You had no right to…"

  "I had every damn right that there is and ever could be, boy!" Crinnan growled, "I am your father, I am Crinnan's father… and you know what you little sneaky shit, I am Sayraa's father too."

  "Sayraa?" Rubaan asked, suddenly shocked at the sudden mentioning of her name.

  "Yes, Sayraa." Crinnan turned his head and glared at his son, "
My eldest daughter, the one who is commanding one-fifth of the Govian Empire's military… the one you spoke to only a few hours ago."

  "Ah." Rubaan sighed. He had been discovered, "How did you…"

  "I am Commander of the Black Knight resistance in this town…" Commander Crinnan quickly snapped back, "Do you honestly believe that I wouldn't know if my own daughter was in my town?"

  "How did you know she was your daughter?" Rubaan asked, "After all these years?"

  "Your brother told me. Many years ago."

  "Crinnan?" Rubaan asked.

  "Kiersen." Commander Crinnan hissed.

  "He's alive?" Rubaan nearly shouted.

  "Just as much as Sayraa is," Commander Crinnan grumbled, "You all think you are so damn sneaky with your secrets and your sneaking and your name changes. I know everything, your mother knows everything. Hells, we have our secrets too… more than you ever will. We have buried shit that would rock your fucking world if you ever learned..."

  "Enough," Ladia calmly commanded from the seat next to her husband. She gave Crinnan a glare and waved her hand at him, "Shut up."

  "Father, you know I should have been on that HAPT," Rubaan groaned as he rested his head against the back window, "You know I am tied to all this… whatever this is."

  "I know we need to get answers," Commander Crinnan replied, "Because I do not know enough. We will be having a conference call with Supreme Commander's Xian, Kain Darkwind and Kazin Hawell tonight… they know more of Eon than Emerald or Dauid ever will."

  "How do you know I talked to them?" Rubaan asked.

  "Have you not been listening?" Crinnan sighed, "It is my responsibility to protect you. I am your father." Crinnan parked the truck, and he, Ladia and Rubaan all hurried out.

  "The simple fact of the matter, son," Ladia said as the three jogged down the alley. "Is that you children... you think you are so clever and that we are not. Just as your father said, you all think that you are so sneaky, changing your names, having secret conversations, ruling the world in your own corners… but you can't hide from us. Your father, though much younger than myself, and I have been sneaking and hiding and scheming much longer than you have been alive. We know every move all six of you make. We are smarter than all of you combined, that is how we have lived this long. We know what answers to pursue, and from whom to pursue them. We know how to get what we need when we need it… we liberated Exgrane, we could liberate this city in a night if we wanted to… you, my son, need to trust our judgment."

  The trio rounded a corner, and Commander Crinnan motioned for them to stop.

  "Listen, Rubaan," He turned to his son, his tone had lowered, and he eased up a bit, "You have given us a grandson. You have a family, a life… you are also mentally exhausted and not very good at fighting. You cannot be charging into battle against Ancients. We, as your superiors and as your parents will simply not allow it, especially while Roc is now a part of the picture. While, yes, you are involved greatly in whatever is going on, you need to be here with your family."

  "I am not even fucking real!" Rubaan declared, louder than his parents would have liked. They looked around to make sure nobody was looking and then Crinnan grabbed his son by the collar and slammed him up against the moldy brick wall behind them.

  "You are!" He shouted back, his face twisting with rage, "Get it out of your fucking head. You're fucking real. You're my son, and you are god damn here right now. Your other body, your other conscience... You just don't need to fucking worry about it right now. Quit being a fucking baby and do what needs to be fucking done! Tell me, do you love Roc?"

  "Yes," Rubaan growled, angered by his father's sudden assault, "Yes, of course, I love Roc."

  "Do you love your brothers? Your sisters?"

  "Of course." Rubaan bit his lip.

  "Well, I fucking love you son. So, whether you were created 23 years ago or last god damn night, you are fucking real and if there are two of you now… well, there were always two of you so it wouldn't be a great stretch for me to love another one. You get my picture?" The commander cocked his head and released his son as he took a step back. Rubaan panted for a moment and then silently nodded.

  "We're going to get answers," He promised, "Soon. Until then, either you keep fighting smart, or you get stupid, give up, and die like a coward." Crinnan unholstered a pistol at his side and held it out, handle first to Rubaan.

  "Your choice son. Which are you? Remember, whatever you pick right now is final."

  "That's enough!" Ladia announced, stepping between the two and pushing the pistol back at her husband. "He gets the point, now if you have had enough theatrics, we have a meeting to attend." Crinnan furiously pointed at his son and glared at him.

  "You get your shit together boy," He snarled as he slid his weapon back in its holster, "Choose right, and you may have a long damn life ahead of you."

  ***

  The masked king and self-proclaimed savior of Duraan stepped out of the darkness and into the already heavily smoking village of Pado. He knew the Demon had been there shortly before he had, that he was accompanied by an Ancient of great power. He knew, yet he did not fret. He stepped forward toward the flames and scanned the area.

  "Come out!" He calmly commanded, "Come, face your destiny. Your new king has arrived!" Eon's troops followed ten paces behind him and matched his every step. They were adorned in their scrap armor and crude weapons. Their faces were covered in paint made from the blood of those they had conquered, and all of them eagerly awaited a fight.

  "Felpnir!" A voice shouted from the darkness, "Leave this place! You are not welcome here!"

  "Felpnir?" Eon spat. His voice sounded like he had just tasted something bitter. He shook his masked head and held up a clenched fist, "Felpnir… no, Diraak Felpnir is dead! I am Eon, your king and you will bow before me!"

  "I bow before no one," The voice resolutely returned, "I am Xydos Lynx, brother to Sajinious and I sense Felpnir before me!"

  "Chairman Lynx…" Eon replied. He belted a laugh and clapped his gloved hands together, "Lynx… ‘tis been a thousand years my old friend. Why I should have forgotten you by now!"

  "Leave this place!" Xydos shouted, "These are good people, weak people. You will have no use of them. Move on from here; let them live in peace."

  "The weak are to be reborn in my image that they may know strength! Bring me the Demon, Mister Chairman," Eon commanded, "Bring me the Demon and I will forgive your trespasses against me all those years ago. I will forgive your involvement in the AOC, oh how you were a thorn in my side."

  "There is no Demon here!" Xydos shouted back, "Only me and my few villagers. We were sacked by the Govian Empire, we have nothing of value!"

  "Lynx, I can feel you," Eon taunted, "Your power, while great has diminished. You could never stand against me now, not like you did back in the AOC. Give up, you are no fool."

  "It was a thousand years ago, Felpnir." Xydos called out, "I am old, as are you. Let us part ways, as friends for you never know when you may need an ally."

  "Ally?" A laugh emerged from within Eon. It was a deep, hysterical sort of laugh that lasted for only a moment and then faded away, "I made that mistake once… or rather you did. Come out; do not make me come fetch you."

  Xydos phased into view, standing only a few paces in front of Eon. Eon looked him up and down and tsked.

  "Robes," he observed with a mocking laugh. He took a few observant steps around Xydos and shook his head, "A hermit’s robes. Tell me, did you hope to die of old age in this putrid, insignificant excuse of a village?"

  "I hoped to live," Xydos admitted. He stood up straight and did not take his eyes off of his old enemy, "I hoped to give my people a chance at life, to rebuild this ancient city and purge the darkness that you brought into it."

  "This is a new aspiration," Eon raised a finger and cocked his head, "The Xydos Lynx I knew sent so many to their deaths in the first wars. Prior to that, he sent so many into poverty including myself and my…
my child. Tell me, Mister Chairman, what brought warmth to your cold heart, what made you think that you could be one of…" He glanced around at the people staring from the windows and standing in front of the doors of their homes, "Them?"

  "Time," Xydos reflected, "I watched too many die. My loved ones, my children. I too lived in poverty, my children… they starved with me. I learned humility; I have run from an Empire hoping to kill me for centuries… I am not who you remember Felpnir. Let me lead my people in peace."

  Eon stood in silence and stared at his old adversary. For a moment he contemplated what he would do with the old Elf. He noted that he had not aged a day in a thousand years and snickered at the irony. Had it not been for Eon's research he would have turned to dust many lifetimes ago.

  "It is true, time teaches many lessons," Eon clenched his fist and lowered his head. "But unfortunately for you, it is the key ingredient in revenge." At that, a beam of pulsing black energy shot from Eon's fist and he phased forward toward Xydos.

  Xydos phased out of the way, tossing his heavy robe aside as he did so. He wore a white sleeveless gold lined vest and matching pants beneath. His muscles rippled as he shot out his own beam of NaNe power and held it before him in anticipation of another attack.

  His long blue hair looked purple in the pulsing red light, and his pale skin glowed. The two became locked in combat as Eon appeared. He swung his beam at Xydos, but Xydos was able to block the attack with his own. Sparks flew as the pillars of energy collided and Xydos grit his teeth under the weight of Eon's strength.

  "It does not have to be like this!" Xydos growled as he fought to hold his ground, "We can restore this world together!"

  "Give up your idealistic fantasies, fool," Eon hissed, "I alone will rebuild this world, but only after I burn it all down. Accept your fate."

  "Find peace," Xydos pleaded, "This revenge you seek will never put you at rest." The two leaped backward from each other and Xydos launched a fireball at his foe with his free hand. Eon held out his beam, and his energy absorbed the attack.