The Oathsworn

by Liandra Jake

  Something in the cockpit recognized what he did, and it automatically zoomed in where Michael pointed. "Woah!" Corenden exclaimed.

  "How'd you do that!?" Michael glanced at his finger and shrugged.

  "Cut some of the power to the engines, we should start slowing down now." Richard ordered.

  "I've got a better idea." Corenden said as he took them closer to the surface of the ocean. "What are you doing?" Iode asked.

  "Just watch." Corenden replied.

  The ocean bent towards them slightly as if there was something below the water moving at the same speed they were. The surface was chaotic from the wake created by the airship.

  "It shouldn't be doing that…" Richard said as he glanced out the side of the cockpit.

  "Not unless the airship is being powered by a man who controls all forms of Orenth." Corenden said with a sly smile.

  "You guys ready for this?" Michael asked. "We're taking this wave all the way to the city!"

  Corenden steadily brought them up and lowered the power to the engines. The wave lurched behind them, but continued to grow until Corenden completely broke away from it as they neared the edge of the city. They hovered over the burning city in the black smoke. Below, the wave continued onwards. The first block near the water front was completely destroyed, but the water put out most of the fires in half the city.

  Where the fighting was the harshest, the water simply soaked their ankles before draining down the storm drains. The smoke began to clear almost immediately. A loud whistle echoed across the entire city. The saltwater coupled with the strange whistle in the air made many stop in their fighting. Bloodied faces looked to the sky through the fading smoke.

  The airship was floating between the two tallest skyscrapers of the city, the claw arms holding it steady. Arend stood atop the airship.

  "Arend!" King called as he flew up beside the airship.

  Arend jumped onto his back. "Take me to Kronth." He ordered as he hooked his feet into the stirrups of King's new saddle. King dropped soon after.

  "You've grown stronger." King said over the wind.

  Arend nodded. "I've also developed the use of Pendragon Orenth. Red flames like your wings and white flames like what you've used previously." Arend replied.

  King broke their free fall twice as he took Arend above Dragon's Den. The cleared lat around the building had been turned into a headquarters and emergency first aid center.

  Arend saw Kronth pop out from a large pavilion. Arend leapt from King's back, drifting down in red flames. The tip of his sword tapped the ground when he landed.

  "Cla-!" Arend was stopped as she tackled him, burying her face into his chest.

  "I'm so happy you're here." She mumbled through Arend' dirty shirt. Even through the chaos of war, Arend could hear the cheers from his allies as word spread of who came with the ominous airship.

  "You aren't the only one it seems." Arend replied as he hugged her.

  "Arend!" Draken called from the pavilion. "Release the General!"

  "I told you not to call me that!" Kronth exclaimed as she turned away to face Draken. A few others were in the pavilion with him. Arend could only name a few, but they could all name him.

  "Richard was able to give me a rundown on what you sent me." Arend said. "And a few of my new friends heard as well."

  "You mean the Serephs?" Kronth asked excitedly.

  "Yeah?" Arend asked.

  "Tommori managed to get them everywhere. How you and Richard were able to send a reply back I'll never know." Kronth said.

  The two stepped into the pavilion. King disappeared. "Arend these are-"

  Arend interrupted her with a wave. "I don't need to know. The introductions can wait."

  The ground shook as the airship unleashed a great deal of homing lasers from the quills on its back. Arend could imagine Rose's maniacal laughter. "Tell me where I need to be." Arend said.

  Kronth brought him to a map laid out on a table, pins and flags marked important positions and the fronts of the battle. A circle was near the center; Dragon's Den. The circle was steadily narrowing. Before Kronth could begin, Nem appeared in the pavilion with a white face. His cloak was being worn as a scarf.

  "There's a dragon out there." He said quietly.

  "Piethel, or Pith for short. I met him in Dragon Valley before finding the airship. Make sure to be polite." Arend said.

  "A DRAGON!?" Many in the pavilion exclaimed.

  Arend popped back out of the pavilion. He let out a loud whistle. Pith dropped down from the sky. "You've shifted the Slipstreams Arend. You power is absolute." He said as Kathy slid off his back.

  "We've come to help the injured!" She declared. "Pith can bring those near death back to full health with just Orenth! I know how to heal with herbs!"

  Arend nodded. "Try and help those who seem hopeless. I don't want anyone else to die."

  Nem gave Arend a hairclip. "It's a radio." He said before quickly vanishing. Pith and Kathy left to terrorize nurses and heal patients in intensive care.

  "Even a dragon Arend?" Kronth asked.

  "Has Alexander shown himself?" Arend asked.

  Kronth shook her head. "None of the Legendary Weapons have revealed themselves."

  "Until now." Arend replied with a grin.

  Iode came over the radio. "Kyrel and Zeph are creepily similar."

  Arend tapped the hairpin. "Aye. Everyone rockin' steady!?" Arend yelled into the radio.

  Arend was met with an uproar of voices. "Hey Kronth," Nate's voice cut through, silencing the others. "It seems Arend has brought a fresh fighting spirit into this little game."

  "What's with the chit-chat?" Dran asked. "We've got a war to win." Arend turned off his microphone. He and Kronth returned to the map.

  "Celestial Rim plans on taking the city, full force; and they can do it. We've heard rumors they have the Death weapon, but thanks to Kyrel, we've retrieved the Earth and Air weapons." Kronth explained. "Bringing our total to three."

  "Four." Arend corrected.

  "Three Arend. We can't be sure how you're Drive will handle itself out there." Kronth said.

  "I unnerved the dragon Kronth. I've destroyed numerous Matrices on command, and developed the powers of a Pendragon. Not to mention the old Drive scratched Aquaporus. Four."

  The radio soon filled with cries of pain and torture. "What's going on!?" Kronth yelled into her radio.

  A man was able to struggle a word. "Death…"

  "Jacob." Kronth whispered.

  Arend bristled. He turned around to leave the pavilion. "They're moving." Arend turned his radio back on. "North South, East and West, four legendary weapons. Sun to the East, Water to the South, and Fire to the West. Nem, I know you can handle the Sun; Vladd and Kyrel, I know you have the Earth and Air handled, but you both need to work together to take on the Water. While you're both inexperienced, Kyrel has a slow attack speed, and Vladd alone has an Orenth disadvantage. Hunter, you take the Fire to the West."

  "Arend, I can't do that." Hunter replied.

  "Hunter, don't give me that modesty crap. Whatever weapon you are using far surpasses everyone else who's free enough to fight. If it makes you feel any better, Faulken's taking on three battalions at the moment. Not to mention you've got an advantage with your Dark/Plasma Orenth set up you've got. Crank it up a bit and he'll be a piece of cake. One armed as he is."

  Hunter didn't reply. "Alright then. You know what to do. I suggest those in the North retreat a bit. You do not want to be caught in the cross fire." King was waiting for Arend. Arend easily hopped aboard, hooking his feet back into King's stirrups. King shot into the air. He flew North, to where Death awaited.

  - - East West South- -

  [East Gate. Nem, wielder of Moon's Sonata Vs. Helios, wielder of the Sunrise Falchion and the Aubade Escutcheon]

  Nem knew the man who he would be fighting. His name was Helios Trune. He met him when Alexander offered him a chance to train to take on Pendragons. They hoped Nem's i
ndefinable strength against King so long ago could be theirs. Nem trained and fought with Helios many times both before and even more so after Nem began to use the Moon's Sonata.

  He was waiting in the large plaza at the Eastern Gate. A sleeker helmet replaced the one Arend destroyed, leaving his face more open, but allowing him a greater field of vision. His sword was ready in his right hand. Charred bodies were cast to either side of the Plaza. There was no way to distinguish the bodies as monsters, humans, or Changed.

  Nem had no choice but to ignore their smell and the bile building at the back of his throat. He still hadn't gotten used to the smell, he never wanted to. Sol Weedfruit sprouted from everybody and in the cracks of the stone beneath Nem's feet. Moon's Sonata was held tight in his hand. Nem was at a disadvantage. His weapon was built with no mind for defense.

  "I see you're still going in without a defense." Helios said.

  "You and I both know that's meaningless. Our powers feed off each other; your armor will become useless within the first few attacks." Nem replied.

  Helios raised his sword to Nem. A golden light gathered in the trenches within the length of the either side of the blade. "You still don't understand."

  Nem cut back into the stone behind him. A thin line of white Orenth shimmered in the fine cut. Helios charged forward, thrusting his sword into the air where Nem once was. Nem landed a few steps away. He made a second crescent of Moon Orenth behind him. Helios hopped his way, trying to bash Nem with his shield. Nem flipped backwards, kicking off from Helios' shield with his boots.

  He righted himself mid air, dragging his blade along the ground, sweeping it skyward behind him when he stopped. Six crescents of white sprouted out from Nem's blade, creating a rib-like shape in the ground. He grasped his blade in two hands. "Six Planet Lunas." He swung if forward at with great speed. The pattern cut into the ground behind Nem lifted up into a swirling pinwheel of energy.

  The pinwheel followed the white Orenth Nem had left in the cuts he made. As it spun rapidly, pieces of it would break off and explode on contact with anything and everything. At the end of the lines Nem had drawn, it dropped onto the ground, scattering dust and rock into the air. Helios had blocked with his shield and cut through whatever came his way. He was unable to see through the dust until it settled.

  A golden aura now surrounded his weapon completely; thin tendrils connected it to his shield. He saw Nem across the plaza. He stood in a fully formed white disk. White drops of Orenth floated up from the ground. They rose up above Nem before turning into a white mist. The disk expanded as tendrils of white Orenth rose up from underground. Nem held his sword so the tip barely touched the surface of the spreading pool of white.

  "You fool!" Helios exclaimed.

  "You can't use Natural Orenth!" A grin spread across Nem's face.

  "A friend of mine taught me otherwise. He taught me how to expand the flow of Orenth around me so I can store natural Orenth outside my body until I use it. In return, I taught him how to use Aero Fìra."

  Helios crouched slightly, touching the base of his shield to the ground. "However much power you have, our battle will continue until one of us falls."

  Nem twirled Moon's Sonata. He stopped it with the point facing Helios. The white Orenth below splashed up, coating the blade of his weapon. It hardened into a shell around the blade. Three jagged edges grew on the back of the blade, dripping white Orenth down the sides of the blade. Nem charged forward. "Tidal Eclipse!" He called out as Moon's Sonata collided with Helios' shield.

  Helios was pushed back as Nem forced Moon's Sonata against him. Helios flashed as he thrust his sword at Nem. A look of surprise crossed his face as Nem dropped Moon's Sonata and flipped, using his shield as a spring board. Helios had no time to react as Nem drove a small knife into his side through a gap in his armor. "A Legendary Weapon pales in comparison to any other used without forewarning." Nem said as he twisted the knife.

  As Helios tried to twist around to slash at Nem's head, Nem struck the hilt of the knife still in Helios with his palm. The Sunrise Falchion clattered to the ground. Helios collapsed. Nem ripped his helmet off and used it to knock Helios unconscious. He peeled the armor from Helios and scattered it. The knife had pierced the chainmail hidden underneath the armor. Nem tossed the Sun Legendary Weapon pair a few feet away.

  He picked up Moon's Sonata and slid it into the sheathe on his back. He turned on the microphone of his radio. "This is Nem at the Eastern Plaza. The Sun in the East has been taken care of and I need a team over here for retrieval of an injured prisoner. We've got ourselves another Legendary Weapon."

  [West Gate. Hunter Wasteland and the Beat Drive Vs. Finch, wielder of the modified Fire Legendary Weapon]

  Finch was going wild six city blocks southeast from the West Gate. Friend or foe, he didn't care so long as they burned. Hunter found him stalking those trying to escape via the highway that passed between a series of apartment buildings. With Arend' behind him, Hunter rushed to face him. Hunter's Beat Drive easily dissipated the flames coating Finch's leg.

  Finch fell back, unprepared to be countered. He awkwardly got to his feet. "So you've finally shown yourself." Finch said as he glared at Hunter.

  He had replaced his racing suit. "Where's your Pendragon friend?"

  Hunter held the Beat Drive level. "I don't need King."

  Finch shot forward with a kick Hunter could barely counter. The flames simply dissolved as Hunter deflected Finch's kick. The Drives on his feet were turning extremely fast.

  "When I'm done with you, I'm going to hunt that bastard down and rip him to pieces." Finch growled with a crazy grin on his face.

  Hunter spun around, driving the hilt of his weapon into Finch's knee. His leg jumped as his kneecap shattered. Finch didn't skip a beat. He swung around high with his other leg. There was a crackle as the bones of his kneecap coalesced and regenerated. Hunter dropped down.

  He retreated a few steps before Finch could continue to attack. "If I had my other arm, I could have given you a donkey kick to the face."

  Hunter spun his Drive in his hands. The faint glimmer of neon colors coated the blade. He caught it with his hands reversed on the hilt. "Sharp Plasma." He said as he thrust forward at Finch's chest. Finch easily brought his leg across to counter, but Hunter twisted around to Finch's left at the last moment and cut across Finch's back.

  The blade skittered slightly as it scraped against some kind of metal. Hunter retreated. The sight under Finch's racing suit almost made him vomit. Finch let his shirt fall completely off. His entire upper body had wires and plates of metal over the pale flesh underneath. He turned to face Hunter. Now Hunter was fully aware of what he thought he saw there before.

  Finch's skin was disturbed by movement within his chest. The ever present crazy grin on his face made Hunter take a step back. "My power is terrifying isn't it?" He placed his only hand on his shifting chest. "My body is more machine than man now. Most of that is thanks to the Pendragon. Soon though. Oh so very soon. I will get a fully functional mechanical arm, and no one would be able to stop me." Finch looked to Hunter with his maniacal grin. "I'm going to show you the power of the Drive man."

  "PLASMA RAVE!" Hunter cut diagonally at the pavement below him with a blade of neon. The highway collapsed. Finch stumbled. Hunter didn't hesitate. He jumped from the inclined road in a burst of darkness. Finch managed to jump off, trying to kick Hunter through his cloak of shadow. The darkness disappeared in the light of Finch's fire, revealing nothing.

  He felt a sudden hotness in his chest. Hunter's plasma coated Beat Drive had pierced through his back, severing his spine as well as cutting through the Drive attached to Finch's ribcage. The Drive exploded, contained within Finch's body. He was dead before he hit the ground. Hunter landed with a thud and crackle; his left shin had fractured. He had no time to cry out as the collapsing highway was raining down around him.

  With lessened force, Hunter cut through the falling concrete. Finch was half buried, and h
e was on his back in a valley of dust, pavement, and concrete. His head phones had broken without him noticing sometime during the fight. He pulled out an old hand receiver and turned it on. He silenced the talk about Helios' capture and treatment for later interrogation.

  "This is Hunter in the West." He huffed. "I'm in the rubble of a collapsed highway south east about six blocks from the Western Gate. The Fire is dead, and I need assistance."

  "I hear ya!" Panzer replied.

  Hunter let the radio fall from his hands as he stared skyward. "What the hell is Axis up to?" He asked no one.

  [South Gate. Kyrel with Aero Fìra and Vladd with Felsen Soul Vs. Alexander and Aquaporus]

  Kyrel and Vladd reached the Southern Gate with no sign of Alexander. They heard of Nem and Hunter's surprisingly quick victories. Celestial Rim had heard as well, and was in the beginnings of an all out retreat. Kyrel saw movement in the shops surrounding the Southern Plaza. He bumped Vladd out of the way as a jet of water streaked across the plaza.