by Eden Blue
Yet the titan did not stir.
Evan looked over to Lydia as she continued to aim upwards. Realization crashed into him like freezing water. He reached through the smoke to her side, hand reaching out and the words caught in his throat.
Lydia aimed as her hands connected with the rifle. She increased the power output just over the rifle’s tolerances. With her finger over the trigger, she aimed for the titan’s eye. When the target was locked, she pulled the trigger and the rifle surged with power. A plasma bolt erupted from the barrel, streaking across the vast chamber and struck the titan on the eyelid. The bolt surged as it struck, sending small tendrils of power outward along the monster’s closed eye.
Evan’s hands curled around Lydia’s arm and forced it down, “What have you done?”
Lydia eyed him through the mask with cold eyes, “I made the decision so you didn’t have too. We’re getting out of here and that Titan is going to clear the way.”
Flashes of plasma fire burst along the edges of the vault as men shouted to one another. The titan’s eye fluttered and then opened. A deep rumble ran along the walls and floor as the giant monster stirred from its alcove. Large eyes focused and moved, drinking everything in after its long slumber. Jaw moving, giant dormant muscles began to flex with power. Grimvore turned its enormous reptilian head, gazing down at the humanoids clustered.
The titan’s jaw opened and the monster gave out a deafening roar. Soldiers turned and horror stabbed at their souls. The titan lifted its arms and took hold of the alcove edge as it stared down at the humanoid vermin. Slitted eyes narrowed as it turned its attention to the titan across from it and then down to the titan, split open down the middle and missing parts.
Another roar filled the giant chamber. Soldiers turned their rifles on the titan, forgetting all about the intruders. Other soldiers made a run for it, dropping their weapons as they made a mad dash for the exit.
Lydia and Evan stepped to the vault edge, eyes the size of saucers. The titan moved its head from side to side; its very breathing shaking the foundation. It stepped out, not noticing plasma fire as it did no damage to its thick hide.
“We just entered a boss fight none of us will survive,” Evan said with a shadow over his heart.
Eleven
Plasma fire lit up the corridor as Pris barreled through. Body twisting in odd angles, bolts shot past as she moved like a doll in a thunderstorm. The soldiers moved forward, trying to gain a hit, but the android’s movements were unpredictable. Pris took full advantage, whipping through until a pair of soldiers were within arm’s reach. Pale hands lashing out as she took a full grip on their uniforms and bodies were airborne. Eyes widened as triggers were pulled. Bodies struck walls and crashed into other soldiers.
Pris moved perfectly and efficiently, noticing the soldiers were not completely engaged in taking her down. Movements spoke of panic and when a roar rocked the entire corridor, the android identified titan signatures. Increasing her speed, she slipped sideways through plasma fire. Soldiers grunted as she took hold and threw them like scarecrows in a windstorm. When she moved past three soldiers, her leg sweeping them off their feet, they fell like pins.
The android moved to the titan chamber edge and looked up to see monsters rising from their slumber. A titan with a horn lurched forward, its massive foot crushing panicked soldiers as they fired up. It took another step toward the crab-like titan against the opposite wall. Clawed hands reaching up, it grabbed at the apparatus over the monster’s mouth and pulled. Gas billowed as the mask fell to the floor with a crash. The crab’s eyes slowly opened, glowing red.
Pris was already moving. Sprinting down the massive chamber, she kept the titans to her left as she pushed as fast as her mechanical legs could carry her. The vast chamber shook and debris rained down. Pris somersaulted and dodged chunks of stone and metal as it fell. Leaping over a large stone, she landed, her eyes catching the faint outlines of Evan and Lydia amid a cloud of smoke. Not hesitating, she dashed toward them.
The Engineer and Cyborg looked on as Grimvore destroyed the machines supplying the sedative gas. Ravager stirred, glowing red eyes half closed and pincers clicking. Tentacle legs shifted, curled and lashed as the titan stepped out a little from the alcove.
Grimvore turned its attention to the ceiling, large feet crashing back and small eyes taking it all in, as if it was contemplating its situation. Evan could see the intelligence behind its eyes as it scanned the ceiling above. The Engineer was about to signal to Lydia that they should leave when a body burst through the smoke and came running toward them. Lydia raised her rifle for a moment until she saw Pris’s face through the parting smoke. Lowering her rifle, the Cyborg was overjoyed to see her. Evan smiled when he saw she was safe. Pris was to their side, eyes looking to each of them and then down to Vickers’s still body.
“He’s been hit with a disruptor,” the Engineer said.
The entire area shook as the titans shifted in the now confined chamber.
“We need to get out of here before we’re buried,” Evan shouted over the rumbling noise.
Grimvore moved its head from side to side, staring upwards when the titan’s horn glowed to life. Bolts of lightning arced along the white horn, the glow becoming brighter and brighter. Pris looked up at the titan and then to the Engineer and Cyborg. Reaching up, she grabbed each of them by the cuff and pulled them back into the vault.
The reptilian titan stopped swaying its head and pointed its snout at the ceiling. Energy arced and a thick lightning bolt surged forth. The jagged beam of lighting streaked the short distance and slammed into the ceiling. The explosion decimated part of the above ground installation and cracked the ground across the entire area. Large chunks of stone and dirt fell as the night sky yawned above them.
Grimvore moved to the edge and took hold of the wall, claws penetrating stone. The temple around them began to collapse. Ravager’s tentacles reached out as giant pincers took hold of stone walls. The two titans began to climb the short distance to the world above. Ground shaking, the monsters climbed up onto the firm ground and took in their surroundings, Grimvore roaring into the night.
Dust settled and smoke dissipated as Evan, Lydia, and Pris covered Vickers’s still body. As the players sat up, they could see out of the vault the devastation the monsters left behind.
“I…think I can move…” Vickers coughed as his limbs shifted in the layer of dust.
Evan was up and to the vault entrance, a smile blooming. Bruiser floated down, glowing blue eyes locking on Evan. The Engineer waved him down. The exo-suit landed about ten feet away, oversized hands out and on the floor. Pris helped Vickers to his feet while Lydia picked up the Tempest Crystal canister. The group made their way to Bruiser.
“Evan, can you hear me,” Venna asked over coms.
“We can. Bruiser is here and picking us up. Where are you?”
The Shri-Ka looked at the main screen as Nyn kept the ship steady. Two titans lumbered on the surface as the Shield Maiden kept a healthy distance away, weapons primed and ready.
“I’m staring at two titans.”
“Long story, can you evacuate us?”
Venna checked the short and long-range scans as she spoke, “Not with the titan’s right above you. Can you fly out of there? Sensors are detecting Krekken ships high above the atmosphere. They are moving into position, I assume, to lay waste to the titans and the area.”
Nyn kept her eyes focused as the ship hovered. Dots appeared in the holo display of the area. The Lyress sent the information to Venna as she handled the controls.
The data appeared as a holographic image above Venna’s right arm rest, “The Krekken have also deployed fighters and are moving in our direction.”
The group gathered in Bruiser’s large hands as Evan climbed into his back, his exo-skeleton sliding back into his E-pack. Metal closed down over him as he slid into the exo-suit cockpit. Thrusters sliding into place, the Engineer took control of Bruiser and blasted of
f. The exo-suit powered up until it cleared the massive hole and was airborne.
Fires from the destroyed base lit up the area, dancing with the inky darkness of the night. Evan drank it in as the two titans lumbered, eyes searching. Sensors picked up soldiers leaving the destroyed base and running in the opposite direction of the monsters. Bruiser hovered, gaining a lock on the Shield Maiden.
Evan was about to change direction when something caught his eye. The group in Bruiser’s hands watched as well as the crab-like titan, Ravager, turned and faced the lit point of Rekkus Spire. It made a strange sound, unlike anything they had ever heard. Pincers slamming down into the ground, dirt went streaming up as the titan’s tentacles curled and began to move. The group watched as Ravager began barreling toward the city, a hundred miles away.
Grimvore looked up at the night sky, horn pulsating with an eerie light. The creature made strange sounds as the pulse quickened with each passing moment. Evan couldn’t keep his eyes off the titans as they seemed to be preparing for something, acting on their own volition.
“Are you guys seeing this?” Evan asked.
Venna drank in the events as they played out, “The crab one is on a direct course with Rekkus Spire. The other one seems to be prepping for something. Its line of sight is directly where the Krekken fleet is taking position.”
Evan shook his head, “We have to….” The Engineer was cut short when the sky filled with light.
Pillars of light came streaming down from the night sky. Grimvore looked up with a deep growl as a dozen thick streams of light came barreling down, burning the atmosphere. The titan stayed its ground as the light closed the distance and slammed into the giant monster. The explosion sent ripples of power through the air. Evan turned Bruiser’s back to the shockwave and held the group in his closed hands. When the wave hit, Bruiser was sent spiraling through the air. There was a light burst followed by a thunder as the area was blasted to glass.
Evan fought with the controls, trying to stay upright. Vickers and Lydia grunted as they held on for dear life. Pris looked on, her eyes taking in snap shots as the exo-suit tumbled through the air. Light faded and smoke rode the shockwave until it stopped.
Grimvore stood amid a crater made of sand turned glass. Black blast marks covered a few sections of its hide as it glared up at the night sky with monstrous contempt. Horn glowing, it crackled with energy.
Evan managed to right Bruiser up and turned to see the titan.
“Several more battleships have moved into position. They are going to hit your position harder. We’re coming to you!” Venna said over coms.
Evan turned Bruiser and punched the accelerator, his eyes watching the rearview screens. The titan’s horn glowed with brilliance, lighting the area up as if it was daytime. Power pulsed as the titan pointed its snout up at the nightly heavens, intent scrawled in its monstrous expression.
High above the Tuvorr moon, the Krekken fleet took position, plasma cannons aiming on the titan’s location. Command codes were given and weapons primed. Krekken commanders gave the order when a bright light flared from the planet’s surface. The flash faded a moment later and the fleet resumed their action when something streaked upwards. For a long second, confusion colored the commanders and another moment later, fear leaked into their resolve.
A thick lightning bolt arced from the surface and punched through a Krekken battleship. Lights flickered as the bolt burned through the hull and continued on, slamming into another ship close by. Chaos took hold of the fleet as ships began to fire indiscriminately. The bolt arced and shifted, slamming into a third ship and then finally a fourth. Power surging as the bolt died, the four ships hung in the vacuum of space before they exploded.
Krekken battleships spread out, plasma streams raining down on the moon’s surface. Long range missiles were loaded and launched a moment later. Another stream of lighting streaked upward from the titan, crashing into a ship, only to have it change direction and slam into another. The distance the ships put between each other worked to prevent the titan’s energy attack from arcing further.
On the surface, Bruiser powered away as fast as the suit could provide. Thick plasma bolts rained down from space and crashed into the titan. Grimvore roared as its horn glowed and lightning burst forth. The exchange shook the area for dozens of miles as battleships fired at will.
Venna watched as the data from the sensors came in. The Krekken fleet of 22 ships was now down to 16. The Shri-Ka Captain watched as two more battleships met the same fate right before her eyes, bringing the fleet down to 14.
Evan watched as the titan continued to fire lightning into the black sky. Thick plasma streams came down, obliterating the area and sending up plumes of smoke as the giant monster roared. The exchange sent shockwaves through the atmosphere as titan and fleet continued with unrelenting barrages. Trees were flattened and water disintegrated. The entire area shook with each incoming blast. Missiles filled the sky as they powered down to the surface. Grimvore waved its snout, energy exploding outward and shattering the missiles from the sky. The few that managed to make it through slammed into the titan’s position.
Evan sped on, looking away to see the Shield Maiden barreling toward them. The lower bay doors opened as the Raptor Class ship powered toward the exo-suit. Evan held the group close as he flew through the doors and Bruiser kicked his legs out. Metal screeched on metal as he tried to stop his momentum. The power suit skidded and turned, bracing for impact with the wall. Thrusters flared as the momentum slowed and the suit stopped, four inches from the bay wall.
Evan looked to the closing bay doors as he placed the group down. The last thing he saw was the titan blasting lightning into the sky.
The group was on their feet as Bruiser’s back opened up. Evan just managed to pull from the cockpit when the entire ship shifted. Bruiser remained upright, but everyone else was thrown to the bay floor. Scrambling, they were to their feet and racing to the bridge.
Legs pumping, the group nearly fell onto the Bridge when the doors opened. The ship lurched to the side and everyone grabbed onto something to stay upright. Nyn threw her shoulders into keeping the Shield Maiden level while Venna tapped at controls.
“The titan has taken extensive damage, but the Krekken fleet is down to eight ships,” Venna said plainly.
On the main screen, the crew watched as Grimvore stumbled forward, fired and the light of plasma streams raining down lit up the area. The titan had large craters across its thick hide. Its movements were slow, horn pulsating in a strange rhythm. The titan’s roars turned into screeches as it stumbled forward once again, a plasma stream striking it across the head. Missiles rained down, exploding and bathing the area in hellfire. Lighting burst from Grimvore’s horn, streaking into the sky before a plasma stream punched through the monster’s chest and exited out the back.
The crew of the Shield Maiden grew silent as they watched the titan stumble onto its hands and knees. It looked up, horn glowing. Several plasma streams rained down, slamming into the fallen titan and punching holes through it. The glow of its horn died and the massive titan fell to the ground with a thunderous crash. The light faded from its eyes and it no longer moved.
“The Krekken fleet is down to six ships,” Venna said without looking up. “Nyn, set a course for the outer atmosphere. Evan, use the chip on the tempest crystal so we can contact Ryan and get out of here.”
Evan ignored Venna and moved to one of the terminals. Tapping at the screens, he pulled up a feed of the other titan on the main screen. The Engineer and crew watched as Krekken fighters engaged at a distance from the crab-like titan. Plasma cannons roared continuously, but the bolts seemed to do no damage to the titan’s shell. Ravager continued to barrel forward, in a direct line to Rekkus Spire.
“We have to stop the titan,” Evan said in a low voice.
Venna raised an eyebrow, “Evan, you saw what it took to take down one titan. We do not have the firepower to engage such a monster. The Krekken defe
nses will engage the titan and subdue it. Our mission is to get the crystal and contact your brother.”
Evan turned around to face the crew, “The Krekken forces are not doing any damage. Nobody knows what strange powers this titan may have. We have to do something …and this is my fault.”
Lydia stepped forward, “No, it was mine. I shot at the titan to wake it up.”
Evan shook his head, “No. If I hadn’t hesitated with the auto-cannon, you wouldn’t have made that decision.”
Lydia’s brow formed a point, “Don’t do this to yourself. Even with the auto-cannon, we wouldn’t have made it out alive. Waking the titan was our best option…and now my decision is going to kill millions.”
Venna let out an annoyed huff, “The city will have evacuation procedures in place for such an event. Our priority is to get off this planet and find your brother.”
Evan gave Venna a hard stare, “Captain, you know full well that every city never has enough emergency ships. The Krekken fleet was nearly wiped out and a titan is making its way to Rekkus Spire. The Krekken will save their personnel, but we are not so sure they will save the rest of the city’s citizens.”
Evan took a bold step forward, “You’re a Defense Captain. It’s your duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves.”
Venna eyed the Engineer, her eyes narrowing and the end of her tail trembling with a contained rage, “Our mission is to get you…us out of here safely and that is what I’m going to do.”
Evan’s brows went up, “Me? Why just me?”
Venna sank into the chair, her face a blank mask, “Slip of the tongue. This is a difficult time, but we need to set a course and leave before Krekken ships try to detain us.”
The Engineer moved closer, staring at the Shri-Ka captain as realization washed over his mind, “You know where he is…. You know where Ryan is! You knew the whole time!”