by Nyk Nova
“There are two problems with that,” Kade said. “One, the sword only works on Oscerian armor.” The last of the lighting bolts dissipated, leaving Kade in darkness and Tuk as a giant glowing target. “Two, you still need the Spirit Ignition Stone to be invincible.” He threw the knife, burying it in Tuk’s shoulder.
The larger man spun with the hit, taking his eyes off the darkness from where Kade had been. The sound of footsteps echoed and Tuk looked forward in time to see a boot emerge from the dark.
It was another solid hit that put Tuk on one knee. Kade didn’t let up, throwing punch after punch and never giving Tuk a chance to gain his bearings.
Kade moved up in the hallway, creating space between the two and still hoping to get Tuk out of the pyramid.
The sword sang through the air, leaving a ribbon of lighting tendrils. Kade was just a foot farther back but he could feel the heat from the bolts.
Tuk gripped the knife and ripped it from his shoulder. The blade fell to the ground where Kade could see the blood, discolored from the electrical storm on the sword.
Tuk swung wildly at Kade who continued stepping back. It was all he could do. Getting in close was hardly an option. The sword had not only taken the properties of the Volt Blade but it had expanded them. Anything closer than a foot was going to fry him without the sword ever making contact.
Kade moved back as Tuk raised the sword overhead. His back bumped into something large. Kade felt along the pole of the first trap he’d found when entering the pyramid.
“Assassin of Emperors? They’ll call me the Assassin of Worlds!” Tuk brought the sword down.
Kade spun out of the way, avoiding the killing strike while the sword went clean through the trap. Kade let out a short gasp as he found himself falling with the axe head half of the trap piece.
“What?” Tuk asked as the lighting fizzled away. The wood from the trap had defused it. “Doesn’t matter,” Tuk said as he stepped toward the fallen Kade who scrambled back. “I still have a sword and you have nothing. Goodbye Kade’Tor Lorenth.” He re-raised the sword and brought it back down.
Kade grabbed the broken trap piece and took cover behind the axe blade. The next sound was unexpected for both fighters. Two pieces of shining metal fell next to Kade’s head as the fabled Sword of Aurtune shattered on the metal blade of the trap. The electricity had hardened it just as the Volt Blade’s. Without that, it was just another sword.
Tuk stumbled forward, shocked at the event. “No. It’s not possible.”
Kade stood, axe in hands. It was heavy, a testament to its effectiveness against the sword.
“That was…” Tuk tried to rationalize what had just happened. “I was— I am—”
“A pathetic traitor.” Kade said as he swung the heavy blade at Tuk, slamming him into the wall of the tunnel. Kade could feel the metal piece bury into his former teammate but Kade felt no remorse for the death.
He gave one more shove before letting the axe go. The metal hit the ground, followed quickly by Tuk’s body.
Kade felt around in the dead Oscerian’s hand and found what was left of the sword. He lifted it and breathed a sigh of relief. “All this way for a sword handle.” Kade turned to the pyramid entrance, hoping his plan could still play out, even without the whole sword.
44
Kade trudged across the sand strewn road, his eyes moved from the ABUs, standing sentinel over the others to Calsin, who remained unconscious on the ground, then to Roland who grieved over Lyra. It should have been a happier moment. He’d retrieved the sword and found out there had been a traitor amongst them all along. And he discovered one who believed in his innocence. If Exin thought there was more to Dom’s murder, then there may have been others who thought the same.
He hit the radio on his uniform. “Tare, this is Kade. I have the sword.”
The others turned, happy to see him but that joy quickly turned to worry at the sight of his haggard expression. Kade was angry but he was too tired to show it.
“…Lorenth? How— Well done. We’re on our way to evacuate you. Sit tight,” Tare said through the radio.
“Tuk?” Roland asked as if he already knew the answer.
“A traitor,” Kade said plainly.
“I see.”
“Did you know?”
“I suspected something strange, but what it was I could never say. He was always returning with little things, trophies from the Rekoul. I feared he was using the Spirit Division too much. It does not surprise me that it eventually warped his mind.”
“I’d say he was already warped.”
“The sergeant?” Exin asked.
Kade only shook his head. “Is she OK?” He motioned to Calsin.
“She’ll be sore and have a headache but I think she’ll come around.”
“Did you get it?” Poyn asked.
Kade held up the broken sword. “Not very impressive, is it?”
Roland stood and reached out for the weapon. Only the handle and some of the blade was left. A total shell of its former glory. “Never did I think I would see this. Never did I fully believe it was real. How did it come to break?”
“I don’t think it’s the magical artifact the legends say it is,” Kade said.
“Magical? Exin asked, reaching for the handle.
Roland handed it to him, believing it to be of little use in its state.
Exin looked it over, taking in its details. The guard was of special interest to him. Inlaid on top of it were small metal rods pointing out, away from the blade. He looked down into the handle and found another metal rod poking up. The end of it looked to be broken as if with the blade. “This isn’t a magic artifact. It’s a piece of technology.”
The others glanced at each other, confused.
“This rod coming out of the handle— It went up the middle of the blade. It’s an Element Repeater. They’re not made anymore, but there was a time when they could harness fire, water, air or—”
“Lighting,” Kade added, realizing how the sword was able to trap the Volt Blade’s electricity.
“Yeah,” Exin went on. “It absorbs the element and amplifies it. And these prongs on the guard. These are transceivers. They send a signal out.”
“Tuk mentioned something about thousands of voices,” Kade said.
“That makes sense. If there’s a signal going out, there would probably be a static discharge of some sort. The full blade probably acted as an antenna.”
“A way to control the armor,” Roland said.
Kade reached out to retrieve the handle. “The legend was blown out of proportion.”
“It’s still a powerful weapon and look at the bottom,” Exin told him.
Kade flipped the handle over. Inside the pommel was a space for something to fit in. He showed it to Roland. “Is this where the stone goes?”
“I can only imagine what would happen if the two were merged,” Roland said.
“I guess you’ll find out soon enough,” Poyn said, pointing to the Vesper Haste as it neared them.
“Where do you stand, Poyn?” Kade asked.
The Lugazian looked at the Oscerian’s, pondering the question. “You saved me. That counts for something. And if you really think you know how to stop war between our people, then I stand with you, Kade’Tor Lorenth.”
The hover wells of the Vesper Haste pushed the magnetic waves at the ground as it slowed to a stop. Sand was pushed in all directions, clearing the roadway. Kade hid the handle, keeping the sword from Tare’s view.
The side hatch of the ship opened and General Tare stood, a little irritated. He glanced at the dead Lugazians and the one dead Oscerian. The ABUs made him slightly nervous. “Where’s your man?” he asked Kade.
“What man would that be?” Kade asked, knowing he meant Tuk.
“Well, that’s too bad. You said you have the sword?”
Kade stepped toward the ship but Tare pulled a gun on him. Exin raised his own at Tare.
“Careful, Gene
ral,” Tare said. “No need for any more chaos. Just hand me the sword and we can all go back to the palace.”
Kade presented the handle to Tare. The Lugaz General stared at it then laughed.
“Is this Oscerian humor? Where’s the sword.”
“Believe it or not, this is it. Not as impressive as you thought?” Kade asked.
“The handle is all that matters,” Exin said. “The blade can be reforged.”
“Well then, I guess you’d best hand it over.” Tare reached for the broken weapon and took hold of it. But Kade did not let go. Instead he jerked Tare from the ship. The pilot rushed to the hatch, gun out but Exin and Roland were faster. They motioned for the pilot to exit the ship while Kade stood over Tare.
“Here we are again, General Tare,” Kade said.
Tare didn’t say a word as he turned his gun on Kade.
“I wouldn’t, General,” Poyn warned, holding his own gun at Tare.
“This is treason,” Tare said in disbelief. “There won’t even be a trial for you. It’s straight to execution.”
“Not if you aren’t there to testify.”
Exin and Roland motioned for the pilot to get on the ground with Tare. With their weapons safely out of reach, they carried Calsin into the ship.
“You know how to fly this, Poyn?” Kade asked.
“I can manage.”
“Then this is where we part ways, for good, Tare.”
“I’ll find you.”
“I don’t know what this planet offers,” Kade said, ignoring the threat. “I don’t know if the stories of its dangers are true or what happened here and I don’t know if the rest of the world looks like this. Your men are behind you. They’re still armed. Dead but armed. There’s plenty of places for cover. I’d recommend the pyramid. The traps are all sprung so you won’t have to worry about that.” He walked to the ship and turned to look at the ABUs. “What happens to those when we leave?”
“They’re just waiting for orders,” Exin said. “But my guess is without them, they’ll reset till new ones come in.”
“You hear that, Tare? And trust me when I tell you, you’ll want to be as far from those two as possible.“ Kade pointed at the ABUs.
“I will find a way, Lorenth,” Tare said as the ship door closed. “You hear me? I will find a way!”
Kade walked to the cockpit where Poyn was going over the ship’s controls, familiarizing himself with them. Exin sat in the copilot’s seat.
“Do you have a specific destination?” Poyn asked.
“The palace steps. I want everyone to watch.”
“Watch what, exactly?” Roland asked.
“Two worlds have a name for me,” Kade said. “I’m going to give Lugaz a real reason to use it.”
45
The Wave Engine of the Vesper Haste powered down to normal flight speed as it neared the planet Lugaz. Kade stared out the window, replaying the events that led to this point.
Roland watched him shake his head. “What troubles you?”
“It’s just you and me now. I’ve lost everyone else, convincing them to follow my lead.”
“You cannot take that on yourself. The moment any of us lifted a weapon, we knew the risks.”
“But they weren’t solders.”
Roland placed a hand on Kade’s shoulder. “Now is not the time to mourn. We may have lost comrades but we have gained new ones. And while they will never replace those we lost, you must consider the future. Do not lose sight of that. Not when we are so close.”
“And this isn’t even the real fight,” Kade said. He glanced back at Exin who was trying to convince Calsin of the logic behind following Kade. “The real battle is at home. Not just where the armada is heading, but where Pan is Emperor. How can I convince our people to stand against him and keep Lugaz at bay?”
“One step at a time,” Roland said calmly. “First we must convince the Empress to call back the fleet.”
“I doubt she’ll do that,” Poyn said. “Once she has the sword, I’m sure she’ll order the assault. After that, she’ll want you to lead us to finish the job. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”
“He has a point,” Roland said.
Kade faced the older soldier, more remorse in his eyes. “You know my intentions.”
Roland’s eyes dropped to the floor. “I suspected.”
“And you have no words to halt me?”
“The Empress and I were…Young in a time when such things needed to exist. But I was a soldier. My first priority is to end the conflict. Sometimes that means doing what is best for the people instead of yourself.”
The Vesper Haste broke into the Lugazian atmosphere. Kade could see the heat waves as the nose of the ship sped into the friction filled air. Poyn activated reverse thrusters, slowing the vessel until the red glow just outside the windows dissipated.
“You weren’t serious about the palace steps, were you?” Poyn asked.
“I want to make an entrance Jer’ren can’t ignore,” Kade said. “The Gravimetric Merger will cushion us from the impact, right?”
“I hope so,” Poyn responded.
Kade looked down at him, weary of such a response.
“Empress!” a soldier yelled, bursting into the war room. “Empress!” He stopped several feet from her and bowed.
“What is it?” Jer’ren asked.
“Forgive my abruptness. It’s the Vesper Haste, coming in fast.”
“And?”
“Its course is set for the palace.”
“We grow weary of asking for more,” Jer’ren said, her eyes flickering with green flame.
“Apologies. At its current rate of speed, it won’t be able to slow down and will crash land into the palace.”
Jer’ren spun back to the table. “What is Tare doing?” She opened the communications line to the ship. “General Tare, what is the meaning of this?”
“I’m afraid Tare has been discharged from the Lugazian army, Empress.”
“Kade’Tor Lorenth. Where is Tare? What is the meaning of your current heading?”
“I needed an audience with the Empress. This seemed the fastest way.”
“General Kade if you don’t slow down, an order to obliterate that ship with you on it will be given.”
“Not if you want the sword. Kade out.”
“General?” Jer’ren said. “Kade?” She slammed her fist on the table top. “I want that ship blasted out of the sky! Decimate the Vesper Haste!”
“But, My Lady,” one of her advisors said. “The Sword of Aurtune.”
“Will be fished out of the rubble! Blast that ship!”
Soldiers and royal guards rushed down the palace entry steps, many running into the street, ordering citizens to clear that area. Sirens and alarms erupted all over the city, a warning of impending attack.
Cannons rose up from emplacements surrounding the palace, already tracking the incoming vessel.
There was no command to fire. As soon as the cannons went off, the troops on the ground blasted upward at the Vesper Haste, streaking toward the palace.
“I hope you put your trust in the right person,” Calsin said to Exin.
“Don’t worry. He’s got a plan. Right, General?”
Kade looked back at the Oscerian soldiers with an expression of uncertainty. He had meant some provocation toward the Empress, but hadn’t really expected an assault of this magnitude.
“Target the cannons!” he ordered.
Poyn directed the ship’s guns and pulled the trigger.
Light from the lasers and tracer rounds streaked through the dim sky, all firing at the incoming ship. Large caliber bullets pockmarked the stone wall of the palace as the guns of the Vesper Haste drew a line from one cannon to another. The explosions forced the troops on the ground to run for cover.
One of the palace guns fired. Its shell slammed into a rear thruster of the ship, blasting it apart.
All inside were rocked to the floor.
“I
thought the Gravimetric Merger kept us stationary!” Kade yelled.
“Not from an attack!” Poyn told him. “We’ve lost one of our thrusters!”
“I think that hardly matters at this juncture,” Roland said.
“Everyone, hold onto something!” Kade yelled, gripping the back of Poyn’s seat.
The Lugaz soldiers who were still in the street fired at the ship as it careened into the road. Sparks, metal and stone all flew up from the bottom of the craft as it crash landed, sliding toward the palace.
The passengers of the Vesper Haste were jostled and knocked around as the ship collided with parked vehicles. It was the second time Kade and Roland found themselves tumbling inside of a falling object. The only silver lining they had was that while on the ground and that close, the palace cannons had become useless. And the guns of the soldiers weren’t strong enough to punch through the ship’s hull.
Unfortunately they still had yet to stop and the way they were being knocked around, guns or not, survival was still in question.
46
Sparks from the grinding hull of the ship had the Lugazian troops shielding their faces. Other troops had to dive out of the way to avoid being crushed by civilian vehicles as they were shoved off the street by the ship. Several troops dropped their guns in their haste to escape.
The air in front of the palace steps shimmered as it hardened, making a defensive wall as the wrecked and beaten Vesper Haste ground to a halt mere yards from them.
Inside the ship, Kade stumbled to his feet while the others had their hands on newly formed bruises.
“Status?” Kade asked.
“I’ve been better,” Roland said, pushing himself from the floor. Blood streaked down his face from an open wound. The others weren’t much better. Only Poyn remained relatively unscathed, save by the seat harness.
“Can everyone walk?” Kade asked.