Eternity's War (Books 1-3) (Eternity's War Boxsets)

by Ruben Stelliswolfe

  “And why would we?” Hana defended. “I just told you that we don't kill for pleasure. Taking another's life is not something that should be done lightly. For you, it's a game. For us, it's a painful decision, even if it's necessary.”

  Nikolai crossed his arms across his broad chest. “Again, stop acting so righteous. You accuse my former friends here of being rogue elites, yet they're hardly a threat to you. Can you blame them for wanting to seek revenge for Foxtrot's death? Could you honestly say you wouldn't seek revenge if any of your fellow clansmen were killed?”

  Kai clenched his fists. “That's enough, Nikolai. The difference between our groups is that we don't kill people idly, as both of your factions seem to do. If the Tianzu choose to eliminate one's life, it's a justified decision.”

  Nikolai let out a short laugh. “Justified, you say? According to whom? Tell me what cause the Tianzu need to end another's life. What are the criteria? Perhaps I should take note so I can avoid becoming your biggest enemy.” He stared into the burning eyes of the two warriors. “Unless, of course, I already am the Tianzu's highest priority,” he said with a grin. “That would explain why that woman in Daixuan was actually willing to agree with my request.”

  Kai and Hana turned and walked away, not willing to hear any more. “Again, I would advise you to be careful, Nikolai,” Kai called back. “You do not want to make an enemy of the Tianzu.”

  Nikolai's smile broadened. “What a frightening prospect that would be,” he muttered sarcastically to himself. He watched them walk away. “I could say the same for you two.” Since first encountering the Tianzu earlier that year, he considered them to be the biggest threat of all. He knew that eliminating every one of them was an inevitable task. “That will be all this evening,” he called out after the pair. “Return to base.”

  Kai and Hana ignored him and kept walking.

  Tahlia appeared by his side, dishevelled and out of breath. She held up a bleeding arm. He offered no sympathy for her wound.

  “Did you have any luck in ending Marion's life?” he asked.

  Tahlia scowled at her leader and shook her head.

  “Well, that hardly comes as a surprise,” he bluntly admitted. “She's a lethal fighter. She doesn't hesitate, unlike yourself.”

  Before Tahlia could object, Nikolai had turned his attention back to Kai and Hana, who had since disappeared into the shadows of the city.

  “Defiant, aren't they?” Nikolai groaned to himself. He glanced at Tahlia. “Retrieve them for me, if you would. I don't want them doing anything reckless.”

  Tahlia pushed aside the frustration that came from working for the negligent man. She nodded obediently, and vanished.

  Nikolai looked down at Tango and Echo. “I say, they are a foolish bunch, those Tianzu. Wouldn't you agree?”

  Tango slowly picked himself up from the ground, his body trembling as it desperately tried to recover from Hana's attack.

  “Save your strength, my friend,” Nikolai said. “I know you're keen to attack me, but my advice would be to live and fight another day.”

  Tango shot Nikolai a menacing look from beneath his mask, then fell back down to the ground.

  Nikolai knelt down and patted him on the shoulder. “That was quite the fight the two of you put up. Perhaps you've been training after all. You seem to move a lot faster than when you and I used to spar.”

  He rose and casually strode back down the street with Sabina and Aurelius behind him.

  Tango watched as Nikolai walked away. His life had been spared, he thought to himself, but he had been mere seconds away from death. Black Dawn and the Tianzu could have killed him in an instant. He was only spared by Nikolai and his peculiar lust for prolonging his pursuit of White Shadow.

  In that moment, Tango realised his revenge against the Tianzu had been foolish. He and Echo were greatly outclassed in every way. It was ludicrous for him to think that he even stood a chance against them.

  They had betrayed their comrades. And the only way White Shadow would ever succeed is if it worked as a team for the greater good.

  Thirty-two

  Skye came to a halt outside the courtyard of East Tower. It was a large concrete complex, with the Athenian flag and statue of the nation's first president at its centre. The area was barren and lifeless, with no one in sight. He gazed up at the foreboding tower.

  “We're here,” Skye said. Juliet and Romeo arrived behind him.

  “What can you see?” Ren asked, eager for an update.

  “Nothing. The lights are on, but the building is empty, as expected. They must be at the top.”

  “My system says the entrance is armed. The cameras are active and the alarm is on. I'm trying to disable them now.”

  Juliet pondered. “If the entrance is armed, how did they get inside?”

  “Skye, over there,” Romeo said, pointing to the main entrance at the end of the courtyard. Two members of the Guard stood rigid, blocking the entrance.

  Relief filled Skye's face. “They're here, Ren. The Presidential Guard is blocking the entrance.”

  “Excellent!” she exclaimed, sounding hopeful for the first time that evening. “I've almost disarmed the security system.”

  “How are we going to get past them?” Juliet asked, motioning her head to the Guard.

  “No lethal force,” Ren reminded before Skye could open his mouth.

  “Skye, look!” Romeo shrieked.

  The group saw it immediately; they had already been spotted. The two guards began walking toward them in regimental unison.

  “What's happening?” Ren demanded.

  “They've seen us,” Skye said, amazed that they were spotted so easily and quickly in the shadows.

  “Skye, get in there now! They'll warn the others! I've disarmed the building and the magnetic locks.”

  “Tahlia's coming!” Juliet screamed, pointing east, feeling her presence suddenly close in on them.

  “I'm right behind her,” Sierra said.

  The two guards broke into a sprint, barrelling towards them with no sign of slowing down. They raised their guns, holding them high.

  “They're going to fire,” Romeo gasped.

  “Get behind me, quickly,” Skye instructed. Juliet and Romeo did as he said without a second thought.

  “Skye! Get inside!” Ren roared.

  Skye's mind raced. There was no time to make a decision. His first priority was to protect Juliet and Romeo. He removed his sword and began charging toward the two guards. He had no intention of harming them, but disarming them may just keep Juliet and Romeo alive. Once the sentries were subdued, he'd be able to infiltrate the tower.

  He ran forward, waiting for them to open fire. His reflexes were fast, and he was confident he could avoid being hit by their bullets.

  But they made no attempt to pull the trigger.

  Skye stopped in front of them and swung his sword downward in an attempt to knock their guns out of their hands. His eyes widened as he watched the blade pass through the gun as if it were smoke.

  The pair stopped running. Skye looked up at them. They stood poised, rigid. Their stance was perfect, faultless.

  In an instant, Skye had realised what was happening; the guards weren't real. He placed his sword handle back in its holster.

  “Daye,” he said, wheeling himself around to see the man standing beside him. It had been months since he'd last encountered the Tianzu warrior. They first met five years earlier, shortly after Skye's transformation. Daye never made any attempt to inflict harm on White Shadow, but Skye still considered him to be an enemy. “They're an illusion, aren't they?” he asked, despite already knowing the answer.

  Daye smiled weakly and nodded. He was a powerful telepath, capable of creating any reality or illusion, and implanting it in one's mind. The image of the two members of the Presidential Guard was not a real one.

  “What's happening?” Ren asked again, desperate for information.

  “Daye's here. The guards weren't
real.” The illusion disappeared.

  “Good. There's still a chance the president doesn't know you're there. Get inside and kill him. Forget about Daye.”

  Skye stood confused. “Why?” he asked, not feeling threatened by the Kaipuran man, but also wondering why Daye had gone to such efforts to impose the illusion.

  “I've been ordered by Nikolai to come here and protect the tower,” was the simple response.

  “Why would he want to protect the tower? The president's inside. And why would you take orders from him?” Skye turned around to see Juliet and Romeo watching on, equally as perplexed. They could hear Skye's words through their headsets.

  “To keep the peace,” Daye responded with a smile. “I don't serve him, but if it means keeping everyone alive, I'll do what I can.”

  Skye frowned, still uncertain what to make of the situation. “You didn't answer my question. Why would you need to protect the tower? Isn't Nikolai planning to storm it and kill the president?”

  Daye said nothing.

  “Skye, stop talking and get inside!” Ren whined.

  “Fine,” he said after Daye's obvious silence. “If Black Dawn won't kill Archie, I'll do it myself.” He turned and started walking toward the tower. “Juliet, Romeo, come with me.” They obeyed and started crossing the courtyard.

  “Skye, wait,” Daye called. “Please don't kill the president.”

  Skye turned around, baffled by the outlandish request. “What?”

  “Find forgiveness,” Daye requested. “Archibald Denning has many regrets surrounding his past actions. Killing him would be unjust, and would solve nothing.”

  Skye stared at the man, dumbfounded. The odd plea was the last thing he was expecting tonight. He wondered if it was a feeble attempt to waste time.

  Juliet and Romeo strode past Daye, who offered them a polite smile and nod.

  “Is this a ploy?” Skye asked. “Are you trying to distract us while your friends take out Tango and Echo?”

  “Skye, stop talking to him! Get in the tower immediately!” Ren shouted impatiently.

  “Far from it,” Daye admitted. “I don't wish for any harm to come to them. Or anyone, for that matter. You know I'm a man of peace.”

  Skye cocked his head to one side. “I don't know a thing about you, Daye. You came to me years ago and preached about living a righteous life, but then you joined Black Dawn, and your clan killed Foxtrot. So I have nothing to say to you.” He turned and resumed moving toward the tower.

  “I'm asking you to walk away. Leave the president be.”

  Skye stopped again, twitching with rage. The dialogue was beginning to infuriate him. “What are you talking about, Daye? The president needs to die.”

  Daye shook his head. “I admit he has caused harm in the past, but there's nothing stopping you from forgiving him and moving on. I've spoken with him, and he's quite repentant for the crimes he has committed.”

  Skye's jaw dropped. The words made no sense. “What do you mean, you've spoken with him? When could you have possibly spoken with him?”

  “Killing him will leave the country without a leader,” Daye responded, ignoring the question. “You'll do more harm than good.”

  Skye's patience had worn thin. He turned and resumed walking to the entrance of the tower with haste. “Let's go,” he ordered.

  Juliet and Romeo followed, keeping a close eye on Daye the whole way.

  Skye reached for the door. Before he could grab the large handle, Daye appeared by his side once again.

  “Please don't,” he requested a final time.

  “Why are you acting like this?” Skye asked, irritated and perplexed. “None of this makes any sense. Do you work for the Tianzu or Black Dawn?”

  Daye smirked at the apt observation. “You're right—it doesn't make sense. My relationship with the Tianzu is a complicated one. But I don't trust you enough to tell you the truth of any of it. Your heart seems to be in the right place, Skye, but you're just as guilty of causing disharmony as the others. That's why I'm asking you to reconsider what you're about to do.”

  Skye shook his head. “You can't possibly believe that. Your clan killed our friend. You're the one causing disharmony—not me, and not White Shadow.” He pushed the glass door to the lobby with excessive force, damaging its hinges.

  Daye sighed. “It's unfortunate. I was hoping you wouldn't open that door.”

  Skye turned his back on the conversation and marched into the lifeless lobby. Juliet and Romeo followed closely behind.

  “I'm trying to end this war before it begins,” Daye called out. “But I'm yet to find a solution. There's no reasoning with my leader, and there's certainly no reasoning with Nikolai. I was hoping that perhaps you'd be open to helping me, but that's clearly no longer an option.”

  “What's he talking about?” Ren asked. She could barely hear the conversation.

  “I have no idea,” Skye admitted angrily. “I think he's stalling us. It might be a trap after all.” He strode over to the lift door and pressed the button, hoping he was wrong.

  “Which floor do we go to?” Romeo asked.

  Skye shrugged. “We're not sure. We'll start at the top and work our way down.”

  “Tahlia's turning,” Juliet said. “She's not coming this way anymore.”

  Daye's face fell, his smile replaced with a pained expression. “Oh, Skye ... if only you knew the truth. I'm so sorry that your friend lost his life at the hands of the Tianzu, but trust me when I say the clan itself is righteous in its core. If you seek revenge on them, the situation will become a never-ending cycle of hate.” He looked to Juliet and Romeo. “Take care of yourselves. I'll help you where possible, but please understand what you're involving yourselves in. I only ask that you don't take sides when it comes to ideologies—that's how war begins.”

  “Enough!” Skye erupted, removing his sword and hurling it outwards with his mind. It stopped mere inches from Daye's face. “You're our enemy. Why shouldn't I kill you right now?”

  “Skye, stop! Don't hurt him!” Ren shouted, begging him not to provoke the Tianzu. “Get up there and stop the president before he leaves!”

  Daye stared into Skye's enraged eyes. “Humans are quite amazing. They're capable of promoting peace, and they are equally as capable of wreaking havoc. I thought I could find an unlikely ally in you, but I suppose I assumed incorrectly.”

  Juliet and Romeo watched on in horror, waiting to see what Skye would do. His sword remained firm in its position. The lift door startled him as it opened.

  “Even if you were hostile toward me,” Daye continued, “you couldn't harm me.”

  Skye stared at his foe for a moment before lowering his sword. “Another illusion,” he whispered, realising that Daye wasn't even present in his physical form, which is why Juliet was unable to sense him.

  Daye nodded. “It is sad that we must sometimes take such protective measures. Humans may be corrupt by nature, but I'm certain we can achieve peace if we all work hard enough, and together.”

  Romeo screamed at the top of his lungs. Skye turned to see that Nikolai held him high by the vest.

  “Hello again,” he cheerily greeted.

  “No!” Skye shouted. He recalled his sword and swung it at Nikolai, careful to avoid Romeo. Nikolai moved out of the way of the blade and vanished from the room.

  “Please stop attacking me,” Nikolai requested. He was standing back outside in the courtyard.

  Skye flew through the front door and launched himself at Nikolai, his sword held high.

  “That's quite enough, brother,” Nikolai said. He raised his arm and disarmed Skye, ripping the sword from his grasp. In the blink of an eye, Nikolai held the blade to Romeo's throat. “Don't come any closer.”

  Skye stopped instantly, not wanting to provoke his enemy.

  “Is that Nikolai?” Ren asked, defeat in her voice.

  “It is. Let him go, Nikolai.”

  “And why should I do that?” Nikolai asked. “Is it
because you care for his life? Or is it because you have other matters you need to attend to in the tower?”

  Skye narrowed his eyes at the towering man. “Both.”

  “Please let me go!” Romeo cried. Juliet walked back out into the courtyard and watched on, wide-eyed, as did Daye. The group stared at Nikolai, wondering what his next move would be.

  “And what are you up to there, Daye?” Nikolai asked. “I thought I ordered you to attack them on sight.”

  Daye stared back at him. “Nikolai, please don't do this,” he begged. “He's innocent.”

  “For now, yes. But what's to stop him from coming to kill me at a later date? Who's going to protect me then?” he asked sarcastically.

  “I won't kill you!” Romeo shouted through panicked sobs. “How could I possibly be strong enough to kill you?”

  Nikolai dropped him to the ground like a stone. “That's the correct answer, my boy. You won't ever be strong enough to kill me. But with proper training, you might just become lethal.” He threw the sword back to Skye, who caught it with his mind.

  Nikolai looked down at Romeo and watched him tremble. He could sense the young man's fear. It brought a smile to Nikolai's face. “You know,” he said, “you remind me of a young Skye. Well, despite your fear, that is. You seem determined and wilful. Ready to take on the world. Ready to make a difference.” He stroked his chin and stared at him thoughtfully. “Perhaps I'll let you live for the time being.”

  Skye, Juliet, and Daye all exhaled with relief. Romeo was still shaking. He crawled along the ground, back to safety.

  “Nikolai,” Skye said, changing the subject, “the president's inside. This is our last chance to stop him.”

  Nikolai waved his hand, dismissing the idea. “I have no intention of going in there.”

  Skye's face fell. “So you only came out here to attack us?”

  Nikolai appeared beside him and clapped him on the back. “I admire your resolve, Skye. You came to young Roman's aid. You care more for your subordinates than I do for mine.”

  Skye pushed his powerful hand aside. “You didn't answer my question.”