Nikolai smiled. “My honour comes in the form of making this a fair fight,” he said, a sinister edge in his voice. He stood proudly, watching the four warriors before him, then vanishing.
Charlie frowned, perplexed by what was happening. “What's he talking about this time?”
Delta stood wide-eyed, staring across the river. She slowly raised her arm and pointed a finger at the Tianzu's house. “He's warning them about our attack.”
Skye gasped, bewildered. “No.”
They turned their attention to the small home in the distance. None of them said a word as they tried to wrap their minds around what was happening. The sudden news that Nikolai wouldn't be assisting them in combat was a severe hindrance, but the Tianzu expecting their arrival was far worse.
Skye continued glaring across the river. Surely enough, it took only a matter of seconds before the four Tianzu warriors emerged. He could see them all clearly. They closed the door to their home behind them and appeared on the opposite riverbank.
He gripped his kaiken tightly. “What have you done, Nikolai ...”
“This is bad,” Delta said.
Kai, Hana, Shin, and Karatsu stood poised, prepared for battle.
“Get ready,” Skye ordered.
Both groups watched one another, both waiting for the other to make the first move.
Forty
Karatsu sprang into action, running along the riverbank toward the pedestrian bridge. Kai and Hana ran after him, with Shin trailing behind.
“What do we do?” Delta asked in a half-panicked state. Their strategy of attack they'd earlier decided on was now useless.
Skye didn't know the answer. It only took a matter of seconds for the Tianzu to reach the bridge. The flew up the stairs and began bounding along it, closing the gap between them. “Run,” he finally said.
“We can't run,” Charlie said.
“We're too exposed here. Let's move. Now!”
Sierra and Delta obeyed the command and began to flee. Charlie watched the Tianzu for another moment before deciding the best course of action was to follow suit.
Sierra and Skye led the way, possessing the greatest speed of the group. They ran through the park as fast as they could.
“We need to fight them!” Charlie called out from the rear, not willing to waste the opportunity to finally kill the boy who took Foxtrot's life.
“We will,” Skye shouted back from up ahead. “But not here. Follow me.”
Charlie and Delta trusted Skye's judgement, chasing after their colleagues without question.
Karatsu arrived at the other end of the bridge and jumped down the stairs, landing in the park. He removed a long katana from his back and charged between the trees, not allowing his enemy to leave his sight. Kai and Hana weren't far behind.
“This way!” Skye called. He jumped up onto another bridge which headed south, back into the heart of Nishihama. Sierra made the leap with ease. Charlie and Delta jumped as high as they could, only just managing to land on the bridge. They turned their heads as they ran and saw the dark shadow that was Karatsu fly through the park toward them, closing the distance at an alarming rate.
“Quickly!” Skye shouted again, urging his teammates forward. They sprinted down the path, dodging any pedestrians that were out and about that evening. They crossed the bridge and arrived back in the city. It was not as busy as it usually was in the daytime, but the crowded streets were no place for a fight with the Tianzu. No chances could be taken.
Skye turned right, then made a sharp left down a small and much quieter street. He scanned their surroundings. It was no wider than an alleyway, and there were no civilians. He stopped running. “Get ready,” he said as he held his kaiken ready.
Sierra spun around, kunai in hand. Charlie and Delta appeared several seconds later and saw the pair ready for battle. They took a second to compose themselves, then pulled the pistols from their holsters.
“Kill them as soon as you see them,” Delta ordered as she took in three quick breaths.
Charlie held his pistol tight, knowing that the moment had arrived. Failure was not an option.
Karatsu turned into the small street and saw his enemy. They didn't waste a single second. Charlie and Delta both fired their weapons, only to have the man in black drop to the ground and roll, skilfully avoiding the bullets.
Sierra threw her kunai down at him, but he reached up and grabbed it by the handle, then flung it at Skye. Skye held his dagger up, deflecting the small knife. Sierra pulled hard on the steel wire and thrust it back at Karatsu, but he saw the attack coming. The man was able to move as fast as she could.
Charlie lowered his gun and aimed it at Karatsu, but a bright glow in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned and watched as Kai appeared before them and threw a ball of golden energy straight at him. He fell backward and dodged the flying projectile. Skye thrust his kaiken up and tore through the energy.
Hana flew around the corner and held her arms up, absorbing the energy of both Skye and Sierra simultaneously. They felt the effects immediately and tried to move out of the way, but she'd managed to lock on to the two of them. Sierra threw the kunai at Hana, only for Kai to step forward and grab the steel wire, stopping it in its flight.
Delta coughed as Karatsu jumped up and kicked her hard in the chest, sending her flying into the brick wall behind her. He then held his sword up and swung it down at the defenceless Charlie. Skye leapt forward and smacked the sword away with his dagger. Charlie saw his opportunity and took it, shooting Karatsu in the stomach at point-blank range, the bullet ripping straight through his torso. He let out a short groan, but then began to swing his katana wildly at Skye, ignoring the wound.
Sierra pulled hard on her wire, the steel slicing Kai's hand. He released it and summoned his stream of energy like a whip, hurling it straight at her. She flipped backwards and avoided suffering the same fate as Sabina.
Skye countered every one of Karatsu's attacks, but his energy was quickly fading with Hana sapping his strength. Charlie leapt to his feet, as did Delta. They held their pistols to Karatsu's back, but both had dropped their guard. Skye used his telekinesis to knock the pair to the ground, protecting them from the golden stream that almost sliced them in half.
Sierra flung her knife once again, eager to put a stop to Hana before she drained her of any more energy. Kai turned his wrist, sending the stream in her direction. She ran toward him, facing the danger head-on, then jumped into the air, kicking herself away from the wall. He looked up, but was unable to raise the stream quickly enough. She pulled the kunai back while in the air, then threw it down at Kai. He held his free hand up and blocked the knife with his forearm. He grunted as it embedded itself in his skin. She pulled on the wire once again, inflicting further damage as it ripped itself from his arm. Sierra landed gently on the ground and ran toward Hana.
But Sierra suddenly stopped, a horrible feeling coming over her. Shin had appeared, taking over her mind. She felt overcome with emotion, so much so that she stumbled forward to the ground. Her eyes widened; she was petrified with fear.
Hana turned to Shin and offered him a grateful glance; she was less than a second away from death. Kai saw the collapsed Sierra and turned his attention back to the others.
Charlie and Delta climbed to their feet, trying to aid Skye in his sword fight with Karatsu. Delta held her gun up once again, but also held in her other hand a kunai of her own. Karatsu turned away from Skye and saw the pair try to attack him. He spun and kicked both Charlie and Delta in the face before they could pull the trigger. They fell backwards, but Delta threw her kunai at Karatsu, which ripped itself into his lower back. He twitched, but otherwise seemed to have no reaction yet again.
Sierra lay on the ground, exhausted and bewildered. Her eyes were glazed over, her jaw slack. Her mind was unable to comprehend Shin's overwhelming ability. He stood over her and smiled proudly to himself for taking down such a powerful opponent.
Skye
was nearing his limits. Hana was still absorbing his energy at a terrifying pace. He lifted his kaiken up and deflected Karatsu's steel, then jumped out of the way of Kai's stream. He was greatly outnumbered. Kai twisted the stream and curved it at Skye once again. He dropped down to the ground instinctively, only for Karatsu to knee him in the face. Skye flew backwards and landed roughly on the concrete.
Skye tried to pick himself up and resume fighting, but Karatsu had beaten him to it. He stood behind Skye, picking him up and holding the sword against his throat.
“Don't move,” Karatsu whispered. It took Skye a moment to realise the danger he was in. It would only take Karatsu one slight motion to move the sword and slice his neck open.
Hana released her control on Skye. She and Kai bent down and grabbed Sierra roughly, pulling her up and holding both of her arms pinned.
Shin was satisfied that Sierra was subdued and released her mind. He turned his attention to Charlie and Delta, manipulating both of their emotions. He could see the fear in their eyes as Delta slowly climbed to her feet. Charlie shifted himself into a kneeling position against his will and watched on, terrified. He looked around and saw that neither Skye nor Sierra were able to move. White Shadow were in a frightening position.
Delta began to panic. She walked over to Skye and grabbed his dagger from his grasp. Her face was one of anguish as she tried to fight Shin's control, but it was no use. He was forcing every one of her movements, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Sierra watched the scene before her and struggled uselessly against the grips of Kai and Hana.
Delta stepped forward to the kneeling Charlie and stood before him. Tears began to stream down her face as she raised the dagger high, ready to kill her husband. He watched on, never experiencing as much fear as he did in this moment.
“No,” he said.
Delta didn't give up. She pushed her body to its limits in an attempt to fend off Shin's cerebral attack, but again to no avail. The boy was immensely skilled. She looked down into Charlie's terrified eyes. “Please don't,” she called, pleading with Shin.
“What did she say?” Shin asked, unable to understand Alexan.
“She asked you not to attack,” Hana responded in Shizugo.
“Quickly, Shin,” Kai ordered. “Kill him.”
Shin watched on with glee as Delta stood frozen, ready to slay Charlie.
Skye's heart was pounding uncontrollably. They were all about to be killed. There was no way of stopping the Tianzu.
Seconds passed. No one made a move.
“Shin!” Karatsu shouted. “Stop wasting time. These people are a threat to everyone in this world.”
The boy looked across to his master and smiled sadistically. “They're our enemies, and they deserve to be punished. What better way to punish them than to watch how afraid they are just before they die?”
Sierra tried again to break free from Kai and Hana. Her mind flashed back to her previous life when her enemy held her pinned while they murdered the one she loved.
Sierra's eyes began to water. She was in the exact same position as that unforgettable day. The nightmare she had fought so hard against had returned. Everything she'd worked for was about to end. They were all going to die, and Tahlia would go on living.
“Shin!” Karatsu screamed with fury. “That's enough! They may be our enemy, but they don't deserve this torment. They are warriors like us, and deserve an honourable death.”
“He's right, Shin,” Hana agreed, her voice softer than his. “This is not the way of the Tianzu. We're only here to protect the people of our world; not watch our enemies suffer.”
Shin looked around at his three elders, all of them scowling at him. He groaned, annoyed that they treated him with such contempt. “Fine,” he eventually agreed.
Delta trembled with fear as she stared into the eyes of Charlie. The last thing her husband would ever see is his soulmate ending his life. Another tear fell down her cheek. She felt her arm move against its will, swinging the blade down.
Skye watched on in awe, his mind racing.
He glanced down and saw Delta's pistol lying idly on the ground. He only had one opportunity to save his friends, and had to act quickly. Using his mind, Skye rotated the gun and pulled the trigger, shooting Shin directly in the foot. The boy instantly released his control of Charlie and Delta as he fell to the ground screaming.
Delta stopped swinging the blade down. She turned left and threw it at Kai. He never saw the attack coming as it sliced his arm. He loosened his grip on Sierra, who jumped forward and escaped Hana's grasp. She picked up her kunai from the ground and hurled it with extreme accuracy at Karatsu's face. The masked man twisted out of the way, avoiding the kunai, but allowing Skye enough time to push the sword away from his neck.
Sierra pulled the wire back, ready to turn on Shin and end the boy's life, but Kai stepped forward and grabbed the wire. Before Sierra could react, she felt Hana absorb her energy once again.
Charlie grabbed his gun and aimed it down at Shin, just as eager to kill the cruel teenager. The gun flew from his hand as Karatsu swung his sword up at it, knocking it into the air, then kicking Skye in the back. “Run, Shin!” he commanded, and began attacking Skye with the steel once again.
Screaming, Shin climbed awkwardly to his feet, then hobbled away from the scene, blood dripping from his wound. While he was far from immortal, his evolved mind and body gave him enough resilience to push through the pain and force his body into a jog.
“Sierra, stop him!” Skye screamed as he dove out of the way of the sword. Killing all of the Tianzu was their mission, but stopping Shin was the highest priority by far.
Sierra wrestled with Kai over her kunai, but managed to kick him in the leg and knock him off balance. She turned and chased after Shin, although at a much slower pace with most of her energy depleted.
Delta swung Skye's kaiken at Kai from behind in an attempt to slice the man's head off. He saw the attack and dropped down, delivering a sharp elbow to the side of her head as she swung.
“Protect Shin,” Karatsu ordered, still relentlessly attacking both Skye and Charlie. Skye was weaponless, and could only avoid the blade. A wave of fatigue hit him hard again as he felt Hana attack from where she stood.
Charlie held an arm up and blocked a high kick from Kai.
“Are you certain?” Kai asked.
“Yes, he's defenceless,” Karatsu said. “Go now. Both of you.”
Skye saw Kai and Hana turn and run out of the corner of his eye. He looked at Karatsu and launched himself backwards as the blade came dangerously close. Charlie tried to punch the masked man, but his speed was no match for his. Karatsu stepped nimbly to the side and extended a leg outwards, kicking Charlie and knocking him into the wall. Karatsu then spun around and swung his sword at Delta, who only just managed to avoid being sliced open.
Skye spotted his kaiken further down the street and grabbed it with his mind. It flew toward him, cutting Karatsu's shoulder in the process. Now armed, Skye swung the dagger frantically in an attempt to eliminate Karatsu.
Charlie threw himself back into the battle, as did Delta. Both held their weapons out and tried to jab the man, who was skilful and graceful in his movements, managing to evade all three of them while also launching attacks of his own.
Skye kept swinging, amazed to see a warrior who could move as such. While he and Sierra were both fast, there was no doubting that Karatsu had been involved in combat for several lifetimes. His movements were seamless. He stepped aside as Charlie launched himself forward with kunai in hand. Karatsu then swung his blade up at Delta, while also dodging Skye's attacks.
Skye hoped that Sierra would be successful in killing Shin, and that she was also able to evade Kai and Hana. He held his kaiken up again and brought it down, with no intention of giving up until Karatsu was dead.
Forty-one
Shin ran as fast as he could, weaving in and out of the crowded night streets of Nishihama. He
hobbled on his leg, trying to push past the burning sensational that was the gaping bullet hole in his foot. He had only ever inflicted pain on others; he was never the recipient of it. The pain was far worse than the cut on his abdomen he received earlier in the day. In this moment, the teenager quickly realised the true dangers of being a member of the Tianzu.
He lost balance and crashed into a group of pedestrians. Shin quickly climbed back to his feet, offering no apology to the peeved civilians. He spun around to see that no one was pursuing him. He was safe for the moment, but had to keep moving. He began to sprint down the street once again.
The pedestrians glared in his direction as he retreated into the distance. They muttered under their breath at the rude youngster, and picked themselves up, only to almost be knocked over again, this time by a strong gust of wind. They hardly even saw Sierra move.
Confused, the group watched on, wondering who was chasing the boy.
“Look out,” one of them gasped, pointing to Kai and Hana, who seemed to be running at an abnormally fast pace. They flew past the group and headed south, chasing after the other two. Several other bystanders saw the pursuit, curious to know what was happening in their city.
Shin urged himself on, the excruciating pain surging through his body with every step he took. He looked over his shoulder as he ran and saw something moving very quickly in his direction—Sierra. She was closing the gap at a frightening pace.
His eyes widened with fear. “Help!” he screamed. “Help me!”
Before any civilians could react to his terrified plea, he was already gone, fleeing from his assailant. Shin began to panic as he pushed his legs to run faster.
Sierra was moving quickly, although significantly slower than her usual pace, and she was losing speed with every passing second. Her body was already exhausted, and she could feel something absorbing her energy. She glanced back and saw Kai and Hana barrelling down the path after her. They were some distance behind, but in close enough range for Hana to steal what energy she had remaining.
Eternity's War (Books 1-3) (Eternity's War Boxsets) Page 63