197. Bullseye!
A deep thrumming sound reverberated across the night sky as two massive Armatus jousted at breakneck speed, their ionised blades painting ribbons of light. Their powerful clash boomed through the air, unleashing a blinding flare.
Meanwhile, Astrid and Friederich crashed through the enemy ranks inside the hangar of the Vanguard Alpha. Glowing blades flew and beams of fire shot out as the enemy retaliated with their own projectiles, plunging the hangar into chaos and carnage.
Astrid tackled an enemy knight, dragging him across the metal floor.
Armour pieces snapped and flew away.
Her flaming fist connected with his helmet, shattering it with a satisfying crunch.
The knight went limp.
Another knight screamed in terror, hurling a beam blast at her. It struck her shoulder, but the burly Lunarius barely flinched.
“You!“ Astrid whined.
She retaliated, swooping in to grapple one of the knight's legs before swinging his body around like a wrecking ball, crashing him into his comrades.
Frightened screams echoed through the hangar as some of the knights broke ranks and fled.
“Watch this!” Friederich said with a condescending grin.
He dashed forward, sliding across the metal floor.
A blast missed him and hit the hull behind.
The alloy bulwark buckled from the searing heat.
He drifted left and right.
The hilt of an exquisite katana formed from the Kagayaki-no-saya.
He leaned forward and low, closing his eyes, his mind entering a state of deep meditation.
His boots clapped on the floor, and he exploded into a streak of destructive light.
Friederich ricocheted across the chamber until he stopped in the centre, raising his katana and sheath vertically. His glowing blue eyes faded to their natural colour. His majestic hair and visage remained beautiful, regal, and steadfast.
Clink!
A gentle click sounded as he sheathed the katana. A shockwave blasted out, knocking the enemy knights down. Their minds could not register what had just hit them until they found themselves sprawled on the ground.
“Show off,” Astrid scoffed, crossing her arms. She was impressive nonetheless.
“Look, Astrid! Zetius is in trouble!” Friederich exclaimed, pointing towards the massive viewport. Outside, the Armatus Celer and the Archangel were exchanging relentless blows, neither giving an inch.
“I’ve got an idea!” A devious smile spread across Astrid’s face.
“Zetius! Lure him toward Vanguard Alpha!” Friederich’s voice crackled through the cockpit of the Armatus Celer.
“That’s Friederich!” Cubie chirped.
“Roger that!” Zetius responded and manoeuvred the Armatus Celer away. The Archangel gave chase.
The wall of the hangar door glowed a heated red before a powerful kick knocked the entire plate right off.
“This way!” Astrid bellowed, standing in a grand pose. Her side braid swayed against the roaring wind. She waved a makeshift torch she had created with her flaming hands.
“Now, Zetius, on three, get out of the way!” Astrid signalled and began to count, “One… two… three! Now!”
In a split second, Astrid jumped out of the way.
It revealed Friederich charging up his Iai slash. His knees were bent, his fingers wrapped loosely around the handle of the katana. A powerful gust of mana stormed around him, fluttering his hair and clothes with elegance.
“Dawnbreak!” Friederich chanted, unleashing his mighty power.
The crescent-shaped attack surged across the sky. Simultaneously, Zetius rolled to the side in perfect sync.
The Archangel was caught off guard. His survival instinct took hold. “F*ck!” Rhok moved one of his wings into a guarding position.
In the decisive collision, Rhok’s hull rocked with violence.
One of the Archangel's wings was wrecked, turning into molten metal and dark remnants.
SNAP!
The Archangel tore its damaged wing off, moving away from the Vanguard Alpha.
Stolen novel; please report.
“Yay!” Astrid reached out for a high-five, only to be left hanging.
“Let’s keep moving. We need to stop them from the command centre. Admiral Sandria is counting on us,” Friederich rationalised, surveying the scene and seeking an entryway.
“Ugh… Fine!” Astrid groaned, brushing her crimson locks back in embarrassment. “Maybe that way!” she pointed towards a heavy metal door.
A sign above the entrance clearly indicated that it led to the main control room. Her previous missions aboard the Yamamoto had familiarised her with the layout of such massive vessels.
“Good eye, Astrid. Let’s move,” Friederich said, already drifting toward the door and urging Astrid to follow. Then they both carried on with their mission.
***
Back to the intense aerial battles.
“Zetius, you!” Rhok yelled, circling back to retaliate.
Rhok swung diagonally.
Zetius parried with one of his wing blades. His leg thrusters fired, launching a powerful kick.
The Archangel’s hull trembled. “AHH!” Rhok gasped, motioning with a wing to counter.
“Drop!” Zetius shifted his thrusters downward.
The wing missed.
But Rhok had anticipated that. He hurled his blade low, toward the Celer's head.
Zetius backflipped acrobatically, his Armatus Celer transforming into a fighter jet.
Its cannon nozzles aimed at his enemy.
“Target locked!” Cubie called out. The lock-on beeped on his HUD.
“Fire!”
With a gentle squeeze of the trigger, three splitting beams shot out. Two hit the wing shield. One pierced through a small gap and damaged the girdle joint. The heavy wing snapped away, spiralling down into the mountainside beneath.
“Woooo! Only one left, Zetius!” Cubie exclaimed as the Armatus Celer rounded the sky.
In the corner of his eye, Zetius saw missiles and energy blasts slithering behind him.
“Enemy backup?” Zetius blurted out.
The Armatus Celer stooped low, dodging the hail of enemy projectiles. Frain whimpered softly as she cringed on the passenger seat, her eyes squeezed shut.
“Hang in there, Frain,” Zetius reassured her. His eyes darted around, highly alert.
“Zetius, sixty Armatus units detected at our six o'clock,” Cubie reported, highlighting them on his left screen.
“Damn it!” Zetius grimaced, seeing his depleting fuel.
“Bloody get that Armatus!” Rhok commanded, pinging his knights to tail the Armatus Celer. Meanwhile, his Archangel surged to the front to intercept.
A classic pincer attack.
“Let’s break them!” Zetius proposed. His Armatus performed evasive manoeuvres, swaying left and right.
Once the Archangel approached and lunged with its long sword.
“Now!” Zetius bellowed and activated his transformation protocol.
The Armatus Celer rolled forward, its maneuvering verniers and thrusters turning in the opposite direction.
A mechanical whir sounded as the machine began to shapeshift. Its X-wings stretched out, the exhaust ports facing the Archangel.
“Die!” Rhok shouted, driving his blade forward.
In a fraction of a second, Zetius rolled sideways. The Archangel’s thrust missed.
A powerful blast knocked Rhok’s Armatus away.
“Now, now! My turn!” Zetius said, his aim switching toward the chasing Knights.
A powerful blast beamed out from the main cannon, colliding with the enemies’ shields. A quarter of the enemies were wiped out in an instant.
Then the X-wings glowed red, ready to unleash carnage.
Zetius accelerated and slashed every single Armatus in his path.
Subsequent micro-bombs triggered. The sky was laced with grey smoke.
“15% Arcanite power remaining!” Cubie warned.
“Got it! Let’s get this over with.” Zetius arched and circled across the sky, seeking out Rhok’s Archangel.
The HUD beeped as it located the Archangel. Its remaining wing was limping as it headed toward the Santose V battlecruiser.
Zetius’s eyes narrowed. “We can’t let him get away!”
The Armatus Celer raced to give pursuit, a shockwave boomed from its rear as it broke the sound barrier.
The Santose V battlecruiser drew closer, its Lancer turrets turning to aim.
“Shoot that thing down!” Rhok bellowed, speeding towards the hangar, while its doors began to open for him.
Bzzzzzzzt-CRACK!
A flashing beam lit up the sky as condensing energy converged on the chasing Armatus.
Zetius rolled sideways, dodging the attack. “Full throttle!” he bellowed, his body clung to his seat by acceleration.
Simultaneously, Rhok’s Archangel slowed as he was less than 100 metres away from the hangar door. The repair personnel waved their lights. A pristine set of white wings awaited him for a quick swap on the shop table.
“Huh!?” Rhok exclaimed. His instincts blared, and his wing lifted to shield his rear.
A spark of light flashed. His hull shook violently.
It was Zetius’s black Armatus, slashing with its wing blades with raw violence.
Rhok raised his blade to counter.
SHIIINNNNNNG!
A sizzling clang reverberated between them.
“7% remaining!” Cubie warned, her voice unsteady.
“I know!” Zetius yelled, attacking his enemy with a whirlwind of slashes.
Rhok blocked with his wing, and when Zetius wound up for his set of attacks, Rhok took the opportunity and thrusted.
CRANK!
Instantly, a powerful kick connected with Rhok's side, staggering his attack.
Rhok’s Armatus crashed into the wall beside the hangar door.
A powerful elbow slammed into his head. The HUD visor crackled. Electronics malfunctioned.
Fear took hold. “No!” Rhok cried out.
Zetius launched his knee and landed another perfect strike on Rhok’s torso.
Rhok winced as his Armatus slammed into the battlecruiser’s hull, denting its surface into the shape of his machine. His two-handed sword fell from his hand.
He was spared no recovery. Rhok felt his entire hull being yanked skyward.
“AHHH!” he screamed. His HUD screen flashed with error messages, accompanied by erratic beeping.
Then he was dropped onto the solid ground. He heaved and panted, his fingers scrambling to regain control.
He heaved and panted, his fingers scrambling uselessly over the dead controls.
The main screen flickered back to life, a cascade of error messages giving way to a single, blinding image. A brilliant, terrible light flooded his cockpit, forcing him to avert his eyes.
The low, menacing hum of an ionised sword vibrated through his very being, a promise of imminent destruction. It was pointed directly at his cockpit, so close he could feel the heat radiating from the crackling energy.
Zetius had won…