Book 4, Chapter 6 - Psychotic Wars.h.i.+p

Condor’s three energy pylons functions like three powerful motors . Huge amounts of power were consumed to push it forward, while lights filled the cracks in its s.h.i.+elds momentarily – perhaps a sign their defenses were recovering .

“Smash them!”

As nearly all of its energy was focused into its engines, Condor rocketed forth at break-neck speed, disregarding the bombardment it suffered from surrounding enemy s.h.i.+ps . Like an out of control beast or an enraged rhinoceros, it bore down on the first airs.h.i.+p in its path .

There was a deafening crash as the two vessels met, like a bomb had detonated .

The wasteland s.h.i.+p folded like it was made from paper . Fire belched from it, swallowing the patch-work deck and all who stood upon it . Conversely Condor plowed through like a divine hammer, obliterating the inferior s.h.i.+p . It spun helplessly down through the mist, trailing black smoke to mark its demise .

Condor’s protective sh.e.l.l was set ablaze and peppered with debris from its first victim . Cloudhawk laughed in satisfaction as the sky became clearer . That was all h.e.l.l’s Army had, eh?! Too easy to break free .

But of course, it wasn’t that h.e.l.l’s Army was weak . Rather, Condor was just too big to contain . The six-pylon Talon flags.h.i.+p was the greatest vessel in the armada, with three times the energy potential of a normal wars.h.i.+p . How could h.e.l.l’s Army hope to compete?

The captain called for Cloudhawk’s attention . “Another s.h.i.+p off the bow, sir! Judging by the look of her, she’s the enemy’s command s.h.i.+p!”

Cloudhawk’s brows knit tight . “Doesn’t matter, run her down!”

Condor obliged .

At such close proximity, their s.h.i.+p didn’t have a chance to reach full speed after the first impact . Both were protected by s.h.i.+elds, so when they collided the air screeched from the friction . Soldiers held their ears and scowled . The s.h.i.+elds of both s.h.i.+ps warped .

The h.e.l.l’s Army command vessel tried to hold Condor at bay, but how could it? Instead it was shoved back while tremors rocked both s.h.i.+ps . Cracks appeared in their s.h.i.+elds and hulls . Crews were flung about like beans in a tin can .

From the bridge, Cloudhawk stared in amazement . Although both s.h.i.+ps were damaged by the collision, it was clear Condor would be victorious . He could see that by the way the enemy s.h.i.+elds bowed . In the end the h.e.l.l’s Army vessel would fall like the first . So what were they doing? Courting death?

No, they weren’t that stupid!

Cloudhawk understood his old trainers’ style . h.e.l.l’s Army was the epitome of special forces and tactics . More than just strong, their leaders.h.i.+p consisted of noted strategists . If it looked like they had made a fatal mistake, he was sure that was just what they wanted him to see .

The captain’s excited shouts returned . “Warden, two more s.h.i.+ps approaching from port and starboard!”

Cloudhawk’s face stiffened . “What did you say?”

He didn’t have time to explain .

Two hideous, lumbering silhouettes appeared on either side of Condor . They appeared out of the mists like towering mountains . Condor had slowed to a near halt after impact with the command vessel, placing it squarely between these two s.h.i.+ps . They had to have been waiting for exactly this . As they picked up speed, Cloudhawk realized the danger they were in .

The impact hit them like a landslide! Shattered gla.s.s filled the bridge as its viewing ports exploded . Outside, ma.s.sive cracks nearly split the deck in two .

Claudia and the others were pitched off their feet and hurdled through the air . For a moment sky and deck switched places as they tumbled end over end, then rolled from right to left . The experience of fighting enemies while being thrown about like a rag doll was not a pleasant one .

“G.o.ds! What just happened?!”

Rei’s wide eyes swept over the badly damaged deck . Her face was pale when staring at the nightmarish scene . A s.h.i.+p in front, one to the left, another to the right . All three started firing at once . Condor had become a cornered animal .

The pincer attack had nearly overcome Condor’s s.h.i.+elds, as was evident by the cracks that slithered across its surface . h.e.l.l’s Army had forethought – if one s.h.i.+p was not enough, then they would use three . Cloudhawk’s order to ram their enemies was madness, a gambit that threatened to do nearly as much damage to themselves as to the enemy . What he hadn’t antic.i.p.ated was that h.e.l.l’s Army was just as crazy .

Getting his bearings, the captain cried out . “d.a.m.nit! Our s.h.i.+elds are failing . Divert all energy to defenses! If our s.h.i.+elds collapse we’ll be blown apart!”

“They’re arming their weapons!”

“Our controls have been damaged . Trying to fix the problem . ”

“Condor’s starboard hull has been badly damage . Emergency hatches activated . ”

The bridge was in turmoil . After the three-p.r.o.nged attack Condor was still listing forward, but at a slow pace . She was clamped tight in the enemy’s grasp . Cloudhawk gave the order for all other s.h.i.+ps to come to their aid .

At least for the time being, three enemy s.h.i.+ps were busy with one .

Drake received the order . “h.e.l.l’s Army knows what they’re doing, but it’s a mistake to think we don’t! Attack!”

“We can’t!” Brontes responded in a grim voice . “h.e.l.l’s Army s.h.i.+ps have pinned Condor, but their remaining vessel has joined with the wasteland fleet and is forming for another a.s.sault . ”

“We have two wars.h.i.+ps . Leave one to fend them off, while we go to Cloudhawk’s aid . ”

“That won’t work, we’ve been too heavily damaged . Our situation is bad enough, much less throwing ourselves against superior numbers to help the commander . If we can’t prevent ourselves from being shot out of the sky then we’re lucky . ”

“d.a.m.nit… then we’ll draw them away, create an exit . ”

h.e.l.l’s Army almost seemed to know how their moves before they did . Whatever orders Cloudhawk gave, h.e.l.l’s Army was right there with a response . The sudden air battle was quickly putting them out of their depth .

Nearby, Hammont was standing nervously on the deck of a transport s.h.i.+p . He’d never been in a fight like this!

A typical Skycloud fleet consisted of a flags.h.i.+p, destroyers, frigates and scout vessels, with supply s.h.i.+ps bringing up the rear . Even though they were rushed, this was essentially the battle group Cloudhawk had pulled together . But both Cloudhawk and Drake had been caught in their trap . They were caught in a stalemate for the moment, but the Elysians were clearly at a disadvantage . It was obvious from how well h.e.l.l’s Army had executed their surprise attack that their commanders were experienced . Cloudhawk and Drake could not measure up to them .

It would take something big to turn this around .

“Everyone, gather up!” Hammont shouted for the logistics force . Their two s.h.i.+ps were situated at the rear of the fleet since they had no combat or defensive capabilities to speak of . As a result the enemy vessels paid them no mind . While they had been the target of a shot or two, so far it was nothing life-threatening . “I have a plan!”

His crew looked nervously at one another . One of them spoke up . “Major Seacrest… w-we’re just rear support . Our s.h.i.+ps don’t even have any weapons!”

“Bulls.h.i.+t! Are you going to run from a fight because you don’t have weapons?!” Hammont was not pleased with the excuse . “What do we have? Eboncrys! Fuel! We’re carrying what all these s.h.i.+ps need to keep flying . ”

One of the soldiers piped up . “How does that help us?”

“You don’t get it? Morons!” Hammont didn’t keep them in suspense . “We convert the eboncrys into energy for the pylons, overload it, and turn this whole s.h.i.+p into a bomb . ”

They stared at him like he was insane .

Something like this had never been suggested before, much less attempted . Was it even possible?

“Prepare to evacuate . ” Hammont did have the answers, but there was nothing else they could do . He saw his men hesitate and suddenly adopted a more malevolent posture . “Part of the enemy forces are attacking Commander Drake . The rest have Commander Cloudhawk surrounded . Our wars.h.i.+ps won’t last forever, and when they’re gone the enemy will turn to us . We need to move now, I will bear responsibility . ”

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Condor was pinned down . Clamped on three sides, there was nowhere for it to escape to . Enemies s.h.i.+ps were bettering their s.h.i.+elds with everything they had, which were slowly weakening the only thing between Cloudhawk’s men and absolutely destruction . As more cracks appeared in their defenses, Conclave soldiers poured through .

The sound of heavy footb.a.l.l.s rattled the deck . Claudia caught sight of a colossal figure through the haze .

Covered from head to toe in armor, it was impossible to see any detail of the warrior, but that didn’t matter . As light gleamed from the armor, she knew who they faced . Dumont stood before them like a pillar of flame .

Belinda called out . “This one’s different . ”

She brazenly flung a fireball at him .

Her fires were enough to incinerate most soldiers, she’d seen it herself . Yet upon striking Dumont it sizzled against the armor for a moment before dying . No doubt about it, his red-hot suit of armor was a relic!

Claudia, recognizing the foe they faced, called out in a grim voice . “Retreat!”

Mason had never heard this note in his sergeant’s voice, something almost like fear . He knew immediately that this was unlike any opponent they’d faced before . He s.h.i.+fted his s.h.i.+eld around and planted his feet . “I’ll hold him!”

“You can’t!”

She tried to warn him, but before he could react to her words the dim armored figure vanished . He reappeared moments later, encased in light and moving faster than the eye could follow . Like a beam of light he streaked right for the st.u.r.dy s.h.i.+eld blocking his path .

Mason could feel it even before he reached him . What an incredible aura! The deadly presence stole his breath away .  He’d never felt anything like it, this sense of fear and helplessness . Dumont hadn’t reached him yet, but he knew in his bones that destruction was coming his way .

She was right . He couldn’t stop it .

Dumont crashed into the s.h.i.+eld and its wall of light, shattering it and the man behind . His fragile body exploded like it was made of gla.s.s .

Mason’s warped s.h.i.+eld hit the deck with a thud, followed by a rain of mangled flesh . His forearm still clutched the relic .

The demonhunters stared in sickening horror as their corporal was blown apart . He was hale and hearty a second ago, and now his corpse was unrecognizable . Fear struck them deep into their core .

“Mason!”

Shock froze the novice demonhunters in place . For the first time they were faced with death, the loss of a compatriot . They’d watched him blown to pieces before their eyes . What could be more terrifying?

Another shadowy figure raced forward .

Rio swept pa.s.sed them with his sword raised, ready to defend them from this new threat . Ten strikes and parries pa.s.sed in a blink, but the Talon colonel was ultimately disarmed and knocked several meters away .

A twisted and heavily scarred face snarled at them through the fog . His hands were clenched around an enormous sword and the threat of murder hung around him like a cloak .

Claudia’s despairing voice came almost in a whisper . “It is you . . . ”

Once Dumont and Eckard were in full view, a woman with a glimmering whip slowly stepped from the mists . She approached from between the two men, her beautiful face unsettling devoid of any emotion . Only a cold light shone in her eyes as she looked them over . She glanced at Claudia, but did not otherwise react to the presence of her old student . When she spoke it was only to deliver a singular, chilling command . “Kill them . ”

“You’re too slow!” Eckard grumbled at Dumont, who had started to gather his energy into the armor . His scarred mouth twisted into a grin . “Leave it to me . ”

An exorcist rod slipped into Claudia’s grip, and it spun to life as her fingers wrapped around it . She lashed out, the head of the rod colliding with Eckard’s blade . A shock went through her, causing half her body to reel backward . She stumbled a few steps away to gather her bearings .

“You’re still too weak!” Eckard rushed at her with his second strike, holding nothing back . “Is this all that h.e.l.l’s Valley has taught you? Then die like the failure you are!”

Claudia was already wounded, but she knocked the second strike away . His third cleaved her exorcist rod in two . The fourth came screaming down, aimed for her head!

Claudia’s melee abilities weren’t weak, but she was no match for Eckard and his martial proficiency .  I didn't even make it to five moves . Bleak realization filled her heart as she watched the sword come .

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