“Y-You say that like we, uh,” Naos said, biting his lip. He glanced at the water but quickly looked back to Scout and swallowed. “Like we… had talked about it before? I mean, it wasn’t a…given or anything…”
“You sure enjoyed it for how long you held on,” Scout said, snorting. Hints of blue lit up the sky. The starring color today. “Just wanted to let loose. Sorry, guess I’m letting my feelings run everything again, huh?”
“Okay, okay, that’s not fair…”
Scout grinned. Naos ran his hands through his soaked hair and glanced around again, trying to dispel any awkwardness. She threw her head back and dipped the back-half of her body into the water, locking onto the clouds above. She could almost see them moving as more rumbles echoed.
“You’re, uh, good for it being your first kiss, I think,” Naos said, coughing. “…it was your first, right?”
“Yeah,” Scout said. She kept her gaze on the clouds. “It was.”
“Um, it was mine, too.”
“I know.”
“So, does this mean any—”
“Wait,” Scout said, narrowing her eyes as the clouds continued to move. Actually, they didn’t move; they parted. Something moved through them. The rumblings grew louder, and she realized that the noise didn’t come from thunder. “Look at that.”
Jaskia?
The next sight denied her suspicions. A rectangular, gray transport descended through the clouds, followed by two more. The rumblings turned into shrill shrieks as the engines accelerated in their descent to the crater. Scout felt the color drain from her face, taking any sense of tranquility with it.
She looked at Naos, who had a similar, wide-eyed expression of horror. Their blue eyes only mixed for a second before they swam for land.
The blare of multiple alarms reached Selas’ ears, and he hesitated to look at the sight that followed. However, partial responsibility for this fell to him, so he had to look. The transports landed on the edge of the crater and he saw their ramps extending. The silver armor looked dull under the dark sky, but he still recognized the Queen’s soldiers, marching forward. Their numbers looked greater than on Adli or Wantim.
Outside the docking bay, he spotted pirates scrambling across platforms and landing pads, carrying weapons and forming a defensive line. He glanced around to see the same responses occurring in the docking bay and in the hallways that led to the command center. Chaos surrounded him.
Exactly what Anziar wanted.
“Chok, bring the Killer to the docking bay. The soldiers will go for that before anything else, so we need to keep it out of their view. Keep Trika with the ship but send Kossk to help the pirates,” Sora said, speaking into his comm. He raised his head to Natalia, Fi, and Selas. “You really think that he has something to do with this?”
“Anziar has everything to do with this, Sora,” Selas said, gesturing to the men and women that bustled around them. Flashing red lights came from the hallways. The first echoes of gunfire erupted in the base below as the pirates took their places. “He will use my twin’s body to get to me, but first, he’s using the royal army as a distraction. This is the madness that he thrives in.”
“Can he hurt you?” Natalia said, leaning down and grabbing a rifle from a weapon’s box near her feet. They stood in the center of the docking bay. “Now that he’s not…in you?”
Selas shuddered. He didn’t know the answer, and that gave him the most fear. This possibility never existed before, so he didn’t know how to face it. “He will try, and we’ll see if he succeeds or fails.”
“He’ll fail, Selas,” Sora said, exhaling and pulling out his assault rifle. He stepped forward and put a hand on Selas’ shoulder. “We’ll make sure of it. First, we need to take care of the problem outside.”
“Trok!” Ursun said, charging into the docking bay. Armor adorned all of his body and he held a large, heavily modified shotgun at his chest. “They came out of nowhere, faster than our sensors could detect. Multiple transports, each probably carrying 50 to 100 soldiers. I don’t know how this happened, but we have to begin evacuation. That can only happen by securing the perimeter.”
Selas sighed. This would uproot too many lives and end others, and again, a great deal of fault fell on him. He’d grown foolish to think that he could end Anziar’s work on the Bombard. Anziar would never rest until he destroyed him, and he would destroy everyone else in the process.
However, Selas couldn’t let him get the upper hand this time. He couldn’t save everyone, but he could stop Anziar from causing as much destruction as he had on the Bombard. He refused to sit back and let Anziar use fear and intimidation to reign.
“I know, and I’m sorry,” Sora said, shaking his head. He gestured to his three crew members. “You’ve been good to all of us and we brought this here. Whatever we can do to help, we will.”
“Just fight off as many as you can. It won’t seem like much, but we can’t let them overrun the base just yet,” Ursun said, sprinting for the exit to the outside world and adjusting his gun’s settings in the process. “I have my people beginning the evacuation procedures.”
“Selas and I can venture out and take on what we’re able to,” Fi said, nodding. She pointed to the docking bay’s opening. “You two can wait for the Killer and defend it from Bettina’s men. We’ll need to leave as soon as possible, once Ursun gives the go-ahead.”
Sora bit his lip, patting him on the shoulder once again. “Are you sure, Selas? You can stay and I can go, if that would be better—”
Selas shook his head, smiling to re-assure his friend. It contradicted everything he felt inside, but he also knew that he couldn’t allow Anziar to get that close to anyone else. He had to find him before any more damage occurred. “Thank you, Sora, but I must go. It’s the only way.”
Sora nodded. “Regardless, we have your back.”
Fi tugged on Selas’ arm and removed her sword from its container on her back. “We don’t have any time to waste.”
He turned and ran alongside her, pulling his own rifle out of the holster at his side. The same modified rifle that he stole from the shipment on Con. He hadn’t touched it since the Bombard, but after hearing Caleb’s message, he’d strapped it on before leaving the ship. Today, it would get plenty of use.
His younger brother’s worried face flashed before him. That was something else he would have to face. He didn’t know what news he would have for Caleb.
Selas shook his head to send the image away, moving his feet faster as they exited through the side walkway. Rain dripped through the yellow beam above and hit his scalp. The rain’s speed only increased as him and Fi charged through the walkway. Thunder crashed, overpowering the noise of the growing commotion beneath them. Selas refused to look at the sky.
“We need to get down there,” Fi said, dropping onto a ladder at the end of the walkway. He turned to do the same and saw the fight below. Soldiers marched onto the farthest platforms in single-file lines, not pausing as red lasers flew out of their rifles. Mere feet away, pirates stood side-by-side and fired back, but the red lasers outnumbered the purple. Second-by-second, he watched pirates get consumed by the red.
As he slid down the ladder, he glanced to the left and right of the main gunfire. Some soldiers stood on the crater’s edge, firing into the chaos. Other soldiers threw ropes and descended into the fray. Several pirates fired turrets on their respective sides, but that only deterred a few soldiers. Most landed and charged at the turrets, unleashing the same barrage of red. Selas saw more pirates hit the ground.
He winced as he reached the end of the ladder. A gruesome battle that had barely begun.
“The ones on the left are advancing the most,” Fi said, running down another walkway. He followed, noticing the soldiers directly ahead. Some pirates remained, using their own rifles and pistols, but he didn’t know how long they could last.
Fi dove into the chaos, gracefully catapulting herself over a pirate to behead two shoulders, seamlessl
y sliding her blade between the helmets and the body armor. Lasers flew in her direction, but Fi spun out of the way of each and settled next to one of the three remaining pirates. Selas fired his rifle and the resulting blue orb flew into a trio of soldiers, exploding and killing them all instantly. The pirates used this opportunity to fire at the newest soldiers.
Selas ducked, missing a red bolt as it zoomed above his head. Another bolt singed his robes, leaving a sting. He didn’t allow the pain to become visible, but it did cause him to miss his armor. He fired at the soldiers that now charged for him, but his gaze drifted toward the soldiers that slid down the rock wall in the background. Swarms of Bettina’s men.
Fi sliced through several more soldiers as they jumped onto the walkway, but Selas saw her muscles tense as a laser hit her back. She briefly paused before swerving to the side as more lasers came for her. The lasers pummeled the pirate next to Fi. After the seventh, he fell.
“Fi, this is too much, even for us,” he said, shoving his back against her own as he fired at more soldiers in his direction. Some proceeded onward toward the docking bay, but others aimed for him, yet not as many as he expected. More seemed to focus on Fi. “They’re overrunning the base already.”
“We need to draw them away,” Fi said, yanking a hidden pistol out of her pants and firing at the closest soldier. Selas looked over his shoulder to see Fi nudge him toward another ladder. “I don’t think that walkway connects to the docking bay, and it’ll give the pirates on the central platforms an easier shot.”
Fi pushed herself forward and slid for the ladder. He spun around and fired at the soldiers who gave chase, killing several at once. A few lasers flew past him, but again, most went for Fi. She grabbed the handles and disappeared, before two soldiers intercepted his path and ran after her. Selas slammed his finger onto the trigger and let the blue orb send them off the walkway as it exploded. He noticed more soldiers rushing to make up for their absence by diving toward the ladder.
Still, her tactic succeeded. He only needed to clear the way so he could join her, which he found easy, considering that the soldiers didn’t pay much attention to him.
“Perhaps they are leaving you for me,” a deep-throated voice said. Selas froze and again noticed the rain hitting his scalp. He felt the water trickle down his face and neck. He hadn’t realized until now how cold the rain felt. Lightning struck and thunder crashed. He felt like he could analyze every detail of the environment in this second. Any detail that delayed the confrontation.
“Go on, Selas, look at the sky,” Anziar said. His voice sounded weaker than before, but it still carried over the weather and battle. “After all, it’s the last thing that Jekk remembers, so it is only fitting that you gaze at the sky as you see how it deformed him.”
Selas refused to obey him. He tightened his grip on his rifle, but it didn’t feel as tight as his throat. He’d never experienced these sensations before. The sensation of Anziar speaking to him in a physical setting. The sensation that came from Anziar standing directly behind him, ready to take him on in a way he never thought possible.
Selas allowed his body to turn, aiming his rifle. He immediately lowered it as the sight of Jekk hit him. They looked as identical as they used to, but Jekk had grown much thinner, likely from the years in that facility. The left side of his face looked the same as Selas remembered, only older. The right side, however, didn’t look like a face at all. His eye stood out as the only identifying factor, and it had a glazed appearance.
However, despite all those physical flaws, he stood before Selas and wielded a sword. He smirked and flashed his teeth. He lacked several, but the smirk reminded him that Anziar stood before him, not Jekk. The body belonged to his brother, but the composure and the mannerisms belonged to Anziar.
“You made a mistake bringing them here,” Selas said, motioning to the soldiers. He glanced to the walkway below to see Fi shooting and slicing simultaneously, while pirates fired at her pursuers from an opposing walkway. “They only serve the Queen, and she’s not your ally.”
“As with any mortal, they are a means to an end,” Anziar said, twirling the sword. The blade looked new and unused, unlike Fi’s. He didn’t know where or how Anziar stole it, but perhaps he didn’t want to. “Much like this pathetic vessel. However, it is accomplishing its mission. Once I took possession of this body, it was simple to use this body to reach out and to locate my true form.”
“His name is Jekk,” Selas said, gritting his teeth. He pointed the rifle at Anziar again but struggled to hold it up as he stared at what used to be his brother. “Leave him be, Anziar. You’ve already lost.”
Anziar bellowed and it echoed above the fighting. He stepped toward Selas. “There’s not much to leave, Selas, which is how it should be. There can only be one master of darkness and he can only have one body. Once I have you and dispose of this weakling, all will be right.”
Selas’ hands shook but he didn’t allow the rifle to lower. His finger fiddled with the trigger. He had to end this now before Anziar played more mind games with him. He didn’t know if he could get back into his head, but he didn’t want to take the chance.
However, could he shoot Jekk? He had hurt him enough for one lifetime.
“That crew has weakened you, particularly your attachment to that woman,” Anziar said, stepping closer and pointing the sword at Selas. The blade hovered inches above the rifle.
“That woman overpowered you when you were on the cusp of achieving complete darkness,” Selas said, tightening his grip on the rifle again. He wanted to spare Jekk, but he refused to spare Anziar. “If anyone has been weakened, it’s you, old friend.”
Anziar snarled and flashed his teeth again, thrusting the sword toward Selas. He swerved to the right and fired, but Anziar swerved to the left. Selas ducked as the sword came toward him again, firing at Anziar’s legs. Anziar jumped and landed to Selas’ right, bringing the sword down again. Selas dropped his back to the walkway and rolled to the left.
He pressed the trigger again, but Anziar slashed his right hand, sending the rifle to the ground and the blue orb into the horizon. Selas hissed, yanking his hand back and watching the blood that emerged from the slice.
“Even in this wounded vessel, I still best you,” Anziar said, putting the sword to Selas’ neck. Anziar loomed above Selas as he laid on the walkway. “Pitiful.”
Selas grunted, while his left hand crawled for the rifle. “You can’t kill me. You need me.”
“Indeed. I merely need to break you.”
“Your body possesses much prowess for having such disability,” a raspy voice hissed. Selas saw the shock flicker in Anziar’s good eye as he held the sword to Selas’ neck. Selas looked beyond Anziar to see Kossk, touching Anziar’s back with his spear. “Your mind has the strength to overpower the physical obstacles.”
“Kossk,” Selas said, grabbing his rifle and shoving the sword away. “Stay back. This isn’t your fight.”
“Do not let the pride of your mind isolate your soul, Selas,” Kossk said, keeping his spear level with Anziar as he turned to face the Mizan. “The power of Anziar’s mind will overpower your body.”
“Kossk, I did not have an opportunity to properly greet you on my ghost ship,” Anziar said, growling. He smirked. “How disappointing to see you still caught in subservience.”
They knew each other. Kossk’s understanding of Selas’ issues and their previous encounters clicked. He’d known of Anziar’s existence all along.
“An encounter between our bodies was not necessary on the Bombard,” Kossk said, tapping Anziar’s chest with the spear. “Now, my mind detects that it is necessary.”
“Very well.”
Anziar raised his sword and clashed with Kossk’s spear. Kossk stabbed it toward Anziar’s chest, but Anziar blocked its trajectory. Anziar thrust his sword forward, causing Kossk to stumble backward. Kossk didn’t allow his spear to fall, but Anziar continued his offense, swinging his blade. Kossk blocked each,
but Anziar didn’t allow an opportunity for Kossk to regain an offensive position.
Selas fired his rifle, but Anziar and Kossk both jumped out of the way. Anziar used the air to carry him a few feet forward, landing behind Kossk. He slashed the Mizan’s back before Kossk could spin around. Selas winced as he saw the long cut along his friend’s back. Kossk stabbed at Anziar again, but Anziar’s sword cut him off before it ducked down and sliced Kossk’s stomach. Kossk tensed but quickly blocked Anziar’s next slash.
Insightful or not, Kossk couldn’t match Anziar. Selas suspected Anziar did not have all the abilities he would have in his body, otherwise beasts and mind-controlled soldiers would run free. However, Jekk’s disabled body didn’t limit his fighting ability.
Selas glanced to the walkway below. A litter of bodies sat at Fi’s feet, but he saw multiple burns and bruises on her arms. He also saw more soldiers charging, tailed by Captain Nelson. He scowled at the sight of the coward.
Selas wanted to jump to her aid, but another hiss broke his trance. Anziar’s sword plunged into Kossk’s thigh. Kossk nearly collapsed but used the walkway’s handles to keep himself standing, using his free hand to rip the sword out of his leg and shove Anziar back. Kossk used Anziar’s recovery time to his advantage, cutting across his opponent’s chest. Blood droplets appeared on Anziar’s robes as he still stumbled back.
Acting on instinct, Selas fired and the blue orb slammed into his twin’s form, exploding on impact. Anziar crashed into the ground as blue enveloped him. Selas ran to Kossk’s side but his eyes stayed on Anziar, wondering if he killed what remained of Jekk.
“My body loses consciousness, but his body remains full of life,” Kossk said, resting his claw on his wounded leg. He dropped his spear next to Selas. “Allow your body to use this weapon.”
“I can’t kill him, Kossk,” Selas said, forcing a neutral expression onto his face. “It’s not just Anziar. It’s my brother.”
“Then do not focus your mind on the battle of your bodies. Focus your mind on your brother’s soul.”
Unleashed Page 7
