Rise of the Young: Warriors are not made; they are forged (The Ascended Book 2)

by Bygott, Hugo C.

  Kry could not stop thinking about Makai and what he did to those two boys. He could sense Makai’s presence fading. He could not let him escape. Makai had to die.

  “About Rhea—”

  “Don’t,” said Kry. “It means nothing to me anymore.” He touched Michael’s forehead with a swift movement causing him to collapse into a deep sleep. “I have someone to kill.”

  Kry left Michael lying among the dead and left the stadium to hunt Makai.

  ****

  Whisper ran through the blasts of fire and ice desperately searching for his father. The ensuing chaos had caused him to lose sight of his father, but he could sense him close by. He was close, so close.

  A potent source of energy then struck his barrier, shattering it. He was dazed as he tried to regain his focus. He then smelled something horrid and was alarmed as the giant Abbas lunged toward him with saliva dripping from his rotten teeth.

  “I got me some young meat, ripe for a delicious meal.” Abbas tried to grab Whisper, clawing at him with his glass nails.

  Whisper tried to crawl away, but Abbas caught his leg and pulled him back.

  “Don’t worry little one. I’ll make sure to tell your parents how sweet you tasted.” Abbas grunted and pulled Whisper into his grip.

  Suddenly, Abbas’s teeth popped from his mouth, and Whisper fell from his hands. The giant frame of Yujin appeared surrounded by a blue barrier.

  “Go, my friend,” said Yujin. “Leave this one to me.”

  Whisper struggled to his feet as Abbas growled wildly at Yujin.

  “You die,” said Abbas. He turned on his barrier and charged Yujin.

  Whisper ran through the fighting, quickly picking up his father’s presence and leaving Yujin to fight Abbas. Whisper used his mind to locate his father and found him being dragged by Blackhat into one of the Purifiers. He could not lose his father again and blinked toward his location. Blackhat was surprised to see the young boy in front of him.

  “Daniel!” yelled Dr. Rhodes.

  Blackhat attempted to grab Whisper, but Whisper raised his hand and formed a rock which then flew to Blackhat’s temple, striking him down. He used just enough energy to incapacitate him. His father rushed to him and hugged his son with great happiness. Whisper was overjoyed to be reunited with his father once more.

  “You have grown so much. Can you speak?” asked Dr. Rhodes.

  Whisper shook his head sadly. His father hugged him again. He was just so happy to see his son and kissed him on the cheek.

  “You’re the only person I care about in this world. I’m sorry for what I made,” said Dr. Rhodes, looking up at the Purifiers.

  Whisper loved his father and knew it was not easy for him. Nothing would separate them again. Nothing.

  “So, this is your son?”

  They became aware of the scent of lavender as they heard the familiar purr of a seductive voice. Whisper pushed his father behind him and strengthened his barrier.

  “I will not let you hurt him!” shouted Whisper.

  Dr. Rhodes tried to put his son behind him, but Whisper was adamant that he stay where he was. The son now protected the father.

  “Oh, but you will,” purred Botulinia.

  ****

  Eclipse danced with fire in her heart as she carved her way toward Luka. The New Order students were everywhere, and many had tried to block her path as she closed in on Luka. She realized that she was not the only one trying to reach him. To her left, Svana was fighting her way toward Luka with the same intention.

  “Unfinished business,” said Svana, blasting a New Order student away.

  Eclipse then saw Professor Seranay also working toward Luka.

  “We do this together,” said Seranay. There was anger in her eyes; the death of Professor Manjra affected her greatly.

  The three of them had reached Luka who was defending himself against a barrage of attacks.

  Seranay raised her hand. “Get back! We’ll deal with him.”

  The students surrounding Luka stepped back and joined the fight against the other Blades on the field. Kade and Rafal were unleashing hell.

  “Allow one more to join this fight,” said Aiyax. She slashed her whips across the ground. “The champion of the Cube will not run.”

  Seranay was proud to see Aiyax join them, and Eclipse was more than confident that with Aiyax’s help, Luka would be a less difficult opponent.

  Luka bowed to them. “This isn’t what I want. It is duty that makes me do this.”

  “You are blind not only in sight but in your philosophy,” said Seranay.

  “Each has their own perspective. Mine is no different,” said Luka.

  “Blind Blade, you seem different to the other Blades. There is some honor in you at least,” said Eclipse. “Even in our previous fight, I sensed you could have killed us sooner, but you didn’t.”

  Luka twirled his katanas together. “I’ll not make that mistake again.” He jumped into the air and unleashed several bolts of lightning from his katanas.

  Aiyax reacted instantly and used her whips to deflect them.

  Luka landed on his feet. “Impressive. Champion of the Cube, you say? A worthy fight, indeed.” He prepared to launch his next attack.

  “Hold on, that one is mine,” said Dice, grabbing a nearby student and throwing him aside.

  Aiyax turned to confront Dice and separated with the others.

  “It looks like it’ll just be the four of us again,” said Luka.

  Eclipse glanced to the sky and sensed Rush somewhere in the clouds. He was still there fighting and removing as many Purifiers as he could. “Stay alive,” she whispered. And she prayed that she, too, would stay alive as she joined Seranay and Svana in the attack against Luka.

  ****

  Kry scoured the university grounds. Makai’s presence was erratic as if he was searching for something. There were dead students everywhere. He could not believe how all this had happened so quickly. The campus was on fire, and in the distance, he could hear the fighting of the students.

  Kry had reached the Professors’ Tower, yet there was not a soul in sight. It was eerily silent as he entered inside and climbed the steps. Every step he made, he knew he was closer to Makai. Why was Makai even here in the first place? He was almost there. Makai’s presence had not moved. He burst across the corridor and realized Makai was in Zero’s office. The door was open as he reached the room. Makai was kneeling, and blood was spread out across Zero’s floor. A body was lying next to Makai.

  “What have you done?” accused Kry.

  Makai stood up and turned to him. The dead body was Katar.

  “You killed him!”

  Makai raised his barrier. “I didn’t kill him.”

  Kry clenched his fists. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done! You killed Katar, and you murdered those two boys!”

  Makai placated with his hands. “Wait! I’m not who you think I am.”

  Kry raised his barriers and moved for an offensive attack. He threw a fireball toward Makai who redirected the attack into the wall, blowing up the bookshelf.

  “Wait, Kry. It’s not what you think it is! I didn’t kill Katar, and the story of the two boys is a complicated matter.”

  Makai was not attacking him. Why? Kry threw more blasts of energy toward Makai, but each attack was deflected.

  “I understand why you’re upset, but this is not my doing,” said Makai.

  Kry smashed his hand into the wall. “They were just boys! You killed them, and you killed Katar! How many others have you killed on behalf of the Shadow Government?”

  Makai blinked left and right and then touched Kry’s barrier. With each touch, Kry’s barriers dissipated. “Listen to me, Kry. I’m not your enemy.”

  Suddenly, Makai was thrown backward.

  “I would advise you to remove your hands from my student.” A dark mist of energy entered the room. Zero appeared, overwhelming and powerful. The shadow of his form darkened the entire room. Zero slow
ly walked toward Makai.

  Makai struggled against an invisible force. “It was you who killed Veron, wasn’t it?”

  Zero smiled. “I did. He was going to kill me, but I was faster.”

  Kry could see an element of fear now come from Makai. The eloquent and charismatic Makai was now altogether different.

  “You killed Katar, too,” said Makai.

  Kry looked to Zero with disbelief.

  “No, you killed Katar. I only wish I came sooner to stop you before you did. The Shadow Government and the Blades have to be stopped. You will be stopped,” said Zero. He then pushed Makai against the wall with his energy.

  Makai tried to break free. “What are you?”

  Kry could not believe how strong Zero was and how easily he could control a Blade.

  “I am Zero.”

  Makai struggled to breathe. He looked at Kry and then at Zero and back again at Kry. His eyes were searching for something.

  “I’m sorry,” said Makai. With a flash, he disappeared.

  Zero looked upset.

  “You let him get away,” accused Kry.

  Zero turned back to him with a mighty glare, and then it was gone. “Don’t worry. We will get them all eventually. Let us return. We have much to discuss.”

  “What about the rest of the students?” asked Kry.

  “I will take care of everything,” promised Zero.

  Chapter 35 – Last Stand

  “He’s too fast!” Svana’s barrier had fallen due to the continued pressure of Luka’s attacks. She lunged into Luka who blocked her attack and thrust his katana toward her now unguarded thigh.

  Eclipse quickly threw herself into the attack and used Kuro to deflect Luka’s katana. Svana jumped back and looked at Eclipse with surprise. “Thank you.”

  Luka was unrelenting as he continued his flurry of attacks. The sound of their weapons clashing was like the sound of thunder.

  “Don’t give up!” Seranay reinforced her barrier just as Luka fired a bolt of lightning toward her.

  “Attack from all sides!” Eclipse jumped into the air and released Kuro and Shiro from her hands, making each weapon hover beside her. Kuro moved to her left and Shiro to her right. She directed each of them to attack while she generated bolts of lightning from her hands. Kuro swung by itself as Luka’s spinning katanas equally matched the black weapon. Shiro rapidly fired bullets guided by her mind, but Luka was everywhere, his movements so fast that no bullet touched him.

  Eclipse knew that they could not continue this. She glanced across the stadium and saw the Blades winning almost every battle. Only Aiyax was managing to stay on an equal footing with Dice. Truly, the reputation of Aiyax was deserved as the champion of the Cube. If she had been able to join their fight, no doubt Luka would have been easier to defeat, but there were no free hands available as the Blades steadily took over, and the number of students declined.

  “We have to leave!” said Eclipse, rolling to her left just as Luka made a new attack.

  Seranay and Svana could see it, too. They could not win this way.

  Eclipse tried to think, but in that moment of hesitation, Luka struck her barrier with such power that it shattered. She stepped back, stunned at the sheer agility of Luka.

  Seranay and Svana forced him back. “We must go now!” urged Seranay.

  Eclipse then sensed in her mind that someone was in danger and quickly scanned the field. “Whisper’s in danger! It’s Botulinia.”

  Suddenly, a barrier enclosed them in a bubble. The sound of battle lessened as they found themselves trapped. They attacked the barrier, but not one of them was strong enough to break through. Eclipse prayed Whisper could survive long enough for them to reach him. With renewed determination, she turned back to Luka and brought Kuro to her side.

  “No one escapes this time,” said Luka. “Until a victor is determined, there is no running from this. Honor is to the end.”

  ****

  His father tried to push him aside, but Whisper would not allow that. He looked his father in the eyes and shook his head.

  “Brave boy. Brave little Daniel. It is Daniel, right?” Botulinia slowly approached him, her purple dress gliding as if it were on water.

  “No closer!” shouted Whisper.

  “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to thank your father for doing such a fantastic job on these machines,” she said.

  “I only did that because you forced me!” shouted Dr. Rhodes.

  Botulinia laughed. “Did you hear that, Daniel? I forced your father to make these terrible machines of war. How terrible of me.” She purred. “Or was it more terrible that your father sacrificed the lives of millions for his own safety?”

  Whisper remained calm, keeping his barrier up and watched Botulinia gain distance. “No further! I warn you!”

  “It was for the safety of my son! He’s all I have left!” Dr. Rhodes tried to get past Whisper, but Whisper kept him locked inside their barrier.

  Botulinia’s loving face turned grim. “And soon you’ll have nothing, you pathetic man. I’ve no more need of you anymore.” Her whole body began to glow purple just like the color of her dress, and her eyes were now filled with tremendous energy. “Daniel, poor, little, mute Daniel. It’s a good thing you lost your voice as I’m not sure I could take the screams you’d make when I kill your father.”

  “Never!” Whisper brought forth all his energy. His barrier glowed a bright green, and then he began to fire rocks of energy. They burst from his hands like a machine gun.

  Botulinia only laughed as she danced between the rocks, her dress gliding with her. “Your lessons here have not been enough, little one.” She screamed, and the power of her voice created sonic vibrations that shattered Whisper’s barrier.

  Whisper tried to reform his barrier, but Botulinia was already next to him. She threw him to the side. He rolled across the ground, his vision blurring as each tumble made him lose focus. When he finally stopped rolling, he trembled in panic as he saw Botulinia holding his father by the throat, lifting him high into the air.

  “Daniel, forgive me for this, won’t you?” He wasn’t a good father, but I can be a good mother.” She purred inside his mind as she held his father firmly by the throat.

  Whisper got to his feet and tried to reach them. Botulinia pulled her dagger out and made the motion to strike his father in the heart. Whisper would never reach him in time. At that moment, he felt the pain and the weakness of not being able to do anything. He screamed, but no words left his mouth as Botulinia thrust her dagger.

  The dagger shattered on impact, and Botulinia was blown backward to the ground. Dr. Rhodes fell to the floor, coughing. To Whisper’s surprise, a wall of ice had appeared just as Botulinia struck, destroying the dagger in the process.

  Whisper ran to his father and helped him up. A cold mist surrounded them, and then it was like a burning inferno. He turned to see Geminae enveloped in flames. She was holding her chest and was covered in blood; somehow she was still alive.

  “Geminae! You will die again for that!” roared Botulinia as she rose to her feet.

  Geminae’s face was one of extreme pain. Whisper could not believe it. Geminae was flickering between ice and fire, and he knew she was dying slowly. Dr. Rhodes, too, was shocked as he leaned on his son.

  Geminae turned to Whisper with sadness in her eyes. “Tell Kry I’m sorry. I was wrong about everything.” She flickered again into a mist of ice. “Now, run.” She then burst into a wave of flames.

  Whisper helped his father and formed his barrier again. He opened his mouth and, for the first time, his lips formed words. “Th—ank you,” he said with tears running down his eyes.

  His father turned to him in surprise and was overwhelmed as he heard his son speak again.

  Geminae smiled, and the sadness left her eyes; in its place was a sense of tranquility. Her body shimmered between fire and ice as she turned to Botulinia. “I will see my sister soon.”

  Whisper ran w
ith his father away from the fight. He turned back to see Geminae once more. And in that moment, he did not see a Blade but only a fallen angel who had risen.

  ****

  “Now!” shouted Rush.

  Rhea had pressed the buttons so many times that her fingers were hurting.

  “They’re never ending!” said Rhea.

  Rhea was thrown forward as a great blast of energy rocked the machine. More shots came from other Purifiers, and they were soon under heavy fire, causing many computers to explode.

  “We’re taking too much damage!” said Rhea, getting back to her feet.

  Rush was focusing so hard on controlling the machine that his face was contorted with strain. “Now!”

  Rhea got back to the weapons screen and pressed fire. Again, another computer exploded.

  “Our weapons are disabled!” shouted Rhea. “What do we do?”

  Suddenly, the window of the control room shattered. The air came into the room like a blizzard, blowing Rhea’s hair back in a gust of wind. And then everything went black.

  ****

  “Have you decided?” asked Zero.

  Kry watched the battle safely from a window inside the Chamber. Zero had brought him here to see the evil that was the Shadow Government. The stadium field was a scene of tragedy. There was fighting on the ground and fighting in the air. He just wanted it all to stop. He was still thinking about his meeting with Makai and what Makai had said to him. Why would Makai say sorry? What did that mean? Even Makai’s reluctance to fight him was a mystery. None of it made sense to him, but one thing was sure, the fighting had to stop. He turned to Zero. “Will they be safe?”

  Zero touched his shoulder. “For a time. There will be a brief moment when they can escape, but you must connect your mind to them all and tell them what to do. It will not be long.”

  Kry thought hard about what Zero had asked him. It was a difficult decision, but he knew it was the right one. If he wanted to get stronger and defeat the Shadow Government, he could only do that with Zero’s guidance. “Yes,” said Kry with finality.