Terra scowled.
“There you are!” Samael said, stepping into the glade. He took no notice of the gate.
Terra clinched her jaw. She had no choice now. She couldn't risk the gate drawing Samael's attention. After gritting her teeth, Terra turned to face Samael and moved into a defensive stance.
Samael grinned. “Oh? What's this? Are you seriously going to fight me again?”
Terra's eyes narrowed as she prepared to attack. “I don't know what your problem is, bu–”
Samael's expression lit up as though someone had brought up his favorite subject. “Oh! Yes. My problem is that I hate the Aeon Legion and that they are still breathing. Bastards.”
Terra hesitated. She could fight him, but Samael seemed to enjoy talking too much. Terra preferred a blathering Samael over a murderous Samael. “What's wrong with the Aeon Legion?”
Samael frowned. “Really? You don't know? Typical brainless tiro. Even still, you should be able to figure it out yourself.”
Terra held her ground, resisting the urge to check back on the timer. “Figure what out? The Aeon Legion tries to protect history from being destroyed. What's bad about that?”
Samael scowled. “What's bad about it? What's bad about it! Are you completely stupid? Protecting history! Don't you even know what that implies? Have you ever considered that not all history is worth protecting?”
Terra grimaced. That was a good point, she thought.
Samael twirled the gun in his hand. “We of the Forgotten Guns grew tired of status quo. History is full of monsters and tyrants. Ever heard of Devin, President for life of the United States? What about Emperor Ajam, the Eviscerator? Or Judoc the Terrible, slayer of a thousand tribes?”
“No.”
Samael pointed his fingers like a gun and put it to his head. “Of course not! Because we killed them! After the Final War, I began time traveling. I arrived at Saturn City during the height of the Kings and Queens of Time and witnessed their many atrocities. However, my time at Saturn City was not wasted. I found the Archives quite enlightening. Although the Archives had extensive records of various dictators throughout history, the details I needed were unavailable.”
“Details?”
“Yes. I needed specific information on their whereabouts in various places in Time so I went to the Legacy Library,” he said with a shiver. “Barely made it out of that place alive, but I found what I needed.”
“What was that?”
Samael smiled. “Case files and detailed biographic information on every dictator, tyrant, and serial killer in history. Armed with that knowledge, I formed my own group of assassins and we took a little trip to their times. We ended their careers early before they became a problem. The Forgotten Guns were going to wipe out every bit of scum that made history miserable. Every would be king and tyrant who crushed their subjects under their boots, every monster who tortured people for fun. No one could stop us! We fought against the Legendary Blades as their equals. Then Silverwind went and found that despicable squire of hers!”
“Silverwind's squire?” Terra asked, still trying to keep Samael talking.
Samael's expression darkened. “I don't speak her name. She killed most of my companions. I don't even know how many are still alive, but I know some of us escaped. One day they will come for me and when they do we will rebuild the Forgotten Guns and finish the job. Then we will take down the ultimate tyrant. The Aeon Legion,” he said, aiming his pistol at Terra.
Samael fired while Terra blocked with her shieldwatch. As he drew closer to Terra, her stasis shield began fading. Right when her shieldwatch shut down the, gate beeped and activated the fadeline. Terra jumped back into the fadeline. Samael's image faded and was slowly replaced by a snowy forest.
Snow flakes fell around Terra. The silent surroundings brought her fatigue to her attention. Then the silence abated when Terra heard a whistling noise overhead. She looked up, but saw nothing. Her eyes widened when the whistling grew louder and she recognized the sound.
An artillery shell landed nearby, blowing a fully grown pine tree into pieces. Terra threw herself to the ground, covering her head as debris pelted her from the explosion. The sounds of several more artillery shells now whistled in the air, growing louder.
Chapter XXVI
Trial of War
The aeon edge and shieldwatch is a nearly unbeatable combination. Biological, chemical, and nuclear warfare can all be rendered ineffective so long as a soldier can control a force as fundamental as time. Whether it is the aerial supremacy of the 21st century, the use of armored divisions in maneuver warfare, or the fluid combat of biomorphic wars, none can defeat time. Only singularity technology can match singularity technology. Even in post time warfare fought between singularity equipped armies, the force that controls time will overwhelm any other factor, as time is so fundamental to change. Time changes weapons. Weapons do not change time.
-Excerpt from Core Stratagems of Post Time Warfare, by Time Queen Ananke the Unbeaten. Currently on the required readings list for the Aevum Academy Legion Training Program
Several more artillery shells smashed into the ground near Terra. She darted out of the forest into a flat open snowfield before regretting that decision.
Four main battle tanks in a line formation turned their turrets towards Terra while her Sped vision saw snipers and artillery sitting atop of a hill in the distance. The snipers shot at her with both solid slug projectiles and orange glowing energy weapons.
Her stasis shield blocked the shots, stopping the projectiles aimed with accuracy at her head. Just as she drew back, deafening explosions tore the ground near her as the artillery zeroed in on her position. Before the tanks could fire, Terra Sped her movements and ran back to the forest just as the roar of the jet engines could be heard in the sky.
Terra hid behind a large tree, but an energy blast blew the trunk apart just above her head. She moved away before a solid slug punched through the lower trunk. After Speeding her movements again, Terra retreated further into the forest. She escaped as the tanks fired, turning that part of the forest into a cratered wasteland.
Despite the cold, Terra sweated from both the exertion and the heat from the surrounding fires. Gunships hovered overhead and soldiers rappelled in near her location. When they reached the ground, they took cover and shot at Terra trying to flush her out into the open where the snipers and artillery would get her.
Terra gritted her teeth while drawing her aeon edge. The edge glowed blue as she charged the nearest group of soldiers. They scattered for cover.
“Hold! Don't let her break through!” a soldier yelled. He wore armor painted in a white camouflage pattern with his face covered by a solid armored mask with no eye holes. He raised his weapon to fire.
Terra Sped her movements and slashed right through the man in a blur of motion. He fell to the ground. Two others drew knives and moved to attack Terra, but she cut through them before fleeing into the forest.
She ran a long way before she stopped and sheathed her aeon edge. After catching her breath, she looked at her shieldwatch. It read Trial of War. Still panting, Terra propped her back up against a tree and rested until someone tried to garb her from behind. Terra contorted in the assailant’s arm and used her center of gravity to throw the attacker. The assailant twisted in the air with an unnatural speed and landed on her feet.
Terra drew her aeon edge and Sped her movements, but paused when she saw the attacker was another tiro.
“I had imagined that unfolding much more smoothly,” another tiro said who stepped out from behind a nearby tree. His tanned skin and facial features reminded Terra of Zaid. “Identify yourself.”
“She is with Zaid's Team, Javed,” Roland said as he walked out into view, standing ankle deep in snow.
Javed nodded and the rest of his strike team moved out from their hiding places.
The tiro that Terra had thrown stood before dusting snow off her shoulders. “I thought you said any stra
gglers would be easy to disable?”
Javed spared the tiro a glance before facing Terra. “I am sorry. The enemy has sent in spies before. We were suspicious when a tiro showed up so late. Are there any others behind you?”
Terra shrugged. “I don't know. You are the first friendlies I've seen so far. I just got away from some weirdo with a gun.”
All the tirones exchanged glances. “Samael,” they all said in unison.
Javed motioned for Terra to follow. “Come with us. Our base is not far.”
They all moved fast, Speeding their runs in quick bursts and only stopping when an enemy gunship flew overhead. After it passed without incident, the trip back was silent. Terra was about to ask where they were going when they arrived at the camp.
They had built their camp on a high glacier that overlooked the forest. An umbrella like stasis field projected above it and Terra saw several artillery shells and missiles frozen in it.
Terra pointed. “What's that?”
Roland nodded to the huge stasis field around the camp. “The Legion was kind enough to scatter a few supplies for us before the Trial of War began. Too bad the enemy found most caches, either moving them into their fortress or destroying them.”
“We are low on supplies though,” Javed said, approaching another tiro. They began walking through the camp. “Weapons?”
The tiro shook his head. “Not many. We got one more anti-air grenade. The heavy stasis shield is still holding, but the power won't last more than a day or two. Unless they hit it with another tactical nuclear weapon. The first three took out most of the power. The food is almost gone as are any extra stasis cells. Unless the enemy raids us again, we may last until tomorrow afternoon.”
Javed shook his head. “We can't wait that long. The Trial of Time is ticking down.”
Terra gestured to the battlefield beyond. “Who is the enemy?”
Javed looked to the forest they had just left. “Mostly Kalians and Heclians. A few others.”
Terra raised an eyebrow. “I thought they were our allies?”
Javed shrugged. “They are, but this is a war game. Every year the Helcians and Kalians send their new recruits to fight with the Aeon Legion in the Trial of War. They even get live rounds. We have to find the gate and escape,” he said before waving for everyone to follow him.
Terra joined Roland who entered a central white steel bunker. “How did they make this?”
Roland shrugged. “One of the devices made this. It works like a shieldwatch, but on a larger scale. The other teams set this up.”
“Other teams?”
Roland sighed. “Zaid and Hikari have already fled through a gate. The enemy destroyed it before I got through. Now I am trapped here with the stragglers.”
Terra fell silent. Was she that far behind? She had thought she did well considering that the Labyrinth had attacked her the moment she walked in and had yet to relent. In fact, now that things had quieted she struggled to stay awake and noticed her many aches and pains from the past trials.
They gathered in a large room as Javed projected a holographic map of the salient in the center. “We have finished scouting and found no remaining gates.”
Another tiro pointed at the map. “Which means there is one place left we haven't checked.”
Javed sighed. “Right in the middle of the enemy camp.”
“Camp?” Roland said while staring at the map. “You mean fortress.”
Terra had to agree with Roland. The Kalians and Helcians had built a well guarded fortress on top of a glacier opposite their own. Guard towers ringed a high concrete wall topped with razor wire. A large, reinforced bunker stood in the center of the camp and was likely built over the gate.
Javed pointed to the map. “We can get past the gunship patrols and the armored force, but not the towers and walls. Whenever we get that far the enemy brings too many soldiers against us.”
At that point the remaining tirones fell to arguing. Fatigue had loosened their tongues while whittling away their patience.
A tiro stepped forward. “That is not the worst of it. My strike team made it all the way to the bunker the day before. Elite units guard the gate. We barely escaped.”
“Elite units,” another scoffed. “Our enemy only has numbers on their side. I don't see how these elite units are any threat.”
One pointed her aeon edge at the map. “I still say we wait them out. Ambush them so we can draw them away from their fortress. Once we bleed them enough, then we move in for the kill.”
Javed shook his head. “The Trial of Time is counting down. Besides our enemy receives daily supplies. We do not.”
A tiro glanced at Terra. “Perhaps we just need to wait for more strike teams to arrive? How many are unaccounted for?”
Javed shrugged. “I don't see how we could overpower them even if they were all here. Every day we grow weaker. We must attack soon. By tomorrow at least.”
Roland regarded the map while he rubbed his chin. “Swords in the enemy camp would rout them quickly. You see how the enemy has cleared a firing range? If we could get past that, then we could cut through them with ease and make haste to the gate.”
Terra looked closer. All around the glacier where the forest had met it was now a cratered wasteland. One side bordered a frozen lake while another was a sheer ice cliff.
Javed pointed to the wasteland. “That is what makes it so difficult to approach. They have the lake mined so we can't take that route without going slow and exposing ourselves to attack.”
“What about a night attack?” one tiro asked.
Javed sighed. “We tried once already. They have search lights and night vision. Heat sensors also dot the approach though we do know that they monitor most of their devices through the towers. They have a blind spot at the glacial wall, but we can't climb the cliff.”
“I could,” Terra said softly.
Everyone turned to her.
Terra shrugged. “Well I could. Am I the only person here who finished the advanced climbing course?”
One tiro, the one she had thrown in a grapple, glared at Terra. “Liar. I know you are the lowest scoring tiro in the whole Academy. Maybe Hikari could do it, but not you.”
Terra scowled as she felt her temper rise. Lack of sleep had not helped smooth her bluntness. “I am not lying! I may not have a lot of points, but I finished all the climbing courses even if the rest of you were too cowardly.”
Roland winced at Terra's comment.
The girl gripped her aeon edge and faced Terra. “Take those words back or I'll take your tongue.”
Roland walked in front of Terra. “Of course she takes it back,” he said, putting on his best smile before turning to Terra. “You apologize right?”
Terra hesitated. In truth, she wanted to beat that stupid girl senseless, but Roland's pleading look stopped her. She remained silent.
Roland turned back to the others. “Yes. I can vouch for Terra Mason. She is indeed a skilled climber as I ought to know for she surpassed even me.”
Terra stared at Roland as her brow lowered.
Javed shook his head. “It's impossible. Even with a shieldwatch. You would run out of power before you made it to the top.”
Terra faced Javed. “No it's not. People climb ice as a hobby in my time without a shieldwatch. Besides, one test for the advanced climbing course involved scaling a glacier.”
Roland grinned and pointed to the map. “Tiro Mason can scale the cliff. Once inside the fortress, she could disable one of the towers opening a small gap in the defenses. Thereupon we fell them with our swords after their lights are extinguished. In the confusion, we conquer the gate and escape. I know this will succeed for I have seen it before.”
Javed rubbed his chin. “I don't like gambling our entire force on the lowest scoring tiro in the entire Academy.”
Roland laughed. “Because of points? The centurions revealed the points to be a farce. If you are that worried then I can meet her at the wall
s. There is a frozen river that runs along the glacier. A whole team could not sneak past the patrols there, but one could. Tiro Mason could meet me at the walls and let me in. Between the two of us, we could extinguish the lights to allow the rest to storm the enemy fortress.”
All eyes turned to Terra.
Terra stepped forward. “I can do it. I can climb that cliff and get inside.”
∞
Terra slipped and slid back a few paces before she stabbed her aeon edge into the wall of the ice cliff. The blade was off so it didn't cut, but was sharp enough to pierce the ice. She grimaced, speaking through gritted teeth. “Should have kept my mouth shut.”
She didn't look down. The freezing wind howled around her while she clung to the side of the cliff. They had decided to attack at midnight so she made her ascent in darkness. At least she had gotten a few hours of sleep and a little food they had stolen from an enemy supply vehicle.
The shieldwatch compensated for the lack of climbing gear. It helped her to avoid falling. The few times the ice gave way she would Slow her descent enough to grab hold of the wall again. Still she had to be careful of how much energy she used. The cliff was too tall to use the shieldwatch all the way up without draining its power.
Terra continued her climb, only stopping for the occasional patrolling gunship. This part of the wall was not well guarded as the enemy force thought trying to attack up a sheer ice cliff insane.
Insane, Terra thought. That's what this is. Why am I here again? How did I go from sitting in a cozy library to scaling a sheer ice cliff in order to open a line of attack for my strike team?
She panted as she continued to climb. Her heart jumped when a gunship drew near and she saw a searchlight flash above her. The circle of light swept up and down the cliff in an irregular pattern. Terra froze.
The gunship's engines roared as it maneuvered past her while still facing the cliff. Terra grimaced. If they spotted her she would have to jump down or be shot to pieces. Maneuvering on a cliff was next to impossible. She also lacked the weapons to combat an aerial foe. Even if she had an anti-air grenade, it would give away her position and the enemy would rush to defend the cliff wall. Either way it would be over.
Aeon Legion: Labyrinth Page 34
