“Yes, Cleric,” the response quickly came.
“Our primary mission now is to recover the Luminary. Finding the Governor and our re-acquiring our equipment will be achieved as and when possible. Follow me, and don’t hesitate to do what needs to be done.”
He moved off in the direction of the miners who had fled in terror from them. They soon reached an open doorway that led to a main access corridor, much like those that had been opened up to allow the Snappers at them. The miners had made no attempt to shut them in, knowing there would be no containment.
“I guess they just kept on running?” Wyse asked.
“Wouldn’t you?”
He could see Hyland wasn’t entirely happy with the way the situation was handled.
“Don’t ever question a Cleric.”
“I did not.”
“No, but you implied it. Do not ever get on the wrong side of a Cleric, especially this one. You have no idea what you’re dealing with. He’s been through things you can never imagine, and achieved victory in the most unlikely of scenarios.”
“He is a legend, I know.”
“Yes, and that reputation is well earned.”
“You saw him do these things?”
Wyse looked surprised that she even had to ask, but it was clear she had become disillusioned since the death of Andez and the brutal handling of the miners.
“What is it? What is bothering you so much?”
“We were supposed to be unstoppable, invincible.”
Wyse finally got it. She had believed every word of their training and taken it as truth. It made him smile.
“You know that stuff they teach you, it is for a good purpose, but it isn’t all true, you know that?”
She looked stunned, as if her world had been shattered.
“We are invulnerable, and yet we have a wall of martyrs and a chamber of heroes?”
She was starting to make the connection, but that was putting doubt in her mind, and he knew how dangerous that could be. He smacked her on the back of the head to get her to snap out of it. It wasn’t the gentlest of methods, but that was not the Sanctum way.
“We’re still the best fighters in the galaxy, you know that, right? A squad of fully equipped Sanctum Troopers can take on an army. That is our power.”
The Cleric moved back beside them as he had clearly heard, and Wyse looked a little foolish.
“Don’t fear death. There is no point wasting time in that, for it will find us all in time.”
“Yes, Cleric,” replied Hyland.
“But not too soon. You’ll see many more battles before your time to ascend to the Azure.”
The Cleric clearly feared nothing, and it sounded as though he might even welcome death.
“You look forward to it, Sir?”
“Of course, it is a great honour to ascend, so long as you have earned your place among the Sanctum’s finest.”
“Did Andez?”
She was thinking back to the friend she had so briefly made before he was snatched away from them. Death was clearly nothing new to the Cleric as he took it in his stride as if it were any other day.
“Andez’s record and actions I saw with my own eyes have more than earned him a place in the Azure. He will already be dining with the great heroes of old. Our forefathers.”
She took some relief in it, though it still came as a shock. Malik moved to the front again as they came to a fork. He stopped to check the map on his datapad and looked puzzled.
“What is it, Sir?”
“This should not be here.” He was flicking through the map.
“They’ve sent us false data,” said Zephyr.
“How could they do that?” Wyse asked.
“These facilities are changing all the time, and the latest blueprints are sent to all Sanctum vessels upon arrival.”
“They planned this before we even arrived,” said the Cleric.
“Yes, Sir, this was not a spur of the moment decision,” replied Zephyr.
“That would be outright rebellion,” said Barick.
“Yes, we have to get to the Governor and resolve this before it goes too far.”
“Has it not already, Sir?” Barick asked.
“The loss of a Sanctum Trooper and the imprisonment of a Luminary are crimes which must be paid for, but we have to return order. This world is vital to Sanctum operations throughout the system. We don’t need these Provincials to like us. We just need them to get back to work.”
“We would let this treachery stand?” Barick asked angrily.
“Never, all responsible will pay for it with their lives, but most people do as they are told, which is why we must reach the Governor and put an end to this. Sergeant Adler?”
But as he looked for him, he could see he was already tapping into a nearby console.
“I am on it, Sir,” he replied, having pre-empted the Cleric’s request, “Sir, I will need authorisation to breach system security.”
“You can take whatever you want, full access.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“What would possess the Governor to turn against a Luminary?” Wyse asked as they waited on the Sergeant.
“I don’t know, but I am going to find out, and I’m going to purge it from this world!”
“I’ve got it, Sir. I am updating all datapads now.”
A light flashed on Malik’s pad, and he looked at the map. It transitioned and finally showed what they were seeing with their own eyes.
“Got you. This way!”
Chapter Four
Malik stormed on towards the Governor’s office. They passed through a large empty chamber and a long corridor with no signs of life. Finally, it opened up once more for them to discover a gang of miners assembled. They had armed themselves with improvised weapons and were clearly spoiling for a fight. At the far side of them was a stairway that led up to the floor with the Governor’s office. Malik stopped as he weighed up their options. He’d gladly kill every one of them if he had to, but he was conscious that time was getting on, and he had no idea if the Luminary had remained in the place in the time they had been fighting their way through the complex.
“Our fight is not with you, but you won’t like what comes next if you stand against us. You are servants of the Sanctum. You will serve or die, what will it be?”
None of them would move, and two kept slapping their wrenches into their left hands as an attempt to intimidate the Troopers.
“Clear the way!”
Malik ran forward at the nearest miner. The rush had surprised them, and he struggled to lift the heavy wrench to get a swing in, but he was too late, and Malik slashed his right arm off. The wrench collapsed onto his head, causing him to crumple to the floor. He kicked him over as he held his bleeding limb. A roar echoed out as Barick stormed past him, eager to get into the fight. He had a miner’s hammer in hand and wielded it with the speed and skill that would be expected of a Sanctum Trooper. He slammed the hammer into one of his opponent’s mouth, smashing his teeth out, and knocking him unconscious. Before he’d even touched the floor, he was onto his next victim.
The Troopers slammed into the miners with no care or regard. To them, a traitor was no better than the Snappers they had fought. The Wards could barely believe what they were seeing as they advanced but were unable to reach a target even if they wanted to. The six Troopers went forward as a wall, obliterating all before them. It was a powerful display. The Wards had seen the immense power and capability of a Trooper in their power armour, but not having to use their own bodies; particularly against the hulking miners that made any regular Provincial look like a child for their sheer height and muscle mass.
Hyland was getting into it now as well. She’d been concerned about fighting miners right up until the point they had tried to kill her. She smashed one in the face with her blast shield, thrusting the shock rod into his body. The tip pierced him deeply and inflicted a deadly wound, but sparks still flew, electrifying him and dro
pping him to the floor. Steam poured from their lifeless body. The rods were clearly intended for much heavier creatures. She could smell burnt flesh but didn’t let it bother her as she went on. Three miners rushed at Malik. He ran one through, but the other two blasted through him, collapsing to the ground with him under their immense weight, and he lost the grip of his Vanquisher. Both miners’ weight was on top of him, and one smashed down his fists towards his head. He managed to tilt his head enough to avoid the blow and grabbed the man’s head, smashing it down onto the floor beside him.
He was out cold, but the other one was still holding him down, and came down at him with shorter blows that he could not evade. The fist smashed into his face and hit like a freight train. His head bounced off the steel floor below, but just as soon as he recovered his wits, another hefty blow was thundering towards his face. He lifted both hands and parried the blow, locking the arm and snapping it violently. The man cried out in pain, but it was not enough the break the joint. Malik used the leverage to drive an elbow into his face before releasing the hold to allow him to lean back from the impact. He struck his filthy face again with a punch, and that gave him enough space to tuck his legs up and kick the man away. He was thrown back and crashed into another of them. The Cleric was back on his feet before he could recover and looked for his blade. He was hungry for blood now, as he always got when facing anyone who would dare harm a Sanctum Trooper, let alone a Luminary. He looked for his blade but could see no signs of it.
“Cleric!”
Barick’s hammer flew across the room. He caught it and smiled as he looked at his two opponents rushing back towards him. He was going to enjoy this. One was empty-handed while the other had a large pneumatic drill held over his head to crush him with. He leapt out to the side of the latter and slashed at his kneecap, causing him to stumble past and onto Hyland’s rod. The other swung for Malik and caught him with a brutal punch on the chin. His head snapped back, but he turned to his opponent with a furious expression about him. The man drew back for another wild swing, but Malik rushed forward, grabbed his throat, and forced him down over a desk. He smashed his head with the hammer, letting his dead body slip off and crash to the steel floor.
There were two of the miners still standing, and they were not coming forward anymore. They looked ready to run.
“Leave with your lives,” Malik snarled at them.
They threw down their weapons and quickly fled. But Malik’s blood was still boiling. He wanted nothing more than to get his hands on the Governor’s throat.
“Let’s move!”
He threw the hammer back to Barick, kicked over a body to find his Vanquisher, and drew it from the corpse. He led the way forward, climbing the flight of steps that would lead to the Governor’s office. As he reached them, the doors slid open, detecting his presence. It surprised him. He’d expected some security or lock down, and that made him suspicious. He stepped into the room to find it was empty. He could see a line of windows and rushed to them to find it was indeed the one where he had last seen the Luminary. He was looking down at a group of Snappers who were still feeding on the bodies of the Wards they had left behind. That made him angrier. Not that he cared for the Wards, but that they were assets under his command.
There was another door on the far side of the room, and he led the way through it. He followed a corridor for a while until it came out at a storage area stacked with crates. On a gantry above them was the Governor looking down on them, seemingly with no fear at all.
“This is over. Return the Luminary to us and give yourself up!” Malik yelled.
There was no reply.
“Give yourself up, and tell me where the traitor Cayne can be found!”
The Governor smiled back with a wicked grin.
“I don’t get it, what does he think he has over us?” Hyland said to Wyse. She couldn’t understand how anyone could stand up to Sanctum Troopers.
Four doors opened either side of them, and twelve Snappers stepped in to surround them. They all lifted their weapons to fire, but soon realised these were different to what they had faced before. They looked the same, but they acted very differently. They stopped as if waiting for a command.
“What the hell are they doing?” Wyse asked.
Malik looked as confused as the rest of them.
“Look,” said Zephyr as he spotted a small box attached at the side of one of their necks, and soon realised they all had them.
“What is that, a control harness?” asked Wyse.
“He’s got these beasts under his control,” spat Malik furiously, looking back to the Governor for answers. It was clear he was about to get them as the Governor went on.
“Too long has the Sanctum ruled over us with an iron fist. The workers here toil at the mines for what? Scraps!” he said furiously.
“There won’t be a second warning. Stand down and put this madness to an end!”
“Madness? The madness is your order and the self-appointed madmen who run it!”
Barick bared his teeth angrily; ready to rip the Governor apart for his blaspheming.
“He’s got these things under his control?” Hyland asked in disbelief. Yet it was the only thing that made sense.
“You don’t get it, do you, Cleric?”
“Get what?”
“You keep asking me to give up Cayne?”
“Yes.”
“I am Cayne!”
Malik’s face turned to stone as he realised what that meant.
“You have been behind all of this from the very beginning?”
“Yes.”
“Then why send out distress calls and news?”
“Because a Luminary is just what we need to show to the universe what we are, and you delivered one to us. I thank you for that. The Sanctum is at least consistent.”
Several armed guards took up position beside him.
“Whatever you think is going to happen here, you won’t get it. You can’t stand against the Sanctum. You have no right to do so, and any attempt would be foolhardy. It will cost you all your lives!” Malik roared, appealing to the guards beside Cayne. Yet they were having none of it, “Where is the Luminary?”
“Quite safe, for now. Tell me, why do any of you continue to follow this ancient cult? You could be free, all of you. Who among you would join me and fight against the tyranny of the Sanctum?” Cayne asked.
Malik looked back to see not one among them would even consider it. The Troopers were fiercely loyal, and the Wards were too terrified of him to ever give it a moment’s thought. He looked proud of his people as he turned back to Cayne.
“We cannot be bought. We stand for something; you stand for nothing!”
“Then you are fools, and you will die for nothing.”
Cayne then walked away.
“Cayne, this isn’t over!” Malik shouted after him. But the door shut behind him and his guards, and the Snappers began to close in on them.
“Fire at will!” Malik ordered.
He was eager to not lose any time and let the Governor get away. Rifles spat out fire, but more of the Snappers poured through the doors. Malik drew his pistol as he looked back to the door the Governor had left through.
“Keep moving!”
They kept up the fire, and he surged forward, shooting one of the Snappers in the head to clear the way. Another jumped in his path but was shot through the eye by Zephyr. He ran on, trusting in his team to keep up the fight, for he was set on one thing only. He rushed up a set of steps to reach the door and placed his hand before the security scanner. It would not open, even though he should have been able to override it.
He heard a hissing sound and turned abruptly to see a Snapper at his back. Blood shot out over his face as the back of its head was blown out. The corpse rolled down the steps to where Sergeant Adler was standing, his muzzle smoking having shot the creature. The Cleric was once again surprised by the tenacity of the humble Ward.
“Get up here!”
/> Adler stormed up the steps and went straight for the control box. He knew precisely what the Cleric wanted. Malik appreciated that fact, having people who knew what he wanted and when.
“You are a credit to the Sanctum.”
Adler was stunned and stopped his work for a moment. It was the highest praise he’d ever heard from a Trooper, let alone a Cleric. He was mesmerised by it, as though he’d just won a great prize.
“Get on with it,” snapped Malik.
He quickly got back to work, yet with a beaming smile on his face.
Malik looked back to the fight. One of the Wards was cut almost in half, but the bodies of the Snappers were scattered all over. Another reached the bottom of the steps and began to climb, but Malik fired a single shot through its brain. The rest of the team were pushing on to reach them but making slow progress as the creatures swarmed them. The door finally slid open, and Malik looked back to his team for just a second before realising he had to go on.
“On me,” he said to Adler.
The Sergeant looked terrified but complied without hesitation, as the two of them ran on after Cayne and his followers. They came out onto a subway station and could see a car pulling up to the group. Malik fired and killed one of the armed guards, but the others returned fire. Neither he nor the Sergeant had the blast shields several of his Troopers were carrying and were forced to duck into an archway for cover as they returned fire. Cayne leapt through the door onto the car.
“They’re going to get away. We can’t let that happen!” Malik shouted.
He rushed out from cover with no care for his own life at all and went forward fearlessly, firing as he went. He shot another guard dead, but the door sealed shut. He sped up, firing at the rear window of the car as it began to move. The glass was blown out, but a shot came back at him and struck his shoulder. He grimaced in pain as his pistol flew from his hands, but he would not be deterred and ran on, jumping for the car as it began to move. He landed on the rear and held onto the window frame. Glass penetrated his hands, and blood flowed down his arms. The car began to accelerate.
Battle Cleric 2 Page 3
