Archangel
By Lindsay R. Honosky
Chapter Three: A Not-So-Pleasant Surprise
Oh my SCIENCE I am sorry for the long update! I was sick, for a very long time, and I'm pretty sure I'm still a bit under the weather, but anyway...am I rambling? Um, I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter either; then again I could hardly see my screen through all the dots, but I digress, lol. Thank all of you for your wonderful reviews, and hopefully you're still reading this. And I hope to SCIENCE none of you catch whatever plague it is that has befallen me!
"This isn't going to work...!" Lilith emerged from the shadows of the sewer, well on the heels of a most confident Ben Finn.
The soldier simply laughed, "Oh, come now, I think you're underestimating just how charming I can be."
"So glad to know you can woo any man you see," she smirked as he shot her a look. Though it was well into the night the lanterns that lined the tall industrial buildings kept the rather small alleyways well alight, though the smog from the smoke stacks seemed more visible than Lilith would have liked. She had grown used to the combined aromas of sulfur, burning coal, and what she could only guess was human waste (she hoped with every fiber of her being that it wasn't). Moss grew between bricks that were far to old to support her weight, let alone that of an entire factory. She imagined the place was rather inspiring in its heyday, however as she looked upon it now she understood why most would feel hopeless and downtrodden.
They rounded a corner into a tiny clearing, and it was there that she saw the familiar purples and silver of her brother's guards. She frowned, grabbing Ben's arm before he walked dead into their sight, "Are you sure about this? Can't we just find a way to sneak around?"
"Unless you want to swim, and the water's damn cold this time of year." He walked a little to easily from her grip, and with a big grin he shouted, "Good evening, friend!"
The guard seemed to wake from dazing, and was none to appreciative of it. Lilith could see his eyes through the slits in his helmet; judging from the bags under them the man had been at this post for quite some time. Drawing his riffle, the man growled, "State your business or be gone."
"Well, you see good sir, my friend and I here are quite interested in joining your little group!"
"We are?"
Ben elbowed her in the ribs, "Yes, we are."
Lilith tensed as the man cocked the firearm that was most dangerously positioned at Ben's chest, "You've no business here. Leave."
Ben began to shake his hands, a goofish smile on his face, "You don't have any pamphlets for us to take? No forms to sign? In all honesty it's because those uniforms are so dashing, but we are quite the hard workers."
There was a sudden look of realization to the man's eye that Lilith did not like. She watched as his head leaned in closer, examined Ben's face, then shot back with a grimace, "You're that rebel! There's quite a bit of gold out for your head!"
"Is that so-?" The cutlass that was previously at his back was now in his hand, and with a flash of gold light the blade cut into the guard's shoulder. There was a shout behind the gate, and Ben sighed, "So much for under cover."
"And you were doing so well," Lilith laughed, charging a mix of fire and lightening that she was sure her target would feel in the morning...if the man lived. If anything could be said of her brother it was his exceptionally trained soldiers; the man charged at her with full force, not a trace of fear in his eyes. She released her spell, a fire canonball that ignited three others that stood to close. As electricity surged through their bodies, she joined Ben in cutting down two others who had tried to flank them, the clatter of steel and the cries of the dead heavy in the air.
Soon the yard was filled with bloodied or twitching bodies, and they advanced further into the warehouse, finding it all but unoccupied. They exchanged a nod before Ben shot to the left, rolled, and fired his rifle right between the eyes of a man brandishing dynamite; the bullet would have probably pierced his companion, had he not been wearing that squid-like helmet. Lilith took to the right, hopping onto some crates before leaping towards a hook, swinging to a platform manned by three men. She kicked the one closest to her target off the side, blasting the other two with an area fire spell. Their screams echoed in the wide building, followed closely by the crashing of crates. Wearing a triumphant smile, Lilith pulled the lever next to her, opening the wide doors.
Ben soon joined her, panting but otherwise unharmed. Lilith looked him over, poking him beneath his left arm, "You've got red on you."
He looked down and smiled, "Well, at least it's not mine. Now, come on!" She followed him as he leapt from the platform, both racing into the open air.
Lilith stopped, scanned the area, and began biting her lip, "Where's Walter? And Page?"
"I don't know, they should-!"
An explosion, powerful enough to send her flying. The next thing she remembered was her back hitting the wall, the air escaping from her lungs, and a rather annoying ringing sound in her ears. Something big was rolling towards her, but her eyes were to blurry to tell. She squinted, hoping to see through her daze, when strong hands wrapped around her arms. She had just enough time to figure out a gigantic metal cog was about to squash her when she heard another crash, felt herself fly through the air, then being covered by something warm.
Her eyes were closed, and she was struggling to breath, when she heard a muffled voice ask, "Are you alright?"
"I..." Her eyes opened, and she became quite aware of the warm thing that lay atop her. Lilith hoped the red glare from the now burning building would hide the burning of her cheeks.
Of course, fate is never so kind. Wearing a smug grin, Ben laughed, "Is this the time to be swooning, Lily?"
She slammed the palm of her hand against his face, successfully knocking him clear off her person. She stood, tugged her jacket back into place, and crossed her arms, "We don't have time for games, Ben!"
She could hear him laughing behind her, "Right, right. Well then, shall we?"
"You two! Halt, or you will be shot!" Down the alley an entire troupe of soldiers awaited them, muskets and swords drawn.
Lilith looked back at Ben, returned his smile, and shot a fireball towards a group of oil barrels, instantly igniting half the pier. The waters shimmered a haunting reflection to match that of the firey hallway which she and Ben now ran through. Soldiers screamed as they tried to escape the hungry inferno, some even darting into the cold waters that lapped up against the wall. The few that remained held their ground, the faces like gruesome demons in the firelight. Lilith came to a skidding halt, drew her sidearm, and fired at a strap holding some barrels on a shelf. A flood of wooden barrels cascaded into the open area, knocking down more than half of those who remained. Ben withdrew his rifle, picking off those who tried to get up while Lilith took care of the frontal assault with her Casanova.
Both were bloodied and exhausted by the time the pier was little more than a graveyard. Lilith shook her head, sighing; she probably knew some of these men. The fire had only grown as they fought well into the night; a glowing beacon to alert the rest of the army exactly what they were doing. She frowned, flicked the blood from her blade, and turned to Ben, "Were on earth are they?"
"Bloody hell, you two managed to make quite a mess!" Lilith couldn't help the relieved smile that came to her face as Sir Walter appeared out of the smoke. Not to her surprise the old soldier had nary a scratch on him, and he strolled into the pier with a confident smile, "Nicely done, though I think it best we hurry."
Ben came to join them, still reloading his rifle. Poorly hidden concern wavered in his voice, "So, where's Page?"
A big hand landed on his shoulder, and Walter laughed, "Relax! She's staying behind; someone needs to run the Resistance while we're gone. Now with that said," he began to walk down the pier, kicking a soldier back into unconsciousness along the way. Lilith followed, smiling with excitement. She was going to another continent; another world! It troubled her as to why her brother never told her about his adventures, and even more to deny that Aurora even existed. A wasteland, barren of life; something there had changed her brother, and she would soon find out.
She ran down the stone walkway, the water to either side of her, "How long until they come after us?"
Walter shrugged, "Depends on how fast they can dig through all that rubble." He came to a stop before a small wooden dinging, and with a heavy sigh he said, "Well, it'll float..."
"Or, you know," Ben turned, holding his arms wide, "we could just take this one."
"This one" was a rather large cruiser ship Lilith had seen drifting around the harbor from her garden perch, back when she still lived in the castle. The bow was flat, save for a small rise where the captain's courters were, and two giant paddle wheels rested on either side, removing the need for sails or oarsmen, giving way to the power of steam. Cannons lined the the left side, their openings leaving small gaps in the railing. Then her eyes fell on the twin "R"s that were engraved on the side panneling. Lilith frowned, "Um, I don't know if that's such a good idea..."
Ben turned his head, smirking, "It wouldn't be the first thing you've stolen from him."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Walter shot her a suspicious look, frowning.
Lilith walked by them both, stopping only to give Ben's foot a meaningful stomp, "Nothing. Not. A. Thing."
The two men joined her, their heavier footsteps causing small ripples on the water below. The flames behind her were slowly dying down, the once proud roar now more of a simmering whimper. Lilith stopped and looked back, hearing the distant clamor of combat. She frowned, biting her lower lip. Walter stood along side her, his dark eyes softening, "I know you wish to help, but they're fighting to give us this chance. Don't waste their sacrifice."
"I...suppose you're right," she smiled weakly, pounding her fist to her chest, "well then, to lands far beyond!"
"Don't suppose you'd mind getting on the ship now, right?" Ben had already managed to release most if not all the chains holding the vessel to the harbor, his breath visible in the cold night air. Walter gave her a reassuring squeeze to her hand, then climbed alone the wooden walkway onto the boat, his face going a little green in the process. Lilith followed quickly, terrified that the flimsy boards beneath her would snap at any moment. Once on the ship she was amazed at how calm it felt; she was used to the sickening rocking of her brother's war cruisers. She supposed it was of Reaver's own design, and fairly new at that, least all her brother's ships be outfitted with the same steam-powered engines. She looked up at one of the tall smokestacks that pierced the back end of the boat, surprised as clouds of steam began billowing from their tops. She frowned, turning to see behind her, "Did anyone do that?"
Walter withdrew his pistol, and Lilith could see Ben's steel reflect in the firelight. Lilith sent a small charge to her gauntlets, the air so tense she could practically see it. Footsteps could be heard beyond the doors of the captains cabin, a lone shadow slowly growing in the window. Walter came to her side, pistol aimed at the glass, "Come out, nice and slow..."
The shadow stopped, turned to face them, and seemed to laugh; a sound that was dreadfully familiar. Lilith put her hand on the barrel of Walter's pistol, lowering the weapon, "Either come out or stay inside, Reaver. Either way, we're taking this ship."
With a bang the doors were kicked open, and in the darkness she could barely make out that trademark grin, "Now now, little Princess, let's not be to hasty. This is one of my more valuable possessions; much like the factory I believe you just demolished."
Ben came to her right, a cold grimace upon his face, "You won't have to worry about them if you're dead."
"Ah, if it isn't the bold and brave Mr. Finn, how do you do?" There was a cruelty to his smirk that Lilith had rarely seen, "I say you are faring much better than our departed Major Swift."
"I'm going to enjoy gutting you-!"
"Enough!" Lilith stood between them, arms outstretched, "We don't have time for this. Reaver, I assume since the engines are running you wish to come with us?"
"Such a clever little flower, dear Lily! Of course, I was never one to deny myself adventure; though I believe protecting my precious vessel might have played a bigger role in my appearance."
She nodded, turning her attention to a fuming Ben, "Can I rely on you to keep your head?"
"But he's a monster-!"
"Ben Finn! I will not ask you again!"
He seemed to hesitate, fighting to decide between listening to this screaming woman, or gutting that smiling deviant. Blue eyes darted between the two, until finally he sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair, "Alright, princess...I won't kill him. But I promise you if he does anything-!"
Lilith patted him on the shoulder, smiling, "You'll fill him with holes or something along that line, I know. But not right now; can't you hear the chimes?"
It was then that all three men lifted their head to hear the sirens going off in the distance. They were going to be chased, both by land and sea, and it would be relentless. The sounds of marching set the beat to their escape, and it was quickly growing faster and faster. Though Logan's war galleys were docked at the other side of the Industrial District, it wouldn't take them long to catch up to them. Lilith ran up the stairs that led to the upper deck, scanning the horizon. She could barely make out those of the Resistance, still fighting to give them time. However they were quickly becoming outnumbered by the silver helmets of her brother's force; they would have to retreat soon or risk heavy casualties. She turned on her heel, sea breeze tossing her hair, "Reaver, get us out of here!"
He bowed deeply, "As you wish, my dear." He quickly disappeared deep into the unlit cabin, where she only assumed the wheel and controls were located.
"How do we know he won't just steer us into enemy hands?" Ben asked, eying the taller man suspiciously.
Lilith rolled her eyes, "Then go with him and make sure he doesn't!"
Walter frowned, rubbing his beard, "I don't think that's a good idea. I'll watch him, not you." The ship groaned to life beneath them, and Lilith had to hold onto the railing as it seemed to kick out of the docks. She watched in amazement as the water seemed to part between them. Looking back she saw a line of purple suites, rifle barrels staring them down, "Get ready!"
A shot rang out below her, smoke rising from Ben's shoulder, "Way ahead of you, Princess." She watched him take aim, smile, and fire, a responding cry carrying over the water from the other side.
She raced down the stairs, frowning, "How many bullets do you have left?"
She noticed him wince as the rifle kicked back, a body splashing into the sea, "Nine, minus that one."
"Here, take these." She handed him what little ammo she had bothered to bring, frowning at the lack of it.
He raised an eyebrow, "Don't you think you'll need these?" Instead of an answer with words he got a booming response form one of the canons, a smile spreading across his face, "Right, nevermind."
The docks were growing smaller and smaller, Lilith watched as Fairfax Castle became nothing but a shimmering blur. The calm wouldn't last, she knew, but it was nice to be able to catch her breath. The night was as clear as crystal, stars glittering against a cold winter sky. The moon looked like a menacing half smile, as if it knew something that she did not. A pit was forming in her stomach, and she was not looking forward to the coming hours.
Reaver: So I'm to come along, then? I do believe this is quite far from the canon story-line.
Me: It's a fanfic, and I'm sick...and it puts you in it more, so why are you complaining? Reaver: You're sick?
Me: Y-yeah...? Reaver: How dreadful. Do keep a good five yard distance from me, please.
Me: I should just spit on you T_T
Reaver: I wonder what will hit first? Your saliva or my bullet?
Me: QUE THE GOOD, BAD, AND UGLY THEME PLEASE~