Chapter 21: Grim Alliances
There was a rush of cold air as Ovosh continued the tour through her newest home. The rising suns had begun to illuminate the landscape, yet within the structure she dwelled, light was a rarity. Through wooden walls which were marked with designs of the ancient world, Ovosh perceived the frantic rush of unpacking. As such, it was this which she had been insisted she be excluded from.
The expansive architecture that now stretched out before her was far unlike the simple monotonous overtones of the old Z compound. Blacks and Whites were now reds, oranges, and dark blues. Curtains were drawn tightly, allowing thin streams of light to shine through. They were only source of illumination within the room, and the red tint bequeathed to them by the curtains, served to color every surface.
Ovosh had set aside her footwear, and wore nothing but socks. Each step sent a shiver through her spine, and she brought her hands to her shoulders. This was so, despite the scorching temperatures on the exterior.
Near the edge of the room, hanging from the ceiling, a most curious ornament caught the girl's eye. It was a bundle of dim gold cylinders, and they swayed ever so slightly in the air. As if in a trance, Ovosh walked towards it, her steps measured. A hand reached out to touch the ornament.
She almost jumped back as her finger touched one of the cylinders, and a low ring sounded as the various parts of the ornament collided with one another. The sound filled the room, as each of the walls sang what had been given to it. Her blood flow slowed, and a certain level of calm invaded her.
Gone was the calm, when the shadow of Phonium's power shrouded her senses. Such was its intensity, that she bent at the knee to even stand a chance at comprehending it. Rushing to one of the windows, she swept aside the silky curtains, to look upon the vast horizon beyond. For despite its massive weight, its source surely could not have been perceived within the area.
Fruitlessly still, she searched for the Namekian. Her eyes darted around, as his ki still burned within her senses. For a brief moment, she felt conflict, and could feel her own ki swelling within herself in response to this phenomenon. But, as she wondered what exactly the Namekian was doing, his ki disappeared in an instant.
"What's the matter?"
The low baritone voice boomed behind her, causing Ovosh to snap around, her arms out in a combat position. Upon turning around, she immediately recognized Phonium, and expressed shock. Her eyes darted to the outside, where she had felt his power before, to where he now stood.
"Phonium!" Ovosh expressed, "You're here, but I felt..." she turned to the outside once more.
Phonium tilted his head to the side, and his brows furrowed, "What are you babbling about?"
Just as Phonium had finished reprimanding her in his usual strict tone, the shadow of ki made itself known to both. Ovosh could almost feel her bones shake from the amount of power generated, even if it did feel far from them. However, it was not Phonium's power she felt.
Phonium had immediately gone on alert, immediately debunking that this was a phenomenon unique to Ovosh. "Reitoko?" he gasped, "He's in battle? But how, I just passed by him!"
As soon as he said that, the Arcosian entered the room. Unlike Ovosh and Phonium who expressed bewilderment at what their senses were telling them, Reitoko gave a vision of collected calmness, even as his supposed ki raged in the distance. He viewed how both were taking the contradiction before their eyes, and asked them, "So you feel it to?"
The tense forms of Ovosh and Phonium then straightened, as they awaited his orders. Phonium yelled out, "Sir!" as Reitoko crossed in front of him.
Reitoko waved a hand in an attempt to dispel the faux military respect he had been given. It took Ovosh a smidge longer than Phonium to actually snap out of her attentive position.
Looking outside, Reitoko began to slowly move towards the window, "Something quite peculiar is going on. I've sensed the ki signatures of several warriors, warriors I know or knew before. They all originate from the same position, and in a way, they all feel similar to one another."
A low rumble, like the sound of a massive drum being beat, was heard off in the distance. The chimes in the room began ringing as the room itself experienced minor tremors.
"Join me downstairs," Reitoko said, his eyes shifting, "we'll have to postpone our unpacking."
...
A large golden orb was the source of the rumble. It grew slowly from the sandy ground, radiating volatile energy. Small black figures of men, woman and beast were thrown around as it expanded. Some vanished within the orb, disintegrated before its mighty advance. Both White Fang and Neo Terran Front, eternal rivals for all of time, and for all of time to come, now shared the common fate of oblivion.
Helena was not so unfortunate, and was merely blown back by the mighty blast of the strange creature, Grimhilde. Masses of sand and dirt assaulted her, grinding against her golden cyborn limbs. In the face of Sanctuary's deadliest unnatural sandstorm, Helena managed to keep her balance and give little ground.
Another NTF soldier, a woman with brown hair was thrown back with her, and was stopped at Helena's feet. As she recovered, she noticed the woman moving no more. Helena's face turned to despair, as she knelt down. The mechanical hands of cold machinery were now warmer than the face they caressed.
Rage flashed within her icey blue eyes, and in fury, the NTF lieutenant rose from the ground. Metallic hands were now clenched into fists, squeezing with diamond-compressing pressure. Sand scattered as she charged Grimhilde, floating over the new crater she had created. Helena sent several orange bolts ahead of her, meeting the forearms of the creature. They detonated against her, but to no visible effect.
As Grimhilde braced herself for impact, upon her flank, another NTF uniformed soldier materialized. Both of his hands were united by their palms, as he unleashed a wide spread ki attack, spraying energy directly into the body of the beast. For a moment, Grimhilde was consumed by the conflagration of volatile light. But, once the light passed, she still remained.
A blue hand wrapped around the man's neck. His legs kicked out, as his eyes widened in desperation. The wind stood still, and so did Grimhilde, as she held the now struggling man.
Helena stalled upon witnessing the grim situation of her fellow. Her hesitation proved critical, for the creature had not even taken her amethyst eyes off of the NTF's second-in-command. With the flick of a finger, a thin magenta beam shot forward, meeting its mark the minute it was launched. A flash of smoke and red light resulted from the impact, and Helena was sent flying away in an eternal series of uncontrolled backflips.
Grimhilde turned her attention to the NTF soldier held captive. But, upon beholding his struggling, defiant, flailing form, her narrowed eyes had begun to soften. Bit by bit, the man's efforts became more energizes, as the creatures black-speckled fingers had loosened their grip.
Ratcliff became enraged. He had taken a position behind her. Now, he reached into his jacket once more, pulling out his control device. A furious finger pressed down on one of the buttons, and blue electricity coursed through Grimhilde once more, as she nearly lost her grip on her captive.
"Oh come on!" he urged, "Suck him dry!"
The fast blur of Grimhilde's tail flashed from behind. Swiftly it moved, propelling itself forward towards her held victim. At the end of her tail lay a long stinger, the color of pale flesh that engulfed the end of the tail, and finished with a hollow point. The long rod embedded itself into the man's side, eliciting a small wince, as if the act of penetration did not cause that much pain.
Helena shouted out in desperation as she watched the form of her comrade begin to diminish, as if he were shriveling up into himself. Skin folded over before melting. Limbs were assailed with wrinkles before shrinking into their sleeves. Even his now-grotesque face had vanished beneath the neckline. Soon, all that was left of the man was his NTF uniform.
There was a rush of wind. Helena was upon the creature again. Within her eyes, the song of ice was now a requiem of fire, and her golden arms lashed out in fury.
A mechanical snap was heard, and Helena's eyes widened.
Her arms dropped away from her torso, now limp and useless. Detached from her body, they planted themselves into the sand. A cold sweat had broken across the NTF second-in-command, for she was quick to recognize her own peril.
"Well bully for me!" cackled Ratcliff, proudly waving his controller, "I remember that little side-project! Must have been going through my gold phase. Grimhilde, kill her!"
A hand extended, grabbing Helena by the neck. Her bones strained from the great force applied, and her wind pipe threatened to give out. However, the creature inflicted nothing else. It was now a statue, staring straight into the lieutenant's eyes. Hesitation and sorrow clouded the android's own, but such was her strength that Helena could not take advantage of it.
Ratcliff's eyes nearly rolled back into his sockets, "Oh come on!" he goaded, "Kill! Her!"
His fingers were firmly upon the controls again. Grimhilde had entered the throes of agony. So far, none could inflict as much harm upon the creature as her master could. Still, her grip, while firm, did not even firm up to restrict Helena's airflow.
Grimhilde continued to endure torture. Helena's legs kicked out, yet she was unable to break free from the mad scientist's creation. Despite Ratcliff's constant goading, Helena was no closer to death in Grimhilde's clutches.
"Stop being a little baby and kill her!" Ratcliff urged, shaking in anger.
Veins appeared upon the creature's arm, and it appeared as if her resolve to take life would resume. Before she could bestow that upon Helena, her grip suddenly loosened, for she was struck from behind.
The culprit was Shere Khan himself. The White fang leader had left three jagged marks on the back of Grimhilde's head. The wounds revealed a mess of red and purple flesh. Immediately after the damage had been done, the creature's skin closed in, sealing away soft and vulnerable flesh. Meanwhile, Helena had the express displeasure of landing upon her rear after her unceremonious release. Quickly she scurried away, as both banes of her existence were now entangled with one another.
The creature ducked down, reeling from the blow. Shere Khan had flown over her, missing another swipe. As he had now begun overshooting his target, he stopped his flight, jamming a foot into the ground before sliding across the sand. Leaving a trail several meters long, he managed to cease his momentum, and by then, Khan had already decided his next move.
The power of ki allowed Shere Khan to immediately spring forward once more. He let out a ferocious growl as he approached. His nose smelled blood, even though her wounds had closed. For it was not an open wound that Khan required to sense vulnerability.
"Wolf Fang Fist!" he shouted, as his claws were fully extended, ready for attack.
The gray fur of the White Fang leader glowed with white energy. His movements quadrupiled in speed and quintupled in ferocity. No sooner had he launched himself, was he upon Grimhilde once more. Ratcliff's creation could only raise her arms in defense. The massive maw of the sentient canine opened wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth as numerous as the stars themselves.
He chomped down, capturing the arm of Grimhilde in a bloody canine-lined vice. The monstrous eyes of the creature were filled with nothing but horror, as Shere Khan viciously shook the limb in his gory maw. There was a trail of entrails, as the wolf-man bit through to the bone. Grimhilde's forearm was rendered to a messy stump, while her hand sailed uselessly to the ground.
Khan turned 'round to briefly retreat. His steps were not light, and threatened to create a sandstorm with each footfall. He cast a shadow upon the NTF lieutenant. Even in the shade, his bestial glare was clear as day, as was the blood that stained his maw, his nose, and his canines.
"Y-you," Helena could only stammer, "Why?"
"I will be the one standing triumphantly over your mangled corpse," the White Fang leader declared, "not this manufactured monstrosity!"
Meanwhile, in the distance, Grimhilde studied her missing limb. The horror had not left her face as she watched blood drip from the stump. Closing her eyes, the stump bulged, and the bleeding ceased. The bulge continued to expand, appearing to some, a tumorous growth basked in fluid. Upon the expansion's apex, the bulge burst, scattering viscous liquid in a wide radius. Behind the veil of grotesque flesh, lay another fully repaired and attached limb. It was covered in a thin layer of primordial slime that slithered off and stained the sand below. Neither a scratch, a bruise, nor the mutilation Shere Khan inflicted marked the newborn flesh. Grimhilde flexed her new limb, feeling life and energy return to the extremity once more.
As the battle raged on the outskirts of the village, Koth could only remain within, nothing but a distinguished spectator. The Admiral had abandoned his post overseeing the captured animal civilians. Beneath the lid of his cap, which partially obscured his eyes, he watched the battle with cold indifference, though his hands were shaking. His right hand shook in fear, while his left shook in fury.
Behind him, he heard the rustle of sand, as if something heavy were dropped upon it. Turning around, the newcomer turned out to be none other that Ratcliff, smiling as widely as ever. The stare of the admiral only grew icier, threatening to accelerate the solar death of the Capella stars.
"Hey Kothy," Ratcliff mockingly greeted, even raising a hand as a useless gesture, "Nice show you're watching, mind if I join?"
"Sure, you can join me …" Koth agreed, not even bothering to conceal his sheer contempt.
In naught but a moment, the admiral had produced a long black handgun from a holster under his shoulder. He trained it on the mad scientist, who nearly jumped back in surprise.
"... in hell."
The weapon discharged, thrusting its metallic payload through the air, faster than the naked eye could travel. Less than a blink, the bullet met its mark. Ratcliff was struck in between the eyes. For a moment, the Admiral had been taken by a small smile.
Such morbid jubilation was short lived. The bullet merely crumpled and shattered against the madman's skull.
"Really?" he chuckled, "Sounds charming!"
Koth's eyes were now beginning to widen, as his weapon fell to his side, "What?"
"Oh Koth, so much charisma, so little brains." Ratcliff mocked, "The virtues of physical fitness can easily be surpassed by technology! Speaking of which..."
The back of Ratcliff's hand made contact with the side of Koth's face. Koth himself was sent flying through the air, before striking the side of a building. The blow had sent the Admiral into shock, as his nervous system froze from the force of the blow. Blood dribbled down from his head, and began to stream from his mouth. He lay upon the side of the building, losing command of his own limbs. Though suicidal, vengeful desire filled his soul, his body's natural instincts for self-preservation overpowered his spirit. Ahead of him, Ratcliff slowly approached, flexing his fingers.
As his form soon stood over Koth's, Ratcliff gave a cursory glance to the side. Grimhilde was in a standoff with Shere Khan, while Helena was incapacitated, due to her missing arms. The mad eyes soon moved back to Koth, who, while conscious, could only give a blank look forwards, to man he once commanded.
"I'm going to go out on a limb and say we're done here." Ratcliff said, in a more somber tone than usual. For a moment, his mile disappeared. But, it was only for a moment. He turned to the sky, shouting to his creation, "Grimhilde, make 'em dust! And don't do any of that silly hesitating!"
Grimhilde 's nodded in the direction of Ratcliff's voice, "Yes master! Sorry!"
"Don't apologize for perfection," Ratcliff scolded, "Just do it!"
A blue aura surrounded Grimhilde, and she shot even higher to the sky. Higher and higher she ascended, as the towns of the various creatures of the planet became visible to her. The few strands of moisture that hung in the sky she blew through. Soon, she was but a small dot in the sky.
The creature brought her hands together, and pulled them back. Blue ki gathered in them, and began to expand. Despite her distance to the town, those down below could feel the growing danger, as the sands began to shake from the power gathering above.
"Goodbye," Ratcliff said, slightly bowing to the Admiral before performing a small curtsy, "it's been fun." The scientist bent down. And by the power supplied by advanced mechanics, creations of his genius mind, he sent himself skyward, streaking towards his creation, and leaving the Admiral, and the others, to their fate.
All eyes were to the sky. There appeared to be a third sun in the sky, though unlike the Capella stars, it was blue. Grimhilde's form was swallowed up by the growing ki. Those down below, warrior and civilian alike, began to murmur in worried tones.
"How much power is she building up?" Khan wondered aloud.
"She should have more than enough to wipe out the entire town," Helena said, abandoning her quest for her missing arms, "but she's still charging!"
A small streak of yellow flew through the sky. It converged into the gathering blue orb, disappearing without a trace. However, immediately upon impact, the orb began shrinking, and the swelling ki began to dissipate.
A smoldering wound of charred flesh was now upon Grimhilde. She appeared to discard the pain, as her head turned, attempting to seek out the culprit who had interrupted her. She did not need to look long.
To her left, a mere twenty yards away, stood Phonium and Reitoko. The Namekian was on guard, in a combat stance. Reitoko, however, stood tall, despite his Napoleonic stature. His face, as always was unreadable. But he was unmistakably staring straight into Ratcliff's eyes
"I see you've kept your head, Ratcliff." Reitoko observed, allowing the smallest of smiles to form on his black lips, "And you even have yet another freak at your disposal." The Arcosian nodded to the sky, to where Grimhilde and Phonium now were.
Ratcliff put a hand to his chin, contemplating aloud, "What do you mea -" Recognition immediately dawned upon him, as he hand holding his chin, now gave a snap, as sharp as the spark that jolted his brain.
"Oh right!" he exclaimed, "That!"
Laughter poured out from him like a waterfall. As he regained command of his malicious jolly, he added on, "If you hadn't reminded me, I would have made things far easier for you."
Reitoko turned to Phonium, summoning his attention. He pointed downward, to the desperate masses below, who moments before, were thick in anticipation of armageddon. Ratcliff looked aghast, spurned by the complete lack of attention given to him. Yet, so great was his ire, he took no action.
"Attend to them," he ordered, "we might need them."
"Not looking forward to it, sir," Phonium groaned, as he floated to the battered forms of Helena, Shere Khan, and the rest of the combined NTF-White Fang fighting force. A small brown sack was tied by dark string to Phonium's waist. As he made his way over, the Namekian undid the string, clutching the sack in one of his hands.
He could feel many eyes on him, as he landed. Phonium opened the bag, revealing a multitude of grey pellets. A gaze that would have made the great hawks of the desert green with envy was thrust upon Helena and Shere Khan.
"Need help?" he offered in a voice where inflection was a rarity.
"You seem to have been acquainted with that traitor."
Phonium's eyes shifted up in minor surprise, as Koth gingerly made his way to the outskirts, to where the fallen forms of his people lay battered upon the battle field. The blood he had spilled was darkened and dried. Exhaustion had clouded his eyes, but, he still appeared focused.
"Traitor?" Phonium mused, raising an eyebrow. "That explains much."
The shadow of a smirk crossed Koth's face. "But do not be so proud, Namekian," he mockingly cautioned, "You, or more specifically, your Arcosian master are the reason this is happening."
Phonium closed his eyes, admitting, "You aren't incorrect, but as a token of good will ..."
He presented the bag, allowing the others to gaze upon the contents within. Koth's eyes glowed in recognition, while confusion shown in others.
After a brief assurance, those upon the field had taken to Phonium's offer. One by one, consumption of the beans had rejuvenated the various soldiers, animal and human alike. Various gasps and praises of their sudden recovery could be heard among the foot-soldiers.
But, as Phonium approached Shere Khan, the wolf-man gave him a rather hostile glare. As Phonium presented him with the senzu beans, he held out his paw. "Wait," he growled, "I am not here to fight in your squabbles. Nor will I fight with those who just now, attacked my people!"
Helena gave a look of utter shock, even while the Admiral remained unmoved. "That wasn't your sentiment before!" she asserted.
"I had no choice!" Shere Khan shot back, his eyes widening in anger, "But now I see that this is not my battle! It would be in my best interest to get my people out of here! Even you NTF scum have no business here, we shall continue this another day."
"Then I was right, you are nothing but cowards."
Shere Khan immediately leapt to the dark solemn form of Koth; his steel-gray glare never relenting. Khan let out an beatsly growl that shook the sands, yet the Admiral's stature remained resolute. Phonium's muscles tensed as he witnessed this, ready to burst onto the scene should he be required.
There was a loud crash, grabbing everyone's attention, allowing Phonium to stay his hand. Looking upon the newly formed dust cloud, he was disheartened to see the small form of Reitoko pick himself up gingerly from the ground.
"I see negotiations have broken down." Phonium offhandedly observed. He turned back to glare at the now disheartened wolf-man. "Listen," he explained, "you are correct, this is our business that you have gotten tangled up in. If you wish to heal and leave, that's your choice."
Shere Khan turned away, crossing his arms. "Hmph, at least you are reasonable."
"Just know," Phonium added on, a hint of urgency in his voice, "this will become your fight in the future. In time, there will be no place to hide, no safe space to run to. In time, you will beg for the days the Neo-Terran Front was your only enemy."
Phonium turned away, fixing his eyes on the sky. Grimhilde's threatening shadow was but a small dot in the atmosphere. Without saying another word, he shot up, ascending to meet his enemy.
There was a mechanical click as Helena fixed in her right mechanical joint. Another fellow in uniform held her left shoulder, even as she was able to maneuver the missing limb to its rightful place. Her fingers upon the right hand flexed, as she felt the familiar whir of mechanics assisting her arms. She had witnessed Phonium taking off, and was about to join him. However, as she bent down to lift off, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
The hand belonged to her commanding officer. In the depths of the ice cold glare, there was the briefest flame of caring warmth she could detect. "You should probably stay back," he instructed firmly, "He knows the mechanics of your arms."
"If I can't use my arms, I'll use my feet." Helena asserted. This resulted in a small smile from Koth.
But, the small moment of pride would not last. Koth's eternal enemy shook his head. The resentment both had possessed for one another was at bay, yet, volatile emotions still hung in the air.
"Not even you are this mad Koth," Shere Khan accused.
"I'm very mad," Koth replied, "Mad that this traitor had the gall to appear to me again, to kill my men and my women with some biological abomination!" With renewed vigor, the Admiral clenched his fist. "For this, I cannot forgive him!"
"Don't be a fool Koth!" Khan growled back, "Suicide was not how I was to be rid of you!"
But these words were directed to the back of Koth's head. Shere Khan growled in frustration, but did not press the issue. Koth had then reached for his side, and pulled out a communicator, and immediately began to bark orders into it. Knowing that he had no way of getting through to the human, so did Shere Khan turn his back to the Admiral.
"You have always been the bane of my existence." he muttered.
High in the sky, the situation had gotten dire. Phonium's arms were throbbing with pain, as Grimhilde's blows proved far too powerful. Reitoko had rejoined, but proved to be ineffective. Every attempt he made to relieve Phonium, the creature had outmaneuvered him. Despite both fighter's possessing a great amount of ki, both of them felt eclipsed next to the overwhelming resonance of Grimhilde's own power.
Grimhilde managed to maintain her offensive, and broke through Phonium's defense. His face and torso were serenaded with hundreds of fists at speeds that threatened light's swift foot. The Namekian could feel his body tearing apart. Bones had begun to crack from the intense assault. Reitoko maneuvered behind to intercept, eating up the distance between him and his target in the space of a second.
It was a second too slow. The moment he reached the creature, she was already facing him. Reitoko caught a blow to the face. He could feel every cell within his body shudder from the overwhelming force, before he too suffered a barrage of fists at the hands of Grimhilde. Once finished, Grimhilde sent Reitoko rocketing away with one final bash to the head. Despite the abuse he had sustained, Reitoko managed to remain conscious, and he immediately ceased his descent.
Phonium's clothing had now suffered immense tearing. His once bright green skin now sported many discolored bruises. Despite his disheveled state, he managed to flash back to Reitoko's side with haste, but it was clear from his heavy breath and slightly disoriented look, that he was still reeling from Grimhilde's aggressive attentions. The Arcosian, despite the new wounds he had taken, still narrowed his eyes at the creature above, maintaining his laser-sharp focus.
The creature raised her right arm. Her hand . She then pointed it at the two, specifically at Reitoko. A small amount of magenta-hued ki began to gather at the tip of her finger.
Recognition, then fear took hold within Reitoko's eyes. He could only utter out in disbelief, "Impossible!"
With the swiftness of a blink, a thin magenta beam shot out. It's path was straight towards Reitoko. Immediately, the Arcosian shifted to the side. The projectile was headed for his chest, but the Arcosian's maneuver of a mere two feet caused it to zip past him before settling into the ground below. It detonated far away from the village, yet the rumble of the impact could be felt even high up in the air.
From a safe, yet manageable distance away from the confrontation, Ratcliff shook his head.
"You're going to need something with more juice." he suggested.
Grimhilde then cupped her hands, bringing them near the rear of her hips. Yet still, her master expressed disapproval, and the creature suspended her attack, looking to Ratcliff for instruction.
"No, not that," he scolded, "let's go for something a bit more familiar."
She nodded in compliance. Her hands were placed in front of her breast. With fingers fully splayed, both extremities over lapped the other. Moments later, they glowed with golden ki. The gathering of energy expanded until it engulfed Grimhilde's entire form, forming something akin to a third star in the sky.
With a mighty shout, the creature announced her attack, "Masenko, Ha!"
The blast that exited Grimhilde's hands engulfed her entire form. Though he knew it not to be true, Reitoko could still swear that her attack could have competed with a small moon for magnitude. Still, both he and Phonium anticipated their struggle with firepower of immense intensity. The two warriors stretched their hands out, as they embraced the attack.
Phonium grunted, attempting to take his mind off the sheer raw power he stood against. His large hands had sunk into the onslaught of ki, deforming the nearly spherical energy blast. The Namekian, however, was a vision of laser focus, and he wore his vocal chords bare, as if his own voice would assist in pushing back the attack. In a way, his instinctual tactics worked. With a lumbering pace, the massive golden ball began to rise, before shooting off with great speed into the depths of space.
Grimhilde's form was once again visible. She was static, unmoving, her hand out signifying the finish of the attack. Despite exerting such a massive effort, the only visible sign of exhaustion was a single labored exhale just as the smoke had cleared. To her distant opposite, both Reitoko and Phonium were breathing heavily and had placed their hands upon their knees.
Exhaustion, however, had not stolen their fighting spirit. Reitoko's eyes had begun to wander, before settling upon the only spectator accompanying them in the air.
"Your creation has quite an aptitude for plagiarization," he barbed to the mad scientist. Ratcliff's head veered round, like that of an owl, farther than any man could, until his back was made his chest. Upon locating the gadfly who had stung him, the madman huffed out before crossing his arms across his back.
"The Arcosian death beam is a hard technique to learn," Reitoko further elaborated, with a snide smugness underlying every word, "Even your master took a few years to even get the hang of it."
"Oh uneducated philistines," Ratcliff lamented, "From the moment this beauty was born, she knew how to perform it as well as any of you crackpot Arcosians. It's the same with your Namekian. And there is so much more."
Grimhilde crouched, as if preparing a charge. Her power rose once more, despite exerting a significant output a moment before. Phonium's eyes widened in recognition of the white aura that surrounded the creature.
"Get out of the way!" he shouted, through Reitoko required no warning.
"Wolf Fang Fist!"
Reitoko was already planning a maneuver, but in an instant, her blue-spotted hand was firmly gripping his wrist. The Arcosian struggled and struck back with a quick jab to his opponent's chest, but it was in futility as earlier exertion had left him depleted. The fingers upon her other hand curled like claws. She then lashed out, mauling Reitoko repeatedly. Her final blow sent Reitoko flying.
He found himself mercy to his own momentum as he tumbled through the air. The planet's surface circled around him, oscillating between the sky and ground until he became ignorant upon his own orientation. With mythic exertion and determination, he splayed his limbs out, bringing his descent to an immediate halt.
Shortly after, Grimhilde had materialized a breath's hair from his back. She swiped at the Arcosian, who couldn't even bring a single limb up for defense. Upon reaching his exposed shoulder, however, Grimhilde's hand passed trhough instead of striking flesh. The Arcosian's image vanquished as it was touched, appearing as a moisture-induced mirage. Upwards, her opponent reappeared, front-flipping repeatedly before striking with his tail.
While Reitoko was struggling with the creature, Phonium had remained stationary. He had not been idle, however. Two fingers were raised in front of his face. The cackle of concentrated ki set off various sparks. In the distance, he saw the threatening outline of the creature. Outlines of blood vessels became visible on his arm as his beam cannon attack neared completion.
A cold hand upon his shoulder broke his concentration. Phonium's head darted around, quite sure that the face of the perpetrator would only reflect insanity. Instead he met the cold, grim face of Koth's second-in-command. She shook her head, much to Phonium's confusion.
"I suspect that is some grand attack to vanquish her?" she inquired.
"Yes," Phonium answered through gritted teeth, "And while I have the time, I need to finish it!"
"A futile gesture." Helena dismissed, much to Phonium's shock, "We know this creature can regenerate. Our only chance at defeating her is total annihilation."
Phonium looked back to the battle between his exhausted boss and Grimhilde. The Makankosappo had just begun. Not one single crackle of energy circled about his two extended fingers. Exhaling sharply, the Namekian allowed his tensed arm to fall to the side.
In the thick of battle, far from his fellow, Reitoko felt the hopeful energy surge vanish. Out of the corner of his eye, he could spot the Namekian's idle distant form. Immediately, he broke off, racing back to Phonium and Helena, with a look of aghast confusion.
"I thought you only needed a minute." he commented.
Phonium shook his head, " The Makankasappo will not work. This creature has regenerative properties. She will be able to recover from whatever wounds the attack will cause."
"How do you know this?" Reitoko questioned.
Darkness grew across the Namekian's face. He gestured to Helena who stood a short distance from him. "I was told. And I know it to be true, because I possess the same capability."
"And so he finally figured it out!"
A cackle and the high-pitched voice of Ratcliff reminded everybody that Grimhilde was not the only enemy that had to be dealt with. Mura's final henchman was circling overhead swinging his arms about as if he were fording through water. At this, Helena narrowed her eyes as she took them skyward.
"How are you able to hear us?" she questioned, though from her lips, it sounded more like a demand.
Ratcliff arrogantly pointed to his ears, "Technology! " he simply answered. There was no indication that Helena's rhetorical question was answered, as she simply shook her head.
Phonium reacted appropriately as well, rolling his eyes as he commented, "Of course."
"I hope you are starting to realize why crossing me was a bad idea." Ratcliff explained, "This baby here is the ultimate cocktail of the cream of the crop. There are a few bugs I have to work out, but that's because I had to move up the field test."
A loud rumble was heard in the distance. Those in the air, Helena, Ratcliff, Phonium, Reitoko, and Grimhilde turned towards the source of the noise.
Koth's command ship was back in operation. It rose like a rumbling giant aroused from slumber. Black, dulled metal caught the twin sunlight with a bare sheen. Upon reaching a low-hanging altitude, it began to float forward.
Accompanying the massive hulk of metal were several figures floating on their own power. Within the group flew the fur-covered denizens of the White Fang, as well as the uniformed officers of the NTF. In a close group did the pale blue trails of flight stay, almost hugging the NTF command ship. They had then quickly scattered, surrounding Ratcliff and Grimhilde.
"A marvelous explanation Ratcliff," Koth's voice deadpanned through the speakers of this command ship. His ice-cold tone managed to cut through the low rumble his own vessel emitted.
"But you really did talk too much." he continued. With a short delay, he then instructed quite forcefully, "On my command, fire!"
In the air, Shere Khan's hand shot forward as he ordered, "Fire!"
Blasts of ki, bullets, and even artillery shells raced towards Grimhilde. All converged into a brilliant conflagration of fire and smoke.
But, as the smoke cleared, Grimhilde's energy shield shined beneath the mist. The energy sparkled and flared, before disappearing, leaving the creature unscathed.
Smiling that his creation was unfazed, Ratcliff smiled, and he turned his attention to the flagship. His voice echoed through the air, even though he doubted the admiral could hear him. "Excellent little insult you had there Kothy! Here's my retort!"
Grimhilde extended her hand once more. But, it was not towards Koth, nor the forces in the air that she directed her intended assault towards. It was to the surface, to the hapless hundreds, who could only look up in terror, for even they without the gift of sensing ki could feel their impending terror.
Terror, which would hesitate, as Grimhilde's hand shook, as she saw the dots upon the sand that she was about to wipe off the face of the planet. Another grunt of frustration exited Ratcliff. Veins had begun to form upon his pale skin, and the whites of his eyes began to be streaked with red.
"For the love of biological innovation! Fire!" Ratcliff growled.
In his ship, Koth saw what was about to transpire. Desperation grabbed him, as he began barking orders into his communicator. Shere Khan, meanwhile, was frantically gesturing to his troops, ordering them to fly to safer ground, despite there being little ground to flee to.
But, the coming armageddon did not transpire.
Instead, Phonium and Reitoko both rushed her. Phonium struck at her head, while Reitoko headed for her torso. Grimhilde had little time to react, and was frozen with conflict. She ended up taking punishment from both fighters. A kick from Reitoko then sent her flying away.
As she helplessly floated about, small, yet powerful energy bolts began to cover her in a curtain of destruction. Helena had contributed to the renewed assault against Grimhilde, her hand fully extended.
Ratcliff's eyes widened as asked himself, "Didn't I get rid of those?"
He resumed his control of his device, pressing upon yet another button. Helena, in the middle of her assault, found it stymied by the mere fact that her golden arms had departed her once more. They descended from her, flailing about, powered no longer by her will, but by gravity.
Yet, the second-in-command of the Neo-Terran Front did not hesitate. Instead, she bent forward, somersaulting in the air. This left her feet facing the enemy, and she kicked out, a blast of fiery orange ki emitting from then, blazing ever so quickly in Ratcliff's direction. The madman, realizing his plight, crossed his hands in front of himself. Yet, his desperate look conveyed little confidence in his defense.
"Save me!" he pleaded to his creation.
Immediately, Grimhilde left her current occupation with the Arcosian and the Namekian, and threw herself in the path of Helena's attack. Her arms crossed in front of her, shielding her face and torso. Her slit-cut eyes showed no fear, just pure unyielding resolve. Soon, the attack met the creature, creating a brilliant display of destruction. Yet, as the smoke cleared, Grimhilde remained, and remained relatively unscathed. Yet, the depth of her breaths, and the way her shoulders slumped, indicated that Helena's efforts were not in vain.
Behind her, Ratcliff slowly lowered his hands. He smiled, saying, "That's much better, but realize when I say hop, hop!"
His smile never left, even as sparks of blue electricity illuminated the creature's form, leaving her contorted and writhing in pain.
"How many times to I have to repeat myself?" Ratcliff asked, finally shedding his sadistic grin.
Yet, immediately after Ratcliff's lamentation, Phonium appeared in front of her. His fists were raised upon high, and descended with such a ferocity, that Grimhilde was sent rocketing down into a cloud of sand.
Phonium merely looked down upon the sprawled form of his opponent. As par for the course, no critical lasting damage appeared to have been inflicted, and he could already see Grimhilde picking herself up. His eyes then shifted back to Ratcliff, who met his unforgiving glare with an expression of shock.
"Interesting strategy, madman." Phonium commented.
"You grow a specimen yourself and see how easy this is!" Ratcliff retorted, flailing his arms in the air.
Phonium expression had begun to be tainted by malice. If his voice could have achieved a darker timbre, he could have eternally blacked out the sky. "I wonder how she would feel if I were to kill you right now."
Ratcliff shook his head, "I don't tend to dwell on insignificant things like that-"
The madman's speech had been interrupted by a few sharp blows by the Namekian. Despite being caught off guard, he leapt quickly out of the way. Ratcliff had resumed his mocking ways, as he quipped, "-Especially things that aren't going to happen."
Phonium then felt a tug at his ankle. Grimhilde had wasted no time recovering, and had now hindered the Namekian so. With little strain in her muscles, Phonium was sent on a rapid descent.
However, the ground would not be his destination. Midair, he felt a conflicting force against his flight. Reitoko had caught him, slowing his wild velocity. There was visible strain on the Arcosian's face as he worked against the Namekian's significant momentum, and gravity itself. Soon enough, he felt his feet dig into the sand. With the extra leverage the soft, yet supple ground provided, at last, he was able to use some leverage to finally come to a stop.
Phonium immediately peeled away from his boss. His eyes were locked upon the sky. Grimhilde was not in hot pursuit, she had instead elected to remain still. Hearing frantic footfalls upon the sand, Phonium turned around.
A peculiar pair he would have never conceived entered his field of vision. Helena and Shere Khan were both dashing to his position, side by side. It appeared for a moment, animosity had been lost in this battle, for their eyes were locked on the creature that loomed above.
"How do we beat such a monster?" Shere Khan pondered.
Reitoko's eyes, however, were down to earth, as he added on, "A monster, eh?"
Helena immediately became irate. Her boots forded through the sands like an angry hurricane. She brought her mouth inches away from Reitoko's rounded head. The Arcosian did not bother to eventurn his head towards her, as she yelled, "What do you mean, she slaughtered nearly half of our men!"
"I wonder if she would remain a monster if we took her off her leash?" Reitoko suggested. Finally he had turned to address them directly. Inquisitive red eyes scanned both, and from what he could observe, his provocative suggestion went over them.
Phonium, however, proved otherwise. A wave of inspiration had overtaken him. He looked up, as a wellspring of resolve managed to make itself at home within his being.
Reitoko raised a brow. Without even facing him, the shift in his demeanor was all-too-obvious. "You know what to do?" Reitoko asked him.
The Namekian vocalized nothing. But with a simple nod, Reitoko was told everything he needed to know.
"Are you willing to do this?" the Arcosian further prodded, a slight flutter of fear in his voice, "You've suffered..."
"Everyone stay back." Phonium sharply interrupted, "Do not assist me, no matter what, unless Ratcliff decides to intervene. This is between me and her."
He then thrust himself into the sky once more. The wind currents whipped against him, sending his antennae fluttering. Despite the flying in his face, Phonium's expression remained unmoved. His eyes were locked on to the ever growing, detailed form of the creature above. As he drew closer, he could not detect any detestation upon Grimhilde's face, only something else, that resolved his conviction.
On the ground, Shere Khan could only huff, "What sort of suicidal madness is this?"
"Watch, and you will see." Reitoko said, crossing his arms.
Phonium was now face-to-face with the creature. He could see his reflection in her insectoid, amethyst eyes. Grimacing, he took action.
His held his hands out, his arms stretching to the side. His torso was left completely exposed.
At this, Ratcliff gave an amused cackle. "Oh come on Namekian! Don't you know how grievously outmatched you are?" he questioned.
"Not at all," Phonium replied. He then turned to Grimhilde, "But if you're so confident, go ahead."
Ratcliff squinted at the Namekian, his neck craning forward. His eyes then darted down below, to where the rest of the forces had gathered. Within his internal mechanics, he could sense Reitoko, Helena, Shere Khan, and the rest of his opposition too far to help. But his mind was not at ease, and he continued to erratically survey the area.
Slowly, a small chuckle arose from the man. His gritted teeth were repurposed into a grotesque smile. His shoulders rose into the air, and he threw his hands out to the sides, as blatantly as he threw out caution. He ordered with a strained yell, "Grimhilde, mince him like meat!"
Grimhilde began to hover slowly towards Phonium. His gaze was affixed to her eyes. A small tremble coursed through her body, as she intently observed every fiber of the Namekian. Gradually, a fist was raised, cocked back, and ready to deliver its damage. And yet, there was no sign of defense on Phonium's part.
Her fist flew, and did not stop until it had squarely impacted Phonium's face. Small crunches could be heard, as blood vessels yielded to the might of her blow. Phonium's head was thrown back as mortal liquid sprayed out in a red mist, only to be lost in the desert winds. After the blow had been struck, Grimhilde raised her forearms to the defense. But Phonium's retaliation never arrvied.
Instead, he simply turned his head forward. Blood was streaming out of his nose and mouth, and his cheek was now slightly discolored. In addition, his lips were curled into a slight smirk.
The creature grimaced, and she delivered another blow, again to Phonium's face. More blood was lost, yet Phonium did not act. Grimhilde then unleashed a barrage of blows, assaulting his face and torso, yet Phonium never gave even a hint of resistance. As she struck his cheek, he merely presented the other, even as they grew bloodier over time.
"What kind of strategy is this? I'm not even this mad!" Ratcliff pondered, as he witnessed the condition of the Namekian deteriorate under the assault of his creation.
Grimhilde's offensive had taken its toll on Phonium. Certain areas of his face were now puffed up. One of his eyes was now forcefully shut under a swelling of deep purple skin. Several tears in his gray shirt revealed black and blue where there was once green and pink. Still, he remained, smirking underneath the avalanche of cuts and bruises which had been inflicted upon him. Grimhilde raised her fist once more, but was unable to bring it down.
Her inability to strike was not caused by any of the Namekian's actions, he remained still, with his arms limply by his side. But as she struggled, it was as if something unseen had grabbed ahold of her wrist, and had locked her arm in its upright position. All the strength she had been blessed with by Ratcliff's genius was ready to bear upon her opponent, yet mere doubt had brought a stop to the juggernaut.
"What's the matter?" Phonium questioned, his voice strained from injury, yet as bold and confident as ever, "Look upon me, in a few blows, you can end this."
"Yes, I can." Grimhilde stated, as her fist shook, even as it remained.
"Go ahead then," Phonium goaded, "your master has ordered it."
Ratcliff widened his eyes, as confusion had took him. "What is this?" he wondered aloud, almost shouting from his disbelief, "You're giving up? "
"Why are you not fighting back?" Grimhilde pressed on, as her voice began to shake as well, "Why are you giving your life to me?"
"Don't hesitate, or else you will be hurt." Phonium replied, as his smirk grew wider.
Grimhilde pondered as to why the Namekian answered her inquiry in such a peculiar way. But, she did not have time to ponder for much time. An electric shock shot through her body, forcing her to scream in agony, her limbs flailing helplessly in the throes of pain.
"Kill him now!" her master shouted, "Let's show him what you think of his philosophical garbage!"
But even as the pain subsided, Grimhilde remained inactive. Her eyes began to water. The creature's hands were now raised in front of her, as if she expected a harsh retaliation from Phonium. Yet, such an action served no purpose, as her pain continued.
"I don't understand!" agonized the madman, "I don't care how you do it! I just don't want him alive! I want him deceased! Dead! Passed on! No more! Kicking the bucket!"
With sadistic vindication, Ratcliff's finger dug into his controller again, running Grimhilde through the gauntlet of torment once more. His eyes bulged, as various blood vessels became visible, and his breathing became harshly audible. As he continued to torment his creation, he stared most intently at the Namekian, who simply returned an even wider smirk. The fires of rage within him were stoked, and he continued to torture Grimhilde.
After a long while, he finally relinquished. Grimhilde's eyes were now empty, and her limbs hung listlessly to the side. The only signs of consciousness from her were her labored breathing.
Through the bruises and blood, Phonium remarked, "Thank you for winning my battle for me."
"Shut up!" Ratcliff shot back.
Grimhilde was zapped once more, but only for a short while. Now, her eyes were full of perspiration, and they streamed down her face, dropping down to the parched surface of sand thousands of feet below. She made noise, but no discernible words could be made out of it, only the sounds of despair could be heard.
"Dear lord, you're just nothing but a big baby! " her master shouted.
Trembling with rage. Ratcliff turned a blood-shot eye back to his controller again, held so tightly the device threatened to shatter. He moved to press the button of torment again.
But, he would not get to do so. A green hand was now firmly grasping the wrist of the hand that would do the deed. Ratcliff was a genius of scientific and mechanical intellect, but that was not needed to figure out who had hindered him so.
Phonium's eyes could have incinerated Ratcliff's head from the intensity at which he glared at him. He did not take his eyes off of Ratcliff, even as he addressed his creation, "Go ahead creature, help out your master."
Ratcliff began to desperately struggle, his arms and legs flailing about, yet still, his wrist remained a prisoner of the Namekian.
"Let go of me!" he shouted, "Grimhilde, help me!"
But Grimhilde was not so quick to follow her master's orders. Confusion took ahold of her. Tears still streamed out of her eyes, which now darted between her master, and Phonium.
"She isn't following orders madman." Phonium goaded, as his mouth formed a smile that rivaled Ratcliff's, "Why don't you punish her?"
"Don't be smart with me, slug man!" Ratcliff retorted.
The grip on his wrist tightened. Ratcliff then felt a strain upon his shoulder. Phonium was now pulling on the limb. Ratcliff's other hand, occupied by the controller, raised to provide some assistance, any assistance, yet Phonium countered with his other free hand, grabbing ahold of Ratcliff's wrist. Mechanical creaking could be heard, as Ratcliff felt the strain on his shoulder intensify. He squeezed his eyes shut from the inevitable.
With a loud metallic screech, Ratcliff's arm was torn from its socket. Its mechanical nature was exposed, as wires, and other mechanisms were torn apart as Phonium claimed the joint for himself. Ratcliff was released, but upon so, felt the control wrested from his remaining hand, and into that of the Namekian's.
His screams could be heard for miles. But, they were not the screams of painful anguish.
"Oh no not again!" he lamented.
He retreated, floating away, his remaining arm clutching his exposed socket.
Phonium then took his gaze off of Ratcliff, and turned back to Grimhilde, who withered upon eye contact.
"Creature, are you going to help him?" he asked, though his tone fashioned his question into a threat.
Grimhilde shook her head, "I ... I don't know."
"If you do," Phonium continued, holding up Ratcliff's control, "you know I can make you suffer, just as he did."
Grimhilde began to recoil upon seeing the device, preparing for the inevitable. She then heard a crunching sound, and her eyes widened in bewilderment.
What was once the control in Phonium's hand ,was now an unrecognizable mess of circuits, chips and other material. Smoke leaked out of the ruin, and the debris of the creature's torture device was scattered to the wind. As she gazed at the Namekian in confusion, Phonium's lips threatened to curl into a smile; this one lacking any of the malice of his previous smirks.
Ratcliff limply floated away, heading in a direction not determined through deduction, but by instinct. He eyed the rather tenuous coalition of NTF and White Fang forces far away. None moved to engage him, but all stared at him.
Flashing in front of him was Phonium. He could see Grimhilde had followed him as well. Phonium's hand was held out, and with the rumblings of ki gathering, there was no secret as to what the Namekian was planning.
Ratcliff turned back to Grimhilde, shouting "Come! I have lots of defects to fix in you before you're battle ready!"
Grimhilde walked forward, but appeared in a daze. Her master's side was a natural place for her, and it seemed the processes in her body instinctively guided her there. Still, despite receiving little injury from the battle, her movements were slow and measured.
"Grimhilde! Stop!" Phonium shouted. He looked her in the eye, possessing not his usual hard discerning gaze, but that of desperation, and concern.
"He's your creator, but he's not your master." he declared.
"What kind of kindergarten logic is that?" Ratcliff, shot back at Phonium, before turning to Grimhilde, "Of course I'm your master!"
"And what have you done to earn the right to be her master?" Phonium retorted, his hands clenching into fists.
"Shut up Namekian! I know what you're doing, and it won't work!"
The Namekian exhaled, closing his eyes. "I guess you're right," he conceded, "I'm not as intelligent as you anyways."
As soon as he said this, Ratcliff felt a wisp of wind as Phonium teleported. The green hand that now held the madman's neck prisoner left him a good guess as to where the Namekian ended up.
But Phonium's grip was not firm enough to restrict anything, nor would it do anything alone due to the nature of Ratcliff's cyborg body. But, the glowing energy beneath the hand divined a different story.
"What are you doing?" Ratcliff shouted, his voice strained, "I won't survive that!"
Phonium's stare was cold, as he stated, "That's the idea."
Ratcliff's eyes widened, turning to his creation. "Help me!" he begged, "Save your master!"
Grimhilde gave Ratcliff a questioning look. It was a stare of naivety, of a child thrown into a brave new world. "Are you my master?" she questioned.
"I am!" her creator declared.
The creature's head began to shake. "I ... I think you're wrong."
Ratcliff was taken aback, as he blurted out, "What?"
Slowly, the eyes of Grimhilde narrowed. Despite being entirely a biological creation, somewhere, within her innards, there was steel.
"You are wrong!" she asserted.
Immediately, Ratcliff's face went blank. His eyes were staring off into space. No longer did he struggle within Phonium's grasp. He neither smiled, nor expressed anger. For one moment, insanity had left, and the escape it provided could not shield him from reality, as he whispered, "No..."
Then, his forehead scrunched, and his green eyes grew alight with fire. Despite the fact that the Namekian's fingers were wrapped tightly around his neck, for a moment, the one who had so antagonized him so completely was under his notice. The full recipient of his rage was the one whom he had created, "Fine! Die with me! Protocal breakdown engage!"
There was a yell, but it wasn't Ratcliff. Phonium's low-pitched yell, throttled by this throat, rattled the sands, as the energy in his hand flashed out, engulfing his head before it detonated. The explosion ripped through the madman's body, transforming every part of his mechanical body into unrecognizable debris. From a cloud of black smoke, strings of copper, bits of silicone, and bolts of steel scattered, and began their long descent into Sanctuary.
But yet one thing remained. A computer chip, with a single light, was now in the green clutches of Phonium. As the light blinked, Ratcliff's voice, heavily muddled with electric synthetics, still mocked through it.
"You killed me, but I killed her." the chip wheezed. The circuitry began to slowly fade away, but Ratcliff's mocking tone still rang, even though such a quaint interface. "Grimhilde, you will pay for defying your master."
"What have you done to her!" Phonium demanded, his grip tightening upon the infernal electronic.
The Namekian could imagine the grotesque smile, as Ratcliff explained, "Protocal breakdown means just that, the complete cellular breakdown of the host. By the end of the day, every single cell in your body will be nothing but biomechanical waste! You will fade away in a slow, agonizing matter."
"I think we've heard enough."
Reitoko's cool, aristocratic voice cut through the mocking. Within Phonium's hand, there was a small spark, rendering the chip, and the last vestiges of Ratcliff's existence, into a small electronic dust pile. Even the ashes vanished, soon as a small breeze had blown through Phonium's hand.
The Arcosian lowered a smoking finger, before his red eyes moved to meet Grimhilde.
"Greetings Grimhilde," he said, "I am Reitoko. I have heard what Ratcliff said. We have a doctor that can sort you out. I will extend an open invitation to our base."
"I accept," Grimhilde replied. There was a quiver in her voice, "but I'm not sure what your doctor can do for me. My master's protocal was thorough."
They descended from the sky, meeting the remainder of the forces. Slowly, the crowd of both NTF and White Fang had begun to surround the three. But, it appeared that a victor's gathering would not be received by the three. There was tension within every individual, and suspicious, even vengeful glares directed specifically at the creature that accompanied their two temporary allies.
Phonium looked around. Shere Khan and Helena, as wells as several other denizens of the NTF and White Fang were included in the crowd. Naturally, both were in the front lines, upon opposite sides.
To no specific individual, the Namekian asked, "Are you hungry for vengeance?"
"Yes, I am." Helena said bluntly, then added, "But, I believe I figured out what your Arcosian master had in mind."
"There will be blood," Shere Khan declared, "But hers will not be spilled. At least, not today." At this, he turned to the lieutenant of the NTF. Hostility, which had been put aside for the battle, now returned in his eyes. "You will pay for your crimes in time. But for now, all I request is that you leave, so we can rebuild."
"Very well, animal." The voice of Koth rang from the speaker of the command ship, "I will order my forces to retreat. We will continue this on another day."
The ship then lumbered forward, as several NTF forces began to evacuate the area, scattered clots of warriors forming neat and diciplined ranks. Artillery pieces turned 'round, before moving through the sand. White Fang forces gathered, as they watched their enemies depart.
As this happened, Z made their own departure. Phonium, Reitoko and Grimhilde took to the skies, retreating over the horizon.