Chapter 61:
"Woah." Nosedive stared wide eyes as an icey blue flame danced around his right hand. While he now knew how to summon the power that was apparently housed within him, he didn't really know what to do with it.
"Not bad Nosedive." Tazani, now known as Taz to her new friends, smiled at him, "You're getting better at summoning the power within you." She turned to Angel who had a slight scowl on her face. While her hand did glow, there were no flames.
"At least neither of you have caused a mini explosion this time." Taz smiled kindly, thinking of the first time the pair had tried using what they had been taught by the spirits in their visions. She shrank back slightly at the glare she received. Taz laughed nervously before her face showed she had thought of something and she palmed her fist, "Got it! "Some of those of Amayan descent, the ones who had warrior training before coming to the temple, often had difficulty mastering the mystical arts of their kind." She pursed her lips for a moment then looked at Angel, "Maybe if you try it during one of your kata?" Angel raised a brow but rose to her feet before pausing. She sighed and walked over to the practice swords. Picking a pair up, she began going through her kata concentrating on the small spark within her that had at least allowed her to make her hand glow. After a while she allowed her instincts to take over. She wasn't aware, but the pair watching gaped at her as, not only did flames dance around her hands, but her entire body and her wooden blades too. "So, her strength in the mystical arts is through her sword?"
"Is that weird?" Nosedive asked not taking his eyes of Angel as she seemed to dance around the training room of the ship as if in a trance.
"It's unusual but not weird." Tazani replied with a shrug.
"So, what does it mean?" Dive urged her to explain.
"Well…" Taz scratched her cheek as she considered how to best explain it, "Amyans are all mystics in a way. Their swords aren't regular energy blades that draw on some form of battery. Traditional Amyan blades draw on the Amayan power within, almost like drawing on their life force. Whether you are a mystic, or a sword fighter depends on how anyone Amayan accesses their power. Most Amayans can draw on the power within to create a blade and some are powerful enough to be truly terrifying with those blades. That power is strengthened by the fighting spirit and makes their speed and agility almost god like. But beyond putting power into their swords, there is little more they can do. Mystics are similar and many can use a blade, but their blades are often weak to the point that few bother with the way of the sword as a result. Where an Amayan sword fighter and a regular mystic differ is what energy they can tap. Mystics tend to struggle to draw from their fighting spirit, the power within their life force…"
"What does that mean?" Dive frowned finally looking up at Taz.
"I'm not really sure how to explain it." She scratched her cheek again as she thought, "But I suppose it's kind of the part of yourself that keeps you going even if you've been through hell. Your desire to keep living. To continue fighting no matter what. A mystic that can draw on both their mystical power and the power of their fighting spirit is extremely rare and often powerful." She gave a nervous laughed and moved to scratching the back of her head as if embarrassed, "I'm not sure if I'm making sense!"
"I think I get it." Nosedive looked down at the mats that reminded him of the tatami mats Grin had in his room. He knew that he should be a pile of nerves. That many would have broken into nothing but a living doll after everything he had been through in his life. From the invasion of his home planet. To being stranded on a world so different, yet so similar to his own. To everything that had happened since he had met Angel. He looked up to his aforementioned friend again seeing her move gracefully through another kata, her body alight with the flames of the power she was learning to harness. "There were times I wanted to die. Times it flashed through my mind." He could feel the look of pity from the saurian girl at his side, "But every time that happened, someone would flash through my mind that I knew needed me, so I kept going. Sometimes I really don't know how. First it was Wildwing, and now…"
"You love her don't you?" Taz smiled at the way Nosedive's skin went red under his feathers and how the drake looked away, even avoiding looking at the topic of their conversation.
"I…" Dive frowned and really thought about it, "I don't know what love is. Not that kind of love." He looked back up at Taz with a smile, "I doubt you're old enough to either." He said with a teasing tone.
"Hey!" It was Taz's turn to blush as she pouted at him.
"What are you two arguing about?" Angel had stopped at Taz's shout and was now looking at them in confusion.
"Nothing!" Nosedive laughed nervously receiving a look that told him Angel did not believe him one bit.
"Nosedive has something to talk to you about." Taz said smirking at the blond drake before sticking her tongue out at him and leaving quickly.
"Well?" Angel raised a brow. Nosedive stared at her for several moments as he felt like he was looking at Angel for the first time in their friendship. He knew she was suffering, that she had suffered far longer than he had. Just like him, she was carrying on, one step at a time. He had been staying with her each night. Just holding her as her nightmares threatened to break her mind. He had his fair share of nightmares too. He was sure she had noticed but both continued on as if nothing happened. He snorted to himself when he realised how unhealthy that was, but he also knew they didn't really have time to dwell on what had happened. They wouldn't have that luxury until they had won their battle or were dead. He hoped it was the first of the two outcomes. At least then he could show Angel what a peaceful life could be. A life without fighting. He smiled at that thought. If he spared a moment to think about it, he really couldn't see a life without her in it. Whether it be with her romantically or as a dear friend. He didn't really mind, so long as he could be by her side watching her back. "Nosedive?" She gave him a worried look now and knelt before him, placing the wooden practice swords she had been using on the mats and placing a hand on his shoulder. He smiled and pulled her close wrapping his arms around her and embracing her as if she might disappear in the blink of an eye. Angel squeaked in surprise but didn't resist. "What's wrong Nosedive?" She asked gently.
"Can we stay like this?" Dive asked her.
"Like what?"
"Together." He answered, "Can we stay like this forever?" He felt more than heard the tiny gasp. He hands wrapped further around him and she squeezed.
"We have to stop them." She whispered, "We have to save your family."
"They're your family too now." He pushed her away so he could look her in the eyes, "You know that don't you?"
"I don't deserve a…" Her eyes went wide at the light slap. She felt the anger behind it, and she knew it wasn't meant to do more than sting, she just hadn't expected it from him. When she looked him in the eye he was angry. Really angry.
"Don't say it!" Dive snapped, "Don't you ever say you don't deserve anything ever again!" He stood up and turned away from her, feeling guilty. He didn't know why he had slapped her, and he felt sick after doing so. Behind him Angel held her cheek and stared at his back. "You deserve so much more than anyone can give you! You could have disappeared when you first escaped those monsters. You could have just disappeared into obscurity and lived a normal life. You could have found a way to Falsus, gone to school and got a regular safe job living there as a refugee! But you didn't, you chose to fight back you went without a life, to help people."
"You fight too!" Angel pointed out, "You fight to protect people just like me. What I've done isn't really any different to what you, or any of our friends have done."
"But it is!" He turned to look at her again, "We fight because we had to, because we had lives before the invasion, and they were taken from us. From all my people! But you, you lost everything before you were even born, your mom when you were just a little kid! You've been fighting since the day you were born, and I hate it!" He stopped and took a step back in shock at his own words. He looked at Angel who hung her head low, allowing her hair to hide her expression from him.
"You hate me?" She asked in such a small voice Dive barely heard it.
"That's not what I said, and you know it!" Nosedive snapped, his mind shouting at him to stop digging whatever hole he was digging.
"I know I'm a monster," She took a step away from him, she sensed panic from him, "I've been called it more than once by the people I have saved."
"You are not a monster!" Dive rubbed the back of his neck, the anger draining from him like a tap had been turned on. "You never were." He sighed, "I don't hate you. I hate the life you've had to live. You're a terrifying warrior. When you get into a dangerous battle you slip into this personality that's… different to how you normally are. Truth be told, you are kinda scary when you're like that. But anyone who knows you. Anyone who really knows you can see that that person isn't you! It's just an act." He moved close enough to stroke her cheek with his fingers causing her to look up at him once more, "An act to protect the real you from the nightmare of what you're doing. The other you." He stepped closer still, his spare hand rising to hold her arm, he rested his beak on top of her head tenderly. "The other you, she's kind and warm. As far from a monster as anyone could be."
"I'm not a monster?" She asked as she leant into him.
"You're not a monster." He pulled her close and nuzzled her cheek affectionately.
"Guys!" The pair pulled away from each other quickly, a blush gracing their features. Sara rushed over to them. "Uh… we…" The dark-haired duck scratched her cheek as she realised that she had interrupted something, "Sorry, but we have a situation."
"What is it?" Nosedive frowned.
"Another ship." Sara said, "She says… I mean the captain claims to know you two."
"Know us?" It was Angel's turn to frown.
"She says her name is Mimosa." Sara gave them a look that almost pleaded with them to know who she was talking about. The pair looked at each other.
"We know a captain Mimosa." Angel supplied.
"Guess we'd better see if it's really her." Dive shrugged.
/
Canard glared at the guards as they shoved their food through the bars of the cells. His gaze softened as he watched Molly gingerly walk over to the food and take some and rush back over to Wildwing and Jet. He heard Wildwing quietly object, but he did eat something whilst ensuring his son and stepdaughter had the lion's share. Canard himself didn't bother. He knew what was waiting for them, it was only a matter of when. Mallory had tried to get him to eat more than a few scraps, of course. But he no longer saw the point. He had failed.
"Don't get too comfortable scum." Canard glared up at the saurian guard who sneered at them through the energy bars, "Your Galactic alliance friends are getting too close and our Lord wishes to make an example of all of you sooner rather than later!" He laughed at the whimpers from the children, "Even those brats won't see the next sunset!" Canard noticed as Mookie seemed to get closer to Wildwing and the kids as if the close proximity might comfort her somehow.
"Big man scaring little kids." Kii'era spat, "What's the matter? Only got guard duty because you aren't any use on the front lines?"
"Silence woman!" He growled too loudly, "You don't know what you're talking about!" Regardless, the guard left the cell block angrily.
It wasn't long before all those who had been taken from the pond were collected from their cells. Canard watched as Wildwing tried to hold onto his children like a lifeline, but they were ripped from his grasp and he was unceremoniously dragged along with them, the rest of the adults were bound with energy cuffs behind their backs. The cuffs were too big for the children, so Molly was dragged by her wrist and Jet was held tightly under the arm of another saurian.
"No!" Molly yelled, "Let me go! You're hurt Jet! Stop it!" Canard winced as the saurian squeezed the small human's wrist and there was an audible crack. Molly wailed in pain and something seemed to snap in Wildwing. With a feral howl Wildwing struggled. Despite his legs being useless he managed to get one arm free and land a square punch on the saurian on his left. All watched in shock as Wildwing managed to flip so he had his arms around the neck of the remaining saurian. The pair fell to the ground as Wildwing tightened his choak hold and eventually the saurian ceased to move. Wing pushed the body off him and went to grab a weapon from the saurian's belt as it did but a female saurian beat him to it. With a swift blow to the head with the butt of her weapon Wildwing lay still.
"Daddy!" Molly screamed and this time Jet began wailing with her.
"You idiot!" The saurian who appeared to be in charge snapped at the woman, "Lord Draganus wanted the pleasure of killing that wretch himself!"
"Oh, don't get your tail in a knot!" The saurian rolled her eyes, "He's just out cold. The old coot will get his way, don't worry. This will just keep him quiet whilst we get him and the rest of these rebels to their audience."
"Why do the kids need to come?!" Mookie asked in a high-pitched voice, "What possible threat are they to you?!"
"Nothing." The leader shrugged then turned to look down at Mookie. "But give it a few years and they'll grow to be warriors just like their father there. So why give them the chance?" He sneered, "Lets get moving!"
/
"This is where out intel tells us the execution is due to take place." Mimosa told them, not missing the minute flinch at her words from the young drake in her company.
"The plan is to take an advance force to infiltrate the facility, whilst our main forces await our signal that the targets are safe." Yurio continued. "Then the main forces will strike to take out the surrounding Saurian allied forces. At the same time, a team on the Orion will take control of the dimensional facility here." He pointed to a dot on the 3d holo map that was situated between earth and Mars. Yurio then looked up, "I'm presuming you and your group wish to be part of the advance team heading up the rescue?"
"Even if you advised against it we would be going in after Nosedive's family." Angel scowled, her game face back in place as if the past year had not taken place. The only sign of apprehension was how tense she was compared to what Nosedive remembered her being in such situations before they were taken.
"Select your team members." Mimosa told them, "I trust your mother," She looked at Nosedive, "will wish to stay behind with Jessica and… Kaya, was it?"
"Pretty sure Jessica wants to be with us." Angel shrugged.
"No way." Nosedive declared. "Wildwing would kill me for one, and I'm not letting her risk her life like that."
"That's her choice to make Nosedive, not yours or Wildwing's." Angel said grimly. "This isn't a game, that's her husband and kids they're about to slaughter. She has every right to be there, just as much as you do."
"But she…" Dive slammed his fist down on the table, making the holo image waver slightly. "She can't…"
"She's just as good with a blaster as Sara and Howie," Angel pointed out, "and you've seen her sparring. She may not have the skills we do, but she's by no means helpless." Angel sighed at Nosedive's closed off body language as he leaned heavily against the holo table in front of him. "It's your decision, but you can be the one to tell her she's not going, if you decided to tell her no."
"Perhaps the children's mother being there will be more of an assistance." Mimosa tried to assist, earning a glare from Dive, "Look, I understand this is a civilian, but weren't you a civilian too? If I recall you were nothing but a child when you were thrust into this mess."
"I was older than Angel was." Nosedive argued but knew how lame the argument was. Angel had been trained almost from birth. First by her mother in secret, then mimicking her captors before Kyoza took over her training. He on the other hand was a kid, whose only experience of fighting was in the school yard. Even then, his brother usually swooped in to put the bullies straight.
"We have a few hours to worry about that." Yukio told them, "For now, let's keep going. This is the layout of where Draganus plans to broadcast the execution." Before them the hologram shifted and there was what looked like a mountain range. Within it was a man made, or more likely saurian made basin with one way in and one way out. "The execution will happen here." He pointed to a higher level about halfway up the cliff to the north of the basin. "This will give us the opportunity to come in from behind to be ready to swoop in with the element of surprise."
"Our main objective will be to secure the prisoners to minimise casualties of friendlies." Mimosa added. "Anyone, like the children, unable to fight will be teleported straight out to safety. The rest can take weapons from enemy troops already subdued to assist in the battle that will inevitably ensue. That's when I will contact Kyoza to mobilise the forces."
"From there we secure the area and try to ensure as many innocent slaves are spared as possible." Yurio confirmed.
"The saurians will just start firing at them in that basin." Nosedive said in a haunted manner as if remembering something. Angel made a mental note to bring it up if, and when they came through this with their friends safe and sound.
"We expect there to be civilian casualties." Yurio said darkly. "That can't be prevented, no matter how hard we try."
"We will bring your family out of there one way or the other Nosedive." Mimosa looked him in the eye and the drake nodded.
"Lets go." Dive turned to Angel. She nodded to him and they began to leave.
"Angel." Mimosa walked over to her as the girl turned to look at the older woman. "Yurio and I. We were entrusted with something that I think should be passed to you. We haven't really had the opportunity before now…" The pair reached behind their backs and each produced intricate Amayan blades. One was white with gold filament and the other was a blood red with black.
"They belonged to your parents." Yurio told her, "It's time these blades found their way home, and I believe your mother and father would wish to fight with you against the battles ahead. Angel reached out for them but paused. These weren't like the imitation blades she had been using before all this. These were real Amayan blades. She could sense the power within them just standing near them and these weren't just any blades.
"Thank you." Angel said, finally taking them. "I guess I won't have to ask Ayeka to make new ones now."
"Just me to sort then." Nosedive snorted.
"I can help you with that too." Yurio smiled. "Here." Yurio pulled another blade out, "It's an imitation but it will work as well as the ones Angel used prior to her capture. It should serve you well.
"Thanks." Nosedive said studying the blade before stuffing it in his belt before turning to Angel, "Let's go."
