The Next Generation 29

Magicman: Muahahahahahahaha! I have returned with another chapter! ...Rats. I can't think of anything else to say.

Dilandau-with-a-cowboy-hat: I can. *Starts a twenty minute discussion arguing against telephone cords when Smokegirl bashes him over the head with an electric guitar*

Magicman: Thank you!

Smokegirl: Anytime!
It was dawn.

It was three days after General Veers designed a battle strategy to break the Asturian army once and for all. Now his hordes prepared for battle. The massive fleets of leva ships that hovered above the invading army blotted out the rising sun. Single man fighters flew in formation, buzzing the ground troops as they broke camp. The Silver Serpents, Basram's elite soldiers were going into battle, armoured unit and all. Tanks rolled relentlessly on massive caterpillar treads; their long barrels aimed for the city. Guymelefs strode to the fore of the army like great steel titans preparing to do battle with the gods all over again. Spear wielding Guyver models flanked the newer Avatar class with their sword and shield. Behind the guymelefs the army itself marched forward. Each soldier kept perfect rhythm with the others, all marching toward one common goal.

Palas was scheduled for defeat.

Facing the tide of the armoured brigades were the remnants of Asturia's guymelef forces. These brave warriors would try to hold back the enemy's guymelefs. If they succeeded then the city might have a chance.

The soldiers were nervous. In past battles Asturia's armies had had the Knights Caeli on their side. The knights had provided a source of inspiration, a shining example of Asturia's power, and a beacon of hope no matter how dark the times were. Now that the knights were gone the soldiers felt almost lost.

But there were still leaders willing to provide the beacon of hope. In the forefront of the Asturian 'melefs stood three great machines. One was pure white. One was a blood red. These two were known and respected by the men. The third guymelef was nearly unknown. A titanium blue that seemed to glow, it nevertheless radiated a sense of power to match that of the other two guymelefs and the soldiers respected that.

The three pilots of these guymelefs watched the approaching army from the ground.

Van's face was grim as he anticipated a losing battle akin to that at Freid in the Destiny War. Dilandau's face was painted by a smirk of anticipation. Mark's face was the stony definition of determination itself.

The three men looked toward each other. "Good luck" was all that Van said.

"Bah!" Dilandau snorted. "I don't need any luck to win. If I did then I wouldn't deserve to win!"

Mark only nodded. His mind went back to Yukari's lasts words to him.

'Be careful...Hold down the fort...'

The three men climbed into their guymelefs and readied themselves. Already the first shells of were being fired. They mostly missed horribly; the tanks had not got the range yet. But the enemy guymelef force was advancing and there could be no dodging of this threat.

Van felt more comfortable strapped into the cockpit of his trusty Escaflowne. He still wished that Millerna had gotten out of the city but there wasn't anything that he could do about that. All he could do now was fight back with sword and will. He pressed his intercom button.

"Soldiers of Asturia" Van began, "We are about to go into battle. I don't know if we will survive. All I can say is good luck and God speed."

Someone snorted. "I already told you Van, I don't need luck!"

"Maybe" Mark piped up "But the rest of us do".

A titter of laughter went up among the troops at Dilandau's 'Humph'. Van smiled. "Alright then gang prepare to engage the enemy."

Van drew his sword as the enemy force broke into a run at Asturia's guymelefs. He swung it to point forward.

"Attack!"

***

Setto had gathered all his explosives into a big horse drawn cart and was driving the horse to pull it toward the wall. The ground shook from the heavy shelling but the wall didn't seem to be crumbling just yet. He cracked his whip to hurry the horse along. He didn't mind taking it slowly and watching the explosions but he had a feeling that the soldiers on the wall would be needing his explosives pretty quick so he hurried up the pace a bit. The horse didn't seem to mind the destruction. It just cantered along at a fair pace.

Setto smirked at the thought of commandeering Yukari's horse the help pull the load. But no. She'd fillet him alive for that little stunt.

A soldier ran up to the side of his cart, a mask covering his face to filter out smoke, sparks, and other dangerous fumes. "Sir!" he yelled. He grabbed the side of the cart and pulled himself up onto the pile of explosives.

Setto looked back curiously. "What's up?"

The soldier climbed into the driver's seat with Setto. "I have been detailed to escort you sir." He said. "We have discovered evidence that there might be Basramian infiltrators in the castle and we must get these weapons to the walls as fast as possible."

Setto nodded. "Fair enough. Do you want to drive?"

The man took the reins unhesitatingly and cracked them with a "Heeah!" The horse suddenly lurched forward and began to gallop to the wall with a speed that nearly knocked Setto backward off his seat. He managed to regain himself and just held on for dear life.

The cart raced through the chaos of soldiers milling in the streets. The soldier seemed to know how to drive but not particularly well. He nearly tipped the cart over twice and Setto nearly lost his lunch. When they arrived at the wall his nerves, which had withstood explosions, fire, and death were badly jangled.

Setto climbed out slowly, oblivious to the explosions that rocked the ramparts above him, threatening to bring them down. He glared at the soldier. "You call that driving?!"

The soldier shrugged, hiding a smile. "I'm a soldier, not a driver."

Setto sighed. He glanced back at the castle. The rising smoke nearly obscured it but somewhere in there was Sabrina. He regretted his decision not to tell her that he loved her but all he could do now was try to stay alive long enough to see her again. He placed a hand on his chest, over her braid that she'd given him. He wore it around his neck and prayed for her safety.

He turned back to the soldier, who watched him intently. "Well then lets hand out these bombs." Setto pulled out a bundle of his 'special' arrows and pressed them into the hands of a passing archer. "Here, fire these. Have your buddies come here for some." He grabbed an infantryman by the shoulder and handed him a keg with a fuse. "Here you go. Just light the fuse and kick it at the enemy. Do NOT hang onto it once the fuse it lit." He caught a catapult officer and passed him a couple of wooden frames carved to look like dragon heads. "Try firing these at them. Light the fuse and stand back."

With the soldier's help Setto slowly passed out all his explosive equipment.

***

The companions tore like Hell through the interior of the fortress, the sounds of magical combat still ringing in their ears as Jager fought to buy them time.

The sounds of soldiers shouting echoed behind them and they ran even faster.

"This way!" Allen yelled. "We can get to the bombs another way!" He turned a corner and the others followed.

Yukari could never remember much about this last desperate run. She vividly recalled the feeling of running until her lungs almost burst. Once a patrol of soldiers had got in their way and they had to fight. The ferocity with which they attacked left no doubt who had won. Yukari didn't care by that point. The strain of running in plate armour was catching up to her and could barely stand, much less continue to run.

She turned a corner after the others and suddenly stopped in front a stone wall. Allen stared at it baffled. "I don't understand it," he said disbelievingly. "This wall shouldn't be here!" He swore and whirled to Hitomi. "The armoury is on the other side of this wall, I'm sure of it."

"It was probably blocked up then" she decided. "We'll have to break through somehow."

"I'd hate to interrupt this lovely conversation" Miguel said dryly, "But we have company." Another dozen guards had just turned the corner and were making their way to the group.

Yukari pushed her way to the front of the group. She looked up at Allen. "You're sure that the armoury is on the other side?"

Allen nodded. "I'd bet Scherezade on it."

"Then stand back!"

Yukari focussed hard and a powerful lash of force magic struck the wall. The stone shivered and dust drifted downward but it stayed put. Another blast shook the hallway and this time a minute crack appeared. At the third blow the stone wall shattered inward and Yukari nearly collapsed from the strain. Allen and Hitomi held her up and dragged her into the room, closely followed by the others. The guards slowed, disconcerted at the sight of such power, and hung back. That wouldn't last for long though. Soon they would regain their courage. Hitomi knew this and she knew that they had to be long gone before then.

The five energist bombs sat in a steel brace. They looked like harmless metal cylinders. A series of buttons were set in a computer console at the end of the room. It was a state of the art model and none of the Gaeans had any idea what to do with it. Even Hitomi was somewhat at a loss.

While her mother and Miguel pressed buttons randomly Yukari slumped to the floor to catch a moment's rest before they were attacked again. The cat girls stood watch at the hole she had blasted in the wall and Gatti stood with Allen behind them. 'They don't need me right now' Yukari thought as she slumped to the ground. 'I could catch a couple of winks...'

At that exact moment Hitomi and Miguel seemed to hit a correct sequence of buttons. A warning siren began whistling piercingly through the entire fort. Yukari groaned in frustration and forced herself to her feet. "What is it now?" she asked.

Naria glanced at her and shrugged. "You've got me. The guards seem to know. They all just left in a big hurry."

"Uh guys? Maybe you should look at this." Hitomi's voice was too tight and strained.

The group gathered around the control console. Yukari took one look before the word 'Holy' drifted through her mind quickly followed by the word 'Shit'.

"Warning" the console read. "Energist bombs armed. Detonation in three minutes". A little timer at the bottom slowly ticked off the seconds.

"Well" Hitomi said, "It seems that our mission has been accomplished. The bombs are going to be destroyed. Now our only problem is to make sure that they don't destroy us in the process."

***

"Sir"

Veers looked over at his communications sorcerer. "What is it?"

The man was frowning at his console. "I'm getting a weird reading from the fort. I'm picking up massive levels f radiation that weren't there before."

The General's heart leaped into his throat. He walked over to the console and looked himself. Sure enough the levels were high and growing higher by the second. He cursed. "Signal the other two ships and tell them to get out of here!" he barked. "Power up the engines and set any heading!"

"Sir?"

"DO IT!"

"Yes sir." The communications officer relayed his orders through the ship and the Destiny began to power up and move away. The powerful engines were the fastest in the fleet and they soon carried the Destiny out of sight of the fort.

Veers was poised on the edge of his command chair. He gripped the armrests with fingers like claws. He watched his radar map of the area tensely. He didn't know if he was right or not, but he had a hunch that someone had armed the energist bombs. And if he was right then Gaea would see an explosion greater than even during the Destiny War.

"The other ships are following sir".

Veers nodded briefly. "Don't wait for them. Continue at full speed."

***

Everyone was quiet for a second after Hitomi's announcement. Gatti instinctively wrapped an arm around Naria's waist. The silver cat girl leaned into him as her sister simply scratched her ear. Allen sighed slightly while Miguel just shook his head.

Hitomi glared at them all. "Oh relax why don't you?" she admonished. "I can get us out of here fairly easily. Remember the beam of light?"

Yukari stopped staring at the counter and looked back at her mother eagerly. "That's right!" She'd be able to get back to Mark! Yes! Then a thought hit her. "But what about Jager?"

Hitomi bit her lip and looked older. "He knew what we were getting into when he joined the mission. It would be better for some of us to get out than none of us."

Everyone looked grim. Yukari nodded reluctantly though she felt a painful clench in her chest.

"Alright then" Hitomi said. "Gather around me so I can get us out of here."

As the companions began to gather around Hitomi a rumble shook the floor. Then one of the remaining walls suddenly exploded inward. A battered figure was hurled through the sudden hole with great force. Startled, the companions scattered and the figure landed amidst them. Eriya caught him in mid-air and was propelled backward by the force of his body. She landed hard, knocking the wind out of her lungs. When she could breathe again she looked into Jager's unconscious face. Looking back up she watched a furious Kasar storm into the ruined room.

The evil sorcerer looked as though he had been in a fight. His robes were charred and smouldering and the hand that had held his staff was now empty. A long line of soot ran across his face and his soul sucking black eyes glared about with the fury of a thunderstorm. Kasar counted all the companions one by one. He would leave here and hunt them all down when he had regained his power. He would use all of his art to make them suffer.

His eyes then fell upon Yukari and a shadow fell across his features as he looked upon her with all of his hate.

"You" he cried out. "You've stood in my way for the last time!"

Kasar chanted powerful words that shook the very air. Yukari was overcome by an unreasoning fear and was paralysed from action. Time seemed to slow down as black skeletal dragons burst from Kasar's fingertips and slowly streaked toward the girl.

Then the dragons dissipated. Time regained its speed just in time to capture the look of exquisite shock on Kasar's face.

"But" he stammered, "How..." His eyes trailed across to the room to meet Hitomi's.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size Kasar?" Hitomi growled, fire in her eyes.

Kasar's fear quickly gave way to fury and he attacked with a flurry of magical bolts. Each one was either deflected or absorbed by a field of power that Hitomi seemed to have erected around herself. Some of the deflected bolts landed dangerously close to the five energist bombs. Hitomi glanced at them anxiously before staring a challenge at the sorcerer. "Let's take this somewhere else Kasar!" Then a beam of light descended around the two combatants. They slowly began to rise.

Yukari could only stare as her mother lifted through the ceiling. Then Hitomi's voice spoke to Yukari directly. The girl understood what was needed of her.

She was prepared to give.

Yukari whirled to the remaining party members. "Gather close to me guys."

Puzzled but willing to obey the rest came together around the teenage girl, Eriya and Miguel supporting the unconscious Jager. Yukari closed her eyes. She could0 see things that few mortals had ever seen. She could know things that no mortal could ever know. She envisioned a place, the city of Palas. She made a wish.

At first nothing happened. Then Yukari began to glow slightly. The others stared as the glow brightened into light. The light extended up from her sandy brown head and projected through the ceiling. Slowly they began to lift into the air.

When they were only three feet off the ground Yukari's eyes opened in alarm. "Look out!" she screamed. They could only watch helplessly as the forgotten apprentice sorcerer and a pack of Basram soldiers entered the armoury. He took one look at the energist bombs before glaring defiantly at the rising companions.

He gestured and the soldiers raised their crossbows. He pointed his hands at the rising companions and started to chant words. A ball of fire materialised in his hands.

'This is impossible!' Yukari started to panic. 'We're not going fast enough but we can't take time to fight back. Those bombs will go off at any second and we can't protect ourselves!' Then she felt movement at her side. She looked to her right and for a split second looked into Allen's face. He seemed to feel her looking at him and smiled softly. He mouthed two words. 'Thank you'. Then he turned to face the Basramians and drew his sword.

Allen let out the age-old battle cry of the Knights Caeli. "For Asturia!" Then he hurled himself from the beam of light toward the enemy below.

"ALLEN!" Yukari screamed but there was nothing she could do.

Like an avenging angel from Heaven Allen dropped downward to face his foes. As he landed on both feet his sword plunged into the chest of the apprentice sorcerer and recovered in an instant. He turned to face the soldiers who had dropped their crossbows and drew their own weapons. He stood calmly, poised to fight. Then he smiled and whistled a tune as he stood engarde against the oncoming horde. The last thing Yukari that remembered of that moment before the beam of light pulled them all from the room and through the Astral realm was the sight of Allen Schezar the last Knight of Caeli defending a sword strike against his country.

He was whistling 'Asturian Rainbow'.