CHAPTER 16
They couldn't remember where on their journey the storm had stared, but they knew now that it was in full swing. Having no time to stop, Luanda urges his steed onwards, rain pelting down like icicles on his skin and fur. He didn't mind the rain, but he wasn't so sure of Riana. He could feel her shivering behind him, and take both of the reins in one hand; Luanda tries to rub Riana's cold hands warm.
" I'm ok Luanda." Riana chatters behind him.
"We'll find some shelter when we reach the lake, it isn't far from here." Luanda tells her. With that, Luanda urges his horse into a faster gallop. Suddenly a huge boom fills the air, startling the animal into a stop, flinging Riana and Luanda off its back. Luanda crawls over to his friends asking desperately if she is alright. Riana sits up in the wet grass and rubs her head.
" I'm ok, but what was that noise? It wasn't thunder."
Before he can answer, another crashing sound erupts into the air. Picking up where the noise originated from, Luanda helps Riana to her feet and collects his frightened horse.
" It sounds like a battle! Do you think Tristen hasn't reached Rynntopia yet?" Riana asks Luanda hopefully.
" Possibly; if the allied Kingdoms have come to stop him." Luanda answers equally as hopeful.
"Let us hurry, maybe we can help."
The two climb back onto the horse and they quickly head towards the cliff top facing the Lake. Stopping the animal just before they reach the lip of the cliff, Luanda ties the horse to a tree and he and Riana stealthily creep to the cliff edge, peering over to get a better view of the terrible battle below. Luanda, knowing Riana wouldn't have a clue the good guys were, helpfully points out the allied Gaimeleths.
" Those Gaimeleths in the blue are Astorian Gaimeleths, and the Samurai-type Meleths over there are Fenailian. Also, the ones with the orange band, which look similar to the Fenailian ones, are from Freyd. All those are the 'good guys'."
Riana nods, knowing somewhere in her memory she had heard those Kingdom names from her Grandfather in one of his stories. Riana points to the important looking Gaimeleth and Luanda gladly explains.
" The one with the red cloak and golden bared helmet is the Astorian King's Gaimeleth, and the light violet one is..." Luanda pauses surprised that a Queen was fighting.
"... That one belongs to the Queen of Fenailia!"
" Wow!" Riana breathes. Suddenly a black Gaimeleth wielding a Scythe, a Purple and Silver Meleth and a White Gaimeleth catches her eye.
"What about those?"
" The black Gaimeleth belongs to General Darken... But that White one is the Legendary Escaflowne! I can see it is fighting for Tristen. This is terrible!" Luanda continues.
" I haven't seen the other Gaimeleth before. It is built differently to the others..."
Riana nods, knowing all that she needed to hear and looks for a way to sneak down and join the battle below. Suddenly she clamps her eyes on an abandoned trio of Fenailian Gaimeleths near the Lake and nudges Luanda, pointing to them as she gets his attention. Nodding in acknowledgment, the couple sneak carefully down a path behind the battle and head towards the Gaimeleths.
" Do you think these are spares or something?" Riana asks the beastman as the reach the huge machines.
" They must be, they aren't damaged. Come on, let's go help them."
"Luanda?" Riana says opening her Gaimeleth. Luanda turns to look at his friend.
" Be careful ok? Don't get hurt or anything."
Luanda smiles and nods.
" You too."
The friends climb into their Gaimeleths and walk carefully into the battle. Before they could decide where to go first, the are immediately attacked by the enemies. Riana grabs her sword and blocks the blow aimed at her head, feeling the controls to try to get a grip with them. Pushing the Trian Gaimeleth away, Riana places a clean kick into its stomach, knocking it over and cutting out its Energist.
" This Meleth is a little bit quicker than the other one I piloted!" Riana calls to Luanda. Realising he was a little bit busy with his own foe, Riana looks for the Astorian King, wanting to tell him she and Luanda is here to help. Grabbing another sword from a fallen Fenailian Gaimeleth, Riana hacks down a Trian cannon and throws her second sword into the Energist of a Trian Meleth. Suddenly she spots the King grappling with the black Gaimeleth Luanda had told her about and rushes to his aid, pushing over another enemy in her path.
" For a King of Astoria, you are pretty weak in Shezarizard!" Darken hisses to Ulysses menacingly. Pushing the evil Gaimeleth away, Ulysses takes a step back, panting with fatigue.
" How do you think you will get away with this Darken?" the Astorian King asks the General. Answering with a sickening laugh, Hades raises his Scythe into the air, preparing for a finishing slice into Shezarizard. Just as the blow is about to connect, the Scythe's blade is cut off, spinning into Hades shoulder plate. Taken back by the block, Darken turns to the new Fenailian Gaimeleth.
" HOW DARE YOU INTERVEEN!"
Ignoring him, Riana commands her Meleth to perform an axe kick into Hades' Energist. Screaming with rage, Darken could do nothing but watch, as his noble Gaimeleth is rendered useless. Before Ulysses could thank the mysterious fighter, Riana rushes to another Astorian Meleths aid.
Darken couldn't believe his eyes. A mere military Gaimeleth moving with such ease, defeating him as if he was a beginner! Clambering to safety, Darken catches the attention of Tristen. Defeating his foe, Tristen makes his way to his cowering General and demands what had happened.
" It must have been pure luck, my King!" Darken says, trying to compromises his defeat.
" I am disappointed Darken. Climb into a working Meleth and carry on with the battle, fool!"
Bowing to his King in the giant machine, Darken scrambles back up the cliff to gain access to another spare Gaimeleth. Tristen calls Akuma over.
" Keep your eyes open for a Fenailian Gaimeleth that fights unusually well, I believe that girl is here."
Akuma smiles to himself. He had always wanted a rematch against Riana, just so that he could see her hang her head in shame...
They couldn't remember where on their journey the storm had stared, but they knew now that it was in full swing. Having no time to stop, Luanda urges his steed onwards, rain pelting down like icicles on his skin and fur. He didn't mind the rain, but he wasn't so sure of Riana. He could feel her shivering behind him, and take both of the reins in one hand; Luanda tries to rub Riana's cold hands warm.
" I'm ok Luanda." Riana chatters behind him.
"We'll find some shelter when we reach the lake, it isn't far from here." Luanda tells her. With that, Luanda urges his horse into a faster gallop. Suddenly a huge boom fills the air, startling the animal into a stop, flinging Riana and Luanda off its back. Luanda crawls over to his friends asking desperately if she is alright. Riana sits up in the wet grass and rubs her head.
" I'm ok, but what was that noise? It wasn't thunder."
Before he can answer, another crashing sound erupts into the air. Picking up where the noise originated from, Luanda helps Riana to her feet and collects his frightened horse.
" It sounds like a battle! Do you think Tristen hasn't reached Rynntopia yet?" Riana asks Luanda hopefully.
" Possibly; if the allied Kingdoms have come to stop him." Luanda answers equally as hopeful.
"Let us hurry, maybe we can help."
The two climb back onto the horse and they quickly head towards the cliff top facing the Lake. Stopping the animal just before they reach the lip of the cliff, Luanda ties the horse to a tree and he and Riana stealthily creep to the cliff edge, peering over to get a better view of the terrible battle below. Luanda, knowing Riana wouldn't have a clue the good guys were, helpfully points out the allied Gaimeleths.
" Those Gaimeleths in the blue are Astorian Gaimeleths, and the Samurai-type Meleths over there are Fenailian. Also, the ones with the orange band, which look similar to the Fenailian ones, are from Freyd. All those are the 'good guys'."
Riana nods, knowing somewhere in her memory she had heard those Kingdom names from her Grandfather in one of his stories. Riana points to the important looking Gaimeleth and Luanda gladly explains.
" The one with the red cloak and golden bared helmet is the Astorian King's Gaimeleth, and the light violet one is..." Luanda pauses surprised that a Queen was fighting.
"... That one belongs to the Queen of Fenailia!"
" Wow!" Riana breathes. Suddenly a black Gaimeleth wielding a Scythe, a Purple and Silver Meleth and a White Gaimeleth catches her eye.
"What about those?"
" The black Gaimeleth belongs to General Darken... But that White one is the Legendary Escaflowne! I can see it is fighting for Tristen. This is terrible!" Luanda continues.
" I haven't seen the other Gaimeleth before. It is built differently to the others..."
Riana nods, knowing all that she needed to hear and looks for a way to sneak down and join the battle below. Suddenly she clamps her eyes on an abandoned trio of Fenailian Gaimeleths near the Lake and nudges Luanda, pointing to them as she gets his attention. Nodding in acknowledgment, the couple sneak carefully down a path behind the battle and head towards the Gaimeleths.
" Do you think these are spares or something?" Riana asks the beastman as the reach the huge machines.
" They must be, they aren't damaged. Come on, let's go help them."
"Luanda?" Riana says opening her Gaimeleth. Luanda turns to look at his friend.
" Be careful ok? Don't get hurt or anything."
Luanda smiles and nods.
" You too."
The friends climb into their Gaimeleths and walk carefully into the battle. Before they could decide where to go first, the are immediately attacked by the enemies. Riana grabs her sword and blocks the blow aimed at her head, feeling the controls to try to get a grip with them. Pushing the Trian Gaimeleth away, Riana places a clean kick into its stomach, knocking it over and cutting out its Energist.
" This Meleth is a little bit quicker than the other one I piloted!" Riana calls to Luanda. Realising he was a little bit busy with his own foe, Riana looks for the Astorian King, wanting to tell him she and Luanda is here to help. Grabbing another sword from a fallen Fenailian Gaimeleth, Riana hacks down a Trian cannon and throws her second sword into the Energist of a Trian Meleth. Suddenly she spots the King grappling with the black Gaimeleth Luanda had told her about and rushes to his aid, pushing over another enemy in her path.
" For a King of Astoria, you are pretty weak in Shezarizard!" Darken hisses to Ulysses menacingly. Pushing the evil Gaimeleth away, Ulysses takes a step back, panting with fatigue.
" How do you think you will get away with this Darken?" the Astorian King asks the General. Answering with a sickening laugh, Hades raises his Scythe into the air, preparing for a finishing slice into Shezarizard. Just as the blow is about to connect, the Scythe's blade is cut off, spinning into Hades shoulder plate. Taken back by the block, Darken turns to the new Fenailian Gaimeleth.
" HOW DARE YOU INTERVEEN!"
Ignoring him, Riana commands her Meleth to perform an axe kick into Hades' Energist. Screaming with rage, Darken could do nothing but watch, as his noble Gaimeleth is rendered useless. Before Ulysses could thank the mysterious fighter, Riana rushes to another Astorian Meleths aid.
Darken couldn't believe his eyes. A mere military Gaimeleth moving with such ease, defeating him as if he was a beginner! Clambering to safety, Darken catches the attention of Tristen. Defeating his foe, Tristen makes his way to his cowering General and demands what had happened.
" It must have been pure luck, my King!" Darken says, trying to compromises his defeat.
" I am disappointed Darken. Climb into a working Meleth and carry on with the battle, fool!"
Bowing to his King in the giant machine, Darken scrambles back up the cliff to gain access to another spare Gaimeleth. Tristen calls Akuma over.
" Keep your eyes open for a Fenailian Gaimeleth that fights unusually well, I believe that girl is here."
Akuma smiles to himself. He had always wanted a rematch against Riana, just so that he could see her hang her head in shame...
