Disclaimer: Same as usual. Getting low reviews here people.

Chap. 8

Boom! Boom! Boom!

I was being slammed through every single gate on the way down and Nephtis was still holding on, laughing as she continued on through a pair of generators. Clearly, she was enjoying this ride more than I was. Just when I thought it couldn't be worse (and it always does), she released me. I thought she had finally let me go in order to fight, but instead she had propelled me straight into an energy field. I shrieked in agony as she hovered before me.

"Pain. Such an interesting feeling, isn't it?"

I had to gather every ounce of my willpower to rip out of the field and into the air. I took a brief look around. We were in Vascilla alright, but the energy field had us surrounded in a square. Us, as in me and her. Meaning that I was now stuck with the royal queen of unnecessary brutality. Just my luck.

"Well then, let's continue Jehuty!"

Her arms waved around, releasing bolts of energy as the battle began anew. I was once again reduced to dodging her attacks. I decided to retaliate and I fire bolts of my own, but to my utter dismay, her energy force-field was still in place. Damn, how am I going to stop her now? No poles and no panels. Just me, her and this damn...field. Wait a second. The field. If it could hurt me, then there's a good chance it could hurt her too. I just had to find a way for her to get caught in it. My thoughts were interrupted when she swooped at me and struck out. Her petal-like protrusions extended onto her arms as she slashed me across my arm before I could block. I grasped my hand in pain as she charged again. Reactively, I rolled up into the sky as she slashed out again. Looking up, she flew after me, slashing repeatedly with me desperately trying to avoid her strikes.

'Damn. She doesn't give up.'

Tell me about it. But maybe I can use this to my advantage. I suddenly shot away at full speed, actually managing to leave her behind. I stopped right in front of the field and I had to try a bit not to be pulled in by the field's magnetic pull. Turning around, I saw Nephtis but she wasn't following me. Rather, her entire body was shimmering with Metatron.

"Take this!"

The petals spread open behind her, launching three balls of energy heading straight at me. I dodged the projectiles, but I was a little slow due to the field. I didn't notice that she was glowing again and suddenly rushing straight at me like a missile. When I looked up, she was two seconds away from plowing into me.

'Move!"

At the very last split second, I inched myself upward, getting caught in her backwash but she missed me totally. As I maneuvered myself to recover, she continued on her course and smashed right into the energy field. Sparks of electricity fried her body as she screamed. Shaking my daze off, I prepared to move in and stop her for good when she suddenly broke free. Damn, it didn't hold her long enough. Worse yet, she looked really pissed.

Her body charged quickly and she attacked. The halo behind her encircled her and began spinning around with the petals like a buzz-saw. I dodged the attack, but not enough as the saw clipped my leg. Ahhhhhhh! I backed away as the petals and halo returned to their place. Again she shimmered, but I would be ready this time. The charge came and once again I was able to dodge it. But before she could hit the field again, she suddenly stopped, right in front of it.

"Ah, ah, ah. Shame on you."

At this point, I was strangely annoyed. So annoyed that I only reacted as my hand shot out a Gauntlet blast. The projectile hit her dead on and smashed her right into the field. All right. Now to end this, Nephtis. With a cry I charged at Nephtis and slashed her right across her chest. She screamed in the agony of the slash as well as the field and she rattled within it. The generators creating the field began to overload and they shorted out altogether, blowing her and themselves up. Nephtis fell to the dirt ground and lay still, defeated. Finally. It's about flaming time. I hovered down to her still body, checking to make sure she was down this time. But as I moved a sudden flash of green shot up from her and engulfed me. I was surprised, but unhurt. That glow...It's the same as when the LEV soldier gave me Geyser. And when Vic gave me Gauntlet. That means...

-Comet-

I looked at my hand as if to study the new technique. I could have tested it now, but I didn't want to use up unnecessary energy. I looked back down at the body of Nephtis. I could hear Dingo talk about his former comrade.

'She was always someone I could trust. It's unfortunate.'

But this wasn't really her. It was just a ghost, a wraith of her that refused to die. But I had to consider my runners feelings. I looked at my hands again. I guess...she came in handy after all.

"Ah, Jehuty. I see that you got away."

Huh. I began to sense someone calling me, telepathically. I can do that with other Frame Warriors as well as LEV soldiers.

"Who is this?"

"Such a short memory you got there. It's me, T. Remember, from Deimos."

T? Oh, yeah, it was the LEV soldier I met in Deimos. I wasn't sure he was still alive.

"So that's your name, huh? Anyway, what is it?"

"I've managed to find the Eight-Heads troop with the Vector technique but they're trapped on a cliff. I'm on my way there to help them now."

"I'm going to head there..."

A sudden series of explosion broke my mental connection. Looking into the city, I saw fierce fireworks erupting all over the place. Sounds of battle. In the far distance, I could see the invading horde of Spiders attacking the city. Many humans were panicking and running into buildings for shelter. Nearby, another platoon of LEV soldiers was fighting the Spiders.

'What are they crazy?'

Crazy? What do you...It was then that I realized what Dingo meant. The soldiers were fighting right in among the people. What are they doing? They should try to move the battle away, not fight with innocents around. I sent a mental message to the leader.

"Stop. There are innocent people around."

I was greeted with a gruff reply. "Who is this? We don't have time for this."

I ignored him and went on. "You can't fight while there are innocent people around."

"The humans do not matter. Victory is more important than a few lowly mortals."

I don't know if it was that response or the response I was feeling from Dingo, but now I was royally pissed off at this guy. Still, he isn't the problem right now, the Spiders were. Great. Now I have to stop BAHRAM from hurting innocent people by helping a few military @$$clowns. My wings opened forth.

Today just isn't my day, is it.