Disclaimer: See previous chapters

-

Chap. 35

-

'Alright. Round two, creep.'

With his blade extended, Havoc charged in to attack the Death Dealer. Hades was a bit surprised by the suddenness, but it didn't faze him as he boosted up and away, aiming his Karasawa rifle once again. And energy bolt was fired, impacting Havoc in the lower leg area, but the machine continued to move, following just underneath him as the EO system sprang up. The orbiter fired relentless, spraying the Death Dealer with energy shots. Hades fell quickly and strafed, avoiding the rest of the EO shots as he aimed for another attack.

-"It ends."-

Another energy blast fired out and this time and direct hit, impacting with the core itself. The Raven within Hades looked on, expecting the AC to fall and explode like so many had done before. After all, hitting the core directly with such a blast meant that either the pilot was dead or the main systems were fried and about to explode. In any case, Havoc was finished.

Or so he thought…

But then he found that he was locked on to and soon Havoc's missiles were flying at him. Hades backed away and soared over the terrain, trying to outrun and dodge the missiles as they chased after him. The missiles finally feel away and Hades searched for his opponent.

It didn't take long….

From in the sky, Havoc dove in, EO's active once again and firing with another set of missiles. Hades was forced to fly away again, but let off yet another energy shot, hitting his rival in the shoulder, shredding the armor, but not stopping the machine's attack. 'How is he doing this?' What the Raven of Hades has yet to realize is that Elijah had equipped his core with high energy defense shielding. It was that defense that allowed him to survive the direct attack on the core and partly allowed Elijah to continue fighting. In rage, Hades stopped retreating and attacked head on, firing at will. Havoc skipped aside a few of the energy blast and came in close, but his EO was blown of by one of the shots. But he was close and his energy saber ignited.

Skkkkkkk!

Hades had backed away, but the blade found its target; the Karasawa rifle. The weapon was slashed in half and crumbled onto the ground. Hades continued to fly away and Havoc began to follow, however he was slow in coming. The Raven smiled within. Havoc must have taken too much damage and the Raven had pushed himself too far beyond his limits. Still, he couldn't take any chances. This certainly wasn't the same Raven that he and his comrades had maimed so easily some time ago. Settling back, Hades knelt down and armed his linear cannon. No matter what shield that core is equipped with, it certainly couldn't withstand the full force blast of this cannon.

-"Now it ends…"-

BOOOOSSSSHHHHHH!

"RAAAAAAHHHHH!"

The war cry of Koemai as his machine charged straight at Sheol like a bat out of hell. Sheol continued to strafe away and fire back, but the enraged Raven seemed to be ignoring all the shot and flying past them. Shoel suddenly stopped and let Bloodhand draw near. Bloodhand's orange blade lit up and slashed out, but at the last second, Sheol jumped up into the air and dodged the slash totally. Koemai looked up in annoyance and pulled the controls bath to aim, but paused briefly, feeling the pain of his reopened wound wrenching through his side. Fighting it off, he focused on his aim, only to find that his opponent had already set his ECM marker, cutting off the attack.

'This is really pissing me off.'

Koemai followed airward after him and Shoel released a round of vertical missiles. Bloodhand easily avoided them, but it turned out to be a feint as Sheol paused and came back, his own laser blade extended. Koemai reactivated his own EO, but managed only a meager block, as his laser blade is not too suited for such combat. Nevertheless, the force of the clash caused both AC to fall down from the sky and slam onto the ground. Koemai groaned, feeling the force of the fall and with it, the pain. Blood also began to stain his jumpsuit and trickle down to the seat.

'Put it aside. Focus…on beating this loser!'

A couple of rifle shots alerted his attention and brought his mind back to the battle. Bloodhand strafed to the side, on the defensive this time as Sheol continued to pelt his with rifle rounds. Koemai worked to think of a way out of this and then a thought popped in his mind.

'He's not using his markers…Hehehe…'

Koemai armed his grenade launcher, but didn't settle just yet. Rather he continued to fly away, working to get a reasonable distance from his opponent. When at last reached, Bloodhand activated his launcher, stopping and settling down simultaneously. Shoel stopped in his pursuit, but was too late to stop what was coming.

"Tag! You're it!"

BLLLAAAAAMMMMMMMM!

The concussive shot flew out right at Shoel who was completely caught in by the blast. However, Shoel earlier pursuit and attack had let off a couple of rifle shots and when Koemai stopped to fire his grenade launcher, those shots managed to hit him too, shocking the core and again, impacting the cockpit.

"GUAAAAAAHHHH!"

'Koemai!'

Diana was the first to hear Koemai's scream over the comm and looks over to see the situation. So far, it doesn't look like Bloodhand had sustained any major damage, but the damage was probably internal, which is what she feared most. And his opponent seemed to be reviving from whatever attack Koemai hit him with. She wanted to rush over and help, save on little obstacle.

Genocide…

Cloak soared away as a volley of multi missile swarmed at her. Ever since she had hit him with that laser cannon, he had gone mad, firing at her at every opportunity and not giving her a once of space. And whenever she did manage, he would swarm her with these missiles.

'Boy, did I tick this guy off.'

Cloak managed to strafe around the missiles, but was then bombarded by multiple howitzer shells and a linear shell shot. Genocide dove in from the air and assaulted her continuously. The linear shot had halted her movements and his howitzers then hammered her. If not for her shielding, she would be in serious trouble. And even that was approaching its limits. She had to find a way out of this and fast.

"Here goes."

Aiming, Cloak fired its machine gun at Genocide, who finally halted in his barrage and jumped into the air. However, his EO was still active, spraying Cloak with another linear shell shot and halting her escape momentarily. 'Damn.' Pushing the control, Diana forced her machine forward, just as another howitzer shell exploded behind her. Strafing, she managed to wheel her machine around to face the oncoming Genocide. Lifting its left arm, the dark blue AC fired a salvo of missiles at its shadowy opponent. Genocide easily evaded them, but his dodging movement was exactly what Diana wanted as she tracked him through the air, strafed and unloaded a line of machine gun fire.

TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTKTK!

The bullets tore at Genocide, tearing up bit of armor and metal. But in mid-attack, the Death Dealer suddenly flew at her and fired a swarm of multi missiles. Diana quickly geared her machine away, astounded by Genocide's aggressive move. 'Is he insane?' Cloak flew over the terrain, allowing the pursuing missiles to fall away. Turning to look for Geneocide, she was surprised by the fact that he did not follow, but that was only until a red ball appeared and flew right at her.

'Oh s(&#t, a grenade shell!'

She gunned the controls quickly and flew away, but the shell managed to clip her and explode, almost sending Cloak to the ground. Diana covered her face as some of the systems began to spark and a few exploded. Luckily, the main controls were still in tact, so she managed to revive Cloak and lift it upward.

Where Geneocide dove in to attack…

----

PHOOSSSHHHH!

Whhhhuuuurrr…

"Yes!"

Controls functional now, Baron jerked the controls and pulled his AC out of the way of the cannon blast. Baron gave a short sigh of relief. Had the control come up one second later, he would have been unable to avoid the energy shot. And with his AP on 5003, that would have put him in a crippled position.

Now, back to the battle…

Skull was rearing itself upright, locking on with his vertical missiles. Baron frowned. 'Doesn't this guy get it?' The missiles came and were soon taken out by White Wolf's interceptors, but that only gave Skull time to move in and fire a triple bazooka blast. White Wolf strafed, but one of the shells hit his shoulder, taking out one of the interceptors as well. Baron fired back as well and the bazooka shot hit Skull square on, but it was meaningless against his heavy armor. At this point, they would be shooting at each other for hours and still getting nowhere. He had to end this sooner than that. He had to use his linear cannon. Unfortunately, it was still disabled from the beginning of this fight and useless.

'Guess I'll have to do this the hard way.'

Still strafing, Baron released one of the controls and went to work on the circuitry. This would distract him from the battle for a bit and give Skull a major advantage, but if he could get the linear cannon working, he may have a better chance of getting through this. Skull meanwhile, was awaiting a counter-attack from his rival, but upon seeing nothing, he charged on. Baron gritted his teeth as he strafed his machine with the controls in one hand and used his fingers to rewire the circuitry with his other hand. When it wasn't working out too well, he relinquished the controls altogether and worked feverishly on the controls.

'Come on. Ouch!'

His machine in one place, Baron was forced to take some hits from Skull, who had launched another set of vertical missiles. White Wolf missile interceptor was still active, but with only one interceptor, many of the missiles hit him. Baron growled, but continued in his work. Skull soon stopped and began to settle down, arming his laser cannon. Baron saw this, but focused on repairing the linear cannon.

'Red wire, ow! Okay, green wire…'

The weapon system soon lit up active and Baron cheered inwardly. Wasting no time, he settled into his cannon stance, with the linear cannon unfolding. But Skull had already locked on and the Raven within pulled the trigger.

TSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRR!

Baron saw the light coming toward him and without waiting to lock on, fired the cannon. The two energy blasts flew at each other and exploded, sending shockwaves to both machines.

"GUUUAAAHH!"

Fzzzzz!

A laser blast from Phantom was dodged by Black Widow as the two strafed side by side. Black Widow pulled back and fired her missile arms, to which Phantom pulled back as well, reversing direction in avoidance. While the missiles pursued her, Ellie kept an eye on her opponent. The missiles were heat induction missiles, capable of badly weakening her armor. But they could also be feints, for missiles were good at distracting people away from the opponent's true intention.

'Come on Widow. Make your move.'

The move did come, in the form of another set of missiles, these with added missiles from the extensions on Widow. Phantom began to rear back and then flew forward, ducking just underneath the missile and causing them to collide with the missiles that had been following her. Soaring underneath Widow, Phantom wheeled around and aimed, but a signal light alerted Ellie. Checking her area map, Ellie hit a switch, and the map lit up to show her where her clan members where.

'Hm. Have to move back.'

Not bothering to fire, Phantom strangely flew back. Black Widow turned around, but the Raven within was confused. 'I was locked. Why didn't she fire?' Perhaps there was something wrong with the machine, something that Widow hadn't seen. In any event, it didn't matter. If Phantom were damaged, then it would just make it easier to destroy. Black Widow activated her EO orbiter and let the energy shots chase after Phantom. Phantom continued to fly away, taking a few of the shots in the back until finally she soared around in attack. Arming her warhead missiles, Phantom fired a set of missiles that soon multiplied in eight. Black Widow stopped immediately and boosted straight up into the air. The missiles followed close and with a simple move backward and cutting off the booster, Black Widow was able to dodge the warheads totally.

'This is my web! She is my prey!'

Falling through the air, Black Widow switched her missile arms to increase the number that is launched. Sure, it would lower her weaponry, but it would also ensure a hit. To add further, she connected her missile extensions as well, increasing it more. Aiming at the strafing Phantom, she locked on and fired a total of eighteen missiles at Phantom, spreading out in all directions. There was no way she would be able to avoid it now, no matter how fast she was. Black Widow was too close. And since they were heat inducer missiles, when they hit, Phantom would be crippled.

When you can't bring you prey into the web, bring the web to the prey…

"AHHHHHHH!"

With a loud cry, Cain forced his way out of the blade lock and Glaive jumped back. However Reaper made no effort to follow him…yet.

-"It is your fate, a thin string tied with hers. And I must be the one to cut it!"-

Reaper charged again, laser scythes slicing through the air. Glaive shot back and away and Reaper came in with his second slash. Glaive managed to wheel around it, but the blade edge hit him and nicked the armor of the core, slicing it partly. Glaive lifted his laser cannon and fired, but his aim was off and the energy beam missed him by a couple of feet.

-"You are beginning to understand, aren't you. It is your fate and it is sealed."-

Cain's hands tightened around the control. Even he knew that fighting the way he has will only get him killed. But no matter how much he tried, he could not suppress the earlier words of the Death Dealer. He knew exactly where she was. He could go after her. He could have done so already. What if she is dead right now? Or what if he fails here?

His attention snapped back when Reaper fired a rocket shell, causing Cain to jerk the controls automatically and for Glaive to strafe off to the side. But Reaper had expected this and following in close, launching another rocket and hitting the white AC's laser cannon and damaging it. Glaive backed away more and Reaper struck with its scythe, tearing a gash in the side of the core. It wasn't deep, but it was significant as Cain desperately brought his laser sword up to defend, locking the two machines again.

-"Such is the balance of death. You had dodge and cheated it every chance you had. Did you not think that it would come back to haunt you? Only now, your beloved shares your fate. And your fate…is death!"-

Reaper pressed on him, driving his scythe ever closer to the falling core. Cain could see the tips of the energy blade inch closer through the viewscreen. In another desperate effort, he tried to push back, but Reaper immediately fired a rocket shell from his chest, smashing right into the core at point blank range.

"Guhh!"

Fortunately, the shell wasn't too damaging and Glaive was well shielded within. But the core was further damaged and Glaive was still locked in a failing blade struggle, unable to get out...

-"Death is but a means to truth. So accept your truth. Die."-

The alarm inside Glaive went off and Cain's eyes widened. A lock on could only mean… And before the thought was finished, Reaper's vertical missiles swarmed up into the air. Now it was truly over. Glaive would be stuck in this position while the missiles would dive in at him from the sky, crippling him without chance of evasion. And even if he did survive somehow, Reaper would finish his soon-to-be-damaged machine with one swipe of his deadly scythes.

'No. Not like this!'

The missiles had finished their ascent and had begun to fall…

-"Fight me!"-

Anubis and Professional continued their fight against each other in the dusty terrain. Or more so, Anubis had been fighting while Professional had done nothing. The machine was fairly damaged from some of Anubis's attacks, but overall, it was still in good shape. Dodging a large missile attack, Professional strafed backward across the terrain. As he did, Charles checked his area map, showing him the details of the battle and the condition of his comrades. So far they were in sore straits, each suffering either severe damage or a tactical disadvantage of some kind. However, the Death Dealers weren't without their own share of battle damage as they pressed their attacks.

'So far, so good.'

Looking back at his now enraged opponent, Charles decided that the time was right. Stopping in his retreat, Professional suddenly charged back in attack. This surprised Anubis, as Professional had only been ducking and avoiding him throughout the fight. Nevertheless, now the fight would really begin between them. Machine gun raised, Anubis began to fire, but Professional hit him first with his sniper rifle, causing Anubis to freeze for a moment and allowing Professional to come in with his energy saber. Reacting, Anubis jumped into the air and Charles nodded.

"We had watched; we have waited; now we act!"

And with those words, the clan leader of Nightwatch flicked a switch…