Disclaimer: See previous chapters
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Chap. 43
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They didn't even have time to rejoice; a few seconds of relief at seeing that they were all still alive and that they had all made it to the very core of the underground of Silent Line, the finishing line. Because as soon as the doors closed behind them, the dark machine before them came to life and charged at them.
Shhhhhrrreeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
"What the hell…!"
IBIS swooped from across and raised its arm. From it, a GIGANTIC energy sword was produced and swiped at the four ACs. Quick thinking and even quicker instincts allow them all to fly back and just out of the way, but they all ended up slamming themselves back onto the sealed doors.
"Guah!"
Koemai moaned the loudest, having felt like his entire side was ruptured. He forced himself to avoid looking down at his side and focused himself on the battle. IBIS was flying back for a brief minute and then with amazing speed, it came back at them again.
"Everyone!" Charles shouted. "Move now!"
Following this instruction, the four ACs now propelled off the wall and into the open area. IBIS halted its assault and pursued them. Diana had managed to wheel around and fire back from Cloak, but IBIS ignored her and flew past.
'What?'
Elijah looked in the rear view screen to see IBIS swooping straight at him. 'What the hell?' Gripping the controls, Elijah wheeled Havoc in a turnaround and fired. IBIS nimbly dodged the bullet shell and reached into its back, producing a plasma rifle. Locking on to Havoc, IBIS fired.
"Ghhhh!"
Elijah strained to dodge the fire, but with Ellie on his lap, his movements were slow and the energy beams shredded the outer armor of his AC. Havoc was forced to retreat and IBIS was hot on his heals, firing ever chance it got.
Which meant all the time…
Professional managed to wheel around with Cloak and Bloodhand. They didn't understand why the mysterious machine was so transfixed with Havoc, but it gave them a good chance to attack it from behind. As they began to get into formation, IBIS suddenly spun around in 180 degrees and spread its wings. Purple beams of energy flashed out from each spine, hitting them all and forcing them to disperse. As they moved to recover, IBIS was back on Havoc's tail.
"What the heck? How did it do that?"
Charles however, was more worried about why. This machine was far more than they thought. Now only did it possess the power, but there was a very high intelligence guiding it. IBIS clearly noticed the beginnings of their formation and countered it right on the spot. But that still didn't explain why it was going after Havoc. That was until a close attack causes both Ravens within to cry out.
'It knows that they are both in there…It's trying to eliminate the weaker target first.'
With two Ravens in one machine, there was no way that it would be fit enough to face IBIS, and the worse thing was that the machine…knew that. It knows exactly how to fight them.
"Listen up. We have to hurry and stop this thing before it destroys Havoc. It's trying to take it out first in order to decrease it opponents."
"Let's go!"
Bloodhand roared off toward IBIS. Diana began to call out to him to wait for a plan, but that was until Professional too soared off after him. 'Charles? What are they doing? Have they lost their minds?'
Meanwhile, Havoc was going through the ringer. The attacks from IBIS were beginning to take its toll as the young Raven sought to outmaneuver it. Ellie grabbed hold of the seat in order not the smash herself all over the place, but she knew what was wrong. It was just as she said before. She was slowing him down. But she had to admit, Elijah was showing no signs of letting up, using whatever he could to dodge the fire. But she couldn't let them both die like this. Her eyes focused in on the cockpit hatch. If she was quick enough, she could open it and jump out, giving him free movement with his core. But from such a height and in the middle of a battle, she would very well be committing suicide. But the alternative was that they both die, with Elijah trying to fight and protect her at the same time. Determination began to come over her features as she continued to look at the cockpit hatch.
'Sorry about this…and thank you…'
"YAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
The battle roar of Koemai echoed out as Bloodhand charged in firing. IBIS broke off its attack on Havoc and twirled on Bloodhand, firing its wing blasts again. But Bloodhand managed to evade enough of the blast to continue charging at it, firing maniacally with his machine gun.
"CHEW ON THIS, YOU SON OF A B$&)!"
Seeing the opportunity, Ellie quickly grabbed the hatch handle and the cockpit opened. Elijah blinked as Ellie jumped up from his lap and dove off. However, Elijah grabbed her arm just before she could fall fully.
"What are you doing!"
"I have to." Ellie replied. "It's the only way."
"You'll get killed."
Ellie tried to pry out of his grasp, but he held tight. "If I don't, we'll both die. Don't worry. I'll find somewhere safe to hide."
"But it's far too risky. I won't let you."
"You don't have a choice. He's coming back." She became silent for a moment and then pleaded softly. "Please…let go."
Elijah was in true panic, uncertain of what to do. Ellie saw this and with a low sigh, she swung to the side, smashing his arm on the side of the cockpit. Elijah winced in pain and as a result, his grip was released and Ellie fell down.
"Ellie! No!"
Energy blasts soon erupted from behind him and on instinct alone, Elijah turned his machine back into the battle, closing the cockpit hatch all the while as he now charged. He had nothing else except for the hope that she did survive and if she did, then he would hold IBIS off until she was safe. But IBIS suddenly shifted direction once again and turned in on a new target, which it previously had to fight off to get to Elijah.
Koemai…
'I guess that wasn't such a bright idea…'
After his berserker attack, Koemai drew back in soreness and pain. IBIS had repeated its laser attack n him and he was forced to back away again, however Professional and Cloak had moved in right after him. As Professional flew in the save, he could hear Charles earlier words to him.
"Well, you can at least serve as a decent distraction."
'Stuckup…' Koemai grinned, despite himself. Once again, Koemai forced his pain-wracked body into motion, so that his AC would get mobile again. But that wasn't too difficult for him to accomplish, and it was all thanks to what he saw on the viewscreen.
IBIS barreling at him!
"Ah, s$t!"
In a hurried quickness, Koemai pushed his machine into high gear, as IBIS came flying. Koemai was unable to fight back and he was in full retreat and unable to turn due to the chasing monster of a machine behind him. Professional once again intervenes, coming up beside IBIS to attack, but in a flash, the machine whirled at him and fired, forcing him to dodge and negate his attack. With another hiss, IBIS rotated back to its previous prey and resumed firing. But Koemai had been given enough space due to Professional's charge. It wasn't much of one, but it was enough for one desperate move.
"Have to go for the gold!"
With all the strength he could muster, Koemai caused Bloodhand to skid sideways on the floor and wheel around toward IBIS. As he did, he armed the grenade launcher and settled down on the ground. But the time he finished spinning, he was locked on to the deadly machine. He knew the blast would hurt him too, for the shock would tear at his body. But this was the only chance he had and he was going to take it.
"EAT THIS!"
PHHHOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHH!The flaming shell soared right at IBIS and Koemai smiled at the dead on target. However, he was in for a shock, for IBIS suddenly…ducked underneath it.
"No way!"
No machine was capable of that. Such a move was…it just wasn't… Koemai was in total shock over this as IBIS came at him, laser blade extending. With Bloodhand settled on the ground, Koemai would never be able to move his machine in time to avoid it. Even if he could get mobile, it would not be enough. IBIS was far too close to miss.
It was over for him…
SHHHHHHHHKKKKKKKKKKKKK!At that sound, IBIS suddenly lifted up into the air, dodging the energy wave that came from the side and immediately turned on the shooter. Cloak… Diana… The hovering AC lifted off the ground, switched to machine gun fire and let IBIS have it. The dark machine was too nimble for her to hit it fully, but she pressed, flying away swiftly as she let loose her rage. A small smile came over Koemai's face as he returned his machine to its upright position. But the relief was short lived as one of IBIS's blasts hit the lower part of the body, damaging the legs and slowing her down. At this development, IBIS pressed the attack, assaulting her with energy blast from seemingly all over.
"No!"
His body was wracked and ravaged with pain, but that didn't stop him from activating the OB and soaring right at IBIS. This wasn't going to happen…not again…not with her! The machine seemed to share his fury as it literally roared in at IBIS. As before, IBIS sharply twisted around and relayed the assault on the raging Bloodhand. Koemai wanted to ignore the attacks coming at him, but they were too much for him to handle outright and they would out tearing the grounds before him and causing his machine to crash hard onto the ground. Koemai literally gagged and blood gushed out of his wound, leaving out any doubt that he was in serious trouble.
"Guah…"
IBIS remained still for a moment, seemingly at a loss as to what to do. Cloak was badly damaged and could be finished off. But Bloodhand was down completely, leaving it to be the best to destroy immediately. The computer within ran the numbers and calculated the best course and IBIS immediately took it.
...By wheeling around and attacking Professional…
"Damn!"
Professional was hovering in the air a good distance from IBIS and Charles was hoping to blast off its head with a sniper shot, just as he hit the white MT above. But IBIS was too fast and it predicted the move. Wings spread, IBIS lashed out a salvo of energy beams that completely tore through Professional, destroying it hover option in the process. As Professional landed hard, IBIS began to fly. But its sensor detected something else that required its attention.
Havoc was coming at him from the side…
In a wisp, IBIS wheeled on the charging AC and fired. But in a sudden display, Havoc literally jumped off to the side just before the beams could hit and opened to fire. The bullets hit IBIS's back and managed to shoot off its right wing. Charles watched this in amazement. 'How could he have such a skill?' It would require insane manipulation of the boosters and the core itself to make such a move like that and this young Raven pulled it off. He could have dismissed it as a fluke, but he knew better.
This kid was a natural…
Havoc skid on the ground as IBIS remained still from the damage. It may have seemed slight, but knocking off one of the laser wing weapons was an advantage all the same. Elijah breathed heavily within; the tactic he used had taken a good deal out of him. IBIS turned to him slowly and then for the first time, it spoke.
-"Scanning target…"-
Elijah was at a bit of a loss, but made ready to move in and attack again. But suddenly, IBIS was on the move, coming at him at an even faster rate. 'What the hell…?' This question was soon cut off by energy rifle fire and the blast caught Havoc on the shoulder, blowing off the entire left arm.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Havoc dashed back and IBIS swooped in attack. The space between then closed quickly and more of IBIS's shots were beginning to connect. Inside Havoc, Elijah was working both to dodge the beams and to fight off his panic. 'How…It's gotten faster…' The dark machine closed in on Havoc and the energy saber soon flashed forth and out at him. Havoc quickly changed direction, strafing to the right, but the blade still managed to nick the core and Elijah gasped as he saw the glimmer of light within his core, close to his face no less.
'Come on, come on, think of something…'IBIS suddenly leaped in the air, seeming to go for an aerial slash. But in a flash, it whirled around completely and opened fire on Professional once again. Because the machine was seated by it grenade launchers (the lack of the hover extensions prevented it from doing this while flying), the beams hit dead point, knocking the lead Raven's AC down.
"Naahhh!"
Once done, IBIS whirled back just as it was landing and pressed the attack on Havoc once again. The machine was in bad shape. With a missing arm, its armor being shredded and most of his teammates out of the count, all the while with a maniac machine still dogging him, it seemed that his chances of survival were bottoming out.
KABBBBBOOOOOOOMMMMM!Suddenly, one of the sealed doors exploded and slammed down on the ground. IBIS halted its attack as a dark object suddenly soared out from the opening and into the room, coming at IBIS at full overboost speed. Elijah couldn't see it properly, for his viewscreen was slightly damaged, but he saw enough to know that it was a black AC. 'Reaper?' If that was Reaper, then that meant…
'He didn't make it…after all…'Sorrow and anguish began to fill the young man in that moment, more so that when he was just being assaulted by IBIS. But that was until the machine came in for a close attack and only then did Elijah see it. The blue-white glow of the Moonlight blade…
Salvation had come…