Disclaimer: See previous chapters
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Chap. 44
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Back, some time ago...
The two ACs stood face to face on the battlefield, heavily damaged in their solo battle. Each machine colored differently and fighting for things equally diverse. For one, death was the goal. The bringing of the final darkness to his opponent in order to move on. Plain and simply battle rules. Kill and move on. For the other, he fought for the obtaining of life. Not only his life, but for the life of one most precious to him. This was a primal fight; Light against dark. Death against life.
And it was coming to its conclusion…
Glaive's overboost propelled the white machine straight toward Reaper, who stood still and waited for its advance. Within, Cain knew what he had to do; what he was about to do. But he didn't know if it would work or not. It was a maneuver specifically designed for this situation. He knew that Reaper would wait for him to come in close and tear him apart with those laser scythes of his. It was something he was preparing for when the fight broiled down to this. Not if, when. It would take every skill that he had just to try this and if it worked, this fight would end. If not, his fuel would be completely exhausted and he would be at the mercy of his opponent, who would no doubt finish him without a thought.
As Glaive veered closer, the machine's blade arm folded up in front and the Moonlight blade hissed out. Reaper continued to remain motionless, no doubt timing his attack the same as he was. Cain kept his eye on the dark machine before him, waiting for the signal from Reaper for him to go. It had to be perfect. Otherwise, he was doomed. Glaive soared in close, its flaring engine seemingly giving it heavenly wings. An onlooker would call this a classic fight between angel and demon, and as such, there would be one victor. Just one…
And then, it happened...
Reaper's head lifted slightly and the entire machine suddenly bent low. Its right arm crossed the body and the violet energy emerged into form and curved in the air. From within, Bane could see the approach of his rival. Judging from the speed and the closeness, he would never be able to avoid this. 'Death is here for you.' Reaper suddenly shot forward, a perfect and shocking attack slash.
'Goodbye, my brother of light.'
But the surprise was on him, for Glaive suddenly veered off to the side, seeming to fly past him. The scythe flew out and hit, but it nicked the leg as Glaive not only flew to the side, but upward in the air as well. The OB cut off immediately and was accompanied by the hiss of the turn booster extensions, causing Glaive to spin radically. Bane turned and looked in horror as the twisting machine flew, with the blue-white saber slashing out in a full 270 degree arch…at him.
SSSSSSRRRRRRRRRRKKKKKKKKKKKK!
The blade sliced right into Reaper, tearing right into the back of the core and coming out in the upper front, taking with it the left arm and severing that completely. Glaive continued to fly through the air until it reached the ground where it tumbled around awkwardly. The landing was never prepared for, but that wasn't something for him to take into consideration. The attack itself was the focus and he pulled it off successfully.
Reaper was still for a long while before the sparks wildly sprung around it. Bane was still in awe of that attack. Cain had pushed his machine into a forceful direction change and used the momentum and centrifuge of his spin to create a single devastating strike, one that resulted in the complete decimation of his Reaper. Hell, the blade itself soared right over his head.
A truly devoted attack…
Glaive soon began to lift itself from the ground, much to the pain of the pilot within. The G-forces of his maneuver had taken its toll on him, leaving his body with the feeling that it had just been crushed. How much of that is true, he would have to discover later, but right now, he had to get up. Looking, he saw the still Reaper, sparks flailing wildly around it and yet it was still on its feet. Cain was surprised that the machine didn't explode instantly, but then soon realized that it was just a matter of time. His attack was lightning fast and it would require a moment before Reaper's generator separated completely and exploded.
-"Flawless, Cain. Truly flawless."-
Cain blinked. 'Bane?' He didn't think he was still alive after that attack. He must have hit the core at a higher point than he thought.
-"It would appear…that you have cheated death again."-
Cain was silent for only a moment before he answered back. "No. I only turned it into a fighting chance to live."
The sparks began to flicker more wildly across the black machine, yet the response was a calm one. -"Ah… So now it makes sense."-
Silence came once again, with Cain watching the machine slowly fall apart to self-destruction. He should have felt elated that he had defeated Bane, but in the process he had to kill him, an act he always tried to avoid doing when in combat. And right now, he was literally watching him die before his eyes.
"Did it have to come to this?"
-"Feeling regrets?"- came a dark chuckle. -"Don't. You did just what you had to do. No more. No less."- The head of Reaper slowly turned to him as the core finally began to slip apart. -"Embrace your life…while I meet my Maker."-
KKKKKKAAAAAAAAAABBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!
The explosion blasted the entire area, with Glaive being just out of range. Dust and ash blew everywhere, covering the white AC in a thick blanket of black cloud. When the dust settle, Glaive still remained, now soiled in the dust and black. Cain looked down at his machine and regarded this solemnly.
'A fighting chance to live… But I'm not done yet, am I?'
Present…
SSHHHOOOOOOMMMMMMM!
Glaive soared right into the main room and toward the demonic form of IBIS. Due to the fights of his clan, Glaive had been able to make it down into the bunker with ease (aside from the gunnery room, which went off on him) and down to this point. He managed to overhear the plight of Havoc over the comm and wasted no time in charging in, blasting the door in so that he didn't have to slow down. The sight of his fallen team didn't escape him as he attacked IBIS with a slashing cut.
But IBIS met his clash with a strike of its own, almost pushing Glaive to the ground, but settling for pushing him back. Cain grunted as he readied his machine; his earlier battle had hurt him worse than he believed. At best, he had a couple of broken ribs and he was well aware of the outer bruises. There might be the possibility of internal injuries. But he couldn't afford to think like that now.
Not when his team needed him…
Boosters flaring, Glaive charged against, with another saber strike. IBIS nimbly dodged the slash and quickly came back with one of its own. Cain used the turn boosters to dodge, but the lengthy blade still managed to cut near the leg area. Again, Cain grunted, knowing that even though the legs were repaired, they were still sensitive to such attacks. IBIS soared of to the side and raised its laser rifle once more and fired mercilessly. Glaive skittered around the energy fire in retreat and the black machine pursued, aiming for the lower portion of the machine. Cain began to realize that was the target and discovered a startling truth.
'It knows…It knows about the damage…'A brief moment of hesitation passed over Glaive, one that IBIS was sure to follow up on and a shot to the legs. Glaive nearly stumbled to the ground, but Glaive suddenly whirled around, courtesy of the turn booster extension, and fired a energy blast right at the black machine. IBIS swiftly dodged, but the blast had managed to take off the second wing. IBIS flew back further and then stopped.
"Target scan in progress… Adapting systems…"
Cain looked in puzzlement as IBIS simply stood there. Not wanting to take any chances, Cain raised his arm energy cannon and fired. But just as he let out the shot, IBIS spoke again.
"Scan complete."
IBIS then flew out of the laser beams path, just a mere second before impact. Cain's eyes widened. 'No way! That's way too fast, even for a machine!' True to his thoughts, IBIS came at him, flying at a vastly increased speed, almost to the point where afterimages could be seen trailing behind it. Pure instinct was all that caused Cain to move to the side before the energy blade slashed him through. But the suddenness of his own movement caused his body to wrack with pain.
"Guhh!"
He had just blinked and opted to let the pain pass through him when IBIS was right on him again. Correction, RIGHT IN HIS FACE! The black machine had come in after its first attack and had come for another one. Its long blade soared down at him, meeting Glaive's now unleashed sword and resulted in a heavy clash. Glaive reeled back from the force and Cain almost cried aloud for the stress.
And IBIS was back in his face again!
'This is insane!'
Once more, Cain managed to bring his blade up in defense, but his blade hadn't even reached full length before IBIS's hit him, knocking him right to the ground. Glaive tumbled over the ground and Cain with it, soon smashing in the wall. Cain gritted his teeth as he sought to recover. He was now on the floor, and he was pretty sure that a good portion of Glaive's systems was a wreck. And to top it off, IBIS was standing over him, with its laser rifle pointing right at the core.
Right at him…
Cain glared up at IBIS, wanting to rise up and try to do something. But he knew the situation he was in. He was right on the floor, with the enemy standing over him. In the wild, once an animal was down in a fight, it stayed down, because it would be finished off by other soon after. And was basically the situation he was in right now.
Checkmate…
IBIS posed ready to fire when suddenly, the machine soared back and away, much to Cain's surprise. But his shock was answered when he saw a grenade shell whiz past where IBIS once stood. Looking over in the direction of the weapon, his eyebrows lifted brightly. The smoking launcher of Bloodhand folded away as the machine lifted to its feet.
"That's right. I'm back."
IBIS seemed to regard the now rising machine and began to fly in. But a line of gunfire cut off its advance and upon turning, it saw another opposer that had fallen earlier. Havoc…
"Don't tell me…you forgot about me too."
Cain soon managed to lift his machine off the ground, sparks coursing around it, but it was still able to fight. Cain himself was in sore straits, but upon seeing his comrade up, he knew he had to join them. IBIS seemed impassive as the three machines assembled together.
Vengeance…
Justice…
Salvation…
The Hands of God…