The young Sky Knight led the Talons on a merry chase across the open skies of Atmos. Despite all his maneuvers and efforts, Aerrow just couldn't shake off the enemy.
"These guys are relentless," Aerrow looked at Radarr. "Something isn't right…" Just then an energy blast shot across the front end of his skimmer, startling both Aerrow and Radarr and forcing them to circle around. He looked up in the direction of the blast and Aerrow's eyes grew seriously dark.
"Dark Ace!" Aerrow exclaimed.
"Well, well," Dark Ace peered down at Aerrow from his switchblade. "So nice of you to enter Cyclonian air space so willingly, Aerrow."
"Cyclonian Airspace?!" Aerrow looked rather surprised of his location.
"It is indeed," Dark Ace laughed. "I couldn't have asked for a better situation to finally take you down." The remaining Talons that had chased Aerrow, formed up with Dark Ace.
"You'll have to catch me first!" Aerrow quickly turned and fled, with Dark Ace's formation right behind him. Aerrow spotted an obscure rocky terra formation nearby and headed straight for it.
"Hang on Radarr!" Aerrow looked to his furry friend. "We'll try and gain some cover on that terra. We're going to make it out of this! Somehow…" Aerrow guided his skimmer down into the terra of rocky spires, dodging daringly close to each one as he sped through. While the Talons gave chase, Dark Ace hovered above the Terra watching the little game of Cat and Mouse.
"Did you really think such childish tactics would work against me?" Dark Ace smirked as he pulled out a new crystal. "Time to try out Master Cyclonis' new gift…." He plugged the crystal into his energy sword and let the crystal's power flow through the blade. He then took aim at the young sky knight.
Aerrow continued his little duck and dodge routine, but he began to doubt that he would be able to elude his pursuers. He pulled out his energy blades and prepared to engage his enemies.
"Looks like there's no choice, Radarr," Aerrow turned to his furry copilot. "I gotta take a few of these guys out to get the heat off us, otherwise, we're not going to make it." Radarr nodded in agreement and prepared to take control of the Skimmer while Aerrow stood up and prepared to leap into battle. The next thing Aerrow knew, he felt something hit him hard, knocking him off his skimmer and slamming him into one of the towering spires of rock.
"GAH!" Aerrow gasped as the shock racked through his body from the impact. Radarr too was caught off guard by the sudden hit, and jumped into control of the Skimmer and circled back to catch Aerrow before he fell. Strangely enough, to both their surprises, Aerrow didn't fall, but was held against the rock face by a beam of energy.
"What's going on?!" Aerrow struggled to push himself off the rock face, but the energy beam held him fast. "Radarr! I can't…I can't move!"
"Of course not," Dark Ace replied as he hovered into view on his Switchblade. The energy beam was originating form his energy sword. "A special gift from Master Cyclonis. The Levitation Crystal will grasp and hold you until the user wills to release their catch. Like so…" He withdrew his sword and the energy beam released Aerrow, letting him free fall.
Aerrow acted quick and deployed his battle glider while Radarr gave chase on the Skimmer. Dark Ace merely smirked and shot another beam at Aerrow, catching the young Sky Knight in mid air and once again hurling him into another rocky spire. Aerrow again was stunned by the shock, and his battle glider sustained heavy damage from the impact. Radarr turned the skimmer and charged at Dark Ace, hoping to disrupt the energy beam and to somehow save Aerrow from his perilous position. Dark Ace spied the incoming fur ball and smirked at the feeble attempt of the would be hero creature. Dark Ace merely redirected the energy beam to ensnare Radarr and the skimmer, letting Aerrow once again free fall.
"Radarr! NO!" Aerrow cried out as he plummeted down toward the rocky crags below.
"Oops, now look at what you've done," Dark Ace mocked Radarr. "You made me drop you young master. To bad…" Radarr screeched in protest and panic, and whined a plea to Dark Ace.
"You want me to save him?" Dark Ace grinned wickedly. "If I do that, then I'll have to release you. Is that what you want?" Radarr looked back at Aerrow as he was quickly falling toward certain doom below and nodded back at Dark Ace desperately.
"Very well then!" Dark Ace swung his sword and hurled Radarr and the Skimmer into an adjacent spire and released the beam, allowing the crippled ride and its furry pilot to fall. He then shot another beam out and once again seized Aerrow, halting his plummet only a few hundred feet from the craggy bottom.
Aerrow felt like his heart almost stopped when his decent suddenly stopped. He turned his head up and spied Radarr and his crippled Skimmer fall past him and into the crags below.
"RADARR!" Aerrow screamed helplessly. He desperately struggled to follow his friend and copilot, but the energy gripping him would not allow it. Soon he felt his body ascending, slowly being hauled up toward Dark Ace and the awaiting talons. Aerrow glared at his arch enemy with intense ire.
"Dark Ace…" Aerrow sneered. "I'll see to it that you'll regret what you've done!"
"Such harsh words," Dark Ace smirked. "You're hardly in any position to threaten me, Aerrow."
"I swear," Aerrow replied, his voice filled with hate. "You'll be sorry!"
"Enough of these idle threats," Dark Ace turned to his squadron. "Men, bind the boy, and prepare to transport him back to Cyclonia." The Talons obeyed his order and retrieved Aerrow from the Levitation Crystal's hold, and tightly bound his arms behind his back. Aerrow tried to fight his way free, but to no avail. He was then turned over to Dark Ace and placed on his Switchblade.
"Now then," Dark Ace spoke as he gripped Aerrow by the hair. "Be a good prisoner on this journey, and perhaps Master Cyclonis will be merciful for your trespass, however…" He pulled his energy blade forth and waved it in front of Aerrow's face.
"Give me any trouble on this ride," Dark Ace said threateningly. "And I won't hesitate to kill you myself." Aerrow said nothing, and gritted his teeth as Dark Ace pulled his hair. Dark Ace let go of the red hair and proceeded to lead the squadron out of the area. Aerrow took a saddened glance back at the rocky Terra, hoping to catch a glimpse of Radarr, but no such sign of hope presented itself to his dismay. He feared the worst.
Just as the Squadron of Talons had entered flight formation, a sudden blast of energy tore through three of the lined up switchblades, startling the flight group and forcing them to scatter evasively. Once the confusion settled down, they looked frantically for the source of the attack. Dark Ace was the first to spot the lone flier that soared high above them.
"What…" He sneered. "Or WHO is that?!" Just as he spoke, the flier began to descend in an attack dive. Dark Ace ordered his squadron to attack, but the attack of the enemy flier was too fast and two more talons lost their wings as the speeding skimmer screamed past in its dive downward.
"All hands, evasive maneuvers!" Dark Ace barked his commands. He himself was in no position to return the offensive with his prisoner sharing his ride. Dark Ace considered possibly just letting Aerrow fall, but then he got an idea. As the attacking skimmer rose up from below again, Dark Ace put his energy sword to Aerrow's neck. This gesture caused the skimmer to circle back and come around, facing off directly to Dark Ace.
"Who are you that you would DARE attack the Dark Ace and Cyclonia's Talons?!" Dark ace demanded to the now slowly approaching skimmer. As the distance between them closed, the rider came into clearer view.
"Who are you?!" Dark Ace demanded again.
"My identity is none of your concern," She replied. "I care not who you are. My only business here, is to take him back." The woman raised a double bladed staff, and pointed at Aerrow.
"No way…" Aerrow said under his breath. "Soara?! How…what are you doing here?!"
"It wasn't easy," Soara replied. "I've been following you since you led the talons on this wild goose chase. My power grid isn't at full power, so it took me some time to catch up to you."
"Soara?" Dark Ace repeated the name as he glance between Aerrow and the woman. A dark smile crept across his face. "I see, you must be related to my prisoner."
"How astute of you to notice," Soara replied sarcastically. "What gave it away? The red hair? The green eyes? Or just the family resemblance?" Dark Ace paused for a moment, a bit taken back by the woman's direct disdain.
"That really doesn't matter," Soara continued on. "I've taken out over half your present squadron members. You have my brother, and I want him back. Now, hand him over, and I won't destroy the rest of you."
"Don't make me laugh!" Dark Ace spat. "With Aerrow as my prisoner and hostage, you don't have a chance! Make any sudden moves against us, and I'll kill him right before your eyes. If anything, I could opt to take you prisoner as well…"
"No Soara!" Aerrow pleaded. "Run away! You can't win in this situation! Get away while you still caaAAAUUGH!" A sudden twisting tug of his hair forced Aerrow to halt his plea.
"Aerrow!" Soara assumed an attack stance and readied her staff. "This is the last time I'm going to say it! Let him go!"
"Hmph," Dark Ace quirked an eyebrow at the woman's scorn. "Seems we both refuse to back down from this stand off. Tell me…just what are you willing to do to ensure the safe release of Aerrow?"
"What am I willing to do?" Soara paused. "He is…most precious to me. What are your demands?"
"Perhaps we can…exchange," Dark Ace suggested, his dark eyes gleamed wickedly. "You are obviously a Sky Knight of a much higher caliber…you can take his place as my prisoner."
"WHAT?!" Aerrow exclaimed, earning him another harsh tug on his hair. Soara thought for a moment and weighed her options, taking in any and all possible ideas. Then, it came to her…
"Alright," She replied firmly. "I'll agree to your terms of…an exchange."