CHAPTER 44
FALLEN ANGEL'S SONG
Once Team G.H.O.S.T cleared the lower mountains and woods, they finally arrived at their destination where a twenty seat Mana bus was waiting for them. After dismounting and cramming inside, Tusk bid them good luck as he linked the autopilots of their Skyhooks to his own and sped off towards the Misurugi border. Realizing she should take the time to relax, Hilda leaned her chin in her hand as she stared out the window at the never-ending expanse of wide-open fields, farmland, and the dozens of houses that dotted the landscape. On occasion though, Hilda would sneak a glance back at Cal who sat alone at the back. He hadn't said a single word since they left the Harbor and had resisted all efforts by the others to get him to socialize.
"Have you known him to be this withdrawn before?" Lucia asked Hilda as she sat next to her.
"Twice." Hilda answered, remembering the time Cal became so strangely bitter and angry which she now knew was due to learning the truth about his Gramps' past or his depression after Naomi's death. "But this is totally out of the blue." She admitted. "I don't know what else to do other than wait for him to open up. In Arzenal you learn to handle your problems yourself or you get labelled as weak."
"Sounds rough but I guess in a place like that it makes sense." Lucia admitted as she gave a pat on Hilda's shoulder. "Let me try. I picked up a few tricks from a counselor who came to us when her daughter was born a Norma. I'm pretty good at getting people to open up."
"Oh sure," Hilda said with a blush. Though she may be warming up to Men that didn't mean she was totally about to give up women. It was then that she noticed Lucas from the front of the coach peek around his seat, looking back at Cal with an uncertain look as though he too was put off by Cal's drastic mood change.
Three hours later the environment turned from open county to dense forest when the bus came to a sudden halt. "Let's move out!" Lucas ordered. Once everyone disembarked, the bus drove off and they all continued on foot. "It's going to be a long trek but if we keep straight north, we should reach the Dawn Pillar by nightfall."
"So how are we going to pull off a rescue with just a sidearm and a blade each?" Hilda pointed out to Lucia. "You and your brother have your bow and sword at least."
"Have a little faith in us." Lucia promised. "We'll be making a pit stop in a few hours." Sure enough, after a seemingly endless trek through the wood, no easy feat since they had to avoid the more common foot paths, they finally arrived at a disheveled barn just before dusk. Set upon a steep cliff, the high ground gave them a great view of the canyon below where any passing hikers, campers or Mana spy drones could easily be spotted.
"The execution doesn't start for another six hours so we'll rest here a bit." Lucas announced. "Plus we'll use this time to get prepped." Within the stables inside, Hilda frowned as she looked over the piles of rotting hay, antique farm equipment, and dust covered tack.
"My faith hasn't exactly changed." Hilda grumbled. With a smirk, Lucia tugged on a random halter and one of the hay stacks spread open, revealing a hidden shed full of guns, grenades, ammo, and various other equipment.
"Well we can't just leave it lying out in the open can we?" Lucia teased. In another hidden container, Team 3 pulled out a set of Mana hoverboards, twice the length of a manual skateboard in length with a pointed front, black and dark grey in color, and a turbine build into the back for propulsion. "Hey Frenzy, found anything edible?"
"Just a bunch of canned rations." Frenzy answered as he came out of a third stall with an armful of canned meats, chocolate bars, and potato chips
"Well, we'll need more than that if we're going to have enough energy to save the former Princess," Lucia decided as she strung her bow. "I'll take three hunters with me to find some game. If we don't find anything within the hour we'll come back. Cal, I need someone to watch my back. Preferably a Norma since I can't cancel Mana."
"Yeah sure." Cal said as he pulled a black crossbow from the hay pile storage along with a few bolts.
"Don't worry Lucas, I'll keep an eye on him." She promised her brother who hesitantly allowed it. "Frenzy, save me one of those peanut butter flavored bars." She called out. Frenzy simply nodded as he snuck an extra chocolate bar into his pocket.
Once Lucia, Cal and the two other hunters; the last of Finn's gang Gared and Kiren; exited the farmhouse they split off into two groups to look for whatever game they could find. As Lucia and Cal walked silently in a semi crouched position through the woods for a few minutes, Cal kept sipping on his second water canteen full of the disgusting blackcurrant medicine to numb the pain still pulsing through his aching bruised body.
"I'm glad you decided to join me." Lucia told him. "I was worried we were overexerting you since you've been quiet this whole time."
"It's got nothing to do with the mission or my almost stroke with death 2 days ago." said Cal in a low voice. "I've just got a lot on my mind which I need to deal with on my own." Though he tried to block it out he could not get the image of Major Malta out of his whirling head. All the suffering and loss she and the other Norma in those labs endured made Cal question if he even deserved breathe the same air when so many of those babies had died. And all because they weren't of royal blood.
"Whatever's wrong, it's not doing you any good if you let it fester within and beat you down."
"Look, just drop it!" Cal snapped. "All that matters right now is saving Ange and making sure she and Hilda get back safely to Arzenal."
"If it has anything to do with that guy who attacked you and Hilda, don't worry. You've got us looking out for you."
"You sure about that?" Cal grimaced. "Because your brother treats me like I'm more of a threat to Libertus than him."
"Look, I know Lucas can be a stubborn ass but he's not a bad guy." Lucia admitted. "He just…he's been through so much and lost…almost everything. Our parents, or people. He and I are all we have left." Though Cal hated to admit it, he supposed he and Lucas had something in common when it came to doing anything to protect those they cared about. "Just don't judge him too hard and don't judge me for sticking by him. He's my brother, and I love him."
"I understand." Cal nodded, managing to crack half a smile which made Lucia grin back. Though behind his smile Cal felt a terrible wave of guilt at keeping the identity of Lucia and Lucas' father's killer from them. He just hoped Captain Jacob wouldn't put off telling them about Dutch for too long. Finally, they came across a fresh pair of tracks, rabbit judging by their size and pattern until they heard a soft patter of small paws nearby.
"Listen!" Lucia breathed as they came over a heap of bushes and saw a dozen wild rabbits scattered along the banks of a creek. "They'll do just fine." Lucia aimed her bow silently at their game as did Cal with his crossbow. "What do you say? Whoever hits the most wins the other's peanut butter Venus Bar? Just promise you won't shoot me in the foot."
"You're on." Cal smirked feeling back at home on his and Gramps' Island.
Once Lucas allowed Lucia to take the Male Norma out hunting, he and team G.H.O.S.T set up a portable stove for light and heat and went over their stock of weapons. "Not those." Lucas told Hilda and several others who were arming the grenades to their utility belts. "Stunners only. There'll be civilians there and I want to keep collateral damage to a minimum." Fifteen minutes later Lucia and the Male Norma appeared carrying seven rabbits in total over their shoulders while Gared and Kiren turned up empty handed. Lucia stomped over with only 2 rabbits with a sour look on her face and to Lucas' bewilderment passed her favorite flavored chocolate bar that he had saved for her to Cal who looked rather pleased with himself.
"I hope you two weren't doing more than hunt." Dolton teased Lucia. "How far to base did you two get?"
"Oh shut up!" snapped Lucia. After skinning their catch, Cal managed to make rabbit stew he'd learnt from Gramps, mixed with beans and vegetables. After eating well they all packed up and strapped their equipment to their jump suits, Lucas peeked out the window to see the sky was now turning a blood red orange.
"Fall in." Lucas ordered, checking his watch as everyone began to slip ponchos over their jump suits. "The execution starts in three hours." With darkness creeping over the forest, Team G.H.O.S.T continued on their way to the Dawn Pillar. Though the shadows made their passage even more difficult with the occasional poncho snagged on a low bramble or branch, the lights of the Dawn Pillar provided an unmissable beacon, its incredible height looming over the treetops like some divine spire and only growing more impressive with each step. Every so often, Lucas would glance over his shoulder to check on team morale. The male Norma's mood seemed to have improved slightly as he was chatting with Dolton and Frenzy. But at the very back of the line Lucas spotted Finn with his head down. And even through the darkness he could see the depressed look on the big man's face as he stroked the locket that glinted in his massive paw. He didn't even notice when Lucas held back long enough for him to catch up.
"I see that thing is important to you." Lucas noted, making Finn jump. "Though your reaction yesterday was a bit…extreme." Finn glared at him coldly.
"The little shit should have just minded his own business." He grumbled. "The male Norma only made things worse by getting involved. Not that anyone would have helped me anyways."
"People might help you if you weren't such an asshole Finn."
"I wouldn't have to be if this world wasn't so screwed up." Finn shot back as his whole demeanor shifted. "No one around here gives a shit about me. Most of my friends are dead. I got no one."
"We've all lost someone." Lucas told him firmly. "But we keep moving forward. Not just for our sakes but for everyone else. Including those we lost." It was then Lucas saw that within the locket was a picture of a girl. She had straw blonde hair and dark beady eyes identical to Finn's.
"You ever lost someone Lucas? Someone you really cared about?" Finn asked in a downcast voice, clutching the locket tighter in his paw. "Someone you thought you couldn't live without seeing ever again. Do you know what that's like?"
"Yes." Lucas said hollowly not turning to meet Finn's eyes. He had never seen Finn speak like this before. "Who was she? That girl?"
"My sister…Brody. My parents…" Finn said in a shaky voice. "…they took care of her the best they could for fifteen years. But the stress became too much and then when I was seventeen those bastards came for her. My parents caved and turned her in, but I wouldn't let them take her. So I grabbed our coats and took Brody by the hand. We ran and never looked back. We lived on the streets and in abandoned buildings. I couldn't even use my Mana as they'd trace my ID so we had to steal food. Then one day I got careless and the NMB caught us both. Brody was shipped off to Arzenal but my so-called parents couldn't face the guilt and I wasn't about to let them forget it either so they shipped me off to boarding school. When I joined Sanctuary, Captain Jacob had the hackers try to find her in the NMB's records. As it turned out, Brody didn't even last two weeks before those DRAGONs tore her apart." Finn's voice grew hoarser as he spoke. Almost as if he was choking back tears.
"I'm sorry." Lucas said softly placing a hand on Finn's shoulder. No wonder the big brute was so bitter and quick to anger. It made Lucas wonder how he would react if anything happened to Lucia. "So how did you end up at APEX?" He asked, hoping to break the tension.
"Well," Finn said with a faint chuckle, "I was a tyrant at school. I put almost half the school in the infirmary since they didn't take too kindly to me being a Norma sympathist. Until finally they chucked me out. That was when Captain Jacob and Harper found me." Lucas felt his heart sink at the mention of his childhood friend Harper. "I'm sorry about Harper." said Finn. "He was a good leader... hell, I could have treated him better. It's just this world…it brings out the worst in us."
"I understand." Lucas nodded. "Before we first met the Norma, Lucia and I lost our mother. She was killed the day our people stormed the dawn pillar to take Embryo's most vital weapon." Lucas sighed heavily. "And the day Xeon was attacked, we lost our father. He was murdered right in front of me by the same bastard who gave me this." Lucas trailed his fingers over his left brow to his right cheek, the sadistic voice echoing in his head.
"Tell me kid, who do you fear most? God or Death?"
"Who…who are you?"
"As far as you're concerned, I'm the Devil!"
"I also lost my Sensei Istvan and his wife Vanessa. They were Tusk's parents and they were like family to me and Lucia." The memory of that day was like a blazing nightmare of hell and fire as the face of that guy and his piercing orange flame eyes never left Lucas' shook his head and when he looked ahead, the red glint of Siegfried's gem under the Male Norma's sleeve caught his attention.
"What's the deal with the bracelet?" Finn asked. "I heard it's used to activate the Ancient Folk's machine but why is it so important to you?"
"Most of my people including Tusk's parents and my father died that day Xeon fell and I swore I'd make that bastard and his Master pay for what they did." Lucas grimaced. "And after what happened to Harper, I won't let anyone else die on my watch. That machine was made by the blood and sweat of my people. It belongs to us, not some kid who was sheltered for 18 years."
"Well, if you need someone to argue your case to Captain Jacob don't hesitate to call me." Finn offered. "I know I won't be able to fit in the cockpit of one of those things so once Libertus begins I'll probably be stuck in support."
"Hey don't sell yourself short." Lucas smirked. "With your skills we could always use someone to scrub out the toilets." Finn shot Lucas a dirty look but finally cracked a smile.
"Yeah well once we hook up with the Norma of Arzenal don't expect to get a girlfriend." He countered. "Those girls are going to be all over a real man like me." Finn patted him on the back as he joined with Lucas back at the front of the group. 'Your time will come eventually, you bastard.' Lucas thought as he stared at the Dawn pillar. But unknown to him, Cal had overheard every word of their conversation.
Large crowds of people were beginning to move out of the city streets and towards the Misurugi Imperial Palace in anticipation of the execution. The noise of the mob carried through the trees where newly appointed Corporal Jeffry and his squad were hidden away. Commander Villson had ordered them to position at the palace entrance while the other patrols commanded by Dutch, Jadis and Brawl were positioned at three key points along a half mile perimeter. Dutch had made it clear to remain out of sight, not drawing attention from Holy emperor Julio and his subjects.
"Commander we've just set up the last of our patrol routes." Jeffry reported. "No way those Terrorists will get past our barricades around the woods."
"Excellent work Corporal." Dutch responded. "Remember if Subject Alpha and the escaped Norma are with the terrorists, keep them alive. Exterminate the rest."
"Yes Commander." Jeffry saluted. He would not allow traitors to humanity to soak the Misurugi palace grounds with the blood of innocent civilians. "DELTA Team." Jeffry called through his earpiece. "Stay in formation and keep an eye out. If you see anything unusual moving in the forest area, report in immediately." Shifting his attention towards the tree line, Jeffrey had a clear view of the gallows that had been set up with four royal military Mana cruisers set up against either side. A sudden lump formed in his throat as he spotted the noose hanging above the top platform and he reflexively grimaced.
"This is more then we bargained for, Corporal." said one lone soldier who paired up with Jeffry, a young tan skinned man with dark brown eyes and pulled back hair tied in a knot at the back. "If the Commander is correct, why would the terrorists want to save a Norma in front of a televised event?"
"Who knows what goes through their minds." Jeffry shrugged. "I just hope if they appear that we'll be able to prevent them from harming the crowd or the royal family."
"You got that right." The young soldier agreed. "It's the reason I joined the NMB after academy training once I discovered the Norma weren't the only threat. I just want to keep my family safe, but…permission to speak freely."
"Granted." The soldier shifted uncomfortably as his own eyes turned towards the gallows.
"This whole execution…it just feels feels…unnecessary."
"I know what you mean. I didn't sign up for this, all I wanted was to protect my mother and little sister after my father died. I haven't seen them since Commander Villson appointed me apart from a few Mana calls. What about you? Do you have siblings?"
"Five of them." His comrade nodded. "I'm the eldest and only brother. I had to step up as the man of the house when my father who was deputy chief of police in the Velda Dynasty was killed by another Human, a father trying to protect his Norma child."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Jeffry said sincerely. "It's hard having to work your way up with your whole family depending on you."
"Don't worry about it. Truth is I only got in the NMB because my mother is a part of 6 nation members of the NMB council table and is cousin to the queen of the Velda Dynasty. I just want to do my part so others who don't have my family's connections can sleep at night without fear." Jeffry nodded out of respect. The guy may have been his age or younger, but he was surprisingly humble for someone who had gotten in on connections alone.
"As do we all." Jeffry agreed. "What's your name private?"
"Call me Travis." He flashed Jeffry a grin and which he grinned back as the two scanned ahead through the trees at the crowd moving along the pathway to the palace, ready to protect their people.
The last ray of sunshine had finally vanished over the horizon when team G.H.O.S.T moved through the forest and heard the faint rustle of a large crowd moving nearby. "Looks like the public are heading to get a good seat for the show." Lucas said with no small measure of disgust in his voice. "Keep to the shadows. We don't want anyone noticing our position." As they moved through the dark, Cal kept thinking back to what he had overheard from Lucas ad Finn's conversation. It finally made sense why Lucas was so hostile and in a way he understood. The Ancient Folk created Siegfried, and Lucas was the apprentice to its original pilot. Maybe it would be best if Cal gave it to him.
But what about the people back at Arzenal? What if Salia, Ersha or anyone else from First squad ended up like Naomi, all because he was powerless to protect them without Siegfried. "Hey you okay?" Someone asked. Cal looked up and Hilda was standing beside him, her eyes filled with worry that he could see even in the dimming light.
"Yeah don't worry." He assured her. Lucas had said it himself. They all had lost people but still had others to protect. That included Cal as well. 'If he wants to take Siegfried away from me, then he'll have to cut the bracelet off my wrist.' Cal pledged. 'And if I ever meet Dutch Villson along the way, I'll kill him with my bare hands. For you Gramps.' Suddenly, a voice spoke urgently through their earpieces.
"Team G.H.O.S.T, Lieutenant Lucas do you copy?" It was Tusk and he sounded worried.
"What's the situation Tusk?" Lucas answered as everyone else halted their tracks.
"There's a huge number of NMB soldiers lined up across the entire outer perimeter of the Misurugi palace." Tusk reported. "The Skyhooks are in position and hidden, but there's no way you'll be able to get past the NMB barricades…unless…"
"I understand, keep in position Tusk, we'll find a way through." Lucas told him. "Looks like they're waiting for us." Lucas bit his thumb and thought hard before he spoke. "Everyone, we're gonna have to join the crowd. Hide your weapons and keep a low profile until we're clear to enter the woods again." Lucas turned his attention to Dolton. "Do you think you can hack through the NMB coms in time?"
"No problem. I might also be able to plant a virus on their vehicles. It should slow them down long enough before they can surround us." Dolton told him with a grin and rubbing his hands together as though he was about to cook up something amazing.
"Frenzy, do you have your…special weapon?" Lucas asked to which Frenzy beamed.
"Got them right here." he said excitedly patting his backpack. Picking back up the pace, Team G.H.O.S.T finally reached the treeline and hid their weapons under their ponchos, the moving crowd now visible through the forest mesh.
"Alright everyone, this is where we split off." Lucas told them. "Good luck and be careful." He Lucia, Cal and Hilda went first as a feeling of tension spread through the team. It was do or die. The future of Libertus and the pilot of Villkiss' fate was set upon this moment.
Through the tiny window above them, Ange and Momoka could hear the crowd assembling onto the palace grounds. Just how many people had turned up for this? As her execution was drawing nearer Ange stared down at her hand, her royal ring now gone and taken away. She remembered that night mother had given it to her on her bedroom balcony. Back then she had a dream to change this world and make it pure. But now she knew just how stupid and childish she was. This world wasn't pure. It was full of liars and pigs who would throw you to the wolves just for being an inconvenience. From down the hallway, footsteps echoed as someone approached.
"It's almost time." Ange said as Momoka knelt by her side on the floor, gently resting her head on her mistress's shoulders.
"I'm ready. I'll follow you anywhere Lady Angelise, even after my dying breath."
"It's time Angelise." With a glare of defiance, she turned and looked up as the door to the cell opened and her elder brother Julio smirked down at her, a pair of guards standing behind him. "Let's not keep your public waiting. Now turn around with your hands behind your head." Ange not wanting to give Julio the satisfaction rose to her feet but simply locked her eyes on him only, staring him down before the butt of a rifle struck her stomach and Ange sprawled onto the floor. Hands grabbed ahold of her clothes and tore them off until she lay naked on the cold stone floor clutching her stomach.
"Lady Angelise!" Momoka screamed as the other guard held the maid back. "Stop this, please!"
"You at least should show some measure of decency. I'd say…THIS suits your kind." Julio said maliciously as a filthy tunic was thrown at Ange whose tear streamed eyes glared up at her brother.
With all the strength she mustered not to show pain, Ange slipped on the filthy rag as her hands were bound together with rope. Then floating up to the doorway in a Mana hoverchair with an icy look in her eyes was Ange's sister Sylvia, a leather whip in hand. "Start walking, Norma scum!" Sylvia sneered. "You too, traitor!" Holding her head high, Ange did as she was told and followed behind her sister with Julio and his guards right behind her.
The pleasant moon lit night sky bore Embryo no small comfort as he sat alone on the outer balcony of his private manor. Before him, a Mana screen broadcast the repulsive scene taking place in front of the Dawn Pillar. "Such a pleasant night ruined by such an abhorrent display." Embryo sighed to himself. It looked as though half the capital had turned up for Julio's little farce. It sickened him how so many of these wretched lives quenched for the blood of a girl who'd done nothing wrong to them, all because of the way she was born. All these hundreds of years of when the Norma first came to be and humanity's attitudes towards them was a constant reminder to him how this world had truly failed. But it didn't matter anymore. Once the former Princess' body was recovered after her execution and Subject Alpha, the other escaped Norma Hilda, and the chosen Ragna-mail pilots were on his side, Embryo would erase his failures and rebuild this world. The data he had collected over the centuries would be the guiding light towards making humanity what it could be. Peaceful, gentle, and without the burden of persecution and cruelty. Behind him, the balcony door opened, and Blackadder stepped out to join his master, a tray of his perfected richly aromatic tea in hand which he set on the table.
"Your tea master." Blackadder poured it into a fine porcelain cup and as Embryo sipped on his tea, his eyes shifted to Blackadder who winced, stroking his left hand that was covered by a black leather glove.
"It's getting worse, isn't it?" noted Embryo.
"Yes Master." Blackadder admitted, flexing his left gloved hand. "More frequently than ever."
"Don't let it trouble you." Embryo urged. "For now, focus on retrieving Ange's body once they're done with her." 'She won't have to feel pain anymore once she's with me.' Embryo thought.
"I hope for your sake that Mr Villson won't ask any suspicious questions." Blackadder commented with a leering smile. "With him being so close, are you sure you want to risk his loyalty to you if he ever found out the truth regarding his brother's discovery of royal blood and its true purpose. I question your trust in him when he's nothing but a mad dog on a loose leash." Embryo sighed and set his cup down.
"May I remind you it is because of Donnie Villson's research and wonderous discoveries of a Norma's royal blood that many miracles and fruits have been born over the space of almost nineteen years. I owe it all to Donnie Villson, and in return I've given his older brother a second chance at life. So hold your tongue on whom I choose to trust." Though Dutch had a major mishap in allowing Subject Alpha to escape last year, Villson's loyalty and dedication to serve Embryo was absolute. And it was Dutch who had wiped out a good portion of the Terrorists and Ancient Folk. Embryo only hoped when the time came to tell Dutch the truth that his base emotions would not overwhelm his better judgement. Blackadder meanwhile remained silent until he opened five Mana windows that showed live footage around the Dawn Pillar and the Imperial Palace.
"I fear Dutch Vilson might be in over his head." Blackadder said coldly. Four of the screens showed the moving crowd and Blackadder had noticeably zoomed in on 4 groups of people all wearing ponchos. The fifth showed a lone shaggy haired young man hidden in the trees at the western side of the palace.
"It seems Julio has some uninvited guests." Embryo mused. "Looks like Dutch was right in suggesting the Princess would be rescued." He studied the two images more carefully and reached out to try and ensnare them but failed. He felt a faint presence from most of the men but regarding the women he couldn't feel a thing.
"As suspected." Embryo sighed. "The Terrorists and Norma are working together.
"Shall I intervene?" Blackadder suggested.
"Stand down, let Dutch take care of them." Embryo dismissed. "Besides I'm in the mood for a little show.
"If there is nothing else than may I be dismissed Master?"
"As you wish." Once alone Embryo studied the images more closely. Two of the men in the crowd and the one hiding in the shadow of the Dawn Pillar he couldn't feel anything, which only soured his mood even further. 'Those three must be some of the last of those vermin I and Dutch exterminated.' He concluded but something felt off about the one with auburn hair, a presence he had not felt since… but the feeling vanished instantly as the next moment he saw on another Mana window the Princess exiting the castle dressed in a filthy rag, her maid dragged behind her in Mana forged shackles. Taking another sip of his tea, Embryo took a moment to study the former Princess more closely.
"Such a shame, something so pure and pretty to be humiliated in such fashion. Don't worry my dear Angelise. It will all be over soon and once you're with me, you will feel no more pain or hardship. We will be beautiful together. And so will our children."
From the shadows of the balcony atop the Dawn Pillar, Blackadder surveyed the crowd. 'I know you felt it too master.' He though as his gaze fell upon the auburn-haired young man in the crowd. 'I knew you'd come to save your royal friend, Subject Alpha. It's about time you were drawn out into the open for the world to see.'
As Lucas, Lucia, Cal and Hilda moved carefully through the crowd of people that had amassed in front of the Misurugi palace, an eruption of booing and hooting made Cal turned his head sideways towards the palace. He saw several figures exiting the castle and he recognized immediately the chin length golden blonde hair of Ange.
"C'mon this way." Lucia whispered. Lucas had found a gap in the crowd with the attention drawn on Ange. Cal kept his head down and with great difficulty was able to resist striking anyone in the crowd.
"She deserves to die."
"Witch!"
"Norma scum!"
On the other side of the Promenade, the four slipped out of the crowd and back into the cover of the woods along the eastern edge of the palace. "Everyone in position?" Lucas whispered into his earpiece.
"Ready." All four teams and Tusk responded at once. Lucas pointed further down the pathway from which the crowd had come.
"Soon as Tusk comes out of those trees to save the girls, keep any guards and NMB soldiers away from him. Once Tusk and the girls are away, we pull back to the Skyhooks. Then we get the hell out of here." They all watched from their binoculars as Ange was pulled by her restraints by one of the guards like a dog on a lead towards the wooden podium where the crowd had gathered around like an pack of wolves. Twice Ange had fallen in the mud while the crowd jeered and started throwing rotten vegetables, eggs and other garbage at her, but still she kept her head up high. Hilda's blood boiled like a kettle and Cal's nostrils and eyes flared dangerously.
"Who's that guy?" Hilda asked Lucia, trailing her SMG on the blonde-haired man dressed in purple and had an acidic looking smirk.
"That's Holy Emperor Julio." Lucia answered, lowering Hilda's weapon slightly with her hand. "Ange's brother. He was the one who exposed her existence as a Norma during her public baptism and overthrew the capital. Looks like he's giving his sheep the same display he'd given his father."
"And the little girl?" Hilda pointed to the small girl in the hovering chair in front of Ange.
"Her lying little sister no doubt." Cal cut in with distain in his voice.
"Who would of thought someone like that was capable of manipulating Ange of all people to escape Arzenal." Hilda frowned as she watched Sylvia with distain. 'Guess both me and Ange have disappointing little sisters in our family.'
"It dosen't matter, they're both sick bastards." Cal growled feeling a strong urge to shoot the two royal brats.
"Easy, don't do anything stupid." Lucas ordered quietly. "Hold your fire until Tusk makes his move." Cal kept his sight trained on Ange and her captors as they finally came up onto the gallows. Her brother Julio took a seat on a large throne like chair with Sylvia by his side and a tall silver blue haired woman stood behind them. Judging by her crimson uniform she must be his personal bodyguard. Similar to Misty's when she had visited Arzenal during the Festa. Cal could only watch helplessly as Ange's retrains were attached to an arch that suspended her up off her feet, her toes barely touching the ground as her brother Julio stood up to address the crowd.
"Attention please!" He said aloud. "Before we begin the execution, my sister Sylvia has requested that she be allowed to personally punish this Norma for her crimes committed against her." Julio smirked as Sylvia floated to where Ange hung, a leather whip uncoiling in her hand
"NO!" Cal yelled his voice lost through the bellows of the jeering and hooting crowd.
"For the crime of making me fall off my horse!" Princess Sylvia screeched as her whip lashed across Ange's back. "For the crime of crippling me! But finally, for the crime of being BORN!" Over and over the lash raked across the former Princess who screamed in pain as the crowd cheered with each strike and Jeffry and Travis watched from afar within the trees. From off to the side, Ange's maid who had been captured alongside her screamed for mercy on behalf of her mistress.
"Nice family." Travis grimaced in disgust. "Commander Villson and the NMB council are gonna be pissed about this whole charade." Jeffry was so repulsed he couldn't help but look away. "I understand she's a threat to humanity. But this is wrong." Protocol was to terminate an escaped Norma immediately but torturing one in front of an entire crowd for no good reason was sickening. Finally, the whipping ended and Jeffry heard Holy Emperor Julio's voice break over the crowd.
"The traitorous Empress who protected this Norma is dead! And the Emperor who lied to you all has been executed! The royal bloodline has been corrupted by this Norma! But convicting Angelise will complete the purification of our family! Tonight, this land will begin a new era as the HOLY Misurugi Empire! Such is the decree of Holy Emperor Julio I! I will now sentence this Norma to Death!"
The crowd erupted in riotous applause and Jeffry found the strength to look back. 'Does this guy truly believe his own words? Norma couldn't help being born!' He thought recalling the frightened faces of the Norma children back at the two terrorist hideouts they terminated. Then with a stab of guilt he pictured the face of the little Norma girl Ruby whom he staged her fake rescue to get inside as a spy. He also remembered the sweet smile she had given that night before APEX was taken out.
'Thank you for saving my life.'
"Corporal, do you see any signs of suspicious activity?" Commander Villson spoke through Jeffry's earpiece, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"My squad has reported nothing yet Commander. If the terrorists are going to show up then why haven't they saved the Norma yet?
"Keep your eyes peeled. I have a feeling they'll be waiting until the last minute since they failed to bust the Norma from her cell. Me, Jadis and Brawl's squad will move in once you report in.
"Copy Commander." Jeffry saluted as he signalled his men to fall in.
The wave of shock and grief over the reveal of her father's fate from Julio almost made Ange's knees buckle as the crowd began to applaud over his speech. "It's not her fault!" Momoka cried out to the crowd. "Lady Angelise never did anything wrong to any of you! In fact, being with her brings me nothing but joy!" But her words fell upon deaf ears as Ange's entire former Iaria teammates began to clap and chant.
"Hang her up! Hang her up! Hang her up!"
"But why?" Momoka sobbed over the chant. "Why are you all being so cruel?"
Somehow Ange managed a thin smile. At least one person would mourn for her. 'Momoka,' she thought. 'Thank you.' She just wished she could also thank Vivian, Miranda, Ersha, and everyone else at Arzenal for what little time she'd shared with them. She certainly would have liked to have seen Tusk again. He had been so kind to her even though she hadn't always been the same to him. She thought of Cal, the only person at Arzenal who treated her as an equal, who only ever tried to help her. Aside from Momoka, even though she was a Norma and a difficult person to be around, they were the only men in her life who had treated her as if she were no different than anyone else. 'Tusk, Cal, promise me,' she prayed. 'Don't ever forget me.'
Her gaze shifted over to her former people who once cherished her. Now hungry for her death. So these were the true colors of the peaceful and righteous people of the Misurugi? 'You all disgust me. You and the rest of humanity are nothing but ignorant filthy hypocritical pigs.' Ange thought with a powerful rising hatred as she gazed at Julio who coldly smirked in triumph as he rolled their mother's ring between his thumb and forefinger. Her eyes cast upwards at the noose as a fiery defiance took over her and did the only thing she knew would comfort her in her final moments.
"Don't get emotional." Lucia told Hilda whose hands began to shake with rage. "Stay on target until Tusk rescues the girls." Despite herself, she also felt on the verge of exploding and Lucas's jaw had clenched tight enough she could almost hear his teeth cracking from the strain.
'What was Jill thinking?' Cal wondered. 'How could she be fine with letting Ange getting tortured like this?' These humans should be begging on their hands on knees for Ange's forgiveness. They owed their lives to the Norma for protecting them from the DRAGONs and this was how they repaid them?
"Hang her up! Hang her up! Hang her up!"
The sudden chorus from the three girls in the crowd's front made the revulsion and fury rise in Cal until he was fit to burst. Then without warning with no sense of his surroundings or where he was Cal was once more shrouded in the icy mist. "Rip, tear, kill them all." A poisonous voice hissed. "The humans must pay for what they did to you all. To you. To Ange. To ALL the Norma."
"Kill them all." Cal repeated in a voice that was not his own as he rose to his feet.
"Cal what are you doing!" Lucia said urgently. Something was wrong. It was as if some kind of a switch had been turned on, causing Cal's entire demeanor to change.
"Cal get down!" Hilda ordered.
"I'll kill them all." Cal whispered, his voice alien and cold. Hilda lept up to grab him but Lucas beat her to it. With one hand on his shoulder and the other around his throat, Lucas shoved him hard against a tree.
"What is wrong with you?!" He snarled. "Are you trying to get us all killed?!" Cal looked up towards him and to Lucas's shock, Cal's chartreuse eye contacts changed to their usual sky-blue but impossibly and disturbingly Lucas saw for a split second in the flicker of the moon light, the white sclera of his eyes turned jet black, and his pupils were slits like a viper snake, then they suddenly flashed back to normal and chartreuse when someone began to sing over the crowd.
Hajimari no hikari
Kirali...kirali
Across the grounds of the Dawn Pillar, the crowd went silent as if hypnotized. The song had the same effect on Cal who spasmed as if given an electric shock and went limp. Lucas released him and the younger boy collapsed to the ground. He shook his head and looked up with a perplexed look.
"What…what happened?" he asked as Lucas grabbed him by the collar of his coat.
"You almost gave away our position!" He snapped. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't knock you out and leave you here." A sudden gleam in the dark and Lucas found a knife edge pressed against his throat.
"Let him go." Hilda warned. "Or I'll do something much worse to you."
"Hey hey everyone cool it. We've got more than enough enemies to deal with right now." Lucia urged. With a tch, Lucas released Cal and Hilda put away her knife. Whatever it was he had seen, Lucas decided he had imagined it. 'Just a trick of the light.' He thought. Hilda meanwhile helped Cal to his feet.
"What the hell happened?" Cal wondered. His last few seconds were a complete blank.
"I think you let the crowd get to you." Hilda answered. "Just be patient. You won't save Ange if you get yourself killed." Cal wasn't sure if he believed that was it but just having Hilda near him helped center his thoughts and clear his head.
"Lucas what's going on?" Lucia asked.
"She's…accepting her death." Lucas said in a hoarse voice, too shocked to speak. "Now that's what I call bravery." Through his binoculars, he could see the fire in Ange eyes as she continued to sing even when the guards aimed their guns at her.
Kaesen el Ragna
Suna dokei wo
"Tusk," Lucas announced down his earpiece. "Get ready. Dolton start jamming their systems." As they peered over the brush Cal saw in complete astonishment Ange now walking towards the gallows by herself, the guard holding her leash helpless to do anything except follow her up to the noose as she sang her heart out to the heavens.
"Ange." Cal whispered.
"What are you waiting for?!" Hilda said desperately as the noose had now gone around Ange's neck.
"Not yet." Lucas said patiently.
"Are you serious? I won't sit back anymore. Screw Jill's orders this has gone too far!" Cal panicked, getting to his feet as Julio raised his hand.
"Well sister," he gloated, "this is goodbye." The lever was pulled, and Ange dropped through the trap door, the noose hanging her in mid-air as she twitched and choked in its grip.
"MILADY!" Momoka screamed.
"DO SOMETHING!" Hilda yelled.
"ANGE NO!" Cal bellowed.
"Team 2, NOW!" Lucas shouted.
A loud bang followed by a flashing white light ignited above the crowd of people, blinding them as a Skyhook leapt from the trees to the west, bouncing off the armored Mana vehicles alongside the gallows and knocking Julio from his throne as it passed. 'Come on Tusk hurry!' Cal urged as the pilot hurled a four-pointed throwing star at the rope, cutting Ange loose as he flew underneath just in time to catch her.
"She's free!" Hilda cheered as and Cal pumped the air with his fist. But then their luck changed. Tusk couldn't break at the speed he was going, causing his Skyhook to spin out, knocking both Ange and him off as she landed on her back with Tusk's face right in her crotch. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Cal wouldn't have agreed that fanservice slapstick straight out of an ecchi manga could actually happen.
"You got to be kidding me." Lucas cringed.
"Oh dear." Lucia's cheeks flushed.
"Is that guy for real?" Hilda's eye twitched.
"PERVERT!" Ange shrieked in outrage kicking Tusk so hard he flew backwards into the gallows where he fell unconscious.
"The Mana coms are down." Dolt reported. "What's the status?"
"Tusk is down. Team 1 move in and retrieve…HEY GET BACK HERE YOU TWO!" While Lucas had been distracted, Cal and Hilda had broken off and were now racing down the hill towards the gallows. "Damn it! Change in plan. Team 1 hold back the guards as long as you can. Team 3 keep those NMB vehicles away. Team 2 move in to distract. Frenzy, do your stuff. Lucia, with me." Together, the two of them sprinted down the hill towards where the Skyhooks were hidden. Cal and Hilda would have to look out for themselves for now until he and Lucia retrieved them.
"All units respond to the Dawn Pillar." Jeffry attempted to report but all he received was interference. "What the hell's wrong with the coms?"
"Corporal look!" Travis shouted as the rest of Jeffry's squad arrived at their position. Jeffry looked up and saw three hooded individuals flying around the sky on what looked to be state of the art Mana hoverboards. The same kind used used for the world champion racing. They soared above the crowd leaving behind a glowing green trail in their wake, tossing flash and stun grenades at Julio's subjects across the outer perimeter of the crowd who screamed in terror. To their left gunfire cracked the air up on the palace promenade. Julio's royal guards further away had to be in battle with the terrorists.
"What! How did they get past us?!"
"Never mind that. Holy Emperor Julio needs our assistance!" Jeffry ordered. "Go around the side of the gallows. Use the guard vehicle for cover!"
Ange sat on the stage floor transfixed with shock and surprise at seeing Tusk again until the voice of Captain Riza snapped her back to reality.
"Don't just stand there you idiots! Capture them both!" With what little strength she had from torture and lack of food, Ange leapt to her feet and bolted towards Tusk.
"Tusk wake up, come on wake up!" She pleaded as she began dragging him by his hood. But she had kicked him too hard and now two of the guards were upon her with rifles aimed when gunfire erupted from the one of the promenades along with the sound of the crowd screaming as loud bangs and flashes echoed across the terrain. The guards snapped around and Ange looked past them to see three people wearing the same poncho tusk wore on Mana boards flying over the crowd and tossing stun grenades all around them.
"Lady Angelise!" Momoka darted forwards with her Mana restraints held in front. Ange kicked and broke the Mana, freeing Momoka who in returned unlocked Ange's shackles with her own.
"Stop them!" she heard Julio shriek. "I don't care what you do but don't let her escape!" Momoka raised a Mana shield just in time as the guards opened fire and forced Ange and Momoka into a corner next to the unconscious Tusk.
"Stay behind me milady!" Momoka grunted trying to keep the bullets from hitting them. Then from out of nowhere, an auburn haired man and a girl with low violet pigtails came bounding up on to the stage. The guards turned their attention to their new attackers as the man ducked and elbowed the first guard in the stomach before slamming the but of his carbine across his jaw while the woman leapt up onto the second guard's face, seizing his head in her thighs before twisting her body around and throwing him to the ground. 'I know that move.' Ange realized.
"Nice to see you're still in one piece princess." The girl said with a cocky grin.
"Hilda!" Ange gasped, half in relief, half in shock. "What are you doing here?!"
"You really didn't expect us to leave you behind did you?" The man smiled. There was only one person Ange knew who had a dumb grin like that.
"Sir Cal!" Momoka beamed. Before she realized it, Ange jumped up and hugged him tightly around the neck on the verge of tears. She still couldn't believe both he and Tusk had come to save her.
"Thank you." She half chocked out. "But who are those other guys?"
"I'll explain later." Cal said as more guards were coming across the gallows. "Can you fight?" With Momoka providing cover with her Mana, Cal handed her his assault carbine before unslinging a crossbow from his back.
"With pleasure." Ange grinned wanting some payback.
"Hmm, who would have thought we'd be fighting side by side princess." Hilda remarked as she pinned down two guards with her SMG. "What do you say, most kills get to sleep with Cal first."
"Ugh! Not in a million years!" Ange yelled her face now pink.
"I agree, besides you really stink." Cal jabbed back. "When was the last time you had a bath?"
"Cal, I swear to god I will shoot your nuts off!"
"Lieutenant Jadis, Sargent Brawl, Corporal Jeffry, do you copy? Over!" Dutch shouted as he tried to reach the others. The white flash over the trees had faded but now it sounded like a battle was being raged right in front of the Dawn Pillar. "Damn it! Everyone move out!" With Dutch leading the charge, his men drew their weapons and hurried towards the Dawn pillar when four Military Mana cruisers came speeding along the pathway towards the palace. "Jadis, Brawl, go ahead and subdue anyone you see!" Dutch shouted as they drove by. But no sooner had they passed Dutch's team did the green light of Mana suddenly flicker and turn red. Without warning, the two vehicles backed up at full speed toward Dutch and his team who were barely able to dive out of the way. A loud crunch of metal crashing into wood mixed in with the nearby battle as Dutch and his men picked themselves up.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Dutch bellowed as Jadis, Brawl and their squads clambered out of their vehicles, bruised and dazed.
"Ugh…we…just…lost control…" Jadis winced, pressing her hand over a gash along her brow. Brawl looked as though he'd lost a tooth as he spat out blood.
"How did they hack through our Mana?" Brawl splattered, clutching his ribs.
"I don't care just get moving!" Dutch shouted. Though held back by the injured, they soon reached the outer edge of the woods near the crowd where three people on Mana hoverboards were tossing stun grenades everywhere. "Knock those pests out of the sky Jadis! Brawl go assist Jeffry and the guards. My squad, search the crowd." But as Dutch gave the order, he saw movement out the corner of his eye and quickly pulled out his night vision binoculars to see a man and a woman sprint across the fields towards the southern woods. And there was no mistaking the long sword hung across the man's back. 'You again!?' Dutch took off after them on his own, keeping close to the trees. 'This time I'll make sure you stay dead!'
"We're almost there keep going." Lucas urged as he and Lucia rushed through the dark. Gunfire still echoed from the base of the Dawn Pillar so at least that meant Cal and Hilda were still fighting.
"Lucas, we're pulling back, there's too many of them!" Finn shouted down his earpiece over the bellowing gunfire.
"Get of there! Get to the extraction point with team 3. We'll pick up Cal, Hilda and the prisoners along the way."
"Lucas," Dolton called. "I got the NMB crashing into each other. But that's not stopping them coming in on foot. I'd say we got less than two minutes. Me and my team are on our way to the skyhooks."
"We'll meet you there, good luck. Frenzy what's taking so long? We don't have a lot of time Finn and his team need a clear path!"
"Sorry Lieutenant, just give me a few more seconds. I'm using all of them."
"What do you mean all of them!?" Before he could get an answer, a figure suddenly leapt out from the darkness and kicked Lucia in the chest hard enough to knock her rifle from her grip. Lucas unsheathed his sword to strike the unknown attacker only to have the blade deflected by a Mana shield. And in their light, who should appear before Lucas but the face of his father's killer.
"You!" Lucas yelled, slashing his sword in a fit of rage. Dutch blocked all Lucas' attacks and countered with a Mana infused punch, forcing, Lucas to duck and barely missed having his face caved in. Before Dutch could get in second attack, Lucas kicked his leg out to hit Dutch's knee and the two stepped back to put some distance between each other.
"Lucas!" Lucia called.
"Lucia just go! I'll hold him off!" Hesitantly, Lucia did as she was told and made her way towards the hidden Skyhooks.
"You know what really infuriates me?" Dutch growled as he and Lucas stared each other down. "Having to do the same job, over and over and over again because some pests are too stubborn to know when to stay dead."
"What's your point?" Lucas snarled back.
"The point is I thought I killed you once 10 years ago, then again just weeks ago, and you're still here, like a cockroach constantly climbing out of the toilet bowl."
"Yeah I've been told stubbornness is my worst trait."
"You can't beat me boy and you know it." Dutch warned. "But luckily for you I've got more important prey. So tell me where the Male Norma is and I'll let you live."
"What makes you think he's even here?"
"After all this time I can smell the little freak." Dutch glowered as he pulled out two large brass trench knives from under his jacket.
"You want the Male Norma, then you'll have to go through me."
Cal took aim behind him and released a bolt that nailed one guard right through his throat. He would have liked to have taken out Ange's brother but with his female bodyguard shielding both him and Ange's sister he realized he couldn't afford to waste the ammo. Especially since despite the chaos sowed by the others, there seemed to be no end to the Royal guard or NMB soldiers that were quickly closing in around the gallows.
"Lady Angelise, Sir Cal here!" Momoka raised her Mana lit hands and levitated Tusk's combat equipment out of his poncho and towards Cal and Ange. Ange caught a hand grenade and Cal two stick grenades which they both hurled at their attackers, sending them running for cover as they exploded. In the process, two of the nearby Mana transports where NMB soldiers had taken cover also blew, killing more than half their numbers.
"How are we going to get out of here?" Momoka yelled as more NMB soldiers were pouring out of the woods to open fire at their allies hovering overhead, forcing them to retreat.
"Ange, take Tusk and Momoka and get on that Skyhook. Me and Hilda will draw them away." Cal ordered as he carried Tusk over his shoulders. "It's just like flying a Para-mail."
"After them!" They heard Julio shouting as two of his guards rushed past him. Another two raced up the steps and another from the opposite end of the platform, cutting off their path to the skyhook
"Stay where you are Norma scum!" The half dozen guards had them surrounded, they were trapped.
"Duck!" Hilda suddenly yelped. They all flung themselves to the ground when something like canon fire exploded overhead, making the guards panic and scatter like mice and as Cal looked up, pandemonium rained. Somebody and Cal had a very shrewd idea who had set off some kind of gigantic, over-the-top fireworks display. A massive phoenix comprised entirely of red, orange, and yellow sparks soared down above the cowering mob, emitting loud fiery blasts and bangs as it flew. Pink Catherine wheels four feet in diameter sawed through the air like flying saucers while rockets with long tails of brilliant violet stars were ricocheting off the trees and wooden stage. It was like being on the beach at the Festa all over again but 10 times larger.
"What are you doing you fools!?" Julio shrieked, taking cover behind his chair. "Get up and seize them!"
"Come on!" Momoka yelled as she and Hilda helped a weakened Ange climb on the skyhook as Cal lifted Tusk back around his shoulders. One of the larger rockets whizzed past his head and zoomed directly towards Julio, Silvia and Riza with a sinister 'wheeeeeeee!' They all yelled with fright and ducked as it exploded mere feet behind them, shooting purple and violet spark everywhere, causing Sylvia to fall out of her hoverchair.
"Brother!" Sylvia sobbed as a yellow puddle formed underneath her dress. Julio however was howling like a wounded pup, franticly slapping the sleeve of his jacket that had caught fire while Riza stumbled around in a daze. Cal looked back to see the chaotic fireworks had caused the crowd to flee in every direction, getting in the way of the NMB soldiers which gave Finn and his team the chance to slip through as they bounded off to the south side of the woods.
"Just go Ange we'll find a way out!" Cal urged as he slumped Tusk over the back of the Skyhook. "Head towards the beach and oversea. We'll catch up to you there!"
"Alright, just be careful." Ange pleaded as she seized the controls and lifted off.
"Damn you to hell Angelise!" Julio screamed.
"Actually, I owe you a thank you brother," Ange said as she halted before him with a icy glare in her ruby red eyes, "for helping to understand out who I am! You too Sylvia, for showing me how disgusting humans can really be! See you later, hope you're happy living a lie!" With a parting smile, Angelise turned the Skyhook away and took off over the remaining crowd. With a growl of rage, Julio shoved the stunned Riza aside
"Hurry, catch them!" he screamed. From atop the fleeing vehicle, Ange took a combat star from within Tusk's cloak and threw it back to plunge into Julio's left eye. Julio squealed like a pig and fell to his knees, his face covered in blood and causing Sylvia to faint from shock.
"Nice shot!" Cal laughed as behind him and Hilda, a single Skyhook forced its way through the fireworks and parked beside them.
"Get on quick we need to go!" Lucia shouted urgently. But just as he was about to mount up, Cal caught sight of a green glint on the floor 10 feet from Julio. Ange's ring.
"Cal come back!" Lucia pleaded as Hilda climbed on behind her. Cal dove forward and seized Ange's ring but a rain of gunfire cut him off as Lucia and Hilda were in the sights of the approaching army of NMB soldiers and guards.
"Damn it Cal get the hell out of there!" Hilda yelled as she and Lucia were forced to fly away, leaving Cal on his own.
"I'll find a way to the castle roof." Cal told them through his earpiece. From his belt, Cal used the grapple gun taken from the barn's stockpile and aimed it at the huge stone ledge above the gallows. The hook caught and Cal felt himself lurched off the ground as the wire took him up over the wall. A quick check to make sure his pathway was clear before he jumped onto the top of a nearby tree and awkwardly jumped from branch to branch down to the ground where he ran as fast as he could to wards Misurugi Palace.
"After him!" Captain Riza screeched.
"Jeffry…come in Corporal…do you copy?" Through the darkness and ringing in his ears Jeffry could faintly hear Lieutenant Jadis's voice call out to him. He opened his stinging eyes and was surrounded by fire and black smoke.
The last thing he remembered was him and his squad moving up to cut off the terrorists by the gallows behind the three Mana vehicles, but something had exploded and then everything went black.
"We've got a live one here!" He heard someone shout before a group of paramedics put him on a stretcher. As he turned his head, the last thing he saw was Travis laying on the ground. His eyes motionless and dead.
Dodging left and right from oncoming guards and through the same gateway Ange had emerged from, Cal kept on running. All the while he heard the enemy closing in behind him. One guard ran right into him and formed a Mana barrier to stop him in his tracks but Cal charged forwards, breaking the shield on contact and knocking the guard on his back before plating a bullet in his head. He rounded a corner, crossed a stretch of grass, past a swan statue water fountain and up a spiral staircase to a first-floor balcony just as his pursuers were coming around the corner. Using his grapple gun again, he lurched upwards two floors and tore across the roof, looking around for any signs of someone to pick him up. "Come on guys where are you?" Cal panted as sweat was dripping down his face.
Something searing hot streaked past his left ear as a jet of red light blew a gap in the stone railing in front of him. Cal spun around to see Julio's bodyguard Riza behind him, her outstretched hand glowing red. 'How did she get up here that fast?" Cal wondered.
"You've got nowhere to run Male Norma." She smirked with triumph. "Yes, I know what you are." Cal quickly took aim with his pistol when another jet of red light shot from the woman's hand, the energy bolt knocking the gun from his hand. She fired a third and Cal leapt out of the way as another hole was blasted through the stone railings.
"What are you?" Cal gasped. Whoever she was she wasn't human.
"You've been a thorn in my people's side for too long." She snarled ready to fire again, until a rain of gun fire from above forced her to jump back. Overhead, a trio of Skyhooks came into view, spraying the roof with hot lead and forcing the woman to dive over the ledge to escape.
"Cal come on!" A familiar voice called. On the rear Skyhook, Dolten beckoned Cal to get on as he lowered down to the roof. Cal climbed on just as the rest of the guards who had been pursuing him spilled out a rooftop access. But with cover fire from the others, Cal and Dolton blasted off over the castle grounds and towards the sea where they saw a single blue light streaking near the beach. "That was pretty ballsy." Dolton admitted. "But at least we all made it out alive." As the adrenaline wore off, Cal felt the ache creep back into his body as he looked down at the green gemmed ring in his hand.
'Good thing we still have our most important piece of equipment.' But one thing was for certain when they reached the extraction point, Lucas was gonna be pissed with him and Hilda.
"Dutch where are you!?" Jadis tried to call in as their coms seemed to be back up and running. But Dutch was unable to answer as he was still locked in combat with the terrorist leader. While the battle at the Dawn Pillar had raged on and eventually died down, both men had managed to inflict numerous lacerations upon each other but neither had scored anything that could be turned to victory.
"You're strong I'll give you that." Dutch admitted. For a stubborn primate, Dutch was genuinely impressed by the younger man's ability to hold his own against him. "But even if Subject Alpha slips through my fingers again I'll at least make sure this is the last time you stick your nose in my business."
"What do you even want with him?" Lucas demanded, his vision slightly obscured by the bleeding gash Dutch had carved above his eyebrow. "It's pathetic how you fail to chase down one Norma."
"You can thank his traitor of a guardian for that." Dutch sneered.
"What was that?" Lucas asked, his guard lowered.
"I was there the day Subject Alpha was born. I lost everything because of his existence. My brother AND the man I thought was my best friend. And once he's mine, he'll experience pain like he'd never imagine."
'So this guy was part of the research staff at Trager's lab?' Lucas thought. 'But I thought they were told only Gaz and Cal had perished in the fire.' "Just who are you?"
"I already told you. As far as you're concerned, I'm the devil." Now that an opening had presented itself, Dutch used his Mana to shoot himself forward and kick at Lucas, sending his opponent flying against a tree. The impact knocked the younger man's breath out of him and Dutch pressed his foot over the back of Lucas's neck. "Hmm, not so cocky now are you?" Dutch said as he knelt down to pick up the sword he had dropped. "And now, time to get rid of the vermin once and for all." Lucas tried with all the strength he could muster to get up, but Dutch's foot increased the pressure until his throat nearly collapsed. Now Dutch was raising his father's sword to decapitate him and Lucas felt himself go limp with resignation. 'I'm sorry father, I tried.'
CRASH!
Lucas eyes shot open to see Dutch go flying off him and bouncing off another tree. A black form that looked like a merger of machine and man hovered before him until Lucas's vision cleared enough to see Finn reaching out to him.
"Come on!" With his body still numb from Dutch's blow, Lucas somehow managed to take hold of Finn's hand and was pulled onto the skyhook. Within seconds they shot out over the trees, Dutch's scream of rage and frustration chasing after them as Lucas once again escaped death's grasp.
"Are you okay Lucas?" Finn checked.
"Yeah…just winded." Lucas hissed, each breath like a knife digging into his lungs. And his heart sank as it dawned on him he had left his father's sword behind. "What happened?"
"Everyone got out safely. Dolton and the rest have picked up the Male Norma." Finn informed as they made their way over the beach. "Frenzy might be a little shit but that firework distraction was bloody outrageous! You should have seen it. His Holy Majesty screamed like a little girl when his sleeve caught fire!" Despite the pain and chaos that had transpired and the loss of his father's sword in the hands of his enemy, Lucas couldn't help but cackle with laughter as he and Finn flew oversea into the night sky and finally caught up to the Princess and her maid.
From his manor's balcony, Embryo furrowed his brown with irritation. He had never expected such a pathetic display from Mr Villson's team. Still, a sense of jubilation dampened his dour mood. That beautiful girl whose song had ignited a fire in Embryo's soul that he had thought been extinguished long ago. Ange truly was the key to everything he desired. "What a marvelous woman." And then, who else should appear before him on a Mana screen but Dutch Vilson, his face looking as if he had been through quite a scrape.
"Master." Dutch gasped. "I've sent a spy drone after the terrorists. They won't get far."
"Bring me Ange alive Mr Villson or don't come back at all." Embryo warned with a stoic annoyance. "You're on thin ice after that performance from your team."
"I apologize Master." Dutch begged for forgiveness, his face white with fear. The Mana window closed and at the balcony door stood Blackadder, a sly smirk curling his mouth.
"It seems he's disappointed you already." Blackadder told him. "He has lied to you."
"What do you mean?" Embryo said, a stab of impatience in his tone as Blackadder pulled up footage of the palace grounds on his Mana screen. Embryo's tea cup dropped to the ground and shattered at the sight of a young man with auburn hair smashing though a guards Mana shield. "It can't be."
"I sensed it as well. Subject Alpha was here. It would seem he had encountered Mr. Villson and his team two days ago in Enderant as well. I've already interrogated three soldiers who were dismissed from his service and they confirmed it. Let me go after them Master. I'll see to it that Mr Villson doesn't forget his place." With a tch of disgust, Embryo waved him on.
"Go." Embryo told him. "But only engage if Dutch tries anything." Blackadder nodded as he left and Embryo looked out into the distance as eight lights shone over the sea, intercepting Ange and guiding her to safety. So Subject Alpha was out of Arzenal and in league with the terrorists? 'What else have you been hiding from me Mr Villson?' Embryo wondered. He flicked through his Mana screen to see if any reports of the recent incident were being broadcast across the World Wide Mana network and to no surprise it was top news. But a second heading caught his eyes that made him bite his tongue as he read the heading. "No, who did this?!"
Breaking News: DR RICHARD TRAGER, FOUND DEAD IN HIS MANOR HOUSE.
No sooner had the terrorists escaped, Dutch produced a disc shaped Mana spy drone from his Roma coat pocket and sent it racing after the lights of the terrorists' skyhooks. Now that he had established a tail, Dutch made his way back to the palace grounds to assess the damage. Most of his soldiers and the several imperial guards were dead, countless civilians were injured, and Holy Emperor Julio's eye had been severely damaged.
"Corporal come in, are you there?" From among the wounded, Brawl and Jadis came limping up to him.
"Corporal Jeffry is in critical condition." Brawl reported.
"Commander, the terrorists they…" Jadis panted as she ran to him.
"You both let them escape!" Dutch snapped as he back handed Jadis. "Do you realize how much shit I am in now?!" Jadis looked up at him in terror and Brawl stepped back nervously, they had never seen Dutch like this before. "Get out of my sight both of you." He snarled before handing Lucas' blade to Brawl. "Keep that safe. It will look good on my wall."
After commandeering one of the only staff cars that wasn't damaged in the fight, Dutch drove away from the scene. If he wanted to achieve his goal then he would do it himself. Once he reported back to Master Embryo, who didn't sound at all pleased, Dutch put in a second call to his assistant. "Ms Yung-si, have my team take control of the spy drone and keep on the terrorists tail, and tell them to get the Ragnarök ready for immediate launch."
"But commander, it's still in repairs…" Ms Yung-si tried to explain.
"Just do it! Do you want those murderers to escape!?" Dutch roared.
"Sorry Commander." She said timidly. "I'll get right to it, but before you go there's something you should know. Through the research and secret file codes I managed to hack into, I found something. A file dating back to when Subject Beta was created nearly 19 years ago."
"What was it?"
"Footage and a time record sir."
"What exactly of?" Dutch demanded.
"A secret research facility, apparently located deep inside the Dawn Pillar." Ms Yung-si pulled up a dozen images of machines and research stations, the likes Dutch had never seen. No top scientist had technology like this. "And according to the time records he's still alive."
"I see. Well done. Ms. Yung-Si. If you find anything else let me know." Dutch told her as he ended the call. Could Embryo really have been behind this? Subject Beta's s eyes were unlike anything Dutch had seen and though he had visited the Dawn Pillar several times, he couldn't recall meeting or seeing anyone like that. Dutch flipped through the footage and came across a photo of the Ragna-mail. One in particular stood out amongst the rest with its four wings and azure blue stripes. Had it been made specifically for Subject Beta to pilot? And why did it look familiar?
Then it all hit him like a ton of bricks, recalling the only person he'd known to always hide away his eyes. Someone who hid in the shadows, only to appear from nowhere as if he was stalking Dutch. "My god…" Dutch croaked in realization. "He…he's Subject Beta!"
TO BE CONTINUED…