CHAPTER 33
APEX FALLEN
There was a definite feel of gloom in the air as Lucas, Lucia, and their comrades from the Sanctuary relief mission ate their dinner. A few hours ago, Harper had communicated with Captain Jacob, who upon being briefed on APEX's improved status, had ordered them to return at first light tomorrow. Though they knew their assignment had been a temporary one, it was still a bitter pill to have to leave the new friends they had made.
"Don't worry Lucia," Lucas tried to cheer his sister up. "The kids will be fine now."
"I know that." sighed Lucia. "I'll miss them though."
"Not as much as Clay." Lucas teased. "I see the way you stare at him. I think Harper might even be jealous."
"Like you're one to talk!" Lucia countered with a slight blush. "You two are practically Tweedledumb and Tweedledee." Before Lucas could argue further, who else should appear before them but Harper himself.
"I just want to say I'm really thankful for all that you two have done for this place." He told them. "You really helped turn our situation around."
"Don't mention it." Lucia said with a smile. "I'm just glad we got this place back on its feet again. These people are in good hands with you as their Captain. Just don't be a stranger and keep us informed so you don't get in such dire straits again."
"I will. Especially if I can get you two to visit again." Harper promised as the two exchanged a hug and turned to Lucas. "I hope everything is good between us despite putting you in a cell."
"You did what you had to do as a Captain. Being here has made me realize I've still got a lot to learn."
"Don't sell yourself short," Harper told him. "I look at you and I see the type of guy who knows how to make the tough decisions. With you and Lucia, I think the Sanctuary's going to be just fine."
"Thanks Harper."
"You got it pal." The two exchanged one final handshake and Lucas hoped that when Libertus began again, they would be fighting by each other's side. After dinner and a quick wash, Lucas decided to turn in early when he encountered none other than Clay.
"I heard you and your sister are leaving tomorrow." Clay said with a disappointed look. "You two were really starting to grow on me. I'm gonna miss you guys."
"Don't worry Clay. I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again soon. So, remember the tips I gave you and keep working on those combat skills."
"Don't worry I will." Clay promised. "And in the meantime, I'll do what I can for this place and its people."
"You do that." Lucas said as the two fist bumped. "Be sure to look out for these people. For a better future for us all. Norma, Ancient folk and Mana humans." The two went their separate ways and Lucas shut his door before crashing into bed. The mission had been a good distraction, but now he had to focus on his real priorities. 'I will get my hands on Siegfried.' Lucas vowed as he raised his hand to the ceiling and clenched into a fist. 'It's OUR machine. The one we Ancient Folk made to take down Embryo. Once I reclaim it from the Male Norma, I'll do whatever it takes to take back our world.'
Lucas eventually drifted off to sleep, only to leap out of bed when the sound of an alarm screeched across the base. Still in a half daze, he stumbled into the hallway where he was nearly stampeded by the mob of people running back and forth. From deeper within, he could hear a dull echo of screams and gunfire.
"Lucas come on!" Harper yelled as he ran up to him. "We've got to move!"
"What's going on?"
"No time! Just get your clothes on and meet me at the main hanger! Quickly! We're under attack!" Rushing back into his room, Lucas hastily dressed and tied his father's sword around his waist before plunging into the chaotic evacuation. All around him, base personnel and Norma were fleeing, some carrying children who cried in fear and clung desperately to whomever they could. Cursing under his breath, Lucas shoved his way through the mob and eventually ran right into his sister who looked as bewildered as he did.
"Lucia any idea what's going on?!" Lucas shouted over the noise.
"We're under attack!" Lucia yelled back. "Harper said to meet him in the hanger." Suddenly, the entire mountain shook as if an earthquake had erupted below them, causing everyone to stumble.
"What the hell was that!?" Lucia wondered.
"Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good." Lucas panted having to flatten himself against the cave walls to get through the stampede. Eventually, they managed to work their way through the crowd to the main hanger where Harper and 70 human and Norma soldiers stood armed and ready.
"Listen up Bravo Team," Harper barked. "The enemy has breached the southern entrance which means they'll be coming through the south and west tunnels. We're going to make our stand here! Fortunately, the enemy hasn't yet breached the mountain's secret entrance through the waterfall. I've sent Fox Team to deal with any hostile Mana assault jets outside the mountain." This seemed to answer Lucas' question as why so many skyhooks were missing from within the hanger. "We're going to deal with the soldiers that have already infiltrated. We hold them off as long as possible for the non-combatants to escape!"
"Captain!" A technician cried as she rushed over in a panic. "Someone has shut down the main power grid." She showed Harper footage on her data pad in which a hooded figure was ripping circuits out of the consoles. "We've been betrayed by one of our own."
"What!" Harper exclaimed. "But who?"
"I don't know but I can't reach any of the other maintenance staff inside that area. They could be dead." Another explosion shook the mountain, this one hard enough to shower bits of dirt and pebbles onto their heads from overhead. It looked like Fox Team could only hold off the bombardment for so long.
"We need to get the doors shut on the lower levels!" Harper urged. "There's a backup switch that'll stop more of them from pouring in." From down an empty hallway, who else should come dashing out but Finn. At the sight of the man, rage pulsed through Lucas like venom as he rushed forward and tackled the larger man to the ground, his sword drawn and ready to cut.
"It was you, wasn't it?! Lucas growled. "What have you done?!"
"What the hell are you talking about!?" Finn yelled as he held his hands up in surrender, the blade pressing against his neck.
"Where were you? Why weren't you here with the rest of the hunters?"
"I was helping the elderly and children evacuate to the eastern blocks towards the mines. I swear." Finn pleaded.
"Lucas stand down!" Harper snapped. "The figure in the security footage is too small to be Finn. Save it for the real enemy!" Lucas eyes narrowed with suspicion but finally let Finn go.
"I'll get the doors closed." He shouted. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He then ran as fast as he could, sprinting down the western corridor where the soldiers were coming on a route that would lead him to the power room. Whoever the traitor was they weren't going to live long enough to regret their betrayal.
"Lucas come back!" Lucia yelled as her brother vanished. Before she could run after him, Finn stopped her as the sound of running footsteps grew louder from an adjacent corridor.
"Get ready. They'll be here any second." Harper warned as everyone took cover behind rock formations, steel crates, and vehicles under maintenance. Lucia quivered, dreading what was coming. They were only 70 strong against who knew how many? Finally, a platoon of soldiers dressed in black tactical gear came into view at the end of the two dimly lit hallways at the far end of the hanger. An unfortunate group of their comrades ran right into them and were doused in fire by four soldiers with flamethrowers.
"My god!" Finn gasped in horror, closing his ears to the piercing screams of burning bodies that collapsed into flaming piles of ash. High above the enemy soldiers, floating along in mid-air, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. It was as though the soldiers on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by the light of Mana. The victims were a family, a father, two children, and a mother. All of them either human or Ancient Folk judging by how the Mana were able to affect them. One of the soldiers with the flick of his hand flipped the mother upside down, her night gown exposing everything as she struggled to cover herself up. The army below her screeched and hooted with glee as they stepped over and spat at the blackened burning bodies.
"Sick bastards." Lucia muttered as the smallest child began to spin around in mid-air like a top, his head flopping limply from side to side.
"Enemy ambush!" one soldier yelled as he finally noticed them. "Open fire!" In an instant, the hanger erupted in chaos, as a rain of bullets erupted between the invaders and the defenders. The incoming soldiers formed a wall of Mana shields and steadily advanced forward.
"Bravo team keep them at bay!" Harper roared.
"We can't penetrate those shields! We have to use stun grenades!" Finn advised.
"And if we do the hostages will be in the line of fire as well!" Harper pointed out.
"Harper, I have to assist Lucas!" Lucia pleaded seeing a small group of soldiers go down the same corridor her brother had gone down. "They'll butcher him!"
"Lucia, he can handle himself. Right now, I need you here!" A third rumbling shook the mountain and one of the hunters slid towards Harper, his hand over his earpiece.
"Captain, I've gotten a transmission from Fox Team. There's something else that's attacking us." Pulling his datapad, Harper checked the outer security cameras and saw five or more Mana assault jets raining missiles and rockets upon the mountain, the bombardment setting the surrounding forest ablaze. Still, It looked like Fox team were holding their own. Then he spotted it. High in the night sky was a large figure with bat like wings.
"Is that…" Harper croaked, too stunned to comprehend what he was looking at. "No…its him again. That machine! Get them out of there now!" But it was already too late as the footage showed the Skyhooks picked off one by one as the enemy unit shot an orange energy blast from his gun. Lucia peered at the screen and stifled a terrified gasp. The massive dark grey machine with huge bat like wings and encased in the Light of Mana with a gold phoenix atop the head, was no doubt the same machine and pilot who massacred her people 10 years ago. The same one that had killed Father. "Lucia, you have to get out of here!" Harper bellowed through the constant blasts of gunfire. "Get the survivors and evacuees in the eastern blocks out through the mines, the tunnels will lead you far away from here!"
"But I don't…I…"
"Lucia that's an order!" Harper yelled as he shoved something into her hand. "Take this map and get everyone down to the lower mines. They'll lead you outside of the mountain and into the woods! It's the best chance we have of surviving!" He handed her a map of the base surrounding area and Lucia knew what she had to do. "Once you're out, follow the river to the base at Enderant Harbor. Once you're there you tell Major Malta what happened if I don't make it. Whatever you do, keep the people safe."
"Okay." Lucia nodded as she along with three hunters hurried to get everyone out of here.
"Alright team, give these bastards a good hammering, hold them off until the evacuee's escape!" Harper bellowed. "Wait a minute where's Finn?"
Sprinting to the point his lungs burned, Lucas zigzagged past the escaping crowds, tore up three levels of stairs and turned every tight corner as he rapidly closed in on the Utilities wing. Four loud bangs echoed behind him, and he fought the urge to detour and take out whatever enemies were nearby. Steadying his breaths, Lucas's fingers gripped his long sword as he finally came to the power room door that the traitor had left half open. Peering in, Lucas looked around through the many rows of computer cores that lit the pitch-black room. No sign of the enemy so he stepped into the semi darkness and heard something splash beneath him. He looked down, and the trail of dark liquid, most likely blood, directed his vision to where three bodies lay awkwardly on the ground. Diverting his gaze, he looked up to see not only the main power grid had been destroyed but the backup switch had been ripped off as well. The sound of a light clink triggered a fight response as Lucas drew his long blade when something hit him hard enough on the back of the head to knock him to the deck. His vision exploded in sparks and blurred as his fingers groped for his sword, only for his hand to be pinned beneath the boot that stomped down on his wrist.
"Why did it have to be you?" A voice spat. 'No, that voice, it can't be.' A kick to the stomach flipped Lucas on his back and he felt his wrists and legs pinned to the floor by shackles of Mana. The green light illuminated the darkened room and Lucas looked up to see the barrel of a gun along with the face of its owner.
"Clay!" Lucas said with a low snarl. "You fucking traitor!"
"No, spy." The traitor corrected. "And that's not my name. Just an identity cooked up to fool you miserable primitives." Lucas struggled futilely against the restraints when a Mana window opened next to the Traitor's ear.
"Private Jeffry do you copy?" Lucas heard a voice ask.
"Private Jeffry reporting." The spy answered. "I've disabled security and destroyed the main power grid and backup. The security doors will remain open and there's no other exits for them to escape."
"How can you do this?" Lucas grunted. "There's kids here! Families! How can you stand by and let them get murdered!? Are you really proud of yourself for that?!"
"Shut up!" Jeffery snapped, his gun shaking slightly. "My father was killed by a Norma lover just like you!" Jeffry trembled, his face a mixture of fury and fear. "But my Commander, he offered me a chance to get justice."
"Justice?" Lucas bitterly laughed. "You don't have a damn idea just who you're really serving do you? If you had any idea you'd turn that gun on yourself for all the innocent people you've killed."
"Save it." Jeffry told him. "I know exactly who I'm killing. You primitives and the Norma monsters you protect would slaughter entire families if you could. We just decided to do it to you first. And I won't let another son, or daughter become fatherless like me."
"Then do it." Lucas dared, seeing the conflict in Jeffry's eyes. "I don't think you even have the nerve you coward." Jeffery glowered as he took the gun in both hands as Lucas glared back at him in defiance when the door swung open with a deafening clang. A massive shape darted towards them and with surprising speed, Finn seized Jeffery by the wrist, lifting him up with one hand and throwing him against the wall hard enough to drop his gun. With the traitor's concentration broken, the Mana shackles canceled out and Lucas scrambled to his feet.
"You stay where you are!" Finn snarled as he drew his own sidearm.
"Okay, you win just don't shoot." Jeffry begged. Too late Lucas saw something slip into his hand from inside his sleeve
"Finn move!" Lucas tried to warn as Jeffry set off the stun grenade. There was a deafening bang and a blinding flash that left both Lucas and Finn disoriented. When their vision cleared, Jeffry was nowhere to be seen.
"Dam that little prick!" Finn growled.
"Forget about him!" Lucas advised. "We'll get him next time. By the way thanks. Never thought you'd come to my rescue."
"Yeah well I still owe you an ass beating and I can't do that if you're dead." Finn snarked.
"Any time any place," Lucas nodded. "Now let's move This place is done for, but let's take as many with us as possible."
Holding an oil lamp in front of her to navigate through the darkness, Lucia checked her back every few seconds to see if the evacuees were still following her. The three hunters who came to assist lit their hands in the light of Mana to keep the crowd of over 100 together that consisted of children, elderly, and wounded.
"Which path do we take?" One Hunter asked as Lucia checked the map.
"There's a passage that leads to the other side of the mine." She turned the map around, squinting her eyes to see more clearly through the dimly lit tunnels. "This way." She pointed to a left passage that was damp and slimy. "Down here, we should be coming up to the gate." Lucia guided the group, checking every turn was correct until they hit a dead end that made her heart stop.
"The soldiers! They're coming!" One Hunter warned. The crowd began to panic as flashlights flickered in the darkness behind them. Lucia franticly turned the map around to try and find where she had gone wrong as she began to hyperventilate.
"Take a breath and gain your bearings dear. You can do this." One elderly Norma encouraged, prompting Lucia to regain her composure.
"Here, we missed a turn." She pointed at the map. "We need to take 200 steps back until we reach a slope to the final passageway." They narrowly made it to the slope as groups of four slid down at a time, the soldiers rapidly closing in, to the point that their tactical masks could be seen from their flashlights.
"Form up boys!" One hunter barked as the three of them formed a line at the back of the crowd.
"Guys come on!" Lucia called to the hunters once everyone had descended.
"Go on! We'll hold them off!" One said as they formed a line of Mana shields.
"Guys hurry!"
"Just run!" he yelled before SMG fire echoed through the tight tunnels. Lucia covered her ears and through the nose and flashes of gunfire, were just barely able to make out one Hunter hit in the shoulder, his barrier shattering as Lucia choked back bitter tears as she slid down after the others.
With the soldiers working their way through the lower tunnels, Lucas and Finn had to take the long rout around back to the hanger; not daring to slow down despite stepping on the dead bodies of their comrades.
"Those bastards, they'll pay for this!" Finn vowed through heavy breaths.
"There they are." Lucas pointed as they reached the Hanger, half of the troops who chose to stay behind lay motionless, their bodies riddled with bullet holes from which blood oozed onto the floor. "Harper, the power circuits have been destroyed!" Lucas yelled across the hanger, sliding behind a night blue Arquebus for cover. "It was Clay! He was a spy the whole time!" Harper slammed his fist against the cargo crate he hid behind.
"Damn it! How the hell could have I been so careless?" Regaining himself, Harper furrowed his brow as he considered their options. "This place is lost but we have to give the others time to escape."
"Well we'd better think of something quick!" Finn pointed out. "Some of the soldiers have made their way around the power grid. We'll be surrounded if we wait too long."
"Where's Lucia!?" Lucas demanded in a panic noticing his sister was missing.
"She's getting the evacuees out through the mines. It's the only chance they've got!" Harper explained. Lucas peeked his head up and saw the enemies were now just nearing the opening of the south and west hanger entrances and Harper made up his mind.
"Use your Mana, bring the whole damn mountain down!" He bellowed. The few of their human allies still fighting channeled the Light of Mana as their hands lit bright green and began to concentrate. Within seconds the two entrances began to crumble and shake before caving in, flattening the incoming soldiers beneath the rubble as a dust cloud filled the hanger. "Everyone, get to the mines!" Harper ordered. "Finn get everyone out! Lucas you're with me!" As Finn and the twenty surviving troops regrouped, Lucas hopped onto the night blue Arquebus but tossed his father's sword to Finn.
"You'd better not die!" he threatened. "I'm expecting you to give that back." Finn smirked and gave a half salute before leading the survivors out. Harper meanwhile mounted his personal bottle green and crimson Arquebus as two Norma handed them Visors and two pairs of dark grey armored gauntlets. Unlike Arzenal's pilot suits that used a chamber cord, the ancient folks used their combat uniform gauntlet to connect themselves to their unit.
"Let's do this!" Lucas urged.
"I'll see you on the other side soldier!" Harper saluted. Engines powered up and the two Para-mail levitated up from the deck until level with the tunnel that led to the waterfall entrance. "Lucas, I don't want to alarm you but whatever you see beyond that waterfall, keep your head together."
"What do you mean? What's waiting for us out there?" Lucas demanded, his neck hairs standing on end.
Harper's words stuck in his throat, almost coming out in a sputter. "It's HIM Lucas…he's here."
"Who...What are you…" Then it came to him in a whirlwind of fury and shock, causing Lucas to forget everything. Lucia, Siegfried, Jacob, APEX; all of it vanished as he realized the monster who exterminated Libertus ten years ago, the one who slaughtered the Galia falls, the man who killed his father; was now right in front of him. With teeth clenched and his pulse thundering in his ears, Lucas gunned the throttle and shot down the tunnel.
"Lucas no!" Harper pleaded as he tried desperately to keep up with him.
Once Dutch and his team received confirmation that Jeffry had met his objectives, his forward assault team wasted no time in exterminating the traitors and vermin inside the mountain. Their defences seemed feeble and pathetic until twenty skyhooks shot out from the waterfall like angry hornets defending their nest.
Unlike Para-mail, skyhooks were difficult to hit due to their smaller size and speed that rivaled a Para-mail. Half of the Mana assault jets were shot down before Dutch intervened, using his heavy energy pulse rifle to mow them all down in one volley. The Ragnarök hummed as Dutch channelled his Mana to control the machine and he felt the power within course through his body in a way that made him feel impervious to anything standing in his way.
"Commander." One of his squad's Sergeants popped up to his left by Mana screen. "We've secured half the base along with files of all the Norma who had vanished off our radar over the years. It could lead us to their other hidden bases."
"Excellent." Dutch said. "What about the infants, can they to use the light of Mana?" The Sergeant showed footage of the prisoners they had taken, a mother hiding in the corner clutching her baby.
"Yes, it appears some of these infants have Norma mothers but can use the Light of Mana." The Sergeant tugged the baby away from its mother to demonstrate, his Mana screen touching the baby and managing to remain intact.
"No! Give me my baby!" The Norma mother cried before she was silenced by a shot to the head.
"What shall we do with them?" the Sergeant asked
"Kill them." Dutch said flatly as the Mana screen turned off, his fists tightening around the control handles and turning his knuckles bone white. 'More filthy half breeds born by Norma.' Dutch tried to make sense of his never-ending questions about Subject Alpha. 'One way or another, I will find out why that abomination is the only Male Norma in existence and why the births that came before him were unsuccessful.' Dutch pushed the thought aside when his attention snapped back to the mountain as the last Mana assault jets suddenly exploded. From out of the waterfall, two enemy para-mails; one night blue the second bottle green; had burst into view and launched an attack.
'Looks like I'll get to have some fun after all.' Dutch grinned, aching for a bigger challenge than the captured Norma #49 and her dead lover had given him. The two Arquebus hovered in mid-air before him and seemed to be in conversation. Though the Ragnarök lacked an official radio, Dutch could hear them arguing from within their units. The pilot of the night blue unit's voice seemed especially angry and eager to fight and charged forward despite his comrade's urging him to hold back. Dutch simply grinned. If the fool was that eager to die than who was he to deny him?
Once Lucas and Harper finished off the enemy aircraft, they stopped to survey the bulky dark grey unit that they hadn't seen since the fall of XEON. The sky was so silent it was deafening. From within his cockpit, Lucas glared at the Ragnarök, a blinding rage driving him to rip it and the person inside it in half.
"Steady Lucas. We'll take him together." Harper advised. "You go right and I'll…" suddenly charged straight in.
"No! I'm finishing this now!"
"Wait! Lucas no!" Harper yelled as he chased after him.
"He killed my Father!" Lucas fired his Arquebus' rifle at the Ragnarök's cockpit, only for the dark grey machine to raise its forearm and manifest an ovel shaped Mana shield to deflect the bullets. With his magazine empty, Lucas threw it aside and drew his melee weapon, a long Astray-style Katana. Once within range, Lucas slashed wildly but the enemy blocked every strike on its shield. In retaliation, the Ragnarök jinked backwards to pull its huge combat axe and met Lucas's attacks blow for blow. Meanwhile, Harper had managed to sneak around to the left and fired one of his unit's forearm guns. The Ragnarök with its free arm raised another shield to deflect Harper's barrage. In the same motion, it lifted its huge leg and drove it hard into the blue Arquebus's stomach, causing Lucas to spiral backwards.
"Lucas!" Harper yelled closing the distance as he drew his own sword and slashed for the Ragnarök's vitals, not giving the enemy a chance to counter. Once he had regained himself, Lucas came back around and aimed for the Ragnarök's back. But as if anticipating the sneak attack, the Ragnarök swung its axe, hitting Harper's flank just below the cockpit as it spun around and used its huge bat like wings to swat Lucas aside.
"Lucas pull back! We can't win this!" Harper ordered as they regrouped. His Para-mail had taken significant damage and sparks erupted from the hull where the axe had struck.
"No, he has to pay!" Lucas growled the knot in his chest tightening.
"Well look who it is." A voice echoed mockingly. The enemy inside of his machine was talking to them by audio speaker. And Lucas could never forget that voice. "I never thought I'd cross paths with you again. How long has it been? 10 years?"
"I'm going to kill you!" Lucas swore as the man inside the huge unit gave a dry chuckle.
"I guess sometimes you just have to step on a cockroach twice. You fight pathetic boy! At least your father gave me a challenge. I guess it's a good thing I spared him the disappointment of seeing what a failure you turned out to be."
"Lucas don't take the bait!" Harper pleaded.
"Shut your mouth!" Lucas roared, as he charged forward.
"Move! Go! Go!" Lucia urged the group through the mines as the never-ending screaming, strangled yells and gunshots grew louder behind them. Lucia kept glancing at her feet following the old, rusted cart tracks until finally they came to a small metal gate. Once opened, two of the Hunters managed to catch up. Lucia could already tell what had happened to their comrade.
"Keep going. We'll buy you time." Taking her father's bow from over her shoulder, Lucia notched an arrow just as the soldiers came into view. The hunters raised a shield and through the gap in their defense, Lucia began sniping, dropping the soldiers in front and managing to slow them down as their comrades stumbled over them. "They're clear let's move!" she ordered as something was lobbed through the air towards them.
"Grenade!" One hunter yelled. But instead of an explosion, a flash of light and a loud bang filled the tunnel, disorienting Lucia and the hunters long enough for the enemy to catch up. A fist slammed into her stomach and Lucia fell wheezing to the ground. As her vision cleared, she was able to catch sight of the hunters being shot down as two of the soldiers pinned her limbs to the ground.
"Get off…me…you bastards!" She screeched.
"Wow. She looks rather pretty for a savage ape." One soldier sneered, the look in their eyes telling her everything Lucia needed to know. She struggled harder and spat in the face of one who leaned in to lick her face. "Have her boys." Flipped onto her front, Lucia felt their hands grab onto her clothing and screamed as they began to tug at it when a gunshot echoed above her. She felt herself released and scrambled for the safety of the tunnel wall as more gunshots erupted and a huge shape slashed the last soldier across the chest.
"Come on, get up we have to get out of here!" The figure yanked her to her feet and Lucia looked up into the face of Finn.
"Thank you." Lucia panted before she threw her arms around the big brute. "I thought…they were going to…"
"Don't mention it." Finn reassured, patting her on the back until he saw his fellow hunters dead. "I'm sorry guys."
"Come on Finn we have to go." Lucia urged, pulling the large man along. Once past the gate, Finn jammed the locks with his Mana and they followed the last stretch of the tunnel to the outside where the rest of their group was waiting for them. In the distance, the mountain and forest were ablaze and Lucia checked over her map. "Harper said to follow the river. It will lead us to a place called the Enderant Harbor."
"I know where it is." Finn announced. "I've gone there to trade supplies and ammo."
"Lead the way." Lucia insisted as Finn took point to guide the evacuees to safety. Lucia anxiously kept glancing back hoping no Mana drone had spotted them. Thankfully, it looked like they were too far away where the main base to be noticed. Plus, the forest canopy and the smoke from the fire gave them further cover. As they followed the river, Lucia looked back to the night sky over the mountains where a battle was raging between two Para-mails she recognized from the hanger and a much larger unit that Lucia remembered all too well. "Lucas, Harper." Lucia worried as the two Arquebuses collided with the enemy unit, forcing it against the face of the mountain.
"There's nothing we can do for them." A middle age Norma said with a hand on her back. "Best we can do is make sure we can't be used against them." Choking back her fear for her brother and friend, Lucia pressed on, casting one final look back as the three units disappeared from sight around the mountain.
Within the cockpit of the Ragnarök, Dutch smirked as the pilot of the dark blue Arquebus wildly swung at him. His comrade circled around and attempted to attack from his blind side, but Ragnarök's censors alerted him with time to spare. His blue opponent overextended his attack and Dutch seized his wrist, flipping him over and into his opponent, the impact knocking them both out of the sky. 'Time to end this.' Dutch decided as he drew his energy pulse rifle. The beam shot towards them, but the green unit managed to shove them apart before the blast could hit. Dutch clicked his teeth in annoyance but kept his focus. Both of his opponents were out of ammo and as long as he kept them from working together, it was just a matter of wearing them down.
"Not half bad." He goaded. "It's a shame you'll never live up to your father's skill." With a scream of fury, the pilot of the blue Arquebus shot forward; wildly hacking and slashing against Dutch's machine. "Is that all you've got!?" Dutch mocked. "I was going to give your head a spot on my wall, right beside your father's. But I wouldn't want to sully his memory." As he hoped, the boy's attacks became wilder and more erratic until an opening presented itself and Dutch cleaved his axe right through the elbow of his enemy's sword arm. With his opponent disarmed, Dutch kicked and sent him crashing against the slope of the peak, kicking up a cloud of snow and rock as Dutch dove in.
"Oh no you don't!" Before Dutch could counter, the second pilot tackled him from behind, the impact knocking his energy pulse rifle out of the Ragnarök's grip. Even worse, the force of the blow had severely bent one of Dutch's wings and he now found himself off balance. "What's wrong?" Harper smirked, slashing his blade down upon the now off-balance machine. "A rookie could have avoided that hit. You've grown slow and fat in your old age."
"You think insults from an Ape can bother me?!" Dutch countered as he parried the blows. "It doesn't how many of you come to die. In the end, you're nothing but a dead race that doesn't even know they're extinct."
"And you're nothing but a mangy dog whose master should have put him down a long time ago," Harper countered. "We're the true Human race. You're nothing but a cheap copy. And nothing you do will ever change that." Dutch growled at the monkey's insolence as their battle continued over the mountain, into the sky and past the clouds until they were little more than shadows against the moon. To Dutch's frustration, unlike his comrade, this one wasn't so easy to goad. However, his machine was still superior with power to spare. And then, the green Arquebus made a rookie mistake, overextending himself on a thrust and allowing Dutch to shatter his opponent's blade with his axe.
"Now die!" he roared. Dutch lifted his axe and prepared to chop the green Arquebus in half when something grabbed him from behind. While he had been focused on Harper, Lucas had recovered and had managed to sneak up from behind to put the Ragnarök Harper in a half nelson, forcing the axe out of Dutch's grip. He couldn't believe it. The ape in the green Arquebus had planned it all along. He had let Dutch destroy his weapon. "Get off you little freak!" Dutch roared as he channeled his Mana to overcharge the wing boosters.
In his own machine, panting and running on fumes, Lucas used all the force he could muster to hold on. Even with a busted wing the Ragnarök was putting up a struggle that was hard to restrain. Especially with only one arm
"Hold him still!" Harper yelled now clutching the huge double-edged axe.
"Do it, hurry!" Lucas shouted, feeling his grip on the enemy loosen. Harper gunned his accelerator and charged forward; the massive axe high over his head to cleave Dutch in half. Time seemed to slow as Dutch froze in terror. It couldn't end like this. Not when he was on the verge of finally gaining everything he desired. Suddenly the sky around them erupted in a blinding green light as Harper's bottle green Arquebus was hit by a jet of green plasma that tore through its lower hull like paper.
"Harper!" Lucas yelled. But his comrade gave no response save an exhale of shock as sparks and smoke erupted from its vents. Lucas scanned the darkness to see where the shot had come from when a movement overhead drew his gaze upward. "No! It can't be!" Hovering in the light of the full moon was the silhouette of a Para-mail, one which looked almost exactly like the black Ragna-mail that destroyed the island of Xeon ten years ago. "Harper get out of the way!" Releasing the Ragnarök, Lucas tried to reach for him and push him out of the way when his Arquebus suddenly shook with a crunch of metal and the screens flickered on and off. Before they died completely, Lucas caught sight of the Ragnarök's fist glowing with Mana as it pierced through his unit's torso.
"And this time stay dead." Dutch growled as he tossed the inactive Para-mail aside. Lucas felt the G-forces press him against the side of the cockpit as he fell spinning and impacted hard. Something cold and wet began to pool around his ankles and Lucas looked down to see water flooding into the cockpit. He must have landed in the lake that supplied APEX's fresh water. From within his cockpit, through the dizziness and throbbing in his head, Lucas could hear more shots followed by an explosion and he knew the battle was over.
"Harper," he moaned. The water was up to his chest now and a cold, numbing haze was filling his brain. Why was he always so powerless to do anything? First his father and now Harper. And what about his sister? 'Lucia I'm sorry.'
'Tell me kid. Who do you fear most? God or Death?' A hard shrill voice echoed in his mind.
Dutch's eyes snapped to the black Ragna-mail that had shot the enemy Para-mail to shreds. 'Master Embryo?' No. That unit might have had the same shape, but it had four wings instead of six. 'The Xerxes. Blackadder.' Dutch concluded; his jaw clenched. Dutch flew up to meet the jet-black unit, its azure blue stripes illuminated by the moon light.
"Good evening Mr. Villson." The cold emotionless voice greeted him in a way that made Dutch's skin crawl. "I must say your team has done a fine job tonight. Though I can't say the same about your performance."
"I didn't need your assistance," Dutch said through gritted teeth. "Why are you here? And make it quick. I still have to clean up here."
"That's a fine way to thank me for saving your life." Blackadder mocked. "But since you asked, I'll be taking over here. Master Embryo wants you back at Misurugi for important business. I suggest you don't keep him waiting." Dutch's temple throbbed with fury and tightened his grip on the Ragnarök's controls. The Xerxes was the same distance away from him as when he struck down that monkey's Arquebus. If he moved quick, he could rip out the Xerxes' power core with a Mana infused punch, send the uppity little worm crashing to earth, and simply tell Master Embryo that the Apes had killed him. As if sensing what Dutch was thinking, the Xerxes tapped its shoulder.
"Better be certain you can do it." Blackadder warned. Dutch's fury faded to uncertainty. The Discord Phasers. A weapon which not even the Light of Mana could defend itself against. Slowly, the goosebumps raising across his body, Dutch loosened his grip. "Smart choice."
"Just don't try and take credit for this," Dutch warned. "My soldiers will back me up if you do."
"Of course I won't," Blackadder assured. "You've earned at least that much. Just be sure to keep your priorities in check." A slight shimmer and the black unit disappeared from sight. 'What did he mean by that?" Dutch wondered. 'Was that a threat? Or does he know about my investigation about Subject Alpha? No, he's just taunting me.' Still, as much as he hated to admit it, Blackadder gave him chills. 'Who is Blackadder and where did he come from? He just suddenly appeared out the blue that day I found Gaz and his little monster.' Shaking his head, Dutch pushed Blackadder out of his mind. This actually worked to his advantage. With Blackadder handling clean up, after his meeting with Master Embryo, Dutch could go on to his next appointment. 'One way or another I will find the truth about Subject Alpha's creation AND Donnie's involvement."
Lucas jolted up as his eyes snapped open, stinging from the bright morning light. Panting, his throat very dry, he sat up on the rocky beach and saw he was completely alone. The woods were eerily quiet despite the lingering smell of smoke and the remaining crackle of the dying forest fire. It looked like the battle was over. Then he remembered. As his cockpit filled with water, the voice of his Father's killer echoed through his head, giving Lucas a final jolt of adrenaline and allowing him to break out of the cockpit and swim to the lakeshore before passing out.
"Harper." He whispered. His friend he had known since childhood, his comrade and brother in arms, was dead. Who was that figure that appeared to aid his father's killer? In the end it didn't matter. Just another enemy to take out. Forcing himself to his feet, Lucas stumbled into the forest where to his relief, he spotted a trail of footprints leading towards Enderant. It had to be Lucia and the evacuees.
'Don't worry Lucia, I'll find you.' He promised as he began following the trail. 'I swear, I'll retrieve Siegfried and never let this happen again. I will avenge Father, and Harper, and everyone they've killed.'
The past few days had been the best Ange had experienced throughout her time at Arzenal. Working as a team turned out to be not so bad. It almost reminded her of her Iaria days. Her relations with the others had improved as well. Rosalie and Chris from time to time hung out with her at the mall and Ange had to admit they weren't so bad. Even her relationship with Salia was smoother as her Captain seemed to have somewhat let go of her personal fixation on Villkiss. Miranda was still a bit cold to her which was understandable but according to Cal, when dealing with others she had regained a bit of her old cheerful self. The only person who still antagonistic towards her was Hilda but she at least limited it to keeping her distance. Best of all was getting to keep her head maid Momoka by her side. And she had Cal to thank for that.
After their training session, Ange and Momoka returned to their quarters to find Cal's side of the room had been stripped down to basic accommodations. Not only that but her and Momoka's twin bunk had been replaced by the original single beds.
"Wait have we been robbed?" Ange worried.
"Nope, I thought you two deserved your own space." Cal said from behind them.
"Why? Where are you going to sleep now?" Momoka asked.
"I've moved all my things into Ersha's empty side of the room" Cal told them. "Miranda was feeling lonely so Vivian's moving in with her."
"But what about Salia?" Ange then put two together. "Why did I even ask?"
"I will miss this room, but I think I'll miss Momoka's breakfast more." Cal admitted. "Speaking of which, the Commander has offered you a job. Whenever we're training, you'll be down in the kitchens, helping the other cooks. You'll be paid, and I think it would do every Norma here to have an occasional gourmet meal."
"It would be my pleasure." Momoka beamed. "It's all because of you that I'm here."
"What are friends for?" Cal grinned back but Ange stopped him before he could leave and hugged him.
"Thank you." Ange said. "For everything. For never giving up or abandoning me. Especially after everything I caused."
"What's done is done." Cal shrugged. "Despite everything, I never abandon my friends. That's a promise I'll never break." And he meant it. He was going to honor Gramps' last words and support Ange when Libertus began.
Ange looked up to him and her face suddenly turned red as she looked into his sky-blue eyes. 'I never noticed it,' she thought, 'but he's actually really handsome.' Her gaze lowered towards his lips and reflexively rose up on tip toes when the vision of another boy flashed before her. Remembering his shaggy brown hair, dark purple eyes and his goofy smile; the passing impulse faded. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me." Ange said as she pulled away in embarrassment.
"Lady Angelise," Momoka whispered. "Could it be that the springtime of womanhood has at last bloomed in your boyish heart?"
"Let's not make this weirder than it already is." Cal mumbled. While Ange was certainly pretty enough, for some reason it didn't feel right.
"Oh my!" Ersha said as she appeared with an amused expression. "I'm not intruding on Ange's first kiss, am I?"
"Second." Ange corrected, remembering it was her former Captain Zola who had stolen her first kiss. "And there's no way I'd kiss him. I'd probably catch something."
"And I'd rather kiss Vulcan." Cal countered back.
"Hey!" Ange frowned.
"His breath stinks less." Ange was about to punch him when Cal put his arms around the two girls. "Enough with the kissing talk, let's go before we miss the banquette."
"What banquette?" But Ange's question was answered when Cal led them to the cafeteria where everyone else from their squad was waiting. Even Hilda despite her reluctant look.
"Bout time you got here I'm starving." Vivian cheered from where two of the tables had been pushed together.
"Where did all this come from?" Ange asked.
"We pooled some of our reward from the First of," Salia explained. "It's sort of a tradition here."
"Can we just eat already?" An annoyed Hilda asked. As their food arrived and they all gave a big toast to their squads' unity, Cal couldn't help but feel grateful that he had made it this far, despite the friends and loved ones they lost along the way. His fingers stroked Naomi's bracelet automatically and in spite of everything he had endured the past few months: losing Naomi, Zola and Coco, in spite of the constant battles with the DRAGONs, in spite of the coming war when Libertus began however long that may be; he felt his heart lift at the thought knowing that for now, there was time left to enjoy with the people most dear to him.
THE END OF ARC 2
EPILOGUE
'Well done Private, there'll be a victory party tonight in your name.' Reading the private message from his Commander, Jeffry felt an overwhelming triumph that his mission had been a success as he stepped over the many corpses that littered the cave hallways. Many that failed to escape, Norma or Human had been taken prisoner or executed while the children…Jeffry didn't want to think about that. Then he fell upon something that made his insides clench. Before him, half buried beneath an adult that had tried to shield her, the little Norma Ruby whom he staged the fake evacuation with was dead.
'Thank you for saving my life.' Her soft words echoed through his head. Feeling his stomach retch, Jeffry emptied his insides. It was just like those kids back at the Galia falls. Why did he feel sympathy for a Norma?
Wanting to put some distance between the bodies, Jeffry wandered blindly through the semi darkness and came across something peculiar. Over at the end of the hallway was a man. Crouching behind an entranceway, Jeffry peered out for a better look. This stranger looked a few years younger than him and didn't seem to be a soldier. Long white blonde hair that reached down to his waist, pale skin, and dressed in a sharp black and navy suit with gold lining; a long cloak matching his uniform draped over his shoulders and fell down to the ankles of his shiny black shoes while jet-black sunglasses hid his eyes. From his hiding place, Jeffry watched as a soldier saluted the stranger and handed him what looked to be a hard document file. The mysterious person then entered an empty room while the soldier departed. Something about this didn't sit right with Jeffry so he crept to the open door and a flickering light shone through the gap, casting a long unsettling red across the floor. He peeked through the door and caught a glimpse of the young man talking to someone via Mana screen.
"It's done Master. I kept Mr. Villson from entering the terrorist's hideout." The stranger's voice was so emotionless and cold as a blast of icy wind. Something about it made the hairs on the back of Jeffry's neck stand up.
"Excellent work Blackadder." Another man's voice spoke. This one was calmer and had a condescending tone of superiority to it. "I hope Mr. Villson didn't suspect anything in your sudden arrival. I'll keep him on a narrow path if he starts asking questions."
"How long do you plan on keeping him around. A disloyal dog can never be tamed. It's only a matter of time before it bites its owner."
"If that happens, he'll be dealt with." The voice said. "Now on to more important matters. Have you uncovered anything of note?"
"Indeed." Blackadder answered. "One of my double agents found a file regarding a Norma. A Norma of royal blood."
"Royal blood." The man sounded intrigued. "What has been done with her?"
"She's already dead but that's not important." Blackadder said. "Once I checked it over, I found something very interesting regarding her bloodline, dating back over 200 years ago. One of the Rosenblum family had a Norma child, the very first Norma of royal blood. She had been sheltered and kept secret until her death, but she was the first Norma to deliver a healthy Mana baby. Trager's old lab research was correct. It looks like this is the final piece of the puzzle to confirm that."
"Then she's the one." The man said, a sense of pleasure in his voice. "The former Princess is the one I've been waiting for all these years. She's the answer to everything. To my future legacy." Blackadder didn't reply. It seemed to Jeffry that whatever the two were talking about, this Blackadder wasn't too pleased. "Send me the file, it will be useful for Dr Trager. You have done well Blackadder. We'll discuss our next plan of action after I speak with Mr. Villson. I just hope he keeps his priorities in check and not let his personal emotions get the better of him once we retrieve Subject Alpha."
"Thank you master Embryo. I shall return in due course." Blackadder ended the call, though the half side of his face Jeffry could see was full of resentment and bitterness.
'Embryo, that's a strange name." Jeffrey thought. 'Who is he and what is Subject Alpha? Did this have something to do with the Male Norma his commander told him about? The one his father died trying to retrieve. Jeffry got to his feet and tried to sneak away but something felt very wrong. His neck began to tighten like a noose had been set around it. His breath caught in his throat and Jeffry was lifted off his feet, floating in midair before he was dragged through the door and brought to a halt in front of Blackadder whose hand was held out in a gripping motion.
"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to spy?" Blackadder asked, his ice voice and mysterious power making Jeffry feel a surge of fear he'd never known.
"I'm not a spy!" Jeffry choked. "I'm one of the soldiers who seized this enemy base."
"So it seems." Blackadder breathed in a hiss. "You're Mr. Villson's little protégé aren't you? Killing you might cause more problems than it would be worth it. Perhaps I can make use of you instead." Blackadder dropped his hand and Jeffry fell gasping to the floor. He looked up and despite being so thin, this Blackadder whoever he was felt like a towering figure that made Jeffry want to sink into the ground. Being this close, Jeffry saw that on his right middle finger was a black and gold ring set with a dark blue gem. But it was his left hand that held Jeffry's gaze. It looked waxy like a mannequin's, and it was even thinner than his right.
"Who are you?" Jeffry trembled. "Why are you acting behind the Commander's back? I don't know what you're up to but if you had any balls, you'd fight me like a man." Blackadder gave a dry chuckle like grinding glass.
"But I am not a man. I am much, much more than a man OR human." He said with a twisted smirk as he knelt to Jeffry. "I could make your life a utopia. A new life with your family where everything is reborn." With a pause, the smirk faded to a threatening sneer. "But if you tell Mr. Villson or anyone about our little meeting, I will pay your family a visit. I will kill your mother. I will kill your infant sister. And I will dump the bodies at your feet. Do you understand?" Jeffry's blood ran cold. "Now on your feet. I have a job for you, Private Jeffry." Jeffry gulped and slowly climbed to his feet while Blackadder leaned in until his face was inches from Jeffry's. Slowly, he slowly gripped the temples of his sunglasses to remove them, and what Jeffry saw made him scream.
"That was a great meal." Ange hummed, ready to turn in as Momoka helped to undress her into her sleep wear.
"It was indeed milady." Momoka said before she gave a sudden gasp.
"Momoka, what's wrong?" Ange asked, confused by her sudden change in manner.
"It's a message. From Lady Sylvia."
"What!?" Ange cried as Momoka opened her Mana screen.
"Momoka, can you hear me?" A little girl's voice shakingly asked. "Did you find my sister? Is she with you?" There was a slight pause until Sylvia started to cry in distress. "Unhand me! Please help me, Angelise!" Sylvia's voice rang out in a final plea before the audio message was cut off, leaving both Ange and Momoka transfixed in horror. Sylvia, her precious little sister, was in danger.
With Spring settling in, the weather settled between two extremes, bright and sunny with a warm breeze or heavy rain that preferred to break out during family picknicks or annual festivals. From inside a lone manor in what was considered the finest gated community of the Velda Dynasty, Dr. Trager signed off the last of his paperwork to his agents and the International Science Fair Committee to reschedule the event another day due to heavy rain. It was always a nightmare this time of year as it took a lot of time and effort to set up the event in the massive patch of freshly cut green fields outside his Velda residence. And now he had this headache to deal with. No matter how he tried to distract himself, he couldn't put the file document he'd received from Master Embryo out of his mind.
'The first Norma of Royal blood.' Trager thought in disbelief as he leaned back, the smoke from his cigar rising up to the ceiling. 'How did I nor the many before me see it until now?' Though it had been years of hard work, this confirmation of the secret file found in a terrorist hideout put him in a state of relief and anticipation for what was to come next. 'My research was correct. All those still births, it all stemmed from their mother's low birth genetics.' But #66 she was different. Her bloodline was the answer they needed to put the pieces together.
From under his desk, he pressed a hidden button and his bookshelf slid aside to reveal a secret room containing an ancient digital computer and cabinets full of files that dated back to his old research that had been destroyed in the fire. Primitive as this form of data storage might be, it was the only way to ensure security against being hacked. Trager stepped inside and rifled through the files he had regarding Subject Alpha and his mother #66. 'God, I hope my experiment works. It might be the very thing that could help Master Embryo.' Trager prayed. 'If I could just get my hands on Subject Alpha. It would speed up the process greatly.' His hand caressed a picture of a baby with spikey black hair. Subject Alpha. His birth still haunted Trager to this day. Then he turned the page to another baby. A fetus, 7 months of age, floating inside of a huge globe shaped artificial incubator. The green water like substance it floated in gave off an eerie feeling, but the picture was a reminder to Trager of his proudest masterpiece after they thought Subject Alpha was lost.
A sudden knock at the door broke his concentration and he pulled up a Mana screen displaying his security feed. To his horror, he realized it was Donnie's older brother Dutch standing in the rain at his door. 'What the hell is he doing here?' Trager fretted. In a frantic rush he put his files back and reset the hidden door, composing himself before he hurried to greet his unexpected guest.
"Hello Trager, it's been a while." Dutch said as he opened the door, a broad smirk spread across his face.
AURTHOR'S NOTES
We finally made it to the end of the second arc, I never anticipate this story to be as long as it is but I'm grateful so many of you enjoy it and are always on the look out for the next chapter. I'll be taking a short break from writing just for a little while just to sort out personal life things. Big shout out to Eric Micheal Kline without him these chapter would not be near as good without him, check out his profile and his own Cross Ange story, The Knight Of Hilda and his other works. Don't worry the hiatus won't be to long as I plan to release the first chapter of the third Arc: The Long Awaited Clash of Two Foes (Cal & Dutch). On July 31st. Take care guys.
