Here we are, people, the next part. Buckle up, because things are gonna get rough for our Storm Hawks. I hope you all enjoy reading, and remember that I own nothing except my OCs)
The Sky Knight & Witch
Chapter Three: Age of Heroes (Part Three)
(Terra Cyclonia)
The door to what was the former throne room split open, allowing Dark Ace to walk in, Ravess and Snipe trailing behind him. They came to stand on top of the enlarged crow symbol engraved on the floor. A few feet away, Cyclonis stood in front of her multi-armed, mechanical machine, typing away at the keyboards.
"Master Cyclonis." Dark Ace announced himself, placing his arm against his chest and bowing his head along with the two captains.
"I heard something very interesting not that long ago." the young sovereign spoke, keeping her back to them. "Carver has failed his mission in bringing the Aurora Stone. Not only that, but it turns out he was defeated by a Sky Knight who claims to be leading the Storm Hawks."
"It's just a rumor, Your Highness." he said without a shred of doubt in his voice. "The Storm Hawks were wiped out years ago."
Cyclonis slammed her fist on one of the keyboards. Dark Ace was the only one in the room who didn't flinch as the sound echoed off the walls. A tense silence followed soon after.
"Rumor or not, I want this dealt with immediately." the sovereign demanded, her tone leaving no room for questions. "Go to Atmosia and bring me the stone." she twisted her head far enough to grant them a view of her narrowed eye. "I expect this to be done with no mistakes."
"I will make sure that it doesn't." the older man vowed, bowing to her. He turned to the two standing behind him. "Ravess! Snipe! Gather your Talons, we'll be leaving at once."
As the three left, one of the Talon soldiers standing on guard discreetly watched through red visor goggles. When the door closed after them, they glanced to where Cyclonis silently fumed on the platform.
Staring at her machine, fists clenched at her sides, the sovereign almost felt her teeth crack from gritting them together fiercely. After months of planning, her scheme was already being uprooted by an unnamed Sky Knight. If they were in her presence right now, she would turn their brain to mush and watch the remains ooze out of their ears. No one was allowed to interfere with her goals and walk away like it was nothing.
In her seething thoughts, her mind drifted to Circe. She imagined the other girl by her side, smirking as she teased Cyclonis for needing to control her temper. Her sister was always the calm one, she never once saw her lose her cool, even when they were children. It was a fact that Circe would have handled this matter with more decorum.
Taking a deep breath, Cyclonis willed herself to relax, even if it was just a little bit. What happened with Carver was unfortunate, but she told herself it was only a small setback. There was still time for her plans to work. She had faith that Dark Ace would bring her the Aurora Stone, he wasn't made general of her army for no reason.
Placing her hands on the middle keyboard, Cyclonis decided she could afford to be patient for a while longer.
After checking their supplies and making sure the Condor was able to fly, it had a habit of being a bit temperamental in its condition, the Storm Hawks were now leaving Atmosia. All with ten minutes to spare. They gathered on the bridge again to discuss their next course of action.
Piper stood before the team, standing next to a map of Atmos propped up on a stand. She used a pointer to indicate where they were going. "We'll contact the Buff Buzzards of Terra Blusteria first, then make our way to Tropica. And, no, Finn, we will not have time for a surfing break."
The blond pouted, tossing away the surfboard he held under his arm. "You know, what exactly is the big deal about some dumb crystal, anyway?"
"You never did pay attention in Crystallography back at the Academy." the dark-skinned girl sighed. "The Aurora Stone is not some 'dumb crystal', it's the very symbol of Atmos."
"It's also the most powerful crystal to ever be found." Aerrow added. "That's more than enough reason for Cyclonis to want it."
"And, if she does manage to get her hands on it, let's not forget the eternal darkness, plague of evil, and endless suffering that would most certainly follow." Stork interjected.
"Okay, okay, I get the point." Finn said. "Crystal goes to Cyclonia, everyone is doomed."
"Exactly. Which is why we-"
Piper was suddenly cut off when an alarm sounded throughout the ship. Stork pulled down the bridge's periscope and looked through the ocular lenses, observing the area around them. He let out a nervous squeak and turned to the others.
"You know all that horrible stuff I mentioned? Well, looks like it's starting right now."
Aerrow took over the periscope, seeing what the Merb did. Flying over the clouds was a Cyclonian cruiser, easily four times bigger than the Condor. Around it was a horde of Talon soldiers on Chariots. It was all too clear where they were heading.
"The Cyclonians are already here." he told the team, putting the periscope up. "We won't have time to get help, we'll have to hold them off on our own."
The Squadron looked at one another, shocked their first real battle was so soon. This was not going to be a pretty fight.
"Everyone, battle stations!"
"Okay, uh…" Piper went over to the box she placed on the table and pulled out a map of the area, unrolling it as the other Chariot pilots rushed out of the bridge. "I can use my last Drizzle Crystal for cloud cover. And then we'll need some extra time for the Slim Sluggers to gel… What the heck am I saying, that's the worst plan ever!" the incessant buzzing of the alarm didn't help with her thinking, either.
"In light of my immediate demise, I, Stork, due hereby bequeath all my worldly possessions to… Oh, who am I kidding, they're all gonna be destroyed, anyway." Stork crumpled the paper he was writing on, tossing it away as he went over to the ship's controls.
In the hangar bay, Aerrow, Finn, and Junko were racing to get their Chariots ready for battle. They checked on fuel, ammunition, and crystal arsenal, making sure there was nothing wrong with the rides that could hinder them.
"Uh, Finn, you sure you need that many?" the Wallop asked, seeing the blond was stocking up the most on crystal-tipped arrows.
"Hey, Artemis and I are not taking any chances, buddy." he replied, loading an armful of the larger-sized projectiles for his Chariot's weapon.
Even though they still felt underprepared, the pilots had no choice but to be anything but. They climbed on their mechanical vehicles, starting them up and seeing all systems were a go on the screens. The young Sky Knight was placed in front while the other two were behind him.
"Alright, guys, this is the real deal." Aerrow told them, Raddar clinging to his back. "I'm sure you're nervous as all get out. I am, too. But this is our chance to prove to anyone who ever doubted us wrong. Just remember everything Ajax taught us and we'll be fine. And try not to… you know, get hit."
On the bridge, Piper and Stork overheard his speech through the intercom system. They looked at one another.
"Eh." the Merb shrugged, holding his hand flat and shaking it a bit.
"The beginning and middle weren't bad, but the ending needs a little work." Finn criticized
"You can give me notes later." Aerrow retorted. "Right now, we've got to fly. Stork, open the hangar!"
Almost immediately, a loud buzz sounded out and the hangar door began to lower. His grip on the handlebars tightened. As nervous as he felt about going into battle for the first time, he was just as anxious to get out there. He had been training for this since Ajax took him in when he was only ten years old. He had no intention of failing.
Once that blue sky was in full view, Aerrow pumped the throttle and the Jason took off. With Finn and Junko not far behind him, they raced across the Condor's landing strip, driving off the edge and into the air. Switching to Flight Mood, the wings of their Chariots extended and headed straight for the oncoming Cyclonian fleet.
"No matter what, keep them off Terra Atmosia!" the young Sky Knight told them through the vehicle's comm links.
"Roger that!" Finn and Junko responded.
"General, we have enemies incoming."
"I guess Terra Atmosia managed to find a replacement Squadron in time, after all." Dark Ace remarked, standing on the warship's bridge with its commander and officers. "How many are there?"
"From what we can tell, one carrier ship and three Chariot pilots."
"They must be quite an arrogant bunch to be coming at us with such low numbers." he smirked. "Tell Ravess and Snipe they are clear for launch. This shouldn't be too much of a challenge for them."
"Sir!"
"Here they come!" Aerrow saw the horde of Talons split into two groups.
One led by a man with blue hair, the other by a magenta-haired woman. Strangely enough, the Talons following her were playing violins while flying. They didn't have time to question that as they started to attack, shooting munitions right at them.
"Evade!" the young Sky Knight ordered.
The trio split up to avoid getting hit, quickly returning fire. They managed to take down some of the enemy forces before the rest got in for closer combat.
One Talon crashed the side of his Chariot into Junko's. Quickly, the Wallop hit his Knuckle Busters together, coating them in green energy. With a shout, he slammed one fist down on where the engine lay. The Talon began to go down, jumping off the vehicle and pulling the parachute on his back before he reached the clouds below.
The Wallop soon saw more coming after him, trying to avoid getting hit by their ammunition. He didn't have to worry about taking too much damage due to the Heracles's bulkier armor. Turning the Chariot around, he fired his crystal-filled missiles at the Talons. He managed to take down most of them, the enemy vehicles exploding upon contact.
As he went to face off against another one, something heavy suddenly hit the back of his ride. Surprised, Junko looked up and saw a midnight blue Chariot coming at him from above. The man riding it pointed his mace at him and the red spiked head flew from its handle, attached to a thick chain. He maneuvered out of the way, barely avoiding the attack. With a slow turn, he fired missiles and bullets at the enemy, but he couldn't land a hit.
On the other side of the battlefield, Finn was putting the crystal arrows he stockpiled to good use. With a wide variety, he either short-circuited the enemies' Chariots with Electro Crystals or froze their engines with Cryos. He even hit the Talon pilots with Paralyzers, knocking them unconscious and making them disappear into the clouds. Each shot he made hit its target.
"And they said I packed too many arrows." he said to himself, aiming with his Chariot's built-in crossbow.
Once he had another in his sights, he fired the crystal-tipped weapon. However, just before it could reach its mark, another arrow appeared out of nowhere and destroyed it. Gaping in shock, Finn turned to where it had come from. Flying in from the side with two Talons, the woman with magenta hair stood on the seat of her hot pink Chariot, holding a bow like a violin. She even ran an arrow across its bowstring as if she were playing it as one.
While he admitted she was good to look at, the blond did not like the menacing look on her face as she set her sights on him. Holding the bow correctly now, she loaded her crystal-tipped arrow and fired. He screamed as it hurled through the air, trying to move the Artemis out of the way. The attack hit one of his wings and sent him spiraling.
Finn managed to get his ride back under control, taking a moment to overcome his dizziness. Then he focused on the female archer and her cronies. Loading up more of his ammunition, he fired in rapid succession. His attacks hit the two Chariot engines of the Talons, both exploding.
"Chika-Cha!" he exclaimed victoriously. However, it was short-lived as the woman was now coming after him.
As he tried to hold her off, Aerrow was preoccupied himself. He flew swiftly around the ammo fired by the Talons he faced. With Raddar holding onto his back tightly, he maneuvered the Jason to turn sideways, flying right through the space between two enemy Chariots. Now behind them, he straightened out and opened fire on them. His attack hit one, making the pilot lose control and crash into another Talon. Their rides rapidly descended and disappeared into the clouds.
When another enemy came his way, he flew straight for him and pulled out one of his twin blades, sky-blue energy quickly coating it. The Talon aimed at him, soon pulling the trigger. Before the attack could land, the young Sky Knight dove his Chariot down. Below the enemy, he lifted his weapon and sliced it through the bottom of the machine unit. When he got to the other side, the Talon's ride exploded, and fiery pieces of it rained down.
"They're handling themselves pretty well out there." Piper said, observing the battle through the periscope. "Stork, get us closer to that cruiser and prepare to open fire. Just don't hit anyone we know, okay?"
"Aye! Aye!" he responded, steering the Condor towards the larger ship.
As they got closer, the navigator quickly started the cannons from the control panel. They extended out from the side of the carrier ship and shot large blasts of blue energy. Some of them hit the Talons that flew towards them.
The Merb maneuvered the Condor so it flew right by the other ship, going in the opposite direction as some of its attacks landed. However, the warship fired from its own numerous cannons with shoots of deadly red energy. Most managed to hit, but not the smaller ship. Instead, they collided with a blue, holographic energy shield. While it did protect the Condor from damage, the ones inside had to brace themselves from the harsh vibrations.
"Turn us around for another attack!" Piper ordered when the Condor made it past the Cyclonian ship, Stork quickly doing as she said.
"Bring up our energy shields! And get me a visual of that carrier ship!" Dark Ace demanded. "Let's see what Squadron we're dealing with here."
A large screen on the front of the bridge came to life, showing a view of the aerial battlefield. It switched between different scenes before finally focusing on their opponents. The general's eyes went impossibly wide once he saw the soaring hawk symbol painted on the enemy's ship.
"It can't be…" he didn't want to believe the rumor was true. There was no way the Storm Hawks could still be active, there hasn't been a word about them in ten years. If their carrier was flying in the air right now, then that means… "Show me the pilots! Now!" he barked.
Immediately, he saw Ravess in an archery match with a blond on a blue and yellow Chariot, the Artemis. Snipe chasing after a Wallop on one that was green and blue, the Heracles. But the one that truly captured his attention was the last pilot.
For one, brief moment, he thought he was staring at the face of a ghost. Red-haired, the pilot flew his red and blue Chariot and took out their Talon soldiers with surprising ease. Coming out of his state of shock, he realized this person was much younger than the one he thought he saw, eyes green instead of dark. The rider might be different, but there was no mistaking that Chariot.
"General?" the ship's commander watched him turn around and walk to the bridge door.
"I'm going out there." was all Dark Ace said, heading for the hanger bay.
"Storm Hawks! I think it's time to switch to Battle Mode." Aerrow said through the comms link after he destroyed two more Talon Chariots.
"I was hoping you would say that!" Junko replied, having trouble with the mace-wielder after him.
"About time, I say!" Finn fired an arrow at the female archer, but she easily deflected it with her own. "Time for you to shine, Artemis."
The three Storm Hawks pushed up the gear shifts of their Chariots twice, pulling the handlebars into the proper positions as "Battle Mode" appeared on their screens. Instantly, their machines shifted into their humanoid robotic unit forms, pulling out their respective weapons.
"Hey, Sis!" Snipe spoke into his machine's comms link. "I bet I can destroy one of them before you do!"
"Always the competitive musclehead." Ravess grumbled. "Talons, engage Battle Mode!" she ordered her followers.
Soon, the rest of the Cyclonia fleet were flying in their own transformed Chariots, holding weapons themselves. Ravess's bow loaded a crystal-tipped arrow from the palm while Snipe's held a mace with spikes even longer than his. The Talons were armed with swords or assault rifles.
"I believe in you, baby." Finn said as he had the Artemis aim at the female archer's unit with its crossbow.
He fired once he had her in his sight, the Electro Crystal arrow sailing through the air. However, she managed to dodge with a surprising amount of grace. Cursing, he quickly shot as many as possible, but all of his attacks were avoided or deflected with the enemy's bow.
"Do you honestly expect to hit me with that sloppy form?" Ravess mocked. "Allow Apollo and I to show you what real archery looks like."
Her Chariot pulled back its bowstring, not waiting a second before releasing. The Firebolt Crystal arrow hit the Artemis in the right leg, sparks of electricity and steam coming off it now. Finn tried to move it, but the mechanical body part was dead. He didn't have time to mourn as Ravess was already loading another arrow. Flying back to put distance between them, he didn't let up in trying to land a hit as they fired back and forth at one another.
Junko wasn't having an easy time himself. One of the Heracles's gauntlet-covered fists shot out to punch his opponent's Chariot, but its mace came down and stopped the attack dead cold. He tried to push against it, but it would barely move.
"When it comes to strength, no one beats the Kratos!" Snipe boasted with a laugh. Shoving the other Chariot's arm to the side, he hit it with the giant mace like a baseball bat.
Heracles was sent a few feet back across the air, barely having time to recover before he was attacked again. Junko brought up its arms to block the crystal-spiked mace as it repeatedly hit his machine. Each attack was hard and heavy, dents appearing in his armor every few strikes. When the Kratos swung its weapon over its head, the Wallop made his Chariot grab it by the wrists to keep it from coming down. He pulled back the other arm for a punch.
Then the knee of the enemy's Chariot came up and slammed into the middle of the other. Caught off guard, Junko accidentally released his hold, allowing the mace to hit his machine's back and force him down.
While fighting against a Talon, Aerrow saw the trouble his friend was in. "Junko!"
He quickly sliced the enemy Chariot right down the middle with his machine's blades. As it exploded, he turned around and sped to where the Wallop was fighting. However, before he could get any closer, a jagged bolt of red energy shot in front of him. Forced to come to a halt, he looked around to try and see where it came from.
More blots appeared, one clipping the Jason in the left wing. Aerrow raced across the sky, doing his best to avoid getting hit. It was difficult to locate the source of the attacks as they seemed to be coming from all sides, one after the other. Raddar chirped nervously from his back.
"I know, I know." the young Sky Knight patched his comms link to the Condor. "Piper! I've got someone on my tail, but I can't pinpoint their location. Think you can get eyes on them?"
"Just give me one sec." Piper replied, looking through the periscope as Stork dodged attacks from the enemy ship.
She spotted where Aerrow's Chariot was, seeing him flying around and dodging the energy blasts. Whoever was attacking him, they were not letting up for a moment. Following the Jason, she watched it fly above the Cyclonian cruiser. Then she spotted something glinting among the clouds.
"Aha! Aerrow, I got them! They're right on top of…" her voice became lost as the white masses cleared and revealed what they were hiding.
"Piper? What's wrong?" Stork asked when she suddenly went quiet.
"No… Oh no, no, no, no." Piper's face contorted to one of panic. She had heard stories and seen glimpses on the news, but she didn't think she would be seeing it with her very own eyes. And in their first battle, too. "Aerrow! Aerrow, get out of there now! It's the Chariot of the Dark Ace! It's the Achilles!"
"Piper, what-" Aerrow was cut off when a warning notification appeared on his screen. An unidentified object was coming in from above him.
Just as he turned the Jason around, something slammed against the Chariot's middle. He braced himself as he crashed into the warship. Raddar chittered, holding onto his neck to keep from flying around the cockpit. Regaining his senses, the redhead looked through the vision sensors and saw what hit them.
Standing above the Jason was a tall, menacing Chariot in all-black armor with crimson wings, and a bloody vulture on its chest. Its red visor glared down at the other mechanical unit it held in place with its foot. In its right hand was a longsword, the blade coated in red energy.
Aerrow quickly brought up his weapons, blocking the enemy's attack when it swung its own down on him. He struggled against it, sparks flying between the blades. He tried to get the Jason to kick it off, but it moved back before it could hit. Quickly getting his machine to its feet, he prepared to fight. However, to his surprise, the other went still and the cockpit opened. A man with black hair and dressed in armor stood up. Even more confusing was when he gestured that he do the same.
Radarr chirped when the young Sky Knight went to release the hatch. Grabbing his arm, he shook his furry head rapidly.
"It's probably a trick." Aerrow said. "But, still…" he looked back at the waiting man. "I feel like I have to do this. Don't worry, I'll be careful."
Allowing the cockpit to open, he stood up and faced the enemy pilot. They stared at one another silently as the wind blew wildly, almost forgetting the ongoing battle around them. The young Sky Knight's eyes were cautious while the Cyclonian's were more stoic and analytical.
"And what's a fledgling like you doing piloting the Jason?" Dark Ace questioned.
So he was familiar with his Chariot. "It was given to me." Aerrow answered. "As my birthright."
"Birthright?" the older man scoffed. "Looks more like to me you inherited a flying coffin. Tell me, boy, what's your name?"
"Aerrow, Sky Knight of the Storm Hawks. I already know who you are, Dark Ace."
"Ah, how nice to know my reputation is well-known by the younger generation."
"What do you want?" the redhead asked, narrowing his eyes. He didn't have time to play games.
"I wanted to see for myself what the so-called new Storm Hawks are made of. So far? I'm not very impressed. It would be wise on your part to turn around and fly away while I have enough kindness in me to grant you the chance."
"I don't run from a fight." Aerrow stated firmly.
"Is that so?" Dark Ace smirked. "Have it your way. Who knows, you might be able to make me break a sweat."
The redhead glared as the general laughed and got back in the cockpit. He did the same, both of their hatches closing at once. The Achilles took to the air first, the Jason flying after it. They poised their weapons and struck, pushing against one another for a moment before backing away. The two Chariots streaked across the sky, blue and red lights flashing every time they crossed blades.
Meanwhile, Junko was still on the ropes in his fight against Snipe. After getting some distance between them, he fired a series of missiles from a launcher on his Chariot's wrist. The attack was a wasted effort as the Kratos easily knocked each one aside with its mace. It was soon on the Heracles, knocking its weapon against its arm.
The Wallop straightened his machine out, trying to figure out his next move. He wasn't much of a strategist, but he might be able to incapacitate his opponent in some way. Like his Chariot, the Kratos wasn't very fast, built mainly for strength. Maybe he could use that to his advantage somehow.
The enemy's machine charged at him again. Trying to avoid getting hit, he deflected the mace with the gauntlets when he couldn't dodge. His opponent certainly had a knack for close-quarters combat. The Kratos's leg came up and kicked the Heracles back a few feet once again.
"I got you now!" Snipe yelled, preparing for the final strike.
His Chariot raised its mace over its head and swung. Halfway down, much to his surprise, the Storm Hawk's machine maneuvered to the side to dodge. He didn't have time to prevent it from raising its arm and punching one of the Kratos's wings. Then the Heracles grabbed its arm, spun around once, and threw it across the sky. As Junko went to fly after him, a pair of Talon soldiers blocked his path.
Snipe managed to straighten himself out, but flying with one destroyed wing quickly proved to be difficult. "Ravess! I got a busted wing!" he yelled into the comms link.
"Why did I actually think you could do something right for once?" the magenta-haired woman sighed wearily. "Go back to the cruiser to get it fixed, I'll take care of the rest here."
"No way! I can still-"
"A damaged wing is one of the worst disadvantages to have in aerial combat." she cut him off firmly. "Even you should have enough sense to know that."
As much as Snipe hated to admit it, his sister was right. He took a moment to look back at the Chariot his Talons were distracting, teeth gritting in anger. Cursing to himself, he flew back to the cruiser in a lopsided manner.
After cutting the comms link with the other captain, Ravess gripped the handlebars of the Apollo and focused her attention on the Chariot she was facing. She moved it across the sky, effortlessly evading the arrows the other fired at her. He might have taken down her Talons, but his inadequate skills were nothing when up against hers. When there was enough distance between them, she loaded a Firebolt Crystal-tipped arrow into her machine's bow.
"You're all mine." Ravess aimed at the other Chariot.
"Here we go, Artemis." Finn told his machine as he focused its crossbow on his opponent.
When they had their targets lined up, they fired in unison. Halfway, the attacks collided and exploded in a bright flash of light. When it disappeared, the blond was taken aback that his opponent had already fired a second arrow. He couldn't move his Chariot in time and it was hit right in the middle of its head.
Electricity sparked all around the Artemis, the wing engines suddenly going out. It soon began to freefall through the air. Finn tried to reboot the system, but everything was dead.
"Man going down! Man going down!" he yelled, even though the comms link was unusable now.
Junko saw the Artemis dropping and slammed together the two Talon Chariots he was holding by the arms. Flying through the explosion they made, he went straight for the other machine unit. If he went as fast as the Heracles could go, he just might make it.
Before Finn could disappear into the clouds, Junko reached him and grabbed his Chariot by the wrist. He put a hand around the middle of the Artemis and slung its arm over his machine's shoulder.
"I gotcha, buddy, don't worry." the Wallop reassured as he flew to find a safe spot to land, avoiding the remaining Talons.
It didn't look like the Condor wasn't an ideal choice at the moment. It was side by side with the Cyclonian warship, taking more hits than it gave. With the shields having gone down earlier, there was nothing to protect it from the onslaught of energy blasts. A thick cloud of black smoke came from the right engine.
"Shields are down! And one of our engines is badly damaged!" Stork exclaimed as the carrier ship shook violently with each attack. "We're getting clobbered by that cruiser's cannons! Piper, if we don't get out of here now, we're gonna lose the Condor!"
"But what about the others?!"
"It's not safe for them to board at this rate! Tell them they'll have to land on Atmosia!"
As much as Piper didn't want to turn tail and run, she knew Stork had a point. If they didn't act fast, there might not be a Condor left to salvage at the end of the day. She patched herself through to the pilots' comm links.
"Attention, Storm Hawks! The Condor is making a tactical retreat! If you need to land, head straight for Terra Atmosia. Stork, fly us out of here!"
The Merb nodded and immediately turned the ship around.
The Heracles and Artemis followed the Condor to Atmosia, Talon Chariots chasing after them. As for the Jason, it was still locked in combat with the Achilles. It tried to gain the upper hand, but the other machine never once gave it an opening.
With each attack the Jason gave, its opponent would counter and launch its own strike. It hadn't even been able to land one hit on the other Chariot. Strong and fast, the Achilles only served as a testament to the skills of its pilot.
Aerrow slashed one of his machine's blades at his opponent, only to be blocked by its sword. He tried to stab it with the other, but it merely turned sideways to dodge. Then its leg came up and kicked the Jason in the head and sent it tumbling through the air.
The redhead set his unit upright, barely having time to deflect an energy blot aimed at him. He flew away to evade a whole barrage that followed behind it. Using the blades, he managed to block most of them. However, one clipped the Jason in the shoulder. Raddar chirped loudly inside the shaky cockpit.
"So all those stories about him being Cyclonia's best fighter weren't complete exaggerations." Aerrow remarked as he got his Chariot steady.
He saw a notification appear on the screen, an unknown comm link was trying to patch through to the Jason. Before he could block it, the voice of Dark Ace filled the cockpit.
"I must admit, you've lasted longer than most Sky Knights. It's rather impressive. For a fledgling, that is."
Aerrow glared at the screen, practically hearing the smirk on his face. "Are you even taking this seriously?" he questioned, not seeing any sign of his opponent. He turned on the Chariot's scanner.
"More than you, apparently. Did you think you and your little Squadron could stop our fleet, protect the Aurora Stone, and be hailed as heroes? That would be disappointingly naive of you."
"I know the cost of being a Sky Knight." the redhead kept his eyes on the screen as the scanner checked the immediate area around him. "Getting in a Chariot, going onto the battlefield, you face death every second. One mistake and that's it for you. Despite that, I'm prepared to face anything no matter how dangerous it may be." he spoke with conviction.
"Very good." Dark Ace sounded genuinely pleased. "Then you also know what I said earlier was true. You'll be buried in that Chariot of yours."
The scanner picked up something. Coming right behind him.
The Achilles burst through the clouds, sword in mid-swing. The Jason brought up one of its blades, barely blocking the attack in time. It struggled against the other Chariot, getting pushed back through the air.
"I've been expecting some fancy move from you, little fledgling." Dark Ace said. "Don't tell me this is all you have up your sleeve."
"You wanna see it that badly?" Aerrow narrowed his eyes. "I'll be more than happy to show you."
He raised the Jason's leg and placed its foot against the Achilles's middle, pushing to separate them. When he was far enough, he straightened it out and touched the twin blades together. Like his own, Blue Striker Crystals were planted in his machine's weapons. He didn't have to guess how hard it was to find them in a size big enough to power them. But, if he managed to pull off the Lightning Claw again, imagine how much more powerful it would be fired from the Chariot.
Aerrow shifted the blade's energy to gather and concentrate on a singular point, where they intersected. As the Jason lifted the weapons above its head, a glow soon encased the machine. He saw the Achilles closing in and his finger rested on the trigger of the handlebar. It was essential to wait for the right moment, he couldn't afford to miss.
Raddar chirped nervously from his back, biting at his nails. He covered his eyes with his other hand.
"Not just yet…" the young Sky Knight said to himself, eyes never leaving his opponent.
Dark Ace got closer, brandishing his weapon and getting ready to strike. The distance between them shortened rapidly, he'd be on him in just a few seconds. When he passed the halfway mark, that's when the chance came up.
"Now!" Aerrow immediately lowered the blades and pulled the trigger.
A large ball of sky-blue energy shot from the weapons, flying straight for the Achilles. Dark Ace's eyes widened at the oncoming attack. It was half the size of his machine and he didn't have time to dodge. With no other choice, he held up the sword to block it, gripping the hilt in both hands.
The energy ball collided with his machine's weapon, forcing him back through the sky. He struggled to keep his position from wavering, the controls shaking in his hands. It was unknown how long he could hold the attack at bay.
Then, just as he was about to lose his grip, the collected energy dissipated into the air. The Achilles didn't drop its position, hovering in the sky. Dark Ace panted lightly as what just transpired fully registered in his mind. He had seen that attack before many times, but it was a first for him to be on the receiving end.
He was pulled from his thoughts when he caught a flash from above. Looking, the general saw the Jason coming straight for him, both blades slashing down. Instinctively, he held his machine's sword sideways, stopping the attack before it could hit him.
As they struggled against one another, Aerrow moved one of the weapons and aimed it at the machine's chest. Before it could hit its mark, the Achilles grabbed the other Chariot by the wrist. Its leg came up and kicked it away, soon grabbing it by the foot and giving it a pull. With the Jason off balance, Dark Ace stabbed the tip of the sword right in the middle of the unit, barely missing where the pilot was located.
Raddar screeched as sparks flew in the cockpit, feeling the Chariot beginning to fall. Aerrow tried to restart the system, hoping the engines would still be functional. Much to his relief, the wings fired up and the machine hovered in the air. He tested to find that the Jason could still move, but not by much.
While he thought about where he could land, the Achillies flew in from above. With one slash of its sword, it cut off the wing engines of the other machine unit. It then proceeded to kick it in the back. It pummeled through the air, heading straight for Terra Atmosia. It wouldn't be too long before they crashed into the center of the city.
"Brace yourself, Raddar! This is gonna get rough!" Aerrow told his riding partner, who clung tightly to his back.
Just as they were about to hit the Terra, the redhead quickly shifted into Cycle Mood. While the landing would be harder, at least there would be less damage to the city. The Chariot crashed front-first into the cobblestone street, knocking the pilot and sky lemur off and into the air.
Aerrow grabbed Raddar and curled his body around him, taking the brunt of the second landing they made. Tumbling across the street until finally coming to a stop, he laid still. When he tried to move, pain spread throughout his body and he groaned. The silver lining, it didn't feel like anything was broken. The sky lemur got out from under him and chirped worriedly.
"I'm okay, Raddar…" the young Sky Knight reassured him. "Just, ugh… need a second."
"Aerrow! Aerrow!" the rest of the Storm Hawks pushed their way through the small crowd that gathered around and rushed over to their fallen leader.
"Hey, you guys are alright…" Aerrow gave a weak smile of relief.
"Worry more about yourself right now!" Piper knelt beside him.
"Are you hurt badly?" Junko asked, ears anxiously pulled back against his head.
"Anything broken? Do you feel like we need to amputate something?" Stork questioned. "I got my own saw back on the ship."
"I don't, ah…" the young Sky Knight groaned lowly as the navigator carefully helped him sit up. "I don't think that'll be necessary, Stork."
"We should still get you checked out by a doctor." the Wallop suggested.
"Yeah, dude, that crash landing was insane." Finn agreed. "I'm amazed you're still in one piece."
Before Aerrow could respond, a large shadow fell over the group. Looking up, they saw the Achilles flying towards them. Citizens ran away screaming, but some stayed behind and watched as the machine unit shifted into Cycle Mode just before it touched the ground.
Dark Ace dismounted his Chariot, making his way over to Aerrow. A red energy-covered sword glowed in his hand. "This would be the part where I claim victory." he lifted the weapon, tip pointed at his throat.
Before he could get any closer, Junko and Finn got between him and the young Sky Knight, their weapons at the ready. Raddar jumped to the front, growling at the enemy pilot with teeth bared. Stork and Piper stayed closer to Aerrow, the navigator shielding him with most of her body. They knew they didn't stand a chance against the general of the entire Cyclonian army, but there was no way they would let him finish off their friend so easily.
Dark Ace stared impassively at the Squadron for a few, very tense seconds. He smirked and put his sword down. "Then again, since you're so young, I think it would be befitting to allow you to savor your defeat for the rest of your life."
The sky suddenly went dark, just as it was earlier that day. Roaring engines were heard and a small group of leftover Talon soldiers rode into the city center. They got closer to where Dark Ace stood and stopped their Chariots. One of them handed him the Aurora Stone, much to the shock of those who saw as he addressed the crowd.
"Your own sworn protector turns on you, and Atmos sends children instead of real Sky Knights. Truly pathetic." the general pocketed the crystal, sending one last sneer to Aerrow as he went back and mounted his black Chariot. "Be prepared to face the wrath of Cyclonia in the very near future."
Everyone could only watch helplessly as Dark Ace rode off with the Talon soldiers, shifting their Chariots into Flight Mood and taking to the air. A flash of lightning appeared and they vanished before their eyes.
Piper and Stork helped Aerrow to his feet, holding onto him to keep him steady. Some of the pain had subsided, but his body still ached terribly.
Councilor Jupiter stepped forward from the panicked crowd. "With the Aurora Stone in the hands of Cyclonis, the worst fate possible is about to be realized. If something is not done soon, the entirety of Atmos is doomed!"
"We'll get the crystal back." Aerrow told him. "We'll make sure of it."
"And what do you plan to do when you failed to get the protection it needed? Honestly, why did I think a group of children could follow one simple task?"
"Aerrow almost died trying to protect the Aurora Stone!" Piper immediately defended. "And we were about to go for backup when the Cyclonians showed, and-"
"It's okay, Piper." the redhead told her before looking at the older man. "I know how doubtful you are of me and my team. But, I swear on my honor as a Sky Knight, we'll go to Cyclonia ourselves and get the Aurora Stone back."
"We will?!" the rest of the Storm Hawks exclaimed.
Aerrow looked at his friends and smiled, giving an affirmative nod.
"Oh, we are so doomed." Stork said.
(Inside the Cyclonian cruiser)
"Why do we have to go back now?!" Snipe yelled from the catwalk of the hangar bay. "I wasn't done with the brat that damaged Kratos!"
"Our main objective was the Aurora Stone." Ravess said, standing next to him. "Now that we have it, there's no reason for us to stay longer than necessary."
"You're just saying that because you got to take down one. Meanwhile, I got a broken wing that's gonna keep me grounded for who knows how long!" he pointed down to where the maintenance crew was working on his Chariot's repair.
"The Talons are competent enough to have your machine fixed in plenty of time, Snipe." she crossed her arms. "Besides, you should have been more careful instead of swinging around like a barbarian."
"This coming from the woman who just did some fancy twirling in the air."
"It wasn't twirling, it was evasive maneuvering! There's no point in having strength if you can't execute it efficiently and beautifully."
"Please, my Kratos could kick your dainty Apollo's ass at any time. Even with one functioning wing."
"Why you…" Ravess glared at him fiercely. Then she saw someone coming their way and immediately stood at attention. "General Dark Ace. The commander informed us that we'll be heading straight for Cyclonia and that we should be arriving before the end of the day."
"Good." was all he said, not sparing the pair a glance as he walked past them. "Have the maintenance crew tend to the Achilles, I want it repaired before we reach Cyclonia."
"Repaired?" the woman exchanged a confused look with her brother. The general's Chariot being damaged in battle rarely happened, if at all.
The siblings turned their heads down to where his machine rested, some of the Talons looking it over closely. It was hard to see on the black armor, but the multiple cracks that spread throughout it were there.
Exiting the hangar bay and walking down a corridor, Dark Ace thought back to the fight against that boy calling himself a Sky Knight. If he hadn't blocked his attack before, or if it had more time to charge, his Chariot would be in far worse condition than it is now. How it vexed, letting himself nearly be overwhelmed by a young wanna-be who had a bout of dumb luck.
But that wasn't what got on his nerves the most. It was the fact that this pilot, this fledgling, was all too similar to him. His face, fighting style, and even his mannerisms were almost exactly the same. He was even flying his old Chariot, for Atmos's sake! The boy said the Jason was his birthright, that could only mean…
Coming to a stop next to a window, the general pulled out the memento he carried. A small, broken piece of silver metal, the kind found on armor. Its polished surface gleamed under the overhead lights.
This one thing reminded him of where he started from, and how he got to the position he held now. And what he did to get there.
Dark Ace looked through the glass, watching the view of the open sky pass by. He chose to rid the thought of the young Sky Knight from his mind. It didn't matter if that boy was like him, the chance of seeing his face again was unlikely. With how their battle ended, he wouldn't be getting back in a Chariot any time soon.
All that mattered now was returning to Cyclonia and offering Master Cyclonis her prize. What came after would be history in the making.
(Terra Thessaly)
"Instructor Alogo!"
The tanned man lying on the bench opened his eyes, blinking turquoise orbs against the sun's rays. He sat up and stretched out his arms, seeing one of the Academy's teaching assistants rush over to him from across the training field.
"Apologies for disturbing your break, sir!" the young man saluted when he reached him.
"Nah, don't sweat it." Ajax yawned while he ran a hand through his dark brown hair, some of the shoulder-length locks tied in a small bun at the back of his head. "It must be some emergency, right?"
"Yes, sir! We just received word from the Sky Knight Council. The Aurora Stone has been taken from Atmosia, sir!"
He was more awake now, expression turning serious. Getting to his feet, he faced the shorter man. "I take it the Cyclonians are responsible?"
"That's correct. The Council said they want all Sky Knights to be prepared and expect the worst."
"I don't know what else we should be expecting." Ajax sighed. "And here I thought the Red Eagles would be able to handle something like this."
"Actually, sir, it was discovered that Sky Knight Carver was a double agent for Cyclonis. He killed his Squadron and attempted to take the Aurora Stone, but was thwarted by Sky Knight Aerrow and his team."
"Aerrow? Well, how about that." a gleam of pride entered his eyes as he straightened out his jacket and dusted off his loose pants. "That's one way to make a debut."
"A Cyclonian fleet arrived not that long afterwards to take the crystal." the teaching assistant informed. "The Storm Hawks tried to fight them off, but they were unsuccessful, I'm afraid."
"Ah, poor kids, nothing worse than losing your first real battle." Ajax craned his neck back to look at the sky, looking thoughtful. "Hmm, might have no choice, then…" he rubbed his stubbled chin.
"Sir?"
"Just thinking about how I'll be coming out of retirement for a while." he said with a grin.
(Terra Aeaea)
Perse's brows furrowed together, deeply concentrated gaze on the chessboard. Nothing had gone her way since they started playing and she was a few moves or less from losing. She was afraid there might not be much she could do to switch things around.
"Are you going to make your next move, Perse?" Circe asked, amusement all too clear in her tone.
"Just thinking, Milady…"
"You've been doing that for almost five minutes." the young ruler smirked, sitting casually as she watched the Aquanosian struggle. She had put up a valiant effort, but she had played against her enough times to figure out how her mind worked. All she had to do was wait for her turn and claim victory.
With much hesitation, Perse moved her remaining white bishop three squares diagonally. She sat back in her chair and watched helplessly as Her Ladyship reached for her piece. Before she could, though, the doors to the office suddenly slammed open. The lion on the rug raised his head to see what disturbed his nap.
It was a female servant completely covered in light blue fur. There were patches of white here and there, including her canine-like muzzle. Her shoulder-length hair was a dark shade of purple, matching her long, rabbit-like ears and the tufts of fur on her arms, legs, the four fingers of her hand-paws, and her three-clawed toed feet. Her black eyes were wide and frantic, erect tail poking out of her knee-length, pale blue chiton.
"Milady! I'm sorry for just bargin' in, but there's somethin' ya need to see right away!"
"Oh, thank Atmos…" Perse mumbled into her hands. If it was an urgent matter, the game could be called off and she would be spared a humiliating defeat.
"What's the matter, Cocoa?"
"Turn on the news!" the Blizzarian grabbed a remote control from Circe's desk and practically shoved it in her hand.
Not asking questions, the young ruler stood up and pointed the device at the far wall, pushing a button. A section of it opened up, revealing a flat television screen. Clicking a few more buttons, it came to life and switched to a live news coverage airing from Terra Atmosia.
"With the new Squadron calling themselves the Storm Hawks having failed to protect the Aurora Stone, all of Atmos finds itself gripped in fear. The Sky Knight Council has issued a state of emergency, calling all available Sky Knights to action to plot the next course of action. Later on, The King of Atmos will be releasing a statement to-"
"My, my, what a development." Circe mused. "So her letter wasn't all talk, she's finally putting one of her grand schemes into motion."
"What does Master Cyclonis intend to do with the Aurora Stone?" Cocoa asked, tail twitching nervously.
"Knowing Clonie, something over the top that will get everyone's attention." she placed the remote back on the desk. "Regarding these Storm Hawks, weren't they a Squadron that perished in the last major battle against Cyclonia?"
"Yes, Milady." Perse answered, still seated. "Many people thought they were gone for good, this is the first time I've heard about them in ten years."
"Hmm, most peculiar." the young ruler looked thoughtful. "Excuse me, ladies, but I need some fresh air. Oh, and Perse?"
"Yes, Your Ladyship?"
Circe walked past the table and reached down. "Checkmate." she moved her black knight piece.
"Ah!" the Aquanosian gasped, staring at her trapped king in shock.
"Nemean."
The lion rose, following the young ruler out of the room and walking down a long hallway. Her hand placed itself on his head, petting it as she kept her eyes forward.
"Ten years after their defeat, the Storm Hawks resurface right when my sister chooses to launch her big plan. Coincidences are such funny things." Circe chuckled before smirking. Her other hand came up to her neck and touched her amber-colored crystal. "Well, Clonie, what's your next move?"
(Cyclonian Empire)
"Master Cyclonis."
The sovereign turned from her machine and looked at Dark Ace as he came to stand before the platform. Getting down on one knee, he bowed his head and presented to her the Aurora Stone.
She let out a small, delighted gasp, taking the crystal into her hands to admire it more closely. "Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I knew you wouldn't fail me, Dark Ace."
"It was my pleasure, Your Highness." the older man got back on his feet.
"With this, the next phase of my plan can finally commence." Cyclonis looked up at the skylight, holding the Aurora Stone towards it. "Soon, very soon, all of Atmos will be mine. Just wait and see… Circe."
To be continued…
Thank you all so much for reading, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the chapter. Please let me know what you think of Circe so far, she'll be playing a bigger role as the story goes on. Until then, be looking forward to the next chapter!