“I smelled the blood in the air.

  The stench of young men’s fear

  and soiled britches.

  I heard the prayers of the old men.

  I heard the roar of battle.

  Rage boiled over in every lost soul.

  It is only in my final moments that

  I can finally admit the truth:

  I enjoyed every minute of it.”

  - Lewis Kane,

  King of Kenza

  “Bear of the North”

  Chapter 17: Attack

  The roar of fighters and transports flying overhead nearly deafened the pair as they stood on the beachside. Higher in the sky, destroyers could be seen. Undoubtedly, their enemies had found them.

  “We need to get off this beach!” Red yelled. There was no time to try and start up The Horizon safely.

  Maria nodded in agreement. The two started sprinting inland. Red turned her head briefly to see R.U.D.E. running behind them.

  As they drew closer to the tree line, a fighter came swooping down closer than any had before. As it came up from its dive, a woman dropped down out of it. Her fall was not accidental, as she expertly fell onto the beach, then rolled up onto her feet. She was of average size, with a slim build and a drivers’ cap atop her head. She turned and smiled at them.

  “Going somewhere?” the woman asked.

  Maria took out her blades, as Red withdrew her sword and activated her shield. R.U.D.E. stood there, seemingly empty handed. They all halted short of the tree line on the low ground, as the woman stood slightly above them.

  “Through you,” Maria replied, activating her weapons.

  “Funny,” the woman retorted, “I was about to say something similar.”

  “Big talk, coming from Tulius’ lap dog,” Red remarked.

  The woman became visibly riled by the remark, abandoning her haughty composure. From under her cloak, she removed a curved short sword and a snub nosed laser pistol. Bringing them to her sides, she gave them a devilish grin.

  “Allow me to show you just how much of a ‘lap dog’ I am.”

  Maria, eager to fight, leaped at the woman to strike. With one blade forward, and the other above it, she began to descend onto her opponent. Red did not think it was wise to strike first, but they had not had time to work up a plan. She could only hope her compatriot was a good duelist.

  The stranger lifted her pistol and fired a single shot at Maria’s undefended legs. Calling upon a power unfamiliar to her, Maria crossed her swords into an x. A protective shield sprung forward from the blades. Red could not tell if Maria was the one with the strange powers, or the blades were. With Maria’s front section defended, the laser was harmlessly absorbed into it.

  Uncrossing her blades, the yellow shield dissolved, and Maria swung her swords at the stranger. The stranger made no effort to counter, or even put her guard up. What she did next, however, was hard to understand. Mora powers Red was unfamiliar with.

  From her body, multiple, life-like images of herself began to spring forth. At first, they had a certain level of transparency. Then, they began to solidify, looking just like the stranger herself. In the instant before Maria’s strike, there were twenty versions of the stranger surrounding herself, R.U.D.E., and Maria.

  The strike Maria had made was excellent, in both its timing and placement. To Red’s confusion, however, they went right through the stranger. Not as might be expected, but as though she was not even there. Red turned around to see just how many projections of the stranger there were. Maria looked equally confused.

  All twenty versions of the stranger, each looking to be the real one, began to charge towards the trio. All of them ran in different ways, paces, and with their weapons held at different positions. Not sure what to make of it, Red and her companions made ready to defend. R.U.D.E., finally taking action, made ready also. His hands, which had all the flexibility of a human’s, transformed into short swords. The blades’ lasers emanated a red hue.

  The stranger, who Red had finally remembered was named Martzia, lunged at them all. Despite meeting to block their attackers, none of Martzia’s strikes were real. They were merely life-like images. That was, until R.U.D.E.’s blade met another, actual blade. Martzia’s blade.

  “Here!” The robot exclaimed, drawing their attention to the real enemy.

  Red hurriedly turned and struck at her. Maria, clearly inexperienced in working as a team in a fight, was slower to respond. As Red’s blades came through to stab Martzia, it soon became clear that it was not the real one. At least, it was not the real one any longer. Just then, Maria screamed out as Martzia’s sword slashed at her knee.

  Despite wearing full body armor, it had done little to protect her. The cut she had received to the back of her knee was one that was crippling, dropping her to knees. Apparently, Martzia had managed to slip behind them all through one of her projections. How this was possible Red did not know. She moved to defend her.

  “Can you get up?” Red whispered to Maria, keeping an eye on the projections as R.U.D.E. stood over them.

  “I-” she began, attempting to stand on her own feet, “I can’t.”

  Red turned to the assassin droid as she ran up to meet her attacking opponent, only to be foiled by another projection. She continued to try and fight her off, along with R.U.D.E., who seemed to be holding up well. Maria needed to be removed from the fight.

  “Get her out of here. I’ll hold her off,” Red commanded.

  “I thought looking out for ourselves was our number one priority,” R.U.D.E. retorted, parrying an oncoming attack.

  “Do it, R.U.D.E.”

  “But protocol dictates that I always protect-”

  “Just do it!” Red ordered, clashing swords with the real Martzia.

  After some slight hesitation, her droid finally complied. Speedily, his swords transformed back into hands, and he picked up Maria. Martzia tried to interrupt him, but Red managed to keep her projections, and the real one, at bay. R.U.D.E.’s legs rang with power as he fired up his lower core. Taking off at a fiery sprint, he and Maria were soon amongst the trees and out of sight. Some of Martzia’s projections tried to follow them, but the majority were with Red. Just as Red had hoped.

  Red knew that, to utilize her own skill set more effectively, she needed to get into the tree line as well. Running as fast as she could in the opposite direction of her comrades, she utilized her biosuit to enhance her movements and dash towards the tree line. Martzia and her projections followed closely behind. She fought to keep Martzia from getting the upper hand.

  By what Red could figure out, Martzia was able to create projections of herself, and then choose which one to inhabit. It seemed as though she could teleport from one projection of hers to another at will. Red did not think such a thing was possible, but a lot of impossible things had been happening recently. She began to wonder just how far Martzia could cast her projections. There had to be a limit on her distance, and Red hoped to discover that soon enough.

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  Martzia pursued her into the tree line. Once she arrived, however, Red was nowhere to be found. Martzia and roughly fifteen of her projections spread out to find her. Red was in position to see her foe, but not be seen. Just as she had been taught.

  “Come out, come out, wherever you are...” Martzia taunted, her voice only coming from one of the projections.

  Red, who was hiding atop one of the trees, did not take at the bait. It was clear Martzia was exposing her position in an attempt to draw her out. She did not intend to play her games.

  “You know, from assassin to assassin, you’re kind of predictable. Weak,” Martzia called out, looking around and above her for her prey. “I thought the Pendulum Palace always weeded out the weak. That why you’re on the run?”

  Red’s heart jumped in her chest at the name. Pendulum Palace. They must have figured out more about her at the prison then they had let on. That could mean that House of Prixla knew where she was. Or, at least, might be close to finding out.

  As Martzia continued to search, she went further and further inland. Stealthily, Red made her way from tree to tree, and then down onto the ground without being detected. She hoped that R.U.D.E. had made it far enough away to escape with Maria. Apart from their safety, she also did not want them, or anyone else, witness what she was about to do.

  Red observed each of the projections carefully, but the predominant amount of her energy was put into trying to listen to her. Nothing visibly gave away her position, but Martzia herself revealed earlier how to discover it. All she had to do was wait until she could distinguish which of the projections made a sound.

  *snap!*

  The loud roaring of ships above and the sounds of battle below could not deafen the snapping of a twig Martzia had just stepped on. It was clearly distinguishable, and she now knew exactly where to strike. Red wasted no time.

  Like a jungle cat, Red pounced on Martzia before she knew what hit her. Tackling her from above and behind, Red easily toppled her, face planting her onto the ground. Her hat fell off as her face thudded into the dirt. In an instant, Red’s dagger was thrust into Martzia’s back. She screamed out in pain, which meant that Red had missed her vitals. Otherwise, all she would have heard is the breath leaving her body. Gritting her teeth, she raised the dagger again to strike, inwardly cursing at herself for how rusty she had become.

  Managing to throw her elbow, Martzia landed a strike onto the side of Red’s face. Temporarily stunned, Red could do little to stop Martzia from turning over. Her face, dirty and bloody, reflected her fiery indignation. It soon turned to a haughty smile.

  “Nice playing with you,” Martzia said, quickly grabbing her hat.

  Red launched her knife downward, attempting to end Martzia. She had to act quickly before Martzia regained her senses. The blade propelled downward, only to hit the ground below. She was too late. Martzia, and her projections, were gone.

  Looking at where Martzia’s body used to lay, she kicked the ground below in anger. She had escaped only because of her incompetence, and now others might pay the price. Quickly, she began running towards where R.U.D.E. had ran off to, attempting to contact him on her H.I.C.

  *

  “I see you did not get her,” R.U.D.E. remarked, turning his head around like an owl to see that Martzia was still on their trail.

  “Turn on your tracker. I’ll find you,” Red replied, sounding slightly winded.

  “I told you to stop skipping cardio day,” R.U.D.E. gloated.

  “Shut up.”

  Just as Red had replied, a group of Sashyrian riders, their mounts fixated on some prey ahead, nearly ran over R.U.D.E. and Maria. Before they came through the bushes, R.U.D.E. ended the transmission, and was able to duck under some brush to remain undetected. Despite giving them temporary cover and safety, it was giving Martzia valuable time to catch up. After the riders had passed, the robot resumed running.

  “She’s almost on us!” Maria warned, fighting through the pain as she looked back.

  Suddenly, the stranger projected herself in front of the two. She had her sword at the ready, swinging it like a bat as R.U.D.E. came towards her. Maria gasped in horror and shock, realizing that she was about to be sliced in half. The stranger smiled in satisfaction, seemingly enjoying the look of terror she had created.

  Maria did not understand why her protector was not slowing down, having surely seen that their foe was right in front of him. Still, he pressed forward at the same pace. Maria’s eyes widened in terror, screaming the droid’s name in anger.

  R.U.D.E. used small, jet propulsion ports he had on the side of his body to juke him over. He was now to Martzia’s right. Swinging from right to left, R.U.D.E. easily dodged the reach of the blade. With ease, he clotheslined Martzia with his big, metal arm, and kept right on going. Maria peeked over the robot’s shoulder, seeing that Martzia was now laying on the ground, cupping her face. Still reeling from her injury, Martzia’s projections were no longer there.

  “Stupid sow,” R.U.D.E. remarked, turning his head back like Mushca Owl to witness the damage he had done.

  “That’s not very nice to say,” Maria replied, laughing in relief. “You really live up to your name, don’t you?”

  “She just tried to kill you, and you’re critiquing my choice of insults?”

  “Remind me to never get on your bad side,” Maria mentioned, smiling through the pain she still felt.

  “Good idea… stupid,” he added.

  Maria was not sure what part of the island they were on, but the sounds of conflict were growing more distant. Recalling the topography she had noticed while flying earlier, and remembering where she had been on the beach, she began to piece together where they were. It was not good.

  “Hey, you’ve got to head further inland. We’re heading towards the holding cells.”

  “Can’t do that.”

  “But if the prisoners have been broken loose, then they might kill us,” Maria replied, thinking of what Krieger and his men would do.

  “The Sashyrians definitely will, and so we’re going where they are not,” R.U.D.E. countered.

  “But the others in the city… we need to give them back up!”

  “You can’t with that leg, and for whatever reason, my idiot master wants to play the heroine today. As such, I have to protect you, and can’t do that and fight at the same time.”

  Maria, seeing that R.U.D.E. would not countermand Red’s orders, discontinued her argument. As the robot continued running, they finally were beginning to approach the cells. Maria dreaded the thought of having to deal with the scum inside.

  *

  “Captain, wake up. I think I heard the elevator.”

  Krieger stood up from his bunk, alerted to the sound as well. Opposite him, Marianne peered outward from the front corner of her cell, getting the best view of the elevator doors as she could. Krieger rubbed his eyes, his vision slightly blurry after having gotten up so quickly. The brightness of his cell shielding did not help his growing headache.

  Since he and his crew had been thrown in here, all he had been doing was eating and sleeping. Besides occasionally plotting with his First Mate as to how to escape, there was little else to do. There was even less they could do. He was starting to feel claustrophobic.

  Krieger’s eyes darted to the elevator door as it opened. A large assassin droid, holding a woman, stepped through it. Krieger recognized her to be one of the slaves he had picked up. She looked as though she had lost a lot of blood.

  “Come to kill us?” Krieger asked.

  The woman’s eyes moved to look upon Krieger, a look of anger coming to her face. Then, it calmly disappeared as one of apathy replaced it. She glared at him with fiery indignation.

  “No. Because I’m not a murderer like you.”

  Krieger snorted. He had been called worse, but this insult seemed to sting worse than past verbal bashings. He rarely had to converse with his victims.

  “How very noble of ya. Why are you and this piece of junk doing down here?”

  The droid, who had gently set the woman down to lean against the wall, turned to face Krieger. A look of clear recognition appeared on his First Mate’s face. After a moment, he understood why. He was talking to an assassin droid.

  “What a pediculous… rodent. Sure you didn’t slide out your mother’s other orifice?” the droid replied, studying him.

  “Big talk for a pile of scraps,”Krieger gaffed.

  “Keep talking. Maybe you’ll say something intelligent,” the robot retorted.

  “If you knew who I was, you’d be shaking in your outer shell,” Krieger hissed, the droid seemingly getting under his skin.

  “I’ve seen your type. Had to pay admission, though.”

  “R.U.D.E., that’s enough. Focus up,” the woman scolded, taking out her swords as her leg continued to throb in pain.

  “You two running from something?” Marianne asked.

  The woman intentionally ignored the question, turning to the droid.

  “Is Red almost here?”

  “I don’t know,” the droid replied. “She turned off her tracker.”

  “My employers are here, aren’t they?” Krieger guessed. “That’s why you’re down here.”

  The woman’s lack of response was an answer in and of itself. Her leg was, by all appearances, injured in battle. Given they had fled down here for the moment, Krieger could only come to one logical conclusion: they were losing the battle. They were trying to hide.

  “Let us go, and me and mine will help you fight them,” Krieger proposed.

  The woman laughed. Scornfully, and with contempt. The answer was clear.

  “You must be out of your mind.”

  “They have my boy. They’re not my friends,” Krieger explained, trying to justify his release.

  “And I’m not yours,” the woman countered. “You murdered my husband, my friends, and you enslaved us. You’re dumber than I thought, Krieger.”

  “I want you all to win the battle above. I’ll take their leader, and make ‘im talk,” he countered.

  “Even if I was somehow able to overlook the fact you’re a slaver and murderer, there’s still no way I’d let you out. If they have your son, then you’ll work alongside them to ensure he lives.”

  “I’m not stupid, girl. They wouldn’t let him go if I killed a thousand of ya for ‘em. The only chance I have now is if I work for ya, not against ya. The kidnapped never go home whole… I should have realized that by now.”

  Before the woman could reply, the elevator could be heard beginning its descent. The robot activated his built in H.I.C., and began trying to contact someone. His connection was weak, but intact.

  “Master, where are you?”

  “I’m nearing the location you sent me.”

  “So... you’re not on an elevator?”

  “No. What’s going on?”

  “Hurry, Master. Our mutual friend has caught up to us,” the droid beckoned, shutting off the transmission as he activated his swords. The woman stood to her feet, swords activated and ready in hand.

  “Maybe it’s the guards who let us in,” she proposed.

  “My preliminary scans indicate otherwise,” the droid replied.

  As the elevator door slid open, a figure with a crimson grin stepped out. She wore a driver’s cap, and held a sword in her hand. He remembered her from the slave drop. Martzia.

  “You came to the wrong place to hide,” Martzia said ominously, duplicates of herself appearing all around her in the narrow hall.