The five remaining Boltus pilots launched over the Jaxartes forest. Rachel landed on The Achilles, and Mai landed on The Yamato. Andres, Marcus, and Kobe joined The Republic’s forces in the treeline. The Wall Fortress of Darkhan appeared daunting and impregnable before them.

  “Allow the Republic assault to begin before you proceed,” Bella ordered. The Hawks stood poised, awaiting their commands as thousands of armored vehicles and infantry surged forward, launching their assault across the vast, snow-draped plains. A thunderous barrage erupted from the fortress, its guns blazing in unison, raining fire upon the advancing Republic forces.

  Marcus contacted Bella on the Comm Channel. “Bella, Darkhan’s defenses are engaging our assault. Permission to proceed.”

  “Hawks squadron, you are clear to commence your mission,” Bella replied.

  “Andres?” Kara said. “When this is over, there’s something important I want to tell you.”

  “Why not tell me now?”

  “Think of it as your motivation to make it through this.” She giggled.

  Andres smirked. “I already know what it is anyway.”

  “Y-you do…”

  “You’re gonna tell me you’re a figment of my imagination, right?”

  Kara laughed. “Yeah, something like that, or just maybe the opposite. You ready?”

  “Now that you’ve lightened the mood, I am.”

  Andres and the others engaged their boosters and flew low across the battlefield, evading fire as they searched for their entry point. Kobe broke away from the group, swinging his shoulder cannon into action, systematically demolishing enemy batteries lining the fortress wall with precise, devastating blasts.

  “Andres, Marcus, I’ve marked your access point on your HUD. Kara can access the controls to open the door for you.” Bella informed them.

  The duo arrived at the towering metal door, perched high atop the fortress wall. Kara got to work opening it. Meanwhile, Kobe’s relentless assault had shattered so many of the wall’s defenses that the Imperial forces, realizing they could no longer remain passive, resolved to stop the Republic from seizing control.

  As the Republic forces remained at a distance, the massive, solid metal gate groaned open, unleashing the Empire’s ground troops into the fray. Overhead, hundreds of gunships streaked across the wall, swooping down to bolster their comrades below.

  Across the snow-blanketed field, both sides unleashed a torrent of fire. Shells rained down, blasting craters into the scarred battlefield.

  Losses piled up as the two armies closed the gap. Armored vehicles were torn apart into jagged heaps, gunships spiraled to the earth in fiery wrecks, and infantry scrambled for cover amid the craters and twisted remnants.

  “Kobe, continue to destroy the wall’s guns; it’s making a difference,” Bella ordered.

  “Will do!” Kobe responded as he hovered along the wall and blew up another turret with his shoulder cannon. As Kobe moved onto his next target, something shot up into the sky. “Miss Mai, Miss Rachel! You have company headed your way.”

  “We’re ready,” Mai replied, focused.

  She held her position atop The Achilles, unwavering, as the Ember’s defensive guns roared to life, hurling volleys of fire into the sky at the encroaching enemy.

  Gaius deftly twisted and spun through the air, evading the hail of gunfire, before landing gracefully on The Achilles, locking eyes with Mai.“I will not harm you if you leave. I wish only to destroy these ship’s engines, that will give time for the crews to escape. Are these terms agreeable to you, Knight of the Republic?”

  “No… no they’re not…” Mai could feel her blood running hot. She drew her weapon, its blade extending smoothly from the hilt in a flash of steel. “These are my terms. Death has come for you. Run, hide, or fight. I will kill you today!”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Very well. I will give you the fight you desire.” Gaius swiftly unsheathed his twin blades, raising them just in time to parry Mai’s scythe as it arced downward in a lethal slash.

  Mai growled and shouted as she slashed at Gaius. Her movements flowed effortlessly as she wielded the scythe, far more fluid than when she fought with a sword. Even still, Gaius’ skills far surpassed hers. Gaius kept an even pace, forcing Mai to exhaust herself by attacking. He countered her strikes with precision, parrying each blow with a calm, graceful ease.

  “You’re much better than before. But it’s not enough!” Gaius found an opening, and his Centurion kicked Mai’s Knight in the stomach.

  “Rachel now!” Mai called for support. Nothing happened.

  “I’m… sorry…” Rachel sobbed.

  Mai’s eyes widened as Gaius knocked her Knight down. “Rachel?”

  ***

  In the lowest levels of Darkhan, Marcus searched for Emir’s laboratory. “Am I close, Lucia?”

  “Yes, it’s just up ahead,” Lucia responded, her voice crackling through the Comm Channel as it flickered in and out.

  “Lucia? You there? There’s a lot of interference down here. If you can still hear me, I’m going to get him for you.”

  Marcus stepped into a shadowed area. The eerie glow of towering glass tubes, filled with glowing green liquid, cut through the darkness. Is this liquified Teal? Marcus wondered as he heard a soft crunch of footsteps behind him. He reacted instinctively, shifting at the last second to deflect the dagger before it could strike his Knight.

  “Intrigued, are we?” Emir hissed in the shadows.

  “What the hell are you cooking up, Emir!” Marcus shouted, glancing around the room.

  “Progress!” Emir shouted back as he hurled a flurry of daggers at Marcus. “Evolution! A love-struck fool like you wouldn’t understand!” Emir approached Marcus from behind.

  Marcus spun around at the last moment and fired his rifle into the darkness.

  “Uncloak yourself and face me!” Marcus fired again.

  “Always chasing shadows!” Emir sneered as he vanished into the shadows, weaving through the room and striking at Marcus with his daggers.

  Marcus activated his boosters, propelling himself through the air in swift, calculated bursts as he evaded Emir’s attacks, his eyes scanning for any sign of his invisible foe. “I will find you! And you will pay for King Massena!” Marcus racked his brain, trying to find a solution.

  Deeper into the fortress, Andres sprinted through winding corridors and heavy doors, determined to locate the Teal laser’s power source. This has to be it. Andres could see a large generator as he entered the room. The crystal he was searching for was wired into the generator, its surface entwined with metal appendages and intricate circuitry. Overhead, several Centurion-type MAVs hung motionless from the ceiling, their dormant forms casting long shadows as Andres stepped deeper into the room.

  “There’s someone here, Andres,” Kara warned.

  “We’ll deal with them.”

  “Bold words, mongrel,” Tiberius strode out in his Centurion, wielding a large two-handed hammer. He appeared on-screen inside Andres’ cockpit, his image flickering to life with a static buzz. “You look as I envisioned. A nobody, believing they can achieve greatness. It’s time I melted those wax wings of yours.”

  “Such up and fight me!” Andres fired his rifle at the Emperor, but Tiberius deflected the bullets with a swift swing of his hammer. As the next volley came, he activated his boosters, darting out of the line of fire..

  While Andres reloaded, Tiberius pulled out a syringe of liquid Teal. He smirked as he injected himself. Tiberius growled, baring his sharp teeth, his eyes flashing a vibrant green, mirroring Baltazar’s.

  Andres took cover behind a pillar. “What is he doing, Kara?”

  “I don’t know, but I can see Teal Waves gathering around him, look! Can you see?”

  Andres peeked from cover, his eyes locking onto the scene Kara had described. The Teal Waves swirled ominously around Tiberius and his Centurion.

  “Moore wasn’t lying! I can see her! Haha! Clear as day, right behind you!”

  “What are you talking about?! What was in that syringe?!” Andres fired from cover, but Tiberius blocked his shots again.

  “Think of it as evening the playing field!” Tiberius waved his hands in a grand gesture. Teal waves poured from Tiberius' hands, flooding the room and cascading into the hanging Centurions. Their eyes ignited with a greenish glow, and one by one, they came to life, dropping from the ceiling.

  “We’re surrounded!” Kara warned.

  Andres took cover as best he could. “I have an idea, Kara, deploy The Phalanx!”

  “Right! We’ll fight as one!” Kara tapped into Andres' thoughts, quickly shifting her focus. Instead of shaping the Teal energy into spears, she expanded it, creating broad shields to protect them from the incoming barrage of bullets. The Teal waves solidified into a formidable barrier, deflecting the oncoming fire.

  Andres fired between the gaps in the shields, his bullets finding their mark. They tore through the chests of two Centurions, and with a sickening splash, green glowing liquid burst from their ruptured frames, splattering across the floor.

  “What the… Kara, did you see that? What’s going on?”

  “It’s liquefied Teal! I can see Tiberius using Teal Waves to control these unmanned Centurions!”

  “We have Emir’s brilliant mind to thank for this progress!” Tiberius proclaimed as he charged Andres with his hammer.

  Andres boosted backward, creating some much-needed distance between himself and Tiberius. He fired his rifle again, destroying another unmanned Centurion as it lunged toward him. “Bring all the help you want, we’re going to beat you!”

  “Let’s see if you can back that up without your girlfriend!” Tiberius swung his hammer downward with one hand and caught Andres' shield. Tiberius pulled Andres in closer.

  Andres attempted to fire at Tiberius, but missed. With a swift motion, Tiberius used his off-hand to attach the device Emir had created onto Andres’ Knight. The device clicked into place, emitting a faint, unsettling hum as it pulsed with energy.

  Kara cried in pain.

  “Kara, what’s wrong?!” Andres suddenly felt the weight of his Knight increase, its systems sluggish and unresponsive as it slowly powered down. Panic surged through him, but before he could react, Tiberius laughed maliciously and delivered a crushing kick to Andres’ Knight. The force sent him crashing into a nearby pillar, sparks flying from the impact as the room around him shook.

  “I… can’t… hold on! I’m sorry, Andres!” Kara’s voice disappeared, and Andres Knight shut down completely.

  “Kara! Hey! Where are you?” Andres scanned his surroundings; he was surrounded by unmanned Centurions, their green eyes glowing ominously in the dim light. Tiberius, clearly relishing the moment, strode toward him, his confident steps echoing in the silence. He taunted Andres with a wicked grin, casually twirling his hammer as if toying with his prey.