Codename: Freedom - Book 4 - Capter 51

Separated from my men in battle, I did the only thing I could think of during my downtime between rushes between targets. I had Destiny replay their deaths so I could at least share in them in an indirect manner. What Mel and I were doing was necessary. No one else could take our place. That didn’t mean I felt right about not being there by their side. It was only a simulation.

The panels could surround me on both sides. There were so many that I felt cramped, almost claustrophobic. But suffering through a little discomfort after what they’d gone through was nothing.

“Lucius, the ‘Real Major’ Jeff Wright is about to face off with the Centurion,” Destiny informed me. “Should I bring it up?”

“Just save it for later. We know how it’s likely to end up. It doesn’t change anything. My focus belongs here. How much longer until we move out?”

“I estimate three to five minutes. Recover your energy while you can.”

“There’s been way too much recovery time for my liking.”

“Mine, too.”

“Same,” Mel added. We hadn’t been keeping him out of most of our conversation. He was normally quiet during a fight.

I gave him a quick once over. His ballistic suit was holding up, so it hid all the bruises. We’d both been beat up pretty good. It had been testy at first, but the way things were going now, there was no way they could stop us.

I looked at the castle map Destiny had pieced together. She had enough data by now that she could’ve created a perfect replica in my bandit training sim if I asked her. That wasn’t going to happen. It wasn’t a place I wanted to see again for a long time.

The final battle would happen soon. There were only about three hundred Ekseliksi left, and we still had about half our men. After helping the sniper squad get into position one last time, I’d finally have the freedom to rejoin my men.

***

“Here we gooooo!” Bolt screamed, standing up and throwing a well-rehearsed combination of punches. He looked smooth but was lacking any power or snap.

At the top of the layers of courtyards was the main building. The courtyard leading up to it was as large as the one at the city entrance. After the last Ekseliksi was dead, there was a lull in the battle, which by all appearances was over.

Lethal Accord called on its men to form up to face the arched castle doors. There was a hundred yards between them and the entrance. The Centurion hadn’t shown himself, so they were still expecting a fight.

There was a loud clicking sound, then the double doors began to teeter open. Out stepped the thickly muscled Ekseliksi Centurion with pale green skin and wearing nothing but scalemail faulds over padded shorts. He sauntered out to face the army alone.

A shout sounded and the army parted. From the midst of the Genesis veterans, Major Jeff Wright marched forward to meet him. As he moved, the suspense grew tenuous.

“He’s showing a large measure of respect,” Mr. Rachet said. “The Real Major had chosen a sword and shield to face him.”

“Of course, he is,” Bolt replied. “You guys remember that Ekseliksi elite, right? His body was made of steel and virtually impregnable. Who knows what kind of bio-enhancements this guy has? It could be like fighting an armored tank.”

Mia was about to comment, when the Ekseliksi opened his mouth and his voice boomed.

“Just an army? How disappointing,” he sneered. Balling his fists, he extended his arms back and arched his chest. He punched out slowly to the front and sides with both hands to get the blood flowing. Only when he was done warming up did he finally acknowledge the Real Major.

“You’re their champion?” His eyes found the Major’s weapon and shield. “At least you have the courage to approach me alone.”

“I was on Tarr Cogneos sixty years ago,” the Real Major said venomously. “I’ve jumped at every opportunity to contend with your people ever since.”

The Centurion’s head titled up ever so slightly. “I too remember. It seems we face each other as old enemies. Sweet glory.” He licked his lips. “Come on then. Take your revenge.”

Real Major didn’t wait another moment. His aura flashed silver and he rushed into range. He tested the alien with a series of slashes.

The speed made it hard to watch through the meta, but the four of them had been covering Vanguard full time. Mia only touched on some of the games she used to cover when there were big updates.

The Ekseliksi swatted the Major’s blade aside with his bare hands. He kept them both up by the sides of his head and parried the blade with a flick of the wrist.

Neither party seemed to be in a hurry. They took their time testing their opponent and trying to decipher what psionic abilities they possessed.

The Centurion’s aura finally spiked. He danced to his opponent’s shied side, pounding it with his fist. He grabbed the rim of the shield when the Real Major shifted his stance. The human was far too experienced to fall for that trick.

Pulling back, Real Major regained control of his shield. He thrust forward without missing a beat. Only on the follow up slash did he finally enhance his blade. When the Centurion held up his arm to block it, he readied himself to capitalize on the alien’s mistake and finish it quickly.

Only as his sword was about to reach the Ekseliksi’s arm did he see the bolt gathering in his enemy’s other hand. He readied his shield but fully committed to the attack.

He felt his enhanced blade reach its target. The bolt was already striking his shield before he realized the enemy’s arm was still fully intact.

His shield was receiving enough energy to create a weak barrier, but as the full powered rank E bolt struck it from melee range, the Real Major was shaken by the violent current. His shield arm dipped a few inches. He recovered quickly, but the Ekseliksi was already capitalizing on his mistake.

Grabbing the top lip of the earthling’s shield, the Centurion threw his aura empowered fist at his opponent’s face. There was already one of those annoying fields of shielding covering the Major’s body, but it didn’t stop the blow from rocking his head back.

As the Real Major lashed out with his sword, the Centurion pushed the man’s own shield in the path of the blow and sent a shin kick toward the side of his calf.

He buckled, catching himself before hitting the ground. Major Jeff Wright had lost the exchange but jumped back and reset. It was going to be a long fight.

After another few minutes, from a spectator’s perspective, it didn’t look good.

“The Centurion just has too much experience,” Mr. Rachet said. “They are fairly evenly matched in strength and ability, but he seems to anticipate everything the Real Major throws at him.”

Bolt was on the edge of his seat. He didn’t say a word.

“It’s still early,” LeLisa responded. “The Major’s pshield and refinement belt keep saving him from taking much damage. Without them, it would probably already be over, but they’re a huge obstacle for the Ekseliksi to get past.”

“It just comes to show how important having superior equipment is,” Mr. Rachet continued. “It’s likely what will make the war with the Ekseliksi winnable in a few years.”

Mia knew they were all skirting around the real issue. The Centurion was doing this one purpose. Even if he didn’t win, was had already proven his superiority in a fight by not using any weapons at all.

“There’s still hope,” Bolt said suddenly, sitting back into a normal seated position. “The Real Major is saving his secret weapon.”

Even after he said it, the battle continued to draw out and it started to seem like the Major had forgotten about his overcharge technique all together. It was only his bulk and toughness that was keeping him in the fight now. Even with his shielding, the Ekseliksi was landing more and more clean shots.

The Centurion danced back as he considered his angles. His smirk was worn in by now. It wouldn’t be long now. Even without the shielding, he had to admit his opponent was tough. But he was a few decades too early on his path with psionics to be his match.

Hopping from foot to foot, he found his opening and shot forward. Holding his arm up to block his blade as he’d done countless times before by now, he prepared to dip in low and skirt around to his flank. Searing pain shot up his arm before he even noticed his opponent’s blade and plunged into his chest.

The Centurion laughed out. Blood sprayed from his mouth. His old enemy had saved one more trick and he’d fell for it.

As the Real Major tried to take back his blade, the Ekseliksi pulled on his shield with his remaining hand. He saw it coming and funneled energy into his refinement belt.

The alien’s smile only grew as silver light shown from his forehead just before he slammed into the Real Major’s face.

The shielding energy saved him from a grisly death, but the suddenness of the attack snapped his head back and sent his reeling.

What was left of the Centurion wasn’t a pretty sight. The Real Major sat there leaning back on both hands. He was heaving large breaths. His consciousness was fuzzy one moment and clear the next.

Lethal Accord’s one and only healer arrived a few seconds later with a swarm of med-drones following overhead.

Bolt sat back in his chairs with his arms extended overhead in victory. “Yes.”

“That’s why you never count an old veteran out,” Mr. Rachet declared as if he’d been the one cheering on the Real Major all along. “How are the rest of the battalions handling their centurions?”

LeLisa was prepared with an answer. “The Forefathers attacked theirs in mass after observing the first few minutes of the Real Major’s fight. They actually killed theirs before he did, but more than twenty of them died. Most of the other battalions are taking the same approach, though not all of them are having the same luck. There were only a few hundred of them left, but the Peacekeepers were completely wiped out.”

“Something is happening,” Oren interrupted. Suddenly the panels of the battalions still remaining in the competition changed order and the top couple rows were all focusing on the doors to the main castle’s entrance. “It looks like there was an unannounced timer. Now that its time has passed…”

The doors to the castles all opened outward at the same time. Each had their own Ekseliksi Centurion with a little different build and skin tone. Almost as soon as the doors opened, they all snapped into action.

“How’s Prodos’s advancement?” Mr. Rachet asked.

“Lucius and Mel are taking their last tower now,” Mia replied. Her eyes switched back and forth between two screens as she watched their Centurion advance. He wasn’t heading for Lucius at all but heading for the closed action. There was a minor courtyard a level down that Vector’s platoon of pro-gamers was clearing with the help of one of their rank E tanks. They were limiting their force on other such courtyards, while the main force was on a larger one on the same level but separated from them by a large gap.

She scanned their faces. She’d met almost all of them and interviewed more than half. Drool and Vector she knew well. LadyHeadshot and Treetop a little less. And Mara, who she’d just met for the first time recently, was fighting in the middle of their ranks. Most of them were still standing this late into the event, but Mia could only watch as the Centurion leaped toward them from the courtyard above.

“Not good,” she finally answered. “No. No. No… Not good at all.”

***

I watched the screen Destiny had just summoned to the Centurion advance. His blue skin tone was so subtle I almost didn’t notice it. We were atop the tower overlooking the last courtyard. I readied for him to come. When his path diverted, Destiny brought up his most possible heading. The courtyard he was targeting didn’t even have a path upward. It was just an offshoot that had to be cleared. And then I saw Vector and Drool fighting on the front line against two remaining squads of footsoldiers. They’d already taken care of all the officers.

I opened my mouth to contact them when I saw the Centurion land solidly with nothing but his psionic aura strengthening him. Without pause, he extended his hands like blades and his long nails became evident for the first time. With a silver Akonizo glow, he danced forward past his rank F opponent’s defenses and plunged his claws into them like the sharp point of a blade. Their shielding didn’t matter at his level. He began to cut them apart.

Victoria contacted me before I did her. “Go. Mel will be enough.”

It was all I needed to hear. I squeezed out the stone framed window and kicked the side of the tower with a might Othisi push. Even after all my training, if I would’ve thought about jumping from so high up, I would’ve had to take a moment to prepare myself.

It wasn’t the highest I’d ever been, but it I looked down the sloping hill toward the base near the castle entrance, I wasn’t just five stories up, but half a mile, maybe more.

I cleared a long section of courtyard before nearing the edge of the fortified bulwark. Instead of landing on top of it to regain some control, I wind walked two giant strides to make sure I reached it, then pushed off its ledge without even stopping.

Destiny was giving me the feedback that I needed. I saw where the Ekseliksi was. I saw a glimpse of who he was cutting down. Vector and Drool were among the first, as was expected of good leaders. Treetop was able to trade a few exchanges with it before it disemboweled him. Then he was nearing the core of their platoon. LadyHeadshot was there firing off Voli bolts fiery precision. Mara was right next to her holding her spear extended. She was trying to give her friend enough space to finish firing off a few more bolts.

The Centurion darted sideways, then lunged. In his path stood a concealed obstacle. The alien’s knife-like claws pieced straight through the veiled person’s chest. A dying HandshakeDeath looked back at him with a knife already placed to his neck.

Orange energy covered Handshake’s dagger as he thrust it forward. It pierced the skin, but little else.

The Ekseliksi flexed his neck muscles as he let his enemy try as he liked. He was about to toss the human aside when he finally felt my presence.

A rank E psionic bolt screamed toward him. Yanking his arm out, he jumped back.

I took two brisk steps utilizing Wind Walk to slow myself down before landing with a full powered Othisi push. I hurried forward and looped my shield arm behind Handshake’s back before he fell.

Even as I caught him, I glared a challenge at the Centurion, but he seemed to understand what was going on. His enemy’s captain had arrived.

LadyHeadshot’s shriek tore at the respite with desire for coldblooded vengeance. I wasn’t sure if the two had worked things out, but, hearing her now, her feelings sure hadn’t changed.

“Mara, grab her,” I commanded, pulling Handshake to me, and turning him where I had a good angle on the Centurion.

“Yes, Major,” she called.

LadyHeadshot protested, but others joined in and dragged her away.

I then looked to Handshake and saw his balmy face. He didn’t say anything but placed a dagger in my hand. With a nod, I fulfilled his request and ended his pain.

Letting my rank E aura burn, I walked him back as I commanded everyone to fall back. Reaching the forked stone wall, I laid him against it and closed his still opened eyelids.

As I came to my feet, the Centurion called out. “This one’s sacrifice earns him much honor.” He nodded solemnly. “The girl called you, Major. What rank is this? Are you their commander?”

“One of them, yes.”

“And still just a boy. You must have much talent.”

I watched him without answering. He seemed like the honorable type—like Krato. Removing my shield from my arm, I tossed it into the air where Shadow caught it. Then I began undoing my belt and removed my sheathed sword. Tossing it as well, I watched him observing me carefully.

“You wish to face me with honor?” He asked.

Again, I remained silent, choosing to lift my arms out to the side instead. A swarm of microdrones led by Wink’s scout drone surrounded me. They blocked the view as well as removed my ballistic suit with much more efficiency than I could. With their job complete, they flew off with Wink taking my gear to my mule drone.

The Ekseliksi understood the meaning of the change immediately. He saw that I was even adhering to tradition and wearing scalemail faulds over padded shorts. He seemed rather humored about it until his eyes fell upon my chest. A dory spear and hoplon shield stood leaning against one another just as in Achilles’s logo, but there were a few new additions etched there.

Prodos’s logo was of an open chest. It was semi-prophetic in nature, for Victoria had planned to start Freedom’s first player bank as a foundation of our guild before it had even been founded. Instead of choosing one logo or another, Destiny had given me a few design options. The one we had chosen had the Prodos chest sitting right up against spear and shield, blending them both.

To Achilles, Prodos, and my fans, the symbols had meaning. To me, it was to acknowledge what made it possible for me to stand here. But to the Centurion, his attention wasn’t on the symbols at all, but the writing beneath. “You’re Ekseliksi?” he asked.

“Lucius, what are you doing?” Victoria voice sounded forlorn in my ear.

“The whole world is watching,” Peter warned. “You must be careful with your words.”

He was right. It wasn’t time to give a hasty answer—to the Ekseliksi, Victoria, or the world. I held the gaze of the Centurion and let the weight of what my opponent just said sink in.