.....The whirlys looked up when they heard the air shrilling with death, but they had little time to react as Macomber came tearing through the cloud cover and slammed into the ground with his knee and fist. Shockwaves from the impact rippled outwards, upending the whirlybags and flipping Jacob up and out of his would be grave, his dark shell fizzling out. Plantigrad materialized in Macomber's hand and he spun it in quick quarter turns, sending scythe like power beams flying in every direction. The whirlybags never stood a chance. Soon the remaining whirlys were chopped up and strewn everywhere, most lying in expanding blood specked mesoil pools.
.....Macomber stood erect and held Plantigrad out in front of him parallel to the ground. It collapsed into his fist and vanished. He strode quickly over to Jacob and gently rolled him onto his back. He didn't look good.
.....“Mog fogging bastards.” He uttered under his breath.
.....He gave Jacob a once over for major external injuries. Finding none, he leaned in close to smell his breath. It was faint but it was there. The smell was slightly alkyl, which meant his metabolism was shutting down. Death would find Jacob quickly if he did nothing. Macomber's secondary was Thetaron, so he was not without curative ability, but it was limited. The best he could hope for was to extend Jacob's life long enough to get them the fog out of there. If he got lucky he might even save his life.
.....He knelt and began the requisite incantations. He moved his hands up and down the length of Jacob's body. He incanted the simple Mol'arv curepure mantra his mother taught him as a child. It had served him well over the years. He could feel himself extending outwards through the backdoor of Jacobs mind. His body clenched as Jacob's pain and anguish flooded his calm. He cordoned it off quickly and continued his search. He found Jacob's central nervous system and flowed into it. He was right about Jacob's metabolism. It was shutting down and soon. Kick starting it would be a fogging bitch and a half. That was a process only the DeltaPrimes would consider attempting, and even they had trouble controlling the unique complexity of each individuals metabolism. His only hope was that the shut down was a symptom of a larger problem. One that he could fix and fast, he was running out of time. He focused hard and searched Jacob comprehensively. Shooting up and down the neuro-lymph system at speeds hard to imagine. Everything checked out there. So where was it? He began searching the musculo-skeletal system for tears or bleeds that could be putting him into shock. Nothing. He searched the heart next, it seemed to be functioning but slowing. He extended himself into the vascular system and....
.....There!
.....A pin hole leak in a small brain capillary. It was almost microscopic, which was a lucky break. Any larger and Jacob certainly would have stroked out and died. With his mind still inside of Jacob's, he moved his hand over Jacob's head and issued a soft curebeam gently from his palm. His lips moving in a reinforcement of the Mol'arv using the Aganon derivative just to make sure. The capillary closed itself. He checked the metabolism. It was stabilizing. He would live.
.....As he extracted his mind from Jacob's, Jacob opened his eyes, surprising him.
.....“Mayco, am I dreaming? Are we in Sgala?”
..... He flashed him a smile. “Nah you stupid git.”
.....“I tried to...I did the...where were you and...” Jacob struggled to speak.
.....“I know what you tried to do, everyone from here to fogging Sgala with half a brain could have guessed what you were about with the Zoji deriv. Trey and I would have been here if we could've, but don't worry about that, we will talk about it more later. Now stop trying to talk and relax as best you can, we have to get out of here, we don't know how many more whirly clacks could be coming for us right now.”
.....Jacob nodded and tried to get up.
.....“Easy there Jay, I've got you.” With that he reached down and lifted Jacob up and over his shoulder.
.....He turned and knelt, placing his fist down on the ground next to his knee. He whispered the lifter incantations and felt the power swelling beneath him like a geyser. He let it build until he had enough force. It was ready. He released his hold, and it exploded instantly, launching them high into the air. He weaved a booster incant as they reached the launch peak and they vanished into the night.
Part III
.....The blast from his dark matter nova had knocked the whirlybags to the ground and stunned most of them. Those managing to discharge were firing randomly in all directions as they tried to get their bearings. He felt a few hot sizzles zip past his head. He needed to shell. With the few seconds he had gained himself, he charged the whirly herd while encasing himself in the thick viscous dark matter pouring out from his body. The dark matter shell conferred tremendous power, speed, and protection to the trained wearer. From the whirlys perspective, he looked like a shimmering oily shadow. Except, he was no shadow. He was their extinction.
.....He reached the first whirly and slammed his darkhard fist into it's headcage, disintegrating it into a fine metallic mist. It spluttered mesoil and blood from its flaying wires and tubes as it collapsed. He was already on to the next. It reached for him with its graspclaw. In one fluid motion, he caught and ripped it straight out of its socket and leapt into the air. At the apex of his leap he double-handed the severed appendage above his head and incanted a transference rite imbuing it with crackling dark energy. He couldn't hear himself screaming as gravity asserted itself and he descended. He brought the imbued graspclaw down with such colossal force that it penetrated straight through the whirly's chestplate, pinning it to the ground. The ruined whirly buckled from the blow and exploded most satisfactorily. He used his momentum to throw himself somersaulting backward through the air and over the other two whirlys as they opened fire. He landed and ventilated them with percussive dark matter blasts. They crumpled to the ground.
.....'Dont stop. Keep moving' he thought.
.....He launched himself forward low to the ground with a inky jet of dark energy. He pike rolled in the air so he could see behind him. Thousands of magnesium threaded whirly shells clouded and broiled the air around him. He could feel the incessant 'thuck-thuck-thuck' of the impacts as the bullets rammed into his shell. Twenty or so whirlys were now back on their feet and bearing down on him hard. Still airborne, he reached to his side and slammed his fists into the ground, cutting a double rut as he slowed. He swiftly swung his legs back and touched his feet down skidding to a stop. The air was thick with the salty taste of hot mag as the whirlys intensified their attack. He charged forward again into the death hail, unloading dark matter blasts furiously into the whirly pack, vaporizing some and rag-dolling others. He felt his power begin to slip and he knew his time was coming to an end. If he had to, he would expend every last drop of his power before they took him down
.....He pressed the attack. Dancing and darting among the whirlys, he continued dispatching them with great abandon. Gaping holes and evaporated braincages were becoming a rampant disease for the whirlys. They fired haphazardly, trying desperately to quell their target, only succeeding in shredding their own compatriots half the time.
.....He moved behind another whirly, readying to blast it into oblivion when he found himself abruptly crushed into the ground. A whirly had got the drop on him. He tried to push himself up but the whirly was not having it. It rained blows and bullets upon his back, driving him down further into the muddy soil. The remaining 6 whirlys hastily encircled his pinned body and unloaded into him. Any second now they would pierce his shell and end him. He felt a warble pass through the shell as his power came close to fizzling out, leaving him naked as a babe. Darkness was creeping in at the corners of his consciousness. He felt himself letting go. He retreated deep within his mind searching for more power that was not there. He did find Julia waiting for him though.
.....“This is it Jacob.” She said.
.....“I love you Jules.” Was all he could manage, tears streaming down his face.
.....She walked up to him and encircled him with her arms, nuzzling his neck with her nose. The storm of bullets was distant, like heavy rain on a rooftop. He ignored it and held her tightly to him.
.....“I'm sorry I wasn't stronger. I should have never left you and Addison behind.” He managed through the tears.
.....She silenced him with a finger on his lips and stepped back. She began whistling very faintly, but it steadily grew in pitch and intensity. The whistle became all consuming. Piercing his being and dropping him to his knees. He screamed, begging her to stop but it only increased. He put his hands over his ears to block it out but it did not matter. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.
.....A sprig of hope blossomed deep within him.
.....'Wait' he thought. 'That is no whistle.'
.....As death prepared to run him down, he prayed he was not hallucinating. He had to hold out a few more seconds.....
.....He reached the first whirly and slammed his darkhard fist into it's headcage, disintegrating it into a fine metallic mist. It spluttered mesoil and blood from its flaying wires and tubes as it collapsed. He was already on to the next. It reached for him with its graspclaw. In one fluid motion, he caught and ripped it straight out of its socket and leapt into the air. At the apex of his leap he double-handed the severed appendage above his head and incanted a transference rite imbuing it with crackling dark energy. He couldn't hear himself screaming as gravity asserted itself and he descended. He brought the imbued graspclaw down with such colossal force that it penetrated straight through the whirly's chestplate, pinning it to the ground. The ruined whirly buckled from the blow and exploded most satisfactorily. He used his momentum to throw himself somersaulting backward through the air and over the other two whirlys as they opened fire. He landed and ventilated them with percussive dark matter blasts. They crumpled to the ground.
.....'Dont stop. Keep moving' he thought.
.....He launched himself forward low to the ground with a inky jet of dark energy. He pike rolled in the air so he could see behind him. Thousands of magnesium threaded whirly shells clouded and broiled the air around him. He could feel the incessant 'thuck-thuck-thuck' of the impacts as the bullets rammed into his shell. Twenty or so whirlys were now back on their feet and bearing down on him hard. Still airborne, he reached to his side and slammed his fists into the ground, cutting a double rut as he slowed. He swiftly swung his legs back and touched his feet down skidding to a stop. The air was thick with the salty taste of hot mag as the whirlys intensified their attack. He charged forward again into the death hail, unloading dark matter blasts furiously into the whirly pack, vaporizing some and rag-dolling others. He felt his power begin to slip and he knew his time was coming to an end. If he had to, he would expend every last drop of his power before they took him down
.....He pressed the attack. Dancing and darting among the whirlys, he continued dispatching them with great abandon. Gaping holes and evaporated braincages were becoming a rampant disease for the whirlys. They fired haphazardly, trying desperately to quell their target, only succeeding in shredding their own compatriots half the time.
.....He moved behind another whirly, readying to blast it into oblivion when he found himself abruptly crushed into the ground. A whirly had got the drop on him. He tried to push himself up but the whirly was not having it. It rained blows and bullets upon his back, driving him down further into the muddy soil. The remaining 6 whirlys hastily encircled his pinned body and unloaded into him. Any second now they would pierce his shell and end him. He felt a warble pass through the shell as his power came close to fizzling out, leaving him naked as a babe. Darkness was creeping in at the corners of his consciousness. He felt himself letting go. He retreated deep within his mind searching for more power that was not there. He did find Julia waiting for him though.
.....“This is it Jacob.” She said.
.....“I love you Jules.” Was all he could manage, tears streaming down his face.
.....She walked up to him and encircled him with her arms, nuzzling his neck with her nose. The storm of bullets was distant, like heavy rain on a rooftop. He ignored it and held her tightly to him.
.....“I'm sorry I wasn't stronger. I should have never left you and Addison behind.” He managed through the tears.
.....She silenced him with a finger on his lips and stepped back. She began whistling very faintly, but it steadily grew in pitch and intensity. The whistle became all consuming. Piercing his being and dropping him to his knees. He screamed, begging her to stop but it only increased. He put his hands over his ears to block it out but it did not matter. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.
.....A sprig of hope blossomed deep within him.
.....'Wait' he thought. 'That is no whistle.'
.....As death prepared to run him down, he prayed he was not hallucinating. He had to hold out a few more seconds.....
Part II
.....The High Commander strode onto the bridge. His subordinates noticeably straightening in their chairs. As they should.
....."Did the WBG20's find them?" He asked.
....."They are engaged presently sir." Responded Senior Ensign Chao.
....."How many are there?"
....."I believe there is a solo remaining sir."
.....Rage flared in his mind. "We only sent one WBG20? What the fog ensign? It won't last 3 seconds against a true unbinder!"
....."Sorry sir, I meant to say a solo unbinder. There are 30 WBG20s engaged with him presently."
.....He relaxed. 30 should be plenty. But there were still a lot of questions and unknowns. Who was the solo? What was his Quattro? What was his primary and secondary? If it was Zola-Omicron, and he used the Zoji derivative like their scanners had picked up, then that meant......
....."Rally the WBG100 alpha squad to that location immediately"
.....The ensign hesitated. He knew what Chao was thinking. Overkill. Never one for frills, he cut to the chase.
....."What is it? Speak your mind man."
.....Chao cleared his throat, still uncertain. This was getting tiring.
....."Ensign, have you ever faced a true unbinder before?"
....."No I haven't sir."
....."Then don't question my orders, no matter what you think you know about WBG classes. We need this to be finished and finished quickly with no loose ends! Am I Understood?"
....."Yessir!" Chao immediately turned to the CommBoard, tapped a virtbutton on the layout screen, and started to relay the order.
.....He put his hand on Chao's shoulder. The ensign froze and stiffened. This pleased him.
....."Step aside, I'm going to give the order myself. I want morale as high as possible." He felt Chao relax ever so slightly.
.....The ensign swiveled, stood, and snapped swiftly to attention.
....."It's all yours sir."
.....He sat down at the controls and tapped the virtbutton himself. He liked the sound of his own voice echoing through the ship via the Comm system.
....."This is Mag'tar Eeus. The time of our great victory is close at hand. A solo unbinder has revealed himself. This is our chance to bring this frivolous silly little war one step closer to completion. That is why I am ordering a double time rally of the WBG100 alpha squad. Your mission is to certify with great prejudice the death of the unbinder. I will be with you in your hearts.”
.....With that he tapped the virtbutton off and stood.
.....“I will be in my ready room. Inform me when we have confirmation.”
.....“Yessir High Commander.” Chao replied with a salute.
.....He returned it and started towards his ready room. He could not help thinking to himself, "I hope its enough"
....."Did the WBG20's find them?" He asked.
....."They are engaged presently sir." Responded Senior Ensign Chao.
....."How many are there?"
....."I believe there is a solo remaining sir."
.....Rage flared in his mind. "We only sent one WBG20? What the fog ensign? It won't last 3 seconds against a true unbinder!"
....."Sorry sir, I meant to say a solo unbinder. There are 30 WBG20s engaged with him presently."
.....He relaxed. 30 should be plenty. But there were still a lot of questions and unknowns. Who was the solo? What was his Quattro? What was his primary and secondary? If it was Zola-Omicron, and he used the Zoji derivative like their scanners had picked up, then that meant......
....."Rally the WBG100 alpha squad to that location immediately"
.....The ensign hesitated. He knew what Chao was thinking. Overkill. Never one for frills, he cut to the chase.
....."What is it? Speak your mind man."
.....Chao cleared his throat, still uncertain. This was getting tiring.
....."Ensign, have you ever faced a true unbinder before?"
....."No I haven't sir."
....."Then don't question my orders, no matter what you think you know about WBG classes. We need this to be finished and finished quickly with no loose ends! Am I Understood?"
....."Yessir!" Chao immediately turned to the CommBoard, tapped a virtbutton on the layout screen, and started to relay the order.
.....He put his hand on Chao's shoulder. The ensign froze and stiffened. This pleased him.
....."Step aside, I'm going to give the order myself. I want morale as high as possible." He felt Chao relax ever so slightly.
.....The ensign swiveled, stood, and snapped swiftly to attention.
....."It's all yours sir."
.....He sat down at the controls and tapped the virtbutton himself. He liked the sound of his own voice echoing through the ship via the Comm system.
....."This is Mag'tar Eeus. The time of our great victory is close at hand. A solo unbinder has revealed himself. This is our chance to bring this frivolous silly little war one step closer to completion. That is why I am ordering a double time rally of the WBG100 alpha squad. Your mission is to certify with great prejudice the death of the unbinder. I will be with you in your hearts.”
.....With that he tapped the virtbutton off and stood.
.....“I will be in my ready room. Inform me when we have confirmation.”
.....“Yessir High Commander.” Chao replied with a salute.
.....He returned it and started towards his ready room. He could not help thinking to himself, "I hope its enough"
Part I
.....His hands were so slick from the sweat that it was making it impossible for him to work the knot. His mind was all over the place, he could not concentrate. He was becoming more frustrated and worried with every second that passed. It was obvious that he was going to have to use the Zen'far calmantra. He did not want to, as it would put the whirlybags onto his scent, but he could not see that he had a choice.
....."Where the fog are Trey and Macomber?" He thought to himself.
.....He stepped back from the knot and ran the palm of his hand across his forehead to remove a film of sweat. He looked at his pocket calibron and sighed. 17:22. They were supposed to be here 22 jigs ago. Trey was always late, but Macomber? Never. Something had gone terribly wrong, he was sure of it. Worse, if this were true and they were not coming, it had now fallen to him to complete the unbinding alone. A solo unbinding had not been attempted, let alone successfully completed, in something like 250 dectades. Not since the time of Josiah, and those were just myths now, for all he knew, NO ONE had ever done it alone.
.....He swallowed hard. He would most likely die in the attempt, but the alternative was failure and failure meant he, and everything he loved, would soon cease to exist. With that thought, he steeled himself and lifted his arms up in front of him, palms outward. He began the Zen'far incantation with its trademark undulating tones while slowly turning his palms inward towards each other in sync with the words. As he progressed with the incantation, he could feel cool serenity flood his mind and body. His worries and frustration seeping away. His mind sharpening to a fine point. He completed the incantation with the Zoji derivative and thrust his palms skyward.
....."ZOOG!" he bellowed, punctuating the completion of the Zen'far.
.....Being the most powerful derivative of the Zen'Far, he was brimming with confidence and power. He was no longer sweating and his hands were steady. Power surged through him. His mind was calm. He focused it on the opening knot of the series. It did not seem quite as difficult as before. It fell open in his hands like a child's rando knot. A trapbolt of searing energy shot suddenly from the opened knot. In one swift motion he raised his hand and absorbed it. He realized now the simplicity was by design. The knot had been crafted to make the unbinder overconfident and uprepared for the hidden attack. Very clever.
.....He tilted his head as a loud, telltale clunk and whir came from somewhere above and behind him. Whirlybags. Damnit. He didn't think they would find him this quickly. It must have been the Zoji derivative. Probably burned out most of their sensors, but made it obvious where he was and what he was up to. It was a risk he had desperately needed to take. The extra power the Zoji provided was critical. Not that it mattered now. They were upon him. He would take out as many of them as he could before he was overwhelmed.
.....He found himself thinking of Julia and Addison. He could not stop thinking about their beautiful shining faces staring up at him. His life was very much flashing before his eyes as he listened to the whirlybags descending and surrounding him. He thought of Marcus, Trey, and Macomber. His Quattro. At this point, they were most likely all dead as well. Like a flint on steel, anger sparked deep inside the calm pool. Heavy clanking all around him indicated the whirlys touching down and arming up. The anger consumed his well of calm serenity like dry tinder. It rapidly built to a raging white hot inferno. It demanded to be released, but he had to contain it, the whirlybags would still have their shields up. He knew to wait for the whirlys to lower them, which they would do an instant before they attacked. He heard a line of sharp snicks as the whirlys ammo clacked loudly into their chambers. He quivered with rage as he listened for the shields powering down. It was a very slight noise but he had been trained well. The whirlys raised their weapons and positioned for attack.
....."Wait for it.....wait for it." he told himself.
woosh
and there it was.
.....He spun furiously and unleashed his terrible power as they opened fire on him.
TO BE CONTINUED
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