Eternal Horizon: The Chronicle of Vincent Saturn (Eternal Horizon: A Star Saga Book 1) (19 page)

The Xenian staggered back and swung at the big man.

Damocles blocked the blow with ease and, holding his sword with both hands, hacked back.

The Xenian managed to thwart the hit, which caused another thunderous explosion. But the power of the big man’s strike forced him to slide back a few feet.

Taking that as an advantage, Damocles charged forward.

The Xenian eluded the charge, jumped up, and performed an airborne roundhouse kick, striking Damocles in the back of the head. The big man almost fell as his attacker continued the assault.

Preserving his consciousness, Damocles blocked the incoming hits, but the Xenian spun and smashed him with the back of the fist while concurrently stomping on his ankle. The array of strikes forced the big man to fall on his knees at the mercy of his relentless enemy.

“
Na’aaaar
!
” thundered a voice full of fury.

Hearing his name, the general lowered his blade and turned to face his new attacker.

A young Xenian man with blonde hair stood on the other platform. From head to toe, he was covered in blood, with a sword in hand and an inexpressible look of hate on his face. He ran forward, and, completely disregarding the bridge, jumped over the gap.

Shoving the destabilized big guy aside, Na’ar rushed to meet his aggressor.

While airborne, Exander thrust his sword forward in a stabbing motion.

Na’ar easily blocked the hit as the young man landed, and the two stood face to face, pushing at each other’s blades.

“Nice move,” Na’ar forced through his teeth as he gained the upper hand, forcing the young man back. “Oryon’s specialty.”

“
Damn you, you bastard!
” His face boiling with anger, the persistent Exander leapt at the dark general like a furious animal.

Vincent got to his feet after finally catching his breath. The power of the punch continued to cause him agonizing pain.

“
Destroy the panel and get the swords!
” Damocles roared as he regained his composure, heading to his brother’s aide.

Vincent reached for the gun, pointed it at the panel on the side of the throne, and opened fire. The panel exploded, causing the energy bands that held Duell to disappear. He then promptly picked up the dropped sword and headed for the ill Xenian as a faraway explosion rocked the entire room.

The ship quaked.

Preserving his balance, Vincent was able to catch Duell falling off the chair. Holding the poisoned Xenian over his shoulder, he reached up and grabbed the other blade.

Exander greatly underestimated the superior skill of Na’ar. The odds turned to the general’s favor. Step by step, blocking the powerful constant hits that resonated throughout the room, Exander was forced back.

Waving his sword with tremendous dexterity, striking high and low while whirling about, Na’ar forced the youth onto the bridge.

“You’re good, young man,” he mocked, smiling at Exander’s urge to cause him harm. He then kicked him straight in the chest, jumped up, and came down thrusting his sword in the same move Exander had performed earlier.

Stumbling back from the kick, Exander managed to smash aside the sword but couldn’t stop the terrible blow from Na’ar’s open palm.

“But not quite good enough,” Na’ar added as the young Xenian collapsed to his knees in the middle of the overpass. The general raised the blade over his head to perform a fatal blow, but then in an instant froze, his eyes widening in question. With his free hand, he clutched the medallion Exander proudly wore around the neck. “What the…? Why do—” He couldn’t finish his question as Exander’s mad twin rushed at him from behind.

Na’ar jumped over the fallen youth, twisted like a serpent, and landed on the other platform.

Damocles stopped to assist his sibling, pointing his sword at the general. Exander got up, wiped the blood from the side of his mouth, and along with his brother slowly began to approach their formidable foe, tightly gripping his sword.

Damocles raised the blade to his side, holding it with both hands in a form that revealed his abnormal physique, and approached Na’ar from the right.

Exander had his left arm stretched out, his index and middle fingers pointed upwards, while holding the sword high above his head with his other arm. Nodding to his brother, he advanced from the left.

Na’ar stood in his original pose: sword arm high, the tip of the blade hoisted on the clenched fist of the other. He stood there as if he were in a trance, not looking at either of the brothers but instead straight ahead as the two closed in.

Finding a precise moment, the twins sprang into action.

Continuing to look forth, Na’ar blocked the hits as if he knew their correct timing. Nevertheless, blocking two attackers at once forced him to the back of the room where more guards were desperately trying to pry open the damaged door.

After a minute of defending against the tenuous attacks, Na’ar went into offensive. He blocked the big man’s hit while sending a spinning kick into Exander’s face, nearly knocking the young man out. He then slammed his elbow into Damocles’ gut and struck him with an uppercut.

An explosion rocked the ship all of a sudden.

As the two brothers lost their balance for a fraction of a second, Na’ar somersaulted back to the footstep of the bridge, ready for more action.

Vincent barely managed to drag the weak Xenian while carrying two swords and his rifle. A second explosion, even louder than the first, roared through the ship. Vincent fell to his knees, still holding onto the weapons and Duell.

The gate behind the chair opened, and Gaia pulled in on a hover bike amidst a cloud of smoke. Levitating at a height of three feet, the bike was similar to a motorcycle with an elongated seat and foot platforms attached to its front. Two more unmanned bikes automatically pulled up behind her, as well as a wave of blasts from the pursuing guards.

“Waiting for me?” she said under heavy breath. Turning around in her seat, she began exchanging fire with the pursuers. “
They must hurry!
” she cried out.

Vincent continued carrying the Xenian’s limp body.

The twins began advancing towards their adversary, who was by now outwardly toying with them. Then, a loud screeching noise came from behind them as the blade of another sword penetrated through the closed door.

Exander and Damocles exchanged alarmed looks. Na’ar was blocking the bridge, and the door was about to open, from which an array of soldiers along with another sword-wielding warrior were eager to enter; they were in a trap.

The illuminating blade continued tearing through the metal with ease, finally creating an opening. Following a slight explosion, the door was blown to bits and another Xenian man appeared through the smoke. He was younger than Na’ar and taller, with thick curly blue hair. He wore a breastplate on his bare torso that had detailed carvings in the shape of dragons, coils that encircled his upper arms, and gauntlets on his wrists. Loose kimono-type black pants were tucked into his high greaves, girdled with a belt that held a blaster, dozens of star-shaped daggers, and the scabbard of his katana sword.

He scowled at the two brothers and raised his hand, halting the force of troops behind him. “Wait,” he commanded, while pointing his sword at Damocles. “We’ll deal with them.”

Damocles rushed across to his brother’s side while smashing aside the blade of the newcomer.

Na’ar jumped forward, barely missing the big man, and landed next to his subordinate.

The twins were next to each other once again, as were the general and his pupil. Now the odds were even.

Back to back, the brothers began to withdraw, heading for the bridge. That’s when the second explosion rocked the ship.

Throwing each other a confident glance, Na’ar and his student jumped into action.

The twins, lost in the moment, were no match for the accuracy of their attackers. They were so determined on blocking the blades of the enemy that they neglected to see every punch and kick thrown at them.

Noticing they were being pushed into the corner, Damocles decided to use his brute strength. Locking his blade with those of the attackers, he pushed them both back, giving his brother enough room to make it to the bridge.

“
We must go! Gaia’s here!
” Vincent cried out from the other side.

Instead of running away, Exander took the opportunity to assail Na’ar once again.

“
We must go, Ex!
” Damocles yelled, blocking the hits while trying to pull his brother after him.

As they were halfway down the bridge, Damocles once again swung the sword over his unrelenting brother, forcing the opponents to back up. Taking the opportunity, he pulled a smoke pellet out of his belt, slammed it on the floor, and grabbed his brother by the back of the belt. As a smoke cloud engulfed the room, the big Xenian jumped backwards to the other side with one arm holding his furious brother and with the other slashing down at the bridge.

Na’ar and his apprentice rushed back to the door as the footbridge fell down into the pit.

Damocles ran up to Vincent, took the swords, and threw the ill Xenian master over his shoulder. He then jumped on one of the hover bikes, laid Duell in front of him, and placed the swords into the compartments on the side of the bike.

Vincent picked up his rifle, jumped on the bike behind Gaia, and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Sorry, I can’t ride one of those things,” he said, blasting at the troops approaching from the corridor. “And I’m definitely not riding with Exander.”

“
Come on!
” Gaia cried out to the blonde.

Lastly, Exander jumped on the third bike, and they left the smoke-filled room just in time as an entire cavalry appeared on Gaia’s path.

“
Get them!
” Na’ar’s voice rumbled.

The soldiers stormed onto the platform, but the gap held them from pursuing the intruders. Their commander swallowed hard and looked up at his general.

Na’ar turned to his comrade. “Bring them to me, Marz!”

Marz obediently sheathed his sword and jumped through the smoke.

The Escape

They sped down the tunnel in tandem, dodging the bombardment and evading the countless obstacles in their way. With one arm holding onto Gaia, Vincent blasted away the soldiers that seemed to creep up from every corner; Damocles rode behind them, shielding his ill master, his sword arm outstretched; and Exander followed last, nearly standing on his bike as he exchanged fire with the adversaries in pursuit.

The tunnel—located somewhere on the starboard side of the ship—was much broader than the one they used to sneak in, its walls with balconies and windows from where the brunt of the soldiers shot at the party. Some brave ones even ran out in the open, frivolously attempting to stop the escapees, only to meet the swift justice of the big man’s blade.

A bridge crossed their tunnel ahead with several droids atop. The robots instantly opened fire at the first bike.

Gaia and Vincent leaned forward behind the small windshield as blasts zapped around them.

“Ahhh!” Gaia screamed out as one of the blasts grazed her shoulder.

“I got it,” Vincent said. He moved the switch on his gun all the way to the right until the blue blocks on its side lit up brightly. He then rose up and shot—the force of the ricochet almost knocking him off the bike.

A blue energy sphere the size of a beach ball exploded into the bridge, blowing up the robots. The three bikes managed to pass beneath the burning bridge right before it collapsed.

After several minutes, the channel turned into a trench. The platforms over the path hosted dozens of troops, anticipating them with itchy trigger fingers. The offense had doubled. To add to the misfortune, two of the large Destroyer-bots barricaded their way.

The enemy rained down on them from both sides, and the giant robots opened fire.

“
Stay on the path!
” Exander shouted amid the assault.

As Gaia targeted the guards on the ledge, Vincent released several blasts at the robots. One of them lost its head, but the other remained, continuing the volley.

“
Hold on!
” Gaia cried out before leaning the bike on its left side, barely sliding under the intact robot’s chaingun arm. She then straightened and continued further, confusing the automaton, who debated as to whether he should shoot at Gaia or at the approaching twins.

Covering Duell’s body, Damocles managed to pass right under the collapsing husk of the first robot. The second one then immediately began blasting away at the big guy.

Sensing his brother in trouble, Exander put away his blaster and leapt up, withdrawing his sword as his unmanned bike passed between the droids. With a powerful strike, he slashed the robot apart and safely retained his vehicle.

The two fallen machines blocked the path and further halted the pursuers, if only for a short period of time.

Vincent wondered how many more rounds his blaster held, but there was no time to check for things like that, so he just shot at every target that came into view. The thrill of getting away from a wrongdoing was indescribable. But this was not a crime.
We’re not kidnappers, but rescuers—not killers, but protectors,
he told himself. And that idea was the reason he felt guilt-free. It felt like the right thing. After more than five years, he finally experienced the things that enticed him into law enforcement in the first place.

“
Almost there!
” Exander encouraged them.

It was miraculous that they seemed to escape without a scrape. But something was on their side, and death was going to have to settle with a rain check.

The attacks eventually became scarcer, leaving the noise of the alarm to be the only thing to torment them.

“What’s going on?” Vincent asked, panting. His hand was killing him—he could barely ease his grip.

“We’re nearing the dock,” Gaia said in excitement.

Explosions echoed far off, evidently produced by Spaide.

“Something’s not right!” Damocles shouted. “They must have another trick—”

A blast took out a portion of the wall before the party, causing Gaia to turn sharply.

A one-passenger black jet was on their pursuit. It had a sleek and stylish design that resembled a compact sports car with two rocket launchers on its side panels and a machine gun atop its hood. Marz’s twisted grimace was visible through the windshield. Four more soldiers hovered on bikes beside him.

“Damn,” Exander grunted. “I’ll slow them down!” he yelled to his brother. “
Go!
” He then pulled out a dagger and threw it at the biker approaching from his left. The soldier fell off, and his bike smashed against the wall, forcing the chasing posse to swerve and nearly crash as well.

“Dodge this, Krynne!” Marz snarled, releasing a rocket.

Exander leaned to the side evading the missile that exploded into the ceiling. Several troops on the top platform were toppled by the falling debris from the detonation. It was a blatant display of how desperately

Na’ar’s protégé was trying to apprehend them—with complete disregard to the vessel that was already in outer space.

“This guy’s crazy!” Damocles cried out.

“Not as crazy as I am,” Exander mumbled to himself, his confident bravado awakening.

Gaia turned into a bay packed with Imperial vessels. The right side had openings into outer space, where the red planet was in full view swimming amongst the endless sea of stars and reminding them that they were still ahead of time. They veered off the main course, promptly passing beneath several ships and heading to the farthest dock with the small fighter jets where an entire battalion of soldiers and a Destroyer-bot were trying to shoot down the Dirsalian hiding behind a crate. Bodies were piled up all around the area—Spaide’s dirty work.

More troops and droids were headed in Spaide’s direction, unaware of the hover bike that passed them. Gaia pulled out a blaster and began shooting at them while simultaneously applying the brakes.

“
Hurry!
” Spaide cried out. He jumped on top of the crate, screaming like a madman and blasting away with both of his revolvers to create a distraction.

Vincent leapt off the bike, blocking Gaia. They stooped down and dove behind the crate.

Spaide jumped down next to Vincent and began to reload. “Havin’ fun?” he asked, grinning.

Vincent raised his arm and shot in the direction of the assailants. “More than I can handle!”

“Wait till we get in space!” Spaide said and began to shoot as well. “Where’re they at?”

“Damn it, you big fool! Go, I’ll stop them!” Exander screamed at his brother, who remained alongside despite being told several times to leave. He then rose up in his seat and added, “Get the master to safety!”

“Right,” Damocles finally concurred, taking off as they entered the dock.

Exander stood up, arms spread. He threw his last dagger at the approaching mounted soldier with one hand and shot the remaining two with the other.

Their bikes exploded into one another, forcing Marz to fly over them, scraping the ceiling. “Damn you!” he cursed, almost losing control of his jet. Passing over the metal pile, he ejected the second missile at his target.

Exander jumped up as the rocket hit his hover bike, somersaulted backwards over the explosion, and crash-landed on the hood of his pursuer’s vehicle, thrusting his sword through the windshield just about spearing Marz to his seat.

“You, bastard!” Marz mumbled as he leaned to the side, inches away from the cold blade. He let go of the wheel.

The blonde hopped off as the vehicle flipped over and began scraping down the dock on its side.

Damocles stopped (or rather, crashed) his bike at the crate that hid the others. He laid down his master by the jet, threw the swords in the cabin, and turned around to face the troops.

“
Carry Duell inside!
” he cried out as he jumped at the soldiers. With one swift blow, he split four of them in half, spraying the floor with their blood. He then dodged a few blasts and cart-wheeled into the remaining troops, mercilessly stabbing and slashing through them.

The Destroyer-bot that was alongside the mass lowered its
chaingun
limbs in an attempt to shoot the target that appeared beneath. Jumping up, Damocles hacked off one of the robot’s arms, its head, and then kicked its torso across the room, toppling two more guards. He then put away his sword, picked up the robot’s mechanical arm that continued to convulsively shoot and, holding the weapon at his side, turned its fire toward the approaching brigade.

“Die, you Imperial scum!” he yelled as he slowly sidestepped and swept the perimeter with the blue energy spheres.

Taking the opportunity, Gaia, Vincent, and Spaide entered the shuttle, carrying Duell with them.

Spaide positioned himself in the pilot’s seat. “
Hurry up!
” he called out to the big Xenian.

Through the corner of his eye, Damocles saw Marz running behind his brother with a withdrawn sword. He quickly turned the robotic limb at the assailant.

Marz blocked the blasts by whirling his blade with unparalleled speed and jumped away, hiding behind the Destroyer-bot’s torso.

Exander hurried by Damocles. “Drop it, let’s go!”

Despite the ceaseless assault, Marz jumped up and threw a dagger at the big man.

Damocles blocked the hit with the weapon, which at that point discontinued firing, then threw it down and headed for the ship.

Marz jumped atop the metal husk and heaved another dagger. The blade stuck the cargo door of the shuttle just as the big man managed to close it.

Marz raised up his gauntlet. “Turn on the magnetic beam in D-4!”

The fleeing shuttle lifted off and propelled through the plasma shield into open space.

“
Man your ships!
” Marz commanded the dozens of pilots that poured into the dock. He then repeated frantically, “Damn it! Turn on the magnetic beam!”

An explosion thundered in the distance, forcing the ship to tremble.

Marz paused for a second, looking around. “
Take cover!
” he managed to cry out before dropping to the floor.

Five of the jets blew up at once, filling the dock with smoke and fire. Marz rose up, dusting himself off, the thought of what had occurred slowly sinking in: they were outsmarted. Then the emergency sprayers began releasing white foam, subduing the flames and enveloping the entire pier.

“One day, Krynne… one day,” Marz muttered as the foam rose up to his knees. He then picked up his wrist and said into the transmitter, “Master, they’re gone.”

*

The companions were crumpled on top of each other inside the small cabin that was designed for two people. There weren’t any ships on their tail, thanks to the clever Dirsalian’s bombs destroying most of the nearby hangar.

“Yes, yes!” Spaide guffawed. “Chase us now!”

“No time for cheers!” Damocles warned.

“We made it so far, let’s be a bit more
optim
—”

The vessel began vibrating as the gravitational pull of the planet took charge.

“We’ll have to wait till I regain control of it!” Spaide said.

“But we’re moving so slow!” Gaia shouted. “The Imperials will be on us in—”

“Here they come!”

Dozens of ships headed after them, some from the farthest docks of the
Nomad
and more from the other carriers that orbited the planet.

“We could’ve had him!” Exander’s fussing was heard through the pile.

“There’re too many of us!” Spaide panicked. “This piece of junk won’t hold!”

Vincent was squished up in the left corner of the ship, Damocles’ elbow in his side and Exander’s foot on his shoulder. He could catch a glimpse of the outside through the window, where he saw that the vessel’s wings were red, burning from the momentum of the ship ripping through the atmosphere.

“We could’ve had him, Damocles!” Exander continued grunting.

“Concentrate on holding the ship!” Damocles shouted as he pressed his palms against the roof while closing his eyes.

Exander sighed and followed the example, pushing his hands on the floor. The brothers were in a supernatural trance: eyes shut, faces indifferent. Somehow, Vincent guessed, perhaps using their telekinetic powers, they kept the ship intact.

“Hold it!” Spaide cried out as flames fully surrounded them.

Few of the ships in pursuit began exploding from the unstable pressure, bombarding them with debris.

“Hold it!” Spaide repeated, clinging to the controls. Their ship was ablaze at the moment, as if they were in the belly of a fiery monster. After several seconds, the flames disappeared, and Spaide regained control of the ship.

The twins let go, their faces betraying signs of exhaustion.

“Okay”—Spaide sighed with relief, leveling the ship—“let’s cool things down a bit.” He flicked a switch that triggered cooling sprayers on the wings.

“There are five of them on the radar,” said Gaia, who monitored the co-pilot’s screen behind Spaide’s chair. “If we lose visual contact with them before they enter the atmosphere, we can easily escape.”