The Lotus Effect (Rise Of The Ardent) (27 page)

Chapter 28

The Brave Love Mercy

Before allowing myself to panic, I squinted through the wall of sunshine ahead, and saw Xander ushering me out onto the oil-colored dirt that covered the entire surface of the Requiem.

“Step where I step, and follow me.”

Thinking of the first time Xander had told me this beyond the drainage tunnel so long ago, I nodded as I stepped from the holding area, my heart racing out of my chest in anticipation. In terror.

This is it. The Barrage has begun.

The cheering crowd above us buzzed in my ears which I tuned out quickly. Looking around, I tried to take in as much of the landscape as I could.

An empty fighting arena. And directly across from us, open gates leading to the Requiem.

Bubbles and Henry were nowhere to be seen.
Yet,
I reminded myself.
I crouched and followed Xander in a side stepping trot, my eyes on his armored back over the rim of my shield. I readjusted the grip on my axe, but something made me look up again, the tiny hairs under my armor rising . . . .

—the unmistakable metallic
whoosh
of metal on metal clashed against my sensitive ears. Jumping back involuntarily, I watched in horror as Xander suddenly dived into a roll in front of me. My eyes widened, seeing that he narrowly missed being impaled by an iron-spiked fence. A fence that had erupted from beneath the ground.

In a fluid motion, he ran one of his blades across the length of the fence and skidded out of harm’s way. It turned blue as he did so, radiating electricity from where his blade connected.

We hadn’t even managed to make it fifteen feet from the door and already we were being attacked.

 
“This whole place could be rigged. Keep alert.” Xander yelled back to me. “They’re force field optimized.”

I see that.

I nodded at him, not knowing what else to do—but wanted him to know I understood.

 
Stepping carefully around the glowing spiked fence we pushed further ahead across the dark terrain—through the gates, and into the Lands of Requiem beyond. A land empty of life and vast.

I tried to emulate Xander’s footfalls, but with my already racing heart, I was having a difficult time keeping pace. My nerves tightened into a ball of paranoid anxiety as I trotted behind him, constantly looking to my sides and behind for either Bubbles or Harnister to show.

No amount of practice would’ve prepared my nerves for this. Everything was so raw. So instinctual. I turned to the one thing I knew how best to do. I counted a time sequence in my head as I would to keep rhythm in a dance—my tutor’s strict voice dominating my worried mind. One, two, three, four—
slower
—one, two, three, four. I swallowed in a breath; realizing doing this did help calm my heart and allowed my mind to focus.

One
. Right leg forward.
Two
. Left leg forward.
Three
. Side step forward to the right.
Four
. Left leg leap.

Looking above us, I could now understand why Xander was keeping such a swift pace. A gently sloped hill with a rocky outcropping of gray tall standing boulders, spotted with lichen, appeared before us. He was trying to reach the higher ground advantage before the others.

Once above the ridge, Xander slowed, positioning his blades into a defensive stance . . . .

He turned around as if concerned. “Get back!” he yelled to me—but it was already too late. A spiked fence shot upwards to the sky, splitting the distance between us and carving its way up my leg armor. I fell backwards, quickly scooting out of the range of its zapping electricity.

“Xander, behind you!” I warned. Through the metal rods of the fence I saw Harnister expose himself and brazenly engage Xander with a fervent swing of his heavily armored arm, breaking Xander’s attention from me, his entire body having to bow away from the attack.

The tiny hairs on my arms stood again. Instinct told me it wasn’t from the electric current before me—but from the presence looming hidden somewhere near the rock wall at my side.

I looked just in time to see Bubbles soar from the boulder closest to me, yelling savagely in my direction. I rolled out of his landing path, using the shield to push myself quickly back to my feet.

As he hit the ground he caught himself, both fists slamming into the dirt. A small sonic wave of energy emanated from each Cestus, rippling the ground beneath, causing me to stumble backwards.

Apparently, they were
not
weaponless.
I should’ve never underestimated them.

Bubbles laughed—a gravelly sound. “Come ere girl.”

I backpedaled away from him and into another rocky outcropping, my eyes trying to catch sight of Xander.

Which was a mistake.

Bubbles, obviously not fond of chasing me around, slammed his fist onto the large boulder beside us, sending a wave of energy rippling through it and down the open sky tunnel of rocks I had entered into.

Broken bits of porous gray stone rained down upon me. I grunted as I quickly hefted the weight of my shield above my head, effectively blocking the worst of the impacts. Coughing, I peered through the haze of chalk-like dust, soon realizing Bubbles had only used this as a form of distraction. He had gained distance on me and was now roaring, Cestus fist coming full force towards my exposed face.

Reacting on instinct, I side stepped quickly and swiped my shield outwards to bash into his shoulder, knocking his outstretched arm aside. Then immediately repositioning my body, I spun in a low crouch, swinging my right axe in an arch at the back of his knee, disabling the armor at the joint.

I stood. Wide-eyed.
Did I just fight back?

Bubbles didn’t even flinch nor hesitate as he swung his armored fist backwards, connecting with my shield in a mind numbing blow. I grunted again as a wave of energy ripped through my body and sent me flying. The air was knocked from my lungs when I slammed into the surface of the rock behind me, the impact so hard it knocked the helm from my head.

I lay gasping, my back against the rough surface of the boulder. My arm was numb. I could hardly grasp the handle of my shield from the tingling in the bone, the sensation reaching deep into my fingers. I looked to my side, my helm lying just out of reach and deep in the crevice beside me. My head buzzed as I narrowed my eyes, willing them to focus.

Out of the dizzying haze I could see Bubbles approaching.

I have to get up.

Crawling to a standing position, I ignored the wincing pain in my right side. I looked around frantically—noticing the wall of boulders behind me, I made a quick decision and started climbing.

Maybe then I could spot Xander’s location. See if he needed my help.

No time to retrieve my helm, I slid my axes’ handles into their holsters and dug my boots into the ill-formed divots in the pitted rock, steadying my weight as I began to quickly climb to the top. Lichen and moss tickled at my fingertips, offering their own tiny encouragements.

My armor scraped and clanged against the side when I finally pulled myself up and over. I could hear Bubble’s distant curses, but I didn’t stop to see where he had gone.

Pushing myself to my feet, I looked up, my breathing heavy. A line of boulders ran the length before me, each with varying distances between them. Not knowing what else to do, I unholstered my shield and axe, gripping their handles determinedly before leaping over the first small gap.

Knowing I needed to keep my momentum I quickly charged the next gap and continued forward, leaping between each boulder as I tried to reach the last rock which had the highest vantage point. The fifth gap was wider than I expected. Taking the chance, I pushed everything I had into my legs, forcing a hard sprint, and leapt again.

—I lost my footing when I landed and fell hard, my side skidding across the boulder. My armor scraped across the rock’s surface as I went, the shrill screeching causing my ears to cringe inward.

Finally, I lay still.

One
.
Breathe
.
Two
.
Breathe
.
Three
.
Focus
.

Bubbles stalked me from below I knew. He was somewhere near, I just didn’t know
where
exactly.

Taking a moment to reclaim my gasping breath, I searched the field with my eyes, spotting Xander and Harnister going at it some thirty yards to my right. Xander’s fluid movements as he swung his blades reminded me of an elaborate dance of death. He looked as though he was working Henry quickly, impatient to be done with him. Sparks flew off Harnister’s heavily plated arms as he defended against Xander’s attacks, his movements becoming slower and sluggish with every attempt.

Pushing myself to my feet again, I prepared to jump the distance between the final gap. I needed to get within shouting distance to Xander, so I took a deep breath—and charged.

I glanced below as I leapt.

My breath hitched in my throat when I saw Bubbles standing, waiting beneath. Anticipating my arrival, he jumped and grabbed my leg midair. He had misjudged slightly and grabbed at my ankle awkwardly before he had to let go. I cried out as I slammed into the boulder in front of me, the air knocked from my lungs again as I landed belly first onto the rock’s uneven ledge.

To my horror, I started to slide.

Scrambling to keep my hold, I gritted my teeth as my fingers found two small divots in the porous stone. My legs swung without purchase beneath me and I barely managed to keep my shield pinned between my chest and the boulder.

Should I fall—it would be into the waiting arms of Bubbles McGee. I could even hear his grunting efforts to try and grab at my dangling feet through my armor’s screeching protests. I didn’t have a decent enough hold, so I made the quick decision to toss my right axe on top of the rock before I completely lost my purchase, my shielded axe, somewhat still pinned beneath my chest. My fingers dug into the stone above, my nails becoming bloody as I held on for my life.

I could not fall, especially not with my axe now left lying on top.

I will not fall.

A memory of the same determination flashed into my mind as I sat atop a beam, looking down into the dark waters below. Grunting and baring my teeth, I swung my booted leg up. I could feel the salty sweat of my efforts trailing into the corners of my mouth. And like that—my boot found a small footing in the rock. Growling, I pushed against my leg as leverage and somehow managed to pull myself up.

I lay on the warm gritty surface, breathing heavily. I don’t know why, but I laughed as I lay there with cheek against the stone.

Bubbles cursed again.

Come on, Lily. Gather your wits
.

“Come down ‘ere, girlie. You can’t hide up there forever!” Bubbles bellowed from below.

Ignoring Bubble’s taunts, I glanced to my north and saw that Xander was sufficiently wearing down Harnister. The man’s massive chest heaved viciously and sweat dripped down the length of him. Harnister knew he was being defeated. As a last ditch effort, he bellowed, ramming both fists into the dirt, sending a shock wave of broken earth straight towards Xander. Xander maneuvered his way around the quaking surface and quickly bounded back to Henry’s side, gifting him with the downwards swing of his blade—an attack that Harnister barely managed to block with his heavily plated forearm.

“You see what we can do, girlie? Either you come down on yer own or I
make
you come down,” Bubbles called up to me.

“Lily, stay where you are!” Xander yelled across the distance as if anticipating Bubble’s next move.

I watched as Bubbles crossed over to the front of the boulder I now sat crouched on. I grabbed my axe and shield under me, determined to not have Xander finish my fight.

“I warned you, girl,” Bubbles said just before he sent a similar sonic wave into the ground just below the rock, causing the entire boulder to shake which sent me sprawling again.

Baring my teeth and gathering my strength, I counted out another time sequence. If my only physical talent was dancing, then let them know what a real dancer could do.

One. Two. Three. Four
. . . the boulder shook again.
One. Two. Three.
Four—
I pushed myself quickly to my feet and ran the length of the trembling boulder. Reaching the edge without stopping, I caught sight of Bubbles standing below and judging the distance between us in the split second that I had, I leapt.