Codename: Freedom - Book 4 - Chapter 22

Most of our men had been moved away from the northern gate, leaving only those that would venture out and face the rank D Ekseliksi elite in battle. My fellow majors had two squads of their best men lined up in long rows as if to show them off. Kline was on my far right with his polemen that he’d hand-selected and trained personally. They’d been armed with poleaxes in Freedom, and their weapon choice hadn’t changed. With modern alloys, I wondered just how devastating these new pole weapons could be.

Cornelius’s men came next. One squad was what you’d expect. They looked like combat masters following in their mentor’s footsteps. The second squad however was a little more colorful. Vector stood at the end with his hair freshly dyed blue. His wife Drool was standing right beside him with matching hair color. I’d thought she’d joined Victoria’s intelligence team, yet here she was. Knowing that they were likely to die, I wanted to object to their coming, but if I used that same standard across the board then I’d have to tell most everyone to leave.

I nodded toward them as I approached and scanned the rest of the faces beside them. Treetop was right beside them with Handshake Death and the rest of the crew. I spotted Marrabella at the opposite end of their row with her eyes closed and swaying back and forth to her own rhythm. That wasn’t the only thing that set her apart. Her ballistic armor was as form-fitting as the rest, but its design was much more flattering. It was an obvious custom job with gold accenting her shoulders, collar, and hips over black, and a golden headset rounding her crown that gave her a regal appeal. One part of me wanted to laugh, and the other cry. If I was stronger, she wouldn’t have to be lining up to do this. None of them would.

Pulling my eyes away from her, I turned toward Harrison’s men and found the most eclectic group in all of Prodos. Their gear made them look more like technicians than warriors, except for a few that were geared in combat exoskeletons. Amongst the most standardly geared of his men I saw a face more familiar than the rest.

“St3alth, err Hwan?” I said, relying on Destiny to direct my message. “It’s good to see you made it, but why are you here, exactly?”

Hwan

Rank: First Lieutenant

Atk: E

Phys: F

Psi: —

Tech: E

Def: E

Phys: F

Psi: ­—

Tech: E

I noticed he had yet to unlock his psionics. It was still the first day. A month from now would be a different story, but it was far too early for him.

Now close enough to see his facial features without enhancement, I watched him smirk.

Then he vanished.

“You should know. The loan you gave me helped me pay for it,” he replied, reappearing as soon as he’d finished talking. “I’ve been able to experiment during the battle and the major thinks me and the boys will make good nuisances.”

Without psionics, there were still a few advantages normal soldiers had since their energy wouldn’t disrupt other tech. In the short term, it would allow Hwan to make himself useful. If he could find a weapon that would do enough damage, his years as a virtual assassin would come in handy. Against a rank D Ekseliksi elite, however…

I felt responsible because in a real way I was. All it had taken was to mention him to Victoria and she’d made it happen. A few others from my old guild had also made it into Vanguard also, but he was the only one allowed to join Prodos. This was his first real battle, and, like the others, he was almost guaranteed to die. Remembering my first day in Freedom, I had to bite back my words before commanding him to leave. I wasn’t the only one that had suffered that night. He would experience simulated death eventually anyway.

“Be careful,” I said.

His voice grew quiet. “You too.”

As I turned my attention to my men, I couldn’t help but crack a grin. Hwan had always been like this before a fight. He’d been in my group for so long before Freedom, that his habits had become an indirect extension of my own preparation. Before it was a game, and now it wasn’t, but it still felt right having him here.

All the other majors had their men in an at ease formation, and Barrell, Mel, and Ma were no exception. Barrell had a squad of his fastest scouts, and Mel his best marksmen. I knew less of Ma’s men, but I didn’t doubt them. Despite our men being on their best behavior, my captains were an exception. They were being loud and animated. I was sure the redheaded woman in midst of them was to blame. It drew to a halt as I neared, but the tension remained.

I may have glared at Heather—just for an instant—before addressing the lot of them. “Captain Esper here has informed you of the plan?”

“She did,” Mel was quick to respond. The insist way he replied caused me to give Barrell a look. He hid what he was feeling fairly well, except his hands fidgeted as if he were unsure what to do with them. He folded them across his chest.

I then noticed Olivia was there with us. She took the chance to pull Mel away, and Ma was mindful enough to silently excuse himself.

I stood there watching them—purposely letting the tension rise. Barrell had composed himself, but Heather glancing between us with mock bashfulness.

“We good?” I asked.

“Yes, major,” my friend replied, wrapping his hands around his back.

“I trust the captain here will take good care of me,” Heather said. “Won’t you captain?”

“Of course.”

“Then prepare. We leave in two minutes.”

When I’d taken a few steps, I private messaged Barrell. “Tell me honestly. Are you good to go? Even without escorting her, you and your men will probably have the best chance of evading this guy’s insane speed for a time to give me some openings.”

“I’m good,” was all he said in response.

I almost didn’t message her, but I’d been wrong about both Drool and Olivia, so I decided to give Heather the benefit of the doubt and try. “As much as I like seeing my friend squirm, I’m going to need him in top form. Can you give him a break?”

“It’s better this way,” she murmured over the private voice channel. “I know his type. Instead of letting him stew with his own thoughts, being forward about the tension between us will help him loosen up. This isn’t a game to me, Major. I need him to help keep me alive. Trust me.”

Her personality switch was a little jarring, but I couldn’t say it surprised me. “I’ll choose to trust you, then.”

Meeting up by the northern gate with the other majors, we exchanged a few words, then had our hundred men form up behind us. It was finally about to begin.

***

“We know that even the Ekseliksi elite rarely have all of their psionic abilities unlocked,” Peter said as he briefed us. “Because of the way natural talents reveal themselves, and the relationship between abilities, it’s common for the best psionic users to have access to those similar to each other. So abilities close to the body, like shielding and weapon enhancement, are often paired. On the other end of the spectrum, bolt casting and psionic push are also often found together. You can expect all elite to possess both an aura and internal walls since they are the most basic of techniques. Healing is easily the rarest ability and very it’s unlikely for the enemy to have it, but don’t be surprised if they possess a special technique. It will be related to the abilities they’ve unlocked, but the elite are elite for a reason. As the fight progresses, we’ll be calling out abilities the enemy possesses as they reveal themselves. Be ready. We’ll be calling you out by squad. Major Lucius Edwards. You’re up.”

The thick alloy gate started to rise as I turned and glanced back to see Kline, Cornelius, and Harrison awaiting their turn. The rest of our men were waiting behind them. With a nod, I spun and began my forward march.

Passing through the first gate, I heard footsteps behind me as everyone filed into the courtyard before the outer gate. Everyone stopped halfway and only I continued on.

The roar of machinery proceeded the outer gate’s ascension. I crouched into a defensive stance with my shield forward in case the Ekseliksi decided to take advantage. He was a little more than a mile away, but I wasn’t rightly sure how to estimate the limitation of his speed. And what of the velocity of a rank D psionic bolt?

I exited under the half-risen gate with my spear in hand and sword at my hip. My shadow was nearby with backup weapons if needed.

“Lucius,” I heard Peter say. “You can expect this guy to have at least push and bolt abilities, but don’t underestimate his defensive aptitude if we find he can’t use shielding. You can consider push an extended shield and he’ll have masterful control over it.”

“Good to know. Thank you.”

“What’s your current strategy?”

“He has superior speed, strength, and skill, so there’s only one option. The best trainer in the world taught me to use a shield, so I won’t disappoint him.”

“Then, best of luck.”

The trek to get to the Ekseliksi wasn’t a short one, and I wasn’t going to run. He seemed content to just hover there a foot off the ground, so I didn’t rush things either.

Another voice sounded in my ear. “Lucius…” Victoria said but couldn’t finish her thought.

I didn’t leave things hanging there. “You have something in mind that can kill him if I fail, yes?”

“I do…”

“Then if you get a shot, take it. But, I’m not convinced I’m going to die today. I’m going to try to win.”

“I know. I’ve given you a head start, but I’ve moved your support outside the wall and our snipers are set. They should be able to take some pressure off you. You’ll have your chance to fight him, but if I sense things aren’t going well…”

“Do what you have to, Victoria. Getting a taste of what it’s like to fight an elite will be enough.”

“Okay.”

With a few hundred yards to go, things went radio silent, so I spoke directly to Destiny. “Just you and me.”

“I’m ready!” She screamed.

I dipped low as if being attacked.

“Sorry. I’m—excited.”

“Doing okay?”

An image of her little blond self appeared at the edge of my vision. “Don’t worry about me,” she replied, flexing in her military dress. “I got most of my jitters out of the way in the earlier battle. This one is just a little bit more, dangerous.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve done this together, hasn’t it?”

“It has. I’ll keep chatter to a minimum, but I have a few tricks up my sleeves that might help if things get iffy.”

“Then I’ll be relying on you.”

“No, you won’t. Not anymore. My little Lucius has grown up. Now show this purple ogre that he should’ve chosen today to stay home.”

The corner of my mouth twitched up. “Yes, ma’am.”

Rounding my shoulders, I drew all of my focus onto the towering figure I was drawing near. As Peter and Victoria had taught me, I began cycling psionic notes like playing a musical scale. I kept each note in the rank G range, but slowly they intensified.

I didn’t know how much the Ekseliksi elite would notice of my abilities, but I didn’t expect there was much I could hide from him anyway, so I didn’t try. My only real advantage was the chance that he’d underestimate me.

Coming to a stop with about fifty feet between us, I got into position.

I certainly had his attention. It was more like a yard between him and the ground. The constant psionic push he was using to stay airborne produced turbulence across the surface of the ground that I had to adjust for. From his position, he looked down his blocky nose at me.

He was visibly disappointed and started floating toward me without changing his posture of superiority.

His voice was rough and grating as he spoke. “The primates have finally sent someone against me, and look, they send a boy.”

His forward movement stopped no more than ten feet away. At this distance, it was easy to judge. Not only was he hovering in the air, but he was also taller than me. He wasn’t as thick as Achilles or Cornelius, but his inhuman flesh promised hidden strength.

I didn’t have any plan on exchanging taunts with him, so instead I started gathering my energy as subtly as possible.

As if speaking to an invisible someone, he continued. “They must seek to test my strength and will respond after I crush this one. Let’s get it over with then.”

Before he finished his last phrase, I thrust forward, unleashing a rank E psionic bolt aiming for his face.

He dodged to the side as ease as blinking, then he was on me. His speed while in the air was terrifyingly quick. Using his leverage from above, he struck down with his fist.

Pivoting my back foot, it brought me in line with the attack, and shielding energy hummed into place over my pshield. I tried to angle his attack, but it crashed into me like a sledgehammer.

My spear jabbed low at his feet as I let out a pulse of Othisi to try to feel out which way he’d move next.

Before my thrust had even reached full extension, I was pivoting again, just barely cycling energy into my pshield to block a second blow.

It was generally impossible to use more than one ability at once, with a few exceptions to the rule, but my training with the bandits had made my cycling from ability to ability almost instant. Ranking up had only improved my speed.

A flurry of punches followed, and it took every ounce of concentration I could muster. But keep up I did, using every angle as Achilles had taught me through his constant beatings.

Seeing no chance to enhance my weapon or fire off a psionic bolt, I made use of the one weapon left to me. I lunged forward, driving my shield into his coming fist, stifling it. I drove my shield upward with all my might. I felt the collision of his full weight as I battered him back.

Then I felt a hand tugging on the rim of my shield and thrust out with my spear while dipping into an even lower stance and bringing my shield with it. His strength may have been superior, but his was a move I’d faced a thousand times before, and my reaction was right and crisp.

My shield’s control returned to me, but I felt pressure like something was coming when the Ekseliksi elite’s shin slammed into my shield from the flank. The angle was off and his leg bit into my shoulder as I pitched to the side.

Hitting the ground, I rolled. My psionic shielding had appeared over my shoulder in time so that my arm remained unbroken, but it still felt like Kline had taken a free shot. I came up in the correct stance and found the next angle. I let a gush of healing energy fill my shoulder before reducing it to a trickle and readying to cycle.

The Ekseliksi paused and continued talking to himself. “This young primate isn’t just fodder it seems. He’s able to use Othisi and Voli without relying on these—tools,” he spat, twirling his finger while pointing at my spear and shield. “So he must be one of their best, yet so dishonorable… Still, his dishonor will become my glory. I should get it over with.”

“Be ready,” Victoria sounded in my ear. There was no explanation, but the warning was enough.

He flashed forward and moved to strike.

Jerking to the side, a mostly silent rail-rifle round struck him in the chest. Its air-splitting hiss caught up an instant later.

My spear was already falling from my grasp as I launched a silver bolt from my palm. My spear allowed such abilities, but it wasn’t designed for them and offered resistance. Without it, the attack flew at full strength at point-blank range.

Turning his head so as not to catch it in the face, my bolt slammed into the side of his head. A few more sniper rounds peppered his torso as I prepared a second Voli bolt.

He darted back in the air a hundred feet then glared at me. He glanced at the others, then descend to take his first step on the ground.

“Annoying,” he said, brushing his hand against his chest where the rifle rounds had struck, and opening his mouth to test the motion of his jaw. “It seems I’ll have to exert myself.”

Replacing the Othisi, an aura shrouded him in sickly green. It felt less tangible but far more dangerous than the pressure from his pushing ability. It was the same type of pressure I’d felt when he’d kicked me.

First, he’d been fighting me with his bare hands, and now I couldn’t help but take in the damage the sniper rounds had done, which was basically nothing. They seemed to have left little more than bruising. My own bolt to his face looked to pain him the most, but there wasn’t even a visible mark. His physical body was on a whole different level.

Destiny had finally received enough data to make an estimated guess on my opponent’s info which popped up above its head.

Atk: A/S

Phys: B

Psi: D

Tech: —

Def: A/S

Phys: B

Psi: ­D

Tech: —

We’d already reached the level where Destiny wasn’t even sure how to estimate my opponent’s strength.

“Backup is incoming,” Victoria said.

I wordlessly gestured my approval to the woman viewing things through my eyes while not losing sight of the eilite.

Then he moved. It wasn’t as fast as he’d moved in the air, but his limbs blurred more than before. I’d only been facing the strength of his body, but with his aura enhancing him I knew his ability to cross distances was the least of my worries.

I lined up just right, and my psionics covered my shield. Then his fist landed, and I was sent wheeling back, trying to catch my balance.

I threw my legs behind me, only to have a second fist fling me back a second time. My feet were already in position and tore the earth as they fought to find purchase. Before my backward momentum had even stopped, I was hurled to the side and left scrambling.

Squatting lower in a desperate attempt to regain some form of control, I received his shin high on my shield. It was angled upward with enough force for my feet to leave the ground and his follow-up was too fast for me to get good shield placement.

I reached out with Othisi to feel for the incoming blow from my blind spot. It was only enough for me to cycle to the beginnings of my shield over his target. His leg caught me mid-hamstring, and my legs wheeled upward as the rest of me was thrown.

Contorting my body in the air, my head just missed the ground and I slammed onto my side.

A surge of my aura was enough to bring me to my feet, but the damage done to my leg throbbed with deep bruising.

A few sniper rounds bought me a moment as I struggled to put weight on my leg. And then, the others arrived.

Orange streaks filled the space between me and the Ekseliksi elite. There were a few dozen bolts in the volley as Mel’s men made their presence known. They veered to both sides encircling him and keeping their distance.

Our opponent moved, but this time I wasn’t his target. He appeared before one of Mel’s casters and leveled a shin kick at the man’s midsection. The true disparity between us and this monster was painfully revealed.

The man buckled in the middle and was tossed aside. Before he hit the ground the Ekseliksi elite moved on to the next closest man and collapsed the man’s skull with a right cross. Blurring again, he placed a front kick square in another man’s chest. Rank F psionic shielding made no difference. The man’s chest caved in, absorbing most of the force so that he wasn’t thrown back like the rest and just collapsed.

Out of habit more than any conscious thought, healing energy flowed to my hamstring.

Mel was the first to retaliate, bringing up the rear of his men. He unleashed a barrage of rank F psionic bolts at a speed that looked almost like beams of energy lazing from his hands.

There was no guesswork needed to know who the Ekseliksi elite would go for next. Mel didn’t bother trying to evade, daring the elite to take his assault head-on.

Ignoring my pain, I took a lunging step forward onto my injured leg and my aura blazed. I hurled my spear through the air, not to where the Ekseliksi was, but where I thought he’d be. I’d been right. He hadn’t taken Mel’s attack, but skirted to the side of it to close in.

My spear arrived, cutting off our enemy’s path. He swatted it aside and proceeded to attack.

The distraction had been enough to let Mel redirect his barrage. There was a loud series of pops. Then the Ekseliksi struck out.

I was moving before I knew what happened. Just as this alien had made use of Othisi to hover, I used it to throw myself forward with my sword in hand. My aura filled me with strength, and I pulled back to swing when I saw he hadn’t hit Mel but grabbed him by the back of the neck. He proceeded to swing my friend at me like a human club.

Landing, I ducked beneath him, which sent searing protest down the back of my leg. The memory of Mel sacrificing himself to save me from the goblin king came back all at once and stirred something inside of me. The game devs had chosen to not allow player bodies to disperse during that event. The gore had driven home the truth of Freedom in a way few other things could. And now, this living, breathing monster was using my friend in a similar grotesque manner.

Only my aura could give me the strength to function correctly in my injured state. But it wasn’t self-preservation that guided my sword. My blade snaked forward, and the rim of my shield followed behind.

The speed I’d lost myself in when slaying the goblin soldiers came as I beckoned. I hadn’t fully comprehended it, and yet I knew it wasn’t enough. So instead of basking in the feeling of it, I forsook feeling altogether and pushed with everything I had.

My sword flew, and so did my shield. When there were no immediate counters, I pressed forward, flowing through defensive and offensive stances without stopping my assault.

I felt my blade touch flesh, but the impact was so minimal that I knew it wasn’t causing much damage. I’d been in this same situation during my endless hours fighting bandits, all of which were stronger than me. How could I not know exactly what was going on?

My opponent wasn’t frightened of me or being overwhelmed. There’d been a shift in the battle, and he was taking a moment to observe the change. That was all.

If that was the case, then I also knew the appropriate response. I remembered Achilles' lesson on the power of broken rhythm and immediately shifted into a series of rapid slashes that came at especially odd angles. Then, instead of drawing back, I spun, giving him my back. It was a gamble, but it would look like I was an idiot begging for death.

I felt his fist connect with my shoulder, but I was already twirling away from him. He’d taken the bait.

I’d pulled my shield in close to my torso to allow for the fastest speed possible. Reaching full rotation, I let loose. The bottom rim of my shield struck something solid, and I thrust down with my sword, and angled it inward.

The leg I’d been hunting for was waiting where I expected it. My short psword was bathed in silver energy as it plunged into the Ekseliksi’s thigh between the hamstring and bone. As it did, my psword shattered.

The Ekseliksi elite howled, then a sudden burst of energy exploded out of him, sending me and anyone close flying through the air.

I reached out with my hand to find traction on the ground before pulling my feet over my head. My feet whipped down fast enough to get under me as I landed in a skid.

I found our enemy pulling a six-inch shard of what was left of my sword from the back of his leg. A thick red line across the side of his face left me just as proud. Then I spotted more than a dozen people lying on the ground in a ring around him at a distance of about twenty feet. He’d used a huge surge of Othisi to push all of us back at once.

Standing, I reached out and my shadow drone delivered a second sword into my grip without me having to look.

I only dared a glance, but Mel was lying motionless not too far away from me.

“Dead,” Destiny confirmed.

I summoned my healing energy without reserve while retaking my stance. Even the smallest advantage might give me a chance for another exchange.

“Cornelius. Both squads,” Victoria announced. “Lucius, heal up as much as you can.”

The old combat master flew in like a raging bull. His men were right on his tail. I saw the blue of Vector and Drool’s hair and knew they’d come for one purpose, to sacrifice themselves to give me a chance to recover.

Stepping back, I resigned myself to having no choice but to watch my friends die.