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The Serpent's Coils By Amber Michelle K. Remember the scene in the ruined Eldridge, when Krelian ambushed the party just as they were about to retrieve the Razael data? Let's explore what happened with Shitan. Battle had erupted below; Shitan knew without looking that it was only a matter of time before the others fell and he would be faced with opposition. His fingers flew over the archaic keyboard as his mind struggled to translate. He knew Old Solarian well from his dealings with Cain and the Gazel, but the dialect in the Eldridge's computer was a step above and apart, and only barely comprehensible. Schematics hadn't changed, however, and he knew, knew that if he didn't destroy this information-- > CONFIRMED. DELETE FILES IN 0709045772? A jarring screech announced the fall of one of their gears - Fei or Bart, and one man was a thin shield against Grahf's power. He slapped his hand down on the confirmation pad, and gritted his teeth. > PASSWORD REQUIRED. Of course. He stared at the readout. What would have been significant to these people? Weltall's engine was straining in the background, metal scraped on metal, and he imagined Fei holding his enemy back with all his might, only to be shoved away, overcome. He felt the ether building, strong enough to numb his mind, even at a distance. The schematic code was 'seraphim.' Seraphim, seraphim, what was the old legend? His mother had read it from an old storybook. The seraphim were fire, serpents, phoenixes, and one among them, the special one-- "Step away from the terminal, Hyuga." The calm command sent a shiver up his spine the like of what he'd felt when someone ran their nails down a chalkboard. His body froze, even as his mind raced. What was that angel's name? "What do you think?" Krelian mused, somehow audible over the din of battle. "'Asasaiah'?" Hyuga took the bait, fingers flying to comply, and threw himself to the side as soon as he hit 'enter.' A sword sang through the air just above his ear as he rolled and caught a few strands of his hair. He couldn't spare a glance for the screen. As soon as he was on his feet he fumbled to draw his sword. It came free only just in time to parry Krelian's next strike, and his wrists were jarred by the force of it, caught at a bad angle. He backpeddaled, unbalanced, but Krelian did not follow him, even when he regained his footing and took an offensive stance. It wasn't his way, but there was no time to play games. "A valiant effort, Hyuga, though I expected better of you." Krelian held his sword loosely, point down, watching expectantly. He didn't appear to be winded at all, though Hyuga's heart was beating hard enough to punch through his chest. "Will you come peacefully, or force me to hurt you? She won't be pleased with the latter." She? Elly? The screen edged into his vision again as they circled, and the schematic was gone; the word he'd typed had sent it back to the menu. "We have already crossed that threshold, have we not?" Hyuga paused, and his opponent followed suit, still at a distance. Ether thundered and lit the chamber with a flash before it faded, as if to punctuate his remark. It would be too much to hope the battle between Fei and Grahf might destroy the computer. "I cannot allow you to access this information." Krelian raised his blade slowly, his smile bleeding wider, merely a shadow in the stark illumination of Razael's screens. "Pity." It was like facing an alabaster likeness, bled of all color except for the eyes, and they glittered blue like jewels. The illusion shattered a moment later when he dashed forward to strike, a blur of white and the flash of a sword. Hyuga parried more by instinct than skill, twisting and dodging, bringing his sword up at the last second. Krelian forced him back to the edge of the platform and struck again before he could retaliate, lightning-fast, and again, his blade just a flash of silver. Only a moment had passed, and he felt as if he'd run a marathon. How could the man be so fast? He took the first opening Krelian gave him, sidestepping and lunging forward, knocking his sword back. But he was met with another strike a moment later, his own dodged gracefully and met again with enough force to push him to the edge. His sword went flying from his hand with the next hit, and Hyuga dove over the side, landing hard enough to send him rolling. He made a grab for the sword. Another figure flashed into his line of sight before he could get back onto his feet again - Miang. They'd won, it seemed. But he stood ready, gasping for air, eyes on his new opponent. She made no move to attack, or gave any sign she noticed him, though he knew she was watching, hidden behind the executioner's mask. Krelian landed lightly between them and straightened with all the grace of an angel, his expression frozen in a faint, pitying smile, and moved forward again. There was silence in the chamber; he realized for the first time that the gear battle had stopped. Hyuga couldn't help but realize he wasn't accomplishing much as the last bastion of strength. The other's wouldn't stand a chance, even if they found a way into the chamber in time. He raised his sword, and the exchange was quick, impossibly, inhumanly swift, and Krelian's last strike sent the sword flying from his hands again to clatter uselessly somewhere in the shadows beyond Razael's light. "Miang!" The chill of ether gripped Hyuga like the snow of the arctic waste, and he sank into nothingness. ----------------- |