“Remember, the radial engines are going to drop in thrust when we break atmosphere.” He made mild corrections on his console, and his new bridge crew was quick to take notes. “You are going to think the angle of entry is too steep at first, but the profile mitigates the friction.”
“That’s not usually how one compensates for friction” Viisi grumbled, “I mean, I see what you did with the materials and the status readout but you have modified this thing into a death trap.”
“Good thing I’m hardly ever here.” Before the girls could react, he stated firmly, “When I leave this ship, I’m on formal assignment. The fun loving kidnapper and mentor you have come to know will be gone. If you want to come with, you need to remain silent and watch without interfering no matter what you see out there. Even if it looks like I’m about to die, I need you to watch. Combatants and non-combatants alike. Those who stay can observe through the sentry drone.” He cracked his neck and moved swiftly from the bridge to the boarding ramp. Zwei, Hepta, Shi, Kuntaret, and Sadvimsati followed him out, the rest choosing to remain and watch from the monitors. Each of the five following him were directed to wear cloaks bearing the Falos insignia and completely hid their attire from view.
As he stepped down the boarding ramp they could feel something had changed in the air. His intensity filled the air around him. A small eye like drone seemed to follow him from about 30 meters away, panning from time to time to get various angles. He approached a large stone building that looked like it had been carved out by the elements themselves, and at the top of the building was a majestic bell that seemed like it was made from precious metals. As he approached, various warriors came to intercept him, “Leave here, Falos dog. We will not offer our relic to your emperor.”
His voice from behind his helm was harsh but efficient, “He is more than aware of that at this point. I don’t come here for that. I have come to fulfill the rite of combat that you all requested. Your strongest warriors will face me in combat. Success frees you all from obligation to aid the Falos royal family in times of crisis. Failure will not only reestablish your vows but cost the lives of the champions in question.” The warriors seemed worried about his companions but he spoke in a tone full of menace. “They are here in case of your foul play, not that I would require their aid regardless.”
The warriors nodded and allowed him and his companions to pass. Going up the uneven steps, they came to a pristine marble courtyard. Polished to a smooth sheen and perfectly level. As he approached an older member of this order stated his terms clearly, “You shall abandon use of your powers here or our champions will call upon the power of Daybreak’s Bell in your bout.”
He gripped the man by his collar, “My armor is not for your request. And your champions may use your bell regardless. I will not need my flames for your precious champions.” The older man didn’t seem scared, but he didn’t need to be. They needed only to know that he would not be playing their game.
The leader of the champions scoffed, “Let him carry his head with pride. We shall strike him down just the same. Which of us would you like to fight first?”
“All of you.” When they froze, he said again, “All of you at once. Because I have more important things to do and one look tells me that this team cannot defeat me.” The girls sized up this group of sharp eyed and alert warriors and wondered what he was talking about. The older man seemed concerned by his confidence but the young warriors didn’t blink.
Their leader stated firmly, “You hold no more power than the average lieutenant of your empire. Your confidence speaks only to the weakness of your people.” He didn’t react to the taunts of the children. The warrior spoke again, “We shall face you as we are then, but if I should even see the slightest ember of your scarlet flames, I shall see you consumed by the power of the Bell.”
He brushed off the threats of the young man, walking into the arena and waiting at its center for his opponents. As they funneled in, he didn’t seem to be looking at any of them. Staring straight ahead, and taking deep and deliberate breaths. The five of them circled him like a pack of wolves. He wasn’t moving but each of them seemed to hesitate as soon as they would cross his vision. The warrior who threatened him nodded to the rest. They all took a deep breath and in a blink they were on top of him.
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Five bell hammers. Five strikes. All of them practiced and precise. All at the same moment. The back of his head to disrupt his balance and motor control. The center of his chest to disrupt his breathing and damage his heart. His lower back to attempt to cripple him and weaken his core. His right tibia to put torque on his body and prevent him from landing proper kicks. His left fibia to enhance the torque further and to make moving agony. All five of them followed through without any resistance and shouted, “Dawn’s Star.”
The Phoenix Emperor was propelled into an involuntary corkscrew, landing on his spine. Zwei couldn’t help but worry and Hepta stepped forward to help only to have Shi stop her. Shi’s eyes seemed sharp and alert, like she was waiting for something. He stood up after a moment, and the warriors looked a little nervous. Their leader laughed and seemed to be signaling them to do it again when they heard him talk. “You guys are as green as it gets. But the name is nice.” He stood up and braced his arms in front of him, “How about this. Try it again and I’ll finish the survivors.”
“You received-“
“One hell of a wake up call. I should have fought only one of you at a time. Should be an easy fix.” His stance gave away that the hammers had done their work. His shaking legs gave away the pain he must be in. His ragged breathing and mild twisting revealed to anyone with eyes that he was feeling it.
Still, he taunted them. The leader responded,“Of course. I don’t mind putting you out of your misery. Remember, face defeat with honor.”
They circled around. Same formation. Same approach. And he was hurt badly, but there was something odd about how he was standing. As they made their lightning approach, he pushed his body into the air, striking an odd pose, his knee forward, other leg stretched back, his core twisted, and his head leaned forward. The hammer aimed for the back of his leg made first contact with his extended foot. As it did, it rotated his body, his knee striking the chin of the person trying to hit his chest. The rotation threw off the rest as well, allowing him to elbow the spinal and head hammerers in the base of their necks. The fool that was supposed to hit the front of his leg got two knees to the spine.
Disabling four of the five in one counter, he was about to celebrate, only for the leader of the warriors to strike him unexpectedly from behind. “You have not kept your word yet. My allies retain their lives and I will not allow you to rob them of them.” He slid across the smooth arena from the warrior’s blow. “Evil shall not claim victory on my watch.” As he said this he stood as the dominant hero, the absolute picture of nobility.
The girls watched with concern for the man, even moreso when the elder turned away. This was clearly going to become brutal. Still, they could not look away. They didn’t want to miss the moment it happened. He stood, but it wasn’t the same as before. His body cracked audibly, and his movements were heavy, but his muscles were taut. His movements were smooth. He looked at the man and his helmet was cracked. More disconcerting was that his eyes were not their usual red but rather seemed to be burning gold. His helmet was too broken for his voice changer to work, but his growl was real. “I clawed my way out of hell. I’ve beaten people with three times your talent and five times as intelligent.” The Warrior twirled the bell hammer effortlessly, hitting him multiple times around the head and shoulders before bringing it across the face. He expected The Immortal Phoenix Emperor to fall to this, and as his body began to topple it seemed like enough. Suddenly, his fall was stopped, his eyes continuing to burn gold, “I have something you don’t. Too much to live for.” The girls looked at the elder again and saw tears falling from his eyes. Before they could tell why, they heard a bell ringing. Powerful and resonating in their chest.
He stood up, almost seeming to shine. His posture and movements were as if nothing had happened. He walked over to one of the hammers of the fallen and kicked it into his hand effortlessly. The warrior shouted, “You fool! The bell is not tolling for your victory it-“ he was cut off by the sound of one of his friend’s legs shattering to a million pieces, The Immortal Phoenix Emperor crushing it with his boot like it was a mere twig. He charged The Immortal and felt a hammer shatter his spinal column before he realized it. The leader watched helplessly as his friend’s had their limbs decimated beyond any medical care. He waited for the end.
But it didn’t come. The Immortal spoke firmly, “Your lives as warriors have ended. You are no longer a threat to our empire. If that should change, I will return.” He walked back towards the ship, as if nothing had happened. Just as smooth as when he arrived. As soon as the boarding ramp closed, he fell to the ground completely unconscious. His armor faded in a flash of red, the ground turning crimson around his prone form. Kuntaret froze at the sight. Shi snapped to get the attention of the other three and motioned them to get him to the med bay. Kuntaret continued to stare at the pool of blood, frozen and unresponsive.