Dash!

Finished sizing up each other, in a flash, the droid lunged ahead so swiftly and precisely that it would've caught a less experienced fighter off-guard, but not Hao, he was expecting this move. CLANG! He blocked the droid’s attack with Judgment Day then skilfully flicked around it, causing the droid's laser-crescent blade to rake the air where he had stood a fraction of a second ago.

“Piss off!” He retaliated, swinging the sheathed sword in a wild manner. The hilt connected with the Pursuer’s torso with a resonating thud, momentarily unbalancing the mechanical adversary.

But it was swift to recover, its advanced gyroscopic system allowed it to regain its balance in a matter of seconds. Its laser-crescent blade swung again, this time in a rapid storm of strikes.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Hao parried each blow, the scabbard of Judgement Day was meeting the cold alloy of the droid's sharpness with a series of metallic clinks. His every movement was a tactical counter to the droid's relentless assault.

“Right there!” His keen sense of hearing notified him of an opening in the droid's defence. With a swift kick, he pushed off the ground, propelling himself upwards. His feet found purchase on the wall and he used it as a springboard. For the moment he was airborne, he temporarily lost track of the world below, yet this did not prevent him from successfully flipping over the droid. His landing was soft, almost cat-like. Without wasting a moment, he swung Judgement Day until it connected with the back of the droid with a resounding crash. The machine skidded across the corridor, sparks flying as it impacted the wall.

Thud!

Yet, the droid was not defeated. It quickly righted itself, its eyes were glowing ominously as it prepared to resume the attack. There was no sign of slowing, no hint of surrender. The mechanical monstrosity was persistent. Whoever programmed it was a combat expert.

Standing at the ready while steadying his breathing, he spoke to himself, ‘Why won’t this thing go down? If I had Vibe Edge, this dance would have already been over.’ Hao was peeved by his lack of performance, moreover, he missed his trusty companion.

“I can’t afford to waste any more time.” He had to finish this fight quickly before Colgate and the others made it out of the elevator. But as he readied himself for the next assault, the droid suddenly launched a series of mini bombs towards him, turning the narrow corridor into a deadly battlefield.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

At the same time these explosions were going off, Mentos was guiding the Bastians towards the colossal elevator. Ahead, two engineers stood by a trolley laden with a curious assortment of mechanical parts: coiled springs, serrated gears, and complex circuitry, the lifeline of the machines that populated Sphero's Inc. Their conversation wafted over the pile of machinery, having a heated debate over the precise calibration of some device.

The elevator doors then slid open with a whisper of air and the engineers began moving to enter. Yet Mentos, in his haste, rudely pushed past them, “Clear the way!”

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"Oi, there's a queue, mate!" one of them shouted at him, clearly upset by the cut-off.

But Mentos, ever the hardened soul, ignored their protestations. "Time's a luxury we cannot afford," he left no room for further argument and also no space for the engineers to enter. The Bastians were occupying most of it.

“Time to go down.” Mentos hit a button. Just as the doors were preparing to close, Euphy darted out in a blur of motion, its scaled body disappeared quickly into the corridors. "Euphy!" Mentos called out, but it was too late; the doors had already been sealed shut.

“I hope that nothing bad happens to Euphy and Vee.” Mentos sighed with a flickering gaze of worry for Vee. A low grumble of unease rumbled from the remaining beasts at his side.

The elevator descended into the bustling distribution lot below, a hive swarming with both humans and robots. They moved cargo boxes in a synchronized manner, their movements were dictated by the precise rhythm of logistics. Within this place of organised workers, Kiera, Yoad, and Barkcode were weaving their way through while being hunched in their attempt to remain unseen.

"I can't believe we're actually here," Yoad’s gaze was darting between the towering piles of cargo.

"We’re not here to enjoy the sight. We have to find him," Kiera was eager to locate Hao to give him a prepared dish of payback.

Their sneaking around brought them to a vacant elevator. About to step in, Kiera's sharp gaze caught a familiar silhouette in the periphery of her vision. From another elevator close by, Mentos emerged with her Bastian Maelstrom trailing behind him. Her expression darkened like a storm cloud. "It's him and there's Maelstrom..."

Mentos who was oblivious to Kiera's watchful eyes, coaxed the Bastians out of the elevator. "Come on, Acadian and Symphy. We have to get out of here before the authorities come and capture us." Acadian responded with a snort that translate as a vague acknowledgement of Mentos' command.

Just then, a familiar voice cut through the clamour of the lot. "Mentos! Look out! She's coming!" Yoad's warning was like a shot in the stillness, causing Mentos to whirl around just as Kiera launched herself towards him. Mentos raised Shark Skimmer defensively, but the force of the impact sent him crashing against an automatic crane, the reverberating clang resonating through the space.

The scuffle drew the attention of nearby workers. "Hey, you two, what do you think you're doing here? This is a place of business!" One of them shouted while switching between Kiera and Mentos. But the combatants paid no heed to his protestations.

"I'm going to rip your bloody head off, you thief!" Kiera cursed as she pressed Mentos firmly against the crane with her Blade Edge.

“Mentos!” Yoad, with Barkcode at his heels, was rushing over.

Mentos was struggling under her grip, and then he finally recognised his attacker. "You? Where did you come from?" He gasped.

Before Kiera could answer, Yoad leapt onto her back, using his small fingers to dig into her shoulders. "Get off him!"

Kiera grunted and shook Yoad off with a swift movement. "Damn brat!" she seethed, then turned her attention to Maelstrom. "Stomp on him and kill him, my darling!"

After receiving the order, Maelstrom hesitated. The beast's bond with Mentos clouded its obedience. “I said crush him!” Kiera's second command echoed around them, but Maelstrom remained still while flickering its sight between its old master and the new.

Mentos seized the moment of distraction to push back against Kiera. "Don't do it, Acadian! You and Symphy continue to the exit, I'll meet up with you soon."

Kiera's face twisted in anger at his words. "Who do you think you are to command my Bastian?" A mouthful of her angry saliva splashed into Mentos' face. "Its name is Maelstrom, not Acadian!" She turned towards the beast. "Do as I say now, Maelstrom!"

Reluctantly complying, Maelstrom began to move towards the area where Yoad was. Seeing this, Barkcode didn’t remain idle, it stood in its path, menacingly glaring at Maelstrom while a low growl reverberated from its throat.

“Who are those people causing trouble?” The workers watching the unfolding drama wondered what would happen next. Should they call security or wait a little longer?