Chapter 31
In that moment Byte lunged at Matt, breaking his invisibility. Byte activated Steel Pounce. Matt’s eyes widened in shock, but he quickly regained his composure, twisting away from Byte’s tackle just as it would’ve collided. He turned and fired another two rounds that ricocheted off of Byte’s new and stronger exterior.
“Byte!” I shouted, my heart pounding as I joined the fray.
Byte landed gracefully and turned his powerful frame to leap at Matt once more. Matt swung wildly, and Byte dodged, agile and fierce. Once more Matt trained the gun at Byte and Felix activated a shield, throwing it at Matt knocking the weapon from his hands. The gun skittering across the floor.
“Maura, now!” Felix shouted, trying to keep Matt occupied as he squared off against him. I could see the determination in Felix's eyes, but there was no time to waste. I knew I had to act.
I dove to the side, grabbing my energy sword from my hip. The metallic weight felt reassuring in my hand as I charged at Matt, swinging with all my strength. The weapon connected with his shoulder, sending him off balance. The smell of burnt flesh filled my nostrils as Matt howled in pain and anger, but before he could recover, Byte lunged again, this time sinking his teeth into Matt's arm.
“Get off me, you walking bear trap.” Matt roared, thrashing against Byte, but the robot held on with tenacity, refusing to let go.
Felix took advantage of Matt’s distraction and kicked him in the back of the knees, forcing him to the ground. The struggle was chaotic, limbs flailing as we all fought for control. I could hear the sounds of battle outside the tent growing louder—the shouts, the clanging of weapons, the unmistakable sound of chaos spilling over into the camp.
“Stay focused!” I yelled, adrenaline surging through me. “We can’t let him escape!”
Matt scrambled back to his feet, his expression a mixture of rage and disbelief. “You think you can take me down? You’re nothing without your scrap metal and your boyfriend!” he spat, glaring at us. He seemed to activate an ability as pure energy wafted over him. He screamed with pure rage and hatred.
With Byte still hanging from his arm, Matt managed to grab a nearby crate and heaved it toward Felix, who barely dodged in time. The crate crashed into the ground spilling it’s contents, more smuggled food, all over the ground.
“Watch out!” I shouted, but Matt was already swinging his fist in a wide arc. I ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as his punch went over my head. I retaliated with a swift kick to his shin, but he barely flinched, his anger fueling his strength.
“Is that all you’ve got?” he sneered. With a flick of his wrist he sent Byte flying across the tent and into Felix. They both went down in a heap and Matt moved to grab me. I moved to hit him again with my energy sword but Matt grabbed my wrist and yanked the sword from my hands.
He brought the sword down and I stopped pushing mana into it millimeters before it connected with my throat. Just then Byte leapt at him again. He bit down onto Matt’s left calf and activated his Venomous Strike.
Matt sank to his knees as he began to lose control of his legs.
“Hold him!” Felix shouted, and together we moved in for the takedown. We had to act fast. The sounds outside intensified, and I could sense that time was running out.
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Matt roared in fury, pushing Byte away and throwing himself against Felix. The two of them crashed to the ground, struggling for dominance. I rushed to join them, adrenaline fueling my every move. With every ounce of strength, I pulled at Matt, trying to wrestle him off Felix.
The tent was a whirlwind of motion—flaps flapping wildly, supplies scattering as we fought. I could hear the sounds of battle from outside, the clash of steel against steel, and the cries of our friends mixing with the chaos.
Just when I thought we had him pinned, Matt twisted, throwing Felix off him and charging at me. I barely had time to react as he slammed into me, sending us both crashing to the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of me, and I gasped for breath as Matt loomed over me.
“Your little rebellion ends here!” he shouted, raising his now glowing fist to strike.
Before he could deliver the blow, Byte barreled into him again, knocking him off balance and activating Venomous Strike once more.
“Now, Felix!” I shouted, my voice breaking through the chaos.
Felix surged forward, tackling Matt again. The two of them tumbled to the ground, a flurry of fists and fury. I grabbed up my energy sword and activated it aiming it Matt and bracing myself to strike, but the fight was a chaotic mess, and I didn’t want to risk hitting Felix or Byte.
Outside, the cacophony of battle continued to escalate, the sounds of shouting and weapons clashing echoing around us. The camp was in full riot mode.
“Let’s end this!” I yelled, gripping the weapon tightly, my heart racing.
Matt, still grappling with Felix, caught sight of me and let out a fierce growl. “You think you can win? You’re just delaying the inevitable!”
“Enough!” I shouted, my voice firm. “This ends now!”
Matt glared at me, breathing heavily, a mix of fury and disbelief swirling in his eyes. His rage was dying down and with it the paralytic venom was taking over. Matt went down on one knee beads of sweat breaking out on his brow.
“Just return the camp’s credits, Matt, and you can leave,” I urged, trying to reach any shred of reason left in him.
Matt let out a raw, choking laugh that gave me gooseflesh. “I will never surrender to terrorists like you. If you win today, someone else will take my place. Leander will never allow someone like you to live.”
“Matt, you don’t even know this guy. Why would you give your life for someone who doesn’t care about you one way or another?” I pressed, desperate to penetrate the delusions that fueled his defiance.
“That’s where you’re wrong, girl,” he sneered, a manic glint in his eye. “Leander and Archelaus are looking for the strong from Earth. They want someone to lead here. They chose me. There is nothing that will stop me. I am chosen by the gods.”
His words dripped with fervor, each syllable laced with a fanaticism that made my stomach turn. As he spoke, a maddening laugh erupted from his throat, echoing within the confines of the tent. He was slipping further into madness, and I could see the last vestiges of control fading from his eyes.
But just as I thought I had the upper hand, he faltered, his hands catching himself before he hit the floor. With the last of his strength, he lunged at me, desperation driving his every movement. I barely had time to react as he grabbed a shard of sharp metal from the ground, his intentions clear.
“Matt, no!” I shouted, instinctively raising my energy sword to defend myself. But it was too late.
He plunged the shard into my neck as he crashed into me, the pain searing through my body. At that moment, the world twisted in a blur of confusion and shock. The hot energy of my sword met his flesh, bisecting him in an instant.
I felt a surge of warmth flooding from my neck, hot and sticky, as I clutched at the wound, my vision blurring. Blood poured from my body, mingling with Matt’s, an indistinguishable mix that soaked the ground beneath us. The realization of what had just happened crashed over me like a wave, drowning me in despair.
As I looked down, the scene was surreal, the world fading away in shades of crimson. The last thing I saw was the lifeblood flowing from both of us, a gruesome tapestry of defeat. Confusion clawed at my mind, and I struggled to make sense of it all.
I tried to call out, to rally Felix or Byte, but my voice was lost in the chaos, drowned out by the distant sounds of battle. Darkness began to encroach on my vision, and I felt the weight of the world slipping away.
I had fought so hard, and yet, here I was—lost in a tide of blood and betrayal. As consciousness began to fade, I could only hope that Felix and Byte would carry on the fight, that they would find a way to reclaim Galene.
End Part One