James Somers - The rise of Lucin

KALE looked over the city wondering how he and Wynn would be able to maneuver unnoticed among the dark skinned Vorn long enough to find Lucin without being attacked or apprehended by the military presence. The Vorn military might have been defeated during the beginning of the Baruk conflict back on Castai, but they were reported to still be quite active on Demigoth. And two Barudii would likely be seen as hostile invaders and subject to every bit of malice they could manage.

Kale looked back at Wynn still standing on the opposite ledge near the building's corner. He was still watching the monitor for clues to Lucin's whereabouts in the city.

"Have you seen anything on the monitor that might indicate he's here in the city?" asked Kale.

"Well I haven't-"

A single silent, burst of energy slammed into Wynn's chest as he spoke. Blood stained the wall behind the Barudii warrior as he stumbled back and caught the corner of the building with his left hand.

Kale couldn't believe it, "Wynn!"

The elder warrior slumped down along the wall and struggled to crane his neck around the corner to see Kale as he got to his feet to come to Wynn's aid.

"Kale," he said weakly as he bled profusely from the entry and exit wounds, "RUN!!"

More shots began to peck into the wall of the building around Wynn. His head dropped lifeless as the last bit of blood pressure failed him. Kale's friend and teacher was dead.

The shots continued, but were coming from different buildings around Kale. He took off running down the length of the ledge, igniting a kemstick along the way. Shots were coming from every direction. Kale leapt away from the ledge and allowed his self to drop back down into the alley way between the buildings.

Kale landed amid puddles of water in the alley, but he was not alone.

"How good of you to come to my party," said Lucin. There were at least a dozen people with him; all of them looked very much like the feral Horva from Castai, but they appeared more lucid. "I've found more followers since my arrival," said Lucin confidently.

Kale was still brandishing his ignited weapon before him, but the alley was a dead end behind him. The only way out appeared to be through Lucin and his minions.

"I didn't think you found the Horva body very hospitable," said Kale.

"Interesting thing, it seems the first generation clones possessed something these don't."

"Lucky for you."

"Wasn't it?" replied Lucin.

"Well, will it be one at a time or altogether?" said Kale to the whole group.

Lucin was clearly amused by the young man's confidence, considering his predicament. "Your father wouldn't share your optimism, I think," said Lucin.

Kale knew Lucin was baiting him, but his fury won out and he rushed ahead at him and his Horva followers. Several of the Horva rushed in between Kale and their master to protect him. Kale slew them quickly without a break in his stride and kept gunning for the Mithrial-man.

Lucin brought forth a surge of kinetic power that captured Kale and sent him flying back into a number of garbage collection containers at the rear of the alley, despite his mental efforts to counter the attack. Clearly, Lucin was gaining in strength and Kale realized he was facing off with a being of far greater power and immeasurable evil. He clamored out of the garbage containers and hurled his body through a nearby window and into the darkened building, hoping to escape and fight another day.

Once inside the building, Kale ran through the narrow corridor he found before him. More of Lucin's Horva leapt out from the shadows to attack him; they were everywhere. Kale engaged them with his blade and hand to hand.

Lucin has been waiting for us to come. This attack is too coordinated, thought Kale as he fought off the Horva and tried to keep moving.

"You can run, little king, but you cannot hide!" shouted Lucin from somewhere within the building. He was close. Kale found an opportunity to flee the Horva and took it.

Outside the building, people were milling about on the streets as normal. The glass of one large front window in the building burst outward as a young light skinned man jumped through, carrying a sword of light. Kale hit the ground running as glass shards scattered everywhere on the sidewalk and into the street. He saw motorized vehicles running on treads and others on wheels in the street before him and he considered commandeering one of them to try and make his getaway faster.

A lesser man might have thought he was running out of fear, but Kale's intention was to win the battle with Lucin and he was outmatched at the moment. He had to get away so that he could ultimately defeat him.

As he looked over a few of the passing vehicles, Kale's moment of indecision was enough to allow his pursuers to catch up to him. A Horva man came at him from behind. Kale deflected the man's melee weapon with one hand and with the other he used the attacker's momentum to send him on into the street. The dark skinned man collided with one of the wheeled vehicles, sending his battered form sailing across the pavement like discarded doll. Two more were coming at him through the window Kale had shattered-one carried a pulse weapon and the other held a short sword.

Kale hurled his blade at the man with the rifle as he tried to take aim and fire on the Barudii warrior. The other man slashed at Kale, but he evaded him easily; stepping in to quickly disarm the man of his sword and land several powerful blows to his stomach, throat and jaw. His attacker fell backward onto the pavement bleeding from his mouth. Kales blade was still planted in the man with the gun further away.

Pulse laser fire began to erupt from every direction upon Kale's position. Instinctively the young king shielded his self within a kinetic bubble. The hollow sounds of laser bolt impacts was deafening inside the bubble. Kale searched in every direction but the sight was the same-everywhere around him soldiers and civilians alike were closing in and firing automatic weapons. Kale looked like the victim at the center of a neon-insect attack as laser fire came upon him like rain within his mentally generated forcefield.

Lucin walked into the street and up to the kinetic bubble. All weapons went silent as he approached. Kale turned to find the Mithrial-man there behind him. Lucin exerted his own power upon Kale and the charged bubble around the king failed. The two men were suddenly toe to toe and a lightning fast exchange of fists took place with Lucin landing a blow to the side of the young man's face. Kale reeled back, staggering as though he had been belted with a piece of stone. Lucin quickly snatched the boy king up, his feet dangling in the air. He looked the youth straight in the face, "You cocky human. How dare you even attempt to engage me," said Lucin and he spit in Kale's face and then threw him into the side of the vehicle already stopped in road next to them. Kale's body shattered the glass windows of the vehicle's doors as the metal caved in. He fell to the ground face first before Lucin and lost consciousness.

GROD and Emil stared in disbelief at the huge monitor plastered to the side of the gargantuan building reaching to the clouds before them. The city of Gaj was a truly magnificent place to behold, with its busy streets and bustling pedestrians constantly on the go from sunrise to sunrise and on and on. Grod thought it a dizzying cycle-don't these people ever sleep, he wondered.

But the event being played in a continuous loop as news broadcasting before their eyes was staggering in a way that left them completely speechless. Pictures of a white haired, fair skinned man lying in a slump with lifeless eyes and a pained expression frozen upon his face chilled Grod to the bone. It was incomprehensible-Wynn Gareth, Barudii Master Warrior, was dead at the hands of the Vorn and Horva residing in this shining megalopolis.