Altiris Knights:Civil War

Book 1:Chapter 5:A Strike Back

The chatter in the canteen died down as a transmission came through. "The attack on Akalos has been a trap. At the start of the battle, several Legion fleets came out of lightspeed and nearly destroyed our entire task force. They may have sacked the Jorna Octagon by now. Ykamas, Alveor, Kyrama and Lok Etreon are their next targets" came in Admiral Zalor's voice. "Anyone who is available is to launch an attack on them immediately. My fleet has been weakened greatly, and we have to stay on Akalos, in case another Legion fleet attacks."

Instantly, a large Alliance fleet exited Vanraael's atmosphere, and departed for the Jorna Octagon, though a smaller group stayed to defend the planet if necessary. Judeor, Renlas, Akala and Lorya were with the attackers.

The guns opened fire, and the gold plasma bolts were launched at the Alliance base on Ykamas, destroying it, and killing everyone there. "Admiral, there is an Alliance fleet incoming!" 46 Alliance ships exited lightspeed and engaged the Legion fleet. "Lorya, Renlas, attack the defenders on the station! I and Judeor will distract their fleet!" said Akala. They nodded and took a portion of the fleet, while she and Judeor boarded the Legion flagship. 30 Alliance soldiers  accompanied them.

Judeor took down a few Legion soldiers with a burst of lightning, and Akala killed another with her energy whip. They kept moving through the ship. A few of the soldiers were killed, and then a few more. The rest of the way they encountered little resistance, though when they reached the bridge, around 70 Legion soldiers stormed them. Most of the Alliance soldiers were quickly gunned down, but Judeor and Akala protected the others, and the Legion soldiers were forced to retreat.

"Stay here and warn us if any more come" ordered Judeor, as he and Akala entered the bridge. Mirias, Lokia, Oteara and Exeroz were waiting for them. "I thought I killed you back on Ilmaer" Judeor said to Exeroz. "No matter. I will finish the job here and now" he said, and attacked him. Akala battled Mirias and Oteara, while Exeroz and Lokia faced off against Judeor. Judeor knocked Lokia out with an air wave, shattering her earth defenses and pressed his attack on Exeroz, evading his counters and hammering down on his defenses.

Exeroz panicked. Judeor's strikes had been even more powerful than back at Ilmaer. He blocked a burst of lightning with his energy blade and retaliated with a barrage of kicks and hand strikes. Judeor countered his attacks perfectly, and then launched an air wave, pushing him back. he would have killed him, had it not been for Lokia.

The Legion Knight slashed, her crimson energy blade barely missing Judeor's shoulder, as he ducked out of the way, and struck her chin with the hilt of his weapon and bashed her temple with the flat of one of his blades. He kicked her in the gut and electrocuted her with gold lightning. She broke off and attacked him with earth and metal, though he deflected the projectiles with his saber staff and air.

Akala deflected Oteara's lightning with an earth wall and stunned her with an earth ball, and attacked Mirias. His water waves pushed her back, but she recovered and landed a hit on his legs. The armor prevented the energy whip from cutting through, but the weapon still wrapped around him, limiting his movement. He launched a water wave at her, distracting her, and slamming her into the hull of the ship. Oteara rushed at her, and brought her purple blade for the kill, but Akala rolled out of the way and cut her face with a few metal disks. Mirias froze her in a block of ice and Oteara slashed. Judeor pushed her away with an air wave before her blade could connect, however, and shattered the ice with a few air balls. "Behind you!" she yelled, as Lokia slashed. He blocked her blade with his forearm and disabled her with a torrent of lightning. He nodded to her, and turned his attention to Exeroz.

The Legion Knight was tiring. Soon, he would be able to subdue him. Judeor pressed his attack, forcing his foe to give ground. Then, Akala managed to disable Oteara, pinning her in place with metal and earth. Mirias froze her in an ice block and brought his blade for the killing strike. She could see that Judeor disarmed Exeroz and knocked him to the ground, and held his saber staff to his neck. Even though she would die, at least Judeor would defeat Mirias and they could win the battle, she thought.

As Mirias prepared to deliver the final strike, Judeor turned his attention to him, saving her. She sent a questioning glance his way. His serene expression told him everything she needed to know. He cared more for the survival of his squad mates, than for the completion of the objective. She smiled, grateful. He smiled back, and attacked Mirias, swiftly disarming him and knocking him to the floor.

Exeroz knocked him back, saving Mirias, as he pulled off Oteara's restraints and took Lokia, and the four of them rushed off the ship, killing a few of the Alliance soldiers on the way. Judeor shattered the ice around Akala and she ran to him, embracing him. "We should rejoin the others" he said, as they and the eight Alliance soldiers that survived ran back to their ship, and left the flagship. Several Alliance ships fired on it, taking it down.

Lorya and Renlas battled the waves of Legion soldiers, along with several Legion Knights. Renlas moved his blue blade, as he dueled three Knights, their gold, black and red blades barely missing him. He sent out a fire whip, locking one of his foes in place and hurled his energy blade at her, decapitating her.

The other two retaliated with air waves, knocking him to the floor. He blocked a black blade and then a red one, and unleashed a fire wave, unbalancing one of them, and pushed one of them away with a triple kick to the chest. He ducked as the black blade came at him again. The red bladed warrior joined them, and Renlas leapt back to safety. He released a massive fire bloom, burning one of them to a crisp. He sent the other Knight to the floor with a series of attacks, but before he could finish him off, two more Legion Knights appeared, distracting him. As he blocked their lightning and fire attacks, the other Knight impaled him with ice claws, and cut through his neck.

Lorya stared in horror as Renlas dropped, and his energy blade deactivated. She fired at the Knight, enraged. The  energy blasts struck him, and she knocked the butt of her energy gun in his face, ending his life. The other two Knights knocked her to the floor. One of them prepared to strike her down, when a metal disk sliced through his throat. He held his neck,blood coming out of his mouth, gurgling. He collapsed, and lay still. Judeor killed the other with a storm of air and lightning. He rushed to Renlas's side.

"It's too late" said Lorya, tears on her eyes. Judeor put Renlas's energy sword in his hands and placed them on his chest, and closed his friend's eyes. "Oteara, Lokia, Mirias and Exeroz escaped again. Our fleet is being shredded. We have to retreat. Otherwise we shall all be killed" said Judeor. They hurried to their ship, and rejoined the rest of the fleet, and jumped to lightspeed.