The Raver (The Raver #1)

Chapter 11

Riding a few miles ahead, I suddenly twist the harpy's handles counterclockwise. Pulling the handles back, the cycle stops moving. It still hovers in mid-air. I glance down, a few feet to the ground as pieces of rocks and dust are moving away.

Another shot of that same booming sound. The laser missile landing a mile to my left. The ground shakes as I hear the explosion. A cloud of dust forming near me.

I glance back to see the laser rocket turrets, all military-built created with the sturdiest metal. Each of the six ten foot tall machines turns synchronously. They are tough to avoid and get passed without Dawning officials' knowing.

According to what I learned from history class, The Arc was created by the second director, Director Ren Hammock. Hammock needed to fortify Dawning's outside perimeter; closely fifty yards away from Dawning's city wall. So he created a perimeter line, which formed into a defensive brigade. The six turrets are mostly controlled by Dawn One computers. How the turrets are placed, they are positioned like a large arc hence the name.

The main purpose of these weapons is to handle off the mages and malefics that are willingly to attack Dawning head on. Since the turrets can find a mage or malefic with its sharp A.I. I don't know how creatures like Raudan got passed. These things never miss. The Arc always finds its target.

That's what I been hearing a lot. But I guess these malefics have found a loophole, a gap officials didn't noticed. It must be the same loophole most likely the Shadowhawks use to go in and out.

Or most likely it could be Director Vartwild giving the magihunters a clear pass. I don't think she knows I'm here. But I doubt it. I look around, turning my head side to side to check to see if I can find that loophole. It would be easy if I can find it on the console map.

I glance at the mapscreen and see nothing but six big dots facing me. There's no symbol or indicator pinpointing me to the loophole. After all this time, I'm surprised Emmet didn't place it in these maps. Unless the loophole is only the director's digression.

I don't know a lot about Emmet and the director's relationship, how they became friends in the first place. Was it because of me? Was it something else?

Ignoring the truth about them, I glance back as the turrets are moving. Yet they are not firing those sounds. I may know why. Seeing no malefics around, it must be some sort of test. They always do that. The officials randomly select a day to practice The Arc. Sometimes there're nights I couldn't sleep, because those turrets were firing constantly. I don't know where. I glance around to see charred remains on the ground, spreading miles apart.

Guess the outskirts have been its testing ground.

Hoping the spot I'm hovering over doesn't become a target, I decide to find the loophole myself. I get in a ready stance. My feet press firmly on the foot beds. My hands grab hard on the handles. I lean down a bit. Turning the handles clockwise and forward, the harpy starts to move ahead. As I get close—but not very close—to the Arc barrier, I hesitate to trigger anything.

I travel a half mile towards the line. I suddenly turn the handles counterclockwise and pushing it back, I stop. Wondering why they haven't continued firing, the computers controlling the Arc is watching this.

Watching me.

 Is Vartwild watching? Why would she, there's nothing important about me. She doesn't want me to be killed. Just moments ago, I saw one of the shots hitting an area where a defenseless lizard was lying down. I don't think it was intentional. It's because of the practice. But they have to be watching. Why would they stop? Does Vartwild really care about me that much. I'm still pissed she sent me to Level 8. Yet everything I have heard thus far is making me question.