Game of Royals

29 Robo Knight

Humans can never get used to death. It's a grim and morbid topic, something that everyone tries to avoid talking about because no one wants to face it. I have recently encounter death quite often lately; both seeing others die and coming close to death myself. And I can tell you; you never get used to it. No one can truly get used to it. But now seeing death in front of me, my heart wrenched and I felt like my guts were being washed with sewage water. I never wanted Louis to die. He was scum but I only wanted him out of my life and to teach him a lesson he would never forget. But now seeing him dead, I was overcome by a deep feeling of grief. Maybe he was right and we were friends.

I had bigger problems to face. I looked forward at the one who killed Louis. Its shadow loomed over Louis dead body. The man's face could not be seen behind the helmet. It wore knight's armor of a deep ebony and stood a full three meters high. I didn't think that even the tallest human being could fit in armor that size. It looked down at me, literally, and begin walking towards me. Each stride was massive and effortless; it was right in front of me in less than a second. Its massive sword was as tall as a man and probably weighed as much; and it raised it above its head. It was defiantly a robot though its movements looked uncannily human. If it was a robot who programmed it to attack Louis? One of the competitors of course, but which one? Finding out was going to be a problem. But in the mean time I have greater problems than the 'who'.

My mind kept telling me run, but my body was petrified from shock. The sword came down upon me. The soft emotional part of me died and was replaced by a primal urge for survival. I wanted to live. My body felt light as a feather as I rolled backwards then sprawled on all fours. The sword hit and left a huge crack in the cement as debris flew everywhere. Robo knight looked up and it seemed surprised to see me still alive; granted I was too. I stood up straight, took out my gun, aimed and fired until I emptied my clip. The bullets bounced off harmlessly against its armor. The robo knight stood still when I hit him then continues walking. I was ready in a stance ready to anticipate its next move. The robo knight raised its sword and slashed at me. I leapt backward and found my back against the railing. Dam! I have no longer have space to back up! I thought. I looked down off the great drop. And that's when I realized I still had a chance. The robo knight closed in, there was absolutely nothing behind me except for a thousand feet of air. Then the robo knight took a final step towards me and raised its sword.

This could all work out fine if it went exactly like planned. I thought. Then the robo knight slashed at me. I didn't side step, I didn't duck, instead I jumped backwards, over the railing sailing into open air. Everything went exactly as planned. I looked down and closed my eyes and imagined myself as a bird.

A hand caught me. I opened my eyes and saw the two of us gliding between buildings. It was a ten meter drop onto the zip line made of silk. As it hung from the Empire State Building to its next door neighbour.

"Sorry. I'm a little bit late." Silk was hanging onto the zip line with her right hand.

"No it's my fault to ask you be part of this absurd plan."

"I would do whatever my Cheri asks of me!"

I gave the slightest hint of a smile. Then I looked up and panic rose again.

"What's wrong Cheri?"

"It's the robo knight." I said. It was standing at the edge of the building preparing to throw his sword.

"The what?" Silk asked we were about half way through the thing.

"No time to explain we might have to jump earlier than planned." The sword flew at the zip line.

"Why?"

"Because it's about to snap." And it did snap sending both Silk and me flying as we embraced for impact. Blind luck saved us. We smashed into a window, my back first. Flying through a window isn't like its show in the movies. It hurts like hell. To put it into technical terms it was like getting hit by a truck made of glass panels.

"Ling are you alright?" My vision was becoming blurry, Silk was shaking me.

"No you're killing me." I muttered as the lights around me got darker, I looked around apparently we had smashed into an office building and its employees were in the middle of work. All eyes were on us as they looked paralyzed with shock.

"Sorry." she stop shaking and the pain eased but my consciousness was still fading.

"Listen keep the clue safe." When I meant the clue I meant Louis's clue. Which I told her to steal and copy.

"I have the copy and I also have it memorized."

"Good. What I want you to do now...I looked at her, she didn't look much better than I did. I coughed blood and continued, "I want you to leave me here."

"No! I wouldn't obey that plan even if it's from my you."

"No, don't do this for me do it for yourself. Trust me. The biggest difference between you and me right now is that you can walk and you can make it out here alive. I would only slow you down. Trust me at worst I don't die I will just be taken by authorities. But you are different, if you get caught you will be sentenced to life sentences longer than eternity. So please...let me watch you leave at least and don't come back for me. We will meet again...someday..."

She looked down and didn't answer then she turned away and ran for the exit. Watching her do so gave me great ease. No one the office dared breathed a single breath. As my conscious fades to darkness.