Secret War: Upon Blood Sands

Chapter 38

Explosion after explosion coated every inch of the Bloodthirster's hide. Adelana had witnessed lascannon blasts burst through adamantium walls and fry people into ash, but all the constant barrage seemed to do to the daemon was slow it slightly.

The Bloodthirster, as Tathe had called it, swooped like a comet made up of blurring blood toward them.

Cursing, Darrance sent the Guncutter arcing away and wheeling onto the daemon's flank, just finding some space out of the vast axe's arc.

'Why won't you die!' he roared; Adelana had never heard the pilot so frustrated before, and she couldn't blame him for it.

She then saw it.

'Darrance, watch out!'

The gigantic cat 'o nine tails whip seemed to grow out of its freehand and swung for them faster than thought.

With reflexes that left Adelana's breath in her throat, Darrance barely managed to bob the Guncutter beneath it.

'Frig you,' Darrance screamed; Adelana had no idea who "you" was. 'You little frigging bastard, Attelus...'

He swayed aside of the whip as it flew straight for them.

'"Get above it",' he said; in the warp, does that even mean...'

The daemon exploded toward them, spinning around in a whirling red blur of whips and axe.

This time Darrance sent the Guncutter banking upward, fast enough to escape the entire arc but not enough to prevent the whip from skimming the bottom of the void craft. The void shield took most of the impact, but it made the entire craft shudder and bound so hard; it made Adelana's head bound so hard it sent pain through her, causing her to cry out.

'How high do you want me to get, huh?' said Darrance, apparently unaffected by the impact. 'And how am I supposed to...'

Adelana wanted to tell him to shut the frig up but didn't dare distract him and didn't want his anger directed at her.

He was losing it; they were all losing it. She just hoped they wouldn't lose it before it was too late.

'That is exactly what I thought your plan would be,' said Kalakor. 'It is as insane as it is brilliant, boy.'

Darrance's evasive manoeuvres had delayed Their advance to the storage bay, evasive manoeuvres which Attelus could tell were incredible despite being unable to see them.

Kalakor had his boots magnetised and didn't try to help Attelus as he lumbered about trying to keep his feet, and Attelus didn't want him to either.

They emerged into the storage bay, and Attelus took the risk of sliding down the handrail on his shoes as Kalakor's smashing footfalls followed his wake.

Attelus ran across the floor and punched the console control, and the doors began opening. He ran over to the supply hooks to take a parachute, ignoring the shrieking of klaxon alarms.

'Apprentice,' said Darrance over the ship's intercom. 'Why is the docking bay airlock opening?'

'Surely, someone with your dizzying intellect would've figured it out by now,' said Attelus.

There was a long pause.

'You are really going to do it?' said Darrance.

'Well, try to, anyway,' said Attelus.

'Well, you better do more than just try!' cried Adelana.

Attelus grabbed the console. 'Will do, now just get above the damn daemon, please. Now wish us luck.'