The Iron Pillars

Chapter 45

When the roar of the explosion subsided, along with the clatter of metal shards and rock fragments on the metal platform beneath Brant's feet, he uncovered his eyes. Immediately, he choked on a cloud of black smoke. Struggling to ignore the oppressive fumes, he attempted batting them away while creeping closer to where Aaron had been.

He frowned when the smoke cleared like a curtain opening. Dove floated to Aaron's prostrate form on the other side, and by the position of his hand, it appeared he too had attempted swatting away the cloud, albeit with far greater success.

Brant ignored the god and took in the sight of his smoking comrade. Aaron lay on his back, a massive hole torn in the colossus suit's breastplate. The rocket launcher on his left wrist hissed as dark vapor ascended into the air.

"Alas, thou may now witness the consequences of folly, and of proving to be wicked in my sight." Dove remarked, alighting on the platform with white robes trailing elegantly behind him.

One of Brant's shields morphed into a spear, and he held it out to stop Dove's progress. "Listen, you devil, if you even touch him, I swear..."

"Thou swear what? Verily, last night, thou seemed not to mind my touching your friends, nay, not at all. What then—"

The god quit speaking with a grunt when Aaron leapt up again. One graceful move found the armored man solid footing as he threw a mighty punch at Dove's face. He sprawled out onto the platform and lay stunned for a minute before floating up again.

"Thou must realize, I have only been toying with thee." Dove growled at the armored man.

Aaron's helmet bobbed up and down. "Same." Then he looked skyward. "Armory, BP replace!"

Dove sped forward to strike with his olive branch at Aaron's exposed body before the module could arrive. But it crashed down halfway through his flight and pinned him to the ground. The pod split apart a moment later and a green plate leapt to Aaron's chest. A few seconds and some mechanical whirring later, his armor had been repaired.

The hollow halves of the pod flew aside when Dove re-emerged. He levitated two boulders and sent them spinning into Aaron. One punch each sent the stones back to the ground, and he finished with an extra for the god himself.

Dove flew backward, gasping. When he spotted Baird running up behind him, he twirled to evade his glowing blade, pushing another gust down to trip him.

"Armory," Aaron called again, "Test piece CM7B9!"

Brant, Baird, and Dove all furrowed their brows and paused fighting for a moment. A pair of smaller pods plummeted from above, and when they split open, several plates leapt up at Aaron's wrists. More and more the gauntlets grew until he possessed metal fists the size of boulders.

Aaron spun and threw another punch at Dove, so powerful that he shot back into one of the pillars and then ricocheted into another. Before the god could rise from the ground, Aaron charged over and hit him again. Brant and Baird hurried over as well.

Dove darted between Aaron's legs once he raised his fist again. Baird leapt to catch the god, but only succeeded in ripping a corner from his robe.

Brant leapt over the rubble cluttering the platform, eyes fixed on Dove. He found himself more irritated than shocked when a wind swept him off his feet. The god rocketed down with his artifact poised for a heavy blow.

Brant blocked the branch with his shield and moved his spear in to stab. Dove glared. Gripping the weapon in his hand, he wrested it from Brant's grasp, smirking when it crumbled into a pile of dust. With a furrowed brow, Brant blocked several more attacks.