The Spectre

Chapter Nineteen

Jez stepped onto the wooden planks of the large pirate ship, in awe of the drastic change in setting. "You spent a year just changing the setting?" Jez asked, and the General laughed loudly, the sound warm in Jez's ears. "No, son. This is just one Arena. There are two others in this Super-Arena. It is going to house many more Spectres and, a new addition, traitors." Jez felt pleased with his father, which he had not felt before. It was truly amazing he had rejected his father, even though they were the side he had to be fighting for. "What do you think?" the General asked, and Jez nodded slowly, looking over the side of the ship and saying, "It's floating on water!" The General chuckled again. "Together, you and I can change the world!" The General exclaimed, and Jez nodded excitedly. "I can't wait to rule by your side, father."

The General grasped Jez's shoulder firmly and said, "You already are ruled by my side." Jez felt a rush of joy pass over him. This was what he had always wanted! While the Kernel, Black Knight and other soldiers were watching Jez and the General, the Resistors crept along the sides of the Arena seating areas, ropes attached to the top of the Arena unnoticed. "Are we all in position?" Cleo asked, her black and red armour clinking softly as the sword bounced off its waist, and Zack nodded. "Are we going to kill them all?" he whispered, and Cleo nodded, "We think they have a lot more soldiers with swords waiting outside, but if we take them by surprise we can kill them all and escape before the other soldiers get here!" Zack nodded, satisfied with the plan, but then a shadow passed over his face.

He looked up curiously, and then grabbed Cleo's wrist. "What?" she hissed, but Zack did not say anything, pointing upwards as something slowed to a halt in the air and stopped right on the middle mast of the pirate ship. On the ship, the General looked up in shock, Jez and the others who stood on the raised bridge doing the same, as a figure in a green tunic and white tights stood high, silver sword strapped to his waist. "Who is that, father?" Jez asked, not recognising the cleanly-shaven man as he jumped down, flipped through the air, and landed at the bottom of the staircase. The soldiers who had also been on the deck skirted away from the man, as the General whispered, "It's the Prodigy!" Jez's mouth fell open as Robert stood still, the soldiers surrounding him looking afraid as he stared up at the General.

"I see you can fly again," the General noted, nodding his head at the Prodigy as he stepped up the first step bravely, the smooth wood creaking slightly. "How on earth did you manage to fit into those tights again?" the General asked, grinning at his own humour as Robert ascended the rest of the steps and stopped when he was two away from the General. "Hand over Jez and you and your men may go free," the Prodigy said, and the General cackled with laughter, as did the Kernel and others. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" Robert turned to Jez, slowly outstretching his hand and gently saying, "Jez, I'm sorry. It's time to come home." Jez took a step away from the General, anger in his eyes as he whispered, "I am home." The General and others burst out laughing as Jez moved closer to the General, and the Prodigy glared at the General.

"You see, he has realised he was fighting for the wrong side. He has realised he needs to be by my side, and like a good leader, I will fight for him!" The General pushed Jez aside and raised his left hand, the glove falling away as a large knife sprung from it, revealing a stump with only a knife on the end, shiny and silver. "I have been waiting to shake your hand with this!" the General hissed, as he reached for the sword that was sheathed by his side. "Prodigy, prepare to meet your end!" The General withdrew his sword, a foil, while the Prodigy did the same, their swords close to one another as the Prodigy said, "Come forth then." There was an uproar of shouts, and twelve soldiers withdrew their weapons and jabbed at the Prodigy. The Prodigy leapt into the air, flipped backwards, and landed on the main deck, turning quickly and running along the wood as a soldier charged at him.

He twisted his swords forward, and the soldier fell, blood splattering onto the polished deck as the Prodigy locked swords with a second Zodiac, parried it away, and then backhanded the man across the face, sending him spinning away and collapsing onto the ground. The Prodigy turned yet again, his sword flashing through the air, and another two fell, fatal slashes across their chests. The Prodigy ducked a sword sailed over his head, and then he quickly rose to stab the Zodiac through the back. Two Zodiacs ran forwards and slashed down at the Prodigy, who raised his sword, caught both blades, and flipped the two Zodiacs through the air. The sound of running footsteps made the Prodigy turn, finding many, many Zodiacs charging towards the ship's main dock. There was a sound of roaring, and the nearest Zodiac toppled over the rope barrier on the side of the plank that led onto the main dock, and splashed into the water.