The arrival of the Stella Tenebris set in motion a hectic series of events within the circular structure. This was all started when everyone"s Eves suddenly lit up with an incoming communication."Attention, this is Custodian 704, co-pilot of the Stella Tenebris. Please clear a section of ground for landing and prepare to embark immediately," 704"s artificial voice spoke to them, letting them know what to do.
Ssaul and Taigen quickly ordered everyone to clear a spot where the ship could land while Max turned up the heat, moving even faster through the surrounding androids and pulling much of their attention towards him as the Stella Tenebris descended.
Under the masterful piloting of 704, the ship gently settled on the ground amidst the Asurai clan"s defensive encirclement, and the cargo bay opened up to allow them to start loading into the ship. Unlike what might have been expected, there was no crazy rush or scramble to get into the ship. The Asurai were methodical, and they cared for each other, so the first to enter into the ship were the children, the elderly, the wounded, then the other noncombatants. Everyone worked together in an orderly fashion to make sure that everyone got on board safely.
Meanwhile, under Taigen"s orders, the outer perimeter of the defence slowly collapsed back towards the ship as the clan loaded into the cargo bay, and soon the only ones left outside were the warriors and Max. However, the androids seemed to realize that their prey was escaping, and their ferocity doubled. They began to throw themselves at the defenders with wild abandon, as if they were trying to smother them with numbers. But thanks to the smaller area they had to defend, the Asurai warriors were able to meet the machines" ferocity with stubborn refusal to move, backing each other up and repelling the onslaught with a storm of cold steel.
The only problem was that they were now under constant a.s.sault, and if they wanted to safely retreat back onto the ship, something had to be done to allow them to do so.
"Ssaul! We need to think of something to get the machines away from us!" Taigen yelled out as he repelled another android"s charge with his azure blade.
"I know! Any ideas?" Ssaul yelled back. "Could the cannons on the ship work?"
"I don"t think so!" Taigen replied. "We are too close to the ship! If we use the guns we might cause more damage to ourselves than to the enemy!"
Suddenly, their Eves lit up and a voice spoke to them, "I"ll take care of it. Get ready to move."
It was Max who had called out to them, and his voice was quiet, but filled with a commanding aura. Both Ssaul and Taigen understood what he was telling them, and quickly ordered their warriors to be ready to retreat in a moment"s notice. Max was still out there among the horde of machines, the Mk1 Prototype Armament in his hands an instrument of destruction as he obliterated entire groups of androids in mere seconds. Despite how much damage he was doing, the androids were still coming in droves, and he was nearly at his limits.
Spotting an untouched pillar near the outer edge of the building, Max flashed over to it with a few steps and jumped on top of it, coming to a stop as he surveyed the scene below and got his breath back. He had been using about 30% of his strength during the battle in an effort to pace himself, but the time for holding back was past.
Turning his eyes up to the swirling, flame-colored storm clouds far above with a sigh, Max let his thoughts wander for a moment. {I wonder where Zoey is… Is she okay? And grandfather too… we need to hurry and go find them. Leviathan… it"s time for you to wake up. Haven"t you slept long enough?}
Down below, the fight between the androids and the Asurai warriors had reached a fever pitch, with both sides pushed to their utmost in the clash. One fought for survival, the other for destruction, and the outcome would soon be decided.
Suddenly, there was a concussive shockwave that slammed through the surroundings like a tidal wave. The event shook the bones of the warriors and rattled the bolts of the machines, and the clamor of the battle stilled as a sudden pressure could be felt slowly exerting its force on everyone present. Not only the Asurai warriors, but even the androids stopped fighting and turned to look at the disturbance, all of them sensing a great threat and seeking to know what had caused this sudden event.
All eyes present, Human, Carzivore, and machine alike turned to see a young boy standing atop a pillar, an unrestrained aura of purple and violet power swirling around him like a storm as his glowing violet eyes looked down on them like a G.o.d about to deliver punishment upon the unworthy.
The androids only looked up at the scene for a moment before all of them turned to face this new threat that their programming had categorized as the highest priority. The machines had to protect the city, that was their primary directive, and this strange new power was a far greater threat than the other biological life forms they had been attacking before.
The Asurai warriors on the other hand were completely stunned for several seconds when they saw Max unleashing his strength. They had understood that he was strong, but this was ridiculous! It was a good thing that the boy"s actions had attracted the androids" attention because in that moment the stunned warriors were completely vulnerable. Finally, Ssaul managed to snap himself out of the shock he was in and bellowed out at the top of his lungs.
"GET INTO THE SHIP!!!"
His mighty roar proved to be what was needed to wake the warriors from their stupor, and shortly after they were quickly retreating into the cargo bay of the Stella Tenebris, leaving behind a ma.s.sive host of machines that was closing in around Max"s pillar like ants that had smelled food, their cold red eyes staring up at the boy as they came.
Taigen and Ssaul were the last two that stepped onto the loading ramp and into the cargo bay, and as soon as they did, 704 lifted the ship off the ground, hovering up as the Asurai clan looked out the open bay at the scene below. They watched as the androids started to climb on top of each other as they tried to reach the boy on the pillar, hundreds upon hundreds of machines cl.u.s.tered together and climbing towards Max as he stood there watching them.
Then, when the machines had climbed halfway towards him, Max stepped off of the pillar. He fell down and struck the growing ma.s.s of machines below him like a violet thunderbolt, and the resulting blast shattered them as if they were gla.s.s.
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Max"s attack struck all the way to the ground, then exploded in a ma.s.sive blast of purple energy that sent machine parts flying through the air in every direction, some of which even clanged off the Stella Tenebris"s hull as she hovered overhead. The Asurai clan looked on in awe at the overwhelming power on display, the more observant of them noticing that not a single machine caught by the blast had been left intact.
The one responsible for this incredible display of destructive strength did not stick around for things to settle. Instead, Max gathered strength into his legs, and with a powerful leap launched himself up into the sky, landing solidly on the upper hull of the Stella Tenebris. He calmly made his way to the bridge entrance, came inside, then immediately collapsed, the fatigue acc.u.mulating in his body finally too much for him to hold back.
Shortly after, Ssaul and the others came to get him after being informed by 704. The young boy had done well, and the Asurai clan was now safely aboard the Stella Tenebris thanks to his work. Aside from the last few people they had to pick up, they were almost ready to break free of this d.a.m.ned city, and all of them were quite ready to be rid of it!