Chapter 808 (2/2)

Lucretia clucked. “Unnecessary. That warning will make them waste more time on this.”

Alta shrugged. “I’m tired of all this, Creta. I’ve waited so long. My family is waiting. Danz is waiting. I’m just ready for our…”

Alta trailed off as the technicians finished transferring the equipment to their own cart and the newly loaded cart continued. Alta and Lucretia waited for the next cart to arrive. Following the lead cart was pointless; there was nothing on it of use.

Better to just wait here for the inevitable.

The discovery of their hidden cart was likely an accident. The mech handling the larger piece was clumsy and a corner brushed up against one of Alta’s prior carts that had already been cleared of machinery. Perhaps the Monster Prince thought he was being extraordinarily clever by this plan, but his good cheer had quickly fled when Alta and Lucretia had remained stone-faced while the machinery was moved.

And yet, such was the Monster Prince’s luck that he hadn’t thought through what would happen if neither Alta nor Lucretia responded to this change. So he hadn’t figured out what to do with the carts. They were soon stacked, and the open area was wide, but there was a lot of carts. Space filled up.

Alta had insisted that they bring a wall of machinery. So that the opposition was aware how out of depth technologically they were.

But the lifter mech bumped the turbine with the secret compartment up against another cart. By some weird coincidence, the mechanism triggered and the thing popped open. The small, blocky cart rolled out and clunked against the ground.

“AHA!” The Monster Prince bellowed. He opened his mouth once more, likely to continue gloating, but the blast of Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil that radiated out from Lyra was enough for the fool to choke on his own glee.

The shimmery silver mech exploded out from the block cart with an EMP wave that fried all the mechs of the opposition. As they fizzled and shut down, the silver mech landed. On its back were two brutally stylized wings that Lyra had insisted on, that were disturbingly reminiscent of Lucretia’s own. In her one hand, she held a black scimitar. In her right, a gatling gun.

The thing looked like the angel of death, incarnate.

“About damn time,” Alta muttered. She pressed a button on her wrist communicator. “All teams, move in: bring the ash.”

******

As the silvery mech exploded out of the cart, Cailm’s hands tightened into fists. He felt the wave of mental agony that spread out from that thing and endured it with pure stubbornness. His body quivered, but he didn’t look away from the monster that had stopped his glorious rise short.

Then, as the silver mech began to spray bullets amongst the technicians, Cailm released a breath and forced his body to relax. For all that he wanted to destroy that thing, that was not his fight. With a light step, he dropped off of the plateau and descended into the canyon below.

Already, the individuals brought by the Metal queen produced their insulated mechs and began to launch attacks on the gate. Blasts of fire and ash crisscrossed the chaos the small area. Metal bubbled and melted. Cailm could hear the approach of a larger force from the Metal Queens camp, ready to force the issue.

With a crash, he smashed into the ground just as the Queen of Talons spun out of the way.

Already the Weaver and White Hunter had arrived, the three together surrounding Creta and boxing in her movements. Alta had already escaped, but once the Queen of Talons was no more Alta could be easily dealt with.

With relish, Creta ripped open her cloak and revealed the two long and sinewy appendages that ended in talons. She spun slowly on her heel, eyeing the three. “So, I am the target am I? And you will let the silver golem run rampant…?”

There was an explosion by the gate as the silver golem crashed into it. The hinges screamed and groaned beneath the force. Very quickly, smoke billowed upward to obscure the vision of what was really happening.

Creta’s eyes settled on Cailm. “I am surprised. You don’t seek revenge?”

Cailm simply hefted his saber.

Laughing, Creta spun around. Her talons rose above her head to point at them. “Fine then. The first dance is mine. Come quickly. I have somewhere else to be.”