That has it be it. Otherwise, we’ll just have to bring this entire place to the ground. He lifted his arms up to shoot, but nothing happened, only the click of the empty chambers.
“That’s just great!” he muttered angrily.
“You, now you die!” came a familiar voice from behind. He ducked to the right and spun around to find the leader of the Mulacs confronting him. In his left arm he held the still body of Glaucon. A pang of fear ran down his spine at the sight of the monster that had bested his friend. It was stronger, faster and more powerful than him in every way.
He looked down at his inert weapons, and for a second felt a very real sense of despair. If it beat Glaucon, what will I be able to do?
He lifted his head and stared at the face of his enemy. Behind him, the surviving warriors on both sides continued their death struggle. The stratiotes gave as good as they got, but it looked doubtful either side would win decisively. He looked back to the snarling Mulac and spotted the item strapped to the creature’s leg and smiled.
A plasma pistol! Now that is exactly what I need!
He pushed his left leg forward slightly and adopted a strong fighting stance. His left hand pulled close to his body in a punching gesture, but with the Laconian blade sticking out towards the Mulac. He lifted his right hand to the right of his face and extended the blade in the same direction as the first.
“You first, you bastard!” he shouted, and then ran forward.
The Mulac almost seemed to relish the challenged and looked down for a moment to see what it was Xenophon had been staring at. He must have worked it out, as he drew the pistol in his left had to fire. But it was too late, and Xenophon was already close enough to attack. His first slash caught the leader’s wrist and clanged off the armour. The pistol dropped away to the floor, leaving neither of them with a functioning firearm.
“Tissaphernes has plans for you!” he snarled, stomping forward, and at the same time swinging the mace. Xenophon lifted his hand to parry the blow, but the creature’s strength was too great, and he was pushed back.
Remember; use weakness against strength. He was reminded of Kratez’s teachings.
He relaxed his arm and sidestepped to the left. The Mulac stumbled past him, exposing his back and flank. Xenophon took the opportunity to jab hard into his ribs. The armour was thick, and it took all his strength to form the blade into his flesh. A loud roar of pain signalled he’d been successful. But the injury didn’t slow him down. On the contrary, it angered him and seemed to rejuvenate him into greater violence. With the blade stuck, Xenophon was in trouble. The Mulac spun around and grabbed him around the throat. His grip was like a vice, and in seconds, his vision started to blur.
Have to get my hand free.
He flicked the interior lock switches in the gauntlet and felt it loosen. With all his effort, he pushed hard and felt his hand slip out. His vision faded further until he could barely see the shape of the Mulac. His hearing was the last thing he could discern, and it was the Mulac’s voice that raged in his ear.
“Terrans are weak. We will burn your worlds next!”
He expected the end, but instead felt pain in his arm. His vision started to clear, and he stared up to find himself on the ground and looking at the figure of the Mulac on one knee. Stood next to him was Glaucon, blood dripping from a number of wounds. In his hand, he held one of the Mulac’s maces that ran thick with Mulac blood. Xenophon’s own blade was still stuck in the creature’s flank.
Glaucon swung it down hard, yet the wounded Mulac was still able to parry the attack with his left hand. Glaucon lifted the weapon again and pounded down, one after the other, each hit trying to beat through his defence. Xenophon however was starting to regain feeling in his body.
Get up, you fool!
He lifted up to one knee and almost fell back down. He looked to his right hand, but the blade had all but snapped off. He had no weapon, and Glaucon seemed unable to finish the beast off. Incredibly, the Mulac roared and started to lift up from the ground, its armour creaking as he moved.
Xenophon lurched forward and grabbed the Asgeirr-Carbine gauntlet that still hung from the Mulac. With a quick pull, the blade slid out. He didn’t hesitate and stabbed down into the Mulac’s neck. He managed three heavy stabs before the Mulac even realised what was happening. He turned to try and stop him, but it was too late. Glaucon rushed in, and with a final powerful blow, brought his mace down on the creature’s head. With a sickening crunch, the leader of the Mulacs fell in a lifeless heap.
The two stood like a pair of survivors of some terrible and bloody crime. Both were battered and bloody and barely able to stand. They turned back to help their comrades, but the surviving Mulacs were already running for one of the many archways to escape.
“The generator, how do we stop it?” asked Glaucon.
Xenophon looked about and spotted the plasma pistol lying on the floor. It looked similar to the much more powerful cannons used by the Terrans. He held it in front and flicked the power on. It hummed for a moment and flashed blue.
One of the surviving dekarchos ran up to them. He clutched a mauled arm but was still keen to complete their mission.
“What’s the plan?” he asked.
Xenophon looked at him and smiled. He turned and pointed the weapon at the cooling pipes and electronics of the great machine. With a flick of the pistol, he set the weapon to its maximum setting.
“I think something like this might work.”
Roxana and the small group of surviving stratiotes were in trouble. The lower level had fallen, and the Mulacs had broken through their last line of defence. Jack lay bleeding out on the ground while Tamara did her best to stop the blood loss. She picked up her carbine and aimed it down the corridor where their tormenters were regrouping for yet another attack.
“How many?” asked one of the few stratiotes still able to fight.
“At least thirty, I think there are fresh reinforcements coming in as well. We need to get up to Xenophon and his team. We’re sitting ducks down here.”
“No, we can’t leave the wounded!” replied Tamara angrily.
Roxana shook her head, knowing that the youngster simply wouldn’t understand the decision. She grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
“Leave him. We stay, and we die.”
She moved back and fired several shots to keep the Mulacs busy. The other stratiotes did the same, but Tamara refused to move. Instead, she drew her carbine and blasted away with her remaining few rounds.
Stupid child, what will she do when she runs out of ammo? Roxana watched with a mixture of anger and pity.
Unwilling to wait any longer, she grabbed Tamara and forcibly pulled her away from the fallen Jack. A quick glance showed he was near death, and there was nothing any of them could do. Two of the men grabbed his arms and lifted him, running as quickly as they could up the corridor. Seeing them move, the rest did the same, leaving the defensive position in tatters. Roxana and Tamara ran, just seconds before the Mulacs burst from below and rushed after them. Inaccurate shots fired from the hip clawed at the Terrans as they tried to escape. Most made it, but three were wounded and dropped behind. Tamara tried to turn back to help them, but Roxana pulled her on.
“Run!” she screamed.
They kept moving, doing their best to blot out the screams of the wounded as the Mulacs overrun their previous position, butchering those still left. A mighty roar shook the mountain as something powerful exploded or ruptured above them. It was followed by a powerful shockwave that quickly dissipated. Intrigued, but also fearful for the lives of her team, she continued up the tunnel and through the corridors, the sound of the Mulacs close on their tails.