Star Warden Book 2: RQ Chapter 5

 

Excalibur Awakens

The tranquility of dawn's early light was shattered by the deafening sound of explosions. Fueled by the oil from last night's raid the Guardians unleashed attack fighters and helicopters upon the enemy positions. The fighters looked similar to the A-10 Thunderbolt and were just as effective. The feline warriors wore hardier armor that would not look out of place in a modern military on Earth. Particle blasts and bullets rained back and forth as both sides fought with equal ferocity.

The sounds of battle could even be heard at the nearby temple complex which gave cover to the surprise attack. Using the all-clear signal to keep the robots unaware and get close to their defenses before striking. Every piece of ordinance was expended in destroying any and all robots along with the nearby security towers.

Jeremias and the escort took point as they entered the temple complex. From the outside it did appear the be a temple but stepping inside would dispel that notion. It had more of a feel of a laboratory or medical clinic with its metal walls and various rooms. But time was short so they rushed past everything to reach their objective.

The room was some sort of computer lab with various cylinders in place. Machines activating from Sam's very presence. He gave his Talisman to Kaguya before entering one of them. Peace communicated instructions to her as she typed in the commands. The cylinder door closed and Sam's body was frozen as his mind slipped into the Codex. Data converted into neurons as his mind began learning the Tuatha language.

During the procedure his mind would be in a dream state to prevent any neurological damage. At least the conscious part of it was asleep. His subconscious was being stimulated by an outside source. Dawnbringer was transmitting information of a different sort.

His vision became grainy like an old black and white film with the sound of a projector blaring in his ears. Two figures, who were tall as giants, were clashing with powerful blades. Four more giants attacked one with a large radiant blade. It was white and blue like Dawnbringer but with a line of runes from hilt to tip, wreathed in white fire.

The white wielder killed two of the dark giants and decapitated the third one. The final assailant swung its blade and shattered the glowing sword. The wielder looked on in shock. before he was stabbed through his breastplate into the heart. Blood poured from his mouth.

Sam clutched his own chest feeling a similar pain to the giant.

The black giant roared in victory. “The blade is broken!”

The white giant then turned and looked in Sam's direction. He charged in to aid the white giant only to stop when it raised a hand.

“The blade lives.” The voice was oddly familiar to Sam's ears. It was regal and filled with authority similar to the Enchantress. Sam felt a new weight in his left hand and spotted the same sword the white giant used. “ Focus your thoughts and you will hear its voice. Use it well and with honor.”

With one thrust the shattered blade pierced the dark one's chest. The dark giant began to glow and change. It took a more visible and human-looking appearance, its red solid eyes a gained whites and a pupil. “Father,” it said.

“It is all right, my son.” The white giant placed a hand on its shoulder. “May God protect your soul.”

Sam was violently stirred from this vision by the sound of an explosion. The chamber door opened up and Kaguya dragged him out.

“What's going on here?” Sam started running along with them which shook him out of any torpor.

“We were engaged by SWAT-bots coming in from the lower levels.” Sam managed to catch Jeremias's words over the sound of gunfire behind them. One of the Guardians fell to the ground dead from return fire as the SWAT-bots gave pursuit.

“We need to hurry before this places blow up.”

“What?”

“Peace aided me in activating a self-destruct function.” Kaguya unleashed a flare of light from her staff to delay their pursuers. “Hopefully they will not be made aware of what you have discovered along with hindering any attempt to learn anything else.”

Streams of dust and pieces of metal started to rain down upon their heads. The Guardians kept up a fighting retreat with the aid of Kaguya's barrier. The Warden sped forward on rocket boots and blasted apart falling debris. The ground shook and began to fall apart behind them. Explosions rocked their ears and larger pieces of debris fell as the complex collapsed all around them.

The Warden leaped through the air and caught a support beam before it could block the exit. He braced himself for the pain but unexpectedly did not feel much strain. There was a slight burning sensation in his arms but no immense pressure from the beam's weight. He was even able to toss it across the room and end the robots pursuit.

He sped into the carrier and it was up in the air before a final explosion annihilated what was left of the complex. Jeremias and the surviving Guardians collapsed on the floor. Sam took a deep breath as his wife laid back in the co-pilot's chair.

“My running from explosion quota has been fulfilled for the year.” Kaguya wiped her brow.

“Really? I was hoping you could join me in a few more.”

Despite her fatigued face she couldn't help but let out a giggle. “If I wear near another explosion I would prefer them to be fireworks. They are pleasing to obverse at the least.”

“Fireworks can be arranged.”

“Sir. Are we returning to base?”

“Not just yet, Jeremias. We need to stop at the Oasis first. Pick up something from a friend then we'll drop you off before we leave.”

“You are friends with Sprites?”

“Yeah. Aren't you?”

“I didn't mean to sound like I couldn't be friends with them. They're just so mysterious I did not expect anyone, not a sprite to know them.”

“They just keep to themselves is all. Just be friendly with them they will be with you. Simple.”

“Yes, Sir.” The proper response to a superior officer when you don't believe but can't contradict them. Though Sam would not have minded if he did.

Now clear of the immediate danger he turned his mind back to the events in the Temple.

“Sunshine. Can you get Dawnbringer out. I need to see it.”

She removed the blade from its scabbard. A near shriek escaped her lips. “It changed!”

Sam took a brief look at it and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. It was an exact copy of the one wielded by the white giant. He turned on the autopilot function of the carrier.

“My love, this is Excalibur! The Holy Sword wielded by Arthur himself Lord of Camelot and High King of Eden.”

“So the white giant in that dream I had. That was King Arthur? As in Arthur Pendragon, sword in the stone, same one?”

Kaguya nodded. “But this should be impossible. Excalibur was destroyed long ago. It is stated in every legend that the sword was shattered.”

Sam turned his head and saw the feline soldiers stare intently at the sword. One reached out to touch it only for a comrade to smack the hand away. It was the same reverent look he saw in the eyes back at Haven. It also raised more questions, questions that he should not have an audience for. He wanted to get the information straight before he started spreading any baseless speculation or rumors.

His first thoughts were on the inconsistency. The legends said Excalibur was shattered, yet he had an exact replica in hand. So either someone reforged it or the one King Arthur wielded was a fake. Perhaps similar to the Cosmic ring some sort of deception had to be done. A deception to make the traitor Tuatha believe it was destroyed.

But something did not add up as the demon he fought back at Joyous Guard knew about the blade. It referred to Dawnbringer as the blade, perhaps it was a well-known nickname for Excalibur? Perhaps the demon recognized it as a holy sword but not as Excalibur.

“Was this information lost or hidden or hidden too well and thus became lost?” So many questions and many possible answers.

Another question was the two figures. The white giant was Arthur and the other giant was his son. Mordred was the only son he knew about and the vision appeared to be following the story of his rebellion. However, Arthur said it was not his fault and Sam guessed he had to be referring to the rebellion. Considering the fact his eyes become more human-like near death one thought came to mind: Demonic Possession. A demon led that rebellion using Arthur's son as a skin suit.

He planned to tell these thoughts to Kaguya once they touched down at the Oasis. Then once he returned to Aetherium talk to the Enchantress in more detail. He suspected that she had much more past knowledge than she had shared so far. He never really asked before because he focused on the war, and he had no idea what questions to ask. Now he had a better idea.

A console in the vehicle started to beep loudly with the ticking sound of a Geiger counter. Sam did a double-take when he heard it. “Did we fly over a silo or something?”

“What does that sound mean,” Jeremias asked.

“It means we are near a radioactive area. Which I don't know why, out here should be the Sprite's Oasis.”

“Sam,” Kaguya spoke in a horrified voice. “I believe that is the Oasis.”

Ashen gray sand, dead plants, and an empty lake were all he could see. Sam double-checked and indeed he was at the correct coordinates. While he was no expert on the matter he was sure that this was not the result of a nuclear attack. Though the water's evaporation confirmed there was some intense heat. He also didn't see any shadows which would have been created by dead sprites. In fact, he did not see any sprites at all not a single body anywhere.

Princess Kaguya flew out into the sky and started singing in the celestial tongue. A great wind blew the particles into the air while healing light spread across the land to remove the particles that seeped into the ground. She kept a barrier around her just in case. She pulled out the wooden broach with an emerald and began meditating. Using its link with Bridget to find her location.

Sam arrived after land the carrier at a safe distance. A low buzz emitted from his armor's radiation sensors. Still, no sign of the Sprites was found, no blood, limbs, not even ashes were left.

“They're not dead,” he said.

“Agreed.” Kaguya walked over to him. “Bridget is still alive at the most. Captured by the machines, with the aid of something powerful.”

“Depending on when this attack took place. A demon could have been summoned.”

“No, this attack was recent and I sensed no abyssal energies. There was a machine in my vision some sort of new weapon. It may have been the cause of the radiation.

“I'll smash it to the scrap all the same. Let's go we've got friends to rescue.”

Chapter 6

Chapter 4