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Chapter 14: Death Simpers At An Exit |
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mad Xx:
Sky, Unregistered Airships
mad Xx:
“What the hell! The sensors indicate that the volcano that has remained dormant for so long down there is beginning to erupt.”
One of the technicians informed the captain. He gritted his teeth together in frustration.
“Damn it...if it’s not one thing, it’s always another these days...and it’s really starting to piss me off.”
He muttered to himself angrily. Leopaldon could likely get away with all these distractions.
mad Xx:
Sky, The Megaton, Ultimate Heavy Class Mecha Transporting Zeppian Airship
mad Xx:
“You can feel the heat rising all the way up here...”
May mumbled as she looked over the side to see the large ashen cloud of smoke billow out of the small hole at the top of the volcano. From a first glance, no one could probably ever tell it was a volcano at all, but with all the smoke coming out now, it was clearly identifiable.
“You ever seen a volcano explode for real before, May?”
Johnny asked as he stood besides her, looking down at it as well. May shook her head.
“Nope. That’s why I’m kind of excited. Though, at the same time I feel kind of sad...I’ve seen some footage of the damage wrought from eruptions once when we landed...well, I’m not sure where it was since we’ve been all over the world, but still...it’s pretty sickening. I guess it’s a good thing this area is isolated.”
May said. Johnny nodded.
“Yeah...but what if that thing is still alive down there? We may have to go to the surface. That thought alone scares me...”
He said, a small nearly untraceable hint of nervousness in his voice. May looked toward him.
“You? Scared? That doesn’t sound like the Johnny I know.”
May said worriedly to him. He shrugged his shoulders.
“Well...I’m more worried about what might happen to you and Dizzy. You are both the most competent enough fighters of my crew that can tangle with Leopaldon. But with all the lava that’s about to go down from that volcano will be a major hindrance on movement if Leopaldon is still alive. So I’m hoping otherwise. It’s a captain’s duty to provide protection to his crew as much as he can. Plus, more importantly that anything, it’s the ideal of my dad’s that has carried on to me that makes me want to help and protect everyone.”
Johnny admitted, the grip on his cane tightening. May put a hand over his.
“I know how you feel, Johnny, but you should also know that you’ll be crushed under the burden of trying to take care of the whole world on your shoulders. We all have to play our parts of protecting those dear to us if Leopaldon surfaces. You don’t have to be alone in this.”
May said to him, looking at him with very serious eyes. Had it been any other time, he’d probably be laughing his a** off since she was hardly ever truly so serious before, since it wasn’t really in her nature. But he found reassurance in her words instead. He smiled.
“Thanks, May. That means a lot. Your growing up more and more, it seems.”
He said to her.
“Hey! Are you treating me like a kid, again?”
She pouted. He kept smiling.
“I’m serious, May...”
He wanted to say more, but the volcano started to rumble, making them forget the conversation and watch. Actually, many of the others also came to watch in fascination as the crimson liquid exploded forth into the air before tumbling down in a wave.
“If the heat of the lava wasn’t so devastating to the environment, it could almost be called beautiful.”
Ky said as he kept watching it flow down.
“Often times, beautiful things out there in nature are still deadly to those who are untrained in knowing how to avoid the hazard. Like fire for example, though it’s glow is both warming and comforting for the wary, it can go out of control and spread, burning all who touch it.”
Testament stated. It was basically a warning to everyone to be on their guard and expect the unexpected. It was only nearly an hour or so when the lava stopped spewing from the volcano, and simply kept flowing down like a river of red and orange to the base of the mountain, searing the small forest that lie beneath it. Everyone waited tensely.
“Hmmm...it hasn’t surfaced yet...since it’s been about an hour and fifteen minutes combined since the caves were filled and the volcano erupted, I’m not sure how long it can remain down there. Do we continue to wait or assume Leopaldon’s been killed?”
Millia asked after observing the lava flow. If it was totally up to her, she would continue to watch until the lava hardened to form a rock surface, but with all tension filling up on the ship, there needed to be an alternative before people started going too crazy under so much pressure of waiting.
“I don’t know...What do you think, Mr. Potemkin? Should we go?”
Bridget asked. The massive former slave folded his arms together and lowered his head in thought.
“We’ll wait fifteen more minutes, combined that should bring us to about an hour and thirty minutes. If nothing happens, we’ll assume Leopaldon is dead. Even if it wanted to escape further underground, it would open up a path for the lava to keep following it, so the most likely way it will try and surface is by reaching the surface. If it’s still alive, which I’m finding hard to believe.”
Potemkin said.
“Guess we’ll see in fifteen minutes time, then.”
Johnny muttered. Potemkin nodded.
“Indeed.”
He agreed. Even after fifteen minutes, nothing was occurring and the lava was still flowing, though slower now as it was beginning to cool, though it would still take a long time before it completely solidified.
“Nothing has happened. The let’s go back.”
Potemkin said. Everyone let out a big sigh of relief and headed back inside. Dizzy followed behind everyone, but suddenly stopped. Testament, who was right in front of her, turned to face her.
“Dizzy?”
He asked calmly. Dizzy turned away, looking to the sky.
“Do you sense that...?”
She asked softly. Testament strained his own senses, but felt nothing for a small while. But soon he did felt a weak presence.
“It’s still alive...”
He said, his face showing slight shock, but he otherwise remained calm. Everyone rushed back to see past the clouds and back onto the ground, except for A.B.A, who had to drag Paracelus along. From the high up vantage point is was a bit tough to make out, but everyone saw the mass of black that floated up to the surface of the lava, which then came close to the bank of land the lava made into the earth. Leopaldon dragged itself slowly out and crawled along the ground for a bit before falling on it’s stomach, charred completely black which rendered most of it’s features unseeable. Only the outline of the body truly identified it as the massive formally white beast it once was.
“There it is! We should get it while it’s weak.”
Jam said excitedly.
“Normally I would agree, but going down there now only makes us unnecessarily at risk to cannon fire from the Bureau’s airships. They should be able to scan out Leopaldon and try and head towards it. When they descend below to try and obtain it, I’ll have The Megaton destroy them.”
Potemkin said.
“I don’t think it’s right to just kill them, though, Mr. Potemkin. While they are our enemies, they are all just following orders. It should be the main powers behind the organization that should be dealt with.”
Dizzy told him. Potemkin sighed.
“Now is not the time to let sentimental feelings control you, Dizzy. If they knew you were still in existence, they wouldn’t hesitate to try and capture you for their own dark designs. I know you like to only see the goodness in people, but everyone has the capacity for evil and that will never change, and everyone must see it and acknowledge it or they will be taken advantage of all their lives. You’ve seen it quite often because of what you are. That’s just the way of the world. Either us or them.”
Potemkin explained. Dizzy was all too aware of what he was saying because she experienced a life time’s worth of the human’s wrong doings, both to themselves and anything not human either. It was amazing how should go still remain so optimistic despite all she had been through. Testament rested a hand on her shoulder.
“His points are all valid, Dizzy. Weakness of heart that will result in likely death is something we can’t afford to have...however, I believe we should leave those airship’s crew alive and the airships themselves flyable if nothing else.”
Testament said, turning to Potemkin.
“What do you mean...no wait, I think I understand your logic. If this were in the Crusades, nearly all of the airships would have a tracking device to identify when an Airship is still in flight and able to fight. It had to be known immediately when an airship was destroyed so another one could be sent. So...”
Ky explained, leaving his words open so Potemkin could realize and fill in the blanks.
“...even if they are unregistered airships, they most likely have a tracking device aboard the airship. If we can destroy the weapon systems, communication systems, and whatever contraptions they want to use to haul Leopaldon in, they won’t have a choice but to retreat. High Command will think they’ve retrieved Leopaldon and are heading back, when in reality, they are heading back because they have no choice and but to do so and couldn’t tell them. It will hopefully buy us the time we need to do away with Leopaldon before anything else can stop us.”
Potemkin explained, his eyes showing with realization. Ky nodded.
“Yes. That would be the safest and most strategic method to approach the situation.”
Ky agreed.
“Most of what you guys were saying was a little over the top for me, but if that’s what you all want to do, be my guests.”
Jam said. Johnny sighed.
“Damn...so again with the waiting...”
He muttered out. Millia shook her head.
“I doubt that. They are nearly there already.”
Millia said, pointing towards the small fleet of Bureau airships.
“Damn, then we must act quickly...”
He turned, ready to starting giving an order, when a large blue beam flashed across the sky, nearly hitting The Megaton.
“It’s still able to fight? This thing is crazy...”
Bridget said in awe. Leopaldon shot at the airships coming towards it, damaging then severely with little effort.
“Damn...so much for the carefully well thought plan...”
Ky said, as Leopaldon blasted two out of three of the airships out of the sky. The last one managed to escape, while the first two exploded when they made contact with the ground, landing a few feet away from Leopaldon.
“Enough! We have no choice but to try and take down Leopaldon here and now. Let’s quickly get down there!”
Potemkin said hastily.
“Now that’s more like it!”
Jam said with a grin.
“Stay here with A.B.A and the doctor, Dizzy. It should be weakened significantly. There’s no need to participate.”
Testament stated, quickly turning away before Dizzy could say anything further. Fuast put a hand on her shoulder.
“Why don’t the three of us watch the battle from afar then? What Testament doesn’t know, won’t hurt him. Besides, if things go wrong, we can still have immediate access to attack Leopaldon as well.”
Faust offered. Dizzy sighed.
“But then I’ll feel guilty...but I guess I’d rather feel slightly guilty for going down there anyway then feel completely worried about his safety. Leopaldon is dangerous, and Testament will need a lot of help.”
Dizzy finally agreed.
“Okay then! Come along, A.B.A.”
Faust said as he pulled his umbrella out of his hand bag.
mad Xx:
Ground level
mad Xx:
Leopaldon lay still when it was reached.
“Maybe it exhausted itself trying to fend off the airships?”
Jam offered.
“...pain...”
Leopaldon began to move slowly.
“...suffering...”
Leopaldon slowly stood up, unsteadily.
“...anger...”
Leopaldon had lost most of it’s senses as it had been boiling in the lava. It’s voice was sharp and it’s breathing was labored. Without warning, it began to move quickly towards Potemkin, who was at the head of the group. It struck out with a burnt claw wildly, and Potemkin brought up his arm to halt the attack.
“What the...?”
Potemkin had been startled only momentarily, before using his other arm to strike Leopaldon right in the jaw with his fist. The beast went staggering back, but quickly headed in his direction again. Potemkin struck it again, but this time, the massive creature shrugged off the attack before smashing Potemkin in the chest with an elbow, sending the slave on his back along the cold ground.
“It’s attacking so carelessly...that must have been a lucky shot. Leopaldon must not be able to feel anything or see anything. It’s nerve endings have completely burnt off in the extensive heat.”
Potemkin said as he stood up. Now that he saw it, Leopaldon was flailing it’s arms around and simply walking around blindly. It could not even tell it was on snow, or that it could be used to regenerate itself with. Potemkin grasped the beast around the body, pinning it’s arms and making sure it couldn’t escape. He was the only one capable of this after all.
‘Then that makes things easy. But I still wonder how it was able to shoot those airships so precisely.”
Ky said.
“Must have actually been a lucky shot again. From our vantage point, the attacks looked as if they were dead on but it was probably only shooting blindly with whatever energy it had left.”
Millia said calmly, as always. Leopaldon soon stopped struggling and went limp.
“What happened? It stopped moving.”
May declared. It suddenly brought it’s arms outward, breaking Potemkin’s hold on it, and sending the Zeppian back slightly.
“This is...”
Testament began to say, Leopaldon let out a broken growl before opening it’s mouth to it’s usual and yet unusual size.
“What the hell is it doing? That just looks freaky...”
Bridget said, shivering. Him, along with Jam, Millia, May, and Potemkin had yet to see this. Johnny, Testament, and Ky, however, had already seen this before. The strange armored man appeared, but his armor was charred black as well, with only flecks of his armor still their normal color. His head was lowered as he sat against the upper part of Leopaldon’s mouth, remaining oddly silent as no bongo drum appeared with him. Testament jumped up to Leopaldon’s mouth.
“Now it ends.”
With those words spoken, Testament slashed downward, intent on splitting the man in half. To everyone’s surprise after the initial shock of seeing Leopaldon regurgitate the armored man out, the said figure brought up a hand to grasp the blade of Testament’s scythe before it could impale his head. The armored man looked up, it’s eyes beginning glowing crimson, showing his obvious hate.
“Yes...now it does end...for you all. Even should this body of ours be destroyed...you only prolong the inevitable...the three of us...cannot die.”
The armored man said cryptically. He tossed Testament off of Leopaldon’s mouth and to the ground, and the Gear landed on his feet, scythe at the ready. Everyone else also readied themselves for combat. Unbeknownst to them however, the large brown dog with the black face mask watched calmly from the far distance.
:ToBeContinued:
 Mariah_Silvermane · Wed Apr 16, 2008 @ 09:19pm · 0 Comments |
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