Oyed and Arsha circled each other, daring the other to make the first move. \u201cTell me, my dear,\u201d mused Oyed, \u201chow long have you been up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLong enough!\u201d replied Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI somehow doubt that.\u201d Oyed then fired a magic blast which Arsha batted away before slamming her fist into the ground. A stone spike erupted under Oyed\u2019s feet, but he twirled out of the way. He then\u2026cartwheeled towards her. Arsha then caught Oyed\u2019s legs and spun around quickly until she let go. He went crashing into a building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUsing cheap theater clich\u00e9s!\u201d she grunted. A shot from the Scorpion<\/em> then hit the ground near her feet. \u201cMy ship!\u201d She chanted a speed spell and took off for the Endeavor<\/em> at high velocity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, Oyed picked himself out of the building. He knocked some dirt out of his ears. \u201cSweet ME, that was painful!\u201d He then looked around. \u201cWhere IS she?\u201d His comms then chimed. He picked up the call. \u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLord Oyed,\u201d remarked Scorpo on the other end, \u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s escaped your notice, (if it has, well, I can\u2019t fault you), but ARSHA\u2019S MAKING IT TO HER SHIP!\u201d Oyed then saw Arsha running!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOH NO, YOU DON\u2019T, YOU WALKING CAT O\u2019 NINE TAILS!\u201d he roared. He charged after Arsha, flinging magic blasts all the while. Someone then threw a spear into Oyed\u2019s body with enough strength to pierce the torso and pin him to the ground. He was stuck and in pain. Arsha tracked the spear\u2019s trajectory to see her father joining her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGreat to see you again after half a year!\u201d he called. \u201cThough I wish Oyed wasn\u2019t involved!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGreat to see you too, Daddy!\u201d replied Arsha. She managed a quick kiss on his head. \u201cNow RUN!\u201d She grabbed his hand, and they took off. They soon made it into the Endeavor<\/em>. She let Elgrad go as she continued running through the ship. She passed by Lardeth briefly. \u201cHi Princess! Bye Princess!\u201d she called. She then made it to the bridge. The necessary crew was there. Shalvey then glanced at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCaptain on the bridge!\u201d she called. Denstra quickly left the Captain\u2019s chair and took her usual one while Arsha sat down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNazay, has everyone made it?\u201d called Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEveryone that didn\u2019t volunteer to cover the retreat!\u201d replied Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDamn!\u201d growled Arsha. \u201cWell, if they die, we WILL avenge them! Is there a destination in mind after this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Ralandren Plains!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTake us there!\u201d Nazay\u2019s fingers danced across the console and the Endeavor<\/em> rose into the air. Unfortunately, the Scorpion<\/em> was firing its weapons in a way that kept the Endeavor<\/em> pinned to the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oyed freed himself from the spear and saw what the Scorpion<\/em> was doing. \u201cVery good,\u201d he mused. He then teleported himself onto the bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTitan on the bridge!\u201d called Scorpo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs you were,\u201d replied Oyed. \u201cKeep the Endeavor<\/em> pinned. Once it\u2019s scrapped, I want a kill squad here to destroy any survivors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnderstood, My Lord,\u201d said Scorpo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDammit! They shorted out navigation!\u201d growled Nazay. \u201cMalak, can you give me any visual cues, like the sun\u2019s position?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s still rising in the west!\u201d called Malak. \u201cOur bow\u2019s pointing in that direction!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAn Over-realm sunrise! Perfect!\u201d declared Arsha. \u201cMalak, can you target the array beneath the Scorpion<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGetting a target lock on it now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFire when ready!\u201d Malak got his target and keyed in a firing pattern. The Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s shots then struck true, hitting the pecten-shaped array on the Scorpion<\/em>\u2019s keel. The enemy ship rocked and Nazay took the opportunity to get the Endeavor<\/em> out of there! The ship went hard to port until the bow was facing the south and sped off. Once it was clear, the Endeavor<\/em> and crew grew to their normal size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReport!\u201d called Oyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe shots hit the sensor array!\u201d replied Dr. Borg. \u201cThey went straight to the engines! We\u2019re going down!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOkay, no, that is NOT something I\u2019m putting up with!\u201d snarled Oyed. Black clouds surrounded his hands as Scorpo doubled over in pain. The treatment lasted a minute until Scorpo started gasping for air. Once done gasping, he noticed that his engines were fixed and the ruptures in his hull were gone. \u201cAfter them, you fools!\u201d ordered Oyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Scorpion<\/em>\u2019s fixed itself!\u201d called Malak. Arsha pressed a button on her armrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBridge to Engineering! Give us every scrap of power for the weapons!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re consuming all the mana to outpace them!\u201d replied Thangred. \u201cIf we spin up the weapons again, we\u2019re never gonna evade them!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd if we don\u2019t, we\u2019ll get shot out of the sky before we get to the plains! Weapons power now!\u201d She ended the call, and the Endeavor <\/em>came about for an attack run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe\u2026she can\u2019t be serious!\u201d chuckled Oyed as the Endeavor<\/em> turned towards them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCome about!\u201d called Dr. Borg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNay! Belay that!\u201d replied Oyed. \u201cLet her fly straight and true! Full bore and into the abyss!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre you mad?!\u201d protested Dr. Borg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not letting Arsha slip away again! I will do whatever it takes to get rid of her and avoid this embarrassment! Cannons to full power! Turn that vessel to scrap!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re charging weapons!\u201d reported Malak<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow many drone fighters do we have?!\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA full complement!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLaunch them all!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWHAT?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMake them swarm the Scorpion<\/em>! We need to make an escape!\u201d Malak keyed in the commands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLaunching!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDRONE FIGHTERS!\u201d reported Scorpo as the drone fighters swarmed out of the Endeavor<\/em> like bees defending their hive. \u201cA FULL SQUADRON! I\u2019M GETTING SWARMED!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYOU\u2019RE LETTING THEM ESCAPE!\u201d roared Oyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe targeting sensors can\u2019t get a lock on the Endeavor<\/em>,\u201d reported Dr. Borg, in a tone of calmness that belied the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTHEN MAKE THEM DO SO!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe weapons can\u2019t get a clear shot, whether we eyeball it or not. They\u2019re draining power from the engines too rapidly. We don\u2019t have a choice. We must break off pursuit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWE\u2019RE DOING NOTHING OF THE SORT!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s no longer your call to make! We won\u2019t survive and the Scorpion<\/em> is sure to be scrapped! That will set back your plans too far for you! We\u2019re retreating, end of discussion! Scorpo, clear us a path and get us out of here.\u201d The Scorpion<\/em>\u2019s tail weapon cleared a path and escaped the swarm. The ship then vanished in a black cloud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe enemy has brokne off pursuit!\u201d cheered Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRecall our surviving drone fighters,\u201d ordered Arsha as a smile crossed her face. \u201cNazay, stay on course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAye, aye, Captain!\u201d replied Nazay. Arsha grinned. The Endeavor<\/em> was still a well-oiled machine, even when she was absent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDenstra, I know you\u2019ve had the Conn for some time, but I need you to take it back for a little longer. I need to see Marshii.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe\u2019ll grumble at your recklessness,\u201d chuckled Denstra, \u201cbut, like all of us, your lovers and parents included, she\u2019ll be happy to see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd I her, as well as all of you. You all did well in my absence. After my check up and whatever Marshii prescribes, I need all Senior Staff to meet in the Conference room with me, my lovers, and our parents. I need to be filled in on what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ll be on standby for when you\u2019re cleared for duty, Captain,\u201d replied Shalvey. \u201cIt\u2019s good to have you back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood to BE back.\u201d Arsha then finally dismissed her armor and headed to Sick Bay.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Oyed and Arsha circled each other, daring the other to make the first move. \u201cTell me, my dear,\u201d mused Oyed, \u201chow long have you been up?\u201d \u201cLong enough!\u201d replied Arsha. \u201cI somehow doubt that.\u201d Oyed then fired a magic blast which Arsha batted away before slamming her fist into the ground. A stone spike erupted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1409,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,238],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-4828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-5-the-final-fight","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4828"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4829,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4828\/revisions\/4829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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