195. Zetius Strikes Back

The feed flickered to life, showing the dimly lit interior of an Armatus and the helm of the black knight, Rhok Wagner. Heavy, panicked breathing filled the comms, and the sound of it struck a chord deep within Zetius’s heart.

“How long has it been since we last met? It feels like ages.” He gulped, dismissing the thought.

“Zetius Zel Celerius, the prime disciple of Aries,” Rhok recited, his voice absolute and controlled. “The man who refused to die.” He stressed the final word.

Rhok met Zetius’s gaze through the screen. The ferocious tinge usually present in his striking red eyes was absent.

“Yeah?” Zetius paused and articulated, “Listen, Rhok Wagner! I don’t know what my master told you about his grand plan, or his self-righteous divine crap. There is nothing divine about D’Arcane. It is vile and rotten. He is corruption itself. You must know that in your bones!”

“Don’t act like you know everything, Zetius,” Rhok muttered coldly.

Zetius grunted, biting down on his molars.

“Does that truly matter when he gives me the power to achieve my goal?” Rhok spoke, and the weight of his tone hung heavily in the air. The tension rose, making it difficult to breathe.

“Your goal? To wage more wars? The very wars that your family fell victim to?” Zetius countered, his voice rising. “Is this what Elfa Barrowbane would have wanted?”

Rhok averted his face in contempt. “Don’t you dare speak of her!” he roared.

“What are you trying to achieve exactly?!“ Zetius asked, raising his voice.

“I’m tired of this nonsensical squabbling,” Rhok mumbled.

The dark-armoured Knight raised a finger and pointed. “Wait… Is that the little Lioness of yours?” he probed, a hint of surprise in his voice.

“I’ll rip your heart out!” Frain growled, baring her teeth.

Rhok chuckled to himself. “Enough of that. Time to settle the score.”

Zetius brushed his hand softly against Frain’s before turning back to the screen. “Fine! I’ll stop you for good,” Zetius boomed, and the comm line cut off with a beep.

“Useless… Perhaps when he is on the ground, he’d listen to me…” Zetius internalised, then his focus sharpened.

Over the evening horizon, the Archangel surged forward, its thrusters flaring blue. Its majestic wings drew streaks of translucent light, as though cleaving space itself. The distant rumble of its engine grew louder.

“Cubie, he will attempt to draw us into close quarters,” Zetius said, knowing it was one of Rhok’s specialities.

“So, how would you like to engage him, Zetius?”

“Let's try to keep him in an aerial battle. Our spatial awareness should give us an advantage,” Zetius said firmly, his gaze tracing the movement of the divine monstrosity.

“Roger that!” Cubie chirped promptly.

“Hold tight, Frain,” Zetius warned as his fingers danced across the control gloves.

Armatus Celer’s vernier thrusters rotated, causing it to drift backwards. The targeting reticle locked onto the enemy, its cannons blasting as it moved.

“Hmm…” Rhok grunted. With a flick of a control, the Archangel’s wings shifted to the front, shielding its entire body. The blast connected but had little impact on its surface.

“Zetius! The wings have an integrated energy shield. As long as it has Arcanite energy, long-range weapons won't be able to penetrate it,” Cubie reported.

Again, he triggered his long-range beam. The light beam slammed into the wing barrier and dissipated into sparks. It nullified his beam attack, which would have otherwise pierced a standard Armatus.

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“Great.“ Zetius grumbled.

Zetius watched his energy gauge fall lower with each shot. Meanwhile, the Archangel hovered closer and closer, its movement steadfast and fearless, safely hidden behind its divine wings. This wasn't like any mech he had fought before; it reeked of the Arcane.

“Guess, we’ll have to do it up close and personal!” Zetius groaned, his eye twitching, “Cubie?”

“Roger!“ She replied. His Armatus extended its X-wings outward, transforming them into Ionised Blades.

A sharp alert sounded in the Archangel's cockpit. “Ionised Blades Mark Seven deployed.” An inner compartment of the wings snapped open, revealing a pair of long swords.

Deciding that Rhok only needed one, the Archangel extended its hand to draw its weapon. A mechanical whir sounded as the long sword shifted, extending its length. It now smouldered with a demonic red, crackling with destructive power.

Rhok outstretched his off-hand toward his rival and gestured a challenge by flicking his four fingers inward, before settling into a two-handed stance. His motion was smooth, precise, and calculating.

Zetius grunted in irritation. “Trying to get on my nerves? Come on, then!”

With incredible speed, Armatus Celer rushed in, its wingblade leading. A streak of red light arched toward the Archangel’s wings. The wingblade slammed into the wing, but the barrier deflected it with equal force.

“Ngh!” Zetius’s Armatus was sent spiralling.

“Still clueless!” Rhok lifted a wing, lunging forward and thrusting his blade.

“Zetius! Climb now!” Cubie warned.

Zetius reacted instantly. Armatus Celer dashed upward, narrowly missing the devastating spear-thrust.

“Crap…” Zetius hissed air, thinking how it could have gone terribly wrong if it weren’t for Cubie. Armatus Celer continued to climb as he recovered.

Rhok grunted, slamming his hands forward on the controls for full acceleration. Its massive wings flapped, generating the force for a rapid climb. Zetius looked down, spotting the hand of Rhok’s Armatus already reaching out.

“How?!” Zetius gasped, bewildered.

“Where are you going?” Rhok shouted, gripping the Armatus Celer’s legs and yanking it downward. The force snapped the Armatus Celer from its trajectory, sending it into an abrupt fall.

“Eeee!” Frain stifled a shriek, while Zetius’s stomach churned from the forceful jerk.

The tip of Rhok’s blade moved skyward.

“Ah!” Zetius raised his blade to parry, but he was too slow.

“Left Bladewing to parry!” Cubie shouted, acting on her own initiative.

Sparks flared in the night sky as the edges of the Ionised Blades clashed, grinding together with a deep, resonant sizzle.

“That’s crazy fast…” Zetius muttered, barely comprehending what had just happened. Armatus Celer now crossed both of its wing blades to push against Rhok’s long sword. The struggle for power strained its joints. Hydraulics hissed and metal groaned, its weight supported only by its blaring thrusters.

“Nnnngh!” Rhok groaned deeply, pushing his mech upward. The blades deflected.

Again, Rhok swept low, this time aiming for the Armatus Celer’s hip.

Zetius swung one of his blades in an overhand arc and perfectly parried the attack, sending an electrical discharge crackling into the air. Using his other blade, Zetius spotted an opening at the torso and immediately thrust.

“It’s not that easy!” Rhok muttered in scorn, as his wings swiped diagonally to block.

VZZZT!

The semi-transparent barrier emanating from his wings shimmered as it met the ionised edge.

“It can even withstand a direct attack?!” Zetius gasped, dashing back.

“This was like duelling with sword and shield enemies. How irritating.” Zetius analysed.

Rhok wasted no time, lunging at him ferociously and relentlessly. The war machines clashed, exchanging blows that sent tremors through the cockpits. Continuous crackles filled the sky, and the smell of burnt ozone and hot metal seeped into Zetius’s hull.

“Cut the wing! It has a weakness in the sub-arm!” Cubie reported with a ping. On the HUD, the mechanical pectoral girdle was highlighted. “See that connector?” she prompted with urgency.

“Got it!” Zetius confirmed, his eyes darting back and forth.

Rhok thrust wildly, and Zetius darted to the side in the last fraction of a second. Seeing his opponent overcommitted, Zetius seized the opportunity to punish him.

“It’s USELESS!” Rhok roared, motioning with his wings to guard.

Zetius’s eyes widened. He twisted his blade, redirecting it towards the base of the wing. He drove the blade forward. The tip punctured the girdle joint with a satisfying crackle of failing electronics.

Shocked, Rhok’s jaw dropped, “How?!“ His visor reflected flashing red warnings. One of his wings snapped free of its connector, exposing damaged wiring and loose debris.

Before Rhok could react, Zetius had already landed a powerful kick squarely on the Archangel’s torso.

“AHH!” Rhok yelped, as his mech was thrown spiralling backwards.

Zetius halted, catching his breath. He felt the dampness on his forehead, only then realising he had been sweating. It seemed the electrifying moment had made him hyper-focused.

“Good catch, Cubie,” Zetius praised with a grin.

“Mmm!” she hummed, happily twirling on the dashboard.

“Three to go!” Frain cried, thrilled.

“Yes… Three to go,” Zetius’s smile widened as he watched his opponent struggle to balance the mobile suit with its asymmetric wings.