/-__+ Talcinor Debrine Jr. +__-\

His fingernails pressed hard enough into his palms to make himself bleed.

Stupid. Unfair. Again.

He was here, and ready to fight, and he couldn't.

A trickle of blood ran down to his wrist.

He'd only agreed to stay back and out of the fray when they were set to be up against the giant worms. This was Belar. The people that had killed parts of his group before King Hugo saved them. The people that had tricked him and killed his family. The people responsible for everything bad happening on Belar. Why? Why couldn't he just attack them back?

He had pictured the action in his mind so vividly - pressing forward against that oversized enemy in their armor, and using his needles and his lightning to completely bypass their bulk and defenses.

But his vision was stripped away from him - and it got another soldier killed. The man had given Tal a juice when he complained about being thirsty. He hadn't even learned his name. Knots twisted in his stomach. Why was he like this? Why wasn't he better? He was stronger than most. Why wasn't that enough? Why couldn't he be strong enough for Hugo to acknowledge him?

Tal looked up, and saw Hugo wave off their scout. His face was the same stern visage that had slammed Tal out of his imagination and back to reality. The king muttered under his breath as he started at his own armor. There were others that wore simple ivory sets, compared to the sturdier set the King was almost always seen in. He'd told Tal it came from the lost child - the outsider - who saved him. That had to be a story he told. One to make Tal more receptive to his next arguments. Tal didn't fault the king for the tall tale. He understood that the king was trying to help - he was just wrong. Outsiders, every alien, was a scourge to be eradicated.

"Everyone-" The king's voice held the same level of conviction as the first time Tal heard it. The moment sent an excited shiver down his spine. "This enemy is not one you should fight. It is also impervious to my magic - a robot, I believe." Tal exchanged grim glances with everyone other than the king and the scout. "You will break for the tunnels, and I will work to follow you. If necessary, I shall delay the enemy."

Tal's objection was beaten by three others from the escort squad. The King held out an arm.

"I am more than my magic. As the highest leveled fighter amongst us, it is my duty and my right to take this task. But if any one of you can damage my armor, I will reconsider."

A tense moment of silence passed. Tal heard the scraping gait of the enemy draw closer. No one dared to lift their weapon against the king.

"Good. We shall start West, then cut North through Lily Pond Park. The enemy may not be able to keep up with us if we move quickly enough. Someone give me a spare weapon, and we go."

#

Four blocks West, they cut North and made it to the park. It was set with lines of slightly overgrown trees that made rows and barriers between a series of half-dead hedges and pools of brown, still water.

The King gave the area the same forlorn look he cast at most destroyed or dilapidated sections of the city. Tal glanced behind them, where a faster set of crashing footfalls was drawing near.

The massive armor golem sprinted around a corner too fast to steer itself, and crashed against the buildings as it kept up its momentum. Glass, wood, and brick broke against its burgundy surface.

A flash of white darted through his vision.

The golem lifted its arm cannons.

Tal winced and grit his teeth - but that horrible rifle fire bark didn't follow. The enemy's arm clicked, empty of the hellish rounds it used to kill two of their group. The King closed distance with the beast in a flash, and brought his borrowed sword around in a surprisingly fluid motion. It sang as it bounced off the burgundy metal, and Hugo Vux dodged to avoid an incoming blow before striking out again. The sword left a scrape this time, struggling to damage the harder metal of the power armor. Tal knew how strong the material was. He'd never been able to get his needles to pierce through the burgundy metal.

The king dropped the sword, and clenched his ivory armored hand into a fist. He ducked under a swipe, and swung at the leg of the enemy.

Tal knew the King was strong. He knew him to be more powerful than anyone else. That power manifested itself in a calm, cool, and reserved ability to rend his enemies without engaging in any visible struggle or melee. The King's style was to stand still, one or both hands lifted, as his incredible magic did in his enemies. It was an unbeatable power. Tal had never seen the King sprint, or swing a weapon. He had never seen Hugo Vux take a hit, or deal one. There was simply no image in his mind of the King making any of those actions. It was not the way he fought. And for some reason, that had led Tal to assume the King's advantage was only in his magic.

Metal sang and dented as the King's fist collided with the leg.

Tal blinked away his disbelief.

Maybe the King hadn't been lying about the strength of the armor he wore - and the strength of the person that made it. Tal had definitely misunderstood the truth about the King's ability.

Two more quick blows put another pair of dents in the leg before Hugo Vux had to dodge another blow. As he pressed forward to engage again, a kick from one of the golem's legs slammed into his king, and flung him back into a tree. The thick wood cracked against the impact, and it started to fall over as Hugo slid to the ground. The king coughed twice, and stood. He looked between the tree, himself, and the enemy.

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The King flashed forward again with the same impressive speed, leapt into the air, and curled himself into a ball. The enemy was too committed to a swing at where it expected the King to be, and failed to defend itself. Hugo's ivory-armored form smashed into the glowing section of the golem's armor hard enough to deform the metal - and sent the towering enemy prone on its back. Windows shattered from the impact as it fell to the ground.

Light flashed and sparked from the golem's chest, and it twitched as it rose from the ground. The king nodded to himself, and flew forward into the fight once more. He rolled and weaved to avoid the enemy's strikes, landing blows of opportunity whenever he could. Each hit seemed to stagger and slow the golem further, as though the accumulating damage put its energy and ability under increased strain.

He felt the tension in himself - and the group still arrayed around him. They each warred with the desire to help, and the order to not. So they watched, uncomfortable and invigorated by the display of might taking place just outside the park.

The more the golem slowed, the more emboldened the King's fighting style became - until he was simply pummeling the golem into submission. Tal watched on unblinking as metal creaked and tore, until a final blow caused the light in the golem's core to fade.

Tal beamed alongside the rest of their group. The dead bushes and dirty water didn't feel so depressing anymore.

Even against a soulless enemy, their King was unbeaten. Unbroken. Undefeatable. It would be a short way back to the hole left by the guardian, then a long jog home. When had Tal started thinking of the undercity as home?

Booming footfalls echoed into the park.

Tal's gaze snapped to the King's foe, but it was still motionless and lightless on the ground. A chill crept down his neck.

A new hulking form emerged down the same street as the golem Hugo had just finished fighting. Another came into view from the street that ran parallel to the edge of the park. All around them, burgundy armored golems stomped into view.

Tal felt anger rising in him. It was happening again. It was unfair. They'd defeated the enemy. Hugo defeated the enemy.

How could they have known that one golem was part of a larger force?

Not just a force. A trap.

Belar was boxing them in, now. Preparing to end them all. There was no chance they would make it back to the tunnel. He kicked himself for not heading forward like he'd been told. He readied himself for the fight.

Silver spikes, thicker and longer than his usual weapons, manifested in the air. The remaining warrior brought forth his bark shield. The scout pulled a pair of long daggers from sheaths on his belt. The medic drew a short sword with a shaking hand.

Tal shared a glance with the warrior and the scout. Each knew this was no longer about protection. It was survival. The warrior put a hand on the medic's shoulder. "Colby, stay here for now. That way we know where to come back to if we get injured and need your help."

The medic gave a bobbing nod, and slid against a tree. The warrior nodded wordlessly, and set off towards the golem second closest to the King. He didn't need to say why. It was obvious he was outmatched - and knew it. His only goal was to delay the golem so Hugo had a better chance. The scout picked the third closest enemy. Tal rose and let his feet carry him towards the 4th nearest enemy.

He walked over dead grass and between a pair of bushes that were still clinging to life, and emerged onto the side street around the corner from where the King was already starting his brawl. The crash of clanging metal rang through the space. Ahead, the golem he faced stopped and lifted its arm. Tal's blood ran cold for a moment as he dove for cover - but no shots barked out. The golem swiveled its head to where the other golems fought, and lowered its arm.

Tal realized he wasn't hearing shots from anywhere else, either. The golems had something meant to prevent friendly fire - and he was thankful for that small miracle.

More stomping sets of footfalls joined the chorus of battle rising all around him. There were more than four enemies. Even more on their way.

It was time to act.

The silver spikes Tal had been crafting shot forward. He sent two flying towards the normal gaps he would target in Belar power armor, and the third straight to the lit center of the golem. The center spike slammed into the golem's torso, and stuck there. Only one of the other two managed to penetrate into the enemy. Good enough for a first strike.

Lightning erupted from Tal's hands and leapt forward to his silver. He pushed hard as a mass of current ran over and through the enemy between the two points. He expected the golem to slow, or stutter. He wanted to see it falter and fail, just like they had slowly done under Hugo's onslaught. He wanted his magic to be effective. Worthwhile. Fair.

The burgundy-armored hulk instead sped-up as it ran towards him. Its core burned bright, and its motions seemed to smooth and accelerate with every passing moment. Tal grit his teeth and opened the floodgates of his mana. He hadn't used this much energy since his early kills - hadn't drawn on himself this hard since he scarred his own face and arms. Lightning crackled and flashed intense light as he pushed past his own ability to control the output of his magic. Electricity spidered up towards his elbows and threatened to make his arms spasm. He winced and continued.

The golem was near enough now to strike. It raised an arm high in the air. The arm that could end Tal's life. He closed his eyes and shoved the last dredges of his mana into his attack.

A sound like shattered glass played through concert speakers stung Tal's ears.

His eyes opened to the golem, locked in place with its arm frozen mid-swing. Smoke rose from its chest, and bits of reflective dust poured out of the same charred tear in its otherwise intact burgundy surface. Metal groaned as the armor fell forwards, and Tal jumped out of the way. The armor crashed to the ground, and he failed to prop himself up as his arms spasmed.

He did it. He actually managed to take one of the golems down. The smoke drifting out of it smelled like burning electronics. Facts settled as he listened to the sound of other battles, and another set of approaching booming steps.

It was possible to overload the golems. Doing so had required all of his mana - but it was possible. Tal tried and failed to generate a single silver sliver. His arms weren't cooperating, and he didn't have enough energy to continue fighting anyway. Another series of softer footfalls grabbed his attention, and the back of his head scraped against the ground as he turned to face the new disruption.

A haphazard group of troops approached on the street, pincering him between their forces and the next golem. They looked far less composed than the troops Tal had dealt with. Most had major damage on their armor, and some of the suits appeared to be stitched together from reclaimed and leftover scraps. Only half their force carried the standard Belar rifles - and even some of those were damaged, sorry looking things.

His face twitched. It was one final insult. One last unfair situation. Belar sent their B-team to join the fight. There was some sense to it. The golems were hellish fighters, and he couldn't imagine Belar wanted their better forces to be killed because one of the bulky sets of armor didn't follow its proper procedure - like failing to stop itself from firing its guns while allies were around. But he was going to be finished off by the bottom-of-the-barrel troops in Belar's forces, and it stung.

One of their forward soldiers held something that looked like a drainage tube on their shoulder. He barely had time to take it in before a spooling whine accompanied a harsh glow as the weapon readied itself to fire.

Tal swallowed a lump in the back of his throat, and watched the glow intensify through his tears.

He had failed himself, his family, and his people. He failed the warrior that died for his naive ideas. He was never the hero that was going to stop these invaders. He never accomplished anything - not really. Submerged in his gloom, Tal held onto a single hopeful thought. One that could undo the rest of his failures.

Maybe - just maybe - his efforts against that golem had at least bought the King enough time to escape.

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