Sixty-One

"The cannon is on a rotating platform that is currently being powered by batteries. We can use this console to target and fire the cannon for now," Bosch said as she led him up the stairs. The interior of the tower was just a series of ladders, catwalks, and equipment. The entire thing had been built to support the shuttle cannon rather than the cannon being used to support the tower.

Bosch had led him to a small electronic console and showed him the easy to use functions. Dozens of cameras were linked and showed a perfect view around Camp Alpha. All it did was make Kon gulp hard as he saw the horde outside their walls. Another massive group was building up outside the burnt walls, only McGuire's defense kept them from overwhelming the base.

"The bug moved fast and managed to subdue more rifts than I honestly thought was possible. Luckily it seems averse to risking itself so far. Its sent waves of F-Grade and E-Grade monsters, which have so far been susceptible to small arms fire. That's changing though. Those behemoths at the gate were both peak E-Grade and they took a lot to bring down." Bosch walked away from the console and towards a heavy duty ladder that led up and out of the protection of the tower.

"Now, all of the camp's generators are working to power the cannon. They won't last much longer. The batteries that work the targeting system and belt are also near their end. Have one, maybe two shots left before we're down to the emergency power. Once that happens, we have one blast left in the cannon and we'll have to manually operate it," Bosch continued her lecture as she disappeared from sight. Kon hurried after her, taking the rungs two at a time.

In the few minutes he'd been indoors, the storm had worsened. The wind had become a constant gale that pressed him, threatening to pick him up from the tower and toss him away. Rain fell in sheets of silver and had begun to feel more like the rain on the plateau had. There was a density to it that stung as he stood there, waiting for Bosch to explain.

"This is the gunner's seat," Bosch said, slapping a hastily welded together couch with a manual lever attached to it. Kon leaned in and examined the seat and even he could tell that it was poorly made. If one was sitting on the seat they'd be able to see out of a crude, metal, crosshairs.

"As you can imagine, this won't be as accurate as having the computer fire. Now, this is where you'll come in," Bosch said as she walked around the round edge of the top of the tower, Kon following wordlessly.

A heavy wheel was attached to a series of cranks, levers, and gears that Kon couldn't make heads or tails of. All of it was heavy duty and looked of much higher quality than the gunner's seat had been.

"Clockwise to rotate the tower clockwise, counter to go counter. Do you understand?" Bosch asked. Kon nodded as he looked around the wide open space he was standing on. Only weapons fire and the slowly fading burn of the falls walls offered light. Everything was shadows running and screeching, the world nothing more than dark shapes all pressing in on them.

"Yes, ma'am," Kon managed to get out. He'd stand up here and do his duty. He wouldn't run again.

"The hard part is over, Kon. This is the easy part. All we have to do is rage against the night with whatever is left in our hearts and bodies," Bosch said as she placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. Kon looked up at the metallic statue, with the blank facemask that hid the Knight's features.

"Let's get out of this rain and back to the gun console," Bosch said finally as they stood there in silence.

"We're going to die here." The thought sent a spark of rage through him, lighting upon the tinder that was the past months. Attacked over and over again, Alice's fall, Diur's betrayal, hope stolen from him. Rage burned his throat, bile boiling his gut, as he shook with restrained wrath.

"That damn bug has been a thorn in our side for too long," Kon hissed as he went down the ladder.

"We will kill it here," Bosch said, having heard his quiet words. They walked together back to the firing console and Bosch quickly tapped in commands. The tower shuddered as motors sprang to life, the humm of energy filled the room, Kon's hair rising on his arms.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"The first blast will create a path." The console showed a picture of the targeting solution and a quick simulation of how the bolt of destructive energy would travel. It'd incinerate a twenty meter channel for nearly half a kilometer. Kon swallowed as he looked back up towards the gun turret.

"The second blast will be fired as they finish their evacuation," Bosch said a moment later. The console gave a second simulation of the gun turning and firing. It created an upside down, angled T.

"I've input the firing solutions and Willis and McGuire know the route. Once they have left the walls, we will be surrounded quickly. They are beasts, but they are being controlled by something with intelligence. It will know what the tower does and will wish to stop it. We must hold this level until the second firing. After that, we just need to hold the tower itself for when the bug comes."

"Are you certain it'll come?" Kon asked. Bosch chuckled, the sound surprisingly human even through her helmet.

"I'll make sure of that. Alice was gifted when it came to projecting her runes. I, and most Knights, are much slower. Once my rune is projected the bug will come. I will make it so." Kon nodded slowly. If she was sure she could lure a C-grade, pseudo or not, then he'd have to trust her.

"Now, there is a small armory on the ground floor. I would suggest sticking to what you know," Bosch said. Her hands reached inside of her belt and suddenly power was filling the room as she pulled out an E-grade core and offered it to him.

"I assume this won't be too much?"

"No, ma'am," Kon said, trying to mask the sudden greed. His body was beginning to weaken as his node had continually fed off of it to the point he was feeling the strain of the day. With a flex of willpower he began to drain the monster core, ripping free torrents of energy to be processed by his primary node.

"I will protect the upper levels while you hold the console. I have yet to see any winged monster and with the storm outside growing, I doubt they'll come. But, if they do arrive, they'll be stronger than what you can deal with." Kon grunted an acknowledgement as he focused on the energy storm inside of himself.

His node was churning through the monster core like it was water, siphoning away the monster's intent, its malice and cruelty that had infused the core, leaving behind only golden power that his hungry body drank greedily. More and more of it fused inside of him until he felt bloated and energetic all at once. Still more of the E-Grade core was left, his other nodes now picking at the streams of energy and beginning to enhance him. The aches and pains of his muscles faded while his senses sharpened, the weak light of the interior of the tower now plenty to see in.

Bosch headed back to the console and stood by the ladder, looking up at the doorway to the top of the gun. Kon glanced at her before rushing down the ladders to the floor of the tower and looking at the armory that Bosch had claimed was there.

It was a small locker with a second laser rifle in it and a handful of batteries that he quickly loaded up on, remembering to change out his own as he did so. There was also a thick, metal mace that hung from a strap and Kon wanted to groan as he grabbed it.

Alice had enjoyed making him fight with improvised weapons and he'd used a club more than once. It was better than the trusty rock had been, but still hadn't been a favorite. The mace felt right in his hand though, a pleasant weight that promised cracked bones if he hit something properly.

He tied it to his belt, strapped the second laser rifle to his back and then climbed back up the ladder to take his place on the catwalk not far from where Bosch was standing. Then they stood there waiting for the rest of the camp to finish their own rallying.

He heard the cackle of static from Bosch's helmet a few times as she answered on their short range comms. Kon could look at the console and see the camera views of the camp whenever he wanted too, but he couldn't look long. Seeing them bunch up, preparing to push through the horde and try to get to safety.

"I want to live. I want to train with Diur and Alice and laugh and eat smoked rift beast meat. I don't want to die in this shitty tower from some damn bug!" The thought breached his mental defenses, sitting on his mind as he watched them prepare to run. Then he turned back to Bosch as she stood there alone, waiting to press the button to fire the cannon. He knew it was Bosch, but he couldn't get the image of Alice standing alone against the Lupine Packmaster out of his mind.

"Never again."

He blinked back a few tears, frustration mixing with acceptance. He took a deep breath and let it flow out slowly, adrenaline surged through his body as Bosch grunted and reached over to fire the cannon. Her hand hovered over the button and her whisper was easy enough to hear.

"Let me stand firm, one last time." She pressed the button and the world turned red.

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