CHAPTER 12 - ONE MAN’S REVENGE PART 1

Back on the bridge before the groups descended into the hull…

The captain of the Cerberus was watching with killing intent for where Qin was heading. He watched on the terminals from the bridge of the group splitting up into four. He didn’t pay attention to Yin, Cleo, or Lisa. His only focus was on Qin as he was guessing where she was going. 

The captain had whoever he could to slow her down as he tried to make out where she was going. He eventually figured it out when she was heading in a certain direction. He ordered for everyone to go to the forward hanger deck as he left the bridge. The captain took hidden shortcuts on the ship to get there faster as he planned his next move. This time he would make sure Qin paid for his humiliation…

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Qin’s and Julia were having it rough as they made their way to the bow hangar. They were assisted by one of the elite guards on their way.

“They just keep coming. At this rate I hope I have enough mana to get back to the Furnace Peaks. I might have to have you or one of the other guards to help me with getting a few summons.” Qin said to the elite dragoniod guard who just nodded. 

The group was too busy fighting to stop for idle chit chat. Qin was getting worn down along with Julia. They kept dealing with wave after wave of the ship's guards and rift eaters as they finally made it to the hangar. Along the way Cleo radioed in asking if they needed assistance. Since they had finished their task. Qin was hesitant at first but accepted her help as they continued on.

The trio had to loop around to try to fool their pursuers. The trick worked long enough so they could get into the hangar and try to hide. What they didn’t know was a force far much more dangerous was waiting inside.

The group found a spot to rest for a quick respite as the guards had realized they had slipped in. 

“Next time I am bringing even more mana potions with me.” Complained Qin. She had used up what she had left. She had to ask Julia for a few to top off for her part in the hangar distraction.

The group snuck around the hangar after getting a quick reset. Qin, along with the other dragoniod, worked with a distraction while Julia made her way to the ship's bow hangar controls.

Qin was the first to run with her summons to start the chaos. She used all six of her summons along with a few feathers Margaret had given her to cause as much chaos as possible. The elite dragoniod summoned a few summons to add to the pandemonium. He kept watch over Qin while Julia used a concealment spell to head for the control room. 

Julia made her way into the control room for the bow controls. It was heavily guarded. There were ten guards stationed in front as she came into view. Six of them were rift eaters.

“Guess I'm going to have to drop the spell and go all out.” Julia muttered to herself.

Julia dropped her concealment spell as she attacked the rift eaters with frightening speed. She turned the radiant weapons she had into daggers as she went stabbing each rift eater in the eyes. The ship's guards were in a panic as she flipped over the last rift eater. She was quick to dispose of the guards as she knocked each one of them out in less than a second.

The last guard fell as Julia sighed with relief. She could still hear the chaos unfolding back at the hangar she got inside to work with the controls. She was quick to disable the launching system as she radioed in to Qin she had done her job.

Just as she did the ship shook violently as Juiia was tossed to the floor with a sickening thud. She ended up breaking her ankle as she cried in pain. She was quick to heal it as she tried to radio Qin with no response.

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A few minutes before Julia successfully shot off the launching systems.

“This always seems to be so easy. Well almost too easy. I honestly wanted more of a challenge in here.” Qin yawned. 

“You wanted a challenge. I think the endless fights getting here was challenging enough for me.” The elite dragoniod guard spoke.

Qin was about to tell him this was child’s play for her when a voice spoke up behind them.

“Well if it isn’t the troublemaker who got me demoted and exiled from my own home planet.”

The two of them turned around to see the captain of the ship was standing there. Qin froze as she was suddenly, reliving a never ending nightmare. Her hesitation was the only thing the captain needed to attack.

The captain triggered an artifact that was embedded in his head. The moment he did, the hangar deck was engulfed in a massive explosion. That was followed by a massive fireball.

Qin, who was frozen in place, was targeted with the full force of the attack. The dragoniod guard acted swiftly to protect Qin. The guards were given direct orders to protect the group even if it cost them their lives. The dragoniod put up a protective barrier right as the captain activated the artifact. 

In the blink of an eye Qin watched as her unwillingness to fight. Cost her the dragoniod’s life. Even with all the proactive barriers up. The man was vaporized by the explosion. It next hit Qin who was blasted through the hangar with massive force. She managed to put her arms up before the hit. Only to be knocked out cold.

Qin was able to regain consciousness a few minutes later. She found herself unable to move buried under tons of steel and metal. Qin could tell she was in critical condition as she coughed up mouth full of blood. Her cybernetic wings had been destroyed. Her legs and arms were both broken. She had a piece of metal embedded in her right shoulder. Many of her bones had broken from the impact. Qin was helpless as she lied crying in tears.

The only thing she could do was mentally call her summons to free her. They did as they were commanded and headed her way. Qin worked her healing magic on herself while her summons tried to free her. They worked hard to free her only to be blasted to smithereens that was followed up by the captain’s voice again.

“Well it seems you are still alive. You are quite the formidable opponent. No matter this next blast should finish you for good.” He mocked her.

Meanwhile, Julia had made her way back into the bow hangar after feeling the explosion. She was in total shock to see the place had been obliterated. Fires were burning on the ship. While the ship's crew could be heard screaming in pain or dying. Several floors in the ship had been blasted cleanly through. She could see that the explosion had taken out nine different decks below. Whereas from above the sky could be seen clearly with another five decks blown through. 

She tried to radio Qin with no luck. Julia began to panic when she spotted one of Qin summons running in another direction. She called out to it hoping to get a lift to Qin. It froze for a second before growing a little to let her on its back. The summon homed in on Qin. It jumped off the edge of a gaping hole as it glided where Qin was. Unknown to Julia, the ship’s captain was closing in as well following another summon of Qin’s

Julia landed right as the man was making his final farewell for Qin. Julia’s face had gone pale seeing where Qin had been half dug out from her summons that the man was blasting. They tried to fight back, but he was too powerful. With Qin in her weakened state. She had no way to buff them as she was more focused on healing her own wounds.

Seeing Qin in a sorry state. Julia knew she only could hope to fight the man until the others came. Taking in a deep breath knowing she might die here and then.  She didn’t have time to add extra buffs or protections. Julia launched a spell to slow the man's attacks.  It wasn’t much but it would buy her time as she fled after he was hit by the spell.

The reaction was almost instant. As he now targeted Julia. She had to run and dodge his attacks. Julia was soon radioed by the others asking what was going on. She only got a response of “We need help in the hangar…” Before she was hit by a fireball. Julia was knocked to the ground. Julia stood back up as she ran. The summon she had used to get to Qin had sacrificed itself to save Julia. She could only hope the others made it in time to help. Julia ran around the floor taunting the man, trying to keep him distracted long enough…