Chapter 18

The astral skies above began to ripple in scarlet waves that gradually concealed this plain in a shield leaving the pirates of the Feudal Order and Thorace trapped within this massive globe. Staring at themselves petrified, the rest realized that they had been tricked into staying in the pretext of battle, meanwhile, it was just a trap to get them cornered, leaving them with no option but to fight if they didn't concede to his request.

"Finally", Trident said, "they've realized that they're the ones who are cornered", facing Thorace he continued, "how about we gore them down right now ?"

"Patience Trident", Thorace replied, "we'll give them a final chance to hand over the Trail Disector, just for honor's sake."

"Norgus !" Thorace summoned. "You know what the price you must pay to get your freedom without anything fatal happening to your fleet. But if you decide to take matters to the blade", lifting his gaze to confront the five pirates, "not only are you going to lose your entire fleet, the Trail Disector will also become mine."

Norgus' fists tightened, he might have lost in their previous encounters but he couldn't just give in like a coward. Even though he lost the Trail Disector, it didn't mean much to him, but he was going to his fleet as well, he didn't have a choice, did he ? And the the only option he had left was to battle to the very end, at least for the thrill of it. Maybe he could even get back at Thorace for all he done in the past, this could be the opportunity that they had been waiting for.

"Get ready because we're about to begin the real battle," Norgus informed the others.

"What if we lose the Trail Disector to Thorace ?" Dorvin pointed out.

"That's the Feudal Order's problem", Zorg interjected, "we could always say that we lost it, even they can't handle Thorace in a battle. Because all I want right now is to bury my blade in his bowels", he said brandishing his sword, "and I'll gladly take this opportunity to execute such motive."

"Well said Zorg", Norgus praised, "are the rest of you with Zorg and me on this ?"

"Zorg's right", Shev accepted, "even if we lost it wouldn't mean that much, the Feudal Order with their lords and emperors wouldn't have done any better."

"The only thing I like about this", Nord said, "is the prospect of fighting", drawing his sword from its scabbard, "one that I just can't miss."

"Since we all agree", Norgus concluded, " let the battle begin. Ray-guns fire !" He ordered.

Cannons emerged from the sides of the battleships belonging to the Feudal Order's fleet, completely surrounding Thorace from all corners, there was nowhere for him to hide and nowhere to run.

"We gave them a chance", said Trident, "and it seems like they've made their choice."

"And I'm about to make mine", Thorace responded, "the Mace !" He summoned. "Switch to auto-combat mode."

The halos tore out from the massive ray-guns shattering the distance between them and their sole target - the Mace - heralding that wall of flames upon his ship. Thorace grinned knowing that their their firepower was no match for his neither could they penetrate his ship's unique armour. Feeling the burning wind blow against his skin, Thorace knew that the anticipated moment was close and the hour faded into a clash of flames.

It arose like a mountainous and cosmic wave, rising high to the astral skies as the halos crashed upon the Mace, their burning fangs digging into its rugged armour, but how deep could they go ? Subsiding, the dying storm unveiled that flaring shield and within it was the Mace and its master, Thorace, who still grinned calmly, unshaken and unfazed by that storm of flames. Norgus' jaws gritted in rage and fury burnt in his eyes. What did he expect ? Thorace thought. From experience did they think he was going to go down with just a single blow, how naive, and they thought him to be stupid and arrogant for not joining the Feudal Order, but what they didn't know and what they'll never know was, a true warrior was the one who could fight his battles alone and still emerge victorious without the help of a superior clan, tribe or order. But one thing was sure, he would never be a greedy coward, unlike the fools who called themselves the pirates of the Feudal Order.

He had fought battles greater than they had and could ever imagine both internal and external, battles against beings they never heard of or seen. Being a cosmic pirate was beyond being a master of the astral seas, what it entailed was deeper than they thought, and those arcane depths was what made he, Vage and other cosmic pirates who sailed the astral seas unstoppable. Now, he was going to show them what it truly meant to be a cosmic pirate.

A metallic battleboard enacted itself before Thorace who climbed onto its surface with the atmosphere crystallizing as a trident and sword into his two hands. His once closed eyelids on tearing apart made his burning eyes glisten so did Trident who's antlers became enflamed. The Mace's shield fell and through the openings within its armour waves of interstellar chariots and mobile cannons poured forth. Those massive and rugged blades bore themselves out, flaring of an enflamed and radioactive turbulence. Armour doned, battle ready and blade steady, Thorace and his fleet charged at the Feudal Order's army.

"The moment you've been dying for has finally arrived Trident," Thorace reminded.

"And I shall live it to the fullest," Trident growled, those fangs baring themselves out of his jaws, his antlers blazing of an opalescent surge of condensed flames.

"So will I" Thorace replied, "the Mace", he ordered, "halos !"

Cannons took form on the Mace's armour and from their burning cores tore out the sea of flames and lightning setting the distance between them and the front lines of the Feudal Order's fleet on fire, they were indeed glory and flames.

"Shields !" Norgus ordered.

The forcefields were raised as that oncoming storm fell upon them. The expanse in the illuminating flood of red and white quaked underneath the turbulence which that rain of halos wielded. Clearing away, it unveiled the fallen shields of the Feudal Order's fleet.