Chapter 77: Barrier and Beams

Retas

Tira's blast of pink ki would've killed the two of us if not for multiple orange barriers forming between us. The barriers shimmered with a radiant glow, absorbing the impact of the attack and dissipating the lethal energy. I looked up, my heart still pounding from the close call, and saw Aiden standing a few meters away, his hands glowing with a brilliant orange light.

Tira spun around, her eyes blazing with fury. "Who the hell are you?" she snarled, her voice dripping with venom.

Aiden's expression remained calm, but his eyes were steely with resolve. "It doesn't matter who I am. I'm not letting you kill them," he said, his voice steady.

Tira's face contorted with rage. "These rebels are a threat to Titanos! They must be eliminated!" She raised her hand, ready to attack him next.

Aiden shook his head, the orange glow from his hands intensifying. "I won't let you do this."

She let out a bitter laugh. "Another idealistic fool from the resistance. You're all the same—weak and deluded. Prepare to die!"

With a snarl, she launched another blast of pink ki at Aiden. He crossed his arms in front of himself, and an orange barrier formed just in time to absorb the blast. The force of the impact sent him skidding back, but he held his ground.

Tira's ki flared around her metallic suit, casting a menacing pink glow. "You think you can stop me? You're nothing!"

Before she could unleash another attack, I took the opportunity to intervene. "Aiden's right, Tira. This war doesn't have to end in more bloodshed."

Tira's attention snapped back to me, her expression one of pure hate. "You don't get to lecture me, Retas. You're a traitor now, an enemy."

"But we were allies once. The real traitor is Yusan!"

Tira's ki flared even more intensely, casting an ominous glow over the room. "Enough talk!" she screamed and launched another blast of energy, this time aimed directly at me and Sarudei.

Aiden reacted swiftly, forming another orange barrier to shield us from the attack. The energy blast collided with the barrier, causing a shockwave that sent debris flying in all directions.

"Stop this madness, Tira!" Retas shouted, his voice firm. "Killing us won't solve anything."

Tira growled, her aura pulsing with destructive energy. "And what do you think will? Your pitiful resistance?"

Aiden's eyes softened, but his resolve didn't falter. "Maybe. But if valuing life makes us weak, then so be it."

The tension in the air was palpable, the outcome uncertain. Tira's rage was a force of nature, but Aiden's determination was equally unyielding.

Suddenly, the ground beneath us trembled as Tira's ki flared more and move.

Aiden gritted his teeth and tried his best to form a barrier to contain it. 

"Run!" I yelled, pulling Sarudei by the wrist.

"But Aiden!" Sarudei yelled.

I sighed. "He'll be fine. I'm sure he'll find a way to escape. If we stay back, he won't be able to focus on her."

Suddenly the ground shook as an explosion rang behind us.

Sarudei's eyes widened as a blast of pink energy teared the hallway we once stood in apart.

"Aiden!" Sarudei screamed.

The automated voice of the base's A.I. crackled to life again, "Lieutenant Tira is currently engaged in battle in Section E. All personnel are to proceed with caution."

"Assuming the A.I. is up to date, Aiden and Tira must still be battling."

"But that explosion..."

"Let's hope that was just her breaking his barriers, and nothing more."

Sarudei and I continued to run through the labyrinthine corridors of the Titanos base, our footsteps echoing off the metallic walls. The sounds of distant battles and explosions filled the air, a constant reminder of the chaos surrounding us.

"We need to find a way out of here," Sarudei said, his voice filled with urgency.

I nodded, scanning the halls for any signs that might lead us to an exit. "There should be a maintenance tunnel nearby. If we can find it, we might be able to slip out unnoticed."

As we rounded a corner, we nearly collided with a group of Titanos soldiers. Their eyes widened in surprise, but Sarudei and I reacted quickly, drawing our weapons and engaging them in combat. The tight quarters made it difficult to maneuver, but we fought with everything we had, knowing that stopping meant death.

After a brief but intense skirmish, we managed to incapacitate the soldiers. Breathing heavily, we continued our search for the maintenance tunnel. Finally, we found a narrow, unmarked door tucked away in a shadowy corner of the corridor.

"This must be it," I said, pushing the door open. The tunnel beyond was dark and cramped, but it was our best chance at escape.

Sarudei looked back, his eyes filled with worry. "Do you think Aiden will be okay?"

I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Aiden's strong. He's made it this far; he'll find a way to survive. Right now, we need to focus on getting out of here and finding a way to help him."

With that, we entered the tunnel, moving swiftly but cautiously. The narrow passageways twisted and turned, but after what felt like an eternity, we finally saw a faint light at the end.

We emerged into a dimly lit alleyway behind the base, the cool night air a stark contrast to the stifling heat inside. For a moment, we stood there, catching our breath and savoring our freedom.

"We made it," Sarudei said, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Yeah," I replied, my eyes scanning the surroundings. "But we can't stay here. Titanos will be looking for us."

She nodded and sighed. With sad eyes, she glanced back at the base. "Aiden also has the info we got from their database too."

I crossed my arms. "If you're that worried, I can go back and help him."

"You would do that?"

"If it'll give you some piece of mind, yes."

She smiled. "Thanks." Her eyes turned back to the base. "Although, he isn't the only one that I worry about. Vyran might be in trouble..."

I smiled slightly. So, she was worried about Vyran specifically. Interesting.