Chapter 5: The Land of Machines Episode 13: The Clash with Zekhtau’s Archer FormPart (2/2)

The nearby escort tanks, heavily armored and constructed to withstand even the most devastating blasts, remained mostly unscathed by the earlier explosions. Slowly, they began moving in unison, forming a ring around the battlefield. Their looming presence blocked out the fiery glow of the explosions, creating an encroaching wall of steel.

"Retreat! Retreat now! The escort tanks are closing in!" Lunar's urgent voice crackled through the comms, carrying a sense of unease. Everyone knew that even the slightest delay would seal their fate.

"But we haven't finished Zekhtau off yet!" Akira protested, his eyes locked on the faint silhouette of Zekhtau through the rising smoke. He staggered slightly, Yue by his side, channeling healing energy to steady him.

"Leave it to the Guardian Squadron!" Lunar replied firmly. "You need to get out of the blast zone. Don't let those tanks box you in!"

Akira clenched his teeth. He didn't want to let Zekhtau escape, but the situation left him no choice. "Go! We have to get out of here!" he shouted to his team.

The group took off running, their feet pounding against the debris-strewn ground. The deafening roars of explosions echoed behind them, like death itself chasing relentlessly at their heels. They all knew every second counted—the fine line between survival and demise growing thinner with each moment.

Lunar's voice came again, louder this time, cutting through the chaos. "The squadron won't wait for anyone! Move faster!" The warning spurred them into an even more frantic pace. Mirelle, running near the back, stumbled over a piece of rubble and fell hard. Akira skidded to a stop and rushed to pull her up.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

"I'm fine. Thanks," Mirelle replied softly. She hesitated briefly, her gaze lingering on Akira for just a moment before she picked up speed, running ahead. The glow of the distant flames concealed the faint blush that spread across her cheeks and ears.

The rumble of approaching aircraft grew louder, resonating like the judgment of gods. The inferno from the explosions behind them seemed to creep closer, threatening to consume them. Still, they ran, weaving through the wreckage and thick clouds of smoke that veiled the battlefield.

Suddenly, the shapes of bomber aircraft pierced through the dark clouds above, diving toward the battlefield like hawks on the hunt. The metallic sheen of their armored wings glinted ominously as they descended. Zekhtau's escort tanks wasted no time, firing missiles toward the squadron. However, the aircraft, with their superior speed and maneuverability, evaded most of the incoming projectiles with ease.

Once clear of the tank's counterfire, the bombers unleashed their payload. Bomb after bomb dropped from the sky, each impact shaking the earth and igniting massive fireballs. Flames erupted in every direction, casting an intense orange glow across the battlefield. The soldiers and tanks closest to the impact zones were obliterated, torn apart by the sheer force of the explosions.

Each bomb hit with such ferocity that cracks spread across the ground, splitting it into gaping fissures. The sound reverberated like an endless earthquake. Some of the remaining escort tanks tried to move, their treads grinding against the broken terrain, but their response was sluggish and ineffective. Against the unrelenting assault of the bomber squadron, they were utterly outmatched.

Though a few aircraft were shot down in the process, the damage they inflicted was overwhelming. The bombers rained destruction over and over again, each explosion flashing like a lightning storm of fire, consuming everything in its path.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the thunderous bombing ceased. The aircraft retreated, disappearing into the darkness of the sky, leaving behind a battlefield scarred by utter devastation. The team slowed to a stop, taking a moment to catch their breath as they turned to look back at the carnage they had just escaped.

"We're still alive," Akira murmured, his voice heavy with relief. Yet his gaze wasn't on the smoldering ruins behind them but on the path ahead—one that promised trials even greater than this.

As the dust settled, we cautiously moved to inspect the battlefield. The escort tanks of Zekhtau had been completely annihilated, reduced to piles of twisted metal and lingering smoke. But what we found left us frozen in place—Zekhtau was still there. Only its head and a damaged power core remained, but even in this state, the sheer aura of its former power lingered in the air.

Weapons drawn, we surrounded the remnants of Zekhtau. Its flickering red eyes locked onto us, and then, it laughed—a distorted, stuttering sound, like a dying machine clinging to its final moments.

"Hah…hah… You can relax," it said, its voice crackling through failing circuits. "This battle is yours. But mark my words—our next encounter, in the Cyborg Zone, will end this once and for all. I alone will be your reckoning."

The red glow in its eyes dimmed and faded, followed by a brief spark and a small explosion from its cracked power core. Black smoke coiled into the air as Zekhtau's remains finally collapsed.

Everyone exhaled in relief, the tension releasing all at once. But the silence that followed felt almost suffocating, as if the world itself had paused to take a breath. Yue clung to Akira's arm, her voice trembling. "It's over… right?"

Akira gave a small nod, though the uncertainty in his eyes betrayed his lingering doubts.

Elina stared at the ground, her expression unreadable. Mirelle slumped down onto the scorched grass, letting out an exhausted sigh. Overhead, Draco used his fire magic to carefully guide himself down, floating to the ground with deliberate control. The moment his boots touched the dirt, he exaggerated his landing with a loud thud!

Akira couldn't hold back a laugh.

"What's so funny, my friend?" Draco tilted his head, curious.

"You just reminded me of someone… like a superhero from a movie I used to watch," Akira replied, barely containing his amusement.

Draco paused, realizing what Akira meant, and then grinned widely. "Well, I do fly, after all," he said with mock grandeur. He leaped into the air, this time trying to replicate his earlier maneuver. But his fire magic faltered mid-arc, sending him headfirst into the ground with a loud crash!

"Ow!" Draco groaned, sprawled out on the dirt.

Yue rushed to his side, casting a healing spell, her expression a mix of worry and suppressed laughter. "You need to stop doing this to yourself!"

Elina walked over and smacked his shoulder. "Seriously, don't make us worry like that, you idiot!"

Draco scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Guess I need a bit more practice," he admitted, averting his eyes to hide his embarrassment.

The tension began to ease as everyone chuckled softly, the battlefield no longer feeling like a deathtrap. For the first time in hours, it felt like they could finally breathe again.

"I can't believe we made it out of this alive," Draco muttered, walking alongside Akira.

"But we still don't know what else Zekhtau was hiding," Elina said, her tone serious.

Yue clutched Akira's sleeve, whispering, "Big brother… I'm still scared of him."

Akira offered her a faint smile, then turned to address the group. "We need to prepare. The next battle is going to be even tougher."

Above, the night sky, once scorched by Zekhtau's photon prism lasers, began to clear. The jagged rift in the clouds opened wider, revealing a blanket of stars shimmering against the darkness. It was as though the world itself was taking a deep breath, recovering from the chaos.

Yue tightened her grip on Akira's arm and murmured, "It's beautiful, big brother."

"It is," Akira thought to himself, though he didn't say it aloud. His gaze lingered on the stars, his mind already on the battles to come.

As dawn's first light crept over the horizon, the team began their slow walk up a small hill. Each step was heavy with exhaustion but fueled by a newfound hope. The golden sunlight illuminated the battlefield, turning the remnants of war into a canvas painted with resilience and determination.

For a moment, it felt like the dawn wasn't just rising over the battlefield—but within each of them as well.

After soaking in the relief of victory, we made our way to retrieve Osiris and head toward one of the Guardian bases. The once-burning sky had faded to a soft gray, and the rift in the clouds revealed a blanket of shimmering stars, as if declaring the triumph of the night.

When we arrived, Uncle Pong, ever energetic and cheerful regardless of the situation, approached us briskly, offering cans of soda to the team. We eyed the drinks warily at first, but as usual, we couldn't resist cracking them open. The familiar refreshing taste brought reluctant smiles to our faces. Uncle Pong chuckled at our cautious expressions but said nothing, letting the fizz do the talking.

Little Eve, standing a short distance away, gave us a quiet, knowing smile. She didn't say much, but her calm, steady gaze seemed to reassure us in a way words couldn't. Without a word, she led us further into the base.

Suddenly, Osiris, who had been cloaked in invisibility mode, began to reveal herself. The shimmering veil of her stealth effect faded away like mist dissipating in the wind, unveiling her futuristic translucent armor. Every step she took radiated elegance and authority, like a warrior from a distant future.

"Congratulations, and thank you all for your bravery," she said, her voice calm but powerful. Her gaze swept over each of us, as if acknowledging the exhaustion we carried from the battle.

After a brief discussion and preparations, we set off for the Guardian base. Uncle Pong lightened the mood with his jokes and his constant buzzing around, his enthusiasm infecting the rest of us. After a night filled with chaos and combat, being together like this felt like a breath of fresh air.

As the towering silhouette of the Guardian base came into view, surrounded by dim, protective lights, we steeled ourselves for what awaited us.

The sound of our footsteps echoed eerily in the unnaturally quiet surroundings, the kind of silence that seemed to hold its breath, waiting. As we approached the massive gates, the stationed guards stiffened slightly at the sight of us but quickly composed themselves.

"Lord Castro is waiting for you inside," one of the guards said, his voice steady and formal.

But before we could step through the gates, another guard hurried over, his tone slightly nervous, almost excited. "My apologies, but Lord Castro isn't alone… Someone else is waiting as well."

We froze. The air seemed heavier. "Who?" Akira asked, his voice sharp with curiosity and concern.

The guard hesitated, glancing away before answering. "He said his name is… Lunar Cipher."

The name struck like a lightning bolt, sending chills through the air. We stood motionless, the weight of that name pressing down on us.

"Lunar Cipher…" Draco echoed, as though trying to etch the name deeper into his memory.

Yue tugged at Akira's sleeve, her voice barely a whisper. "Big brother… He's the one who's been helping us all this time, right?"

"Yes… but he's never shown himself to anyone before," Mirelle replied, her tone laced with suspicion and unease.

Everyone's minds raced, trying to conjure an image of the enigmatic figure who had guided us from the shadows. Who was he? What kind of person—or entity—was he?

The massive doors of the base groaned as they slowly opened, the sound of metal grinding against metal causing our hearts to skip a beat. Light spilled out from within, revealing two figures standing in the room beyond. We stared, unable to move, caught between anticipation and trepidation.

"Go ahead. They're expecting you," one of the guards prompted, breaking the stillness.

We stepped forward hesitantly, each step feeling heavier than the last. The faint hum of the room and the sight of the two silhouettes ahead sent shivers through us. As we crossed the threshold, it felt like we were about to uncover a truth long hidden—a secret that could change everything.