The New Threat

Chapter 12: The New Threat

The team moved cautiously forward down the windy corridors of the hive. The walls pulsed in an eerie, blue glow, like some sort of heartbeat, casting strange shadows on their features.

Caden walked at the head, not a word said. His katana tightly in his grasp, gaze fixed on the path ahead.

The sudden, deep growl echoed down the tunnel, the scuttling of claws on concrete echoing in its wake. Two gigantic Vanguards erupted from darkness into dim light. Their exoskeletons were shining and their eyes honed in on intruders in a heartbeat.

"Great," Mira grumbled, her pistols rising. "Double trouble."

"These are bigger," Darius said, the tightness of his voice echoing his engagement of hardening. "And probably smarter."

The Vanguards moved with measured, almost slow grace, talons flickering soft with energy. Ava found herself instinctively stepping forward, a flare of psychic energy kicking on for the defense of the group.

"Wait," Caden suddenly raised his hand; his tone calm, serious. "I'll take them, handle this myself."

Mira cocked an eyebrow upwards. "You sure of that? They certainly do not come off to be here seeking talks."

"I know that." Caden turned to the Vanguards, his face sharp but calm. "They're mine. Stay back."

Before anyone could protest he already walked forward as the familiar voice of the system spoke in his mind.

"Caden, you've been holding back, your body, your capabilities-it's far, far beyond what you have used. If you want to unlock your true potential, free your mind of stupid thoughts. Let go of unnecessary focuses on control and unleash the fullness of your training. Use your energy to enhance your strength, speed and senses. That is what an Interstellar Soldier is; at least an interstellar soldier at tier two would be able to take down a battleship. You can absorb and destroy stars, use that potential and stop thinking of dangers about your actions.

Caden didn't stir a second longer as his words sank in. A crazed grin stretched across his face, one that hadn't pulled those lips since the boy dropped on the planet. His shoulders loosened, tension melting from his body.

"Well, guess I've been doing this wrong," he muttered to himself rather than anyone else. He rolled his neck while his whole body, along with his katana, glowed faintly green as he circled his energy around with ease. "Alright, system. Let's see what I've been missing."

"Uh, Caden?" Ava called, the hesitation palpable in her tone. "What's with the grin? You're acting weird."

"Relax, Ava." He turned to her, the playful look in his eyes. "I've got this. Go take five, maybe grab a snack and watch. I'll call you when it's over."

"Caden," Mira started, skepticism lacing her tone, "this isn't the time for.

Yet he vanished in an instant, quicker than the curve of their eyes could comprehend. Then he suddenly just was right in front of the first Vanguard. His katana whipped across in a sure, firm slash, slicing through one of its claws in a line clean as any before it could even move. The creature shrieked, recoiling backward.

"What the fuck?" Darius blinked, astounded. "Was that Caden? First a sudden shift in charisma, and now a power boost?"

"Oh, I've always had this power; after all, it's the reason you've survived up until now," Cadent said beside Darius's ear. "You people just were blind to that." Darius widened his eyes with surprise.

The second Vanguard pounced on him then, but he dodged the attack with a fluid motion that sent Darius flying aside. With an upward stroke, he took off one of its legs with one strike. A roar of pain as the creature's remaining legs scrabbled to retain balance.

"You're making it too easy," Caden said, shaking his head mockingly. "Come on, show me something interesting."

The voice kicked in again. "Great, channel your energy to your muscles, it will increase your speed, you can go way faster than you are doing now. You are squandering your energy. Observe the rhythm of the fight in order to guess theirs."

Caden still smirked. "Yeah, yeah, got it. Keep 'em coming."

The first Vanguard, enraged now, charged at him with energy glowing in his claws. But Caden was already in movement-a green blur that darted around the creature. His katana flashed once more, cleaving through the creature's torso in one swift motion. The Vanguard collapsed, his body crackling as the energy bled from it.

The second Vanguard hesitated then, almost as if it knew it was outgunned. Caden leaned his head to one side, the grin spreading across his face. "Oh, I didn't know you feel fear, but don't back out now; you were all claws a minute ago."

The beast charged and roared, but Caden didn't bat an eye. In a blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them; his glowing katana flared all the brighter as he started funneling more energy into it. It tore through the Vanguard's exoskeleton like paper, and he fell lifeless to the ground.

He turned back to the group, spinning his katana once before sheathing it. "See? Easy."

Mira's jaw dropped a little. "What… what was that?"

"Just me being me," Caden replied with a shrug. "Don't act so surprised."

"Surprised?!" Ava threw her hands up. "You just took out two Vanguards like they were nothing after we have been exhausting our self to take out just one! And you're acting like it's no big deal!"

"It isn't," he said, smirking. "You guys worry too much."

Darius shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around it. "Man, you could've told us you were hiding all that."

Caden raised an eyebrow. "Where's the fun in that?"

Mira sighed, holstering her pistols. "You're impossible to figure out, you know that?"

"I've been told," Caden said with a play in his tone. "Now, let's get going. The real fight's ahead, and I'd hate for you guys to get bored."

Tension that had previously been began now to seep away as they followed him further into the hive. It was annoying; clearly, Caden's confidence was contagious. However, one thing seemed clear in his mind-the Vanguards were not their challenge as yet.

On, deeper in twisted passages into this hive, they trudged, deeper at each step, and the pulsating deep blue color seemed to swirl in the various walls.

Caden walked confidently, as was his wont, his katana resting on his shoulder. He was followed by Mira, who had her eyes scanning the space with pistols ready at her sides; Darius and Ava close at heel, their nerves stretched taut.

There was a sudden, low growling that seemed to echo from the tunnels with no warning. Four hulking Vanguards emerged from the darkness ahead, blocking the path and filling it with their great forms. Their glowing eyes were afire with malice, while the scratching of their claws on the ground was an omen.

Mira raised her pistols, pointing at the nearest. "Okay, this is bad. Four of them? Really?"

"Guess they're rolling out the welcome party," Darius muttered, his body already hardening like stone.

"Stay focused people" Caden said, stepping forward, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

One of the Vanguards howled and dove, the claw swiping into Caden as if it outweighed him. He dodged it with plenty of time and swung his katana through the Vanguards' arm in a green blur. Its severed limb slammed against the ground, but it never had even twitched before the Vanguards' arm had started regenerating, with tissue knitting its way back in at an impossible rate.

Ava frowned, her psychic energy flared around her. "They're healing themselves again"

"I know right, really is annoying," Caden said with almost irritation tinge in his tone. He turned to the group, his katana glowing faintly. "I'll keep them busy. You guys focus on finding an opening. When I say the word, hit them with everything you've got."

Darius hesitated. "You sure about this? Four of them is a lot, even for you."

Caden smirked, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Don't worry about me, big guy. Worry about keeping up."

Without waiting for an answer, he launched himself forward in a flash. The first Vanguard swiped its claws, and Caden dived low, sliding beneath its frame as he sliced upwards. His katana tore through its torso, sending sparks flying.

The second Vanguard charged in, striking at Caden with so much speed he hadn't expected. He flipped back, barely avoiding its strike, landing on his feet. "Wow, you're faster than you look," he said with a grin. "Too bad that won't help you."

The other two Vanguards immediately flanked Caden, their claws glowing faintly with energy. Mira fired at one; her shots were precise, but its regenerating exoskeleton absorbed the damage, rendering her efforts futile.

"These things are tougher than the last one," she muttered, frustration creeping into her voice.

"That's because they're learning," Ava said, her eyes glowing as she focused her psychic energy.

"Then we adapt faster," Caden snarled, swinging at one of the flanking Vanguards. His katana bit through its leg, but even as the creature stumbled, the limb began to regrow.

The system's voice echoed in his mind. *"Caden, hit them where it hurts. Limb severing does nothing. Use your energy to heighten the katana's cutting power and destroy their core systems. It doesn't matter if they regenerate when their functions are obliterated."*

Caden smiled. "Got it. Time to turn up the heat."

His katana began to shine brighter, the green energy around it like a storm. Eyes refocused, he charged forward at the closest Vanguard, his speed too fast for the eye to catch. In one decisive strike, he cleaved through its torso, aiming for the vital energy lines the system had brought out.

The Vanguard emitted a confused shriek as it crashed, its body shuddering while the emerald energy off Caden's blade deconstructed its power of regeneration.

"One down," he said, his voice smooth as he twirled his katana in an acrobatic flair. "Who's next?"

For one second, the other Vanguards stood firm, their eyes a bit wide in a seeming reevaluation of affairs. Before anything like retaliation could really form, the team burst into action.

"Now!" exclaimed Caden.

Ava let loose with a psychic blast that slammed one Vanguard into the wall so hard it cracked its exoskeleton. Mira fired precise shots at another, targeting limbs at the joints and rendering most of it immobile; Darius charged against the fourth, his fists hardened enough to shatter its defenses.

Whirling in, Caden's katana was a blur of green light as it aimed for the weak points against each Vanguard. One by one they fell, their regenerating bodies not intended to resist the combined assault of the team.

At last, the final Vanguard fell crumpled to the floor, its eyes no longer glowing since the energy had left the body.

Over. They had succeeded. The team stood amidst carnage, out of breath.

"Well," Mira said, holstering her pistols. "That was. intense."

"No kidding," Darius added, mopping the sweat off his brow. "You sure know how to make things interesting, Caden."

Caden sheathed his katana, his face as serene as ever. "What can I say? I like to keep you guys on your toes."

Ava shook her head, a small smile at her lips. "You're impossible."

"And you're welcome," Caden said with a wink.

Then, the whole hive started trembling

"What is happening" Ava asked surprised and confused "I didn't know, the last hive didn't collapse until we cleared it" Caden said in surprise

(A/N: You guys should drop comments and reviews, tell me if you live the novel or not, if you have any idea feel free to tell me)