Persistence is a Virtue[]
Part 3[]
Rajal hit the ground hard as Zallirix careened by overhead. The maniac is going to ruin that prototype! Rajal stormed to himself as he watched Zallirix shoot off toward Levuku and the others. Oh yeah, and he'll get himself killed, Rajal thought, and with a smile, he added to himself, That's not as much of a problem, though.
Zallirix might have thought it was a problem, but he was quietly confident in his ability to adapt to the hang of the machine. He wasn't quiet, though. He was laughing maniacally, thoroughly enjoying himself as he flew low over the sand and gravel of the Altronia Fortress parking lot and made a beeline for Levuku. As he got nearer, Nytrix shouted a warning, Vaturi shrieked, and Levuku barely turned in time to be pummeled by the onrushing thief. Zallirix slammed into Levuku's chest, knocking the wind from the Crynok and sending him flying off toward the beach. Ferrak launched a spinner, but Zallirix swatted it away with his spear. More followed, but Zallirix never wavered he simply figured out how to hover and stayed where he was, batting Rhotuka aside right and left. Vohk shot off behind Zallirix, did a 180, and shot up at a diagonal toward Zallirix's back. Zallirix never looked back, but proved that he was expecting Vohk to du that when he cut the jetpack,s power and let Vohk shoot over him and land on Ferrak. Zallirix landed like a cat on the ground, then flipped backward to get away from Nytrix's plasma blasts.
Rajal had gotten to his feet by now and was now trying to nab Zallirix any way he could. Zallirix could well escape, and divulge who knew how much info to who knew how many enemies once gone. Rajal somersaulted on the ground, then kept rolling, the spikes on his back turning him into a mutant Buzzsaw of Stone. He rolled after Zallirix, quickly approaching the maniac as he was avoiding plasma blasts. Zallirix rapidly stopped dodging and ducked to the side of Rajal, forcing Nytrix to cease fire for a moment. Zallirix then tried to run Rajal through, but Rajal fell over sideways, allowing the tough armor on his back to parry Zallirix's blade, after which Rajal followed into sweeping ground kick that sent Zallirix flying away.
The maniac rolled and tumbled along the ground until he slammed into a wall of Altronia Fortress. Rajal advanced, blades ready, to finish this little charade, but Zallirix simply sat up, smiled, waved, and activated his stolen jetpack, taking off into the sky. Rajal rolled at the wall, allowing his spikes to stick into it. He rolled up after Zallirix, then leaped off the wall and tried an air tackle, but Zallirix met it with an outstretched leg, which Rajal slammed into and fell. Nytrix was using his tentacles to follow them up the wall, and, plunging his Crescent Blades into the wall, reached out with his tentacles, straining to reach Zallirix. The tentacles continued to follow Zallirix away from the wall, and, to Zallirix's surprise, they stretched to three times their original length. After that, though, Nytrix could extend them no further and he gave up.
As Vaturi took off on her own wings after Zallirix, Ferrak and Vohk tried to revive Levuku. Vohk eventually gave Levuku a little shock, which started the Crynok awake. "Get up, junior pilot," Vohk said, pointing to Zallirix, "and go catch yourself a bogey."
Levuku saw what was required, and what he was to do. He grimaced at the thought of fighting Zallirix, but also was anticipatory at the some time. He started up his jetpack, then stared off across the sky.
Vaturi tried to meet Zallirix in the air, but Zallirix had the advantage, for he did not use his primary weapon for flight unlike Vaturi, and managed to fight her off. He heard the sound of Nytrix grunting when he caught Vaturi, and also heard the sound of approaching engines. He smiled, and, turning, saw Levuku approach over his shoulder. Truning his body to face Levuku, he said, "Not so good and virtuous now, are you? When Faxhuun's not around, you're perfectly fine with doing me in."
Levuku hesitated. Zallirix continued. "That's just too bad for everyone who looks up to you," he said, gesturing to Vohk and Ferrak on the ground, "and everyone who expects great things from you. You've devolved into a murderer, and now they're too good for you. They'll eject you and shun you, because you broke their honor system, and your murderous reputation will be known everywhere..." he paused for effect, "...kind of like mine."
Levuku wasn't sure what to make of this. There was some truth and plausibility to his words, but Levuku was sure he was exaggerating. Or was he?
Zallirix shrugged. "Oh, well. Makuta will take you, of course. He's willing to accept any soulless slime ball toe help his cause anyway."
Levuku thought it over some more. Zallirix had to be trying to demoralize Levuku, trying to get Levuku to back down. Levuku wouldn't let that happen. Zallirix was lying, way better than Levuku thought Zallirix could manage with such a jumbled mind, and hitting on Levuku's insecurities. He'll have to try something new, because Burtok already tried that, trying to keep me on his side. Kanahka told me better. Zallirix killed him, and now Zallirix is trying to erase him completely. That will not happen.
Levuku composed himself. "Okay, Zallirix, because you virtually asked for it, because you deserve worse, and to prove I can do it, I'll stop you and catch you without killing you, so your life can continue to be miserable here at the fortress."
Zallirix grinned from ear to ear. "I like this idea." With a sinister tone, he continued, "All right, give me the fight of my life. promise I'll enjoy every moment of it."