Kanushin (Starweaver's Tapestry #1)

Chapter 22: Mirror Mirror

The outer wall of the factory blasted apart as Rhug was sent through it and into the dust wastes of Elontra. Balakus stepped through the hole in the wall and cracked his stony knuckles. Rhug clambered back up to his feet.

"So, traitor finally here," Rhug growled. "Long time, General. Krom family misses you."

"You leave my family out of this, Overseer," Balakus threatened. He circled his opponent. "I don't play those kinds of games. They understand why I left. They believe in me to do what's right."

Rhug let out a knowing chuckle. "Do they? Hard to tell. Screams too loud. Family breaks easy."

Balakus felt his blood run cold. Rhug was known to do horrifying things to get under his enemy's skin. His reputation was notorious in every branch of the Kunar military. That aggression and ability to do whatever it took, no matter how underhanded, is what made Rhug such an asset in Regal's eyes. His ascension to the Regime was one of the many reasons Balakus knew that he had to leave. Even if Rhug was just saying things to get in his head, Balakus couldn't let his aggressor walk away without some form of payback.

"The only thing that's going to be broken is your body when I'm done with you," Balakus announced. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, then adopted a fighting stance.

"Will take one hit. Make it count," Rhug conceded. He spread his arms and a blast of orange ripples quickly encompassed him before soaking into his body. A thin, almost invisible, film of Kanutic energy shaped to match his figure and solidified into a barrier around him.

"Are you so scared that you already feel the need to protect yourself?" Balakus mocked. "Fine then. Let's even the field."

Balakus focused on his hands and felt the waves of black particles assembling in his palms. His Kanushin spread around him, crafting the same type of barrier around his body as Rhug. He thought back to his days of charging into the brink of battle as a younger Reclaiment and the rush it gave him. The thrill of never knowing if he would make it out of the fight alive. That all changed when he became a General in the Kunar army. It was nothing but sitting and planning and ultimately letting the Regime have the final say in everything. As he stared down Rhug in his beady eyes, that familiar feeling of adrenaline and excitement coursed through him. Balakus enjoyed settling matters with his own hands.

"Come on!" Rhug bellowed and motioned Balakus forward.

Balakus obliged and took one heavy stomp forward, then another, building momentum as he rushed toward his challenger. He pulled back his fist and swung it into Rhug's jaw. The Overseer stumbled back, seemingly stunned by the fact that Balakus was able to land it. He shook his head rapidly and pointed at Balakus.

"That was your one," He muttered.

Balakus primed himself as Rhug started his own charge. He shifted his weight to get a better defensive stance and spread out his hands, ready to latch on to Rhug as soon as he connected. Rhug side-stepped at the last moment and tried to throw a punch of his own. Balakus managed to catch the change in motion, but not fast enough. The two connected with each other, fists to opposing faces. Kanutic sparks flared as the two titans matched each other's blows.

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Back inside the factory's rusted walls, Kirrik fired a shot through another fake Rhessian. He let out a huff. It was bad enough having to listen to the Kunar's incessant talking, but adding in all the wasted ammo was just a whole other slap to the face. Zaius and Diah watched over Imi's body in the corner of the room, the three of them rotating in and out of the fight against Rhessian. While he was thankful Balakus had stepped in and quite literally removed Rhug from the equation, there was still no strength in numbers for them, not when Rhessian could make as many copies as he wanted. There was the occasional hit that got through, but it was never enough to put the clown down for good.