ARC 5 - Earthwatch: Origins

Chapter 11

When Maximus found Starr, she was sitting on the floor of an office, her back against a desk. 

Her metal arm was letting off a heavy steam and she had a few cuts from the shattered window, but otherwise was awake and fine. 

"About time." She chuckled as War knelt next to her, checking her wounds. 

"Isn't this horrible?" she said as some flying aliens flew past the building. 

"Yep." 

"And what of the purple man with the stick?" 

"He's enjoying a makeshift throne atop Jericho's tower. Any time we try to attack him, he simply blips us away with that staff." 

"Then that's our next move. Disarm him, then focus full power on the invasion."

       "I think it's the other way around. We got aliens spread throughout the city, and the councilman is one guy. He doesn't seem keen to leaving the top of the tower either, so when we finish the aliens, we can get him."

       "You don't understand, do you?" 

War was confused as he helped her to her feet. 

"Why do you think he hasn't left the tower?" 

"Because that's his focus point. He's making sure nothing interferes with the portals." 

"Only partially right." 

"Hang on," War interrupted her pulling his earpiece out of his helmet and flipping a tiny switch, "Now we all can hear you." 

"Alright. Guys, he is trying to make sure nothing stops the portal, but he's also at the tallest point in the city. He can literally see just about every part of it. And his staff is more than a weapon, it's the only thing preventing the aliens from turning on him. Without it, he's no longer in control and the aliens will no longer be as coordinated."

       "Ok," Jericho said, "rally to the tower, we need to coordinate and surprise him. Maybe then we can get the staff away from him."

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       The councilman was indeed enjoying the view. 

He stood at the edge of the tower and watched as several buildings began to crumble from the tunnelers going through them. 

Pity the city had been mostly evacuated at the start, some dark part of him would have relished the idea of hearing some screams.

       As he turned back to his throne, an arrow whizzed by his head and sunk into the metal of the twisted suits. 

"Missed, archer." He called out, seeing her on an adjacent rooftop. "Nice try though." 

As he turned back, he saw a red light blink on the arrow, then it exploded, sending chunks of broken suits into the air. 

He took a step backwards, wary of the roofs edge. Kasm flew up from the side, and the councilman raised his staff, blocking the short burst of energy emitting from his eyes.

       Then, he felt a searing pain in his back as a blast tore through his robes as Jericho flew up from behind. 

Kasm flew off, and Hijek turned to see Jericho do the same.

A roar came from below and he saw Karn leaping from a lower rooftop coming at him. 

He stretched out the staff, butt end toward Karn.