Outlaws (The Slingers Trilogy, Book 2)

Chapter 22

They stared each other down from across the platform, the lift going up to the landing pad behind Dante. He knew that Zero wanted him, and he'd also try to use the crew to get to him, and would most likely kill them if he failed. Which was why he wasn't planning to fail. He raised the two black swords that Piero had given to him so many years ago, which had never lost him a duel before, and weren't about to lose him one now. He saw Zero raise his katana with it's newly repaired plasma blade, and everything else seemed to fall away, as if they were the only two beings in the whole universe, destined to be locked in eternal combat. Then, the silence was broken as they both dashed forwards at each other, their blades poised like the fangs of a poisonous viper. The clash between the three sharpened pieces of metal seemed to echo throughout the entire city, and then reflected back onto them, the shockwave blowing their respective coats back, making them flutter like the wings of a panicked bird. The metal scraped against one another, and the two locked eyes, each with glares that could melt through even the toughest of armour, but they didn't even flinch. Then, it was Zero that broke the clash, arcing his blade upwards, pushing Dante's blades apart, leaving his chest wide open. He thrusted forward, but Dante was too fast, blocking then parrying the incoming attack. He then swung from the outside with his second blade, but Zero bent backwards, the tip of Dante's sword barely missing the front of his shirt. Seeing that he missed, Dante lunged forward with a brutal two-handed swing with both his swords, so powerful that Zero barely got his weapon up in time, the plasma blade touching the two black iron blades. Dante then quickly pulled away, and saw the spots where the plasma had touched the blades were glowing red-hot. He then turned back to look at Zero. He may have the advantage in weaponry, but all that mattered for naught when it came to duels like this. After a heartbeat, he lunged forward again.

As Elicia pulled the Broker up into the ship, she could already hear the sound of clashing blades from down below. Dante had pretty much sacrificed himself for them...and none of them had said a word. She pulled the Broker up into the private cabins, and threw him into one and locked the door. "There's your protection." She muttered as she walked up to the main cabin, where her brother, Bunker and Koil were looking over the controls. Koil pulled out the small memory drive that the Broker had given them, then inserted it into the Renegade's computer. After a few small beeping noises, the computer gave an affirmative noise, and a small set of numbers and calculations came up on the screen. "That must be the algorithm for the Quantum Engine." Koil said, then began to type in the last known coordinates of Andress and Nolun's escape pod. After the computer processed this for a few moments, it began to chart a course, and then finally, a set of numbers appeared on the screen. Koil leaned in and looked at them, then his eyes widened. "That's a Galactic Designation! It's basically a serial number for unclassified planets. If I just enter it into the database..." Koil typed out the numbers, and then, a small blue planet popped up on the computer screen. "There! Planet 1148-05. That's not too far from here!" Edvard and Elicia looked at each other, smiles spreading across their faces. Bunker leaned down with a confused look. "That's odd...why isn't it officially designated in the GDF database?" But, even he was cracking a smile. The thought of finally getting Andress back was comforting to him. They all stood there, until Elicia spoke up. "We need to get Dante." Koil looked back at her. "He said he would hold off that Zero guy. He can handle himself." Elicia clenched her fists and looked at Koil. "What happened to never leaving one of us behind? Isn't that the whole reason why we're here? Why Dante is out there right now?" The cabin was silent, and without a word, Koil started the Renegade's engines.

It was tiring, yet exhilarating. Powerful, yet elegant. The entire duel against Zero was filled to the brim with dichotomy. Dante found all the training and knowledge he had acquired over the years being put to the test as he slashed his blades against this inhuman opponent. He moved fast, and tried to catch him off guard, but no matter how fast Dante moved, Zero was always one second faster. Soon, their blades were moving too fast for anyone watching to even catch. Their weapons had become like the very wind around them: fast, flowing, and dangerous when utilized correctly. It was very clear that this was not some amateur duel, between two children who had never picked up a blade in their lives. This was a contest of masters, ones who had lived by the sword for their entire lives, and they were both giving their all. Then, all of a sudden, it stopped. For one reason or another, the both of them just stopped and stared at each other. Dante held his blades at his sides, and panted like he had just run 10,000 miles. Zero tried to keep his blade up, but Dante could see that his arm was shaking with the exhilaration. Then, Zero finally spoke, and Dante heard something he had never heard before in his voice. Pure desperation. "Why...? Why did you let me live? When we last duelled on the ship...why did you spare my life?" Before Dante could speak again, Zero yelled at him, and for a moment Dante could see what looked like tears in his eyes. "WHY DIDN'T YOU KILL ME?!" Dante stared at Zero with a mixture of pity and regret, then looked down, and spoke back to him in his low, gritty voice. "I don't know." Zero looked at Dante with a look of confusion, as if everything he had ever known in his life was a lie, which Dante suspected he was just beginning to realize. As Zero looked down at his sword, he spoke again, this time not as a warrior, but as a begging child. "What...am I?" Dante stared at him, and said the same words again, this time not harsh, but honest. "I don't know." Then, the ground shuddered, and Dante saw the Renegade rise from beneath the platform, it's cargo bay opening up. Without thinking, he ran off the platform and landed in the ship. As he looked back, he saw Zero standing on the platform, looking up at the ship, not attempting to follow him, a look of resigned defeat on his face. As the door closed, Dante sheathed his swords and turned away, the ship lifting off into the sky.