Helios Fighter

Chapter Eight

Welcome to the Club

Maintaining our position, the Novoids and Archetypes charged us, guns trained.

"You guys got a plan?" I asked.

"Uhhh...". Ladasha said. Uh oh, I thought.

"I kinda hoped you'd have one," Jax said. I closed my eyes in exasperation. "Just, kinda saw you taking everyone on at once, and I thought–"

"It's fine," I said. "I got it. Jax, void the area. Ladasha, you arc it. Make sure no one gets past the line."

"What line?" Ladasha asked.

"You guys got kinetimines?" They both nodded. "Hand 'em over." Both of them unclipped a bandolier of spherically explosive devices, and handed them to me.

"Jax, smokescreen." A second later, a cloud of smoke went up, shielding us from sight. Riding my makeshift jetpack, I flew a few meters in front of where we were, and placed the kinetimines equidistant from each other, creating an explosive barrier between me, Ladasha and Jax, and the rest of the troops. Returning to Jax and Ladasha, I drew my rifles again. "I'll cover you guys ​the best I can. Those Ferro Cannons did a number in me the first time around. For whatever reason, they didn't affect me the second time, and I'm not risking a third. Neutralize the main force, and I'll take care of the scavengers."

"What happens after that?" Jax asked.

"Depends​ on who shoots first." With that, flew straight up, out of the smokescreen.

"Target spotted!" came an enemy voice. "Ferro Cannons, take the sho-AHH!!" He was cut off because he was being pulled into​ a gravity well. Jax. I heard​ a buzzing, and saw arcs of electricity pass through three troop lines. Ladasha.

"Great job guys," I said to myself. Gunfire came from directly in front of me. I checked the scaffolding. Some of the previously downed fighters had gotten back up and were firing at me, but were bearing on Ladasha and Jax. I aimed my rifles and fired. Everyone on the scaffolding went down. "Jax! Conductive smoke! Ladasha! Arc it!" A moment later, the opposing side was covered with smoke. Another instant, and a bolt of electricity went into the smoke, turning it into a miniature lightning storm. This gave me another idea. I dropped back down into ​our, now dissipating, smoke cover. "Jax."

"Yeah?"

"First, we need some more smoke. Second, how many conductive smoke bombs do you have left?"

"Fifteen. Why?"

"Can I borrow, like, three of them? I have a plan. I just need to not electrocute myself in the process."

"Ooo...kay..." She gave me two, golf ball sized, dodecahedral shaped devices.

"Thanks. Ladasha?"

"Yeah?" she said after electrocuting a Novoid.

"On my mark, arc me." She gave me a confused look.

"He's got some kind of plan," Jax said as she voided a section of the field. "Just go with it."

"Alright....?"

"Thanks, guys," I said. "You're doing awesome, keep it up!" I launched back into the air. Our smokescreen became thicker. I took out two of the dodecahedral devices and activated them. They began to beep, slowly at first, and then faster until– BLAMF!! Absorbing the energy from the explosion, I was wreathed, this time in purple light, and gray smoke. Had the gunners not already known who I was, they would've seen me as a phantom, which is why, if we win, I would call this the Phantom Plan. "Ladasha!" An electric bolt shot from our smokescreen, and my smoky gray phantom cover became an electric aura. "Jax, one more conductive into the enemy!" Another​ cloud of smoke went up on the opposing side. I jetted straight toward the enemy and started encircling the perimeter of the entire group, Novoids and Archetypes alike. I increased my speed with my own energy, circling faster, and faster until I became a glowing white and orange halo. I started narrowing my diameter, forcing the rest of the whole group to bunch together. I might've gotten dizzy, but we were so close to winning, I didn't want to stop. I summoned an energy ball, which glowed orange and purple, and pulsated inward. I lobbed it in the center, and all hell broke loose.