Chapter 55 — Lightning Beneath the Sun
In which hearts race, courage breaks, and the edge of death is not the end.
There were many kinds of pain, and Caelan had experienced enough of them to know the difference.
He knew the clean pain of a blade entering flesh, the duller punishment of broken bones, the burning misery of forcing too much Ki through an exhausted body. He knew what it was to fight while breathing hurt and what it was to continue moving because stopping would make the pain irrelevant.
Watching Stormmane fall was different.
For one terrible moment, when Chrome Eidon's attack swallowed Quickflare and Stormmane together and their bodies disappeared into the explosion, Caelan forgot the battlefield.
"No."
Razorwind was still running beneath him, wheels striking broken stone in rapid succession, but Caelan twisted in the saddle and stared back through smoke and fire.
"Stormmane—"
His grip tightened around Razorwind.
Every instinct screamed at him to turn around.
To go back.
To find him.
Stormmane had followed him since the beginning. Fought beside him. Lost an arm protecting him. Argued with him, trained with him, annoyed him, trusted him.
Brother.
Razorwind swerved around a collapsing section of road.
"You want to turn around."
Caelan did not answer.
Razorwind's engine was running rough now, heat pouring from beneath his armor after being pushed far beyond ordinary racing speeds.
"If we go back," Razorwind growled, "everything chasing us goes with us."
Caelan's hands tightened.
"I know."
"Then don't make what he did worthless."
Caelan hated the words.
Because they were true.
Then lightning split the battlefield behind them.
Caelan looked back.
Stormmane rose.
Not as the one-armed lion who had fallen.
As Stormmane — Rider Mode, both hands restored, stormsteel armor wrapped around his body while Stormfang roared beneath him.
Caelan stared for half a heartbeat.
Then something inside his chest released.
Stormmane was alive.
More than alive.
He was riding thunder through the enemy army.
Caelan turned forward.
"Run."
Razorwind's engine rose.
Caelan leaned low.
"Run until we carve Quakewyrm open."
They accelerated.
Behind them came Chrome Eidon's laughter.
"You think you can outrun me, pretty boy?!"
Caelan's Eyes of Fate flashed.
Black lightning gathered.
"Razorwind—"
CRACK!
The bolt struck directly in front of them.
The road exploded.
Razorwind was hurled sideways.
Caelan lost the saddle.
He struck the ground shoulder-first, Azure armor saving him from being torn apart but doing nothing to prevent the force from passing through him. He bounced once, rolled through shattered stone and finally stopped against the remains of a wall.
For several seconds, the world became noise without meaning.
Then pain arrived.
Caelan coughed.
His ribs protested.
He forced one knee beneath himself.
"Get up."
His body disagreed.
"Get up."
Razorwind lay nearby, sparks jumping from his damaged frame as his wheels twitched.
Chrome Eidon descended through the smoke.
Slowly.
Smugly.
His golden metal body reflected the fires around him.
"Show's over."
Dark energy crawled across his fists.
Caelan planted Razorstag into the ground and used the weapon to pull himself upright.
His legs shook.
Chrome Eidon grinned.
Then a white blur hit him from the side.
BOOM!
Frostclaw drove both feet into Eidon's ribs and sent the Apex monkey skidding several metres across the broken road.
The Elite wolf-warrior landed between him and Caelan, crystalline armor glinting across his white fur as frost spread beneath his feet.
Above them, golden light descended.
Archoniel landed beside Frostclaw with shield raised and radiant sword in hand.
"We've got him," Archoniel said.
Frostclaw glanced toward Caelan.
"You finish the dragon."
Caelan looked between them.
Chrome Eidon was already straightening.
"You can't defeat him."
Frostclaw's orange eyes narrowed.
"We know."
Archoniel raised his shield.
"We only need to stop him following you."
Caelan hesitated.
Not because their logic was wrong.
Because leaving them against an Apex felt wrong.
Razorwind's engine coughed behind him.
"I can still move."
Caelan looked toward him.
Razorwind forced himself upright.
"Not well."
"Well enough?"
"Ask me after."
Caelan looked once more at Frostclaw and Archoniel.
"Don't die."
Frostclaw's mouth curved.
"A wonderfully specific strategy."
Archoniel nodded once.
"Go."
Caelan mounted Razorwind.
The Roadstreaker's engine screamed back to life.
"Thank you."
Then they were gone.
Chrome Eidon lunged after them.
Frostclaw stepped into his path.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Eidon stared.
The frost warrior flexed his crystalline claws.
"We're still here."
Chrome Eidon attacked first.
Frostclaw slipped beneath the enormous swing and raked both crystal claws across the Apex creature's knee joint.
Sparks burst.
Eidon twisted with astonishing speed and kicked.
Frostclaw barely crossed his arms before the blow hit.
He flew.
Archoniel was already moving.
The celestial warrior swept downward, sword blazing.
Chrome Eidon caught the blade in one hand.
CLANG!
Archoniel's eyes widened.
Eidon grinned.
"Still trying that?"
"Heaven's Gate."
Golden light erupted beneath Chrome Eidon.
A circular gateway opened below his feet, pulling violently downward.
For an instant, even Eidon stumbled.
Then he laughed.
He kicked against the edge of the forming gate and flipped backward before it could take him.
"Too slow!"
The golden microphone in his hand flashed.
Black lightning erupted.
It struck Archoniel across the back.
The angel cried out.
His wings folded.
He crashed through a broken pillar and disappeared beneath stone.
"Michael!" Yuto shouted from the distant defensive line.
Frostclaw was already moving.
He reached Archoniel, grabbed one armored arm and hauled him upright.
"Stay standing."
Archoniel coughed.
"That's the plan."
Frostclaw's eyes narrowed.
"Good."
They attacked together.
Frostclaw became a blur around Eidon's legs, crystalline claws hammering at joints and seams while freezing energy spread wherever he struck. Chrome Eidon swung repeatedly, but Frostclaw was faster than he had been as Frostfang, using ruined walls and broken stone as launching points.
Archoniel took the sky.
Holy symbols formed above him.
"Celestial Barrage!"
Golden spheres descended like meteors.
They struck around Chrome Eidon in calculated patterns, forcing him toward Frostclaw.
"Now!"
Frostclaw jumped.
Both claws glowed white-blue.
Archoniel descended simultaneously with his radiant sword extended.
For one second, they had him.
Then Chrome Eidon's entire body erupted with black lightning.
His grin vanished.
"Final Encore."
The golden microphone screamed.
Sound became force.
The air distorted.
Stone shattered.
Frostclaw and Archoniel were caught in the shockwave before either could escape.
Frostclaw hit the ground hard enough to bounce.
Archoniel crashed through another pillar.
Chrome Eidon walked through the smoke.
"Heroes."
He laughed.
"You really think loyalty makes you strong?"
Frostclaw forced himself upright.
One eye was swelling shut.
Blood darkened the white fur beneath his mouth.
Archoniel staggered from the rubble.
Part of one wing was scorched, his armor cracked across the chest.
Frostclaw bared his teeth.
"We didn't fight..."
He breathed.
"...to win."
Archoniel raised his sword again.
"We fought to buy him time."
Chrome Eidon's smile faded.
"I hate stubborn people."
Frostclaw looked at Archoniel.
Archoniel looked back.
They charged again.
Thunder announced the third fighter.
A blue-gold streak crossed the battlefield.
Chrome Eidon turned.
Stormfang hit a broken wall, rode directly up it and launched into the air.
Stormmane stood above him.
Both hands.
Both weapons.
Both eyes burning with lightning.
"Sorry I'm late."
Frostclaw blinked.
Archoniel smiled despite the blood on his face.
Stormmane drew the twin Thunderhowls.
"I saw someone bothering my friends."
Chrome Eidon looked him over.
"Another toy."
His microphone flashed.
Black lightning surged toward Stormmane.
Stormfang twisted in midair.
The attack passed beneath them.
Stormmane fired.
BLAM! BLAM!
Twin spirals of compressed storm energy struck Chrome Eidon across the chest.
The Apex planted his feet.
He barely moved.
Stormfang landed behind him.
Stormmane was already off the saddle.
His greatsword came into both restored hands.
"Rail Breaker Slash!"
Lightning filled the blade.
Stormmane brought it down.
Chrome Eidon raised one forearm.
The sword struck.
This time it did not simply spark.
The lightning edge bit.
Golden plating split.
A groove appeared beneath it, deep enough to expose dark circuitry.
Chrome Eidon stared at the damage.
Stormmane grinned.
"Tickled?"
Eidon's other hand closed around his throat.
"Yes."
He slammed Stormmane through a boulder.
Stone exploded.
Stormmane hit the ground but immediately raised one hand.
Stormfang answered.
Panels opened along the evolved machine.
Chains fired.
"Storm Chain Execution!"
Electrified links wrapped around Chrome Eidon's arms and legs.
They pulled tight.
Eidon roared.
"Now!"
Frostclaw attacked.
Ice poured from his mouth in a concentrated stream, freezing the joints already caught inside the chains. Crystalline projectiles followed, striking around Eidon's face and visor.
Chrome Eidon twisted.
The chains groaned.
Above him, Archoniel spread his wings.
Six radiant swords formed.
"Holy Sword Formation!"
They descended.
One.
Two.
Three.
Six blades struck around Chrome Eidon, locking the trapped Apex creature inside a circle of holy light.
For the first time, pain replaced amusement on his face.
Stormmane landed beside Frostclaw.
"He's too strong to put down like this."
Frostclaw nodded.
"We aren't putting him down."
Archoniel descended beside them.
"We're keeping him here."
Stormmane tightened both hands around the greatsword.
"Then we keep him here together."
Chrome Eidon broke free.
The chains snapped.
The holy formation exploded.
He came through it furious.
The next several minutes became a battle of survival.
Stormmane struck high.
Frostclaw struck low.
Archoniel attacked from above.
Whenever Chrome Eidon turned toward one, another struck.
Black lightning filled the battlefield.
Stormfang carried Stormmane through impossible angles.
Frostclaw ricocheted from broken pillars and walls, using every surface to increase his speed.
Archoniel spread healing light whenever he found half a second to spare, sealing the worst injuries before they became fatal.
Chrome Eidon screamed and released another sonic pulse.
Debris flew.
A boulder struck Frostclaw's shoulder.
He spun through the air.
Archoniel deflected another with his shield.
Stormmane charged through the storm.
Stone struck his side.
Armor cracked.
A rib broke beneath it.
He kept going.
"RAIL BREAKER!"
The greatsword descended again.
This time the blade tore completely through Chrome Eidon's shoulder plating.
Metal split.
Circuits erupted in sparks.
Eidon screamed.
Stormmane smiled.
Then Chrome Eidon's microphone smashed into the side of his helmet.
Stormmane flew.
He struck the ground and stopped moving.
"Stormmane!"
Frostclaw attacked desperately.
Archoniel followed.
Claws.
Holy blade.
Ice.
Light.
Thunder still crawling through Stormmane's fallen sword.
The three attacks met Chrome Eidon in one final collision.
The battlefield disappeared beneath an explosion.
Smoke rolled outward.
When it cleared, Frostclaw lay inside the crater.
Archoniel was barely conscious beside him.
Stormmane remained several metres away.
Chrome Eidon stood.
Damaged now.
Deep cuts crossed his armor.
One shoulder hung badly.
Parts of his golden plating had been torn open.
But he stood.
And he was no longer following Caelan.
They had done what they needed to do.
Elsewhere, the enemy insect horde discovered that getting past Luminel and Stormtusk was considerably more difficult than it had sounded when Arachne gave the order.
Stormtusk planted himself at the breach like a living fortress.
Luminel hovered beside him with magical wind compensating for his ruined wing.
"You take the ground," Luminel said.
Stormtusk lifted his enormous hammer.
"You take the sky."
Luminel twirled his spear.
"Agreed."
The insects came.
Luminel rose.
Clouds gathered.
Lightning crawled through them.
"Fae Tempesta!"
The sky exploded.
Blue-white bolts fell in rapid succession.
Stingflies dropped from the air.
Scythewings spiraled down trailing smoke.
A group of Venomweavers tried climbing the walls only to be struck by branching lightning.
Below them, Stormtusk lifted his hammer.
Water gathered around the weapon.
Frost consumed it.
"Arctic Devastation!"
He struck the earth.
Ice raced outward.
Trees froze.
Stone vanished beneath frost.
Jagged pillars erupted through the charging Adults and sent others scrambling aside.
An armored Scissorstag broke through.
Stormtusk met it.
BOOM!
One hammer strike sent it through a frozen boulder.
Another insect attacked from the side.
Stormtusk turned and struck it with the backswing.
It disappeared into a snowbank several dozen metres away.
Above him, Luminel flashed between enemy swarms.
Spear.
Lightning.
Wind.
Teleportation.
His missing wing did nothing to improve his mood.
A cluster of Stingflies surrounded him.
"Fae Bolt!"
One fell.
"Fae Shot!"
Another.
"Fae Drill!"
Luminel spun through the last group in a spiral of light and lightning.
He emerged on the far side.
"Too slow!"
Then he immediately had to teleport away from a retaliatory blast.
Stormtusk laughed.
"Show-off."
"Focus!"
More enemies came.
The tide seemed endless.
Stormtusk's armor cracked at one shoulder.
Luminel's magical flight became increasingly uneven.
The ice beneath them broke.
Lightning weakened.
Still they stood.
Stormtusk lifted his hammer again.
Luminel lowered his spear beside him.
The next wave charged.
Neither moved aside.
Quakewyrm finally died beneath the sun.
The Elite Scrapreaver stood several metres away, engine coughing smoke as he watched the enormous earth-dragon stagger.
Cracks covered Quakewyrm's mineral armor.
Caelan and Razorwind had spent several brutal minutes widening them.
The Scrapreaver had spent much longer creating them.
Now Caelan saw the final route.
Path Maker traced it.
Razorwind accelerated.
Quakewyrm turned too slowly.
Caelan rose from the saddle.
Razorstag shifted.
The living weapon narrowed into a piercing form.
Caelan drove it into the largest crack beneath Quakewyrm's chest.
The blade penetrated.
Stellar energy followed.
Quakewyrm froze.
Then the accumulated damage finally reached its core.
Light burst from within.
The colossal dragon collapsed inward.
Its mineral armor fragmented.
Essence rose from the dissolving body in waves.
The Elite Scrapreaver stared.
Caelan landed beside Razorwind.
The warrior's engine gave a low, impressed rumble.
"You're the real thing."
Caelan looked toward him.
"Go."
The Scrapreaver blinked.
Caelan pointed toward the collapsing defensive line.
"They need you."
The Scrapreaver snapped a rough salute.
Then his engine screamed and he charged away.
Caelan remained.
For a few seconds, he simply breathed.
Around him lay the evidence of hours of battle.
Broken streets.
Collapsed buildings.
Cracked weapons.
Scattered essence from Aetherkin who would eventually be reborn but might never return as exactly the people they had been today.
He had underestimated the battle.
Not the enemy's raw power.
The cost.
His fist tightened.
This world refused to give anyone time.
Time to understand themselves.
Time to grow naturally.
Time to decide what memories belonged to whom.
Time to prepare.
Caelan looked down at his armored hand.
He knew what he was.
An Aetherkin recreation of a man whose legend had become large enough to echo across worlds.
Fine.
If this world insisted he was Aetherkin, then he would use everything that meant.
Razorwind's engine pulsed beside him.
Caelan looked over.
The Roadstreaker's body had begun to shine.
"Razorwind?"
"I feel it too."
Light moved between them.
Not from the Resonance Linker.
Not from a Virtue Sigil.
Not natural evolution either.
The bond they had been building through every race, every turn, every shared movement across the battlefield suddenly pulled tight.
Razorwind's outline began breaking apart into light.
Caelan's eyes widened behind the helmet.
"This isn't—"
Razorwind laughed.
"Too late!"
His body dissolved.
Not dying.
Merging.
Red-black light struck Caelan's armor.
The world vanished.
For a moment Caelan existed inside a storm of memory, instinct and motion.
His own combat experience.
The inherited instincts of the Azure Knight.
Razorwind's understanding of speed.
How to read a road from vibration alone.
How to choose a line through impossible terrain.
How to accelerate without hesitation.
Cold mechanical precision met cultivated instinct.
Wind met engines.
Starlight met metal.
The Adult-stage ceiling Caelan had been pushing against did not break.
It was bypassed.
Temporarily.
The fusion forced something higher.
Elite.
Caelan's armor changed.
Silver-white Azure plates darkened into polished black and deep midnight blue, crossed by molten crimson-gold lines that pulsed like streams of living stellar fire. The armor remained completely enclosed, his face hidden behind a predatory knight's helmet from which only his golden eyes could be seen.
Razorwind's form became part of the armor.
Four plasma boosters unfolded along Caelan's back and legs.
Streamlined blade-fins extended behind him in a layered mechanical mantle, flexing independently like the steering surfaces of some impossible celestial machine.
Razorstag locked against his back.
His left gauntlet reshaped into a rotating stellar cannon, sections shifting smoothly between ranged configurations.
The Azure lance formed in his right hand.
Not replaced.
Evolved with him.
Darker metal ran along its length while crimson-gold light burned through the engraved star patterns.
Power settled through the fused body.
Different from natural evolution.
Less stable.
Borrowed.
Shared.
But undeniable.
The air bent around him.
The Resonance Linkers across the battlefield reacted.
Luminel looked up.
Vellum stopped mid-attack.
Renji's eyes widened.
Daichi stared.
Even Arachne turned.
The Linkers identified the new state.
CAELAN — CRIMSON VORTEX MODE
ELITE-STAGE FUSION EVOLUTION
Caelan looked at his hands.
Razorwind's voice existed somewhere beside his thoughts.
Well?
Caelan's golden eyes brightened.
"Fast."
Obviously.
Chrome Eidon's roar echoed across the battlefield.
Caelan looked toward him.
The Apex monkey stood over three battered fighters.
His armor was damaged.
His grin was returning.
Caelan lowered the Azure lance.
"He's next."
The boosters ignited.
EVENT HORIZON DASH.
The earth beneath Caelan exploded.
Space seemed to fold around him.
To ordinary eyes, he vanished.
Even experienced fighters saw little more than a line of crimson and gold crossing the battlefield.
Chrome Eidon looked up.
"What—"
Caelan reached him.
Not from the front.
Not behind.
Through the gap Path Maker had found inside the Apex creature's defense.
For one impossible instant, Crimson Vortex Mode became a streak of stellar motion that passed through Chrome Eidon's position before the monkey's body could respond.
Caelan reappeared behind him.
Silence.
Chrome Eidon remained standing.
His mouth opened.
No sound came.
His fingers twitched.
Then thin crimson lines appeared across the places Caelan had passed.
Golden armor separated.
Not exploded.
Separated.
Like plates peeled from a machine that had forgotten how they were attached.
Sparks erupted.
Internal systems failed one after another.
Chrome Eidon's knees buckled.
The Apex monkey collapsed onto the broken ground, smoking, twitching and—for perhaps the first time since anyone had met him—completely without something clever to say.
Caelan stood several metres away.
Crimson-gold light burned through the seams of his black armor.
The boosters behind him hummed.
Inside the fusion, Razorwind laughed.
That was fast.
Caelan turned the lance in his hand.
His golden eyes settled on the rest of the battlefield.
"Not fast enough yet."