»»---Echo---««

Chapter 23 - Battle

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    I'd never felt more alive than I did when I was riding on the commander's quad cycle. Wind whipping through my hair, sword drawn, and jumping off to join the fight with the rangers in the junkyard. I was there for one reason, and my reason ended up shooting me in the shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" Sky said as he helped me to my feet. Mora stood a few feet ahead of us, waiting to strike.

I threw a crybot to the side, slicing through it with my sword, "What do you think I'm doing?"

"You can't be here."

A flash of purple jumped between us, cutting off the conversation. Sky went to attack but was thrown back by Mora before getting jumped by another one of her goons.

"You're mine," Mora growled.

"You said before that you would finish me," I said, bringing my sword in front of me, "Let's see if you're a keeper of your promise."

She threw her arms out and the tires from the junkyard around us came flying towards me. I braced myself, letting my sword slice through each one without a second thought. Before I could find my balance again she attacked with a ferocity I had never seen before. Every hit, punch, and blow of her powers left me staggering back. I tried to meet her ferociousness two times over, and although I had my weapon her powers had grown stronger under Gruumm in a way mine never had.

She was nurtured, I was left in the dark.

I knew I was stronger, not because I was trained and protected like she was, but because I was thrown to the wolves. I had to protect myself, train myself, and grow my powers by myself.

My feet were kicked out from under me, and her fist met my temple.

My sword clattered across the ground.

"You're finished."

I looked up, feeling the blood drip down the side of my face, "Not yet."

I reached out, feeling the pull from deep in my stomach. I felt the power begin to flow through me as the sword came back to my hand feeling like an extension of my arm.

This time when Mora sent her surge of power towards me, I absorbed it with the blade before sending it right back to her. She went flying backwards, using the momentum to push herself off the wall and right back at me. Before I could stop myself my blade hit her.

The scream echoed across the junkyard.

I dropped my sword, rushing to her side.

She had been thrown into the same wall of junk she had pushed off of. Her helmet had cracked from the blast and Mora glared up at me as she held her shoulder in pain.

The fighting had stopped, with Slate now contained in his confinement card the Rangers rushed to find me in the maze of scrap.

"Echo!" I heard Sky shout.

I didn't say anything, instead keeping my attention on my sister.

"Echo," Sky said as the Rangers came to a stop in front of me, "Back away from her."

Blood was dripping down my face hitting the dirt beside her head, "No, call medical. She's hurt."

"Echo, back up." Cruger ordered.

"I can't do that, Commander."

Mora groaned as she tried to push herself up.

"Stay down Mora."