The Celestial Way

Part IV - Prelude to Farewell

"Ferrtau, take cover!" he shouted over the ACUs loudspeakers. There was the briefest image of the Rival's terrified expression on the zoom-in camera, then the Dragonslayer continued onward without a second glance.

Ahead, the dragon plowed through the wreckage, laying to waste everything in its path with blasts of white-hot plasma. The Dragonslayer pointed his ACU and activated the specially modified mega-thrusters. The mech's forward momentum accelerated immensely, covering the remaining distance in a blinding dash. The Dragonslayer extended the veronite arm-blades of the mech and aimed them at the dragon before him.

Zee... I am sorry...

The ACU cleaved into its target with shattering force. The dragon roared in pain and surprise as its side was torn open, black-purple blood gushing, and fell with a tremendous crash, lifting up a thick cloud of debris and smoke. The Dragonslayer arrested his momentum, the mech's grip pads spewing sparks as it skidded to a halt in a battle-ready pose.

"All units, retreat!" the Dragonslayer shouted over the commlink. "Everyone, retreat NOW!"

The comm channel buzzed with scattered acknowledgments and the surviving interceptors and mechs began to disperse. The Dragonslayer scanned the devastated area, searching the ACU's viewpanels for the colossal dragon hidden in the obscuring smoke. A flash engulfed his vision and he pulled sharply at the controls. He barely escaped the blast of firebreath, yet alarm warnings still blinked across the control interface. There was a roar, so close it rattled the mech's cockpit, and the dragon emerged from the settling fog, a blood-red epitome of annihilation and infinite fury.

My love... Please come back...

The dragon swiped with its claw and the Dragonslayer fired the ACU's thrusters, jumping out of the way. There was the grinding tear of metal and more alarms appeared on the interface.

The Dragonslayer landed out of reach and considered his opponent. He blinked away the tears to clear his vision and raised the mech's armblades. Across him, the dragon moved swiftly to make another attack, nothing but primal rage in its eyes.

So be it...

They clashed in a spectacular battle of steel, flesh, and fire. Despite its titanic size the dragon moved in a blur, clawing and lashing with blinding speed. The Dragonslayer immediately went on the defensive, his reflexes and experience strained to their limits. He dodged and leapt around, maneuvers enhanced with the thrusters, impossible for him to parry such massive attacks. He barely kept the cumbersome mech out of reach from his deadly agile foe.

The dragon lunged suddenly, tearing a great chunk of the ACU's torso. The Dragonslayer staggered inside the cockpit; the mech shuddered violently and status alarms went off in amber frenzy. He concentrated, trying to call up that mysterious power of his which extended time beyond perception. Seconds passed. Nothing came. The dragon blasted him with firebreath, then smashed the remains of a building with its tail, narrowly missing the dodging mech. He tried to make a counterattack, yet an enormous wing swooped upon him, nearly knocking the mech down. The ACU's energy reserves were rapidly depleting, its thrusters were beginning to overheat, and its major systems were minutes away from giving out due to damage. The Dragonslayer realized he had to commit – in the ultimate manner.

I see. It is better for both of us, this way...

The dragon came at him again.

This time, the Dragonslayer took the blow, parrying, the impact so hard it tore off the mech's arm completely. He forced the overbalanced ACU forward, and slashed twice with his remaining arm-blade. The dragon bellowed in pain, as two more deep wounds bled freely from its flank and belly. It swiped at the mech, another almost-direct hit, its claws tearing along the ACU's axis. In the cockpit, viewpanels blinked out, sparks flew, systems went off. The Dragonslayer had seconds before he lost his battle armor.