Chapter 172: Hero:Draven
Jonah stared at the ugly creatures, at the hundreds of copies of his soul that were stolen. He would not let this happen. He would make sure Thorne won’t get away this time.
Seraph put a hand on his arm, her touch grounding him. "Jonah. We can’t stay here. We have to keep moving."
He looked away from the pods and gave her a quick nod. The psychic crying of the trapped creatures felt like a fire behind him, making him move forward.
"This way," Jonah said, his voice low and dangerous. He closed his eyes again, letting the maps from Trace and Echo fill his mind. "There’s a central hub ahead. It looks like the main laboratory wing is just beyond it."
They moved faster now, like they were in a rush. The white hallways felt like the bones of a giant, dead creature. They were inside this beast, and they were on their way to its center
They rounded a final corner and entered a long, narrow corridor. It stretched for at least a hundred yards, leading to two giant blast doors.
"That’s it," Vanessa said, looking at a scanner on her wrist. "The energy readings from the main labs are on the other side of those doors."
"Then let’s go say hello," Draven growled, taking the lead.
They were halfway down the corridor when it happened.
A high-pitched alarm suddenly blared through the facility.
With a loud snap, a heavy door slammed shut behind them, sealing the path they had just used. At the same moment, the massive doors in front of them closed with another powerful crash.
They were sealed in.
"It’s a trap!" Seraph yelled, spinning around.
At that moment, panels in the ceiling slid open. Black robot guns unfolded and came down, their glowing red aiming lights moving across the hallway.
And from hidden doors at both ends of the hallway, soldiers began to pour in. They were Thorne’s elite guard, their white armor shining under the harsh lights, their energy rifles raised.
They were trapped in a perfect kill box. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. Enemies in front, enemies behind, and automated guns above. They were completely surrounded.
FZZT! FZZT!
The robot guns opened fire, unleashing a storm of deadly energy bolts.
"Get down!" Draven roared. He slammed his tower shield into the floor, creating a temporary golden dome that covered them. Bolts of energy bounced off the shield, leaving hot burn marks on the white walls.
"They wanted us to come in here!" Seraph said, peeking through the shield. "They knew we were coming".
"Can you do anything about those guns?" Jonah asked Vanessa, thinking fast, trying to find a way out.
Vanessa was quickly tapping at her datapad, looking scared. "No! They’re on a closed system! I can’t hack them!"
The elite soldiers were advancing slowly from both ends, forming a tight firing line. The space was too narrow to summon a big Progeny like Maul, and there was no room to dodge or maneuver.
This was it. A dead end.
Then, Vanessa’s eyes lit up. "Wait a second." She pointed to a small, rectangular panel on the side of the wall. It was almost invisible, as it matched with the white surface. "There. It’s a maintenance conduit. A small tunnel for power cables. It should be a way around this whole corridor!!."
Jonah felt a spark of hope in his chest. "Can you open it?"
"Yes," she said, her fingers moving across her screen. "But it’s locked down with everything he’s got. Heavy electronic seals and a nasty web of Artificer-level warding runes. I can get through it, but I need time. At least a few minutes. Uninterrupted."
A few minutes. In here, that was a lifetime. Draven’s shield was already starting to fade under the constant barrage of fire from the robot guns.
They were getting out of time.
Draven looked at Vanessa, then at Jonah and Seraph. He looked down the long corridor at the approaching soldiers. He saw the problem. And in his simple, direct mind, he saw the only solution.
He made a decision.
He took a deep breath and turned to the team. There was no trace of the arrogant rival he once was. His face was calm and certain.
"i will hold them off," he said, his voice a low, powerful growl. "Do what you need to do"
Seraph’s eyes went wide. "Draven, no. You can’t hold them all off by yourself!"
"Watch me," he said, a grim, determined smile on his face. He looked at Jonah. "You got us in here. Now go finish the mission."
Before any of them could argue, he moved. He walked to the center of the corridor, his back to the maintenance panel where Vanessa was already quickly working. He planted his feet wide, his heavy boots magnetized to the floor with a loud noise.
"You want a fight?" he yelled, his voice booming down the hallway, drawing the attention of every soldier and every turret. "Come and get it!"
His golden shield dome disappeared. For a scary moment, he was open to attack. Then, he let out a final, powerful shout. A bright, blinding light burst from him as his full, beautiful armor formed. Plates of golden, magic metal wrapped around him, making a very strong suit. He was no longer a man. He was a fortress of light and a will that could not be broken.
He slammed his sword into the floor in front of him, the blade buzzing with power. He held his massive shield with both hands, becoming a one-man army.
He was ready to hold back the tide.
The robot guns and the soldiers at both ends of the hall all focused their fire on the shining figure who dared to stand against them.
Dozens of energy bolts flew through the air from both directions at once.
The first volley hit his shield.
BOOOOOOOOOM!
The sound was deafening. Draven’s armor was hit over and over, but he did not move. He didn’t even flinch. He just stood firm, getting his friends the one thing they needed more than anything.