Young Writers Society

Mishca

The train continued to gather momentum at first but as the second hour passed, it slowed down as Renegade became tired and his mech drained its power. At first I thought this was fine until I saw a group of shadows in the distance. They moved forward at an alarming rate and the mechs glimmered under the light of a hanging lantern.

"They're following!" I exclaimed. Renegade turned his head slightly and hurried on with a further burst of speed but I knew it couldn't last.

"Can't any of you do something to help?" Renegade demanded.

"Get in," I told him, moving to the back car.

"What?" he demanded.

"Get in the damn car," I ordered. He reluctantly climbed over the side and I held my arm out.

"I shoot fire," I explained, controlling the mechanism within and hoping it looked natural enough as a jet of flame erupted from my arm. Of course, that could only last so long without recharging but there was always my body's fuel if that became necessary.

Renegade noticed something as Mishca shot fireball after fireball. He had been in battle with many magic users who used fire, but they way the flames left her hands left him something to wonder. They shot differently and every time she fired he could see very small drops of liquid coming out of her hands.

Oil, he thought. That's no magic at all, she's using a flamethrower system built into her arms. Renegade would have to keep an eye on her. If she hadn't been so quick to attack the enemy mechs he would have thought her to be a spy.

But still...

This post might be long...forgive me!

Annie

I looked around the cave. It was more than big enough for a dragon of my size...the question was: would I be able to do it?

I knew that answer. No.

But I had to...we wouldn't get out of here alive otherwise.

"Mischa, move!" I growled, getting to my feet a bit quicker than my body was ready for. Everything swayed for a moment, but I couldn't stop now. I had already begun to transform.

"Annie, no!" Coden stood with me, trying to stop me. "You're too wounded!"

I roared, bursting from the car in my full form. My wounds protested against the actions...

Get inside! Now! I snarled at the girl. Her faux magic wouldn't do us any good here, unless she wanted to attack our persuers. And I was a last resort...She hesitated, looking at me worriedly. Get inside the damn vehicle, girl!

I whipped around just in time; the mechs were almost upon us. I lashed out with my tail, slapping one clean across the chamber as I rammed into the metal car, using a single bound to send us along the tracks, away from danger...

Wrong. I heard that familiar whistling, the crackling...missles.

I roared as I lurched forward, putting all my strength into pushing the carts down the tracks faster. The missles exploded behind me. I was soon running, the cars ready to leave me behind...I latched onto it with my claws and began to fly, narrowly avoiding more missles.

This couldn't go on. I couldn't go on for much longer...

I groaned as my wings and sides seared. Renegade, help me! Can't you get them off my tail?!

"Sir, this is R-9, we've found Renegade. It looks as though he's aligned with the party of magic-users that fled the village. They're attempting to escape using the old train tunnel."

"Give me a visual," Axel ordered.

His headset hummed, then an image – shaky and riddled with static – appeared before him. He saw the dragon, heaving an old-fashion train along the rails. Explosions lit the tunnels, and he could barely make out Renegade himself behind the dragon. Dust a debris spewed in all directions, a flying chunk of rock collided with the camera, terminating the image.

The two pursuing mechs wouldn't last; they were already damaged from the earlier skirmish inside the abandoned base.

"New orders. Focus your attacks on the tunnel itself. Collapse it on top of them."

"But sir–"

"Do it. Now."

Annie felt a mechanical hand grab her foreleg and pulled her back onto the train. When she looked up she saw HK-47 looming over her. Renegade's voice came through the machine's speaker. "I'm not letting you die until we have a rematch." The dragon smiled up at him.

Renegade turned to face the enemy. The two mechs had begun firing at the walls and ceiling. These tunnels were old and wouldn't stay up very long with all these explosions. He had to destroy the enemy mechs before they brought the whole tunnel down on top of them.

Renegade leaped off the end of the train, boosters blaring. His energy sword flared to life as he rocketed toward the first mech. Renegade attacked before the enemy could even aim its gun. He took off the mech's arm with the first strike and tore through the torso with the second. The second mech turned to see its fallen ally tumble down the tracks in a heap of sparking metal. Renegade pulled out his machine gun and pointed it at the second enemy, putting his mech's arms in a crisscross formation. He put somewhere around 30 to 60 bullets into the mech's hull before it exploded.

Renegade had destroyed the two mechs, but they had done their job. The tunnel was shaking from all the commotion and bits of rocks fell from the ceiling. If they didn't get out of the tunnels soon they would be buried alive.

Renegade turned and headed back toward the train, his mech's boosters blaring as high as they could. The entire train shook as he latched onto the end of it and continued pushing it along the tracks. For the very first time in his life, Renegade wondered if he would survive.

Mishca

I looked up as Renegade pushed the train, watching the ceiling of the tunnel as it trembled and began to disintegrate.

"Transform Annie," I urged. "The cart is too heavy, transform!" She blinked, a little disorientated and then let go of the dragon form with a brief groan of pain. Renegade's boosters spluttered as their fuel ran low. I spun around and stared at the growing speck of light that was the other side of the tunnel. There was a good chance we could make it... then I saw what awaited us. Two mechs. I pushed through the back cart, clambered into the front one and then climbed up on the smooth metal of the train itself.

"What are you doing?" Garrick demanded.

"Blasting them out of our way," I replied, turning my flame on low and then I began to think directly into the transmitter planted in my brain - Axel, why are your men trying to kill me and sabotage my mission? -

- Mishca? You are with the traitor Renegade?-

- Yes. Tell your men to stand down. I thought this was top priority.-

- Priorities change. -

- Sir! - Then suddenly the two mechs moved aside, just in time and the train thundered out of the tunnel as the exit collapsed. The mechs advanced towards Renegade.

- If they run, the mission may still be salvaged but the traitor must be caught - Axel instructed.

As the train screeched to a halt Renegade saw the two mechs that got out of the way. He didn't know why they moved, but that was a mistake that would cost them their lives.

Renegade pushed up with his mech's legs, then with its arms so he had somersaulted into the air. HK-47's missile bay in its chest opened and fired five missiles at the first mech. The missiles tore through the machine's metal with mighty explosions. As soon as he landed he grabbed his machine gun and fired at the second mech. The bullets ripped through its arms and one of its legs before the machine broke down and exploded.

Once the enemy was gone Renegade took a moment to take in his surroundings.

Mishca

Monster, I thought as I watched the destruction of the two mechs and their passengers. I wanted to turn away and allow the tears to course down my face and cleanse my vision. I wanted that image that had frozen itself against my lids to be dispensed.

Trying to hide the pain and disgust, I surveyed the rest of the group who held expressions of triumph and satisfaction. What sort of people was I amongst? The enemy, I reminded myself. How could I have let myself be so taken in by them.

"What now?" Annie asked, the gentle tone grating against my ears.

-Lead them towards base seven- Axel instructed, sending maps and directions straight to my brain.

"We have to keep moving," I said. "Come on, it will be safer near the mountains. High ground is always best."

Annie

It was reasonable. There were many caves, as well, which would provide the perfect cover...

"To the mountains, it is, then...ohh," I groaned when everything swayed again. Aw, damn...not again...I shouldn't have done that...

I collapsed again.

(If I could think of something to post I would, but right now I've got nothing.)