Page 20 of Only Rogue Actions
I had no choice but to step onto the only open path.I moved as quickly as I dared, still leery of traps, but I didn’t see any nozzles or other hazards hidden in the honeysuckle vines.The lack of obstacles made me even more wary.The previous sections of the maze had been a warm-up, and now I was headed straight for the main event—whatever it was.
A few minutes later, I came to a junction.Once again, metal walls shot out, blocking two of the three paths.
“To the right it is,” I muttered, and moved in that direction.
I strode along one path after another.Every time I came to a junction, more walls appeared, forcing me onto the sole remaining path and shepherding me onward.
A couple of minutes later, my current forced path opened into an enormous circle that was even larger than the Frozon biodome I’d blundered through earlier.No energy shield covered this biodome, so it was the same temperature as the rest of the maze.The area looked like a common garden, although the honeysuckle vines were only waist high and mixed with blue-moon peonies and other flowers.I eyed the blossoms, all of which were much larger and more colorful than usual, almost as if they were given a special fertilizer to make them grow to their fullest potential.How strange.
A couple of fountains bubbled around the perimeter, right next to several black marble statues shaped like the same House Battis castle I’d seen in the Frozon biodome.Several paths branched off the garden, but they were all sealed off by metal walls.
My gaze locked onto the lone figure standing in the center of the garden.Shiny red plates of polyplastic armor covered the figure’s arms and legs, while heavy black boots with red armored tips encased their feet.A matching breastplate boasting the largeBof House Battis stretched across the figure’s chest, and the sigil glimmered brightly, like it was made of metallic black ink that had been stamped into the red polyplastic.
All put together, the figure looked like a scaled-down, humanoid version of a Black Scarab.For a moment, I thought it was a hologram, but then I noticed the figure’s familiar features—dark brown hair and eyes, tan skin, square jaw.
Roderick Battis grinned, his white teeth glinting in his chiseled face.“Hello, Kyrion,” he crooned.“I’ve been waiting for you.”
Iblinkedandblinked,but my vision remained sharp and clear.Roderick Battis was standing in front of me clad in a bloodred, human version of Black Scarab armor.But it wasn’t just standard armor.A large holoscreen was embedded in the polyplastic on his left forearm, and the plates molded to his arms, chest, and legs like a second skin, as though the armor had been custom-made for him.
My gaze skipped over to the weapon dangling from his right hand.Roderick might be wearing Scarab armor, but he was clutching a traditional Erzton war hammer.He swung the hammer back and forth, and the opalescent lunarium glimmered with a pale red light in a reflection of his psion power.
“I’m so happy you’re finally here,” Roderick crooned again.
“Why in all the stars would you be happy I’m here?”
Roderick held his arms out wide, like the answer should be obvious.“Because you’re Kyrion Caldaren, the former head of the Imperium Arrows and one of the most feared and notorious warriors in the Archipelago Galaxy.You’ve survived more battles and engaged in more rogue actions in the last few months than a legion of Hammers do in their entire lives.It’s impressive.You’reimpressive.I truly mean that.”
“What’s your point?”I snapped.
Roderick’s eyes gleamed with a dark, sinister light, and a strange, nauseating eagerness wafted off him and twinged my telempathy.“My point is simple—that you, Kyrion Caldaren, are the best of the best, and I’m going to relish testing myself against you.”
Roderick was chattering away like this was still a training exercise, but I’d walked into enough bad situations over the years to realize exactly how much danger I was in.Vesper too, since she was also in the maze.
Vesper?I called out with my telepathy.Vesper!
She didn’t respond, but the velvety ribbon of her in my mind rippled with determination.Relief shot through me, but it was quickly followed by worry.If Roderick was here, then who—or what—had he sent after Vesper?
Roderick kept staring at me, that smug, stupid grin still plastered across his face like it was his birthday and I was his new favorite toy.Anger boiled in my gut, but I tamped it down.I needed to keep Roderick talking and learn exactly what he was plotting.Then I could figure out some way to kill him and find Vesper.
“Why would you want to test yourself against me?”I asked.
“Thanks to the major Erzton Houses desperately clinging to their neutral stances, all we Hammers do is train and train and train some more.Everyone knows the Techwave wants to topple the Erzton just as badly as they want to crush the Imperium, but none of the Erzton Houses can agree on a course of action.Indecisive cowards.”Disgust colored Roderick’s voice, and his lips curled back into a derisive sneer.
He shook his head and swept his war hammer out wide, encompassing the entire dome.“Did you know that this used to be an arena?And not just any arena but the finest one in all the Erzton.Hammers from Houses throughout the galaxy would come here and compete in tournaments.”
His eyes softened with memories, and he cocked his head to the side, as though he could hear the raucous cheers of long-ago crowds.
Roderick’s gaze cleared, and his lips curled back into another sneer.“Now Hammers from rival Houses can’t even have a minor skirmish without it turning into a galacticincident.”
A chilling realization swept through me, and I started to see the sharp edges of his elaborate trap.“So you decided to recreate that arena and those glory days.”
“Of course!”Roderick twirled his hammer around, once again encompassing the entire dome.“My House built the finest training facility credits can buy.It’s only fitting I use my arena to its fullest potential.”
You simplymustcome on my next hunt.We’re going to Frozon 15.Several packs of wolves and bears can be found on the moon, as well as some ice dragons and wyverns ...They should provide me with a decent challenge, for a change.Roderick’s earlier words to Asterin whispered through my mind.
“Why?Did hunting Frozon wolves and Tropics tigers become too boring and passé?”I sniped.
Roderick chuckled.“Hunting animals is all well and good, but in the end, that’s all they are—animals.You track them, trap them, and then you kill them and the game is over.”His lips split into a thin smile.“So a few years ago, I decided to create my own game and stock it with much more interesting prey.”
