A Shaft of Light is All I Need

We're walking calmly. Luckily, I managed to smooth things over with Pierrot and Bea. I'm sorry I got so angry with them. I should have talked to them more calmly about Vincent.

Suddenly, two patrol vehicles emerge from above and block our path, lowering themselves with a slow and menacing movement.

Four men get out with synchronized movements and line up, pointing tasers at us. «Please put your hands up.»

I stop dead in my tracks, while Bea starts to tremble beside me. She can't even raise her hands, she's petrified. Before I can say anything, I hear a deeper and darker rumble behind us. I turn slowly.

Three military vehicles advance from behind, closing every escape route. The central vehicle is larger and remains suspended in the air. From the sides, men in amber neon suits get out and form an inverted cone formation. Their helmets resemble a broozer model.

A mechanical noise comes from the suspended vehicle, and a bloated-looking figure emerges from the roof.

Of all of them, he is apparently the best equipped. His suit resembles a protective motocross suit, helmet included. The colors of the neons are orange.

His pose is theatrical, as if he were waiting for an applause.

«This is not a request, and you better not resist.» He extends a hand towards Pierrot, «Hand over the android.»

So they're here for Pierrot. I expected something like this to happen sooner or later, but it's still too early. They're not ready.

«I don't know who you are.»

«Who am I? How dare you?! I am the great General Scares!» he exclaims in a far too forced baritone voice. «The man who can boast of the title of great hero and leader of his country!»

He seems to like showing off. I could use him as a diversion. But I still need to figure out how to get out of this situation. We're unarmed, there are no manholes nearby, we have guns pointed at us from the front and back, they've positioned themselves to block access to buildings and side streets, there might even be snipers at the windows.

I pretend to look around confused, searching for an answer from the others, then return my gaze to him.

«No, I've never heard of you.»

«What do you mean?»

While he starts blathering about himself, I try to figure out if Bea or Pierrot has already come up with an escape plan.

«Guys, have you found a way to escape?» I whisper.

But Bea doesn't seem to react, she's still frozen, staring at the police.

«But Bea doesn't seem to react, she's still frozen, staring at the police.»

«Shut up, you idiot. I didn't abandon you when I didn't know you, imagine now.»

«… There is a way, but I need time.»

«I'm already giving you it.»

I turn to the general «Excuse me!»

«What do you want boy?! Can't you see I'm telling you my exploits? Don't interrupt me.»

«Sorry, I zoned out there for a second. Could you repeat it?»

«From what point?»

«From your name, what is it?»

«But it's impossible! These young people today are too easily distracted. I should tell the scientists to invent something to help these poor wretches.» he mumbles.

«Well! I am the great General Scares...»

He continued talking about himself, gesturing as if he were telling an epic, for ten minutes... It felt like an hour.

«… And that's it! Now hand over the android.»

«No.»

«Get him!»

The androids of the armed forces and the agents approach us at a heavy pace. But just then, something is thrown at Scares' vehicle, causing it to crash to the ground. Is it my 0 Liwan?!

The general gets up «Attack them!» he yells, pointing a finger at us.

While they are still distracted by the events, I quickly take smoke bombs from my pockets, throw them on the ground, a thick cloud rises, hiding us, the vehicle reaches us, we open the doors, Pierrot grabs Bea and throws her inside, we get in, I press the accelerator, and the 0 Liwan takes off, speeding through the city streets.

Unfortunately, they don't take long to recover and start chasing us. From side streets, reinforcements emerge and join the chase.

«Where did you get those smoke bombs?» Pierrot asks me.

«I always carry them. Rather, was this your escape plan?»

«Yes.»

«Why did the 0 Liwan come alone?» I shout to Pierrot as I swerve sharply to avoid a taser shot.

«You know when I told you to find a hobby?»

«Yeah?»

«Well, I made some modifications to the vehicle. In addition to being self-driving, it's now faster, armored, and can go anywhere. I wanted to reveal it to you in due time as a thank you for saving me.»

«Really?! This is so cool!»

«Careful!»

An army vehicle emerges from an intersection, I don't have time to avoid it, we crash! The vehicle explodes!

We emerge from the explosion unscathed.

«Damn it! What the hell did you do?!»

«Don't you like it?»

«Anything but, I love it! I don't know how you made it so resistant, but it saved us.»

Behind us, the vehicles of the warm suits start firing laser shots at us, illuminating the sky.

«Accelerate!» yells Pierrot, as a shock vibrates the entire vehicle.

«What was that?» I shout.

«They're launching magnetic harpoons! They want to hook us and stop us!»

From the rearview mirror I see one of the harpoons hit the edge of the 0 Liwan. It hooks on and starts to pull. The vehicle slows down.

«I can't lose speed now! Pierrot, there are weapons in the trunk, take them and use them!»

«I can't reach it! The gap is too narrow. Beatrice, you do it!»

«M-Me?!» she replies trembling.

«Move!» we both shout.

Bea, her hands trembling, reaches into the gap and takes a stick, gives it to Pierrot who leans out and, with a slash, removes the harpoon.

«I did it!» exults Pierrot. «But we won't last long.»

Incredibly, looking in the rearview mirror, I notice that the harpoon hasn't damaged the vehicle. It was only attached by magnetism.

«We just need to get out of the city and somehow lose them in the forest.»

My words are optimistic to calm them down, but the harpoon has slowed us down enough for the general and his troops to join in as well.

Another taser shot illuminates the sky behind us. This time it passes very close, hitting a billboard that explodes in a shower of sparks. The flashes illuminate Bea's tense face, she barely holds back a scream, while Pierrot seems to be frozen, staring at the projector.

They're catching up with us, there are too many of them, we're going to die before we're even captured.

An electromagnetic discharge hits us, the 0 Liwan wobbles, but miraculously holds, Pierrot leans forward, frantically typing on the control terminal restoring the damaged systems, sweat runs down my forehead, I try to steer towards a side street, but their vehicles block the road, I steer again to stay on the main road, I lose some ground, Bea holds her breath, her hands grip the belt, she's pale. Pierrot sits back, putting his hands on his head.

Suddenly, a beam of intense red heat tears through the air, hitting the vehicles of our pursuers. The explosion is devastating, a shock wave that shakes the 0 Liwan. The other vehicles are destroyed one after the other, leaving only Scares' vehicle, which miraculously manages to save itself but crashes due to the damage.

«What's going on?»

I look in the rearview mirror... The scene behind me is incredible.

I look in the rearview mirror... The scene behind me is incredible. From the clouds of smoke generated by the explosions, a colossal figure emerges. It's the winged lion that was on the gate of Upper Town. Its metallic wings unfold with a mechanical roar that vibrates the windows, and its eyes emit a menacing crimson light.

«This is fucking cool!» I exclaim, unable to contain my euphoria.

«It's not possible.» mumbles Pierrot. «It was… It was just a statue!»

«Apparently not!» I reply, feeling a thrill of adrenaline run down my spine.

The lion chases us with a speed unimaginable for something of that size.

Its paws destroy everything they encounter. Its outstretched wings tear through the buildings on either side, causing debris to fall on the streets and raising a cloud of dust. One of its paws falls on a suspended pedestrian bridge, breaking it in two. The debris flies everywhere, crashing into other buildings and illuminating the city with sparks and flames.

Another roar resonates in my chest, the lion's chest gradually increases in luminosity, then also at the joints, at the eyes and, finally, inside its wide open mouth, I swerve sharply, a sudden blow, a beam of heat tears through the air, an entire street below us is melted, it melts the buildings and reduces everything around it to ashes, I narrowly avoid it, but the heat wave throws us off balance, the 0 Liwan wobbles, the view in front of me oscillates due to the high temperature, while I try to regain control.

Behind us, the lion continues its relentless advance and after a minute «It's about to shoot again!» Pierrot yells.

«W-We're going to die!» screams Bea, clutching the sides of her head tightly.

I swerve violently and, this time, I take the 0 Liwan lower, another beam shoots out, hitting a nearby communication tower, the tower bends over and collapses, it's about to crush us, I have to hurry, there are only a few meters left to exit the city, with another burst of speed, the 0 Liwan speeds out of the city.

«Finally we're safe. The tower should now block its passage.»

But the words were spoken too lightly.

The tower is pierced with ease. The huge beast shows no signs of giving up. In no time, we find ourselves at the foot of the mountains.

«Is the vehicle equipped with weapons?»

«Of course I didn't put any on, what kind of idiot would do that?»

«Yeah... What a crazy person...»

I would have put them on if I had been in his place. Even if I hadn't known about these dangers. I probably would have used them to clear the traffic and free up parking spaces... Yes, Pierrot did well not to arm the vehicle.

However, how can I defeat a monster like that without weapons?... Wait! If the 0 Liwan managed to destroy even an army vehicle and emerge unscathed, then it could also destroy the lion! But it needs more speed, to increase the impact force and destroy it in one blow. Where should I hit it? Going at random is useless... But of course! When it fired the shot, a part of its chest lit up first and then expanded to the rest of its body. There must be a reactor or something similar there. Given the high heat of the attacks, it needs some time to cool down before firing again, otherwise we would be dead already. I'll have to take full advantage of that window. But... I don't know how resistant the vehicle is now, it might not withstand the air pressure, it might crash without destroying it, we might destroy each other, or we might survive the crash but not the explosion. I want to have complete faith in Pierrot's work. I dodged the agents' attacks by reflex, but the only attack the vehicle took, it didn't suffer any damage.

«Pierrot, what exactly protects the vehicle?»

«A thick layer of graphyne. But it doesn't matter what it's made of. How are we going to stop it?»

«Already done!»

«What?!»

«If this vehicle is really as indestructible as you say, we can use it to destroy that thing.»

«Are you kidding me?! We'll all die!»

«Dango, p-please no!» Bea begs, her voice trembling.

I grip the steering wheel, accelerate, and with excitement I start singing «If you want to win the war!», I abandon the straight flight and switch to a vertical one, the lion fires its beam, Bea and Pierrot hold hands and look at me as if I'm crazy «Both by sea and by land!», the heat beam chases us «Make sure the cannons are full of macaroni!», as soon as it ends, I make a turn and point directly at the source of light of each attack, I increase the speed more and more, the metallic roar of the creature echoes, I don't stop singing, we crash and...