Panthereal Shiva

Isrina and the group shivered as Kyrinna, the Cerulean Countess, stepped towards them.

"Enbu Fenix! Burn away all unrighteousness!" Oreic played his saxophone to summon his phoenix to attack the Countess.

The group gasped when Kyrinna chanted in Japanese. "Panthereal Shiva: Panthyos Dharma!"

Kyrinna smashed her fists into the ground, summoning a dense icy mist that morphed into a roaring icicle panther. When Enbu Fenix and the panther attacked each other, they exploded into a catastrophe of fire and ice.

As Isrina and the families ran, they heard booming engines from the other side of the library. The same hammerhead gunship Naphthien plucked an eye off grinned and fired at them. While Naphthien thrashed her long whips to protect the group from the attack, Rahim fired his shotgun to blast the other eye off. The hammerhead toppled and crashed inside the lobby.

"You guys, alright?" Oreic coughed from the debris.

"A-alive," Rahim breathed heavily.

"Panthereal Shiva. No doubt, that's Sychrom's daughter, Kyrinna," Isrina brushed her hair off the rubble. "My Little Chickadee? Where are you?"

Shien was nowhere to be seen.

"How can that be?" Oreic helped Isrina look for Shien. "He was with me!"

Everyone looked to find Kyrinna walking outside with Shien on her back.

"My Little Chickadee!" Isrina chased Kyrinna. "Give him back!"

"What the heck?" Oreic ran with her. "She's after Shien?"

"Why would she take Shien?" Nashura drew her sabers.

The fallen gunship's rib cage opened to release crusader droids that fired their rifles at the Shuruukos. As Niode and his wife huddled in fear, the Murhavs stayed behind to protect them while Isrina and Oreic looked for Shien.

"Shien!" Nashura blocked a laser shot.

"Isrina and I will get him!" Oreic instructed. "Watch over the Shuruukos!"

Isrina growled, running across the wall of a hotel and launching herself at Kyrinna. "Avian Form: Kingfisher's Axe!"

The Countess dodged the downswing kick, but Isrina swiped her leg across Kyrinna's feet. Kyrinna fell as Shien rolled on the street. Oreic ran after him but was stopped by two White Death guards. The pale bull-horned droids wielded electric bo staffs and wore laser-edged capes like the Reaper Squad. As the droids fought Oreic staff to staff, Isrina ran after Shien.

"Panthereal Shiva: Thundering Ramuh!" Kyrinna stomped the ground to make it crack with icy fissures.

The icicle crater made Isrina tumble as freezing quartz trapped Shien in a prison.

"What do you want with my Little Chickadee?" Isrina spat. "Give him back!"

"Panthereal Shiva: Enkindled Nirvana!" Kyrinna summoned an ice katana and swung it at Isrina's neck.

"Avian Form: Wryneck Scythe!" Isrina slashed her palm through the sword to break it.

Isrina positioned her elbows in Bong Sao as Kyrinna held one palm and fist in Jut Sao, guarding the ice prison. The Cerulean Countess held her palm and fist together in the Bao Quan Li martial arts greeting.

"Qing," Isrina replied in Mandarin and held her fist and palm together.

As the snowy wind blew, a grand duel between the Avian Form and Panthereal Shiva began.

***

Master Oreic struck his elbow on a White Death guard's head to crush its skull before disarming the other. The remaining droid guard kicked Oreic's weapon off and held its palms in Wu Sao. Oreic and the droid chain-punched each other until the droid swiped its bladed cape at his head. Oreic ducked and high-kicked the guard's head off its neck.

He placed heated palms onto the icicle prison to free Shien until a massive figure stomped in front of him. Oreic looked at the four-eyed muscular droid that towered over him with a grand height of eight feet.

"Um, hi? Who are you?" Oreic shuddered until the buff cyborg punched him in the stomach.

The master crashed into the wall of a deli shop.

"That all you got, puny fox?" The big robot bellowed, pounding fists on his chest. "Fight me!"

Oreic summoned his flaming staff. "Who are you?"

"I'm Azuroid, you weakling!" The brawn machine charged at him like a mad bull. "I serve my Countess!"

Oreic jumped above Azuroid and slammed his staff onto the droid's back. Azuroid chuckled as Oreic's attack did little damage.

"Weak!" Azuroid chucked Oreic off before taking Shien away.

"No! Enbu Fenix!" Oreic howled. "Burn away all unrighteousness!"

The Vultau master summoned his fiery phoenix and jumped on, commanding Enbu Fenix to breathe fireballs at the fleeing Azuroid.

"That fire chicken is no match for Azuroid!" The buff droid drew his cryogenic rifle, firing at the phoenix. "You want Shien? Come and get him!"

Enbu Fenix soared in circles to evade the icy bullets while chasing Azuroid. The droid focused his sight on Oreic, firing a precise shot that froze his Vulpi ear and made the master topple off his summon. As Oreic fell, the phoenix flew for his rescue, but Azuroid shot Enbu Fenix down with his cryogenic rifle. Oreic was left to land hard on the street with rocks piercing his body.

Master Oreic lay injured, reaching his trembling hand for Shien. "N-no... please, don't take Shien."

"Haha, loser! You're not so tough!" Azuroid laughed as he ran off with Shien.

No! No! I promised Isrina to protect her son! Oreic crawled after Shien. Makiyu, have mercy!

A blue portal opened in front of Azuroid, sucking him inside.

"P-Psyinen," Oreic noticed before losing consciousness.

"Hi! Hi! My dear Oreic!" A blue-haired and robed Vulpi jumped out of the portal. "Surprise! Out goes the beef boy!"

As Psyinen tended to Oreic, the portal ejected Azuroid into a damaged hospital. Two soldiers with bird-shaped SHRIKE symbols jumped outside to move Oreic onto a medical bed.

"Grrr!" Azuroid pounded on his chest angrily when he couldn't find Shien. "Another weak fox wants to challenge Azuroid? I shall crush you!"

He charged at Psyinen, but an Abrams tank rolled out of the portal, blasting a spinning shell into Azuroid's chest. It sent Azuroid flying through the walls of a restaurant.

"Like that trick? Hehehe!" Psyinen giggled.

"Ma'am!" The two soldiers carried Oreic into the portal. "Shien is safe!"

***

A crusader droid kicked Nashura into the Shuruukos, making them tumble out of the library.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Lansen rolled on the ground.

Naphthien jumped in front of them, flailing her clawed whips to protect them from the laser fire. Rahim reloaded his shotgun, exchanging plasma bolts with the droids. Niode and Tetsuyin huddled together, holding Mivangeline tightly. When a crusader droid rolled out to fire at the Shuruukos, Nashura protected them and sliced the droid into pieces.

Easy! Nashura slashed another droid's rifle down. Don't worry, Mr. and Mrs. Shuruuko. I will protect you all!

The crusader droid grabbed her wrists and squeezed, making her drop her sabers. It then yanked Nashura's green hair and shoved her head onto its knee.

"Nashura!" Rahim threw a scythe at the crusader droid's head to rescue his daughter.

How did I lose? Nashura's forehead bled as Rahim cut the droid into pieces. Am I not strong like Mom and Dad?

Naphthien swung her chain claw to grapple another droid and chuck it at the others.

"Niode!" Rahim fired his shotgun at the droids. "Make yourself useful! Watch over my daughter!"

Niode and Tetsuyin took Nashura away from the battle.

No, I'm supposed to protect you all. Nashura closed her eyes as Tetsuyin stroked her head. I'm not like Mom and Dad. Not like Shien either. Why am I too weak to help a few people?

Psyinen's portal opened between them and the crusader droids. Soldiers wearing SHRIKE symbols jumped out and chucked grenades at the crusader droids.

"What's happening?" Rahim blinked.

"Hi!" A soldier walked to the families. "Don't worry! We're the SHRIKE Rebellion. We're here to help!"

While the soldier ordered the men to tend to Nashura, an elderly man wearing glasses walked out. The white-haired man wearing glasses blasted the remaining Federation droids with a Reaper Squad rifle he stole.

Rahim recognized the man. "General Covinski!"

"This is certainly a fine mess you got me into, Rahim," The General huffed. "How is it that I end up being the UICA's unsung mop-up man who has to save everyone?"

Rahim chuckled.

"I'll scold you all later," Covinski signaled the soldiers and medics to escort the families. "Move it! A chimaera is coming! We got no time to waste!"

***

"Avian Form: Woodpecker Beak Strikes!" Isrina closed her palms into beak shapes to strike Kyrinna.

"Panthereal Shiva: Ire of Vishnu!" The Cerulean Countess chanted in Japanese, unsheathing her icicle claws against the palm strikes.

"Let my Little Chickadee go!"

"Panthereal Shiva: Raining Indra!" Kyrinna clapped her hand to summon a mighty rain of sharpened icicles.

Isrina rolled away from the deadly shards and hissed. "Why won't you talk to me?"

"Panthereal Shiva: Eyes of Krishna!" Kyrinna's blue eyes leered into Isrina's.

The spell rolled Isrina's eyes into unconsciousness as Kyrinna drew her icy katana.

No! Wake up! Isrina struggled to regain her consciousness. Shien is the only family I have left!

"Panthereal Shiva: Enkindled Nirvana!" Kyrinna lunged her blade at Isrina's neck.

Psyinen's portal opened between them. A blonde Vulpi blocked Kyrinna's blade with his erhu bows and kicked the Countess away.

"Isrina! Are you alright?" The Vulpi carried her. "I'm Master Yanshi. The SHIRKE are here to help."

She was knocked out cold.

"Panthereal Shiva: Panthyos Dharma!" Kyrinna smashed her fists into the ground to summon her icicle panther to charge at Yanshi.

"Awaken from the earth, Macadion Firma!" Master Yanshi played the strings of his erhu.

The earth shook as rocks arose into the shape of a giant green-eyed golem. Yanshi's summon held the panther's jaws at bay while the master took Isrina safely into the portal. After the two summons dispersed, Azuroid met with Kyrinna.

The Countess wept in Azuroid's arms, realizing she failed her mission. "My father can't rest in peace..."