Orphan Ch. 03

"My, my," Renus says with a hint of a chuckle in his voice. "Someone has been busy here."

"You son of a bitch," Celaeno curses.

Behind the skull mask Renus smiles, almost wishing he didn't wear it just so she could see him. "I have been called many things, but never that with such enthusiasm. Do you plan to kill me now?"

Celaeno looks at her partner and tries not to show any emotion, but Sage's unconscious form helps her emotions betray her. She can feel it on her face and she feels instantly angry because of it and because of whatever Renus has done to put Sage in this position.

"I will gut you like a fucking pig!" she spats.

"Now that's the spirit."

Celaeno growls and leaps at the elite soldier. As her sword comes down at his head, Renus brings up his arm and deflects it. The blade harmlessly skips off his forearm while he brings his other hand around, hammering the side of Celaeno's head. The blow starts to send her toward the ground but at the last possible second Renus' deflecting arm shoots out and catches her by the wrist. Then with a simple twist, he rolls her wrist around and up, forcing Celaeno to release her grip on the sword.

He sends her to the floor and looks down upon her. "You are going to have to do much better than that if you wish to defeat me. Your monk friend here had a hard time in trying and I'm not sure if you are any more skilled than he is."

"Mock me if you wish," Celaeno says as she pulls free a knife from one of the fallen troopers. "But I will do as I said I would." With that, Celaeno gets to her feet and into a fighting stance.

Renus smiles once again behind the mask as he pulls free a knife of his own. "So you wish to play," she mocks waving his knife through the air. "Then by all means, let's play."

This time it is Renus that initiates the attack. He throws out a short jab which Celaeno quickly deflects before stepping back. Renus does it again, drawing out the same result. This goes on a couple more times before he switches it up, taking the fight to a higher level.

Celaeno stays on pace with him, their knives clanging, the only sound in the room. Then the first blood is drawn as Renus' blade cuts smoothly across Celaeno's left arm. The cut isn't deep, but it is enough to drop her confidence a little and a little is all Renus needs to gain a larger gap over her.

The larger man presses his attack, striking high and low, crisscrossing and sweeping the blade diagonally high then low and then back again. What block Celaeno is able to make pale in comparison to those that she cannot and has to dodge to avoid being cut or worse.

Then a stab of pain cuts through her wrist and the knife is suddenly lost. By the time it clatters to the floor, Celaeno sees the small trace of blood. The cut isn't deep and it certainly won't cause her to bleed out, but it hurts. Generally, it's the smallest cuts that hurt the most. The next thing she feels is the wall against her back and the edge of Renus' knife pressed tightly against her throat.

"It's a shame I have to bring you in alive," Renus growls. His face is almost pressed against hers and if not for the mask she would be able to feel his hot breath n her face. "You're real lucky he wants you alive."

This time Celaeno doesn't show emotion. She is prepared for this, for death if it must come, but only if death comes for her. Just as she is about to pit in his face movement out of the corner of her eye catches her attention.

"Get your...Zzzt...hands off her...Zzzt."

Renus turns his head to see the giant War Golem standing not ten feet away, wondering just how the oversized war relic managed to get as close as he did in the first place without stirring up noise. He presses the knife a little tighter against Celaeno's throat and says, "And if I don't?"

"I was...Zzzt...hoping you'd say...Zzzt...that," Tanttan replies.

From out of the War Golem's forearm fires a net. Though not completely effective in wrapping Renus up, it does force him from Celaeno. He is slung across the room by the weighted ends on the net as Celaeno falls to the floor. Before the elite soldier can stand, Tanttan fires a small, self-contained missile. The explosion that follows is loud and bright as it sends debris in all directions. Celaeno has to cover her face to avoid any damage and by the time she uncovers, the entire wall is in a large pile where Renus was just standing.

"Is that bastard dead?" she asks without looking toward the War Golem.

"Zzzt...probably not...however, we do need to...leave."

"What about Daniel?" she asks, feeling guilty for forgetting about him.

"Sir Castourus is waiting...Zzzt...for us at the escape...Zzzt...tunnel," Tanttan answers as he scoops Celaeno up into his large arms.

"Tunnel?"

The war machine nods and turns to pick up Sage. Then without looking back, he throws the unconscious man over his shoulder and proceeds down the hall. "We need to go before...Zzzt...the Divortium arrives. ETA is in three minutes."

"Then what are we waiting for?"