The Uprising (The Mamluks Saga: Episode 2) (15 page)

I responded with an aggravated glare. “A society of cruelty, murder, and the enslavement of innocent civilizations. No. In that, I could never find peace.” 

Giedre narrowed her eyes. “Murder?”

“Yes. I’ve learned a lot of terms from the humans. Ask my mother what it means.”

I turned and jogged down the hall to the stairway, but before I could flee, I saw London and a group of soldiers standing at the center of the steps.

My old friend stared at me with a cheeky grin. “Where are you going with our Champion, Juozas?”

I backed away and turned, but as I ran the other way, another group of soldiers stormed up the stairway from the other side, and from behind, I heard London’s gang coming forward. I froze and turned around.

Both groups stopped about five feet from me. Then, London stepped forward and circled me. He studied me, and noticed how ragged my clothes had gotten. “I disapprove of your new appearance, Old Friend. You look like a slave.”

The soldiers laughed. Giedre came into the hallway and stood by with a sad look in her eyes.

London stopped in front of me and looked me up and down. “Tell me, Juozas. Do you wish to be like the humans you love so much?”

I glared at him and adjusted my
sija
. “I am a human.”

London chuckled and nodded. “Then release your shield, and I’ll treat you like a human.”

I tried to blast him but he turned on his force field just in time. The shot bounced off the see-through shell and disappeared. The others turned on their shields. 

London flashed a teasing smile. “With our combined firepower, we could knock out your shield in an instant. So please, return the Champion to Giedre and surrender.”

I wanted to kill him for speaking of my child as if she belonged to them.
And if I get the chance I will.
“She’s not your Champion. She’s my daughter.” Then, I aimed my
sija
at the ground. “And to knock out my shield, you’ll have to catch me first.”

I fired a constant beam at the floor and led it into the adjacent room. London and the others backed away. I pushed Samantha into my chest hard and held on with all the strength I had. The opening in the floor gave me just enough room to get through. I dropped down and held onto the splintered edge with my free hand. I swung my body forward and dropped down to the lower level.

I ran to the stairway and hurried to the first floor, but just as I was about to sprint outside to my stolen ship, a group of soldiers marched into the building. I turned and ran the other way as they fired at me. When I got to the exit down the hall, I leaped to the outside and turned around.

Without hesitation, I fired a constant beam at the wall above the entryway and let it cave in on them. They were blocked off, and I was free for the moment. I got low and snuck around the building. In the sky, I saw ships flying in from all over.

I stayed hidden behind the pillars as I moved ahead. I made it to the theater that was attached to the building and went inside. Luckily, it was empty.

On the outside, I could hear hundreds of soldiers marching around the buildings, and even more ships flying around. The soldiers would no doubt be entering the theater at any moment to search for me and Samantha.

I quickly looked around in desperation, trying to find something to hide behind. On the stage, I saw a massive drum set that was probably being assembled for an upcoming performance. I hurried to it and ducked down. I turned off my shield so that I could blend in with the shadows.

Then, from above, I heard someone walking down the pathway that led to the stage. I looked up and saw Mother.

She stopped and let out a miserable grunt. “Juozas.” 

I rose and glanced at the entry. “Why haven’t you called for the soldiers?”

Mother took a few steps forward. “Because I want to reason with you and end this tragic conflict.”

I watched her carefully, and I was prepared to turn my shield back on at any moment. “Are you willing to end slavery on all five planets, and liberate the four civilizations the Mamluks have conquered?”

She shook her head. “No. That will never happen.”

“Then we have nothing to talk about.”  I walked forward and gently placed Samantha in a chair. She began to cry. “It’s all right. I will return shortly.” I looked up at Mother and marched toward her with my
sija
aimed. “Since you have foolishly confronted me alone, I will take advantage of this opportunity and kill you now.”

Mother turned on her shield and backed up the walkway as I approached. “I am not yet skilled enough to face you, Juozas. However, I have found a new protector in your absence.”

Out of the shadows from above, someone came forth, wearing a hooded black cloak. The mysterious figure pulled the hood back and revealed his face as he stepped into the narrow sunlight coming from the window on the far wall.

I paused and studied him. “Father.” Then, without pause, and in a rage, I ran up the walkway and fired a shot.

He activated his shield just in time and the laser bounced off the force field. Father responded with a constant beam and blasted down the walkway. All at once, I turned on my shield and jumped into the seats. The constant beam ripped through the floor and sent chunks of stone and metal flying all over.

I sparked a constant beam of my own and aimed it at Father. The lasers connected, and the force from the colliding beams knocked me back a little. We held our ground for a short while, and the laser beam grew into a massive orb. 

I rolled to the side and the orb exploded, knocking us both back a few feet. I got up in a hurry and ran at Father again. He staggered ahead and created an orb around his fist. I copied him, and when we reached each other, I leaped over him and landed near Mother.

I tried to attack her but Father spun around with only a moment to spare and shoved me to the wrecked floor. I got up and tackled him. Our shields sparked and flashed against each other as we grappled. Father punched and kneed me, but I couldn’t feel anything with the force field around me.

Finally, he pushed me away and jumped to his feet. I went at him again, but this time, Mother fired a steady laser that blocked me. I ignored her for the moment and focused on Father, but she kept shooting at me, and Father charged me and knocked me to the floor.

I popped up in a flash, but unexpectedly, I felt exhausted. I took deep breaths under my shield as I glared at Father. He came at me again and kicked my chest. I flew back and slammed into a broken chair. Father wasted no time and ran up to me. He punched and kneed me with blazing speed. Desperately, I tried to get away, but my exhaustion had gotten worse.
What’s happening to me?

For me, the fight should have been no contest. I had already beaten Father, foiled his techniques, and demonstrated my superiority. I kept trying with all the strength I had left, but Father continued to dominate the fight.

Moments later, droves of soldiers burst into the theater and marched into the rows of demolished seats with their
sija
s aimed.

I heard Mother call to them as I scrambled on the floor. “Stand down, Soldiers. We have him.”

Father backed away and watched me for a moment. He was surprised to see me like this. “Get up and fight, Juozas.”

I tried to get up. I kept trying, and trying, but I couldn’t. I felt completely drained without having taken any damage. Father kneeled and lifted me up. He wrapped his enormous arm around my neck and squeezed hard. Still, with my shield protecting me, I felt no pain, but if he could keep me like this, the pressure would knock out my force field. I reached up and grabbed his arm. My hands sparked as I tried to break the hold, but it was no use. Father was incredibly strong.

After a few moments, as Mother and the soldiers looked on, my shield went down. I felt Father’s mighty grip and hurled up a clump of saliva. Gradually, my vision began to blur. I reached out to the crowd of soldiers. I had grown up with them, shared laughter and tears during our time at the academy
. It can’t end like this.

I shifted my eyes, trying to spot Samantha. I could only see her tiny feet dangling off the edge of the chair I had placed her in. She was crying loudly, and hearing it was making me cry. “Please, please help me,” I slurred to the soldiers. I moved my eyes back to them and saw Lauren-Lynn and London standing in the crowd.

London had his arms crossed with a smirk on his face, but to my surprise, Lauren-Lynn looked deeply concerned.

I heard Father let out a long exhale. “Juozas, my spawn. Humanity has made you weak.”

Right after, my arms went limp, and just before I blacked out, a crushing thought crossed my mind.
Forgive me, Samantha. I’ve failed you.

I
released a sigh of relief as I watched Juozas fading away.
Farewell, my son.
At last, the leader of the rebellion would soon be no more. To demonstrate our supremacy, I planned to display his dead body to the masses. Such a resounding message would no doubt hinder any others in our society who dared to defy me.

With Juozas immobile, Adomas let his guard down and turned off his shield. Then, out of nowhere, a soldier in the crowd screamed and leaped at him. I focused my eyes and realized it was Lauren-Lynn. She quickly blasted Adomas with a rapid shot and turned on her shield. The laser went right through his stomach and he crumbled to his knees, dropping Juozas.

The theater fell silent as I looked on in utter disbelief. I released a cry of shock and ran down the walkway in a fret. “Adomas!”

The soldiers rushed to him and surrounded Lauren-Lynn.

I pushed through the crowd and lowered myself to the floor. “Wait!”

The soldiers backed off a little.

Lauren-Lynn touched Juozas and her shield covered him, too.

I hurried to Adomas and reached out to his lifeless body. In a rage, I slowly looked at Lauren-Lynn with my teeth bared. “How could you do this?”

She shook her head at me with a long frown. Then she looked around at the others. “Look at what we’ve become, My Friends. Is this to be our legacy? To kill the ones we love?” Finally, she looked back at me. “There must be another way, My Ruler.”

I stood up and spat at her. “No! There is no other way. This is our world. And
you
are soldiers of
my
rule. Now kill this traitor!”

Half of the soldiers quickly aimed their
sija
s at Lauren-Lynn, and the other half hesitated.

London emerged from the group and heatedly pointed at her. “All of you! Obey your Ruler at once! Aim your weapons and fire!”

Lauren-Lynn’s eyes watered as she stared at him. “You would kill me, Old Friend?”

London glared at her. “You’re not My Friend anymore.”

I nodded in response to his loyalty and stared at the soldiers. “Do it.”

Then, a massive blast from behind rocked the theater and made us all stumble a bit. I spun around and saw the walls crumble to the floor. A ship flew into the theater, and it was set to fire with its force field turned on.

Someone in the crowd spoke out. “Lauren-Lynn is right. We can’t go on like this.”

I shook my head in frustration and backed away. “Those who are still with me, kill the traitors!”

All at once, the soldiers turned on their shields and started shooting at each other. There were even a few soldiers shooting at me. I turned around and nudged through the chaos. When I broke free, I locked my eyes onto Samantha and ran to her. Then, just before I could grab her, Lauren-Lynn swooped in from behind and snatched her up.

I looked back and saw a group of soldiers helping Juozas to the ship, fighting off my soldiers as they went along.

“I’m sorry for Adomas, Emily.”

I looked back at Lauren-Lynn and got in a fighting stance. “Don’t worry. You’re going to pay for it with your life.”

I quickly fired a constant beam at her. She ran toward the ship but I chased after her with my laser locked on. Then, when she tried to jump to the ramp, I leaped through the air and knocked her off course. Samantha fell from her grasp and bounced off her chest as they landed on the floor. I quickly tried to grab Samantha as she cried out, but Lauren-Lynn kicked my hand.

From behind, a soldier snatched her off the floor and ran to the ship. “No!” I desperately shot at him as he jumped to the ramp.

Lauren-Lynn tried to get up and run again but I blocked her off.

She backed up and aimed her
sija
. “Stop this trivial battle, Emily. You can’t defeat me.”

I laughed. “Then demonstrate your excellence and finish me.”

Lauren-Lynn smiled and got in a fighting stance. I bent down and prepared to strike. She came at me with a swift combination that sent me stumbling to the floor. My shield protected me from feeling any pain, but I was still embarrassed. She was good.

I got up and waved her on. Lauren-Lynn leaped through the air and did a front kick to my chest. I went flying backward and hit the wall with a resounding
thud
. Before I could get up, or defend myself from the floor, Lauren-Lynn hit me with a constant beam that held me down.

I just barely managed to block it with a laser orb, but she was able to break through it, and her constant beam went back onto my shield. “Help!”

Finally, a swarm of my ships flew into the theater and fired at the enemy ship. Over the radio, I heard one of the disgraced soldiers call to the other traitors.
“Hurry soldiers! Into the ship before the shield goes down!”

Lauren-Lynn ignored the request and maintained her fire, and it appeared as if my shield was going to go down at any second.

I quickly radioed to my ships. “Someone please help me! Lauren-Lynn has me trapped!”

They responded promptly, and through my bright, white cocoon, I saw them fly over us and attack her.

Lauren-Lynn tried to fight back but it was no use. Within seconds, her shield went down. I heard her scream just before her body was vaporized. 

From the floor, I waved off the ships and stood up. They flew away and continued the attack on the other traitors. I looked down and saw a deep, black burn spot in the floor where Lauren-Lynn’s body had been.