Terran Knights: Chapter 9

The robot looked like something out of a movie. Sleek metal body that gleamed in the light from the mall. It was just like a trash can but with legs. It was tall, close to eight feet tall and but its four spider like legs were bent meaning it could get taller.

People including Cal and Kathryn stared as it stepped out of the water. It took slow measured steps as it searched around. Its sensors scanned around the room slowly but also looking up toward the ceiling and across the railings. It lowered its head and finally registered the people that were staring at it in fear. Cal and Kathryn who were standing far too close to it started walking backwards.

“Cal,”

“Yeah Kat?”

“Is that an alien?”

“I think so.”

“Okay making sure we’re both crazy.”

An arm appeared from the robot’s side and began to spin leaving a trail of energy behind it and creating a soft whirring noise. Thrusting its arm into the air, the energy exploded. Glass shattered, lights shorted out and the people who had their phones out recording dropped them as the devices sputtered. A red light gleamed to life on the machines face and scanned the escalator before firing and blowing it up.

The sound rumbled and screams echoed it as people scattered away from the machine trying to run. It took a step forward and sent another laser into the upper level raining down fire and stones along with the people who were above.

“Look out!”

Kathryn tackled Cal to the side as a chunk of ceiling fell down just missing them. She helped him back up to his feet and he smiled shakily, “Thanks!”

“No problem. Now let’s get out here!”

He nodded quickly and they both sprinted toward the exit. Despite all the other lights shorting out the bright orange Exit ones were still working. They were halfway to the door when a new scream echoed through the hallway. Kathryn looked over her shoulder and saw a woman carrying one of the kids from the fountain. An explosion behind her had sent her sprawling forward and the child sliding away.

Kathryn turned on her heel and started sprinting back toward the child with no idea what was running through her head.

“Kat what are you doing?!” Cal shouted but soon he was running right after her.

 She reached the child picking her up and grunting from her weight. She couldn’t have been older than five or six. She could hear the barely controlled cries from her and she smiled looking at the little girl. “Hey look, you’ve got pig tails just like me,” the girl paused staring at her confused for a moment. “I’m gonna get you out of here. Okay?”

“You’re crazy you know, that right?” Cal said but he was standing over the woman taking her hand and pulling her to her feet slowly. She was limping and leaning on him heavily but she was moving.

The ground shook from a heavy step of the machine as it moved. She didn’t look over her shoulder and just sprinted forward, Cal on her heels. Another tremor and this time she felt the air split as a beam of irradiated energy blasted past her head and blew the four of them backwards from the explosion.

She landed on her back holding the child tightly. The woman from before wasn’t far away with Cal. Looking above her head she watched the robot worked its way forward. The ceiling above her cracked and her eyes widened as a it started to collapse and come down on her.

She shut her eyes and for a moment time slowed down. Suddenly she felt another presence near her, one that didn’t make sense but was familiar. Like a family dog or an old friend. Her eyes opened and floating above her face was a stone. A floating blue rock.

You two have been more than willing to sacrifice your life protect others. She looked over her shoulder and Cal was standing but she saw a pink stone floating in front of him as well. She looked back at the stone in front of her and the voice spoke again, Take this gift let it’s power become your shield.

Kathryn snatched the stone from the air and felt the cool power rushing through her body. Time resumed and she watched the ceiling continue to fall over her but instinct told her not to shirk away. She thrust her hand forward and blue light appeared above her like a dome The ceiling stones hit the shield with a crack before sliding away.

Getting to her feet slowly she stood and the girl stared at her with wide eyes. Kathryn set the girl down and touched her now helmeted face and turned to face where she thought Cal was but in his place was an armored thing, highlighted in various hues of pink in contrast to her blue.

They were standing over the woman who was now able to get to her feet on her own. She was a mix of horrified and scared of them but she ran toward her child, picked her up and ran toward the exit like the rest of the people with good common sense.

“Kat?” they said and she knew his voice the moment he spoke.

“Cal?”

“Holy shit what happened to you.”

“What happened to me? What happened to you!”

They both turned as the robot faced them pointing one of its claws. The claws began to spin generating the same light as before. A blast of electricity shot at them and Kathryn jumped forward throwing her hand out. The same blue energy appeared protecting the two of them and deflecting the blast upward.

“You okay?”

“Yeah but we can’t let this thing keep doing this stuff,” she said and looked at him. “I’ll keep the people back here safe.

“Then I’ll finish this thing off I guess,” nodding his head Cal turned to face the creature.

Stepping forward he ran sprinting at it as fast as he could. As he ran an instinct started to speak to him, tell him exactly what he had to do. He jumped at the robot and threw his hand up. A sword appeared in his hands, fitting perfectly in his palm. Swinging as hard as he could he cut the machine in half from the top down to its legs.

He landed as the machine exploded and raised the sword staring at his reflection in the blade. “I guess this counts as something interesting.”