Chapter 801: Phase Two: Then The W- Tanks Arrived!

"I’m low! I need more rounds!"

"I need cells! Wait! Get down!

A phalanx jumped to the side, tackling his brother in arms as he did so. A moment later a Drakoshi Grenade exploded, killing half a dozen men in the process.

The Two Phalanx hastily got up to their feet. "Thank you. I’d be a goner." The man said to his saviour prompting a nod.

The duo then readied their weapons and raised themselves above the trench once more to resume firing.

The Phalanx soldier resumed firing his laser rifle until the cell ejected due to safety regulations. He looked to his right for a brief moment to ask the man he saved for another cell, but the man was unmoving.

Hastily pulling the man back behind cover, he then realised the left half of his face was missing. ’Shit.’

With no time to think it over, the Phalanx picked up his allies’ weapons and ammo and got right back to work. The front two trench lines were overrun. His was next. He had to fight. He had to put aside his life for those behind him.

There was no other way.

Taking a few breaths he readied himself once more and positioned for another round of firing.

His eyes went wide.

A group of Drakoshi. Three of them wearing silver pauldrons had broken through the trench line. One was running right towards him.

Fight or flight was trained out of him. Only one remained. Raising his weapon he began firing at the Drakoshi. The laser rounds didn’t even leave burn marks on the skin The silver pauldrons were some of the toughest enemies the Phalanx had to fight and the one before him had spotted him...

Yet he resumed firing. There was no other option. No other way out. Either he or the beast before him had to die. No other alternatives.

So he fired and fired as the Silver pauldron came closer. The 12ft tall behemoth had even begun to dodge shots from heavy weapon emplacements as it approached, such reflexes baffled the man, but he had to keep firing. Even as it looked down at him.

He watched as the beast smiled, revealing its horrid sharp teeth. It proceeded to raise its mace high. He kept firing. If he was going to be turned to paste, he would turn after giving it his all.

He resumed firing, like he had been doing this entire time, only something happened now? The Silver pauldron suddenly began spitting up blood as its mouth opened.

He couldn’t tell one Drakoshi’s face apart from another, but he swore he saw fear on the creature’s face. The Drakoshi began to twitch violently as shots from the emplacements began to cause significant damage to its body, however something strange then happened.

Without warning the Drakoshi’s body suddenly ripped open from shoulder to hip, exploding in a wake of gore.

The smell was foul, but he didn’t fully register it. Before him, holding the top half of the Drakoshi Silver pauldron was a dark shinned woman wearing very odd clothing. She lifted the corpse above her and allowed the blood to engulf her body.

Afterwards all that could be seen of her features was her green glowing eyes.

He suddenly felt goosebumps. It was one of the Psionic elites. He instinctively grabbed his weapon. Drakoshi were one thing. A known enemy that could be killed. Psionic elites were mysteries capable of doing almost anything.

Such as ripping a Drakoshi Silver pauldron in half with their bare fists.

He felt his heartbeat race as the elite threw the upper body of the Drakoshi away and looked around.

A thought entered his mind. ’Were they all this strong?’ He knew Sentinel Lambdason was powerful enough to take on both of his Praetorian guards at once with ease thanks to his alien armour. He was the reason the battle was winning, his leadership from the front inspired loyalty beyond words.

But the rest? Were they all as strong?

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as even through the chaos he heard the woman speak. "And that is another elite. That adds another second to the arrangement... Hehe~ Silly Apollo paying me with love... I’d already do anything for you~ hehehe~"

The elite began running away towards the next nearby silver pauldron, ignoring other Drakoshi on the way.

Out of proximity, he felt himself return to normal. Thanks to that elite he had a chance to continue to fight.

So he positioned himself once more and began firing before someone shouted to his right.

"I need cells! Wait! Get down!"

Suddenly he was tackled from the side by one of his brothers in arms. A second later a grenade went out nearby killing at least half a dozen troops that had just pushed up to the trench from the rear.

Getting to his feet. He nodded at his brother. "Thank you. I’d be a goner..." His brother in arms then nodded his head at him and the two got up onto the edge of the trench to resume firing...

...

"Die Drakoshi! Yum!" I shouted kicking a Downed Drakoshi in the face with full force.

I took a moment to look around. The front line was lost and the Drakoshi had resumed to push in. Plus with more of their elites committing to the fight instead of the grunts, more of our heavy weapons were focused on taking them down.

I leant back casually as an armoured Drakoshi attempted to slash out at me. While I continued to look around. My minigun protruded from my left Pauldron and shot a few dozen rounds directly into the Drakoshi’s face.

’This isn’t good. Even after all of this, the force was more than we were expecting... At this rate casualties are going to be high. With that thought I summoned out Sapphire to protect me for a moment.

I was going to do something drastic.

Having blinded myself once, I knew the power of my suns now much better. 1% of my power was a seriously intense flashbang. So I was going to use all I had left to stun the Drakoshi still in the field. I just hoped I could attempt to direct light somehow.

So i began to channel, allowing Sapphire to act as my protector for a moment. A small sun appeared between my hands and I began to strengthen it with my Psionics.

I then gave Sapphire my instructions. After it went off, I would be spent mentally, I would need to leave the battlefield and rest. I just had to buy some time until-

"Sentinel." I heard in my communication array. I knew the voice. Cockburn. "Our mixed units have broken through. Expect heavy armour on your Southern flank."

As soon as he said that another communication came in.

"Sentinel Lambdason, This is captain Tessa Rook. We punched a hole through the Drakoshi to the north and headed towards you. ETA for reinforcement, thirty seconds."

I smiled hearing that. My plan worked. To create a weakened looking centre. The lack of Heavy armour must have made the Drakoshi bolt, hence why so many had come to attack.

However, their forces to the north and south had to deal with the heavy armoured vehicles and a butt load of Phalanx.

I smiled knowing it worked and-

’Oh shit!’ I suddenly proclaimed, remembering I was holding a small sun in my hands. I looked around panicked for a moment before realising I had only used a fraction of my power so far.

Still I knew it was going to be bad for me, but those behind me would fare better. With my communications open to all channels I yelled. "Fuck it! Close your eyes now if you like your retinas!"

... 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

I could hear the Drakoshi howls of agony around me as Sapphire chomped my arm to help me up. Without my vision I climbed onto her back and told her to go find Francesca. As I fell back from the front line. Sapphire began taking a few shots, but the Phalanx must have spotted me atop her and stopped swiftly.

I then began to hear weapons firing from the north and south. The Drakoshi, now enveloped, would be even more in the mud now. With only one path of retreat they were now in a kill box.

Arriving at the backlines, It didn’t take long before I heard. "Apollo!"

Sapphire immediately began to run to the voice and once she came to a halt. I jumped down from her back. I then felt a set of hands urging me downwards.

"Hurry up and take that helmet off you idiot. I knew the second I heard your voice I knew what was happening. Why did you make a sun again?"

"I didn’t mean to." I said as I took off my helmet and allowed Francesca to check on my eyes. "I was going to use it as a distraction, but then the tanks turned up and I didn’t need to and I already conjured it and continued to power it subconsciously with energy and yeah. My bad. Still, it could be worse. How bad is the damage?"

I heard Francesca tut at my words before tilting my head in all directions.

"Not bad actually. Your helmet and with the... sun. Being less powerful than it was last time, you have only burned them slightly. I can have you healed in fifteen, but you must stay still the entire time no matter how uncomfortable it feels."