Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 493: A Spectre, A Vampire, and a Valkyrie Walk into a Bar...
The laser cut through several buildings as it drew towards the base of the bell tower. But instead of panicking, Jace just charged up his weapon and fired. This time the gun firing was not as silent. But the sound of the gun firing was muted when compared to the bell behind him, it rang as the force of the shockwave from his gun shook the floor he was on.
DING!
As it rang loudly. Jace moved behind to a corner of the tower as his weapon’s barrel area opened up and smoke poured out as the internal wiring and magnets began to rapidly cool. Fortunately a version of chemi-metal was used to make those components so they would not break as easily. In addition the rain was making it easier to cool the weapon so he only had to wait a minute.
Before he had hidden behind the corner for cover he had seen the shot make contact with the tank. He had been aiming for a small power source near the front of the tank. In the moment before he ducked behind cover he saw the armor plating heat up and then the tanks laser cut off before the tank exploded.
But now as he was waiting for his weapon to cool down. He decided it was time to check on the other.
"Ulin, what is your status?" Jace asked.
"We are in the mausoleum now. We will finish taking it soon but it seems like a bunch of the vampires raced off toward the cathedral. That would not happen to be the direction where you are located would it?" Ulin asked.
"It is." Jace answered with a chuckle as he looked down through the floorboards and could see with his electrical vision as a number of vampires were climbing the inside of the tower. But just as he noticed that he noticed something else as well and jumped to the side as a mist turned into solid matter and a knife slashed against the wall he was standing near.
He instead slid over to the other corner and looked toward the culprit as his weapon closed up and he moved it onto his back. "Ulin, I have to go now. Things just got more complicated."
"Oh?" The person chuckled. "Well isn’t this a surprise? Welcome to Yuri, I believe you go by Colonel Jace now." The vampire spun a short sword in one of his hands. Then he pulled out his second sword as Jace activated his external communication device.
"Victor Al-Ulman, the chances of running into you again were slim. I am surprised to see you again." Jace responded in turn as the knife materialized in his hand. With his other hand he pulled out his revolver.
"What a coincidence this has turned out to be. I suppose the Victorium has come to occupy our planet as well. Or should I be more worried about the various VIPs around the planet. Some of which have disappeared or died already?" Victor asked as he walked around the bell. Jace did the same and walked around it from the opposite side as well.
"Who knows. But I am surprised you came up here with backup." Jace looked downward. "I figured you would know they would only get in the way."
"Haa... that must be the commander of the mausoleum and his subordinates then." Victor looked downward with a frown. As he did Jace fired down into the wooden floorboards. The moment the first bullet left the chamber, Victor was leaping towards Jace. Unfortunately for Victor one of the vampires died from the first shot as the bullet tore through the floor boards and embedded into a wall.
Jace jumped backward and up. Landing upside down on the roof he fired at Victor who flinched as he was about to dodge. But it seemed he quickly realized that if he dodged the bullet would just hit and kill another vampire since it was slightly off center. So he used the flat end of his blade to deflect the bullet and it slammed into a wall.
Jace could feel his body start to fall so he switched targets and aimed at the top of the bell. Breaking down the components for only a moment before aiming at a piece of metal that was holding the bell up and firing his last two bullets in quick succession.
He then jumped forward as a loud creaking and cracking of wood caused Victor to look at Jace with a mixture of shock, horror, and awe. Then cracks sprouted throughout the top area of the belltower before the bell began falling and ringing. It fell right through the top floor and slammed onto the stairs that were like a rectangular spiral staircase.
Jace was on top of it and flipped his knife into the air while kicking a form as he turned from mist into a person. Victor grunted in pain but managed to grab the edge of a window to stop himself from flying away. Jace flipped open his revolver and the shells of the bullets he already shot bounced off the giant bell beneath his feet causing a ringing noise in a battlefield that had gone quiet momentarily.
He quickly slipped in six more bullets as Victor prepared to leap forward. But he suddenly stopped and looked surprised and taken aback. Jace did not have to wait to wonder why as he could faintly hear the hum of the thing behind him.
Jace jumped upward and caught his knife as it was coming down and looked down to see a form with metal feathers that he had seen before. Although she was now missing her left arm entirely. It had instead been replaced with a metal prosthetic that completed her look.
After failing to cut Jace in half with a long sword she turned her attention to Victor and flew forward.
"Madam Valkyrie, what an odd reunion. I believe all three of us encountered each other on Vexical Prime, did we not?" Victor blocked the attack from her before moving out of the tower and turning into mist.
As she turned she suddenly spun around and cut a different vampire in half as Jace landed on the bell and all of them flinched as a loud creaking could be heard with the ringing. A moment later the bell began falling again as the stairs that were precariously holding it failed.
As he fell on top of the bell he heard a few screams as some unlucky vampires died. But then he spun and kicked another one that appeared behind him. The vampire launched back and was embedded on a stake of wood.
"I must admit. I am surprised. Usually an injury like that would cripple a person. But it seems you prospered in the face of the challenge." Jace observed as he waved his knife and deflected several of those flying knives. The few that made it past his knife bounced harmlessly off his armor’s shielding.
"I repented and found my reason for living. Now I know what I must do." The valkyrie announced as she closed the distance and swung down. But Jace dodged to the side and she slammed into the ground with her sword just as the bell landed on the halfway point where he killed those first snipers.
Jace aimed at the valkyrie as her sword was stuck but then he ducked down and twisted his wrist firing at an odd angle as Victor appeared out of nowhere again. The bullet passed right through him as he snickered.
"Oh? Do tell, do you still want to exterminate and enslave non-humans?" Victor asked as he appeared on a broken piece of a staircase. It took Jace a moment to realize that it was an illusion.
"Impressive Illusion trick." Jace admitted as he jumped back to dodge the barrage of flying feathers that came at him.
"Thank you." Victor nodded with a pleased expression.
"No," The Valkyrie responded as she finally pulled her sword from the bell. "But I need a higher status to achieve my objective. So for now I will hunt you both. Although... I might enjoy killing you two in particular."
Jace made a clapping motion with his hand before suddenly aiming toward a spot and firing as a vampire appeared out of nowhere and killed them. "Bravo! What a splendid change in character! I do wonder how this came about!"
"You know... you are far more talkative than last time. You were far more serious and ’I am going to kill you’ type vibes then." Victor Al-Ulman pointed out.
Jace shrugged, "I was forced to take a vacation since then. Although it was particularly short." Jace admitted as he looked at both of them. "Now should we get back to the fight or..."
He did not even have to finish his sentence as Victor dashed toward him. But Jace fired off a shot that glanced off one of his swords and threw off his trajectory while Jace moved toward the Valkyrie who was already in a battle stance.
