Parker, he's a hair away from psychotic.
Blaze, I know, but I thought the mob song was better.
Shortish chapter.
CHAPTER NINETEEN:
It Ends Here
Parker waited for Cannon. He knew he could use a sniper scope to take him out, but that'd be too easy. He wanted the chance to have some words with him, to try to talk sense into him, though he realized the reality of that ideal. Helen was worried a great deal about him, naturally. The Star Sapphire decided to watch his back -- just in case.
Cannon found them, and he unsheathed his energy-charged sword, which crackled ominously.
"Well," Parker said, in a low voice, "THAT'S new."
Cannon charged forward with a roar that clearly said that this man had lost all sanity. Parker blocked the blow with his armored forearm, but, with a crackling sound, the energy -- almost electrical in its properties, but somehow different -- passed through the titanium alloy armor as if it was toilet paper. Parker was not expecting such a weapon.
"You got a new toy, Cannon," Parker said.
"No banter this time, Parker." Cannon said, gnashing his teeth with every word. "Now, do me a favor and die!!"
"Don't think so, Cannon," Parker said.
Sure, he could have summoned up a Ride Armor from the Ride Armor Matrix that Cloak gave him so long ago. But it was a matter of personal pride not to do so. Of course, Parker's pride was gonna get him killed this day . . .
Suddenly, his armored glowed violet. It felt stronger, yet lighter than before. Parker was momentarily confused until he realized what had happened. Helen had reinforced his armor with her ring, as well as giving herself her own SPARTAN-style armor with her ring. She winked at Parker, who couldn't resist a small smile.
They took battle stances, and Cannon looked thoroughly deranged. He raised his sword, and the energy coming off it seemed to increase with his demented rage. Parker and Helen were undeterred. Cannon swung, swung, and swung. He was vicious with his attack, though lacking any finesse. His blade's energy could not penetrate the reinforced armor.
Parker kept blasting him with his fusion cannons, all be it not troubling himself to hit Cannon directly. Despite any postures Parker may have made to the contrary, he didn't want to be a murderer. Nor a murder victim, for that matter.
Meanwhile, the other RAFians were faring slightly better. Dino was able to scare a few of the Knights of lesser courage away by taking one and gently worry him, like a dog with a bone. Sure, the knight fainted from fear, but, hey, that wasn't Dino's fault.
Cloak was using mainly the Air and Water Elements, as he found them the most not lethal elements he had in his repertoire. His reluctance to use the more dangerous elements was proving quite detrimental. Then Cloak realized something. He pressed his hand against one Knight's armor, and, using his mastery over the Metal Element, caused it to melt and fragment off his body -- revealing a much too thin man in a purple undershirt and white boxers with red hearts on them.
"Really?" Cloak said.
Gaz had taken to the air in bat form, screeching and divebombing the Knights. Some of which screamed like schoolgirls . . . some actually were schoolgirls. Gaz continued this schtick before delivering a glide kick by reverting to her humanoid vampiric form.
Ash had a ball sowing confusion within the ranks of the Knights, using her shapeshifting prowess.
Blaze had turned the whole fight to something of a game. He'd attack the horde with his sword as a sword one minute, then switch it to a war hammer and attack again. Then he'd switch it to a bladed staff, and attack again. Then he'd switch it to a simple bo staff, and attack again. Then it changed into a pair of tonfa, and he'd go at it again. Then he'd -- you get the point.
Meanwhile, Parker managed to get the best of Cannon. He was on the ground his sword feet away, and Parker's fusion cannons in point-blank distance from his face.
"Go ahead and do it, Parker." he goaded. "Be a man!"
"Parker, he's not worth tearing your soul apart. Don't do it," Helen pleaded.
Parker, whose face was obscured by his helmet, said nothing.
