Fight

Maya Alexander, The Marchioness of Caria. Her opponent, Zane Daidor, The Baron of Atrein. Two warrior nobles engaged in brutal striker combat in Rylan’s front yard.

“Raah!” shouted Maya as she thrust, slashed and parried her striker lance against her foe.

But baron Zane moved fast and struck hard, countering Maya’s strikes blow for blow. For a full two minutes Maya attacked, engaging in high speed lancer combat using her Dragon Tailed technique against his fiercely aggressive Iron Lance style.

“My Lady, you’re Dragon Tailed Lance is no match for me. I suggest you give up peacefully and with your dignity,” taunted Zane, blocking her next strike.

Maya sneered at Zane’s proposal.

“I’m too young for you, pervert!” she growled.

Maya feigned a forward thrust, then twirled her lance in a downward strike, slicing Zane’s left shoulder.

“Grraah!” he cried and backed off clutching his wound.

“Hmph!” pouted Maya.

She then twirled her lance above her head and behind her in a contemptuous display. Boasting her precision control of her striker lance. She concluded the dance with a loud, wind cutting, downward slash. An insult to the barons and Anya.

“So who’s next Mother? You?” scoffed Maya, pointing her lance at Anya.

Anya smiled and faced the barons, “Hm hm hm. I told you all, my daughter is still a Cesar.” She turned back to Maya, “But enough games gentlemen. Set your blasters on stun, we’ll cage her-”

But Before Anya could turn around.

“Shields up!” Yelled Hannibal to the barons.

In an instant the ground between the barons, Anya, and Maya ripped open from two grenade explosions. The barons and Anya formed shields, but the blast knocked them all backward. Maya formed a shield protecting her and Rylan, and caught sight of the grenade thrower, who raised her spirits.

“Leeeeif!” she screamed, as her big brother rushed to her rescue.

The agile Leif launched himself at the three closest barons. Engaging and clashing their blades he slowed their advance on Maya and Rylan.

“Maya, run!” he shouted, as he blocked three swords and a blaster shot, trying to buy time for his baby sister.

“No!” yelled Maya.

She raced toward Leif, firing her force field to defend him from the attacking barons.

“Maya, take Rylan and escape,” shouted Leif.

“No! I won’t leave you here!”

Slashing and defending each other, the twins stood back to back. But were quickly surrounded by five barons. One baron, the swordsman Vesh, slipped behind Maya and raised his blade for a killing blow.

Anya, standing on the sideline, saw Vesh’s movement. “What the hell are you doing? You’ll kill her!” she yelled and tried to throw a force field up to shield Maya from his strike.

Before Anya could fire, Rylan jumped between Maya and Vesh. And with his head down, Rylan smashed his palm against Vesh’s chest, and blasted a full burst of ampsediun energy through the baron’s heart.

“Gaaaaah!” howled Vesh.

Like a cannon shot, Rylan’s blast exited out of Vesh’s back and hurled the baron through the air. Vesh crashed to the ground with a gaping hole in his body, dead.

The remaining barons stopped charging as Rylan turned and faced them, his hands glowing amber. But Leif intervened with one last trick. He reached under his belt and tossed the remaining item he held. A flash grenade.

Boom! An explosion of white hot light stunned every fighter in the yard.

Everyone, except Leif, dropped to the ground, blinded by the blast. Leif grabbed Maya and Rylan and dragged them to the Dodge, while the sightless Anya and her barons frantically slashed their blades at anyone near them.

In seconds the muscle car rumbled out of the yard and vanished down the desert road.

“Dammit you brats!” shouted Anya as her children and Rylan escaped.

The Ride

Leif raced full speed away from the yard while Rylan tended to Maya in the back. She lay across the seat exhausted and wounded with cuts on her arms and legs.

“Maya, you got a few scratches. Let me help you,” said Rylan, removing and ripping his t-shirt.

“Rylan..I..” Maya trailed off and turned away from him, with a look of shame in her eyes.

But Rylan didn’t care about her guilt as he wrapped bandages around the wounds on her arms and legs. She grimaced from the pain, then pulled Rylan under her, laying on his lap.

“I’m so sorry about all of this,” she whimpered.

“Ssshh, not now Maya,” he quieted her and stroked her hair.

In moments she blacked out as he caressed her face.

Stubborn girl. All that fighting and force field use from your wrist gear...It must’ve sucked you dry.

Leif drove off the road and into open desert. The ambient hot air and sand blew in Rylan’s face.

“Leif, where are we going?” he asked.

“To a safe trailer Maya and I rented in the desert. Chloe is there, she’s ok,” said Leif.

“Chloe?” Rylan’s eyes popped open, “How do you know she’s ok?”

Leif smirked.

“Because she’s with someone I trust.”

The Desert

Four miles away from the open road, in the middle of the desert, stood an eighties’ era jumbo sized trailer home. An eyesore of boxy angles and dirty tan colored paneling. Inside the trailer Chloe and Evan drank lemonade and waited patiently for Leif, Maya and Rylan.

“So now you believe me Evan? I told you they were from another dimension!” said Chloe.

Evan laughed and patted her head.

“Yeah you did, and so did your brother, heh heh!” he said turning toward the proof of the story.

Inside the kitchen, a dented sentinel hovered in mid air. The combat veteran robot displayed a tiny radar antennae it used to scan the outside of the trailer. Evan shook his head at the barrel shaped machine as he remembered a frantic Leif pulling him out of class today, claiming an emergency.

“An emergency? Dude you have a flying robot,” he mumbled to himself.

“Yeah, it’s crazy right!” laughed Chloe, who also gaped at the floating barrel shaped guard.

Then the sentinel crackled to life. From inside it’s body four laser cannons thrust forward and the machine flew out the door and above the trailer.

“That means someone’s coming,” said Chloe.

Evan and Chloe ran to the window to see a dust colored blue car racing toward the trailer home. Chloe squinted to make out the vehicle.

“It’s Leif! He’s driving the Dodge!” she cried and ran out the trailer.

“Good,” said Evan as he breathed a sigh of relief.

Chloe shouted up to the sentinel on the roof.

“Mr. Sentinel, It’s ok! It’s Leif!”

The sentinel understood Chloe and flew down in front of her. Taking no chances, the sentinel aimed its lasers at the approaching blue Dodge, ready to protect Chloe. When the car reached fifty feet of the trailer, the sentinel recognized Leif and retracted its guns back into its body.

The Dodge skidded to a stop and Leif jumped out and helped Maya out of the car. Rylan stepped out and ran to Chloe.

“Chloe! Are you ok?” blurted Rylan, grabbing her and hugging her tight.

Chloe, not stupid, understood her brother was afraid, and hugged him tighter.

“I’m fine Rilly! Don’t worry, hee hee, I’m ok...but is Maya ok? And why don’t you have a shirt on?” she asked.

“Uh, my shirt got ripped...And yeah, Maya is ok, but we should take care of her,” answered Rylan, almost in tears.

Chloe accepted Rylan’s answer and dutifully helped the boys take care of Maya. Leif ordered the sentinel to patrol the desert as an early sensor in case they were followed. After an hour the commotion in the trailer settled and everyone took a moment for peace.

Far Out

Evan stepped outside the trailer to take a breather from the heavy story Rylan and Leif just told him. Before now he’d never heard of interdimensional travel. But now warriors from a planet called Eres were in New Mexico to steal rare diamonds, and kidnap Rylan and Chloe. Yes, too much for him.

“Evan?” said Leif with a worried face as he followed his friend out of the trailer.

Evan smiled and let Leif catch up.

“Hey dude, it seems you got a lot on your plate with your sister and your mom and stuff, so I’m gonna go ahead and take off, ok?”

Leif clutched Evan’s hand, and said nothing. But stoic Evan understood his golden boy teammate and grabbed Leif’s belt buckle, pulling him close.

“Stop worrying, Leif. Your secret's are safe with me.”

“Thank you Manager Evan, I’m ashamed that I had to get you involved,” said Leif, his eyes downturned.

Evan scowled and cupped Leif’s face.

“Hey! Look at me, don’t you ever say anything like that to me again, Leif. We’re bros, and that means I got your back-”

Leif grabbed Evan’s face and kissed him. After a minute Evan fought him off.

“Dude get off me, you fucked Stacy Danner!” laughed Evan.

“What? You heard about that? Are there rumors?” said Leif with a smile.

“Yeah, the whole school's talking about it. And dude, I had a crush on Stacy since eighth grade and you came from another dimension and nailed her in a week!” laughed Evan.

“Wow, what a big mouth that girl has hahaha! I’m sorry, was Stacy special to you?” asked Leif, biting Evan’s face.

“Not any fucken-more, dude! Besides she’s your girlfriend now, and I don’t take hand-me-downs, you man whore!” teased Evan.

"Is that what I am? Aaah!" cried Leif.

The two joked and cuddled for a few minutes more before Evan jumped in his pickup. Leif stood outside the driver’s side door while the engine started.

“Leif, don’t bullshit around. Call me if you need me alright,” said Evan.

“Thank you Evan. But I don’t want you in any danger-”

“I didn’t ask you all of that, dude. I said call me if you need me.”

Leif blushed, sincerely guilty of asking anything of Evan.

“....Why manager Evan? Why would you risk your life for m-”

“Sorry dude, it’s just the way I’m built. That’s all there is to it,” said Evan with a tip of his cowboy hat.

Leif lost control and kissed Evan again. He wouldn’t let Evan go.

“Mmph, Leif, behave and take care of your family! Okay?” asked Evan, holding Leif’s hand.

“Yes manager Evan, I’ll behave, see you later!”

Evan nodded and sped off into the desert, leaving a dusty swirl behind him. Leif scanned the area and then called the sentinel on his wrist device.

“Sentinel, I need you to do something for me!” said Leif.

His wrist gear squawked and a robotic voice answered.

The Plan

Leif re-entered the trailer, finding Maya and Rylan re-energized. They sat at a dining table while Chloe watched TV.

“Dear sister, how are you?” asked Leif, pinching Maya’s cheek.

"I'm fine," she said grabbing Leif's hand and biting it.

"Oww, baby sis!" he cried, as she caressed his hand.

"Thank you for saving us Leif," said Maya, and she bit his hand again.

“Ow!"

“Leif, Rylan thinks we should be jewel thieves!” she said.

"Jewel thieves? I saw a jewel heist movie with Evan, we rented it online. Tell me what are we stealing?” asked a wide eyed Leif.

Rylan shook his head at the twins’ demeanor. Even in a dire circumstance, seven warriors out to kill them, they still maintained their unique bond and breezy vibe.

“You two don’t scare very easily do you?” asked Rylan.

The twins looked at each other and chuckled at Rylan’s statement.

“Haha, Rylan you’re so cool. But my brother and I were born on a battlefield. And our mother is Anya Cesar!” said Maya.

Rylan slapped his hand on his head and laughed.

“Riiiiight! How could I forget? You guys must have had some childhood with her?”

“We wouldn’t even know how to begin that story!” said Maya as they all erupted in laughter at the image of mother Anya.

“But Leif, like I told your sister. In order to stop Anya you gotta take what she wants. Now we know she needs me or Chloe to ground her rift gate. But she also needs more ampsedium diamonds to make her laser machine device work the way she wants it," said Rylan.

“Right. Also with that machine Mother was able to open a gate back to Eres with minimal atmospheric ampsediun. That’s how she brought the barons to earth.”

“Hmm....” Leif pondered out loud. “So you say we steal the diamonds from the jewelry place before Mother does and we'll hold all of the cards...With that leverage we may be able to get her and those barons to leave earth peacefully...well...maybe,” said Leif.

“Yeah, I know it’s a stretch, but It’s sort of a plan,” said Rylan.

Leif nodded in agreement.

"It’s a good enough plan. Because if we stay here mother and the barons will find us. And although Rylan killed that sadist Vesh. My sister and I are still no match for the remaining six barons. So we need an angle.”

“Right, each baron is as strong as Mother, and they have guns,” said Maya as she rubbed her bandaged cuts.

“That may be so, but on this world they’re sneaking around and don’t want to be found out about. So we’ll use that to our advantage,” said Rylan. He checked the time on his phone, “Okay, it’s five p.m. now, and it’s a three hour ride to where the diamonds we need to steal are.”

“And where is that?” asked Maya.

Rylan smiled.

“Why in the coolest city in North America.... Albuquerque!”

Baron Talk

Back at Rylan’s house, Anya and the remaining six barons disposed of Vesh’s body and made themselves at home. They ate the remainder of Rylan’s prized stew and watched movies on cable.

“Kind of primitive these earthlings,” said one female baron, Sorcia, as they all caught an action film in the living room.

“Yes, but they’re certainly more entertaining than we are, ha ha!” said another baron named Icas.

In the kitchen, Anya and Hannibal held a private conversation.

“My lady, I think it’s wise to split our forces. One team steal the diamonds, the other captures the two grounders,” said Hannibal to Anya.

“No, we only need one grounder, the boy Rylan,” said Anya.

“I know my lady, however it would be prudent to capture both for insurance reasons...along with your children.”

Anya squinted at Hannibal, she wasn’t used to all of this second guessing.

“Hannibal, earlier today Vesh nearly delivered a death blow to the lady Maya, my daughter!” she glared at Hannibal, “Why would Vesh do such a thing? Betray my command so openly, and risk harming my child?”

“My lady, had Vesh harmed Maya, I would’ve personally-”

“That's Lady Maya to you! And I don’t care what you would’ve done you fool, because Vesh is dead now. I’m asking you why he did that?” she snarled.

The other barons glanced in Anya and Hannibal’s direction. Sorcia smirked at Hannibal and Anya.

“A lover’s quarrel?” she joked, and all the barons laughed.

Anya stood up and shot a glare at Sorcia,

“What did you just say?” she barked.

“Easy, my lady. She’s just teasing you,” coaxed Hannibal.

Anya did not like that answer.

“Teasing me? So I’m here for your amusement?” said Anya, glaring at Sorcia. “Come here, Sorcia Brisbane, Baron of Wulfsend.”

Sorcia stood up in the living room and walked to Anya and Hannibal in the kitchen. The other barons laughed.

“Yes, my lady?” said Sorcia, her head bowed to Anya.

Anya, stared Sorcia up and down.

“Show me your striker, Sorcia,” Anya ordered.

Sorcia extended her sword and revealed a cutting edge designed striker with short and long blade extension and super fast ‘pistol shifting’ capability. She handed the blade to Anya.

“Well, this is a fine weapon. In fact the earthlings would say it's the Ducati of strikers,” said Anya, admiring the handle and razor sharp blade.

“My lady,” said Hannibal, “The baron Sorcia is as deadly with her blade as she is beautiful.”

Anya smirked and stared at the bowing Sorcia, who wore a long French braid in her black-brown hair.

“Really? Well I guess we’ll see then. Won’t we baron,” said Anya, returning Sorcia’s weapon.

“Yes my lady,” said Sorcia, bowing and returning to the living room.

Anya turned to Hannibal.

“Hannibal, you keep these nobles in check, or I will,” she whispered.

“Of course, my lady.” The big handsome warrior bowed in deference. “Now, how do we find the grounders and your children?”

Anya turned away from him with a scowl.

“Hmph! My son’s boyfriend will have that answer,” she said.

“Oh? Then we’ll capture the boyfriend and make him talk,” said Hannibal clenching his fist.

Anya walked to the back kitchen window and placed a reading on her wrist gear. The information lit up in her screen and reflected in her face. She shut the reader off.

“Yes Hannibal, and the sooner we locate them all...the better.”

“Of course, my lady.”

Hannibal raised his head from his bow, and met eyes with Anya, who stared into his soul.

“....What is it my lady?” he asked.

Anya glared at him for a long time, before answering, “Nothing Hannibal....Nothing at all.”

...

Proofed and Edited by Chiisutofupuru, writer of Sasha