Storm Hawks Chp. 4

Terra Cyclonia

After flying for what seemed like hours Aerrow could finally see Terra Cyclonia up ahead. Glancing around he noticed that Cyclonia looked more menacing than it had eight years ago, it also looked about five times bigger since it had taken over many near by Terras.

‘If they have taken over those Terra’s there’s no doubt that they’ve also have been using their inhabitants as soldiers or workers. Which means that they’ve increased their armies size and they’ve most likely got more weapons and resources. This is turning out to be more difficult than I had originally thought.’ Aerrow was pulled out of his thoughts when the cylconians skimmer hit the ground as it landed nearly knocking him off.

“Welcome back to Cyclonia, Aerrow.” Dark Ace spat at Aerrow as he walked towards Aerrow and grabbed him by the collar forcefully pulling him off of the skimmer. Aerrow stumbled and nearly fell face first into the cold hard ground.

“Come on! You don’t want to keep Master Cyclonis waiting.” A cyclonian stabbed him in the back forcefully with his staff and pushed him along leading him towards Master Cyclonis.

‘Think. Think. Think! How am I going to get out of this one? No worries, I got out of the Cyclonian prison when I was younger, this should be a piece of….. Cake….’ Aerrow stumbled over his sentence in his head after seeing all of the guards that filled the hallways, along with the more advanced security system he saw near what seemed to be the prisoner cells.  

After walking past the prisoner cells which were filled with hundreds of  Sky Knights and fellow Cyclonians, whom either were traitors or didn’t follow orders, and their screams of pain or screams of forgiveness  and a quick death. Aerrow mental flinched at all of their sounds of agony.

“ Pick up the pace Sky Night!” A guard had shouted at him but Aerrow had hardly heard him over the prisoners screams.

Finally they reached Master Cyclonis, she sat in her chair high on a platform wearing her black cloak. Overall, Aerrow was surprised that she hadn’t looked any older over the past eight years. Aerrow could see that she looked angry and somewhat upset -about what, he didn’t know- and she impatiently tapped her fingers on her staff not making eye contact with the other Cyclonians.

“You all are dismissed. Dark Ace, I would like to speak with you after I’m done speaking with Aerrow.” The guards bowed their heads and quickly walked out of the room along with Dark Ace slowly following.

“ Long time no see…. Aerrow.” Master Cyclonis slowly spoke as she slowly walked towards Aerrow.  Aerrow instinctively toke a step back trying to gain as much distance between the two of them but Master Cyclonis still kept walking towards him with a sinister smirk on her face. Aerrow kept taking steps back feeling like he was about to run into a wall any minute now. He could actually feel his heart rate quicken as she slowly approached him. Just being this close to her made him feel like a defenseless animal that was being backed into a corner.

‘No wonder all the Cyclonians are scared of her.‘ Aerrow thought to himself.

“What’s wrong Aerrow? Why do you look so scared?” Master Cyclonis stopped about half a foot away from him with a  small smirk plastered on her face. “I’m not going to hurt you.” she said holding out her hand waiting for him to grab it.

Aerrow had a wild look in his eye. ‘Is she really this crazy or is she just pulling a trick on me?’ Aerrow toke another step back this time running into a wall. He felt the wall hit his back and he slowly pressed himself against it trying to get as far away as he could from her. Just her presences made him feel uncomfortable and defenseless. Or maybe that was because he didn’t have his energy blades on him. He always toke security in knowing that he had them but now that he didn’t he felt exposed and weak.  

“tch.” Master Cyclonis lowered her hand and pushed some hair behind he left ear. “My, My. Who would have ever thought that you would act this way when you didn’t have any weapons on you. It’s almost… disappointing.”

Aerrow stared at her shocked. ‘How did she know that I was just thinking that?! No, it was just a coincidence.’ Aerrow told himself quietly in his head as he never broke eye contact with Master Cyclonis.

Master Cyclonis toke a couple more steps towards Aerrow until she was mere inches away from his face. She toke her hand and ran it under his chin.

“My, you sure have gotten handsome over these past couple of years Aerrow.” Master Cyclonis smirked up at him.

Aerrow quickly smacked her hand away from his face. “ Will you get to the point. I know that you didn’t bring me here just to compliment me!” Aerrow glared at Master Cyclonis as the smirk was quickly taken off of her face.

“You’re right. I brought you here to ask you something.”  Master Cyclonis slowly turned away and walked towards her chair. She turned around and sat down, still looking at Aerrow. “How would you like to work for me Aerrow? You could become the most powerful person in all of Atmos! I could give you fame, how would you like that Aerrow. All over Atmos people will recognize your name.”

Aerrow was taken back by her question. ‘Is she serious! She knows I would never join her! Not for anything!’

“I’ll never join you!!” Aerrow straitened up as he stood away from the wall, clutching his fist so hard that his knuckles had turned white.

“ I guess that was to be expected. How about this, if you don’t join me I’ll send hundreds of my soldiers, along with Dark Ace, Snipe and Ravess, to attack your small and pathetic squad. Annihilating them  in a horrible fashion! Could you live with yourself knowing that if you would have just taken my offer that they would have lived happy and long lives?” Master Cyclonis picked at her fingers not even bothering to look at Aerrow knowing full well that he was sending daggers her way.

“My team can take anything you send at them!! I’ll never betray them or Atmosia!”  Aerrow toke a couple of more steps towards her nearly shaking with rage.

“Calm down Aerrow. I’m sure you’ll re-think what you just said once you see… this.” Master Cyclonis snapped her fingers and a door to the left of her opened. Revealing Stork, Piper, Finn, Junko and Radarr all tied up and bloody.

“Aerrow please… help us!” Piper’s voice was full of desperation. Just looking at her made Aerrow’s heart break. She looked horrible. Bruises all over, cuts and what looked like a broken wrist since it was bending at an odd angle.   And the rest of the team didn’t look any better.

“So what do you say Aerrow?” Master Cyclonis let out a small chuckle as she leaned back in her chair. “Are you willing to let your team members die over your own well being? Are you Aerrow?!”

The Condor

Stork stood over the controls piloting the Condor at maximum speed as they flew through the Wastelands towards Cyclonia.

“How much longer until we get there Stork?” Piper asked as she put on her armor and got her staff.

“I don’t know, about 20 minutes or so.” Stork yanked the controls hard to the left steering the ship away from a sharp rock formation. “If I were you I’d head down to your rides, just to get ready! We don’t want to waste anytime!”

“Yeah, you knows what their doing to him right now…” Junko spoke to himself as he grabbed his knuckle buster.

“They’re probably torturing him for information on Atmosia’s battle tactics. Or they’re slowly pulling his limps apart.” Stork spoke as his eye twitched just like usual. “But that’s just hopefully thinking. He could be de…!”

“Shut up Stork!” Finn shouted his fists shaking with rage. “ I have had enough of this! It’s all my fault he’s in this mess, I don’t want to hear about what they’re doing to him!”

“Finn…” Piper slowly walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. “It’s not your fault. This was bound to happen sometime. Let’s just focus on getting him back, okay?” Piper let out a small smile as Finn slowly nodded. “Great! Let’s head down to our skimmers, I can see it up ahead on the horizon.”

Terra Cyclonia

Aerrow could feel the blood pour out of his face as he stared wild eyed at his team. He toke a step back holding out a hand behind him reaching for the wall so he could balance against something. Something to hold him up since he could feel his legs wanting to give out on him.

“W-what did y-you do to them!!!” Aerrow nearly screamed at Master Cyclonis. He wanted so bad to take out his energy blades and just stab her over and over again in the heart, watching her die a slow painful death, but he couldn’t, not without any weapon. Instead he punched the wall as hard as he could. A loud crack echoed thought out the room and Aerrow winced feeling several fingers break.

“W-why? Why did you do this?” Aerrow spoke quietly as he hung his head and nursed his hand as he hugged it close to his chest.

“This was the only way I knew that would make you join me. So what is it Aerrow? You either become my new right hand man and live a rich and powerful life, or will you send your team mates to their death. Oh and don’t forget, if you don’t agree you’ll be spending the rest of your days here which will be filled with torture leaving you wanting a quick death.”

Aerrow could feel Master Cyclonis smirking down upon him as he slowly hung his head and closed his eyes. “Fine. You win. Just let my team go.” Aerrow spoke softly. Amazingly Master Cyclonis had heard him. She let out a long and loud laugh. “Oh this is perfect! Guards take him to his cell!”
Two guards walked through the door and grabbed Aerrow’s arms and forced them behind his back.  “W-wait! What’s going on?!” Aerrow questioned wildly as he lunged forward trying to get away from the guards.

“Tomorrow is going to be a grand day for you Aerrow. The moment your team mates see you flying towards them on a cyclonian skimmer. Oh how I wish I could see their faces!” Master Cyclonis once again laughed as she through her had back and snapped her fingers. “Just watch you’re team mates Aerrow.”

Aerrow quickly looked over at his team mates and their image seemed to be flickering and before he knew what was going on they disappeared.  Aerrow’s jaw dropped. Before he knew it his mortally wounded team was gone. “W-what…..?”

Master Cyclonis laughed at the look Aerrow had on his face. “You’re so gullible! I am an expert on crystals, I just simply used a hologram crystal which I modified myself just this morning just for you. You should feel special Aerrow. Now take him away to his cell.

Aerrow could feel the guards tucking on him to move but he simply fought against them as he kept lunging forward. “Y-You bitch! You just wait until I get my hands on you! I’ll rip you apart for what you’ve done!” Aerrow yelled at her as she just simple smiled at him from a distance.

“Now there’s the Aerrow I want.” Master Cyclonis spoke softly to her self as she saw the guards drag Aerrow out. “Dark Ace you can come in now.” she sounded almost bored.

“Yes my Lord.” Dark Ace said as he lowered his head in a bow.

“ I want you to go down to Aerrow’s cell to give him this and make sure he swallows it.” She walked down the steps towards Dark Ace and handed him a small orange crystal. Dark Ace stared at it in his hand with a questionable look.

“But I thought you weren’t going to give him this until tomorrow when the Storm Hawks were coming my Lord.” Dark Ace brought his head back up to look at Master Cyclonis.

“Yes, but I have a feeling that we’re about to have our guests show a little ahead of time and I want them to be properly greeted. Now hurry, they’ll be here any minute now!”
“Yes my Lord!” Dark Ace quickly turned around and ran down the hallway.