Deathstalker 01 - Deathstalker

like him, either. He was more than he was, and part of him itched for a chance to prove it in battle against a worthy opponent. He glanced at the
    others, who seemed equally fascinated by the alien.
    "Anyone any idea what that thing is?" said Owen, trying hard to sound casual.
    "Ugly," said Hazel. "Definitely ugly."
    "Right," said Ruby. "Let's kill it now, before things get hectic."
    "No," said Owen immediately. "We don't want to draw attention to ourselves. Not yet. Let them come a little closer, in range of our guns."
    "Sound thinking," said Random. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel like I could shoot the eye out of a fly's head."
    "He's right," said Hazel. "Look how far they are from us now, but I can see every one of them as clearly as if they were just across the room. I think if I concentrated, I could probably hear them talking."
    "The Wampyr are in for a shock," said Ruby. "They think they're just up against humans. They may be adjusted men, but we're the new improved version."
    "Don't start getting cocky," said Giles. "We're still vastly outnumbered and outgunned. An energy beam doesn't care how superior you are."
    "You're forgetting the force shield," said Hazel. "No, I'm not. That only works as long as we're together. What if we get separated? What if we can only use it a few times before it burns us out? There's a lot we don't know about our new selves, and that includes our limitations."
    "I agree," said Moon. "The odds are not good. We can't afford to rely on powers and abilities we don't fully understand yet. So, you people keep them busy, and I will press on to the Tomb of the Hadenmen. Only my people can help us now."
    And as suddenly as that he was off and running, darting silently between the rubble of devastated buildings before disappearing into the shadows. It was all over so quickly they didn't even have the time to call after him before he was
    gone.
    "Well, that's just great," Hazel said disgustedly. "There goes our force shield, for a start."
    "And our greatest fighter," said Random. "I told you before, you can never trust a Hadenmen to follow orders. They always have their own private agenda."
    "Let him go," said Giles. "At least we don't have to watch our back anymore. The Imperial forces are moving. We'd better find some cover before they get close enough to spot us."
    The rebels moved on into the ruined city, taking up positions behind fallen stones and in darkened doorways. They watched silently as the Imperial forces moved slowly out across the bare plain where the Maze had once been, and their fingers curled impatiently around triggers. Owen hefted his projectile weapon uncertainly. He still wasn't sure how he felt about it. The gun had several obvious advantages, but when all was said and done, it was no use at all against a force shield. That was why it had been superceded by the disrupter in the first place. But Giles had faith in them, and he was after all the original Deathstalker, the greatest warrior of his day. Owen sighed quietly and sank back into his doorway. Guns were all very well, but those were Wampyr out there on the plain, a small army of them. Walking nightmares, fast and strong and unstoppable by anything except a direct hit with an energy weapon. And then the forces stopped, halfway across, and gathered around something they'd found. Even though Owen couldn't see it, he knew what it had to be. The Darkvoid Device, sleeping in its crystal, untouched by the vicious force that had swept the Madness Maze away so casually. Hazel stirred behind her pile of rubble not far away.
    "The Tomb of the Hadenmen isn't far from here," she said quietly. "I can feel
    it, on the edge of my mind. Cold and metal and unforgiving."
    "Right," said Owen. "Which means we can't allow any of these people to get past us. Moon is going to need all the uninterrupted time we can buy him to wake his people."
    "I'm still not sure I like the idea of that," said Ruby Journey, crouching behind an overturned brass pillar. "I mean… Hadenmen."
    "I know what you mean," said Random, "but if there's one thing I've learned as a lifetime rebel, it's that you can't always choose your allies."
    "Keep your attention on the Imperial forces," said Giles, invisible in the shadows of a deep doorway. "They'll be within range soon."
    "So will the Hadenmen," said Ruby. "Moon might be straight, but… we could end up with Wampyr in front of us and Hadenmen behind, with nowhere for us to run."
    "Oh, stop