Warlord Conquering (The Great Insurrection Book 3) by David Beers (best historical fiction books of all time txt) 📗

"HOODS UP!" Alistair screamed as he leaped off the bed. His hood enveloped his head as his Whip unfurled. "OBS, STAY LOW!" The gas would float upward; that would have to be enough.

Alistair backed into the far corner of the room, Obs following at his heels. He didn't growl, and Alistair made no noise, letting Prometheus step forward. The plan was simple: let the gas either kill or disable, then sweep in and pick up the pieces. He was ready to give them a surprise when they arrived.

The doors blew off their hinges, flying into all four rooms simultaneously. Laser beams poured in seconds after and sliced through the rooms from one side to the other while gas rose into the air. Prometheus dropped to the floor, avoiding a laser that would have cut him in half. He could only hope those in the other rooms were as lucky, but there wasn't time to help them.

They still hadn't met their would-be killers.

The lasers continued cutting and burning through the room. Obs hugged the ground, his teeth bared but not making a sound. He understood the need to play dead.

The first man stepped into the room and scanned to his right, holding a weapon Alistair had never seen before—a rifle of some sort.

Prometheus somersaulted forward, wary of more lasers cutting through the room. His Whip flashed out as the man turned to the left side of the room and removed his attacker’s legs from his torso. A scream rang through the hotel room, then Pro heard blasts from the other rooms. He kept rolling until he'd cleared the doorway, picking up the rifle with his left hand as he passed it.

The man was bleeding out on the floor. Pro flashed a look at Obs, and the animal stood and moved next to the door. Prometheus turned his attention to the window.

Two men swung in one after the other, the same rifles in their hands. They didn't need to scan since their heads-up-displays would clearly show Alistair on a knee in front of them.

The killers fired, and Prometheus nearly died as he stared at the projectiles.

Neon-green nets exploded from the ends of the weapons, spread about a meter in all directions, and paused in mid-air. The pause was only fractions of a second, and the scan they launched was all-encompassing.

The nets rushed forward, their neon glow lighting the room. The left net went after Pro, and the one on the right centered on Obs.

Prometheus reacted in time and formed his Whip into a sword-like weapon. He slashed, not knowing what it would do, hoping the expanding net wouldn't kill him.

His Whip cut through it, breaking its momentum and sending the resulting pieces flopping to the ground. Obs screamed as the net fell on him. His hair was aflame, and he snarled as he bit the burning wires trapping him.

Another net was already flying at Prometheus. He spun, his Whip three strands now, and cut the net into multiple pieces. He rushed the soldiers, hearing more killers coming in behind him. His body did its magic, cutting the two assassins to the floor in moments. His head whipped toward Obs, but the drathe was free from the net, his hair burning, and his flesh singed. He was leaping on the first attacker to have entered.

Alistair turned all the way around, barely batting away another one of those nets, and fired his appropriated rifle with his left arm. The net exploded and zeroed in on the second attacker. It landed on him, burning through his gear and into his flesh. The man dropped to the ground screaming, trying to use a laser knife to cut through the net.

Pulses, beams, and screams could be heard from the other rooms. Prometheus knew he had to get there and fast. He moved to the downed soldier and dragged his Whip across the man's head, separating it from his body.

Obs looked up from the man beneath him. Blood covered his jaws, and madness filled the creature's face.

"GO!" he shouted at the drathe.

Obs understood the others needed help and bounded through the membrane separating their room from the next.

Pro was seconds behind the giant animal, entering Servia and the AllMother's room. Servia was badly burned. Two soldiers lay dead, and two more had her cornered. Her weapon was on the floor somewhere, and her SkinSuit revealed bleeding flesh.

The man on the left raised his rifle slowly like he was going to enjoy killing Servia.

The second killer went down under Obs’ tremendous weight, causing the first to forget his objective.

Pro launched his Whip through the air. It flew true and plunged through the man's back, coming out his chest. Blood exploded from his mouth, and he wobbled for a second like a drunk trying to figure out which way was home.

He collapsed to the floor. Obs had taken out the throat of his opponent and was bounding to the next room. Pro ripped his Whip from the man’s dying body and looked at Servia. "You good?"

She nodded.

Prometheus didn't wait.

He kept moving to the third room.

Relm was on his back with a creature that looked more like a giant than a man atop him. There appeared to be no one else. Obs was on the assailant’s back, ripping at him with his teeth but causing no harm. The huge man had a laser knife and was forcing it to Relm's neck with his right arm, his left holding him up.

Prometheus darted forward, his Whip moving for the easy kill.

The giant flung his left arm up as Prometheus brought the weapon down and rolled, sending Obs flying and catching Pro by his shirt. He flung him against the wall as if he weighed little more than a pillow.

Prometheus hit the wall hard, and the wind was knocked out of him. He slid to his ass, his hand barely hanging onto his Whip.

The giant rolled quickly to his feet and stared at Alistair. "He's in here." His voice was