THE ICE

Written by Van, ©2003

ChaoticCentury.com

I

            The sky was so huge out here in the open.  Two moons hovered directly above Van's head, delivering a golden crimson sheen to his dark hair.  He sat on the ground placidly, a small smile playing about his lips.  When he couldn't sleep, he liked to sit quietly away from the others, listening to the wind whisper in his ears.

            About fifty feet away, Zeke stirred and opened his eyes, noticing Van.  He stood and quietly walked over to curl up next to his best friend.  Van looked at Zeke and smiled, sighing happily, as he placed a hand on Zeke's cold head and pet him lightly.

            Fiona, having been woken by the metallic clank of Zeke's footsteps, joined Van also.  She had been having a nightmare, and was glad now to have her friends' company.  "Van," she said quietly, as she gazed onto the horizon.

            "Hmm?"

            "I had that awful dream again."

            "About Raven?"  Van looked at her out of the corner of his eye.  She was now looking into her lap, face darkened with shadow.

            "Yes.  But this one was different."

            "What happened?"  Van turned to face Fiona and took her hands in his, but she pulled away.  "Are you okay?"

            She was obviously in great distress over something.  She held one hand over her forehead; her eyes were shut tight, and she was trembling all over.  "Van, something isn't right.  I can feel something – something horrible."

            "Don't worry.  You're safe here.  Zeke and I will protect you, and so will Irvine and Moonbay."

            Zeke suddenly lifted his head and stumbled to his feet.  He looked one direction and another, obviously sensing something also.  He lashed his tail then fixed his gaze in the direction that Fiona had been looking.  "Rerrrrrr!"

            "What is it, buddy?"  Van stood up.  "Fiona?"

            Fiona had leapt to her feet and was racing back to the others.  "Van!  Wake everyone up!  He's coming!"

            "What?  Who's coming?!"  He ran after her.

            Zeke followed, growling menacingly.  Without even being asked, he let out a deafening roar, opened up the jets on his back, and soared into the sky as a blast of light.  He fused with the Blade Liger, which opened its cockpit.

            Irvine and Moonbay, awakened by the noise of Zeke and the Liger, sat up.

            "What's going on?  Why are we awake?" Moonbay grumbled.

            "Raven!  Something's wrong!  Hurry up, Van!" Fiona cried, climbing agilely into the Liger's passenger seat.

            "Moonbay, you take the Gustav someplace safe.  I'll back up Van," Irvine directed, jumping into his Command Wolf.

            "Way ahead of ya, pal!"  Moonbay steered the Gustav off as fast as the Zoid could go.

            Van had by now joined Fiona in the cockpit and was strapping himself in.  "Are you sure he's on his way here?  How do you know?"

            "Look!"  She pointed off into the distance.  A cloud of dust was fast approaching.  Van used the computer to zoom in on the figure, which was closing quickly.  It was the Geno Breaker.

            A picture appeared to Van's side.  It was Raven, but something was indeed terribly wrong.  His normal snide smile was absent.  Instead, his face was contorted in what appeared to be a mixture of intense rage and pain.  "Hand her … over to me!  And I won't have to destroy … you all!" he commanded.  He seemed to have difficulty speaking, so upset was he.

            "What are you talking about, Raven?  What do you want from us now?"

            "Give me … the girl!  Fiona!"

            "What?  No!  Never!  But if it's a fight you want, you've got it!  Mobilize!" Van cried, activating the Blade Liger's boosters.  It leapt forward and charged towards the Geno Breaker.

            "Van!  How can I help?" Irvine's voice crackled over the radio.

            "Set him up for a blade attack!"

            "You got it."  Irvine passed the Liger and ran around to Raven's side.  Before he could even fire a shot, however, the gun mounted on the Geno Breaker's head had shot down the Command Wolf, breaking both of its front legs.  It tumbled to the ground, unable to stand.  "Rrrrgh!" Irvine grunted in frustration, struggling with the controls.  "How can he have gotten me so fast?  Van!  I'm hit!"

            "Give me … Fiona!  I will not ask again!" Raven bellowed.  Extending one claw, the Breaker gripped the Liger's front leg.  Slowly the Zoid was reeled in, despite its vain struggles.  When it was within range, the Geno Breaker lifted its arm and jerked to one side, sending the Liger flying.  It crashed onto the ground.  The cockpit snapped open from the force of the landing.  Both Van and Fiona tumbled out.

            "Fiona," Van murmured, scarcely conscious.  "Fiona?"

            "SHADOW!"

            Raven's organoid defused, and swooped towards the fallen pair.  Snatching Fiona tightly in its thin arms, it flew off after Raven, who was already retreating at high speed.

            "Fiona!"  Van blurrily saw Shadow soaring away, but soon blacked out.