Tesla: A Teen Steampunk/Cyberpunk Adventure (Tesla Evolution Book 1) by Mark Lingane
Authors: Mark Lingane
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center. They currently faced down, but as Melanie and Sebastian watched, the great cannons swung around slowly and upwards to face the beasts.
Lightning was gathering in the hollow of the dishes, swirling and collecting like water down a drain. It arced around the long spikes, gaining in intensity and frequency. The lightning suddenly disappeared and there was a silent boom, more felt than heard, except for Sebastian who could see it clearly.
A great circular ring like the ghost of smoke rolled out and wrapped itself around the closest beast, stunning it, injuring it. The second tower missed its target as the beast suddenly dived out of the way of the wave. It fell at such a rate that it didn’t have time to pull up and crashed into the ground. It thrashed around on its back, unable to right itself.
Sebastian ran over to where Melanie was lying on the ground. She was moving, but she didn’t look well. He slipped his hand under her arm and urged her up. The fallen beast had managed to roll onto its side and was forcing itself over, accompanied by the sound of tearing and crunching metal. It exhaled a fireball but missed the two youngsters due to the awkward angle. It kept thrashing until the underside of its body was on the ground. Its head whipped around wildly, searching for them, spotted them, targeted, and exhaled a fireball directly at them.
Melanie had finally gotten to her feet, with Sebastian’s help. They both ran, often stumbling, toward the gates. The sound of metal being tortured behind them spurred them on, fear gripping every part of their bodies. A fireball exploded to their right, narrowly missing them.
Sebastian hazarded a glance over his shoulder. The beast had managed to get itself facing the right way and was about to target them directly. He urged himself on faster. The pain in his head was beating him down but he had to ignore it as best he could. He heard the clicks; he heard the ignition. He swore he could feel the heat.
In front of them the gates were beginning to close. A big, solid man stepped out and signaled for them to come. He ran out the few yards, grabbed them and pushed them through the narrowing opening as the fire rolled over them. The solid gates slammed shut with a resounding thud as the remnants of the fire evaporated into the air.
14
A CROWD GATHERED around the two youngsters. Melanie collapsed to the ground, exhausted. The man who had pulled them through the gates scooped her up and whisked her away down a side alleyway full of small buildings. Sebastian sagged but was held up by a tall man wearing leather armor. There was a booming voice from the back of the crowd, which parted as its owner pushed through. The last of the surrounding spectators moved aside to reveal a tall, broad-shouldered man with electric-white hair that stood up on end, giving him the appearance of a dandelion. He pointed at Sebastian.
“You, boy, what’s your name?”
Sebastian responded.
“Well, this is a surprise. We weren’t expecting you for a long time.”
Sebastian gave him a look of confusion.
“Greetings, I’m Nikola, commander-in-chief of the city. Welcome to the Steam Academy fortress.”
“You need to fire those big guns at the beasts again,” Sebastian shouted at the man, pointing out toward the vast plain. His hands were shaking and his legs were feeling weak. “They could be preparing to attack again.”
As the milling crowd started to disperse to their various responsibilities, Nikola turned to walk back into the depths of the fortified city.
Sebastian ran to keep up with him.
“I’m sorry,” Nikola said, “we only have limited power, and the storage battery units are now empty.”
“So that’s it, you let them attack us?”
“They’ve been weakened, they’ll retreat soon enough.”
“But I’ve seen what they can do. They’re extremely dangerous.”
“Look, you’re dealing with things you don’t understand yet. There’s no source
Lightning was gathering in the hollow of the dishes, swirling and collecting like water down a drain. It arced around the long spikes, gaining in intensity and frequency. The lightning suddenly disappeared and there was a silent boom, more felt than heard, except for Sebastian who could see it clearly.
A great circular ring like the ghost of smoke rolled out and wrapped itself around the closest beast, stunning it, injuring it. The second tower missed its target as the beast suddenly dived out of the way of the wave. It fell at such a rate that it didn’t have time to pull up and crashed into the ground. It thrashed around on its back, unable to right itself.
Sebastian ran over to where Melanie was lying on the ground. She was moving, but she didn’t look well. He slipped his hand under her arm and urged her up. The fallen beast had managed to roll onto its side and was forcing itself over, accompanied by the sound of tearing and crunching metal. It exhaled a fireball but missed the two youngsters due to the awkward angle. It kept thrashing until the underside of its body was on the ground. Its head whipped around wildly, searching for them, spotted them, targeted, and exhaled a fireball directly at them.
Melanie had finally gotten to her feet, with Sebastian’s help. They both ran, often stumbling, toward the gates. The sound of metal being tortured behind them spurred them on, fear gripping every part of their bodies. A fireball exploded to their right, narrowly missing them.
Sebastian hazarded a glance over his shoulder. The beast had managed to get itself facing the right way and was about to target them directly. He urged himself on faster. The pain in his head was beating him down but he had to ignore it as best he could. He heard the clicks; he heard the ignition. He swore he could feel the heat.
In front of them the gates were beginning to close. A big, solid man stepped out and signaled for them to come. He ran out the few yards, grabbed them and pushed them through the narrowing opening as the fire rolled over them. The solid gates slammed shut with a resounding thud as the remnants of the fire evaporated into the air.
14
A CROWD GATHERED around the two youngsters. Melanie collapsed to the ground, exhausted. The man who had pulled them through the gates scooped her up and whisked her away down a side alleyway full of small buildings. Sebastian sagged but was held up by a tall man wearing leather armor. There was a booming voice from the back of the crowd, which parted as its owner pushed through. The last of the surrounding spectators moved aside to reveal a tall, broad-shouldered man with electric-white hair that stood up on end, giving him the appearance of a dandelion. He pointed at Sebastian.
“You, boy, what’s your name?”
Sebastian responded.
“Well, this is a surprise. We weren’t expecting you for a long time.”
Sebastian gave him a look of confusion.
“Greetings, I’m Nikola, commander-in-chief of the city. Welcome to the Steam Academy fortress.”
“You need to fire those big guns at the beasts again,” Sebastian shouted at the man, pointing out toward the vast plain. His hands were shaking and his legs were feeling weak. “They could be preparing to attack again.”
As the milling crowd started to disperse to their various responsibilities, Nikola turned to walk back into the depths of the fortified city.
Sebastian ran to keep up with him.
“I’m sorry,” Nikola said, “we only have limited power, and the storage battery units are now empty.”
“So that’s it, you let them attack us?”
“They’ve been weakened, they’ll retreat soon enough.”
“But I’ve seen what they can do. They’re extremely dangerous.”
“Look, you’re dealing with things you don’t understand yet. There’s no source
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