Renegade Rupture Read Online Free Page A

action.
    “Get ready for a world of hurt, assface!” Gisbo said, pointing an enflamed Tanto at one of his most hated enemies. Malik looked from Gisbo to Nina and took off running back from where he came.
    Gisbo was stunned. He never expected Malik to ever turn his back from a fight. Even so, the shock didn’t last long.
    “Oh, no, you don’t! NOT THIS TIME! Fao, stay with Nina, protect her! Nina, stay close behind me; we’ve got to get to the courtyard!” Gisbo said.
    “I . . .” Nina started when the trumpet sounded again.
    “What the hell is going on? COME ON!” Gisbo yelled and he, Nina, and Fao entered the forest chasing Malik.
    “That bastard, he’s gonna pay for what he did to Kinny! Never in my life have I ever wanted to . . . Grah! Come on, Nina! We’ve got to hurry!” Gisbo yelled, looking over his shoulder.
    “Gisbo! Gisbo, wait!” Nina said.
    “Forget it. Fao! Stay with her! I’m going on ahead,” Gisbo ordered as he pushed his Flarian powers into overdrive, activating and controlling his adrenaline and re-directing as much as possible into his leg muscles.
    That bastard! That’s it, that’s the reason. He knew he couldn’t take on me and Nina together, so he booked it! I’ll kill him ! I’LL KILL HIM! Gisbo thought as he took chase.
    Yes! Kill him! TEAR OUT HIS VOICEBOX! KILL! A fierce voice spoke up.
    “SHUT UP!” Gisbo yelled.
    Malik leapt over a large rock. Rather than leaping, Gisbo blasted a ball of fiery essence at it, exploding it into ash powder as he ran right through the remains.
    “GET BACK HERE, YOU BASTARD!” Gisbo yelled.
    Malik was about to break through the clearing and into the courtyard when Gisbo fired a blast of essence from his ring, missing Malik directly, but hitting the ground beneath him. The ground exploded with enough force to send the Strife into a forward front flip straight into the courtyard. Gisbo bounded out of the trees only to see Malik lying on the ground in front of Gisbo’s other most hated enemy, Ranto Narroway. The two of them were looking at each other, eye to eye.
    Gisbo paid his cousin no heed as he jumped atop the downed Strife. With a Tanto raised high, Gisbo thrust it straight towards Malik’s throat. A Flarian essence rope flew through the air, attached itself to the hilt of Gisbo’s weapon, and tugged tightly, preventing a killing blow.
    Gisbo looked up, seething with rage, into Ranto’s eyes.
    “I wasn’t going to stop you,” Ranto said as he pointed. Gisbo followed his finger to see a mass of green-uniformed men before him with the Strife leader, Malik’s father, Lamik Strife. Lamik’s ring was extended, attached to Gisbo’s essence, yanking back hard.
    “Drop it,” Lamik hissed.
    “How about I stick it in your ass?” Gisbo growled.
    “Gentlemen! Gisbo! At ease, AT EASE!” Chieftain Narroway said as he parted the crowd with his hands raised. “Gisbo, let go of the blade, everything’s fine.”
    “Narroway? What . . . but the alarm?” Gisbo asked. “What the hell is going on?”
    “It’s all right, son, please, on your feet and disengage your essence,” Narroway said. Gisbo looked down, eyeing Malik suspiciously, and slowly got off the boy and disengaged.
    “We were told we would be welcomed peacefully, Narroway. This is not at all what we . . .” Chieftain Lamik started when Narroway again raised his hands.
    “This is all but a big, BIG misunderstanding. I assure you, just a mistake. You see, I, well, why don’t I let one who DOESN’T pay attention to directions inform us what happened?” Narroway said, folding his arms and turning around. Knob Brawlda stood shuffling his feet and holding a horn behind his back.
    “Knob? Please, inform the Strifes what three trumpet blasts mean?” Narroway asked. Knob looked up nervously at the group of Strife Elders.
    “Um, three trumpet blasts means . . . an invasion,” Knob said.
    “And what does two trumpet blasts indicate?” Narroway asked.
    “An important