fight.’
He turned back to them, waving them towards the workshop.
‘I didn’t want to do this yet, but if you’re going to go out there, you’re going to need your armour.’
As they went in, Oddball nudged Rake and pointed. In one corner of the workshop, on a workbench covered in electronics parts, was a box labelled “High Explosives”. Rake elbowed him back and shook his head, afraid Oddball might start getting ideas.
In the centre of the workshop, held up on stands, were three suits of armour. One was red and black, the second one was blue and grey, and the third was yellow and black. Their polished surfaces gleamed in the lamplight. Compared to flashy Gladiator armour, these suits truly looked as if they were built for the serious business of close combat.
The three cadets stared at them, their hearts pounding. They could guess from the sizes which suit was meant for each of them. This was it. For the first time, they began to feel like they really could be Armouron Knights.
‘These are nothing like the cheap manufactured clack the Gladiators wear,’ Salt said, as he pulled Rake up beside the red and black armour and started helping him into it. ‘They are crafted from layers of plastallic, a material that bends like plastic but is tougher than steel. This is how real Armouron suits are made. They are lighter, more flexible and tougher than any armour you’ve seen before. I’ve made each suit to match your talents. It will take time to learn how each one works – but we don’t
have
time.’
Rake was sweating, but he was relieved to find that even though he felt himself trembling through his body, his hands were still not shaking.
‘And don’t think for a minute that this makes you Armouron Knights!’ Salt read their thoughts. ‘You haven’t earned that title yet. This is a one-off mission. We’re being rushed into this and you’ll need every advantage you can get tonight. For now, I’ll be happy if you don’t get yourselves caught or killed.’
Once he had Rake dressed in his armour, he shoved the helmet on the boy’s head and snapped the visor down. Then he took Rake’s totem and pressed it into place on the armour’s breastplate. Rake felt the Flow, the totem’s power, surging through his body.
There was a battle hammer and shield to go with the yellow and black armour that Salt had made for Oddball. He picked up the hammer and, without warning, swung it into Rake’s chest. The blow knocked the boy off his feet. But as he sat up, Rake was amazed to discover he felt no pain. In fact, the only reason he’d fallen over was that he had been knocked off balance. His chest felt fine.
‘Like I said,’ Salt grunted. ‘This is how real Armouron suits are made. Pick yourself up.’
He handed Rake a sword and shield. With a flick of his wrist, he showed the boy how the handle could extend out to turn the sword into a lance.
‘Now, let’s get you two suited up,’ Salt said to Oddball and Snow. As they rushed to their suits, handling each piece with awe, he added: ‘Rake, practise your weapons moves while you’re waiting.’
‘Come on,’ he said to the others. ‘Hoax is out there, alone in the city. Every second counts now.’
Chapter 12
Armoured Combat
WHEN THE THREE cadets were all suited up, Salt led them down a corridor they had never seen before. He was still dressed in his Academy uniform. The corridor led to a stairwell, which took them up to another secret door into the Academy. This one opened into the Armour Department’s shuttle bay. The department’s supply shuttle stood on its launch platform. They climbed on board and took their seats.
It was an ordinary-looking ship, the kind that were used in their thousands, making deliveries all over the planet. It was sleek at the front, but boxy at the back, where the main hatch lowered to form a ramp. Its wings jutted out from the two engines either side of the grey and blue body of the ship, with the tail protruding
He turned back to them, waving them towards the workshop.
‘I didn’t want to do this yet, but if you’re going to go out there, you’re going to need your armour.’
As they went in, Oddball nudged Rake and pointed. In one corner of the workshop, on a workbench covered in electronics parts, was a box labelled “High Explosives”. Rake elbowed him back and shook his head, afraid Oddball might start getting ideas.
In the centre of the workshop, held up on stands, were three suits of armour. One was red and black, the second one was blue and grey, and the third was yellow and black. Their polished surfaces gleamed in the lamplight. Compared to flashy Gladiator armour, these suits truly looked as if they were built for the serious business of close combat.
The three cadets stared at them, their hearts pounding. They could guess from the sizes which suit was meant for each of them. This was it. For the first time, they began to feel like they really could be Armouron Knights.
‘These are nothing like the cheap manufactured clack the Gladiators wear,’ Salt said, as he pulled Rake up beside the red and black armour and started helping him into it. ‘They are crafted from layers of plastallic, a material that bends like plastic but is tougher than steel. This is how real Armouron suits are made. They are lighter, more flexible and tougher than any armour you’ve seen before. I’ve made each suit to match your talents. It will take time to learn how each one works – but we don’t
have
time.’
Rake was sweating, but he was relieved to find that even though he felt himself trembling through his body, his hands were still not shaking.
‘And don’t think for a minute that this makes you Armouron Knights!’ Salt read their thoughts. ‘You haven’t earned that title yet. This is a one-off mission. We’re being rushed into this and you’ll need every advantage you can get tonight. For now, I’ll be happy if you don’t get yourselves caught or killed.’
Once he had Rake dressed in his armour, he shoved the helmet on the boy’s head and snapped the visor down. Then he took Rake’s totem and pressed it into place on the armour’s breastplate. Rake felt the Flow, the totem’s power, surging through his body.
There was a battle hammer and shield to go with the yellow and black armour that Salt had made for Oddball. He picked up the hammer and, without warning, swung it into Rake’s chest. The blow knocked the boy off his feet. But as he sat up, Rake was amazed to discover he felt no pain. In fact, the only reason he’d fallen over was that he had been knocked off balance. His chest felt fine.
‘Like I said,’ Salt grunted. ‘This is how real Armouron suits are made. Pick yourself up.’
He handed Rake a sword and shield. With a flick of his wrist, he showed the boy how the handle could extend out to turn the sword into a lance.
‘Now, let’s get you two suited up,’ Salt said to Oddball and Snow. As they rushed to their suits, handling each piece with awe, he added: ‘Rake, practise your weapons moves while you’re waiting.’
‘Come on,’ he said to the others. ‘Hoax is out there, alone in the city. Every second counts now.’
Chapter 12
Armoured Combat
WHEN THE THREE cadets were all suited up, Salt led them down a corridor they had never seen before. He was still dressed in his Academy uniform. The corridor led to a stairwell, which took them up to another secret door into the Academy. This one opened into the Armour Department’s shuttle bay. The department’s supply shuttle stood on its launch platform. They climbed on board and took their seats.
It was an ordinary-looking ship, the kind that were used in their thousands, making deliveries all over the planet. It was sleek at the front, but boxy at the back, where the main hatch lowered to form a ramp. Its wings jutted out from the two engines either side of the grey and blue body of the ship, with the tail protruding
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