Chapter 319: Broken Mirror
Salem stepped onto the balcony that was covered in shadows just as the bandit version of her had decided on the punishment for Jebidiah. "You think I will just let you off with a missing limb? No, you need to know that opposing me has consequences." She declared. She pointed her pistol at Jebidiah then she pointed it up at the second floor of the saloon where they were. "Fire!" The bandit Salem ordered.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"No!" Jebidiah screamed in panic. Gunshots rang out through the town as bullets were fired at the second floor of the saloon; it continued for a minute as the bandit Salem stared down at Jebidiah.
But when the shooting suddenly stopped she looked back at her bandits. "Why did you stop?" She demanded as she looked at their awestruck expressions on their faces. She followed their gaze to the second floor balcony of the saloon.
Sitting in the air just hovering were all of the bullets they had fired. They were sitting frozen in the air. Then just beyond them hidden by shadows was a figure that was holding out a hand that was making a clawing shape.
"At first I was confused, but now I can just tell something annoying is going on." The woman stepped forward far enough that her face was revealed in the descending sunlight. Salem kept holding the bullets in place and then flexed her fingers and pointed downward. There were sparks as the bullets slammed against the ground.
The horses the bandits were riding neighed and bucked as the bullets hit their feet. Bandit Salem looked only shocked for a moment. She then turned to her people. "Spread out and start-"
Bang! Ting!
Salem shot at the bandit version of her and the bullet bounced off a light blue light that covered her body. "A personal shield?" Salem whistles as she spotted the device that was at her hip. The bandit version followed her gaze and grimaced. She turned to her fellow bandits. "Come on! Time to go!"
She then quickly turned her horse and began riding toward the exit of the town that would lead to mountains. Salem jumped over the side of the balcony onto the neighboring building’s roof and began running along it. She aimed at the bandit version of her again but had to sway as one of the other bandits fired at her.
Salem twisted her gun and fired at the man who shot at her. Hitting them in the head. Their heads snapped back and a blossom of blood emerged. The bandit man fell to the ground while his steed slowed and moved out of the main street.
She then turned her attention to the bandit version of her just as their ship was in the air. It flew overhead but before it could close the distance, Salem watched one of the bandits. An AI powered robot, turned the top half of his body and fired a pulse of energy at their ship. It swayed to the side and out of view. Going down behind a ridge and into the area where she had seen a collection of trees.
During that moment of distraction the bandit version of her struck and fired. But Salem skidded to a stop and reached out with her telekinesis. Stopping the bullets. But before she could toss them away and focus on the horse riding bandits. A grenade joined the bullets that the bandit Salem threw at her.
Salem blinked and looked to see the bandit Salem smiling evilly as Salem could hear an electronic beeping coming from the round metal object. "Shit!" She cursed and pushed the bundle of bullets and the grenade that were wrapped in telekinetic energy into the air. She was momentarily blinded by the explosion that threw her clear of the building and into the street adjacent to the main road.
Salem groaned as she pulled herself up and then jumped up onto the roof. It creaked loudly as she walked to the top of it. The roof was damaged but none of the fragments of the grande had gone through while her own body had scratches and cuts but nothing serious.
She slid down and jumped off the roof and into the street. She looked in the direction of the retreating bandits. They were moving toward a large valley that veered downward. It would probably conceal the bandits until they arrived at their hideouts.
She looked back down the other way and saw Atlas was checking the body of a bandit. Dag was pinning another bandit to the ground that was injured but still alive. While Yuti was bringing over a pair of horses by their harnesses. "Ram, Marcus, are you okay?" Salem asked as she looked toward the smoke that was rising in the distance.
"I am unharmed." Ram answered. "Marcus and Attilo were both knocked out in the impact. They have minor injuries and will need a bit of time before they are conscious and capable of doing something. But I am more worried about the ship. I set it down hard in the forest. I need to get it out of these trees and do a proper assessment of all the damage." Ram explained as he was no doubt already getting to work on the repairs.
Salem walked over to the saloon just as the older woman came out. She looked to her son Jebidiah who had retreated to cover and was only now coming out in confusion. "Are your people all right?" Madame Oracle asked.
"Fortunately, all of my people came out of the situation mostly unscathed." Salem answered with a sigh as Jebidiah walked over to them but was hesitant. "But it looks like our ship is grounded for the time being."
"Well then, if you need a place to stay. I will gladly put you up in my Inn... at least that is what I would normally say. But I am worried about them targeting you and hitting another person by mistake." Madame Oracle declared with a sigh.
"That is fine." Salem chuckled as she holstered her weapon. She then looked over at the living bandit. "Now why don’t we learn what this person has to say."
"Don’t you mean think?" Madame Oracle chuckled.