Eneas began to return fire. The skill of a pilot in raptor mode could be known not only by how he flew but also by how he dodged, flew and shot not only where the enemy was but where he would be half a second later.
The monster reacted perfectly; all the movements, all the Achilles tactics were executed, but at that moment, more than an advantage, it was a weakness. For Eneas it was like facing the boss of a video game that repeated the same patterns; the trick in the end was knowing these and acting accordingly, and Eneas knew Achilles' tactics by heart. He had been his teacher, not only at the academy but also during their time together at Argos.
The young colonel had not given up on recovering his teacher. On rescuing him, he continually continued speaking to him, calling him by his name and calling him teacher, but it was as if that conscious part of Achilles' mind had disappeared.