The Pale War

by Max Jager

  "Oh, you like them? They stand out, don't they? I had a little surgery to get them like this." He said patting them a little bit.

  Alerius was more then a little nervous at this point. He was down right freaked out by this strange guy! His movement was a little weird too. He moved a little more loosely then most other guys Alerius had seen. Of course, Alerius had been around soldiers most of his life. He figured that civilians moved a little bit more carelessly then infantry. Even so, not even civilians were as weird as this guy! Alerius then figured that the mechanic must have smelled way to many exhaust fumes.

  The guy continued on about his pointed ears. "Yeah, I have always been into fairy tales about elves and how their communities work. The world would be so much better if people took the advice of the elves. Eleven magic is…"

  Alerius threw up his hand and said, "Spare me! Why did the ship bring us 'here'?"

  Alerius was waiting for a reply from the guy when he noticed this Navirun had caught sight of Aurela. His eyes were wide as saucers and he was practically drooling! He looked over at Aurela and she seemed to be enjoying the attention. He looked back at Navirun as he was still goggling over her.

  Navirun pointed to her and said, "Is she an elf?"

  Alerius looked at Aurela very sarcastically and then back at Navirun with this even more sarcastic look on his face. He had no idea how to handle this extremely awkward situation. "No. Can we get back to why the ship brought us here?"

  Navirun was still in a trance and Aurela was making movements toward him that probably would have put any guy in a trance. Alerius was tired of this! This idiot was wasting time! Alerius had no idea if the hellion forces knew where he was or not! He had no idea whatsoever if Korzen had found a ship and tracked them, if the Flaming Meteorite could feel their presence, or even if there were spies around on this planet looking for the Leyline?

  Alerius grabbed Navirun by the collar of his shirt and threw him up against the wall! "Now you listen here, Navirun! I have been through extremely too much to stand here and let you be your, I'm guessing, usual self! Just tell us why the hell, out of all the repair shops on this planet, did we come here?" Alerius had lost it!

  Aurela was trying desperately to pull Alerius off of Navirun but it was no good.

  Navirun barely managed to choke out, "Because I'm the only one who can refuel this ship!"

  Alerius had Navirun straight off the ground but he put him down gently after hearing his explanation.

  Navirun continued on after he felt his feet on the concrete. "What? Did you think that any old Joe's body shop could refuel a okren Star Glider type S?"

  Alerius sometimes really hated rhetorical questions. He guessed he deserved it though. Alerius looked at Navirun sideways. "Type S?"

  Navirun walked over to the ship and was talking as he did. "Yeah. Star Glider type S. It has engaging quad-cannon laser capability, Tiranium 5 thruster exhaust, diamond plating; heat resist and chill resistant up to zero factor, and; this is the best part, self guidance advanced technology in auto-pilot landing, course setting, and defensive maneuvering. No human ship is capable of all that!"

  Alerius still had that sideways glance locked on him. "How do you know all this stuff?"

  Navirun kind of snickered. "Because it's my business to know it. I repair and refuel all the ships nobody else knows how to. Besides, this ship is a classic and finding fuel for it is down right untolerable."

  Alerius's look went from sideways to sideways and confused. "You mean intolerable?"

  "Whatever."

  Alerius wondered if this guy knew what he was doing at all. He began to shake his head thinking that even coming to Whitmore was a bad idea. He was starting to doubt if he could even get Aurela off the planet alive.

  Aurela though came over, and almost as if knowing what Alerius was thinking said, "Trust him."

  Alerius looked back at Aurela and he saw this beautiful look on her face. A slight angelic smile. He stopped and stared at her for more then awhile enjoying her features. Something he hadn't done since that first time he had met her in the cave. He tore himself away though in time and walked up to Navirun.

  "How long is this going to take to refuel?"

  Navirun eyed the ship a bit and thought. "Not long. 2-3 hours maybe."

  "Good. Will it be nightfall by then?" He asked Navirun.

  Navirun just replied a simple no.

  Alerius looked around a bit and saw the exit door. He was about to walk out when he saw Aurela standing close to Navirun. Navirun seemed to be reaching out to touch her. He was about to lay a soothing hand on her arm when he got a gun barrel jammed into his cheek!

  It was Alerius. He had moved so fast that neither Aurela nor Navirun had seen him tear the SMG from its holster. He still had the one from the migzight fight he had on Traxus. He was prepared to use the one buried in Navirun's cheek too. Navirun's head was bent sideways from the force applied from the gun.

  Alerius growled out, "You listen here you pointy-eared, grease monkey! I have been through way too much in the past several days with this girl to have some no-brain, wrench jockey touch her!"

  Alerius could see Navirun's fear. Anybody could have. His legs were shaking like mad. Navirun, in this shaky and frightened voice whimpered out, "I wasn't going to do anything Firius, I swear!"

  Alerius pushed the gun into his cheek harder. "Good, keep it that way." Alerius slowly removed the gun and holstered it. He then began heading for the door again. "Come on Aurela, lets go!"

  Aurela felt sorry for the mechanic. She felt that Alerius's treatment of him was extremely cruel. This man was trying to help them. She went over to Navirun and hugged him. She held his head close to her lips and whispered very calmly in his ear, "Its alright, you just have to get to know him. I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

  He returned the embrace feeling absolutely lost in her body. He felt so secure in her arms. Her breath in his ear was so relaxing to him. It made him so at peace. He was in Heaven!

  "AURELA!" Alerius's voice erupted.

  Aurela slowly let go of Navirun and walked over to Alerius with the shotgun still in hand. Both of them left the shop and the mechanic himself in a trance-like state. He snapped out of it though a couple of minutes after they left. Little did he know being taken through Heaven he was soon going to experience Hell!

  Planet Whitmore: Wanted On Arrival

  Korzen was asleep. His ship was still far away from Hogarth. He just hoped he would arrive there before the Flaming Meteorite would. He wanted Firius, bad! He wanted him dead! All he could think about even as he dreamed was killing the Red Firius.

  His dream was extremely weird. He was walking in this cold dark cemetery. The headstones had rogue names on them. Most Korzen recognized but there were some that not even he could recognize. There was a low fog that covered the ground and the chill in the air went right through his bones. It was surreal. He didn't feel to uncomfortable though. Almost as if he belonged there. He wondered what this dream meant.

  He kept walking through the dark cemetery seeing more and more rogue agent names that he didn't recognize. Soon, he came to a big headstone. It was bigger then most of the others. It was a monolith among all the others. It was atop a short little hill. It almost seemed to be the monarch stone of the dream graveyard. A dark, human-like figure was leaning against the stone with its arms folded across its chest.

  Korzen motioned towards it and then asked, "Who are you?"

  A dark voice came from the shadow. More darker and more sinister then anything Korzen had ever heard before. It was almost like the Flaming Meteorite's voice but it was even more dark! It also seemed more human and more powerful. "The Shadow."

  Korzen just stared at the dark figure trying not to show intimidation. It's voice though was absolutely ominous. It wasn't in Korzen's head either. It seemed to echo throughout the entire graveyard. As if the graveyard itself was part of The Shadow.

  Korzen then asked, "The Shadow? So what are you doin
g in my head?"

  "That's an entirely excellent question and I intended to reply with an entirely excellent answer but not right now. Right now, I'd like to talk to you about something else Randall."

  Korzen stepped back in horror from The Shadow! "How do you know my name?"

  "I know plenty of things about you Randall. I know that you graduated from Westminster Military Academy in Hampshire, England at the tender age of fifteen. I know about that thirteen year old girl you beat nearly to death on the second academy you visited when you started touring for the military and doing your speeches. Just because she slapped you. Forsythe Academy in Moscow, Russia, wasn't it? I know about your parents who you killed because of your malcontent towards their melancholy attitude towards your scholarship."

  "Stop it!"

  "I know of the hamsters you killed when you were just six. I know about The Turquoise Steed. Killing him because of his refusal of orders by you. He didn't want to kill those little girls on Traxus that were harboring those infesting demons. You did though along with The Steed. You almost got the entire okren populace that time too."

  "Shut-up. Shut-up!"

  "I know about the two boys you murdered before graduation at Westminster because they were going to tell your professor about the missing ten thousand dollars from the Christmas donation box for military families. I know about those two platoons you single handedly massacred because you thought it would be easier if you went in alone. Anything to get the mission accomplished."

  "Enough!" Korzen screamed out.

  "Very well Randall. Lets talk about something else."

  "You have got five seconds to tell me why your in my head or I'll…" Korzen reached inside his coat for his revolver but what he found was nothing but his holster material.

  "Something wrong Randall? Sorry about taking that away from you. If I had let you keep it, it would've become quite the troublesome distraction."

  "Forget you, I'm out of here!"

  Korzen turned to head back the way he came but when he did it was like the whole world turned with him. He saw the same huge headstone and The Shadow with arms crossed still leaning on it. He turned again and again he saw the same thing. There was no escape! Korzen was a prisoner inside of his own mind!

  "You're mine Randall! Lets talk about something, anything."

  "What the hell is wrong with you? Let me out of this hole! NOW!"

  The Shadow unfolded its arms. "You think you can make demands from me? I own you! You just don't know it yet."

  "Nobody owns me!"

  "Randall, I just wanted to talk for awhile. It gets lonely in Hell."

  The Shadow had grabbed Korzen's full attention now.

  "I always want to talk to the newer, more promising recruits. Get a good idea on their persona. So come on Randall, open up."

  "STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

  The Shadow was getting more annoyed and took a step towards Korzen.

  "I hate that name and always have!" Korzen said trying to be as calm about this situation as he could.

  "Fine! I suppose you want to know what I dragged you in here for then?"

  "Yes!" Korzen was well beyond annoyed. He was downright mad!

  "I brought you here so we could have a chat. About the 'real' threat out there. The real Leyline who is the menace."

  Korzen stared at the Shadow crooked, "Who?"

  "Lire. He's hiding somewhere but where I'm not sure. I do know, on the other hand, that the gears to my downfall and the end of this war have already been set in motion."

  Korzen was now a little curious. "Where does the Red Firius sit in all of this?"

  "I'm not really sure. I don't think he plays too much of an iatrical part in the scheme of things. I could be wrong though. It seems to me that Aurela is actually covering Lire from the hellion forces. Even The Flaming Meteorite. But not me."

  "Where is Firius?"

  "I just told you Randall. Sorry, Korzen, that Lire is the one to worry about!"

  "I don't care about Lire! I don't care about any of the Laylines! I don't care about the hellion forces! I care about The Red Firius! Let me go so I can go do my job."

  "Your job is to find Lire wherever he is hiding! If he brings the prophesy full circle The hellion forces are finished for and so am I!"

  "I don't care!" Korzen screamed out.

  "Very well Korzen. I will rely on somebody else to find Lire for me. You go and get The Red Firius. He's closer then you think. He hasn't landed on Hogarth quite yet. In fact, you're almost right on top of him."

  Korzen's attention was fully regained.

  "One more thing before I release you back into consciousness."

  He was listening.

  "I know, no matter what the outcome of the war, this is your future."

  The Shadow then stepped back away from the huge headstone and this strange light shinned on it. On the stone it read:

  Here lies the rogue agent

  YELLOW KORZEN

  Hero

  Soldier

  Traitor

  Korzen's breath vanished! He felt like he was going to die right there! He saw his award metals on the side of the stone. He began to shake his head and fell to his knees still gasping for air!

  Suddenly, he woke up and he was caught in a meteor storm! He felt a rock slam hard into the side of his ship and he went swirling out of the storm. His right wing was gone and he was spiraling out of control! He grabbed the handles for the ship but they were no use.

  Korzen watched as planet Whitmore came into view. He was heading straight for it. He tried once again to gain control but it was no use. He suddenly hit the ozone layer of the planet and his ship burst into flames! He was now a meteorite himself! His outer hull was being disintegrated and soon he himself would catch fire!

  He was finally through the layer but he was still burning and heading in fast. His ship was twisting in all sorts of ways rolling like a ball down an invisible hill. Korzen couldn't see anything! He couldn't even think of anything! The ship was racking his body so hard as it came down. The pain he was feeling was absolutely excruciating!

  It sped to the planet surface like a fiery rocket! Nothing could stop it! Korzen was dead! This was it! He would never get a chance to kill The Red Firius! Korzen's body was about to be vaporized. He could feel his flesh burning off of his body. This was it for him. He was dead.

  No! He couldn't die! He wanted The Red Firius too bad! He wanted the snot nose little whelp dead! He was going to kill The Red Firius no matter what! The Red Firius was dead and it was going to be by his hand! He had to kill the Red Firius! Kill the Red Firius! KILL!

  His body started changing again! The fire no longer burned him and suddenly his ship began to blast away around him. He was doing it! He was tearing the ship apart with his mind freeing himself of his flaming bonds. He didn't know how he was doing it and he really didn't care!

  His mind was not focused on that. It was focused on the Red Firius! To destroy him. His mind was an engine of carnage and Firius was the only thing it wanted destroyed! His mind, body, and soul were now one. One goal, one purpose, one agenda, one mission.

  The fire no longer burned his skin. It actually seemed to sooth it. The evil inside of him was taking more a hold of his entire being then ever before. The ship was becoming burning rubble but Korzen was now completely unharmed. Any burns or damage he had taken were gone! The ship was almost obliterated as Korzen was now almost on the ground.

  Soon, there was no more ship. Just the Korzen. His body was a beacon of fire and evil. When he landed, he landed with a huge impact! He made a hole deep in the planet surface. An impact that would have killed anything else mortal. He wasn't dead though. Far from it.

  When he began to climb out of his hole he could see again. He could actually see better then ever! His eyes now were completely changed. They now resembled these red reptilian eyes. Nothing human even existed in them anymore. His fingernails were gone. Replaced by these huge, thick, black claws. They wer
e about half as long as his fingers, which also had grown in size. The claws seemingly looked sharp enough to cut through steel!

  He dug those claws in the dirt around him and climbed up to the outer rim of the hole. He dragged himself out and stood erect with the hole behind him. He looked around not noticing any of his changes. His hair, which had taken on this wild look and had become almost three times as long. Before, he had this short cropped military cut. Now, he had this wild long hair which seemed to bowl over his head.

  His hands had grown in size along with his feet which were somewhat hurting him because his shoes were to small now. They had both taken on a more canine form. His hands had somewhat of a paw look to them and his feet looked more like that too. Standing more on the balls of his feet because it pained him now to stand with his feet flat.