My face grows pale. My entire body is trembling with dread.
“RON!!!”
STAB
It’s as if the entire world has fallen silent. It’s difficult for me to process what just happened. But it comes to me, one fragment at a time.
Odium’s knife has hit a different target. He must be shocked, because he leaps backwards, staring at his intended victim.
Standing overtop Ron, shielding him from death, is Miv. Her eyes roll into the back of her head. She stumbles. When Miv hits the dirt, a cloud of dust rises into the open air. My lip quivers as my heart palpitates. Pools of tears roll down my stained cheeks.
Ron cries.
“No, Miv!”
He takes her head, and places it in his lap. It takes him a second to steady his gaze, but he manages to find Miv’s eyes, staring deep into the fading pools of amber.
“Why did you do that?” Ron weeps.
His palms gently grip the edges of her jaw. “Y, you idiot!”
Miv snorts, as if it was a joke. She licks her lips with her forked tongue, each word sounds more difficult than the next.
“Because...you were...my only friend… Everybody treated me like...a monster. Everybody but you. Ron, you helped me make friends. Thank you.”
“W- wait!”
Ron wipes his eyes, but the tears won’t stop.
“I need you. You were my first real friend too! You’re smart, and funny and-”
Miv’s eyes close. Her head goes limp.
“Miv? Wake up.”
But she’s gone...
Ron Loses His Flippin’ Mind
Ron is wide eyed. His skin is pale as a ghost.
“No…” He raises Mivs’ head, resting his forehead upon her own. His voice cracks.
“I’m so sorry, Miv. This is my fault.”
“Interesting.”
Nothing could anger me more than Odium’s cold response
I turn my head to face him. I can hardly see him through my tears. He can’t resist another callous remark.
“This Drakkinion knew she was one of the last of her kind, yet she willingly sacrificed her life for a worthless human. How curious! Why is it everybody wants to save humans?”
I can’t contain my rage.
“Shut up, you monster!!”
I launch myself to my feet. All the pain I feel is suddenly swept away by my overwhelming rage. I raise my fist, aiming to punch Odium’s stupid mask, and beat him to a bloody-pulp. With his focus pinned on me, Odium is oblivious to Nuyen and Kisoi approaching from behind.
At least, that's what I think…
Odium crosses his arms in front of his chest, and proceeds to make a sweeping motion. A whirlwind of force blows us all onto our backs. Nuyen, Kisoi and I are now fully incapacitated. I hear Nuyen hiss under her breath.
"You...villian!"
Kisoi manages to prop up onto his elbows. He raises his plasma pistol, firing multiple shots. Once again, Odium makes a sweeping motion and the bullets ricochet into the dirt.
"I've had enough of these tiresome antics. I came here to retrieve my crystal, and to test the might of Finn and Ron. Alas I've been disappointed."
Odium growls, re-approaching Ron, who is still holding Mivs' head in his lap.
"Give me the crystal and let me kill you."
"No."
Ron's response drips with venom. It sends a shiver down my spine. His pocket begins to glow.
The crystal? Oh no!
My brother gently places Mivs' head onto the dirt. Rising to his feet, he reveals a new expression. Insanity. Rons’ usually kind, brown eyes are thinned and cold. The veins along his neck throb, and his shoulders are tense. He flexes his fists, revealing more pulsating veins. If this were a humorous situation, I would say he looks like an athlete jacked-up on steroids.
"Careful Ron," Odium begins to tease. "Dark magic is a powerful thing. Wouldn't want you to become consumed by it. Else you end up like the God-tree Gaqueet."
I realize with shock that Odium must be responsible for the conflict on Creyenia.
Why though? Was it to cause chaos? Or for something more nefarious?
My inner dialogue does little to quell Rons’ rage. The veins along his arm turn black.
The crystal is consuming him...amplifying his evil intent!
“Don’t” I try to exclaim, but my cry falls on silent lips. I’m so weak, I can hardly mutter a sentence.
Meanwhile, Rons’ body makes a jerking motion as if it’s moving against his will. He hurtles forward raising his fist. He makes a similar head-on attack as I did. This time, when Odium retaliates, the psychic blast is ten times stronger. It looks like a wave of energy about to crash right into my elder brother.
It’s a shot aiming to kill!
“Ron, this isn’t like you! Please!”
The wave hits him. Ron's feet dig into the ground. He crosses his arms over his chest while shielding his face with his hands. The ground beneath him cracks, yet Ron remains unflinching. Odium tilts his head to the side.
“Interesting, maybe I won’t kill you after all. Ron. Not yet, at least.”
That’s when Ron breaks through the blast like a jet launching through the sound barrier. Ron is faster than I’ve ever seen before, jumping towards Odium’s face, he successfully punches him in the jaw. Odium’s head whips to the side. The thick glass of his helm cracking.
“You killed my best friend!” Ron screams.
Pivoting his feet, he angles another shot. To my surprise, Odium lets my brother hit him again. Another crack forms. Again, and again Ron punches Odium in the face as the glass begins to steadily crack.
Ron shouts like a barbarian, fully engulfed with rage. I think I spot a tear passing through the air as his fist lands in the palm of Odiums hand. The two men fall silent. Due to the sheer amount of force behind Ron’s punch, his knuckles push against the leather of Odiums glove. Odium chuckles. In one particular fissure across Odium’s left eye, I spot a familiar set of emerald-green eyes. They twinkle with maliciousness.
“Ron, even with the crystal amplifying your abilities...this is the best you can do.”
Ron growls. “I’ll kill you!”
“Oh. I know you want to. I am one with the crystal, remember? I am in your mind Ron.”
Odium’s grip squeezes around Rons’ fist.
“I know you truly want to kill me. After all, you are a murderer”
Ron’s eyes darken, transforming into a black void. His pupils dilate as the tension rises.
“Enough of this.” Odium declares “I have a war to win.”
That’s when I hear a sickening...Crack! Ron’s eyes widen, staring down at his hand. Odium has squeezed so hard, Ron’s knuckles popped causing his fingers to go limp. Odium lifts Ron in the air and slams him back down into the ground. Ron’s hand flies loose, the crystal tumbling and coming to rest a few feet away. Odium grabs his dagger once again. Leaning over my half-conscious brother, he lets out a triumphant laugh.
“Perhaps I’ll slice up your face and add more scars to your collection!”
Whooooshhh!
Nuyen, Naki, Kisoi, Odium, Prince Zibrail’s soldiers and I stare up in the sky. A stunning gold and blue transport ship with six steel wings hovers amongst the clouds. It zooms towards us.
“What now?”
Odium growls. The answer comes hurtling out the ship's hangar door. Odium only has time to raise his hands to block, as a set of feet land on the crooks of his arms. Odium flies backwards from the assault, landing in a heap on the battlefield. Our hero turns towards us, his rainbow coat tails billowing in the wind making him look ethereal.
“Sir Ulmu!?”
Ulmu Shows Us Who’s Boss
Ulmu’s calm and thoughtful eyes find my own.
“Finn. I've ordered multiple Altair transport ships to rendezvous at this location. We need to evacuate the Aronevian citizens and retreat."
He gives me a once over.
"Can you stand?”
I manage to fumble to my feet, but my balance betrays me. I fall backwards and a mysterious pair of hands catch me. Naki and Kisoi are by my side, their faces bruised and battered. Nuyen is perched on Nakis’ shoulder, her wide blue eyes are pinned on mine.
“Don’t worry.” Nuyen nods. “We’ve got you.”
“All of you need to get out of here” Ulmu orders.
His eyes trail to Mivs’ unmoving figure in the distance. His eyebrows furrow as his lips tighten.
“...and collect Miv. We won’t leave her behind.”
As he speaks, he crouches beside Ron. Ulmu’s face takes on a look of deep pity. My brother's eyes are scrunched together in pain. They flicker open. The instant their gazes meet, Ron’s fill with tears.
“Oh, Ron...you reckless fool.”
Ulmu sighs, taking Ron by the arms and pulling him to his feet. Ron slumps over, his head lolling onto the Godsonions neck.
Behind the pair. Odium rises to his feet, calling out to Ulmu.
“Hello Godsonion! How glad I am that you are able to join us!”
His jesting sends a shiver down my spine. With my friends supporting me, I manage to reply to his sarcasm.
“Shut it!” My heart quickens. “You’re going to pay for what you’ve done!”
“Empty threats from a child. Do you see this chaos? Do you see this war?! I am the cause of all this violence and bloodshed, and I won’t stop until all of the Known galaxies feel my wrath! I want revenge!”
“Revenge for what, you freak? What the hell did the entire Galaxy ever do to you?!”
“Oh...you’ll know one day. As will I”
“You’re telling me you don’t even have a motive? What kinda’ psycho are you?!”
Ulmu drags Ron towards our group, placing him in my arms. I’m hit with a wave of sudden pity. Rons' skin has gone cold, his arms are limp, and his eyes are glazed over. One look is enough for me to see that, at this moment, he is a broken man. It’s an alarming contrast to the bubbly, lighthearted elder brother I've come to know. My brows crinkle as my frown deepens. Ron’s current state stabs me in the heart like a knife.
“Stop arguing with him. Go. Now.” Ulmu demands. “I won’t repeat myself. Collect Miv and retreat.”
The four of us do what he says. Kisoi slings one of Ron’s arms over his shoulder as I take the other. As we approach Miv, Nuyen and Naki crouch by her side. We are well aware that the drakinnion should weigh a ton, but Naki manages to sling Miv over her shoulder and steadily rise to her feet. Nuyen manages to balance Mivs’ tail on her head.
Above us, the sky darkens as transport ships similar to Eunoia appear. One in particular approaches us. The hanger door opens, revealing Whelcome and Socrates. Several other Aver Gold units jump into the battlefield, killing Spawn and fighting Raiders.
“Aight’ students, why doncha’ pile on in?”
Whelcome waves his webbed hand. We step up onto the metal platform.
Socrates crosses his arms. “I’m glad to see you are alive and well-” He glares. “-but why you would bother to sneak off Altair to this planet in the first place is beyond me!”
Whelcome tilts his head. “Ya’ even got an unconscious one here...what a’-”
The two of them pause, staring down at the drakkinion with shocked expressions.
“I see…” Whelcome says sadly.
They say nothing more after that. Lumbering into the darkness they take our friend away. I assume I’ll never see her again. My hands move subconsciously to my memorizor, gently caressing the outer lining of the frame.
Miv supported me as soon as I got to Altair. She made these glasses for me and helped me pass my exams. I should have done more for her! I feel sick...
Nuyen, Naki, and Kisoi lay Ron on his back. Kisoi pats Ron on the shoulder.
“Hey man, wake up! We have to help save the Aronevians.”
“Don’t.” I demand. “Not yet...let him rest.”
My fists clench. I still have fight in me. I stow away my misery for a later date.
“But Finn.” Nuyen argues. Her whiskers tremble. “You’re a mess. You can hardly stand, chit.”
“That’s why I need help.” I gesture to my unconscious sibling. “Leave Ron here.”
I spin on my heels, towards the battlefield that is steadily filling with spawn.
“Naki and Nuyen, you’re faster than Kisoi and me. Head back to the battlefield. Avoid confrontation, but help the other Avers bring the scattered Aronevian soldiers to the transport ships...”
Naki and Nuyen join my side. Naki nods.
“Can do.”
“Kisoi and I will support Ulmu, and gather that crystal before Odium has a chance to.”
Kisoi nods.
“Understood.”
“Alright, let’s go!”
∆∆∆
I’ll admit it. At this moment, I’m all bark and little bite. My brief moment of leadership quickly fades when I remember I can hardly walk. This has been a long battle, and as soon as I clamber gingerly out of the transport ship, I’m reminded of my weakened state.
Naki and Nuyen make their way into the battle zone, moving stealthily to avoid Spawn attacks or being in the path of Raider bullets. As they approach each small unit of Arovenian or Altair troops, they instruct them, on Ulmu’s orders, to pull back to the transport ships.
Kisoi grabs me by the crook of my elbow. “Come on Finn, you can do this!”
His encouragement is enough to help me lumber towards Odium and Ulmu. They stand face-to-face, ready to fight. The crystal remains between them, dull and pitch black.
Odium looks at us and grins.
“Well, well little kiddies, welcome back.”
Ulmu twists his head to send a subtle glare.
“I told you to retreat. What part of that do you not understand?”
My response is firm.
“We won’t leave you. Trust me sir, this guy is strong.”
Odium chuckles. “Yes, listen to your pupils, Ulmu. I’m stronger than you in every sense of the word.” he boasts.
Ulmu places both his hands on his holsters.
“So you say, which is why I’ll end this quickly.”
Faster than the eye can register, and before Odium can let loose one of his physic blasts, Ulmu’s hand flashes to his plasma pistol, draws and fires directly at Odium’s head. The beam hits Odium’s helmet top centre and Odium falls backwards into the dirt. Dead.
Wow… I haven’t seen a fast draw like that since I watched “Rango” on YTV.
That’s when Kisoi and I move into action. Launching forward, I scoop up the crystal while Kisoi guards me from any incoming attacks. Ulmu pivots to see what we are doing.
“I think I had better take charge of that, Finn, it’s dangerous and I do not want you hurt further.” he says, holding out his hand.
He approaches us and I willingly give him the trinket. In one fell swoop, he throws the crystal in the air and shoots. The plasma stream shatters the gem into a million pieces before fading into dust.
Ulmu’s voice takes on an edge of frustration as he looks sternly at us.
“We have much to discuss. Both of you return to the nearest transport ship, now.”
Kisoi is the one to reply. “Yes sir.”
But I hesitate. Behind Ulmu, Odium is getting back to his feet like a zombie from a horror film. The bullet wound from the plasma pistol has seared a hole into the front of his helm.
“How are you alive?”
Kisoi’s voice trembles. I assume we are all thinking the same thing.
“It’s...impossible!”
Ron And I Are Sent to The Principal's Office
Odium’s addresses Kisoi. “Not impossible, boy.” He turns to me. “How did you think I survived the fall from your ship? Hm?”
Hold up. So not only is this guy imbued with dark magic, but he’s also immortal!?
A shiver runs down my spine as a deep fear settles in my gut. I hi
de behind Ulmu. Suddenly, I’m a scared child, and not a fearless Altair Aster.
Ulmu presses his palm against my arm.
“It’ll be alright…” His voice soothes. “Go now.”
Kisoi grabs my shoulder.
“Come on. The Aronevian troops are safe.”
I take a glance at the battlefield. For the most part, the war has been taken to the sky. Far away, I hear the distant sounds of Raider cannons ricocheting off Altair ships which are returning their fire.
Odium sighs. His voice recedes to a slight grumble,
“I've wasted so much energy on worthless scum. If I keep like this, the Master will anger. Time to put an end to you once and for all!”
The Master? No time to question that new info because I sense that our impending doom is fast approaching, but Ulmu fires again, hitting Odium in the shoulder, spinning him around. This gives us a brief chance to get to the ship.
“Run!!”
With Kisoi in the lead we dash towards the transport ship. It’s almost full with Aronevian soldiers and the prince himself. Naki and Nuyen push themselves to the front.
“Get in!!” Naki offers her hand to me.
I need no second bidding. I grab her hand and she hauls me into the ship as I trip into a wounded Aronevian citizen. Ulmu helps Kisoi into the vessel. Ulmu stumbles into us just as the loading doors are closing and Odium lets loose his final attack. It’s like a nuclear blast. Below him, a crater forms exploding into an arch. It heads towards us, destroying everything in its wake. The door shuts right on time.
We feel the ship lifting as the deadly wave glances off the bottom of the craft, knocking us all off our feet and into a tangled mass on the floor. I hear the plasma jets pushed to their maximum and we sweep up from Aronevia’s scarred surface. Slowly, we sort ourselves out, fighting the acceleration to get to our feet.
Are we finally safe?
I stare at the floor in awe. An indent has been punched through the first few layers of metal.
“Finn.” Ulmu wastes no time getting to the point. “To the med bay, now. We have much to discuss.”
“S...sir.” My lips tremble. “Can Ron explain when he wakes up?”
“No.” Ulmu growls.
Hypernova Series: Worlds At war Page 8