“What are you waiting for!”
Woya roars.
“With Odium by our side, we’ll be unstoppable. We’ll rule the galaxies together and prove Kinquits are the strongest beings in the universe!”
∆∆∆
Kiwok keeps his head down as he crosses the floor.
I can’t hold back any longer.
“Stop!” I shout.
My heart is hammering in my chest. Kiwok swivels his head to face me, his muscles tense.
“Kiwok, I know we don’t particularly get along,” I tell him, “but you are a member of Altair. That means it’s my responsibility to help you when you’re feeling down. Even though we aren’t blood, I would risk my life for you on the battlefield. So would Naki, Roxie, even Ron!”
I gesture to the three of them in turn before continuing.
“We care about you. Whether you want us to or not.”
At this point, the words are pouring out from my heart. They are true and I shout at the top of my lungs.
“I know what it’s like to have a father that only has his best interests in mind! Sometimes, a parent thinks that their child is only an extension of themselves, that their existence is merely to assist them in whatever goals they want. But that’s wrong! Kiwok. You are not your father. You can make choices on your own! The only person in the universe who can decide what you want is you. So please, don’t throw away our commitment to you just because your father wants you too.”
The room is dead silent. Odium begins to laugh maniacally.
“What kind of testament is that? Even if Kiwok did trust you fools, who’s to say you won’t betray him? Ever since the beginning of time, the Kiquits goal as a species has been to stick together and fight for themselves. What makes you think Kiwok will throw away years of tradition for some weaklings who value love and commitment?”
If he wasn’t wearing a helmet, I swear Odium would have spit on the floor.
“Finn…”
Kiwok whispers my name. He turns to face me. His eyes are filled with tears.
“I have to listen to my dad. He family. I sorry.”
Woya smirks at his son. He throws the second shard and it lands squarely in Kiwok’s meaty palm. He gazes down at the object. Nothing happens. At the sight of his son's apparent hesitation, Woya growls.
“You have to obey me, Kiwok. I am your father!”
I shake my head.
“Family doesn't end with blood Kiwok. You get to choose who’s worthy of your time and loyalty. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with a father whose love depends on how well you behave? You gotta’ be better than that!”
Kiosk’s fist tightens around the shard...crick...crack...crash! It explodes into tiny particles of dust. Woya throws his fists into the air.
“I've heard enough of this! I will destroy all you weaklings who stand in my way. Finn, you make me sick to my stomach!”
Woya charges like a bull seeing red. My muscles tense. He pushes Kiwok to the floor and the younger Kinquiit lands with a heavy- thwump! Naki and Roxie roll out of the way.
But I'm fired up and ready to kick Woyas’ butt, so I hold my ground.
“Move Memorizor! Access file, Nuyen.”
“Confirmed: Accessing file. Nuyen.”
My Combat Basics Class hasn’t been for nothing! Thanks to the help of my friends I’m going to win this fight!
Every muscle in my body comes alive with electricity. With my cat-like reflexes I slide between Woyas’ legs and leap to my feet unscathed. He charges onwards slamming head-first into a monitor. Sparks light up the room and he shakes his head holding it in pain. He roars in anger and glares at me.
“You scum!”
Odium sighs in disappointment. He leans down and grabs my brother by the back of his shirt. Ron lets out a slight groan as he’s lifted halfway off the floor. His body is weak and damaged, so he only manages to prop one leg up doing little to support his weight. I point a finger at Odium and challenge him.
“Why don’t you stick around and fight me, coward!? One vs one. I’ll show you which one of us is a real warrior!”
I admit I’m talking big for somebody who’s lost to Odium twice. Either way, my taunt falls on deaf ears.
“Don’t worry, Finn. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll defeat you and your pathetic friends right here and now. With the help of Woya, the four of you will be my prisoners, and I’ll happily show you what I have planned!”
He stares down at my brother.
“I assume you won’t stand a chance without your elder sibling anyway.”
The grip around Rons’ uniform grows tighter, suffocating him further. Odium chuckles when he sees my sibling’s clear discomfort. He whispers in his ear.
“My revenge will be slow and painful for you, Ron, and soon you’ll understand why.”
Odium pivots and throws Ron across the room. My brother- slams! Into a nearby communications panel and sparks fly into the air.
“No!”
“Let’s kill them together, Woya!”
Now it’s my turn to charge at my enemy. I make it halfway across the room to collect Ron’s half-conscious body before a pair of thick hands grab the back of my head and throw me across the command center. My world is a spiral and I crash into another nearby monitor. The desk underneath me cracks and I tumble onto the floor coughing and wheezing. Several plasma bullets fire around me. I shake my head and turn to look at the chaos.
Woya has grown twice in size due to the dark-crystals’ magical powers. His muscles bulge as the fabric of his uniform rips entirely. He slams his fists on the ground like hammers. His roar sounds like thunder.
“I’ll kill you...I’ll kill you all!”
It’s A Battle Royale! May the Best Man Win!
Naki fires several rounds of bullets into Woya’s hind legs. This causes the ginormous Kinquit to kick like a donkey. Naki backflips out of his reach.
“Darn you, Woya!” She snarls before taking cover behind a communications tower.
All the while Roxie is running towards me. She raises her arm shielding me.
“Go, grab Ron!”
Odium fires five blasts in our direction. Roxie and I tumble behind another comm-tower. The Raider equipment doesn’t provide adequate shielding. After all, on Aronevia, Odium was able to blow-up the equivalent of a space-car with his attacks.
That’s when Roxie pulls out her inner-warrior. She runs straight towards Odium, startling Naki, Kiwok and I.
Roxie grabs Odium by the wrist and re-directs his shot towards the far wall. A pipe bursts sending smoke into the air. Everybody is quickly lost within the gas. I cough and wheeze, searching for Ron.
All I can hear is chaos.
My companions and enemies are shadows that cross my vision. I spot flailing arms and neon-bullets electrocuting the thick white clouds in stunning beams of light.
I touch Ron’s shoulder and pull him close. His eyes flicker open. Reaching around I find a button on the face of his restraints and press. The three metal rings open and clank to the floor.
“F- Finn…” Ron swallows blood. “...something is wrong.”
“Ya, you look like a mess.”
He ignores the sarcastic comment. I wrap one of his arms around my shoulders and pull him to his feet. He manages to balance on one foot while the other drags behind him.
“No. Finn, my mind...It’s trying to remember something. My mind showed me a memory. I was in a steel cage and he’s sitting next to me. I think I know him, Odium-”
“Save it for another time. We need to get you, Naki, Roxie and Kiwok to safety.”
“-I have the sinking feeling I've done something terrible.”
“Ron-”
“-but I can’t remember what.”
His face contorts.
“From the moment I met Odium I knew something was wrong. I've hurt him but I don’t know how...maybe I've hurt you too?”
I spin to face him.
“Stop it. Now.
You’re kind, Ron, you would never hurt me or anyone else. Besides, Odium is probably just saying all this to get in our heads!”
That last bit was more of an assurance for me than him. Ron gulps again and his lips quiver. He starts to go green around the ears and I think he might faint again…
“Ron! Finn! We need help!”
The dust is clearing. On the ceiling a hummmm echoes. The vents have automatically triggered.
Odium is desperately trying to catch Roxie in one of his attacks. But she continues to evade and distract him. She backflips off a nearby wall and balances on a tall comm-tower like a cat.
Meanwhile Kiwok and Naki are fighting Woya on the other side of the room.
Woya aims a punch at Nakis’ gut but she vaults over the fist using her palm to balance against his shoulder. With a knife she slashes at his eyes. Fresh flecks of blood spray across her hand and she lands on the ground safely.
He screeches in pure agony. Holding his face like a wounded animal while stomping to-and-fro. Kiwok shoves his father in the chest and Woya tumbles to the floor.
“Pathetic Altarians! Let me kill you! I hate you all!”
Boom!
Roxie has been caught!
Odium, at-last, hit the Etis warrior with an arch of psychic energy. Her breast plate tears. Smoke erupts up her neck and she flops onto her back.
“Oh no...this isn’t good! We need to help them.”
While I am quick to enter the action, Ron is slow to follow. He grips his bruised stomach. His eyes immediately meet Odiums’.
Odium doesn’t hesitate. He throws a blast in our direction. We narrowly avoid it. We dash towards Roxie and pull her to her feet. The three of us circle the room like mice running from a ferocious cat. The walls are battered with psychic blasts exploding more pipes. Wires snap and red alarms blare above us.
“Come on boys, stop running!”
Odium erupts into a maniacal laughing fit. We reach Kiwok and Naki.
Glancing behind me. I hear the air- fizzle...and pop!
Now!
I throw the three of us into Woyas’ arms. The Kinquit warrior roars. He starts to push us away, but my plan works!
Odium accidentally hits his own teammate with an arch of energy.
“Gwarrr!!!”
Woya backpedals. He screams at the top of his lungs as the smell of burnt flesh tinges the air.
Kiwok approaches his father.
“Dad! Please. I no want to hurt you. You can be good guy again.”
“Shut up, foolish child!”
Woya backhands his son across the jaw. The slap reverberates around the room.
Kiwok erupts into vengeful fury! He tackles Woya. His muscles are tense and his shoulder digs into his fathers collarbone.
“Bad father! You traitor, I stop you!”
Woya and Kiwok push against each other like two sumo-wrestlers. They crash, pull, push and shove all around the room. Their intermingled shoutings are akin to two lions roaring at one another.
Ultimately, Woya is stronger.
Kiwok is lifted off the floor. His bulbous head- slams! Into the floor. A crack in the metal forms. He’s unconscious...Kiwok has been defeated.
“How-”
My voice stammers.
“-how could you! Kiwok is your only son!”
“Be silent...Finn. You know nothing!”
Woya charges at me. I fire my D.P.E and the hook lands next to Odium who has been watching with a hand on his hip.
Does he think this is some sort of game!? Wait...that’s a stupid question.
I’m forced to leave Naki to deal with Woya. Sadly, Roxie and Ron won’t be much help to her.
But somebody needs to distract Odium or else he’ll sweep the floor with us. That person is me!
As I fly through the air towards him I shout at the top of my lungs.
“Come on! Let’s end this!”
∆∆∆
Just as predicted a blast of energy is flying towards me. I manage to dodge it completely. Squaring my feet I kick Odium in the chest and we tumble to the floor. Now that I am so close to him I can smell metal and blood on his uniform. I reel back in disgust. My hands wrap around his throat and I squeeze as hard as I can...but when I stare down at his mask another crack has formed revealing his right eye and some parts of his forehead. Odium has pale skin like mine and bright green eyes.
That’s when I notice he has burns, much like Ron’s, concealing the rest of his exposed cheek. My skin goes cold.
“What's the matter...Finn?”
Odium chuckles.
“Didn’t think you’d find another human in space, now did you?!”
“T- that’s impossible. How!?”
My confusion only fuels my anger. I squeeze his throat until I can feel the muscles underneath tense. His heartbeat is elevating. I can feel the pulsing of blood against my fingers.
“Memories are such a funny thing-” he gasps. “-the Citadel always threatens to erase memories of soldiers who disobey; yet you loyal idiots never piece together that those same memories can be implanted.”
“So what?”
I lash out.
“What are you hinting at? Tell me before I kill you!”
“The memories you and I hold dear can be tampered with and buried below the surface until they are nothing more than tiny eggs. But...they eventually re-hatch into bugs that itch at our brains wanting release.”
Odium laughs out loud.
“My forgotten memories are finally re-hatching...with the help of Verenzibol, and my psychic connection with it, I’m becoming fully aware of what trauma Ron has put me through!”
Verenzibol? Who or what the hell is that?
That’s when I study the context and realize.
Verenzibol is the name of the dark crystal!
∆∆∆
“Tell me what you know!” I demand, “Now!”
Odium grabs me by the front of my uniform and pulls me closer. Insanity tugs at his every word.
“You and I are the same, Finn, you have been damaged at the hands of your own sibling and thus had those memories deleted.”
“T- that’s not true. Ron has never done anything to hurt me.”
That’s when I realize my grip on his throat has been loose this entire time.
Despite how much I hate this man...I need him to speak. I need to learn more!
“Liar-”
That word stabs me in the heart.
“-I know the truth. I am one with Verenzibol, and when you connected with the shard back on Creyenia I saw your mind. You’ve had a memory erased, and replaced. Finn, a memory so disturbing that you’ve locked it away and buried it. But I’m going to make sure both of you remember the part you’ve played...in making me the villain!”
Odium kicks me in the chest and I land on my back winded. He charges, pinning me and punching me square in the jaw. I hold my arms up to defend against the barrage of attacks.
Using what Vizen taught me in Combat Basics, I pull out one of the oldest self-defense tricks in the book. I square my hips and jerk upwards causing Odium to fall off balance. His arms remain suspended for a moment. I grab his wrist in a vice-grip and tug towards his stomach as hard as I can. This causes him to twist sideways at an awkward angle. I launch upwards, slam my shoulder into his face and throw him onto his back. I can hear the air escape from his lungs as he fumbles to his feet.
Assumably, Odium has realized facing me in hand-to-hand combat is unnecessary. He swings his arm ready to fire a magic blast.
Looks like old habits die hard.
Nonetheless, Odium is a one trick pony.
Once again I access Naki’s file from my Move Memorizor and fire my D.P.E. I reel myself in and dodge his attack, which explodes a comm-tower behind me firing sparks and metal into the air.
This time, I fly past him and spin back around. The rope from my D.P.E tangles up his feet and I tug.
It’s just like wrangling up a hog!
He
falls onto the floor face first with a satisfying- crack!
I’d be lying if I said winning this battle wasn’t giving me a serious ego boost.
Especially, after everything Odium has done. With that in mind I pull out my blaster.
“This is for Miv, you bastard.”
I shoot him in the back of the head several times. The bottom half of his mask breaks away and his body goes limp. Last time this happened, the crystal (Verenzibol) healed him in a matter of minutes.
Which means I have a limited amount of time to take everybody to safety.
∆∆∆
Right on cue Woya’s footsteps rumble towards me. I grasp my pistol and fire at Woyas’ face. This steers him off course and he slams his big head into a fissure in the wall splitting it further.
Naki and Roxie round either side of me. Woya kicks at them and they both expertly dodge the attacks. The women try to grab the crystal in his chest but he bumbles away half-blind.
They seem to think going for the crystal in his chest is the best strategy...and I agree.
Woya is bleeding bad and so are the girls. The two of them look like ballerinas. They land small kicks and punches onto Woya’s thick hide.
Ron stumbles towards me and his head goes limp.
Oh, brother, you aren’t going to be much help are you?
I’m forced to lean him up against the wall. I look down at his holsters and notice his neo-bracers. I grab them both and charge at Woya while he is distracted with Naki and Roxie.
Woya stomps his feet and I vault past them. I slash at his ankles tearing open the thick skin. Woya roars in defiance and kicks me in the chest. I slam into the nearest doorway leaving an indent in the metal.
Roxie puts her hands together forming a foothold with her palm.
“Naki-” she orders. “-get on his back and hold on tight!”
Woya falls to his knees due to his injury. Naki places one foot on Roxies hands and jumps on Woya’s back. She fires her D.P.E and it wraps a thick cord around his neck. Woya fights back like a bull. He smashes into walls and topples over the last remaining comm-towers. His ankles are giving out on him and he keeps falling onto his knees only to regain his footing a moment later. Naki holds on tight attempting to steer him.
Hypernova Series: Worlds At war Page 17