The Beginning of the End (Universe in Flames Book 4)

by Christian Kallias

  “I know. I just can’t stand idly by while the universe around me is destroyed, at least not if I can do something about it.”

  “Did you ever ask yourself if perhaps that’s its destiny?”

  “Was that Athena talking or my father?”

  “Touché. But now that most inhabitants of this universe don’t really pray nor fear our wrath, it’s a little more difficult to care about what happens to them.”

  “We both know you don’t mean that. I never took you for one that craved such things.”

  “And you’d be right. But lately I have been wondering what it meant to be alive. Immortality has the disadvantage of making things really boring after a while.”

  “Well then, perhaps you should hear me out.”

  She took another sip. “Why the hell not.”

  “The Furies have risen from the dead.”

  “They were never dead, and there lies the problem.”

  “Indeed. Still, they haven’t yet had time to manufacture their armada of old. Their ships fell during the last war. Before coming here, I took a tour of their world, and they’re almost done building their first exterminator-class destroyer. But now that Argos has managed to feed them a continuous stream of resources, they’ve started building others, many others.”

  “And you want us to stop them?”

  “My thinking is that we have to try. It took our participation in the universe-wide coalition of worlds to defeat them back then. It stands to reason we’ll have to play a part in that once more.”

  “Unless we let the younger races take care of it, like we all promised we would.”

  “The others races might want to rethink that old pact as well. If it was a new race tying to rise to power I would be inclined to agree with you. But the Furies are almost as old as us. The new races don’t stand and chance. In fact, for a long time it also looked as if we wouldn’t stand a chance.”

  “You’re forgetting something. It took the legendary spirit ships to make that happen. Without them the Furies had reached a level of technology even higher than our own.”

  “Then why don’t we just get them back? If Zeus didn’t destroy the key to the dimension prison, I bet these ships are also still lying somewhere, taking dust until they are again needed.”

  “I wish I could tell you more but I simply don’t have this information. Perhaps they are . . .”

  Athena lowered her eyes and she looked at her empty glass. She lifted her other hand with grace and the jar containing the wine flew to her, poured her another drink and went back to the table.

  “Couldn’t you have done that before?”

  “Like I said, Ares, I’m bored. Sometimes I need to stretch my legs.”

  “About the ships. Any information you can give me, even sketchy, would be welcome.”

  Ares saw something in her eyes. There was something she wasn’t telling him.

  “Please?” he pleaded.

  “Look, Ares, I’m really happy to see you and I am glad for this talk, but I’m unsure you want to know the information I have, which—and I must stress this point—might or might not be true.”

  “Why don’t you tell me anyway?”

  “Very well. But you’re not going to like it.”

  “Will you tell me already?”

  She sighed.

  “According to some information I came by three thousand years ago, the legendary spirit ships were destroyed.”

  “Are you certain of this?”

  “What part of ‘might not be true’ didn’t you understand?”

  “Right. Anyone who could let us know? Do you remember who told you this?”

  “Father, but he did it in passing really, so unless we ask him directly, which I doubt he would like coming from you . . .”

  “And what about if you asked him?”

  “Sure, I will go to him and say, ‘Father, didn’t you tell me the spirit ships had been destroyed? I vaguely remember a conversation we had eons ago, please tell me more.’”

  Ares didn’t appreciate the sarcasm but she had a point. Zeus would immediately know he had put her up to it. At the moment he’d rather have Athena as a potential ally rather than alienate her from their father. Athena was a very powerful Olympian, and an incredible tactician. The Earth Alliance sure could use her help.

  “You’re right, he would see right through that.”

  “Of course he would.”

  “One thing, though, why are these ships so special? Do you know?”

  “Again, I’m not the right person to ask.”

  “Anything you can remember, even a small detail?”

  “I don’t know about detail, but I remember that they were a piece of extremely advanced technology that came from the previous age, possibly pre-dating our own creation.”

  “Creation?”

  “Well, Zeus likes to tell tales about how we came to be, but there are those amongst us who think we had creators. The very first race to travel the stars.”

  “They have a name?”

  “They probably have one, but I’m sure father burned every reference to it from history. Anyway, it is said that these ships have the ability to channel and focus one’s internal power and deliver that energy into space safely.”

  Ares’ blood froze. The implications were huge. If such a ship existed, someone like Chase could use his power in space without creating black holes and other tears in the space-time continuum. He could probably wipe out an entire fleet with just one of these ships. Ares knew then and there that these spirit ships would be the key to the whole Fury war.

  “I wish I could tell you more, really. And I will think about carefully slipping a kind word in your favor with father if the occasion arises.”

  “Thank you, sister. You’ve actually been more helpful than you know today. I’ll probably swing by to see you again in the future.”

  “It’s been nice talking with you, Ares. Don’t let it be centuries this time, and please make sure to visit me at least once more before you decide to sail on the Styx.”

  “It sure won’t be centuries, and the Styx will have to wait until after the Furies have been dealt with. Thanks again for your help.”

  “Anytime.”

  Ares vanished into nothingness as Athena took another sip of her drink.

  * * *

  Chase parried Miseo’s next incoming wave of front and back kicks, but Miseo was now on a par with him with respect to speed. He had to stay incredibly focused to not get hit by the incoming blows. It didn’t let him breathe, though, and he couldn’t find an opening.

  For the time being he had to contend with just blocking, dodging and parrying. But then Miseo threw him a curveball and hit him square in the face with a heel kick. Chase temporarily lost balance but managed to recover quickly.

  Miseo switched to a series of punches next, alternating between jabs, hooks and uppercuts. Then Chase got an idea. It was risky, but he had to try something. He couldn’t stay on the defensive forever.

  Chase let Miseo execute his next punch combo and feinted being sucker-punched by one of the uppercuts, but then he grabbed Miseo’s forearm and swiped his left leg with enough force to make him lose balance. He then pulled Miseo forward and hit him with a scorpion kick, a move his Fury enemy was clearly not prepared for.

  Miseo stumbled back, disoriented. Chase lost no time lighting up two fireballs, sending one of them low intentionally. It exploded in front of Miseo, who probably didn’t understand why Chase hadn’t fired at him directly, but it provided him with a dust screen. The second one shot through the cloud and was aimed at his head, but Miseo dodged it by tilting his head to the left. Before he realized it was a ruse, Chase was already in the air, landing an extremely powerful flying kick, hitting Miseo’s cheek with the full force with his shin. Miseo fell to the ground a few yards away

  Chase flew in pursuit, but Miseo pushed hard on his hands and back-flipped into a standing position. He threw both his clawed hands forward. Chase felt a
n invisible force field slow him down in midair. The more he tried to push through the more he slowed down.

  An idea took form in his mind. He consciously pushed even more and saw veins on Miseo’s arms grow bigger in order to increase his hold on Chase. It now looked as if he was stuck in midair.

  Chase then suddenly stopped pushing and flew backwards, helped by the opposing kinetic energy blast from Miseo’s counter. The moment Miseo let go Chase was already twirling madly in the air, curled into a ball, and out of the blue shot two columns of energy. But he didn’t shoot them at Miseo. He used them to increase his thrust as he flew towards Miseo like a shooting star, head first. When his head impacted with Miseo’s torso, Miseo was clearly unprepared for that ingenious move. His armor cracked upon impact and Miseo was thrown backwards for miles.

  Before Miseo could hit the ground Chase was already under him, hands firmly planted in the ground as he catapulted Miseo into the heavens by extending both his feet upwards. Miseo whirled uncontrollably during his ascent and was only stopped when Chase smashed his face with a fireball-infused right hook. Miseo saw stars before his eyes and Chase lost no time grabbing him from behind and locking his arms at shoulder level.

  Chase twirled with Miseo locked in. The resulting whirlwind soon created a powerful cyclone as Chase then forced them both to shoot back towards the ground from miles high. They looked like a comet about to impact with the planet.

  At the last second, Chase release his grasp and somersaulted in midair, using kinetic energy to pull himself backward. Miseo crashed into the ground with the force of a thousand bombs. The resulting explosion could be seen from space, with a giant shockwave traveling for hundreds of miles around the point of impact.

  Chase’s hair flew madly in the air as he witnessed the spectacle from above. He checked his power levels and worried when he realized he was at a less than twenty percent. He would need to finish Miseo with his next set of attacks or he would run out of juice.

  When the dust had settled, there was a fifteen-mile-wide crater on the surface of Droxia.

  Chase wondered if perhaps he had defeated his enemy, but his instincts told him otherwise.

  That was confirmed when a huge mound of soil started moving in the middle of the crater.

  C H A P T E R

  XIX

  Miseo rose back up as the ground that covered him trickled down around him. His face had seen better days. Deep cuts under the left eye, on his right temple and right cheek, still gushed blood. He looked enraged, with most blood vessels in his eyes having popped, aggravating the already mad look he shot towards Chase.

  Chase checked his enemy’s power levels and was pleased to see they had been cut in two, but he was still around forty percent, more than double what Chase still had left.

  Miseo levitated into the sky and reached Chase’s altitude, although he was still a couple of miles away. He passed his hand over his face and looked at it. It was covered with his own blood. He healed himself and Chase felt a little dip in Miseo’s power level as he did so.

  Perhaps it was something to be exploited.

  A nearby engine hummed, but no ship was visible. But Chase felt his brother’s presence inside the craft and shot a warning fireball towards it. It briefly lit the shield and revealed its position a couple hundred yards east of him.

  What do you want, Argos? asked Chase telepathically.

  I just want to be here for your demise, that’s all.

  I am not going to fall today. Are you waiting your turn so once your competition in the Fury ranks is diminished you can cowardly finish me off and take all the credit?

  Come on now, brother, I’m just curious, that’s all.

  Stop calling me that. And stay out of this fight.

  We shall see. Miseo promised me I could be the one to kill you.

  Not if I have anything to say about that.

  Chase flew down and landed inside the crater. Miseo did the same, landing only a few yards away. He crossed his arms over his chest.

  His armor had been thoroughly damaged and half of his clothing had been torn to shreds.

  “I must congratulate you on your last attack. I did not expect such a powerful display, but it did cost you a lot of energy. I can feel you’re running on fumes now.”

  “It cost you a lot as well and you know it.”

  “Perhaps, but not enough for me to lose this fight. You should have made sure to finish me off after sending me to the ground. Waiting for me to get back up was a terrible mistake.”

  Had he made a strategic error? he wondered.

  “I enjoyed fighting you today, Miseo, more than I thought I would.”

  “You’re finally discovering what your Fury heritage is all about. We love to fight. It’s in our blood. We also love to kill. I’m sure you felt a surge of pleasure when you ripped out Arkoolis’ heart.”

  Had he enjoyed killing Arkoolis? Chase didn’t really know at the moment. He felt it was necessary to avenge the billions that had died at his hands today, but did he feel personal pleasure in doing so? Chase decided that now was not the time to think about that.

  “Perhaps. But I think using our powers on lesser beings is the trademark of cowards. Why don’t you fight between yourselves and leave the universe alone?”

  Miseo laughed. “We have a score to settle as a race. You wouldn’t understand.”

  “I understand better than you think.”

  “Shall we continue?”

  “Unless you’d like to leave this world now. Your fleet in orbit has been reduced to ashes. You and Argos are all that’s left, and perhaps it’s time to pack it up and call it a day?”

  “Do you really believe I would let you live after killing Arkoolis? No, you must pay for this crime with your life, today.”

  The next few minutes would see the end of this confrontation, one way or the other.

  “Alright then, let’s finish this once and for all, Miseo.”

  Chase smirked.

  Argos landed the still-cloaked Dark Star atop the crated and exited the craft.

  Miseo looked at him. “Do not intervene. That’s the one order you do not wish to disobey.”

  His icy tone sent shivers down Argos’ spine.

  “I won’t,” replied Argos. “But remember what we agreed upon.”

  “We shall see,” said Miseo as he launched himself towards Chase with all his might.

  * * *

  Argos looked at the fight unfolding before his eyes. Both Laiyos and Miseo were incredible fighters. As much as it pained him to admit it, they were both vastly superior warriors to him now. That hurt his pride more than he was ready to accept.

  He probed both fighters’ energy levels and saw the difference between them.

  You’ve overextended yourself, Laiyos. You will run out of juice soon.

  But then Argos’ response to that thought was a mixed bag of positive and negative emotions.

  He waited patiently for his chance to finally take his life, and take revenge for all the pain Laiyos had been responsible for. Both after and before Argos had removed all his memories, in fact. Some of these painful memories ran deep inside Argos’ psyche.

  Laiyos had parried Miseo’s first combo and counterattacked with a combo of his own. They had very different fighting techniques. Miseo had a more raw and powerful approach to his blows, while Laiyos had more grace in his movements, even though some of them weren’t executed most efficiently.

  Argos wondered if Laiyos was aware of that, or if he fought this way naturally. Perhaps it all came down to his training. Which brought back the memories of his own fight with Ares. Ares also used fully formed attacks and had that quality of delivering moves that were beautiful to look at, but not always efficient or fast enough.

  Ares had trained Chase well. In fact, he had done with him in just a few days, more than Chase had learned in his entire life before Argos had been forced to wipe his memory.

  Did I just call him Chase?

  Argos wa
s surprised by that, but he felt that it mattered not what he called his twin brother. As long as the fight was headed this way, he would lose for sure.

  But then Chase broke one of Miseo’s combos and his counterattack was brutal. He pounded Miseo with more and more powerful blows and sent him to the ground.

  Reminds you of some bad memories? he heard Chase say in his mind. I can sense your thoughts, Argos. Is that worry that I might lose this fight I sense at the moment?

  Argos was stunned he could do that and fight at the same time.

  I’m just enjoying the show, and you should concentrate on your fight instead of diverting your focus.

  I’ll take that as a yes.

  Chase kept grinding at Miseo and he sent him flying upwards in the sky, right before unleashing a series of icy-blue fireballs. Miseo was hit by a couple of them, but quickly recovered and deflected the next ones away.

  Miseo then unleashed his own set of fireballs, but Chase deflected a few and blocked the last two and assimilated them. He received a small boost in energy doing so.

  One of the deflected fireballs ran straight towards Argos and he blocked it with ease. He closed his fist around it and it was reduced to nothingness.

  Argos saw what his brother was trying to do, but Miseo made sure to only send small-powered attacks towards him.

  The end is near . . .

  * * *

  Before returning to Droxia, Ares decided to make a little detour via Erevos.

  The first thing he saw sent a shiver through his non-corporeal being. There orbited a ship that was as black as the night. It was spiky, and massive. Bigger even than the Zarlack behemoth destroyers, it looked like a shadow from hell, with long spikes arching forward, and soon the Alliance would have to face this new, formidable technological foe in their upcoming battles.

  He was surprised not to find Aphroditis and the soul-sucking machine she was now a prisoner of. The destroyer that once was her newly forced home was still there, but she wasn’t onboard anymore. Ares expanded his consciousness to the entire planet and it didn’t take him long to detect the now faint remains of Aphroditis’ trapped consciousness and ever-drained life force.