Into the Fire Part I: Requiem of Souls (Universe in Flames Book 9)

by Christian Kallias

  The guard fell on his knees in front of him, holding his bleeding chest and moaning. Poseidon released his grasp on his weapon, but the Trident stayed hovering where it was, not affected by the planet’s gravity, while Poseidon grabbed the Fury’s head with both hands and finished him off by vigorously twisting his neck.

  “Don’t call me that!” protested Chris, as he sent a flurry of smaller fireballs toward the next wave of Furies.

  Poseidon looked at Thor. “He’s a little on edge, isn’t he?”

  “Chris is doing fine; you’re the one that seems out of sorts. Is your new mechanical arm bothering you?”

  Poseidon opened and closed his bionic arm a few times.

  “No, it’s fine. I just miss the original one.”

  “Look at it this way, you at least have an arm, and you’re breathing, that has to count for something. I do have a question about it, though?”

  “Shoot,” said Poseidon, semi-absently.

  “It looks like a very complex piece of technology, but you don’t seem to be using it beyond what your other arm does. Isn’t it stronger and loaded with armament?”

  Poseidon looked at some of the blinking lights escaping from behind a black chrome finish of his new appendage.

  “It is. I just don’t need to at the moment. This feels a little like an aberration, but I wouldn’t expect anyone else to understand.”

  “Well, I do,” said Thor. “Mine bothered me at first, that’s why I had fake skin grafted onto it, so at least it doesn’t look like it’s a foreign thing. I’m sure the Earth Alliance will be more than willing to also graft some fake skin on yours as well if you ask them.”

  Poseidon gave the Asgardian a surprised look.

  “You’ve lost your arm, too?”

  “Yes; a very long time ago, during the first Fury War, in fact.”

  “I haven’t seen you use its special abilities either, then. So why would you tell me to use mine?”

  “That’s because you haven’t been paying attention. Watch.”

  Thor opened his right hand and the hammer he had sent toward the group of incoming Furies, knocking a few of them, turned around, punched through an unlucky Fury’s head that was in the way of the returning weapon before it flew back to Thor’s hand. Upon grabbing the weapon, green lights illuminated on Thor’s hand tattoos and traveled upward on Thor’s hammer. That’s when Poseidon understood that these weren’t just decorative tattoos like the ones Asgardians have on their faces and other body parts, but an interface and probably power distribution system for a very advanced remote controllable weapon.

  “Neat.”

  “I’m glad you agree; now that I’ve shown you what mine can do, why don’t you show me what your arm can do?”

  “I’d rather not.”

  “Poseidon, I understand how you must feel, but I think it would be better if you trained with it. It took me a while to be proficient with my own arm, and the last thing we need is for you not being able to use it at a moment where we may need you to.”

  Chris flew between them and crashed nearby. He got back on his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

  “Thanks for the assist, guys. When you’re done with your private committee, perhaps you could help me out a little.”

  “Sorry about that,” said Poseidon.

  The god of the seas aimed his open bionic palm toward the ten or so shouting Fury guards that were running their way. Blue light quickly lit up from his artificial shoulder all the way to the tips of his fingers and a large and furious column of blue energy shot and impacted with the incoming foes, freezing them on the spot.

  Thor hurled his hammer toward the frozen Fury statues, which exploded more than half of them on its way through before returning to the Asgardian’s hand.

  “Neat! Why wouldn’t you want to use this power? Is there anything else it can do?”

  Poseidon nodded, and the lighting on his arm turned red. Five successive inflamed fragile-framed looking cannonballs shot toward the few frozen Furies still standing. Just before impacting, the microscopic elements forming the frame of the cannonballs exploded in every direction, they left a red laser trail behind them as they cut through the ice statues as if they were made of butter.

  “Whoaaa,” exclaimed Chris. “Give it to Yanis to come up with the most badass weapons.”

  Poseidon smiled.

  “See,” said Thor. “It’s a good thing you test these out; you never know when you might need them, and it’s a good way for you to know their strength, their weaknesses, as well as their range. I take it that you don’t have an infinite supply of energy to use them, though.”

  “I suppose you’re right. No, that Yanis character said he put one hell of a miniature quadrinium power core in there, and I should at least expect a few shots from each weapon until it needs recharging.”

  “Ok then, to use with parsimony once you have tested each of its abilities,” said Thor before turning around.

  “You can come out now; the coast is clear,” said Chris.

  He walked past Thor and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at Ares and Kvasir getting out from behind cover.

  “For now, at least,” he added.

  15

  After the mission briefing, Emperor Altair requested Ryonna to stay and talk further.

  “Look, I know there’s no love lost between us,” said the emperor.

  “That’s putting it mildly,” said Ryonna, her tone ice cold.

  “Alright, you hate me, I get that. I understand that my rule as the emperor and my past choices were questionable, but I don’t understand why this hatred seems so personal. What did I do to the Droxian people? It’s true that before the arrival of Chase and his friends we weren’t allies, but the Obsidian Empire and the Droxian people were not enemies. Yet, I sense that’s how you see me.”

  Fire burned inside Ryonna’s eyes.

  I’d like to rip your head from your shoulders.

  Ryonna’s voice trembled slightly, which was a rare occurrence.

  “You had my son imprisoned on Hellstar. And put a bounty on my head. Or have you forgotten that?”

  Emperor Altair’s face appeared confused.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Don’t! Don’t you dare.”

  “Look, Ryonna, I swear I had nothing to do with that. I don’t deny that perhaps someone in my administration had taken action against you and your family, and I apologize for that, but I did not have anything to do with that personally. Not that I remember, anyway.”

  Ryonna realized that perhaps he hadn’t played a direct role in the arrest and imprisonment of Ronan, but she still held him personally responsible, whether he had actually played a role or not.

  “Ah! Exactly, how would you remember any of these cases you might have signed without giving it a single thought?”

  “How old was your son when the Empire sent him to prison.”

  Ryonna pointed an accusing finger at the emperor. “You, not the Empire, and even if you didn’t sign the order yourself, anything that happens under your rule is your responsibility.”

  Emperor Altair lowered his gaze for a moment.

  “You’re right. Everything that happens under my rule, I’m responsible for. I’m sorry for what we’ve— what I’ve done to you.”

  Ryonna growled.

  “My son was sixteen when he was sent to Hellstar; he’s seventeen now.”

  “I’m glad you got him out of there. I take it the incident where half the prison population escaped was your doing?”

  “Not exactly; Argos and Chase showed up, but I would have gotten my son out regardless.”

  “I can see it in your eyes that you would have.”

  “What else can you see in my eyes?”

  “That you want to burn a hole through my forehead.”

  “Don’t tempt me.”

  “I’m not trying to, Ryonna. And if you want to sit this mission out,
I’d understand.”

  “You understand nothing! I promised Chase I would help with this, and I will. It doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.”

  “Fair enough. I want to apologize for any suffering I might have cause—”

  “Stop! I don’t care about your ‘after the fact’ pity and fake concern.”

  “I assure you it’s not fake.”

  “Whatever! Can I get the fuck out of here now?”

  The emperor nodded. Ryonna took several steps toward the doors of the emperor’s ready room but stopped after a few feet.

  “Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?” asked the emperor, tentatively.

  Ryonna turned around and looked at Emperor Altair casting him a subzero look.

  “Have you ever heard of Sektor Atrak?”

  “The name rings a bell, yes.”

  Ryonna’s blood boiled. She ran back toward the emperor and jumped and landed on his desk. The moment she did, a sharp blade was pressing against the emperor’s throat.

  “One of yours? One of the members of your administration as you put it earlier?”

  “Not exactly, but he had dealings with high-ranking members of the Empire. Until someone killed hi— It was you, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes, I killed that piece of shit!” snarled Ryonna.

  “That’s how you got into Hellstar; to save your son. Before you kill me, I’d like to thank you.”

  Ryonna pressed her blade harder and pushed the emperor’s head further back.

  “For what? Giving you a merciful death?”

  “If you must, yes. My thanks, however, are for killing that scummy piece of crap Sektor Atrak. Shortly after he died, I received anonymous information on this man’s atrocious dealings. If you hadn’t killed him, I would have executed him myself, but not before making him suffer for the horrendous crimes he had committed.”

  Jonas had promised he would send the documents implicating Atrak to the authorities; that’s what the emperor must have been referring to. Ryonna holstered her blaster, and a rogue tear traveled down her cheek. She jumped down from the table.

  “Good answer, Emperor.”

  “Can I ask you something, Ryonna?”

  “Sure. Just make it quick; I have that mission you need my help with to get ready for.”

  “What did this man do to you?”

  “He took the one person I loved more than anything from me, and he made it look like an accident.”

  “I’m truly sorry to hear this, Ryonna. I wish there were something I could say or do to help you with the pain you must be feeling, but I know there isn’t. I’m glad you had your revenge, and know that if you had slashed my throat just now, I wouldn’t have blamed you. You were right earlier, what happens on my watch is my responsibility, and while Atrak wasn’t directly under my command, I should have been in the loop of the dealings he had with my people instead of delegating to untrustworthy vultures interested more in climbing the ranks and their own monetary interests than justice.

  “So, I’m truly sorry that I’ve let something like this happen, and that the one you loved lost his life because of it. As the emperor, I trusted that everyone under my command was doing their job diligently without accounting for their actions. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t regret being so blind and power driven. I know it won’t bring back the lives that were lost, and that I can never really atone for it either.”

  To her surprise, the emperor’s words washed away some of Ryonna’s deep-rooted anger and soothed her soul. He didn’t seem to be playing a role; his words rang true, and Ryonna could feel the sincerity behind them. She had assaulted him and was ready to kill him, and still, the man was apologizing to her and meaning it when he could have her arrested and killed. Perhaps she had misjudged him. After all, Commodore Saroudis had considered him a friend, and the Commodore’s moral compass had never wavered, not even at the very end.

  Even though she wanted to, her pride prevented Ryonna from verbalizing her gratefulness for the emperor’s words. So she left the room without looking back or saying another word.

  ARGOS DECAPITATED the last Fury guard defending the catacomb under Arakan’s palace by slashing it with his crimson energy-infused palm. Its head fell to the ground and rebounded a couple of times, making squishy sounds.

  “You enjoy gory finishes, don’t you?” reprimanded Oryn.

  “Look who’s talking, Ms. I impale everything that stands in my way.”

  “Touché,” she replied with a smile.

  “How far are we from our father’s cell?” requested Chase. “This is taking way longer than I expected, or hoped.”

  “You didn’t expect Arakan not to put obstacles in our way, now did you?” scoffed Oryn. “I’m sure he has more surprises for us along the way.”

  “While I don’t enjoy killing Zargons, after all, they are just animals that the Furies exploit as war cannon fodder if all Arakan has to throw at us is his weak-standard Fury guards, he can keep sending them,” commented Argos. “I’ll dispatch them by the dozen; that will make for a good warm-up for when he gets his ass here.”

  “How many times do I have to repeat this: Arakan is mine,” grunted Oryn.

  “That’s enough! Arakan is not yours to fight alone. We’ll do our best to let you finish him off if we’re given the occasion, but you’re not to engage him alone.”

  “The hell we are,” said Argos. “If I get a shot to kill the bastard, I’m not gonna stop to let her finish him. That could be the mistake that gets us all killed.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” said Oryn, ice forming in her eyes as she pointed an open palm toward Argos.

  Argos did the same and pointed his own palm toward Oryn. “Oh, believe me, I would. You’re not the only one who’s been impacted by Zeus’ death.”

  Chase teleported between them. “Listen up, and listen good, because I’ve had it with the both of you bickering for hours now. Oryn, if you’re not going to follow the rules, tell me now so that I can teleport you on board the Victory, and Argos, do you have to antagonize her every chance you get? Why can’t the two of you get along, at least for the duration of this mission, which, I’d like to remind the both of you, isn’t just about killing Arakan but a double rescue mission, in addition to making sure the machine is reprogrammed so we can finally get rid of all the Furies. Have the two of you stopped to think that perhaps that’s how we will deal with Arakan?”

  “No!” protested Oryn. “He needs to suffer and feel my hand rip his beating heart from his chest before this is all over.”

  Chase slapped away her still pointing palm and pointed a finger right in front of her eyes. “One more word, I swear, one more, and I’m teleporting you back.”

  “But not today,” she added.

  “Technically, that’s three words,” smirked Argos.

  Chase sent daggers toward his brother.

  “Just saying.”

  Chase exhaled in frustration and returned his gaze toward Oryn.

  “How far are we from the cell?”

  “Not far; we just have to pass through that large door over there, then there’s a long corridor leading to a row of mostly empty cells, except one on the far right. That’s where Menelas should be.”

  “Should be?” questioned Argos.

  “Yes, should be. I can’t guarantee Arakan hasn’t moved him, though I seriously doubt it.”

  “And why’s that?” inquired Chase.

  “Because it’s a very high-tech cell, which only Arakan can get into. I tried once, and there are no controls to get in. The cell is enhanced with quadrinium-mesh blast doors; no one can get in or out.”

  “Fortunately, we don’t need to blast through; I’ll just teleport inside and get Menelas out the same way.”

  “Yeah, that should do it, but it’s possible Arakan would have booby trapped it to blow if anyone but him gets in or the prisoner tries to get out.”

  “I’ll have to be fast then,” said Chase.

&nbs
p; Chase wondered if that was why he heard Menelas telling him not to come to Erevos, that somehow, he knew his cell was booby trapped, and that coming to get him could result in the death of anyone attempting it. It mattered not what kind of challenges Arakan had put in their way. They were getting Menelas out of there, and soon; the entire war could very well depend on the location of the soul ships. And, if his father was the only living being to know where to find them, then he was the most important part of this mission; that alone was more important than their blood connection.

  “Let’s go,” added Chase. “We need to get moving; I have a bad feeling about all of this. It’s been way too simple so far.”

  “Perhaps Arakan simply has underestimated who he is dealing with?” said Argos casually.

  “I wouldn’t count on it,” commented Oryn, pointing toward the large blast doors a few dozen yards ahead of them.

  Chase was the first to pass through the doors after they swiftly split open. The second he was through, and before Oryn and Argos could enter the next room, the blast doors closed with a hydraulic locking sound.

  ONCE THE QUARTET of remote StarFuries joined Daniel’s wing, he reprogrammed them to be ready to jump and overloaded their quadrinium chambers with a simple macro he could activate with a single thought.

  Daniel opened a comm to the rest of his pilots.

  “We need to try and light up the target, and obviously, lasers in our line of sight isn’t cutting it. So, I have an idea. We’ll deploy all our drones, so they rotate on themselves and fire high-speed low-yield laser fire. I'm transmitting to you a macro that I’ve written for the drones. If any of you are near the ship when the impact is detected, jump away. I have a very specific plan so you must trust me, because the second we have contact, I’ll be sending StarFuries to impact with it. You do not want to get caught in the resulting explosion. I know your instinct might tell you to try and fire upon the destroyer, but we need a really big bang so that our engineers can devise a surefire way to detect the ship. And we can’t get enough of an explosion any other way; so, do not engage, just vacate the area if you’re anywhere near shield impact.”