by Erik Weir
“I think Vala wants everyone to love. I’m glad I could help in some small way,” Victor said with a genuine smile.
Szura’s expression warmed with an angry edge. “I haven’t felt the warmth of love in a very long time, but don’t think because we share the same goddess, I will be fawning over you.”
“Never crossed my mind,” Victor said, keeping his smile.
Szura’s anger bubbled away to a knowing smirk. “I can see why Vala chose you. Even now, I can feel her pulling herself back together in the great void. When she returns, death will hover over this realm with waiting hands.”
Victor nodded. “Then we will protect her and each other, together.”
Pink touched the lich’s cheeks as she dipped her head, hat covering her expression. “Safe journey, Vala’s Blade.”
“Protect the mountain until I come back,” Victor said with a kind edge before turning and continuing to walk toward the springs.
Szura lifted her hat just enough to watch Victor walk away. “I will.”
The night air flowed down from the top of the mountain. Victor looked up to see light glowing from Vala’s temple. Taking a deep inhale, he savored the unique air from the realm before stepping along the small paths between spring pools. Water bubbled but the pools were empty. An oval cave sat against the mountain, tendrils of mist spilling out and blending with the steamy heat of the springs.
Victor stepped along until he stood before the cave. He knew he could open a portal to any of the realms, but he figured against it, saving his power for when it would be needed. Turning his head, he took one last long look at the mountainside village, his heart lingering on all the beautiful women he loved and fought side by side with. The dark foreboding was still there, under his skin, but he pushed it down, ready for what he had to do next.
Victor took a deep breath as he looked to the misty cave. With one foot forward, he started walking as misty tentacles caressed his body. Darkness loomed as he marched into the cave and vanished into the mists without a sound.
The abyss yawned as the Champion walked. Thoughts drifted as cool air washed over him. Images of Lily and Dawn swirled along his inner thoughts before a ghostly image of Vala appeared. The Blade wanted to believe it was the goddess, coming to speak to him but he knew deep down that she wasn’t there. With a thought, the image of Vala’s robed form melted away and he continued to walk along the misty abyss.
You’re not alone.
“I know,” Victor said, his voice echoing through the darkness.
An oval light appeared in the small distance. Victor picked up the pace, making his way to the portal and mentally preparing himself. A thought flashed of his mother and his heart hardened with confidence. The mystical journey continued but it wasn’t over. The realms hung in the balance and he wasn’t going to let his friends and family down.
Stepping through the oval portal, Victor emerged. Bright light died away as a metal corridor surrounded him. The Champion craned his head around to see he was aboard the Xull ship. Letting out a small huff, he had no idea where in the ship he emerged.
A clanking sound emerged and Victor turned his gaze. Three worker drones moved in unison. Simple digital red eyes stared forward as they marched as one. Victor was quick to stand aside as the drones approached him. Two continued to step past him while the third slowed and turned its digital eyes to the man standing in the corridor.
Victor waited until the drone stepped closer and the digital face pixilated. The red eyes and thin line for a mouth changed and reconfigured, several more colors appearing on the smooth helmet-like head. When the colors and light changed into a beautiful woman’s face, she smiled as she stood before the Champion.
“Victor Hobbs, good to see you once again,” the face of Xull said with a small smile.
“Xull, good to see you too,” Victor grinned.
The drone glanced around before looking to Victor again, “I assume you’re here to see Portia. I will escort you to the Bridge.”
Victor nodded as Xull began walking again. He quickly hurried to her side and stayed in step as the drone marched on.
“How is everything?”
“The Seproh of Valis are adjusting to the designated area on Xull Prime. Wynn has been instrumental in helping them acclimate to my realm. She is a skilled diplomat.”
Victor nodded. “I take it, things are not going well here?”
Xull nodded. “We have come across a problem that has halted terraforming Valis. I will leave the details to Portia for she has been monitoring the situation.”
“How have you been?” Victor asked innocently.
The Xull drone stopped its stride and simply stood for a few seconds. Victor watched her, unsure if he asked something wrong. After another second, Xull began walking again.
“I’m fine. It is the best description I can give with the information I have. My probability algorithms dictate in the near future the Realms will be in dire need of support and currently, this is the calm before the storm.”
Victor gave a tired nod, feeling the weight of the crusade on his shoulders.
Xull continued, “All is not negative outcomes. I currently have four Dreadnought ships nearing completion. They will be just as strong as the Avatar and allow quick insertion and defense across the realms. The Dimensional drives have been perfected so as to allow easy access to each Realm.”
“Are you going to police the six realms?” Victor asked not completely sure of the artificial intelligence’s motives.
Xull turned her head and gave Victor a warm smile. “With the return of Vala, we are staying true to the agreement. My ships will only aid in defense. I see no advantage to securing more territory when each realm has vast territory beyond their home worlds.
“The Xull only wish for peace.”
Victor returned her smile with his own. To hear the word “Wish” and “Peace” from an artificial intelligence blew his mind in a good way. Despite her robotic nature, the Xull Mainframe was staying true to what she agreed to. It was nice to hear it and he hoped Xull will keep her word.
An envelope appeared at Victor’s shoulder. Xull and Victor turned their eyes to it as it floated unassisted in the air. The Blade grinned as he plucked the letter from the air and extended it to the drone.
“It seems you’re invited to the resurrection.”
Xull reached up and took hold of the envelope. Mechanical fingers deftly opened the envelope and pulled out the invitation. Digital eyes scanned the document before Xull let her robotic arm drop and bowed to Victor.
“I will be honored to attend the gathering,” Xull said before standing up and walking again. “I will prepare a suitable body for the affair, one to mark the occasion.”
Victor gave a polite smile as they continued on. The corridors made sharp turns and before Victor felt truly lost, two doors slid open and a Bridge Command center spread out before him. Robotic and humanoid bodies stood at stations while a blonde-haired woman gazed out the giant screen to a planet below.
Victor’s heart leapt in his chest as he stepped onto the Bridge. Stars in his eyes, he couldn’t hold back the excitement. The Xull ship’s Bridge looked almost like Star Trek The Next Generation’s Bridge. Geeking out, he drank in the glowing consoles, stations and there was even a Captain’s chair. Fingers shaking, he moved to the back of the Captain’s chair and pressed his hand to it, letting the wondrous nostalgia wash over him like when he first watched the series.
“Victor, be well. I will leave you in Portia’s capable hands,” The Xull drone said before it’s face turned back to two simple red eyes and thin line for a mouth.
The double doors slide closed as the drone stepped out. Portia turned around and gave Victor a smile before stepping closer. The Blade looked up, a new light in his eyes, but his hand didn’t let go of the chair.
“Welcome to the Avatar,” Portia smiled.
“It’s good to be here,” Victor said while his hand continued to caress the chair.
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br /> Portia glanced to the Blade’s hand and nodded. “Do you want to sit in the chair?”
“Do I!” Victor said without a second thought. Whipping his body around the edge, his rump slammed into the seat and rested his arms on the armrests.
A cool satisfaction washed over the Champion as he sat back. It was just as he imagined. A sense of power and duty filled his beating heart. Resisting the urge to shout out commands, he allowed himself a chance to enjoy the moment.
Portia eyed him with a gentle smile, watching as the young man enjoyed the seat. “It’s an observation chair. Xull had it built so I could watch what was happening on the surface.”
Victor looked to the angel, “Where I come from, this is a Captain’s Chair. The commander of a star ship who gives orders to their crew so they can overcome any hostile threat. It is a seat of great honor.”
Portia nodded. “There is no Captain here. The ship is fully automated and follows Xull’s commands. Myself and the few Seproh here are merely observers and advisors.”
Victor closed his eyes for a moment, “It still feels like a Captain’s chair.”
Portia stood patiently as Victor’s eyes opened. The Blade’s demeanor shifted from the geeky moment and looked to the beautiful thin woman. Remembering why he was here, he stood up reluctantly from the chair and stood before the angelic beauty. Portia leaned forward, hugging the Champion close. Victor returned the hug as they continued their embrace. Breaking away at the same time, the pair stood before each other.
“It’s good to see you,” Portia said, her tone making her smaller.
“It’s good to see you. How is it, living on Xull?”
Portia’s smile faded. “I wouldn’t know. I have spent most of my time here on the ship, observing Valis below. I receive reports of my people adjusting to their new lives on Xull, but I have had time only for short visits before returning here.”
“I heard that the terraforming isn’t going so well. That’s why I’m here to help.”
Portia’s demeanor took a dark edge before she turned and walked to the large viewscreen. Victor followed and stood at her side. The image shifted, dark clouds completely surrounding the planet below. The cloud cover masked everything, turning Valis into a dark Venus.
Portia spoke as she looked to the shifting sea of clouds. “I’m happy to know my requests to Cassandra were answered. A few weeks ago, the terraforming machines anchored to the planet began production. They started to filter the toxic air and everything seemed in working order until one by one they began to fail or blink out. Xull assured us it not due to the equipment for they were in working order.
“Scans and remaining bits of data collected showed that each of the machines were destroyed. Since they are built to withstand the toxic and violent environment, Xull calculated it was not due to the planet, but something else.”
Victor’s mind worked but before he could say anything, Portia pointed to the cloudy planet.
“Watch. It should happen again,” Portia said with unblinking eyes.
Victor’s eyes narrowed, watching the surface of the planet. All he saw was shifting and rolling dark clouds. Lips parted, ready to ask what he was looking for when light flashed. A patch of dark clouds lit up with a symphony of patterns, lightning arcing across the cloud cover. A pulse touched Victor’s spirit and he couldn’t believe it matched the flashing light among the black and gray clouds.
The dance of light faded away and the morphing surface returned to normal.
A thought stabbed into Victor’s mind and heart as he stared down in disbelief. “Was that…Umus?”
Portia nodded with grave eyes. “Xull managed to clean up some of the data collection. Umus is still on the surface, continuing to fight the Elder Thing. The flashes of light appeared a week after the battle with Draygon. Despite the size of Valis, Umus and the Elder Thing have moved from location to location, clashing for moments before blinking out. They appear in different locations. I assume they are fighting and hunting each other.”
Victor remembered how comets barreled down on the planet. Umus fought the giant Elder Thing while Victor saved everyone on the surface. A sharp pain stabbed at his heart as he pictured Astor, one of the few he could not save. The god Umus fought until the very end, keeping the Elder busy until the Avatar was safely off the planet’s surface. Victor thought Umus and the Elder might have died during the cataclysmic event but clearly, the two of them hadn’t finished what they started.
Portia turned away from the viewscreen and looked to Victor. “I prayed to my gods and goddesses, but they have not answered. Many of them sleep, deep below the planet’s surface, waiting for their time to rise and watch over Valis when their turn comes.
“Umus has not answered my prayers, I assume because he is focusing all of his power on fighting the abomination on our planet. The only one to answer my prayers was Vala.”
Victor listened intently as the angelic beauty continued.
“Vala told me she would answer my prayers before she could no longer communicate with her followers. She whispered to me that you could help Umus and rid the planet of the Elder Thing at the same time. She spoke of your abilities before she faded from my dreams. That is why I called out to Cassandra for your assistance.”
Victor rubbed his jaw. “You know I will help, but I don’t understand how I can. Umus is a god and the Elder Thing is…well…an Elder Thing. I’m severely lacking on the god power needed to help Umus.”
Portia nodded. “True. The environment is another factor. The air is not only toxic but acidic. The few armored drones sent to explore the surface functioned only for twenty minutes before they succumbed to the environment. I can only imagine what it must be doing to Umus as he fights the monster.
“Vala told me of abilities you recently acquired. Xull and I ran through the calculations and we believe you have a better than average chance of surviving and helping Umus, if you agree to the mission.”
Victor stood straighter, “I’m here to help.”
Portia gave the Champion a warm smile before her expression slid into a serious tone. “You have an armor ability from the Xull Realm and an aura ability from the Valis Realm. On their own, you wouldn’t last too long on the surface.”
Victor smiled as he saw where she was going. “But if I have them both up and pump enough power into them, they should be enough.”
Portia nodded. “We calculated your Self-Healing ability with the nano-drones housed on your spine. All three should let you survive on the surface for an hour. That should give more than enough time to help Umus.”
Portia looked to the viewscreen as a small image of something similar to a harpoon gun appeared. Victor eyed it as the Seproh continued.
“Part of the reason we have been unable to assist Umus is the scans cannot penetrate the cloud cover due to heavy metal particles in the air. With this weapon, you only need to shoot the harpoon at the Elder Thing. Once it penetrates the Thing’s hide, we can point every plasma cannon and missile on its location and hopefully turn the tide against it. Umus may be given enough time to either help fight the Elder Thing to submission or give him enough time to escape the planet and recuperate on the ship.
“We have noticed a pattern to their altercations and we believe we know the location of their next one in twelve hours. I will pilot a dropship to the upper atmosphere and you can jump down to the surface. You have to simply shoot the monster and we will bring everything we have down on it.”
Victor rubbed his jaw again. It seemed like a solid plan except he had witnessed the Elder Thing’s before. Even Draygon, who was an Elder Spawn, was extremely powerful. With the might of the Dreadnought, the champion wasn’t sure it would be enough to stop a full grown one. Last he saw of the one on the surface, it was trashing Umus despite his brave front.
“Are you sure this is the most effective plan?”
Portia nodded. “It is the best we have with the people and tools at our disposal. I know we are asking much f
rom you but…” Victor cut her off.
“Portia, I will do everything in my power to help Umus and the Valis Realm.”
Portia’s demeanor relaxed. “Thank you, Victor.”
The angelic beauty’s eyes gleamed as they lingered on the Blade. Victor could see a small doubt but her conviction remained true.
“Victor, come with me,” Portia said and turned away.
The Blade watched as Portia moved to a side door and it slid open. Victor followed as she stepped inside. Stepping beyond the threshold, the door slid closed behind him. Dim light filled the spacious room, a long window showing the starry cosmos beyond. A large bed took up the space below the window while a terminal stood off to the side and a table stood off to the left with two chairs. The walls were less metallic with smooth angles and warm, dark beige colors.
Portia stood in the middle, turning around to face Victor, her head bowed. “We have some time before we begin the mission.”
Victor noticed shyness bleeding into Portia’s demeanor. Since he met her, she gave off an air of authority and confidence. Now, she seemed less so and unsure of herself. He remembered when they had a moment in his room back on Valis when they first met. She was the same, shy, but bright eyed. The way he saw her in battle and how she was now, it was almost like she was two different people in the same body.
“Portia, we can still go over plans. You don’t have to do anything you’re not sure of,” Victor said with a disarming smile.
Portia’s face remained the same as she spoke, “It’s not that. I know you need Vala’s piece to help bring her back.”
“There are other ways, if you’re interested,” Victor smirked.
Portia bit her lip before speaking again. “No, I’m interested in Vala’s true way. The way of spirits meeting to become one.”
The angelic beauty took hold of her top and pulled it over the edges of her shoulders. Victor watched as she snaked out of it, the fabric bunching up and moving down her slender form. Full breasts emerged as pale skin glowed in the dim light. Pink nipples stood at attention as the Seproh moved down to her waist.