by Erik Weir
Victor’s eyes widened as a dark shaped hurled through the swirling fog. Metal gleamed as Victor dove to the side, the thing missing him by a foot. The Champion hit the ground and watched as a humanoid man in thick armor crashed into a sharp stone spire and shattered it. The man with angel wings hit the ground a few more times before rolling to stop and slowly rising up.
Victor was back to his feet, watching as Umus lifted his head, glowing halo pushing away the cloudy darkness. Red tears streaked from his eyes and down his cheeks. A madness gripped his gaze as his wings flexed and hands hefted his giant mace. The god stumbled forward a step before righting himself, shoulder’s heaving and his breath labored. Black colored the white of his eyes and a glowing yellow filled his irises. The god stepped forward again when his eyes locked on Victor.
“Lad! What’re are you doing here? I told you to save my people and yourself,” Umus shouted with an insane grin.
“I came to save you,” Victor said as a cold chill seeped into his spine.
“There’s no saving today. I got that foul thing begging for mercy! In another eighty years, it’s going to surrender!” Umus laughed.
“We have a plan to save you and fight the Elder Thing. We just have to…” Victor was cut off when a shadow passed over his body.
The cold seeped into his bones and he was frozen. The aura flicked, but before he could regain his control, Umus barreled toward him, arm outstretched. The god coiled his arm around Victor’s waist as both Champion and god went crashing to the ground. A sickly white, long-fingered hand appeared from the black mists and came down hard on the spot Victor was just a few seconds earlier. Hand cracking the ground to dust, it reared up to the long shadow in the gray fog.
Umus slowly stood up over Victor, head turning to the tall shadow. “You better get off this planet while you still have the chance. That Thing won’t stop and neither will I! Once I beat it to submission, I’ll mount its head on the next Citadel as a warning to those monsters. I swear it!”
“Umus, you’re not at a 100%! We have a plan…” Victor shouted as he stood up but the god was already taking flight, swinging his mace in wide arcs.
“Shit,” Victor growled as he took a quick breath and charged into the fog, following Umus’s light.
Alerts appeared in the corner of Victor’s vision as he raced after the god. Toxicity levels were at 10% and climbing. Aura flickering, Victor wondered if the toxic air was doing greater damage to his aura then he thought. He still had plenty of time, but with Umus determined to keep fighting, it didn’t seem likely he was just going to leave the planet.
The god of light rushed into the swirling fog as the tall shadow turned. Halo light stabbed at the darkness as Umus roared. The mists parted and the tall, thin frame of the Elder Thing stood. Tentacles writhed from its sides as black oval eyes peered down on the god of light. A mouthless face gazed down on the smaller god with cosmic indifference, lifting a pale hand and ready to swat the god from the sky.
“You won’t hit me with the same move twice!” Umus shouted as the hand swiped hard at him.
The god dove down and up like a bird, the giant hand missing him by feet. Umus laughed as he charged, mace glowing brighter. With a mighty swing, it struck the Elder’s chest with such power, the shockwave blasted away the fog around them before it slowly sank into the space.
Victor stared in astonishment, watching the god dart around like an armored sparrow. Umus laughed as he attacked, moving with quick arcs and striking the giant monster each and every time. Despite the power behind each blow, the Thing didn’t wince or stumble. It simply continued to swat at the god again and again.
“Umus, this isn’t working!” Victor shouted, but the shockwaves from each strike drowned out his words.
Hoisting the butt of the rifle to his shoulder, the Champion aimed the harpoon at the giant abomination’s chest. Light flashed again and again as Umus continued his barrage. Victor could see he didn’t have a shot without risking the harpoon bolt being struck from the air. Umus moved much too fast and the Elder Thing was quicker than its size would dictate.
“Umus isn’t listening. I can’t get a clear shot,” Victor said over comms.
“The Avatar has plasma cannons trained on your location, but the interference is not giving us a clear shot. We need the harpoon signal,” Portia crackled over communications.
Victor’s shoulder’s deflated. “I will be happy to fire it, but Umus is like a rabid priest. I’m open to suggestions.”
The comms were silent for a few seconds before Portia’s voice came through.
“Tell him ‘Nydia needs him.’ She is a goddess who sleeps deep in the core and his true love. He will listen,” Portia said, her voice soft.
Victor nodded. Bending his legs, he launched into the air toward the god and thing. Black and gray fog continued to try and roll in, but each strike from Umus sent the edges back. Victor had mostly a clear view, but Umus moved like a miniature comet, slamming into the Thing and flying back and slamming into it once again. The shockwaves nearly caused Victor to wobble as he reached his zenith and just began to fall.
“Umus! Nydia needs you,” Victor shouted with all his might.
The god halted his attack, black and yellow eyes turning to Victor’s falling form. “Nydia,” the god whispered, his mad grin softening and reason flooding his mind.
A pale hand reached out for the winged god. Umus turned his attention to it and darted away. Victor was still falling, aiming the harpoon rifle when shock filled his eyes. The pale hand reached for the fleeing god when reality shifted and bended. Umus’s eyes went wide as he instantly in the Elder Thing’s grasp, long white fingers closing around his body.
“No!” Victor shouted, aimed and pulled the trigger.
The harpoon launched like a small spear. The Elder’s fingers began to squeeze as Umus grunted. The grunt turned into a shout of pain as his armor cracked. The harpoon soared through the tendrils of fog and sank deep into the wide space between the monster’s black eyes. The Elder didn’t make any other move aside from holding Umus and squeezing. Armor cracked again and a plate blasted off. Umus struggled, his halo glowing brighter.
Victor landed on the hard ground, bent his legs and launched again toward the giant monster. Cold seeped into his mind the closer he flew toward it while a fire burned deep in his belly. With grim eyes, he let the rifle fall away and his Bone Sword slipped from his wrist and into his hand. Time moved in timid moments as Victor landed on the giant's wrist, back to the Elder and facing Umus in its grip. The god cried out as he was slowly being crushed.
Victor spent five points of Strength as he raised the Bone Sword up. Energy fueled the blade as Victor brought the point down on the wrist, driving it to the hilt before he unleashed a roar. The Bone Sword’s power glowed before it blasted out in all directions. Putrid flesh and alien blood shot out in all directions from the Thing’s wrist. The Elder didn’t wince as its wrist was hollowed out like Swiss cheese.
Umus’s mouth snarled into his own roar, arms bulging against the fingers before they opened from his might. For a shining moment, Umus’s power flared with divine power and just as quickly, shadows touched his eyes as he fell.
Victor jumped off the monster’s wrist, sword sliding back into his wrist. The Champion fell, arms out as Umus slowly blinked, his golden wings close to his body. Victor gritted his teeth as he clasped onto the falling god. Legs swinging out, he pumped another two points into his Jump ability. When they reached the ground, Victor held Umus as he let the momentum carry through him and he launched into the air, away from the immense abomination.
“Take the shot,” Victor growled over communications.
Portia looked down at her control panel, the Avatar’s weapon’s systems tied to it. With a tap of her finger, the heavens lit up with blaring light.
The Avatar’s plasma cannons moved slightly, aiming at the harpoon signal. Energy whirled and glowed before cannons spit out thick streams of plasma. A dozen
streams of energy crossed space and entered the planet’s atmosphere. The thick black and gray cloud cover was blasted away as energy rained down.
Victor hit the ground hard, he and Umus tumbling to a stop. Umus moaned as Victor struggled back to his feet. Looking up, the dark sky was filled with light. The Elder Thing lurched forward in their direction before it turned its pale head to the thick bright dots in the sky. A second later, plasma streams struck it.
Explosions bloomed like flowers as Victor raised both of his hands to the light. They were still too close. Spending five points of Will, he activated his Bend Time ability. Time slowed to a crawl as explosions rippled from the giant monster. Victor was stunned by the terrible beauty of the explosions blooming along the monster’s head and shoulders. Not sure how long the effect would last, the Champion turned to Umus on the ground. The god struggled slowly to get up, the time dilation slowing him down too. Victor moved normally while time flowed into slow moments. Grabbing Umus, he pulled the god with him. At first it was like moving through molasses as he pulled the heavy god when an instant later, Umus was moving with him with no ill effects.
“Time means little to those monsters but for us…it's just enough to get away,” the god grunted with a crazy grin.
God and Champion clasped an arm to each other’s shoulders as they raced away from the spreading explosions. Victor felt the power weaken and a blink later, time returned to normal.
Explosions ripped through the area, sending Victor and Umus forward and crashing into the ground, the shockwave of the explosions causing their bodies to slid another twenty feet.
Victor rolled onto his back, his aura flickering. Alerts blinked in his vision, indicating toxicity levels were at 79%. The fighting and jumping around may have sped up the effects of the atmosphere. Victor tried to shrug it all off as he attempted to sit up and stand. The Champion looked up in the medium distance to see if the plan worked. Horror colored his gaze as he watched in stunned terror.
The Elder Thing stood, thick plasma streams striking its body, but the monster continued to stir. It lurched forward, one thick foot at a time, hand outstretched to the Champion and god and soulless eyes not blinking.
“Plasma cannons are overheating. Victor, is it dead?” Portia said over comms.
“It didn’t work,” the Blade huffed as the monster took another step forward.
The Avatar’s cannons slowed their output and the energy streams winked out. The Elder Thing lurched again as the streams of energy against its head and back died out. The toxic fog bellowed back in, filling the space created by the shockwaves.
Umus slowly stood up, mace in hand. “Valiant effort my lad, but it looks like I will continue the dance from here. Get back to the ship. I’ll keep this monster busy for as long as it takes.”
Victor shook his head, “No, we can’t.”
“These Elder Things are not like gods or divine beings. They are incarnations of the deepest, hellish holes in the universe. Walking natural disasters on a cosmic scale. Even with all of your tricks and abilities, these things will consume all of us at the end of time,” Umus said with a fatherly tone as he stepped to Victor’s side.
Victor looked up to the giant monster as it made its way closer, one step at a time when an idea formed. “We…we don’t have to kill it. We just have to get it off the planet.”
“What’s that, Lad?” Umus asked with a raised eyebrow.
Victor looked to his armored hands and then back to the giant abomination. “If I can create a portal big enough, we can send it back to Dark Spire.”
Umus’s brow softened as he let out laugh. “Smart thinking. My power is for fighting and keeping me functioning, but you don’t have that restriction right now. Can you do it? Can you create a portal that big?”
Victor eyed his stats in the corner of his gaze. He had fifteen points in Wisdom. He hesitated spending so much at one time. When he spent for Greater or Titan effect, the drain was a little harder on his body. When he spent that much on his gun blade to keep Kali at bay, it was contained power. He had no idea how it would affect him if he spent it on creating a giant portal.
“I don’t know. But we have to get this thing out of here or Valis will never return to what it was,” Victor said with concern.
Umus clamped a thick hand on Victor’s shoulder. “I believe we can do it. You create the portal and I’ll beat the monster into it.”
The giant monster stepped closer, tendrils of fog and mist giving it an even weirder and demonic appearance.
Victor mulled it over in his mind. He could create a portal to anywhere but he wasn’t sure he would be able to hold it open. The other time he used it, he needed a destination that he was sure of. Sending it to Dark Spire was the easiest way to accomplish it and the Champion clenched his jaw, the decision made.
“Don’t worry Lad, we will be victorious!” Umus shouted before launching into the air and spreading out his golden wings.
The Elder swiped at the glowing god as Umus began his hit and run attacks, mace swinging and bashing against its chest. Shockwaves blasted out like bells, the air and ground trembling from the terrible power.
Victor took a deep breath, closing his eyes an focusing on Dark Spire. Armored hands up, he channeled all fifteen points of Wisdom to his Portal Weaving ability. Power blasted his entire body, eyes opening wide and glowing like flaming torches in the night. An alert appeared “Divine Effect” for only a moment before it was lost to the glowing energy.
The shock and awe were powerful, but Victor found it familiar. It instantly reminded him of when he tapped Vala’s power to fight Draygon. Was this what it was truly like to be a god? Was this the level of power he would reach?
Black and purple energy rippled and cascaded down behind the giant Elder Thing. Hundreds of feet tall, the portal seethed with power and beyond it, the black mountains of Dark Spire stabbed into the night sky.
“You’re doing it!” Umus shouted with the might of a titan.
Victor fought for control, wielding the energy of the gods. The monster stepped forward and was immediately struck in the chest. Umus laughed like a mad man as he came at the monster like a hammer. Despite his attacks, the abomination did not step back.
“No foul beast, you will not go home without knowing my true power! Tell your brethren, Umus will smite you all from the stars!”
Energy snaked and stabbed outward as the god of light’s body glowed like miniature sun. Power leaked from his eyes and mouth as he howled with holy wrath. Swinging his mace, wings spread out. With a thunderous shout, the god blasted forward like a lightning bolt and slammed dead center at the Elder Thing’s chest with a BOOM!
The Elder Thing’s entire body stumbled back, cracks splintering out from the spot where Umus struck it. The giant portal glowed with ethereal light. Umus roared with unchained power, slamming into the Thing with righteous fury. Two, four, eight strikes later, the Elder Thing fell back into the portal. Umus cried out with a divine shout when a pale hand reached out and smacked him from the sky.
Victor’s power ebbed as Umus fell, armor cracked and broken, his eyes closed and the glowing energy around his body dying. The Elder Thing didn’t make a sound as it fell further into the portal, the edges closing in around it. When its body passed the threshold, the portal sealed shut and it was gone.
The ground cracked and trembled as the energies of the portal leaked into everything. Victor channeled ten points of Strength into his Jump ability. With a mighty jump, he blasted off the surface as the ground fell in around him. Umus fell until a small body slammed into him, changing his fall to an ascension. Victor held the god as they blasted up through the lower atmosphere.
Portia looked to the sensors, seeing Victor’s signal. Turning her gaze to the window, Victor and Umus shot past them like a bullet.
Victor held the god close as his power propelled him past the upper atmosphere and touched space. It was then, Victor’s energy gave out. Weakness poured into every cell of
his body as he and Umus drifted into the edge of space. Thoughts crawled along, relief filling his used-up body. A light flashed. Victor slowly blinked, lost to the beauty of space. A door opened and Portia floated out with golden wings and halo over her head. Delicate hands touched the weakening Victor, pulling him and Umus to the open Dropship doors.
Once inside, the hatch closed and oxygen flooded the ship. Portia placed the Champion and god on the floor, side by side. Victor’s aura faded away as his armor slid back into his body. Portia kneeled and took the mask off his face. Victor took in a deep breath; happy it was all over.
Umus turned his head, a weak smile on his lips. “Good job, Lad.”
Victor gave a weak grin when an envelope appeared by his shoulder facing Umus.
The god of light’s brow wrinkled, but Victor simply smiled.
“It looks like your invited to a resurrection,” Victor said before he passed out into blessed darkness.
Twelve
Victor floated in the abyss, misty tendrils caressing his naked body. Despite the lack of light, the champion stared out, watching the gray curls of smoke against the purple and black vastness of the nearly empty plane.
“Here again,” Victor sighed, his voice echoing off nothing.
Realms pulled at his spirit, wanting him to fall in their directions. One pull led to Vala’s Realm but the Blade ignored it. A weariness sank into his bones, questions touching his mind in abstract patterns. The crusade weighed him down, rooting him in the void.
“Vala, if you’re out there…I’m very tired,” Victor said and a sense of shame filled his heart.
Deep down, he knew she could hear him. Deep down, he knew he could tell her anything. Despite knowing he could, he regretted saying anything. Fighting to bring her back had taken its toll and now, small thoughts grew louder, telling him to stay in the abyss a little longer so he could rest.
Heat burned around his heart. Victor looked on, embarrassed that he could not be as positive as he wanted to be. Memories played out, optimism and fire coloring his soul as he fought for a goddess. Now, it burned low, doubt whispering in his ear, wondering if he was just a tool to bring her back and keep him as a servant or pet.