Into the Fire Part I_Requiem of Souls

by Christian Kallias

  Time to finish them off.

  “Hyperspace window detected,” said the tactical officer.

  The spider ship entered hyperspace.

  They ran. Good riddance.

  “This is Commander Tharraleos to StarFury Delta Squadron, launch now and assume patrol and protect patterns around the Prometheus.”

  Once the fighters had launched, Daniel issued his next order.

  “Plot a course to Erevos, maximum hyperspace power. In fact, boost the jump engines to as much as you think they’ll take.”

  “Jumping now.”

  The Victory jumped into hyperspace.

  Tanak’Vor was pacing the throne room nervously. His meeting with the council of elders hadn’t gone well. Not only was Spectre Prime disappointed with his lack of advance on cleansing this realm of the opposition, but also the unforeseen strengthening of the Earth Alliance with the Olympians and Asgardians really angered the council.

  He had shamed his race.

  Shame he could live with though; the thought of harm coming to his wife and four children that was something else. The Spectre Prime told him that unless he reported better news soon, in the form of dealing with at least the Ultra Fury, then he would start randomly feeding the members of his family to Leviathan as offerings to appease his wrath toward the Spectre race.

  He needed to convince Arakan to listen to him. Or take control altogether. Arakan’s ego had become so big, Tanak’Vor didn’t see how he could reason with the man on any level anymore.

  When he heard a familiar distant sound of the supreme commander’s footsteps, Tanak’Vor reactivated his cloak. Arakan had no idea the shadow was anything else but some invisible energy, and for the time being, that’s all he would know of the Spectre.

  “Welcome back,” he said the moment Arakan came into view.

  “You’re in my head on a permanent basis now, so I don’t think it’s appropriate that you welcome me back.”

  “You have guests.”

  “I know. Not only one but two Ultra Furies in fact, and more of his inconsequential friends. I’m glad they’re here though, so I can crush them all at once.”

  What? Two Ultra Furies?

  “What do you mean, Supreme Commander, when you said two Ultra Furies?”

  “That damn twin brother of his seems to possess similar powers.”

  This is not good; we need to deal with them, for my family’s sake.

  “Then may I suggest we deal with them together?”

  “You’re just in my head and haunting my throne room; I’ll deal with it now that you made me immortal.”

  “Immortal? I’m afraid you’re mistaken, Supreme Commander. I’ve only grafted a small piece of myself inside your body through the stone you’ve swallowed. Most of that essence was consumed when it brought you back to life after Poseidon killed you.”

  “Are you telling me that if I die now, I won’t rise again?”

  “I’m afraid that’s exactly what I’m saying, Supreme Commander.”

  Arakan growled.

  “Then give me more of your essence.”

  “I’m afraid that is not how it works; I cannot give you more of the essence every time you want a second chance. The regeneration process cannot take place anymore unless we fuse on a molecular level.”

  Of course, that was a lie, but Tanak’Vor had enough of dealing with Arakan; he needed full control of his body. He could try to take it by force, but Arakan’s mind was strong enough to cause more problems than the unwanted fusion benefits. The Fury needed to relinquish and invite the Spectre in for him to be able to efficiently and completely override and silence the host body and mind.

  More advanced Spectre had the ability to get this done with or without the host’s consent, but they were significantly older than Tanak’Vor. It’s not like he had chosen to be here; his presence on Erevos at the moment the planet shifted back into this realm had been purely accidental. In hindsight, he regretted finding a way to contact his superiors to give them a tactical advantage in his accidental, yet fortunate, presence. In doing so, he probably doomed his entire family.

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “You see, Supreme Commander, now that your DNA and mine have fused, a deeper molecular bond is required for me to be able to repair your body from fatal injuries.”

  “What would that entail?”

  “We would fully share your body and mind. You’d remain in control of both, but I’d be able to increase your strength, powers, and longevity. You could live for thousands of years.”

  This thing thinks I’m gullible; the moment we fuse, as it says, it’ll just take control of me. I already can’t stand the fact that I have to hear it in my thoughts every time it desires.

  “Then forget about it; I don’t need your help to kill the Ultra Furies and their friends. In fact, I’m looking forward to the thrill of a fight where my life hangs in the balance; it will just make me more focused that way.”

  Arakan thought he heard something akin to a whispered growl.

  “As you wish, Supreme Commander, far be it for me to tell you what to do. But Poseidon is also here, and he killed you once, not to mention Oryn, who seems hell-bent on destroying you.”

  “They can all take a number, then. Nobody kills the Fury god. They’ll soon discover the high price to be paid for defying me.”

  “I’m sure they will; speaking of price, I believe I sense your adoptive daughter entering the throne room.”

  “Good, then after we have said our peace to each other, she’ll be the first to taste my wrath.”

  23

  Chase rushed to Chris’ side when he arrived in the room with the inter-dimensional machine.

  “I think her heart just stopped!” Chris exclaimed. “I’m sorry.”

  “Not your fault, son.”

  Argos and Menelas joined them around Aphroditis; she looked dead. They all combined their healing powers and tried to bring her back. Chase could feel her life slip away. He closed his eyes and pushed his healing abilities beyond anything he had attempted before.

  When he felt like he was losing her, he reopened his eyes, but he wasn’t by her side anymore. He was on Earth, near a riverbed, with birds chirping and the sun shining brightly in a summer’s cloudless sky.

  “You should let me go,” said a familiar voice. “I’m too far gone, Chase.”

  Chase got to his feet and turned to see the Aphroditis he once knew in what he had no doubt was another vision.

  “Not a chance in hell. We’ve come this far to get you; we’re not letting you die.”

  “Everyone dies eventually, Chase. I’m no different.”

  “You’re too important, and I’ll be damned if we’ve let you suffer inside that infernal machine just to have you bite the dust the moment we get you out.”

  “I’ve always accepted that this could be my fate.”

  “Aren’t there any futures in which you survive?”

  “Why does it matter to you, Chase?”

  “You’re my aunt; I don’t want you to die. You’ve been with me since the beginning of my journey. I’m sorry for the pain you had to go through these past few weeks, but you’re out of the machine now.”

  “What is left of me is only a broken shell, Chase. My spirit has long disconnected from my body. Each and every time I contacted you or Ares, in fact, I was severing that connection more.”

  Chase’s heart bled. He blamed himself for what Aphroditis had been through.

  “Don’t do this to yourself, Chase,” she added. “I accepted my fate, in fact, I embraced it. You should let me go and embrace your own.”

  “No! I refuse to be responsible for one more death!”

  “And, yet, you’ll lose so many more by the time your own death comes. That much I am certain of.”

  Chase didn’t like the sound of that.

  “Then I don’t see why I need to keep fighting.”

  “Of course you do, Chase. You are a nexus of t
his universe, whether you realize it or even accept it. You have the power to change the destinies of billions of souls. And while I understand that losing people closest to you is a hard price to pay, think of the billions you’re saving.”

  Chase made fists. “I never asked for any of this!”

  “I know, as I never asked to be cursed with my powers of foresight. At great personal cost, with an estranged father and banished from my home world.”

  Chase’s face dropped.

  “What is it, Chase?”

  “About Zeus.”

  “He fell in combat, didn’t he? As did my world?”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because that was the most likely outcome from the future on which I bet when I first enlisted your help after the Obsidian wiped out most of the Star Alliance.”

  “In that possible future, I take it that we defeat the Furies?”

  “Nothing is ever certain, but that’s a strong possibility.”

  “Can we finally live in peace after they’re gone? I’m getting weary of battle and war.”

  “Chase, it’s best I don’t tell you anything more than I already have. It could impact the current possible futures and make things worse. Like it did for me oh so long ago.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “And it doesn’t concern you. Just— just let me go, Chase, please.”

  “No, I’ve already lost a grandfather, uncles and god knows how many relatives when Olympus got swallowed by a black hole. I’ve lost my friends, mentors; I refuse to lose you if there’s something I can do about it.”

  “I’m tired, Chase. I want this for me; I want to go to Elysium.”

  “And you’ll get there in due time.”

  “As powerful as your healing powers are, you can’t reconnect a body and soul if the owner doesn’t want to, as you’ve discovered with your friend Fillio.”

  Chase shook his head.

  “We’re four Furies healing you; we’ll make it work.”

  “Even if you succeeded, which I doubt, you’d only get a shell of me, I wouldn’t be the Olympian you once knew. So if you have any respect for me, you’ll let me go.”

  “I can’t, I’m sorry.”

  “As am I, Chase. It’s now time to say goodbye. Let me give you one more piece of advice for the rest of your life. Don’t ever give up, Chase, no matter what happens, to you and your loved ones, you must always follow the flame inside your heart, and trust that you have the power to change things for the better. Just be yourself.”

  “Why don’t I like the sound of that?”

  “Goodbye, Chase.”

  The image of Aphroditis blurred and faded away, and the beautiful Earth landscape was replaced by the dark, moist and smelly room in which Chase and his closest family members were, trying hard to save a goddess who no longer wanted to live.

  With Chase and his friends occupied trying to revive Aphroditis, Poseidon snuck out of the room and started running toward the energy of the man he had already killed once.

  I must avenge my brother and the rest of my people.

  Poseidon didn’t like deceiving Chase and knew there might be consequences for his actions, but he couldn’t just stand idly by and hope that an occasion to take down the supreme commander would present itself. Chase might have been okay with rescuing Aphroditis, Menelas, and reprogramming the machine and call it a day, but Poseidon wasn’t.

  This war would keep on taking lives by the millions unless someone cut off the head of the snake, and that’s exactly what Poseidon would do.

  He felt sorry for Aphroditis, and he doubted she would make it, but at the end of the day she was just one more victim of Arakan’s madness and one more family member Poseidon would take revenge for, or die trying.

  “We’re losing her!” said Argos. “Why isn’t our combined healing ability bringing her back?”

  “She doesn’t want to,” said Chase, almost resigned.

  “Screw that; we need to save her! We have to!” Argos screamed.

  Chase felt how much his brother’s heart was bleeding at the idea of losing Aphroditis. He had been the one to put her in the infernal machine that had sucked her lifeblood and tortured both her body and soul every second since.

  “I’m not sure that we can.”

  “Keep trying, brother. Please!”

  Chase knew that as long as her heartbeat was gone, they wouldn’t bring her back.

  “I’m gonna try something; keep healing her.”

  Argos looked straight into Chase’s eyes. Chase could see the deep plea they contained, and he nodded.

  Chase created a small electrical energy sphere in his hand. Hundreds of small charged bolts danced together in a chaotic yet captivating manner. He placed the sphere near the top of Aphroditis’ chest and plunged it into her heart.

  Her body tensed for a second, but then all her muscles relaxed. Chase placed his hand on her and could feel a faint heartbeat.

  “She’s got a pulse,” he said.

  “A very faint one,” commented Menelas.

  “Why don’t our healing abilities work better?” asked Argos, his eyes watering.

  “I don’t know,” said Chase.

  But that was a lie. He knew Aphroditis herself had abandoned the idea of life. Perhaps he needed to let her go, but he didn’t want to make that decision now. So he contacted Sarah telepathically.

  Hey love, how are you doing? Did you get rid of the unknown ships?

  It’s good to hear your voice, Chase. There was only one spider ship.

  Spider ship, huh?

  Yes, we had a hard time even detecting it. While we couldn’t destroy it, we drove it away, and Yanis thinks he has enough data to be better prepared the next time it shows up. But Chase, we think this ship could be linked to that shadow Ares mentioned.

  That would make sense, Chase decided, though right now he didn’t feel like giving it more thought. They still had to complete their mission.

  How far are you from Erevos? We may need to get out of here soon. Also, Aphroditis is dying. We got her out of the machine, but she’s not responding to our healing powers.

  I’m sorry to hear that, Chase. What about your father?

  He’s here with us, trying to help us revive her.

  What do you want me to do, Chase?

  Just let the doc know I’m bringing her on board. I’ll have her put into extended suspended animation until we can figure out a way to get her back.

  Understood. What about the machine?

  Chase hadn’t found the time to ask Kvasir about his progress in the matter. He would do that next.

  I’ll keep you posted. I wish I could come and see you when I’m onboard, but I’ll have to teleport back here quickly. Arakan has returned.

  I know; we detected his ship while we were engaging the spider ship. We’ll soon be on Erevos; we can destroy his ship when that happens.

  He’s no longer on it; I can sense him on the planet.

  Then what do you want me to do when we arrive?

  Deal with any resistance you encounter, and be ready to turn tail and jump out of there the moment we have completed our mission.

  Understood; be careful, Chase, I love you.

  You too. I love you.

  “We need to stop wasting energy; we may need it to fight our way out of here. I’ll teleport her back to the Victory and put her in suspended animation,” said Chase with a resigned tone.

  “No!” protested Argos.

  “I know how you feel brother, but we need to continue the mission.”

  “She is the mission. Let me go with you; I can try and heal her more onboard the ship.”

  “I need you here, Argos. Plus, the more people I take with me on the teleport, the more energy I’ll burn.”

  Argos reluctantly removed his hands from Aphroditis, and soon Chris and Menelas did the same.

  “I’ll be right back,” said Chase as he teleported his aunt away.

  Arakan blocked an incoming
ice-blue fireball aimed at his head. He looked at the sphere of pure icy energy still hovering in his hand before closing his fingers and integrating the attack’s power into his own pool of energy.

  “It’s good to finally see you again, Oryn,” said Arakan.

  “I wish I could say the same, but I’m only here to kill you!”

  “I know. Still, I hoped we would get a moment just the two of us, have that last father to daughter moment we both need.”

  Anger rose, and she sent three more blue fireballs toward Arakan, who easily deflected them. When they impacted on the far wall and tall ceiling, it coated them with a thin layer of ice. The shiny surface now reflected the multiple light sources like sunlight reflecting on the surface of water.

  “You’re not my father! You killed my father!” Oryn screamed, her eyes rapidly filling with tears.

  “I may not be your biological father, but I raised you like my own daughter, so whether you want to accept it or not, I am your father.”

  “Why? Why did you kill my mother?”

  Arakan’s expression was solemn.

  “There isn’t a day that passes that I don’t ask myself that question. I— I was wrong. There are no words that can explain how sorry I am about that.”

  “Says the man who cut her into little pieces and shipped them one by one to the real love of her life.”

  Arakan restrained himself from growling.

  “Are these the lies Zeus has told you? He’s poisoned your mind.”

  “Don’t you fucking dare! You killed her, and you did these things.”

  “Because of my brain injury, I can’t remember that far. I do remember killing her in a bout of anger. For that I’m sorry.”

  “Oh no, you don’t! You’re not using your brain battle scar as an excuse. You killed her because you’re a madman because you care about nothing but yourself, and when you learned she had an affair with Zeus, your ego couldn’t take it.”

  Arakan paused for just a second to ponder her words, but an inner rage he had no chance to control, took over and flooded his very mind and soul.

  “I did what I had to do!” he screamed! “Just like I’ll do what needs to be done today. And if that means killing you, then I will. Reluctantly. Please, Oryn, it’s not too late, come back to me, and together we can rule this universe, as father and daught—”