Heroic- Zero
Page 28
It makes another swing. A large metal sheet catches the blade.
The bulwark flings forward, shoving the sword. Derek pulls a short sword back and dives.
Alyssandra’s dagger hooks the weapon. “Baby—no.”
Alexander lifts his greatsword and swings. Her dirk intercepts. She uses the open hand and grips Alexander’s nude wrist. His arms go limp as his body collapses.
“Finish him!” Derek says.
“Lover—” the weapon slips from her grip as her palm slides across his face. “What will we do for an eternity if he is dead?”
“What?”
“You see how long he’s been alive—hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. People with our genetic makeup don’t pass on, Derek. We’re immortal. Moreover, I do not want what we have to end. I don’t want to lose you. You don’t want to lose me. Right?”
Loosening his fingers, the sword and board collapse. Derek presses his chest against hers while collapsing both arms onto her back. “We’ve been together since our youth. I love you with all my heart, my mahogany goddess.
“Whatever idea that you have. Let’s do it.”
She faces the Reivscere logo embedded on Alexander’s chest armor.
“From what I have learned, one can put the blood of another HESTEK in their body. And temporarily obtain their power. The Plasmokinesis that skill you and Alexander have could alter our thoughts.
“If I were to discharge enough of a voltage through our brains. It would make us forget about this. It would be like you and I are meeting for the first time, again.
“Like a reset.”
Alyssa’s gaze transfers to Alexander’s lifeless stare. “Please, my ivory deity?”
“If we’re stuck being alive, it’s the only way to keep our sanity,” Derek reaches for her dagger. He rolls a sleeve of his jacket to the elbow. The boy’s blade drags its teeth across the underside of his forearm.
“I had a syringe—I suppose this is more symbolic,” Alyssa’s tongue makes its way toward his arm and tugs against his skin, scraping strands of crimson fluids.
Placing an opposing finger on the wound, a burst of smoke emits from the raw scar on Derek’s arm. His shrinking pupils transfer to Alyssa.
A red fluid bursts from her pursed lips, spraying onto Alexander’s body.
“This is not as romantic as I thought it would—” another round flows from her mouth as the boy’s palm pats her back. “H-how do I use your ability?”
“The first step, skin to skin contact with someone is essential,” Derek sheds the glove and rests a fingertip against Alyssa’s forehead. “Alternatively, touch a metallic surface that’s coming in contact with their skin.
“Afterward, imagine what thoughts you want to alter as I am doing to you this moment. Finally, let the universe do the rest of the work.”
The tangle in Alyssandra’s stomach fades. “Thank you—”
The duo lowers their bodies to the ground. Holding her palm across Derek’s face, she presses a finger against Alexander’s wrist.
“Until next we meet, my prince.”
“I will see you on the other side, my princess,” a glistening smile with teeth forms. “I love you, Cynthia Piper.”
“I love you more, Derek Quinn.”
An image of Alyssa standing on a stage forms inside of her mind.
Derek, as does one with memory loss. Exclude your memories of myself. Eliminate your memories of Alexander and Zeresh. Eradicate your memories of Adalfieri. Limit your memories to yourself. A young man who lived a healthy twenty-one years so far. With your folks passing at age ten and living as a tramp in the projects of New York City, you still retain your positive outlook on life.
Alexander the third, a former king of ancient Greece, you’ve conquered until changing the fate of Earth with your fateful encounter with the Egyptian known as Zeresh. Upon your awakening, aside from your hunt for HESTEKS, affix your efforts on forming a conglomerate that will change the world—the universe. Aim for the stars.
With that said, you will rid all memory of your ability to transport your body to different areas instantly.
You will forget the existence of my love, my prince, Derek.
Eradicate your memory of my likeness. I am no one to you. I am non-existent. If you ever see a woman with my likeness, I am a mere illusion, an afterimage conjured by your loss of Sekhemet in thirty BC.
The two of you will awaken in four days at the hour of four. The minute of forty-four. The second of forty-four, and millisecond of forty-four.
“Rebirth,” the walls reflect Alyssa’s echo throughout the room.
* * *
Grass is Greener on the Other Side
Thanks for making it through Zero!
Unfortunately, my fingers are bleeding over my keyboard, so my doctor told me to stop for now.
If you enjoyed this book, would you leave a review?
If not, would you shoot me a message with any feedback or suggestions?
By the time you sent that message, my laptop will be set on fire and will be hiding in solitude.
I’m hiding in the mountains of the east. Living off of oatmeal, sunflower seeds, tea, noodles, and Olive oil.
Each day, after my vigorous training, I make my way to the city where I use the internet to see if the hatred for Zero has faded.
Someday, I hope my training will help me ascend to the point where I can write a good novel.
Anyway, aside from going off-topic, I hope that this novel was worth the read for you. After 10 years of re-writing this file made of words, I’ve learned a lot about myself, about the world, and the cosmos.
Until next time.
~Ted L.C.
* * *
Epilogue
On the other side
“You’re still here,” garbed with a crimson robe lined with ivory stripes, Derek makes his way into a hallway. “It’s over—go home.”
Inching toward the lit door into the hall. The boy flips his hand upward. “Go!”
“Who is it, babe?” a singsong voice bounces against the mahogany walls.
“Nothing,” Derek’s voice fades. “just readers wanting more of this science-fiction version of a story about vampires. Which would be in—a year and a half—or less.”
END
For those who Torrent
Hello there!
If you’ve found this book and downloaded it on one of the numerous torrenting sites out there—
I’m not going to throw any judgment.
I have a favor to ask, though. I am a human just like you, unless by the time this is being read, A.I. has developed consciousness and is torrenting.
Humans and robots need fuel, whether it’s food or electricity, and a housing unit. Therefore, I need money to survive. And at the time of writing, this is my means of survival.
I would distribute this idea for free if I could. But realistically, I can’t.
Here’s a method that could help both of us. You still can read this for free and I can still fuel my circuits—I mean myself.
Method 1
Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime.
Borrow Zero from the library.
Read as many pages as humanly possible.
Method 2+
Sign up for my Patreon or subscription program.
If you feel my book is too expensive or you don’t want to risk the investment, I understand. However, even a donation of $1+ would be amazing.
Watch my YouTube videos.
Follow or like Reivscere’s Instagram and Facebook.
Download Brave browser.
Despite meeting under awkward circumstances, thanks for reading!
* * *
Glossary
Definitions:
Gook is a negative slang term for Viet Cong.
Desactivar is the Spanish translation of Deactivate.
Tunnel rats is a term used for soldiers who explored the dangerous network of tunnels that had been dug and used by
the Viet Cong.
* * *
Acronyms :
A.P.R.
Annual Percentage Rate
B.S.S.
Bangle Sentinel Service
C.C.P.
Chinese Communist Party
C.O.P.D.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
D.M.T.
Derivative Monetary Tool (the currency of Vulcanis)
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine or N, N-DMT (chemical)
D.M.Z.
De-Militarized Zone
E.A.J.
Emergency Alliance of Japan
H.E.S.T.E.K.
Healthy Egotistical Superstitious Tenacious Envious Keen
H.F.
Holo-Flick
I.P.
Internet Protocol
O.D.
Overdose
O.G.
Original Gangster
P.E.C.A.
People for the Ethical Care of Animals
S.A.A.
Seven Angels of the Afterlife
S.A.P.
Spike propelling Armor Coating Plasma cutter
S.H.H.A.
Specialized HESTEK Hunting Agency
T.P.U.
Trans-Planetary Union
R.G.B.
Red, Green, and Blue
R.R.D.
Revenge, Regret, and Dogmatism
V.C.
Viet Cong
* * *
Character Names:
1st line = name
2nd line = the meaning
3rd line = country of origin
Achilles
Pain
Greek
Ajir
Giving of wages
Arabic
Alexander
Defender of men
Greek
Alyssandra
Protector of mankind
French
Ajanda
Agenda
Hindi
Blitz
Lightning
German
Cynthia
Woman from Kynthos
Greek
Derek
People ruler
English
Diablo
Devil
Spanish
Eri
Blessed with reason
Japanese
Fujin
Irregularity
Japanese
Hou
lord, nobleman
Chinese
Liam
Strong-willed warrior
Irish
Sekhemet
She who is powerful
Egyptian
Tsubasa
Wing
Japanese
Yara
Small butterfly
Arabic
Zeresh
Misery
Biblical
* * *
Weapon Names:
1st line = Original language
2nd line = English Translation
3rd line = Meaning
4th line = Country of origin
لموت
Almawt
Death
Arabic
Famēs
Fames
Hunger
Latin
村雨
Murasame
Village rain
Japanese
Revēlātor
Revelator
One who reveals
Latin
創造
Sōzō
Creation
Japanese
* * *
Misc. Names:
1st line = Original language
2nd line = English Translation
3rd line = Meaning
4th line = Country of origin
यम
Yama
God of death
Hindi
विश्व वृक्ष
Vishv Vrksh
World tree
Hindi
Adalfieri
Noble oath
Italian
Initium
Beginning
Latin
Inceptivus
I begin
Latin
* * *
About the Author
Founder of Reivscere and author of Heroic: Zero.
Like most people; I wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, brush my teeth, and do normal people stuff. I also spent 10 years on a novel.
Why?
Because perfectionism prevents progress.
However, I don’t regret the amount of time that it took me to complete Zero. I learned more about my characters, the world they live in, and created something that I would feel comfortable giving to you.
You can connect with me on:
https://reivscere.com
https://twitter.com/realTed_LC
https://facebook.com/reivscere
https://www.instagram.com/reivscere
Subscribe to my newsletter:
https://bit.ly/2VYCeqF
Also by Ted L.C
Heroic: Cipher
Exclusively on Patreon.
Follow Derek into literally unknown territory.
Our demented Gladiators can vote on which path our (anti)hero will follow!
Will he know the same people?
Or become a crab person?
I don’t even know.
Let’s find out!