by Paul Ormond
“I’m not trying to capture you,” KiGuan shouted. “I’m trying to talk some sense into you and help you see how pointless all of this fighting is. If you could only see the strength and majesty of the Emperor, you would understand that none of this matters.”
“If none of it matters, then let us go,” Mitch shouted. “We’re not trying to harm anyone. We just want to go home.”
“If that is all you want, how come everywhere you go death and destruction follow?” KiGuan shouted after he fired at Mitch.
“Because certain people keep picking fights with me,” Mitch said before he came to a halt and shot back toward KiGuan while manifesting a thick blade. Plunging the shaft into KiGuan’s armor, Mitch kicked against his chest, knocking KiGuan backward before rolling away.
Stunned by the blow, KiGuan leveled his staff in Mitch’s direction and let loose a large blast.
“All that armor is slowing you down,” Mitch shouted after he rolled away from the pulse of light and fired back.
“I don’t think you understand what you are dealing with,” KiGuan said, gripping his staff with both hands before swinging out at Mitch. “The Emperor’s strength flows through me, connecting me with the energy of the multi-verse. And now it’s time that I show you exactly how strong this energy is.”
“Let’s see what you got then,” Mitch shouted.
“What I have is the end of your existence,” KiGuan shouted while lunging forward.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Mitch shouted as he parried KiGuan’s thrust. “You do remember that you and I both possess the same weapons.”
“But you are still no match for me,” KiGuan shouted.
“You keep saying that, but so far I’m not convinced,” Mitch shouted as they neared the hilltop at the edge of the city. A series of explosions filled the air over the plateau. Peering through the smoke, Mitch spotted a familiar green form battling against an enormous creature within a large ring of pillars.
“Are you seeing that,” Drak shouted at General Varalis as they crouched in cover.
“I am and I’m having a little trouble making any sense of what I’m seeing,” Varalis said, glancing up at the battle on the hilltop.
“Would it surprise you if I told you that my friends were most likely at the center of it all,” Drak said before he fired an orb at a UAFC fighter across a stretch of road littered with debris.
“Not really,” Varalis said while releasing a blast of her own. “You certainly have a way of finding trouble. I’m sure your friends wouldn’t be any different.”
“You are not wrong, but that is what you love about me,” Drak said after taking another shot. “Wasn’t that why you sent me through that wormhole?”
“I don’t believe it was me that sent you on that mission,” Varalis said as an orb impacted the wall shielding her head. “I seem to remember you coming up with this plan and volunteering yourself for it.”
“That may’ve happened, but you’ve got to admit it was a good idea,” Drak said, flashing his famous grin before shooting an orb across the road. The pulse struck a soldier in the chest as he popped out of cover, and he fell to the ground in agony.
“Yeah, it was a spectacular idea,” Varalis said after she leaped out of cover and pushed up the street. “So spectacular that you managed to plunge our entire planet into another civil war.”
“Isn’t that what you wanted?” Drak asked, following after the general.
“The needless death of millions of people is exactly what I wanted, not to mention the damage to our infrastructure. This war will cripple the planet and only make the Masters’ presence here that much stronger,” Varalis said as she dropped behind an upturned transport. “We’re in no position to take on the UAFC and the Masters at the same time. We’re going to have to retreat, or we’ll all be killed.”
“Not necessarily,” Drak said. “Our best bet is to focus everything we’ve got on the Chronath. That girl, SoHee, she’s got incredible powers. Strong enough to turn the tide in this war, but she can’t do anything while she is fighting that thing.”
“That’s not surprising. It’s usually the women that have to clean up the mess men make. Is it true what they say about her? That she is some kind of Goddess?” Varalis asked.
“I don’t know about that, but she is probably our only hope of getting out of here in one piece,” Drak said. “It looks like she’s gonna need our help though. Order everyone to push toward the temple of the Jushkoo Queen and concentrate fire on the Chronath.”
“Are you giving me orders now?” Varalis asked. “Last I checked I was the leader of this outfit.”
“Fine, if you find my strategy suitable, would you please order your troops to advance upon the hilltop?” Drak said as he blasted a soldier charging toward the transport.
“I’ll take it into consideration,” Varalis said while shielding herself from incoming fire. “Consideration complete.”
“And what is your verdict?” Drak asked, glancing around the corner.
“Your strategy is suitable. I just hope you are not wrong,” Varalis said as she pulled up her panel and opened a video screen. “This is General Varalis. We are advancing on the temple. Leave your positions and focus your efforts on bringing down the Chronath.”
“Glad you could drop in,” SoHee shouted to Gerald as he fired a shot at the monstrous creature lashing out at the air before them.
“We do what we can,” Gerald said, rolling away from a lunging attack. “I see you got your stuff back.”
“Yeah, it figured out the shield was down before I did,” SoHee shouted, firing a pulse at the priestess. “I felt a tug, and before I knew it I was hovering in the air.”
“How do you want to handle this?” Gerald asked, avoiding another strike from the Chronath.
“Keep firing on that thing and I’ll take on the queen of misinformation over there,” SoHee said, raising herself into the air.
“I’ve got something I’d like to add to the conversation,” Kalis said while a flash of light extended down her blade.
“The more the merrier, but it looks like everybody got an invitation to this party,” SoHee shouted as a rush of UAFC soldiers flooded past the towering pillars and fell in behind the priestess.
“They’re not the only ones who like to dance,” Drak shouted while he came to SoHee’s side. Behind him, a host of civilians armed with their own weapons filled in on the opposite side of the circle.
“Everybody is here then,” SoHee said while she squared off against the priestess.
“Everybody except Mitch,” Drak said.
“I get the feeling he’ll be dropping in soon enough,” SoHee said before a streak of green light tore across the sky.
“I think you might be right,” Gerald said as the light approached the circle. “But I don’t think he’s alone.”
In a blinding flash of light, Mitch landed at the center of the circle and both sides of the conflict fell into an icy silence. Overhead, a red light arced over the temple and came to a stop before the Chronath.
“How fitting it is to see all of you together,” KiGuan said while he scanned his opponents. “Don’t tell me you all fell for Mitch’s line about not surrendering.”
“Unlike you, KiGuan,” Drak shouted. “We know who our friends are.”
“That’s suitable for you, Drak,” KiGuan said, tapping his spear in his hand. “The only thing you know how to do is betray others, just like you betrayed your own people.”
“Believe what you want, but I know what freedom is, and it isn’t what the Masters are offering,” Drak said.
“What they are offering is peace and harmony, and if you do not comply and surrender your arms, I will be forced to do my duty to the Emperor and submit you to his will. Living or dead, it will not matter,” KiGuan said before several portals opened behind him and a host of orange and black soldiers poured into the sky.
“Now hold on a second,” Robert Chapman said, striding out before Ki
Guan after the soldiers fell into formation. “I’ve got a couple questions about this whole thing. What happens if we surrender? Will the Emperor forgive us?”
“The Emperor is a benevolent ruler who only cares for the wellbeing of his followers,” KiGuan said. “You have fallen from his grace, it is true, but I believe he will find some concession given the fact that he offered you as a sacrificial tribute on Jarkadu.”
“That’s right, he should forgive me,” Robert said. “For I was a loyal servant for many years and I deserve to be forgiven. What happens if I kill Mitch Mythic right now. Will I get a reward?”
“Vanquishing the Emperor’s enemies will only elevate you in his eyes,” KiGuan said.
“That is a tempting offer,” Robert said, looking Mitch in the eye. “But there’s just one thing I need to know. Do you really think you can beat the Most Dangerous Man in the Multiverse? Come on, Mitch. Let’s go kick this guy’s ass.”
“You will regret this,” KiGuan said before he raised his spear in the air. “The time has come to end this charade. Attack!”
CHAPTER FIFTY
A DEAFENING CRESCENDO of sound and light exploded over the plateau as the opposing forces engaged each other in battle. Brought to a rage by the priestess, the Chronath swung its mighty tail, knocking back a host of RGC soldiers while the Master’s forces streamed ahead and engaged their enemy alongside their UAFC allies.
As the armies met, a surge of civilians joined the ranks of the rebel army piling in from all directions. The reinforcements were able to help the rebels fend off the rush of attackers.
“What are we waiting for?” Drak shouted, rushing forward. “We need to get in there.”
“Hold your horses,” SoHee shouted. “I think there’s something you’re forgetting.”
As the orb swirled around her, SoHee pushed toward Drak and produced a spear with a bulbous tip.
“Where did you get this?” Drak asked, snatching it from her hands.
“It wasn’t me,” SoHee said. “You can thank my goo. I guess they were stuffed into the same storage container. When the shield came down, it snatched it on its way out, figured it would come in handy.”
“It figured right,” Drak shouted while the bulbous tip parted before him. “And not a moment too soon. I’m going to help Mitch.”
“You might be better off going to your people. Mitch has Robert backing him up, but it looks like the Masters forces are starting to overwhelm the civilians.”
“Your insight is beyond comparison,” Drak shouted. “They could use all the help they could get. My people thank you for all that you have done.”
“Go to them. I’ve got some unfinished business of my own that I need to take care of.” SoHee shouted, fixing a hard stare in the direction of the priestess.
“You want a hand with that,” Kalis said while she rose to SoHee’s side. “There’s nothing I enjoy more than taking someone down a few pegs, and I can tell that one deserves it. Focus everything you got on the creature’s head, and I’ll see if I can pull the priestess away.”
“Sounds like a plan,” SoHee said.
“You’ll never win, Mitch,” KiGuan shouted as he swung his spear. “More of our forces are arriving by the second. Soon you and your cohorts will be overrun with enemies. You will have no choice but to surrender.”
“You seem pretty confident,” Mitch shouted, ducking the blow. “But don’t forget who you are dealing with.”
“I think you are letting the hype go to your head,” KiGuan said. “We all know that this ‘Most Dangerous Man in the Multiverse’ thing is a load of garbage.”
“If that’s true, then why do your allies keep bringing it up?” Mitch shouted. “Everybody knows that any rumor has a hint of truth in it.”
“He’s got a point,” Robert shouted before he struck out at KiGuan from the opposite side. “And the more you repeat something, the more authentic it becomes. Believe me, I’ve done it many times before.”
“It doesn’t matter what any of you think,” KiGuan shouted. “All of you will soon know the truth of the Emperor’s power. Like it or not, you will bend to his will or be destroyed.”
“I seem to recall saying the same thing myself,” Robert shouted as he dodged KiGuan’s strike. “I remember falling for the whole benevolent Emperor thing, but the truth is they are using you to do their dirty work. Even now, where are Commander Holrathu and his beloved Mother? Not here. They sent you, their loyal errand boy, to fetch what they desire while they sit back and plot their next conquest.”
“That is where you are mistaken,” KiGuan shouted before several large pulses of energy burst through the portals hanging over the battlefield. A host of formidable figures emerged from the openings and Robert spotted Commander Holrathu bearing down upon him with his ax at the ready. “The Commander is not one to shy away from battle, and he has informed me that he intends to finish you off once and for all.”
“This is the first good news I’ve heard all day,” Robert said as the Commander streaked toward him with his ax raised over his head.
“Greetings, dear Robert,” Commander Holrathu shouted after he struck at Robert with his immense ax. “You may have survived your ordeal on Jarkadu, but I’m afraid your luck has run out. It’s time we finish what we started.”
“You’re right about that,” Robert said, deflecting Holrathu’s strike. “But I’m not the one who’s luck has run out.”
“If that is the case, how in the name of the Emperor, do you plan to win this battle when you are so badly outnumbered?” Holrathu shouted while more orange and black soldiers poured out of the open portals.
“You just wait and see,” Robert said, lashing at the Commander as several metallic Masters swooped in behind the Commander and raised their weapons in the air.
“I’m not so sure you understand the situation,” Holrathu said, letting his comrades push past him toward Robert. “No one evades the fate dealt to them by the Emperor and lives to tell the tale. You may have gotten lucky back on Jarkadu, but that will not happen again. The Emperor has asked for your head and I intend to hand it to him on a platter.”
“I hope this is what you planned on happening,” Varalis said after Drak rushed to her side, amidst the raging battle. “Cause it looks like we just initiated the end of our civilization.”
“Nothing ever goes according to plan, but I wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else,” Drak said while he leveled his spear in the direction of several attacking UAFC soldiers.
“I think you should question your priorities,” Varalis said, striking out at an opponent to her left. “Does watching our planet get torn apart bring you some kind of joy.”
“You misunderstand me,” Drak shouted before striking at one of the Masters’ soldiers. “Freeing my planet from the clutches of a tyrannical force is something I have dreamed of for a long time. To be a part of this historic moment is a dream come true.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Varalis said. “This battle is far from over, and by my count we are greatly outnumbered. The chronath is decimating our forces, and enemy soldiers continue to pour out of those portals. If we do not do something to turn the tide, we’ll succumb to their numbers before nightfall.”
“You are correct,” Drak said. “But there is certainly something we can do. The Chronath only has one enemy that I know of, and we happen to be standing before her altar.”
“The JushKoo Queen?” Varalis asked after she shielded herself from an incoming orb. “How could you possibly summon a JushKoo queen? And how would that help us? Her brood would wreak havoc on both sides.”
“There are a lot of things you aren’t fully aware of,” Drak said, cutting down another soldier. “But everyone knows why this spot in particular was chosen as the altar to the JushKoo Queen.”
“That’s only a legend,” Varalis said as she shot at an enemy. “Perhaps there was such a legendary queen living beneath this hill, but there is no way she is still hiding down there. Even
if she was there, how could you possibly draw her out?”
“The only time they attack is when they are under threat,” Drak said before he sliced down another opponent. “This weapon I hold is capable of great power. As far as I know, that cave drops straight down into her lair. If I can get a blast in there, I might be able to summon her.”
“That is a foolish plan,” Varalis said after she fired another blast. “No one has seen a Jushkoo Queen in centuries.”
“That is not true,” Drak said, blasting another soldier. “Mitch Mythic and I faced off against a lesser queen when we first arrived.”
“Is it possible that a hatch has occurred?” Varalis asked after she struck an opponent with her blade.
“It has been centuries, but perhaps the Masters have disturbed their slumber during their excavations,” Drak said before driving back another soldier.
“I have no idea if you are right, but you’re only going to get one chance at this,” Varalis said while she cut down another soldier. “If you think this is going to work, get to the cave and do what you’ve got to do.”
“You must tell everyone to retreat above the cave or they will fall victim to the horde,” Drak said, pushing away from the battle. “But wait until I return.”
“Not sure if time is on our side,” Varalis said as more soldiers streamed out of the portals. “It looks like we’re going to have to retreat no matter what we do.”
“Just give me a bit of a head start,” Drak shouted before he streaked across the battlefield toward the cave.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
THE CHRONATH SLAMMED its forepaws into the ground with a deafening boom, sending the surrounding soldiers reeling in all directions. Spotting SoHee approaching, it let loose a thunderous roar before charging forward.
Two massive green arms reached out and blocked the Chronath’s strike as it lunged in her direction.
“You cannot continue on like this,” the priestess shouted at SoHee from the head of the creature. “Submit to the will of the Gods and accept your role in the Multi-verse.”