by David Tucker
Totally unperturbed, Genesis had inclined his head slightly, almost cocky, and saw the impact of the earlier Skrithian that had knocked Antipatros over – the injured Jackal lying on the ground whining as he clutched his arm. It was possibly fractured, or hopefully broken, Genesis had thought darkly. He’d smiled slightly at that, revelling in the thought that Antipatros might think twice before insulting an Immortal again so freely – he watched on as his body had begun reacting to the danger of the incoming onslaught.
Seeing his dark form appear from the shadows, the final three Skrithians had gone into offence mode, leaping forward and pouncing on him in a united front of blows and assaults. Again he became a blur as his eyes flashed white with power and he’d ducked under the first two batons. They’d crackled loudly overhead only centimetres away from him. He’d done this quickly enough though, that he was already spinning under the first Skrithian’s arms as the Immortal poured his pent up ionic energy into his right arm, punching the first assailant square in the kneecap.
Genesis saw the Skrithian fall screaming to the ground with a sickening snap, clutching at his rearranged appendage. Genesis had used his momentum to leap out of his crouch and catch the final two Skrithians in mid-air, completely unprepared. He managed only to take down one of the two, the latter darting backwards and twisting away desperately and just managing to tear free of his grip.
His grasp totally enveloped the slower Skrithian. He’d brought him painfully down to ground with an accompanying sound of cracking ribs and wheezing air. The hybrid’s eyes had closed as it had tapped out instantly.
In his current form, Genesis couldn’t believe his mind had been so in control in such a fight, when clearly his actions were not. He began to see how the compound had used his own reasoning to help … steer him, and how it obviously hadn’t felt pervasive enough for him to outwardly reject its chosen path for him.
At that point Genesis lost sight of the vision as his body in its current form smacked into the ground, head reverberating off the metal, his memory only coming back as he started to fade into darkness. He watched distantly now, as though the scene was far away.
He watched as he’d turned back on the final Skrithian, finished turning and dealt with the hybrid marine effortlessly. With an easy sidestep, Genesis had passed safely from its reach and with an almost easy upward knee to the chest he’d brought the attacker painfully up short. Is this the best you’ve got Antipatros, he remembered thinking fleetingly.
At that moment, and obviously jinxing himself with his overconfidence, the Skrithian had managed to break away, the hybrid turning back and facing the Immortal, visibly shaken by the powerful hits it’d received but its training kicking in to stay fighting.
Genesis shuddered as he remembered his next few moments, feeling like he was sipping Rieft through every breath as he’d realised at this point his taint from the Tel’nagara had been total –affecting him physically and not just mentally – he was becoming more powerful than he ever was, or should be.
He remembered glancing down at himself, noticing he’d not only felt faster, he was actually becoming faster and stronger, as though down to his very bones he’d gained a strengthened density, which added extra weight to each of his strikes.
He watched once more as he ducked the next blow, darting through a shadow off to the side of the bridge, and losing his attacker’s eyes, he’d returned a moment later with staggering sprightliness; the gawking Skrithian looking up sensing its error as the empowered Genesis towered over him and his eyes glowed white hot with power.
With overwhelming strength he’d grabbed the Skrithian’s wrists, which were still in mid-air, and easily squeezed the batons free as if the hybrid was lacking any strength at all. Genesis had jerked the poor marine forward, lifting him off the ground before abruptly releasing him.
Overbalanced this way, the hybrid had promptly fallen clumsily towards the Immortal’s next incoming strike. The combined forces hit the Skrithian dead centre in the chest and lifted the marine back off his feet again, and a long second later headfirst and devastatingly hard against the nearest console.
Genesis saw, in the defining moment, as he’d turned his head away callously and a spatter of sanguine fluid splashed across his cheek, the Skrithian folding beaten and bruised onto the decking, that he’d cared not at all. The guard was sputtering his saliva and mingled blood over the admiral’s boots and deck.
Genesis had finally looked up, his eyes cooling gradually. The whole assault had taken no more than a few seconds, and the few remaining human marines on the other side of the bridge were only just catching up with what had happened to their supporting squad.
Rifles hefted, pointing directly towards the danger standing before them, now free of obstacles with the Skrithians gone, not one of the remaining marines dared to fire. The sound of battle died as the bridge fell utterly silent and all stared towards the shadow standing amongst the groaning forms around him. In this moment Genesis felt the intensity of his talent retreating as he scanned his surroundings. He heard the creature of his Rieft crying in pain as the other force was running around within him, dictated by its use …
The actions could not be his own, he reasoned, not quite a hundred per cent sure, they were dictated for him … weren’t they? Genesis remembered his confusion at this point. Damn it, what was the alien’s poison doing to me! Genesis prayed that this was what had motivated him to such violence against his own kind.
Genesis understood now the threat he posed … something was terribly amiss inside him; the poison of the alien was enslaving him and his Rieft both. Abad’don must have been doing something to his persona and judgments with its tampering …
Genesis could tell from the few recovering Skrithians’ expressions, that they had known well of the Immortal’s training and they were lucky to still be breathing … and yet he’d attacked them anyway with little or no regard for who and what they stood for.
All these memories and visions vanished as the young Wielder’s eyes clouded over. With a gasp Genesis felt a ripple power through him, pain grabbing him from his very bowels.
Both in memory and his current form he felt stricken by this strange occurrence, as he remembered and felt it in two states of time. In his last second before losing consciousness, a voice leapt up, burrowing into his every thought, cutting deeply through him and making him forget all but the voice and the pain … Genesis felt the Tel’nagara’s poison return in full, and now it was somehow in his mind writhing further and further into his brain, the voice echoing along with it.
~If you won’t come to me, if you won’t give up your Rieft then I shall come to you. Succumb my child and take my hand, I will show you the way … they all must be sacrificed, they all must be cleansed~
The marines, the bridge, and the world around him seemed to all become distant again, as everything disappeared. All faded away to black … a blackness that even he feared to tread. Nothing remained but Abad’don’s eyes, burning into his mind and soul, all consuming, all powerful. The poison’s malice poured into him freely, ready to take over his dormant state and consuming his Rieft and soul entirely – all except one thing, his Rieft creature, which clung onto a small portion of Genesis and refused to let go.
Chapter 27 the SINAI
It had taken a full hour to dock and ascend through the security systems to the hall outside the Chamber of Elders, but finally they’d arrived. They now sat outside the circular sealed doorway that remained as the final passage before their Sacred leaders would see them. The small group waited nervously for Sladdent to return and give them the go ahead.
Zariah could sense the power permeating through the solid nano-titanium door, shifting impatiently on the large marble bench as she grew tired of waiting. She flicked her hair off her face irritably as she looked over at Gladarch, who shrugged and went back to staring at the floor. She could tell they were all anxious, more so than normal when coming before the Elders.
She was
also still irritable from the trip down and was unsure what had gotten to her more … that she had concern for Genesis or that someone else knew. If only we hadn’t been posted on the last assignment together, and if only he hadn’t needed saving so often. She cursed her stupidity in allowing another to get so close to her. It wasn’t like I screwed him, or worse, had feeli—
She couldn’t even finish the thought. No they were just acquaintances, nothing more. That was it, she had a damn slathen acquaintance and because she never had one so nearby before, it had confused her. That was all, she convinced herself.
Zariah crossed her legs for the fifth time since sitting down, the cold bench biting through her nano-built robes, making her feel even more uncomfortable. She shifted the nanos so they warmed her a little better.
Yet she didn’t really mind the cold, comfort wasn’t something she was used to, even before she’d joined the Immortal program, so she’d gotten accustomed to such minor discomforts, and it even sometimes helped when she needed to deflect what was going on around her … or on her.
Zariah cursed quietly. She couldn’t keep her mind in check, her past seemed to be bubbling up more than usual of late. She hated coming to the SINAI; it always made her like this, somehow she lost her defences and remembered her history, and then her feelings … got out. Zariah scolded her mind and forced it back to the present.
Failing miserably, she reflected that she’d gotten quite good at deflecting her issues and scars – by the time she’d moved on to a better life, within the Order, not much of her prior self remained.
Being here, where she’d first been re-created for her new life, reminded her of her past and vaguely of the time when she was back on Earth. Where at one stage I’d tried to be a normal girl, even trying on the little princess who would be saved one day role, or having a normal life with a caring—
Zariah quickly bit her lip at the thought, helping to stop it effectively. Yet annoyingly, a second later she was back at it.
Yes, and what a train wreck even that had turned into, she circled back to the memory.
She knew her background gave her a warped view of any relationships and even her own feelings. She knew that the whole relationship thing never really worked for her, thanks to her past. But it shouldn’t be a real problem now, in my line of work, should it; and anyway, really, did I ever miss it?
She rolled her eyes as some horrific echo from her past crept up, and she was reminded of her tarnished feelings that caught her off guard at times like this. Like with the mention of Genesis and the strange curiosity she had about him. It unsettled her greatly to think others were onto this ….
Despite this, and giving her quick relief from this feeling, Zariah went back into her memory and shell, as she continued to feel the discomfort.
Apparently – from others’ accounts – even back then, in her blossoming youth, she was quite attractive. The few boys she did have real relationships with though, didn’t like having someone out-perform them in almost every way.
Zariah smiled at the thought – and without their strength over a weaker vessel, what did they really have? Other than their dick … which was what led all the boys I knew to me anyway.
Back then, they all saw her as a possession they could take when they pleased, and before she was put to work by her father she’d made sure in due course they’d also get their arses kicked for it too; for trying to push things too fast, too often on her – or more literally, in her. For in the end they all tried … except Genesis.
He seemed to be the only exception, and bizarrely was coming up a lot in her mind since their last assignment together; even now Zariah wasn’t sure why. She guessed it was because he never tried to laud his power or make advances towards her. He was different, almost shy, never knowing what to say or do around her. Zariah liked this effect she had on him, and often exploited the way it embarrassed the inexperienced emotions of the young Immortal.
But she spotted similarities too. They both guarded themselves well, although Zariah recognised that Genesis seemed to purge his emotions more effectively. She, on the other hand, just hid them exceptionally well. Likely so well she no longer recognised them. Which would say a lot about the tatters Genesis likely had left of his. Yet this too was the other reason she picked on Genesis and enjoyed it so much.
Due to his excessive training time, and the decade he spent frozen in their infusion process – he’d taken a full twelve years longer than the others to survive – he actually still did seem immature … and in truth, he was. Especially emotionally. She recognised their similarities – he with no courtships or associations with girls, her repressed emotions and scarring – or at least emotional familiarity. It didn’t make sense, but in a funny way, she understood her fascination with the boy.
He’d started off so pathetically in their Order, and she’d been the only one to, sort of, help him. She’d watched over him a little, even becoming a bit protective. He reminded her of herself at an earlier age. And over the years, although she’d treated him severely and harshly, in reality she was, deep down, curious about his innocence and purity.
She wished she’d been that pure – but yet again – she also knew that for her it wasn’t a choice. After her early teen years, her bastard father made sure of that. Seeing how others desired her, the monster had put the … skill – or more like curse – to his use. At fifteen, he sent her to work paying the debts he owed and giving her the scars that never healed. The damned, cursed, dead, bastard.
And if it hadn’t been for the SINAI she would have remained there in the whoring districts of Earth’s slums, dying as a used up old slut and mistress to men’s desires and whims, nothing more than a ghost in a shell.
Yes, Genesis and she were alike in that sense, and it was why she knew she was drawn to him. Zariah almost laughed at how bad them being alike sounded. Genesis was the opposite of a whore, not even having experienced those sorts of desires of the flesh. But she knew what she meant; they both came from horrific pasts, and were both broken and relentless in their effort to succeed. She would never tell him that of course, nobody was allowed to know her, or her past – it was her closest and most guarded secret.
With a loud thud, making her flinch, the massive cogs finally clanged and the whining of rotors and gears precipitated the movement of the massive doors in front of her. The doors receded entirely into the recesses of the floor, allowing safe passage into the room beyond. Sladdent appeared from the gloom and motioned them forward before exiting and giving the all clear.
Abandoning all prior thought, Zariah stood with the rest of the group and moved through the entrance, the dull light of the overhead panelling lighting the way poorly. She pulled her long hair back and banded it with a sliver of nanos as she shook it to drop the braid down her back – tying it tightly for practicality.
“Sacred, here we go,” she breathed to herself. She hated this part of being an Immortal – the Elders, through no fault of their own, reminded her of everything that she used to be – and she hated them for it. She took a deep breath and stepped in. They entered cautiously into the Chamber of Elders, the heart and mind of the SINAI thumping all around them through the seemingly thickened air full of supremacy.
µ
Osiris had gotten a hold of himself again and noticed Zariah pulling back her hair, something she did before going into battle or speaking with someone she didn’t like. He gave her a reassuring nod and led the way forward. He’d recovered from his earlier vision, but even now the strange appearance of Zeal, which he didn’t dare bring back to mind, and the pain of what he’d had to do that day, decades ago, was still far too much for him to confront at such a dire time. Osiris started forward, welcoming the interruption of the meeting ahead of him.
The room beyond was dim, but from what he could see, not much had changed since he’d last been here, only two years prior. The circular room was devoid of objects, the walls and floor completely smooth, mirrored and bare, with not a rivet
showing. The ceiling was also far off, so far in fact that he couldn’t see it, and all in all not supplying very much he could use to distract his busy mind. The area was considerably dull he noted, considering it was a deity’s inner sanctuary and most important chamber.
No matter, the four moved into the centre of the room, hearing mechanical noises ringing from up high, followed by a precise clicking of interlocking seals – twelve compartments he counted in all – from the furthest edges of the room. The compartments slid off their mirrored surface and folded down to the floor, leaving the dark openings behind them. Osiris shifted nervously as twenty-four eyes glistened into the darkness from these awnings, showing the presence of their Sacred Elders, but keeping the faces and bodies hidden.
As each turned in sync, the Elders spoke in one powerful voice, startling the four Immortals before them, who were rooted to the spot in the centre of the circle.
“My children, it is good to see you safe.”
Osiris replied on behalf of their small group, “And it is also good to see you my Elders and brothers—”
“Many questions do you have, but only some shall we be able to answer … we will speak now and you shall listen.” The Elders paused for a brief second before continuing.
“As we already know what you are wanting to know we will start with the topic at hand and at the forefront of your minds.
“Yes, it is true a portal has been found and a new Temple is the cause of its opening. We have a ship stationed above the new planet with many re-enforcements soon to be joining it. The ship stationed there is the frigate Aspire and Admiral Herodes Antipatros has gone ahead to investigate its attributed Temple. He has also engaged another Seekers of Truth frigate, and has as a result damaged one of our Immortals … which we know you all already conclude is your Immortal 05.”
Zariah’s hand flinched as she interrupted, which was likely not visible to anybody except Osiris, who stood next to her.