The Great Gate

by J R Dahl

  Down on the battlefield Cloin, Armon, Eliune, and his thirty Seberian soldiers stood on a hill overlooking the battlefield.

  Armon turned to the others. “The rest of the Helion forces are working to shut down the slave camps. When they do, these Leviathan will lose some power. But until that happens it looks like we have a lot of work to do.”

  The Seberians watched the battle; the bulk of the Leviathan forces had reached the line of AUVS. The Helienders continued to fire their electric nets and six-centimeter rounds from the top turret mounted on the AUVS. The sheer number of Leviathan, however, overpowered all the weapons of the Helion forces. Within moments the Leviathan had swarmed the Helion vehicles. Each AUV was covered with nearly twenty Leviathan who were shooting, punching, and tearing through the vehicle armor.

  Behind the lines of AUVS the Helion infantry came running onto the battlefield. They each pulled up their non-firing hand and engaged the shield feature that was built into the forearm of their body armor. The shields were an energy-based devise that emitted from a powerful generator carried on their backs. Once energized and fully extended, the shields stood one meter tall and half a meter wide. They were strong enough to deflect most rounds that were fired from a rifle or pistol.

  As the Helion infantry engaged they fired their electric rounds. They were able to hit some of the enemy soldiers, but the Leviathan were able to move so incredibly fast that they dodged many of the rounds and crashed into the infantry lines. Their speed and superhuman strength was far too much for the Helion soldiers to handle. Many of the Helienders were killed as the army of Leviathan continued to pour over the AUVs and through the Helion lines of defense.

  Cloin stood and turned to the others. “Now they definitely need our help.”

  With that all of the small band of thirty-three Seberians ran with superhuman speed and charged the front lines of the Leviathan. Like shadows shifting across the ground they moved in and defended the Helion soldiers. Their attacks on the Leviathan where swift and appeared to be effortless. With faster-than-sight motion they engaged in very close quarters hand-to-hand combat with the demonically powered army. The Seberians used their blades and fists to subdue the enemy to the point that they could destroy and remove the red amulet embedded in their chest plates and skin. The Seberians moved through the Leviathan lines, leaving a trail of soldiers laying on the ground writhing in pain as the demonic power poured out of their bodies.

  The Helienders took advantage of the fact that some of the Leviathan had pulled their attention to the Seberians. This allowed them the unique moment to land some electric rounds on the enemy.

  Just then an explosion rocked the battlefield just behind the line of AUVs. Both Helion and Leviathan bodies went flying through the air as a crater opened in the ground. The Nemaron tanks had opened fire. The Helion infantry scrambled to take cover behind the AUVs or any small hills that lay between them and the Nemaron line of tanks. Within just a few moments an AUV that was returning fire on the tanks exploded in an enormous ball of fire and metal.

  As Armon finished disarming three Leviathan he turned back to the other Seberians and yelled, “Eliune!”

  “We’re on our way,” Eliune yelled back as he threw a Leviathan amulet to the ground and signaled to five of his soldiers. The six of them turned from the Leviathan they were fighting and ran directly for the Nemaron front lines. All of the tanks had now started to fire, and explosions they created on the battlefield left three-meter-deep craters. The Seberians dodged many rounds that passed them as they neared the Nemaron tanks.

  Once they reached them, the Seberians immediately went to work destroying the tanks. They started on the north end and converged on one tank at a time as one unit. One Seberian would pry open the top hatch with super human strength and drop in a smoke grenade while the others would break and disassemble each and every gun. From time to time some Leviathan infantry that had been stationed in the back lines behind the tanks would attack. But each time they were quickly disarmed and left writhing in pain. As the Nemaron soldiers inside the tanks crawled out choking, they were quickly apprehended and taken out of the battle.

  Back on the battlefield Averine and the soldiers in her AUV continued to lay down cover fire for the Helion infantry from the back lines on the southern end of the battlefield. They, along with a few other AUVs that had not yet been overrun by the Leviathan, were able to take out a few of the tanks before the Seberians reached them.

  On the far side to the mountain, Sevran and his team flew in for a landing after returning from their rescue mission. From a distance within the cockpit he could see the vast battlefield below. The Nemaron cannons continued to fire on the Helion forces and mountain side. Most of the Nemaron missiles were captured by the Helion counter measures, but several were not, and the damage and death totals were escalating.

  Sevran still had two fighter escorts who now turned immediately and entered the mid-air dog fight happening not too far above the battlefield. While they joined the fight Sevran landed his shuttle in one of the main hangers. “We need to get out there.” He radioed in, “Base, get my bike ready.”

  As they entered the hangar a team of fifteen Helion medics rushed to Sevran’s shuttle as it slowly touched down. As soon as the door opened they rushed in with floating stretchers to unload the rescued slaves.

  Sevran jumped from the main cockpit and ran to a soldier who was rolling his bike to him.

  “Your bike, sir.”

  “Thanks,” said Sevran. He pulled on his helmet and grabbed more rounds for his rifle which he then slung over his shoulder.

  Back out on the battlefield the Leviathan had unfortunately become aware of the nets, and some were able to dodge them as well as the electric rounds. As they continued to advance they also pulled their rifles and opened fire on the Helion infantry. They killed large numbers of soldiers, and many bodies lay dead across the battlefield. The AUV armor was strong enough to repel the fire of the Leviathan infantry. But the enemy force that had taken to the air with jetpacks had now turned their attention off the Helion fighters and onto the ground forces.

  Just then, Sevran and a unit of six other Helion soldiers rode out of the main hangar on their motorcycles. They were heavily armored and full of ammunition as they road up onto a hill that overlooked the battlefield. From there they could see the two advancing forces and the widespread damage that the Leviathan were causing. Sevran could see that there were already many wounded and dead and that the casualties would continue to escalate. They could also see that the Leviathan with jetpacks were now causing much of the damage.

  “We need to take out those guys with the packs. Let’s go,” ordered Sevran, and he and his men took off down the hill toward the battle.

  As they approached the battlefield they picked up a great deal of speed while also beginning to take on enemy fire. Sevran steered toward a large mound on the backside of the battlefield and hammered down on the throttle. He hit the mound and launched himself thirty meters through the air. As he left the lip of the mound, he threw the bike sideways. With his forward canons he targeted the jet pack of one of the Leviathan. His round hit its mark, and the Leviathan’s jetpack exploded while he crashed to the ground.

  While still in midair, Sevran reached back with his left hand and grabbed his pistol, which he used to take out another jetpack Leviathan approaching from the opposite side. Then Sevran swung the bike straight again just in time to land on the downhill-sloped side of a mound.

  The men in his unit also took to the air and began to take out many Leviathan as their motorcycle targeting systems destroyed the jetpacks. This drew a lot of attention from the enemy forces, and soon they were converging on Sevran and his team. Before long the Leviathan had swarmed to them and they were surrounded. Within moments Sevran began to lose men as the Leviathan closed in.

  Sevran pulled out to the side of the area to get a clear run. He found a good clearing and without slowing down re-approached the area where the Le
viathan were converging. He hit a large mound and launched his bike over the battlefield. As he did he pulled the bike into a barrel roll and backflip combination. He switched on the targeting system to fire everything. Tracer rounds flew in all directions as his bike flipped through the air. Many of his shots landed and took down several Leviathan.

  From the backside of the battlefield the Nemaron canons launched ten missiles simultaneously. All of them where aimed directly at the exposed section of the Helion base wall. Counter measures launched from the mountain base and intercepted all but three of the Nemaron missiles. Those three hit with a tremendous impact and blew a hole in the metal wall of the Helion fortification. As the dirt and smoke began to clear they could see directly into the base.

  Inside the Helion command center everyone shook from the impact as the lights flickered. Over the loud speaker they could hear, “Base has been breached. Repeat, outer wall of base has been breached.”

  Chapter 13

  Out on the battlefield the Leviathan continued to attack the Helion infantry in hand-to-hand combat. They were no match for the evil supernatural speed and power of the Leviathan, who killed many of the Helion men with ease. The Helion soldiers mounted on motorcycles, however, had a slight advantage in that they were able to outrun the Leviathan. They and the AUVs were still able to take out some of the enemy soldiers.

  Another Nemaron ship entered the atmosphere and came in for a landing. It was a mining shuttle. It landed on the far outside of the battlefield in an upright position with its drill facing down. Enormous mechanical arms came out from the side and stabilized the spacecraft. Then the drill located in the center began to rotate as it inched closer to the ground.

  The soldiers of Helion fought desperately to stop the Leviathan advance, but their enemy was too strong for them. Many were forced to retreat back into the cover of the AUVs. The soldiers on motorcycles lay down cover fire as the infantry soldiers tried to regroup. The AUV gunners continued to take out Leviathan with electric rounds and nets.

  Many of the Leviathan were still on the tops of the AUVs, trying to break their way in. They shot numerous rounds at the seams in the hull of the AUVs and began to pry open doors with blades on the ends of their rifles and their bare hands.

  On the other side of the battlefield a large force of Leviathan broke off from the rest and ran toward the hole that had been blasted in the side of the mountain base. From inside her AUV Averine noticed them advancing and called to her driver. “We need to cover that hole. Take off now.”

  “Roger that,” answered the driver. He turned the AUV and accelerated across the battlefield while running over a few Leviathan in the process. Two other AUVs followed to cut off the enemy force advancing toward the weak spot in the base wall.

  The rest of the Helion AUVs continued to fire the electric nets at the Leviathan, which was quickly becoming less effective. The enemy had begun to spread out and was more aware of the nets, so fewer were being caught.

  In the Helion base soldiers ran to inspect the damage where the base wall had been compromised. Debris fell from the ceiling and dust filled the air as they ran through the corridors; they rounded a corner to find the enormous hole. They could see tracer rounds enter through the opening and hit the wall on the far side. They could hear the battle raging on the outside and the clinking of the Leviathan body armor as they ran toward the hole.

  “Get back to the main doors,” shouted a Helion soldier. “Unit five take the west side, we’ll take the east.”

  The two units ran down the hall way in opposite directions until they came to lockdown points. Once on the inside they closed the enormous metal doors and locked them. Then they took positions to defend against anything that might break through.

  Back out on the battlefield a Nemaron sergeant called to his Leviathan through the com links, “Ok, enough killing. Collect these weaklings and bring them to the mine shuttle.”

  The Leviathan immediately began to tackle the Helion soldiers and tie their arms behind their backs. They pulled the soldiers from the motorcycles and broke through some of the AUVs and pulled the Helion soldiers from the vehicles. They tied them together in large groups and started to march them toward the mine shuttle.

  Many of the Nemaron field artillery had not been taken out and were still firing from their position on the far side of the battlefield. One of the cannons turned and took aim at the three AUVs that were driving toward the hole in the base wall. The canon fired its missile and hit the ground just in front of Averine’s AUV. The explosion created a huge crater and caused the AUV to flip over and crash.

  From above the battlefield the Helion pilots converged on the area above the hole in the side of the base. They hovered down and fired thousands of electric rounds at the Leviathan who were quickly closing in on the hole. Their rounds took out many enemy soldiers, but the wave of Leviathan continued as thousands converged and prepared to enter the base.

  Just then several Helion canons popped up out of the ground and fired the electrified nets at the wall of Leviathan. Two or three hundred hit the ground, but that didn’t slow the enemy’s progression. Within seconds they had reached the opening and poured into the Helion base.

  Back at the AUV crash site the Helion driver labored to pull Averine from the wreckage as blood ran down his forehead and into his eye. She was wounded but still conscious. Her right leg was badly cut as was her right arm. The driver worked among the ruble that was his AUV at the bottom of the crater that the Nemaron missile formed. As he pulled away chunks of the hull that lay across Averine’s body, a Leviathan ran by and stopped at the top of the crater. He peered down and found the two struggling under the rubble. He turned and started down the steep side of the hole in the ground.

  The Helion driver pulled his pistol and fired at the approaching Leviathan, who quickly dodged the bullets. He ran to them at a lightning speed, kicked the pistol from the driver’s hand, grabbed his head, and in an instant snapped his neck.

  As the driver’s dead body slumped to the ground, the Leviathan slowly turned to Averine.

  “A woman,” he said as he pulled up his com link. “Air unit. Come to these coordinates. I have the first addition to Maginon’s collection.”

  Seconds later a Nemaron soldier mounted on a jet pack landed beside them in the crater. Averine struggled to collect her thoughts as her head recovered from the crash.

  The Leviathan reached down to grab her.

  She quickly drew her pistol and took aim only to have it pulled from her hands and crushed. The Leviathan picked up the debris and pulled her from the wreckage as if it was nothing.

  “No! Put me down!” yelled Averine; she continued to try to clear her head while she punched and kicked as hard has she could.

  The Nemaron soldier stepped forward and injected her with some form of sedative in the back of her neck. She instantly went limp. He then picked her up and flew off into the air and back toward the Nemaron command center.

  Inside the Helion base, the Leviathan had filled the hallway and were beating on the metal doors that the Helienders had closed and barricaded. They also used large wrecking bars to pry the doors apart while the Helienders nervously waited on the other side with their weapons drawn and aimed at the back side of the door.

  Just then the Helienders heard something above them in the ceiling. Suddenly one of the Leviathan fell through the ceiling and onto the floor in the middle of thirty Helion soldiers. They all opened fire with electric rounds. The Leviathan didn’t have a chance against that many waiting soldiers and was quickly knocked out.

  “Great. One down, a couple thousand to go,” said the Helion squad leader, listening to more noises coming through the ceiling. “Lonan had better get those slave camps out of commission soon.”

  Back on the battlefield everything seemed to go into slow motion in Sevran’s mind as he looked around and watched the devastation of his people. He was filled with despair as he saw Helienders lying dead on the ground and others
being taken captive. The Seberians where continuing to fight and had taken out many Leviathan, but the numbers were just too great. They couldn’t defeat the entire army of thousands of Leviathan with a small force of thirty-three.

  He gathered his courage and took off toward a group of enemy soldiers. He managed to get off a few quick shots from his motorcycle when out of nowhere he was hit in the face with the butt of a Nemaron rifle.

  The impact threw him from the bike and onto the ground while his motorcycle crashed into the back of an AUV. Sevran stumbled to his feet only to be injected in the neck with a sedative and to find himself back on the ground. As he lay there, slipping from consciousness, he could see Averine being carried through the air by a Nemaron soldier as he came in for a landing at their forward operating base. Then everything went black.

  Meanwhile back on Lonan’s rescue mission, Telgrin was still hiding underneath a desk in the Nemaron command booth high above the suspended slaves and lava below. He scrambled to hack the Nemaron system and shut down the execution sequence. He worked frantically as he whispered to himself, “We’re not going to make it.”

  On the other side of the room Devakin grabbed Lonan by the throat and lifted him into the air. Lonan struggled to catch his breath as Devakin’s grip tightened around his windpipe. Blood drained from Lonan’s face as he looked over at the countdown clock to find it at 0:04.

  “Looks like you are out of time,” said Devakin with a grin.

  Just then the clock turned to zero. Outside in the main chamber the slave rack dropping system went into motion. The retainers released and the racks began to free fall. They fell a half of meter and then stopped with a violent jerk. All the slaves cried out in fear.

  Up in the ceiling the Helion unit leader watched as the cables that he and his men installed on the drop devices did their jobs to stop the descent.