The space between enemies was filled with mad volleys of phaser blasts and rockets. They were going out in that? He noticed swarms of space fighters and muddy blue auras headed their way. It appeared they still had some Nukari beasts even after their birthing facility was destroyed. Perhaps they had more than one? Mencari packed the thought away for the moment.
“I’ll guide you to Anrik’s team as you deploy,” Mini-T said, appearing before Mencari in a fountain of light.
“Everyone stay in your teams!” Mencari yelled.
“Go!” Mini-T shouted.
Toriko’s ship sped forward and burst into space, followed by Mencari’s golden streak, and then the others.
* * * * *
“This is more like it!” Naijen bellowed.
It started with a sneer and his classic, toothy grin of pure anticipated pleasure. Naijen’s eyes gleamed as he looked across the mighty battlefield. It didn’t take him long to see where he’d have the most fun. This was what he’d been waiting for—battling side-by-side with some of the most powerful warriors he ever met. Outside of Speru, he really didn’t care what the others did. This was his time. No more pussyfooting around—it was time see just how much damage he could do. Playtime! He watched Anrik and his forces approach.
“Hey Anny-rick,” he taunted. “Wherever I go, you go the opposite.”
“Divide and conquer. Good strategy,” Anrik said.
“No, man, you don’t understand. Don’t get in my way….”
Naijen burst forward, launching ahead of the group in his familiar showy style. He glanced back, making sure Speru was at his side. Even the old stone lady and Decreta seemed to be keeping up. Maybe they finally understood who should lead the charge. It was about time.
Naijen readied his Skar and dove into his unsuspecting enemies. His toothy grin widened as the small cluster of Nukari beasts spotted his approach. He didn’t like the coward’s way; stabbing in the back wasn’t honorable. He preferred the sport of the hunt, the thrill of crushing another’s abilities. That’s what he craved.
The enemies turned to attack as his aura extended around the Skar. Infused with power, the blade shimmered with silver light. Ramming through the group, he slashed through them. Elation surged through his body as he felt them go limp against his blade. Without looking back he sped toward his next victims.
* * * * *
“His recklessness is going to get you all killed,” Anrik barked.
“You try and stop him,” Seigie retorted.
“He seems to be fine on his own, should we split off?” Decreta asked.
Seigie shook her stony head. “We stay together—those are the orders. Besides, sooner or later he’ll need us.” Because sooner or later, everyone needs someone. Even with her crystalline body, her nearly impervious and immortal life, she discovered the need for her new family. Naijen, as thick-skulled and meatheaded as he could be, was someone she intended to protect. She summoned more power and boosted ahead as Anrik’s team peeled away for another mission.
She watched Naijen head for a pair of Nukari beasts twice his size, flying in a tight formation with a smaller tagalong version of them.
“Oh no, he’s not …”
They saw his aura extend around the Skar as he dove for a quick kill.
“He is,” Seigie said.
Naijen smashed into the beasts and ricocheted wildly off.
“See?” Seigie sighed while she gripped a handful of red crystals and charged them. Speru drew the hilts of his firelight sabers. The red gems burst with brilliance and the fiery blades flared to life. Before her, Decreta’s eyes glowed and his jaw unhinged. A ball of light formed in his throat that stretched into a beam of pure power. The larger of the Nukari beasts shrieked as Decreta’s ray blackened its skin.
Seigie stuffed the crystals into her launcher and slung them. As they flew, fiery beams of energy connected the gems, creating a pyramid of fire. As it passed over the smaller Nukari beast an inferno erupted inside it, charring every inch of the creature. Speru dove onto it and cleaved through its chest. Decreta’s breath weapon blasted through the third beast’s back, obliterating its hearts and killing it instantly.
“I had ’em,” Naijen snarled.
“We fight together, remember?” Seigie said.
He scoffed and looked about for his next target. “You keep up, we fight together.”
In a flash he was off and flying. Seigie clenched her fist and charged forward, determined to match his speed.
“Looks like they have a mix of Nukari beasts here,” Seigie said. “Who knows what they’ll have here, we should be cautious.”
Naijen looked back at her. “Scared? Be the hunter or be the prey, stone lady.”
Before them, three Nomad ships came under fire from a group of Nukari beasts.
“And they’re next!” Naijen said as his body exploded with power and careened toward the creatures.
Naijen sliced the largest of them, splitting it down the middle. Before she could even help, he’d killed the others. She marveled at the devastation the meathead could bring. He’d sliced through the hordes as if they were paper dolls.
“Seigie,” Anrik’s troubled voice crackled through her communicator. “We need help. Just on the other side of the flagship.”
Luckily, Naijen was headed that direction already. She didn’t honestly think she could direct him even if she needed to.
“Won’t even be a challenge,” Naijen said, sizing up the six sets of Nukari beasts attacking Anrik’s team. He was right.
“Seigie, Anrik … respond,” Eyani’s voice boomed through their communicators while the final Nukari beast wailed its last breath.
“Go ahead,” Anrik said.
“Are you within visual range of the big ring?”
“Negative. What’s happening?” Anrik said.
“We’ve detected an energy buildup around it. They might be trying to bring it online.”
A holographic display appeared from the communicators.
“The strongest concentration is coming from two asteroids. Whatever those things are, they need to be destroyed.”
“Affirmative,” Anrik said.
“On our way,” Seigie said.
“Seigie, I’m bringing my team in to keep the Nukari off you,” Mencari said through the communicator.
“Definitely some type of power generator on the asteroid,” Seigie said, reporting to Eyani. “Looks like a few battle droids guarding it. We’re going in.”
“Two tin cans, and I’ll be back to a real challenge!” Naijen scoffed.
Opening fire from a distance, their blasts couldn’t even mar the droids. A barrage of return fire scattered the team.
Seigie saw an odd light appear around the asteroid behind the droids. Small hexagonal panels of energy were appearing one by one around it. Stray blasts meant for the droids were hitting the odd light, and fizzling.
“A shield, it’s deploying a shield!” she yelled.
The battle droids continued to coordinate defensive moves against Seigie and the group. Speru’s body washed in silver light, which flooded in waves over Naijen, Seigie, and Decreta. Their own auras burned with brilliance while they attacked the droids together. The blast ripped through the back of the first droid and sent the other reeling backward. The group turned their attention to the tiny vulnerable area left open around the asteroid. As they unleashed their attack, the droid moved in the path of the blast. As it exploded, the final hexagon filled the small opening. Despite their strongest attacks, they couldn’t get through the completed shield.
The asteroid floated up; sparks flew as it connected into an outcropping from the massive ring. A massive distortion rippled across the inside of the loop. On the other side, Anrik’s team swiftly retreated as a second asteroid attached in.
The distortion expanded, filling the area with static before starting to swirl. In moments it created a vortex that appeared to drain inward. The center spiraled open, revealing a completel
y different region of space. On the other side, brilliant nebulas splattered the endless canvas of black. In the distance a massive armada escorted by hordes of creatures drew closer.
“It’s open!” Seigie yelled.
Naijen began slashing at the ring structure. With each hit, the same hexagonal shielding appeared and protected the structure.
“We can’t dent it!” Seigie cried.
“We’re coming!” Toriko yelled through the communicator. In the distance her pink ship tumbled and transformed into its robot mode, then cruised up. “There’s a central energy channel that runs around the ring connecting the two asteroids,” Toriko said, diagrams flashing before Seigie. “If we can cut off one I think it would shut the whole thing down. If we all focus on one spot we might be able to breach this thing.”
“Less talkin’, more blastin’,” Naijen said, unleashing a blast across the ring segment. Even his impassioned attack didn’t work.
“Eudora! You don’t want to know what’s coming our way!” Toriko said.
Seigie looked through the distortion and instantly wished she hadn’t. “You’re right, we don’t,” she said. Though Seigie couldn’t unsee the sight. The armada was massive, especially the lead vessel that dwarfed the others, making them appear like child’s toys. An escort of massive beasts flew in open space. Perhaps more Nukari genetics projects?
“Beasts! Let’s go through, slice ’em up!” Naijen said, shaking with bloodlust.
“We have no idea where that is, or what’s all there!” Kiyanna said, flying up with Mencari and the others.
“Meathead—eyes here!” Seigie barked. “We have to destroy this thing! Now!”
* * * * *
“It’s coming,” Seigie yelled.
The nearest beast passed through the gate, entering their space. It moved like a floating squid with flailing tentacles, towering five times over Cerna’s height. Its tumor-covered skin was dotted by beady yellow eyes of varying sizes.
“Now that’s ugly,” Dane said.
“But fun!” Naijen chided.
Seigie knew she’d lost the battle to keep him focused, and Naijen fused energy into the Skar when the beast pierced through the gateway into their space.
“Gonna bring the hurt!” Naijen roared, golden shield radiating.
They couldn’t attack the ring together with that thing on them. They had no choice but to deal with the creature.
“Together! Together!” Seigie shouted to selectively deaf ears.
Naijen continued to build power as he dove at his prey. The Skar crackled with energy. The creature lashed out with a tentacle arm.
* * * * *
“He missed!” Allia cried.
Speru watched Naijen barrel past the beast. He had never seen that happen before. What was he up to?
Naijen’s body listed, then went limp.
Naijen?
The Skar floated gently from his hand, and in an instant everyone knew he was in trouble.
“Naijen!” Speru shouted, firelight sabers flaring.
Mencari held out his arm, blocking him, as Dane’s purple vortex appeared before them summoning a half-digested behemoth. Spark flanked the monstrosity, along with a newly transformed horned-demon Ichini. The three opened fire with powerful beams.
One of the creature’s tentacles snagged Naijen by the leg and hurled him in the way of the attack. Speru watched in horror as Naijen’s powerful body instantly charred and blistered, absorbing the attack. Madness claimed Speru, and his body washed with silver brilliance. The firelight sabers burned deadly orange as he dove toward the beast. Slicing through the tentacles holding its newly found meat shield, he grappled Naijen’s chest harness and pulled him away. He barely noticed the cover fire the others were providing. His vision blurred as he choked back his grief. Instinct had taken over; getting Naijen to safety was his only care.
Cogeni’s glowing green hand waved him over. The power was already flowing from his healing artifact. Speru zipped over, handing off Naijen’s still-limp form.
While Cogeni went to work, Speru looked over Naijen’s body and spotted ominous red circles along his side.
“Stay away from the creature. It has some type of suckers or something. When it had Naijen it must have done this to him!”
“Hang on, Naijen,” Speru choked out, not knowing what he should do: stay with Naijen, or help the others kill the creature.
* * * * *
“What is that thing?” Allia cried.
She saw Katen launch out the side of Toriko’s robot, moments before its Catling guns spun up and fired at the beast.
They were hurting it, but not much. Katen and Decreta circled the beast looking for a vulnerable spots, while Dane’s creature began its attack.
“Watch out!” she yelled as another tentacle stretched unnaturally, snagging Decreta. His shriek was stifled by a white froth that bubbled from his mouth. His limp body was jerked back toward the creature. A fold of the beast’s skin peeled back, revealing a fleshy opening.
“It’s going to eat him!” Allia cried as Ichini blasted the tentacle holding their friend. Katen threw a handful of seeds, his staff radiating light. The sprouts burst into barbed vines that wrapped around the creature’s tentacle. Wrapping around like a python, the barbs cut into the flesh, but it wasn’t enough to stop it.
The creature shoved Decreta feet-first into its body. A translucent membrane covered over his head. Inside it, they saw Decreta thrashing wildly as he regained consciousness.
“No!” Katen yelled, enraged.
Allia’s body radiated with light. She reached her hand forward, and powerful energy leaped from her fingertips. The creature went to block the blast with a tentacle, which was obliterated as it was struck. The blast continued ripping deep wounds along the beast’s side.
A black fog poured out the bottom of the creature, and its body began to spin. Another of its limbs smacked the arms Speru severed. They careened at Allia and Ichini. Katen yelled a warning, but it happened too fast. She felt it hit her hard, knocking the wind out of her. Everything went black as she tumbled backward.
* * * * *
“Allia!” Katen yelled, diving to help her and Ichini.
“What’s it doing?” Dane said when the beast began to radiate a golden glow.
Mencari saw Decreta’s aura fade as a muddy-blue aura formed around the beast. His eye grew wide in horror. “It’s tapping his abilities!”
A small, beak-like mouth pushed through its skin and opened. Power welled inside.
A breath weapon? “Scatter!” Mencari shouted as a blast streaked toward them.
Ribbons of dark energy surged along its tentacles, turning into black bolts of negative energy that leaped at them. Dane’s creature shrieked as it was blown apart.
“Seigie, diamond-dust it!” Mencari yelled.
He watched her scatter a fog of diamond dust to no avail. The dark energy passed right though without stopping.
Mencari saw Katen grow sprouts into a protective dome over Allia and Ichini.
“Cogeni, it’s coming your way!” Seigie screamed.
“Help me distract it!” Mencari yelled to Toriko and Kiyanna. The three opened fire but failed to attract any attention.
Speru moved between the beast and Cogeni, who was still working on Naijen. Cogeni’s body pulsed with silver light that radiated forward into a shield. As the creature unleashed more attacks, the blasts began to arc up above the boy.
“Hang on!” Cerna yelled, diving to help Speru. She dove directly into the stream of attacks from the creature.
“Cerna, stop!” Mencari yelled.
* * * * *
The first few blasts sent her reeling, but she fought to regain control each time. She cried out, eventually holding her ground and absorbing the blasts.
“Get out of there!” Mencari yelled.
Her expression of uncertainty turned to determination as her body rippled with light with each new hit. She started to reach for the bolt
s that would have missed her, draining their power away. Slowly the bolts were pulled toward her, as if she were a living lightning rod. Her body began to blur, and from the ripples formed spheres of light that chaotically orbited her changing form.
“She’s havin’ all the fun,” Naijen groaned.
“Naijen!” Speru said, turning and nearly dropping his shield.
“Focus!” Naijen scolded as sternly, wincing with pain from the strain.
Speru quickly reinforced his shield, sneaking a tearful peek at Naijen.
Naijen grunted.
“Just relax, you’re still hurt badly. I’m trying,” Cogeni said.
“I know.”
The corners of Naijen’s mouth spasmed and his body shuddered.
“Is the pain still bad?” Cogeni asked. Naijen didn’t answer, but his clenched fists answered for him. A small sob escaped Speru.
* * * * *
This ends here!
Speru’s body tingled with adrenaline. Naijen was okay, but that beast was still attacking Cerna and had Decreta. The silvery light around him pulsed like a heartbeat as it extended farther from him.
He looked back at Naijen, allowing himself one final glance. A gasp escaped as he met Naijen’s eyes. For a moment he and Naijen were the only two things in the universe. He smiled as tears welled in his eyes. If only things were different. There were so many things he wanted to do and share with Naijen. But love compelled him to protect no matter the cost. That’s what it meant to be a Defender, he thought.
Naijen’s voice echoed in his mind. “Boy … what are you doing, boy?”
He walled away Naijen’s ability to mind-speak with him. With Cerna and Katen’s help, they’d been doing it since Ruul. It was nice to know he cared. That’s all that really mattered to him. He knew what he had to do.
D'mok Revival: The Nukari Invasion Anthology Page 92