“He’s right and it’s cheating.” Renee sat between his legs, giving her ass a little wiggle to express she was having a great time. After sipping some wine she added. “Besides, I’ve already lost five grand in credits so you know he isn’t helping me.”
An hour later Natalie’s throat was under Whip’s large foot and she tapped out. Sparky’s words were true and it was Whip’s experience that won. Many in the audience bet on her and lost a fortune, but she got in a few good licks before being defeated. Natalie eventually joined her family after conversing strategies with her cousin. Renee helped her granddaughter medically and Natalie was a strong girl. She knew the man wasn’t a pushover, but made a promise and fought fair. If it was a real fight she’d have overwhelmed him without lifting a finger. Literally.
Oliver excused himself to go do something for extra entertainment.
“Here’s the event you have all been waiting for folks!” Marcus said now that word had spread and many had come into The Pits when word spread of the tournament and who came to participate. About three thousand more had come to the private club in a frantic hurry. Bets were furiously going around. “The final round of the tournament. Merril verses Whip! Both competitors fought long and hard to reach the final stage. Tonight’s winner will receive rights to next month’s championship bout with our reigning champion for the title of The Pit’s Best,” Marcus waited for the audience to quiet a little before snapping his fingers and two Wind dressed models came out carrying a bleached skull. “and as a bonus. The winner of this tournament wins the only known slain X-Rank Beast skull of a Cerathane slain by King Oliver Void himself!” The crowd went deathly quiet as they gazed on the rarest of all known Beasts. A myth of a myth brought to reality before a live crowd. It was from a great bird which absorbs the light of any light source and can focus it into a beam so hot it can burn through near any object. Oliver lost a leg trying to kill it nine years back. Since it absorbed light, it was invisible, even to his eyesight. It didn’t use psionic energy and it was by far the second hardest Beast to slay. The only harder one was the Joint-Ape.
Renee looked at her man and asked “So that’s why you stepped out for a half hour. Whip and Merril both really want it.”
“It’ll be more incentive for them to put on a show then now won’t it?” She laughed fondly at him before giving him a deep kiss with the promise for more.
“Nice. This should be sweet.” Breena said as the wispy dressed women walked around the pit, showing off the pristine skull as long as a human is tall. Even as a skull it’s long beak was barbed and razor sharp.
“Can’t believe that you’d give up the trophy from the bird that nearly killed us nine years back, Brother.” Stone said beside Oliver in a new type of malleable armor. It was like a scaled down version of what the enormous Solarian wore, was just as robust and was affected by will. Only it was lighter and could be absorbed into a modified Valek designed for the human anatomy. The human variety Valek couldn’t compare to an original, but it did do many similar things like absorb the armor, make repairs to broken objects and could transform matter at the cost of energy. It would be like an original Valek was a heavy broadsword able to chop anything, but the new model was a pocketknife in terms of function.
A space fighter to a hoverboard.
“It’ll make for a better show.” He knew for a certainty.
“Merril always fights better when she has a real goal.” Natalie stood shoulder to shoulder with her youthful grandmother.” But Grandpa, that’s the only skull you got in your trophy room of a Cerathane. Aunt Isabella is going to be mad she wasn’t given a chance to nab it.”
“Izzy will be more than overjoyed when I tell her my long range bio scanners finally picked up an overrun Beast planet yesterday about ninety six thousand light years away teeming with Cerathane. She can go have her fill.”
“Oh, well why didn’t you tell her yesterday?” Renee asked wryly, already knowing and teasing him.
“She would have had Davan calculate and send her to go have her fun when I need her help to clear out the obelisk without overly damaging it. When it’s cleared I’ll let her go make another addition to her own trophy room.” He said regardless.
Merril and Whip came out at the same time to reverently caress the pristine skull and shared a hard look that needed no explanation. Both coveted the trophy and were not going to hold back except in lethality. The match was going to be quick and brutal. The prize was worth it.
As the grand prize was being carries out by the two sensual women Merril said “Grandpa’s trophy will be mine.”
“Nothing in life is ever certain, Young One. No hunter of Beasts would pass an opportunity to win such a prize. I’m no different and I want it for my own collection. Do not disappoint.”
“Grandpa and Aunt Isabella taught me how to fight. I hope you can keep up. I’m stronger than my cousin. Fair warning.”
“Warning heeded.” Whip raised his fists and drew upon his power to cloak himself in a protective barrier.
Merril did similar and they waited.
“Let tonight’s final match… Begin!” shouted the announcer.
Even as a half Solarian, Merril was faster than any human modified with ligament enhancement, but Whip had centuries of fighting experience. Physically they shared equal height and sturdy bodies. Renee and everyone except Oliver were on their feet cheering on Merril as she lunged and ducked under a swift left jab thrown by Whip.
Merril drew the man in close and created a marble sized kinetic sphere and stomped down on it while throwing a right handed uppercut. The minor explosion caused in the stomp increased the uppercut’s force dramatically, but Whip barely dodged yet she still managed to connect her skintight Psionic barrier against his and the force threw the man back. Had the blow been more than a glance, Whip would have been launched into the stadium ceiling.
Recovering quickly Whip threw a surprise kick and used the arena sand to blind the opponent enough to gather himself and threw an elbow fueled with a slight telekinetic blow that made impact with Merril’s abdomen and she was thrown to the other side of the pit, losing her wind from the blow.
Whip tried to capitalize, but Merril increased the barrier coating her hand for safety concerns while creating another sphere of blue-white plasma and punched the ground. The resulting explosion sent tons of sand everywhere and would have doused the whole room had Oliver not erected a cylinder of energy to safeguard the crowd.
The sandstorm obscured everything for several tense seconds till Whip used his power to drop the blinding and smart use of the surroundings. Soon as it was clear he didn’t realize till it was too late that Merril used the distraction and managed to sneak up from behind and launched an almost deadly punch to the back of the man’s head.
Stadium grounds shook from the force and Whip collided with the barrier at nearly four hundred kilometers per hour.
Renee gasped and teleported into the arena to catch the man and began a scan. The room was tense for a moment and so quiet even a naturalist’s unchanged hearing could have heard someone breathing on the other side of the room. Renee sighed. “He’s fine, just out cold.”
“I won?” Merril couldn’t believe it. Then she smiled. “I WON!” she yelled and pumped a fist. The crowd went nuts cheering.
The prize as well as the proprietor Marcus came out from the gate to announce “Winner by knockout is Merril Void! As promised here is your prize and do not forget that on the first of next month you have a shot at the championship. And as champion of tonight’s bout you won four hundred and fifty thousand credits. Congratulations and give Merril Void another great cheer folks for that spectacular victory!” the stadium obliged with gusto.
“I won, Grandpa!” Merril cheered as he arrived in the sandy pit and she threw her arms around him.
He returned the hug and offered a sincere smile. “You do your mom and grandmother proud. Enjoy your new trophy.”
“Great shot, cousin.”
; “Thanks, Natalie! How is your nose?”
“Smarts. It’ll be good as new by morning. I’ll need to try out that trick you used tomorrow if I get overwhelmed. It made a nice smokescreen.”
Whip came around about a minute later, sitting up to see a friendly face. Hello, My Brother. Your grandchild is quite a surprise and packs a punch. Guess I shouldn’t have been the overconfident one.”
A large black arm was offered, the one entirely covered in a true Valek to help the man to his feet. “Be thankful she only brought out enough strength to match yours or I would have taken the trophy and given to you. As it stands, she kept things fair. Had you had your weapons though, you would have crushed her. She’s still sloppy in her swordsmanship, but likes hand to hand.”
“Man, I really wanted that skull for study and put on my ship’s trophy wall.”
“Perhaps you would prefer to hunt one yourself? More meaningful I’d wager pitting yourself against a live overgrown and invisible turkey.”
“What I wouldn’t give to do just that, but you alone are the only one to ever see the Cerathane.”
“Just so happens that recently I discovered a world teeming with them.” Whip’s eyes grew large and round. “I’ll flash your chip the coordinates, but you’ll have to stay for the…”
“Cleansing of King’s Tusk Tower. I know. Queen Isabella contacted our entire kingdom to rout the Beasts inside. The Water council I heard on the news in the waiting rooms before facing young Merril is starting an evacuation of the outlying area. Won’t surprise me that an announcement will clear the buildings in fifteen miles by morning. And as for the hunt, I’d be sorely grateful. Soon as I help my queen, I’m going to go hunting. I’ll get my own Cerathane and cherish it more.” Oliver merely sent a thought and delivered the file who mentally opened it and was grinning at the prospect.
To celebrate Merril’s achievement she was taken out to dinner for drinks and games. True to Whip’s word, a citywide report as issued for evacuation came to make ready for the event.
Chapter 7
Midmorning arrived cool on Verard around the monolith tower and behind the giant pyramid of Galicom headquarters in the Andromeda Galaxy. Galicom’s main building may have been large, but it was nowhere near that of King’s Tusk Tower. Oliver lounged by a crackling barrier that sealed off the only known viable entrance into or out of the tower. Dotted holes here and there all the way up allowed water and air to pass unhindered, but none so large as to allow Beasts in or out. Speaking of, just behind the sealed entrance was a salivating army of creatures. His Pride and everyone else stared right back with mounting anticipation. Fear didn’t register. Renee leaned back against his chest with her eyes closed humming a soothing melody because she needed to force herself not to strangle anyone, especially their children. The only help was Angie and her Wind kingdom weren’t around to antagonize matters.
Wind people were devoting every spare moment and person to making battle ready ships.
At long last Isabella and their other daughter Angie came over saying “Ma, Daddy, my forces are prepped and ready.”
Angie, as Queen of Water, nodded. “So are my people who will follow in from behind to harvest the meat and collect any young for relocation to a different habitat. My medical personnel are also ready in event of injury.”
Renee opened her eyes. “Girls, remember, the tower is a maze and groups will split off. It is a maze so rely on my moron’s schematics. No one goes it alone or paired. The recruits stay in threes minimum. Make sure everyone stays close in event of danger and escape by teleportation if cornered. Whatever you do, do not damage the tower in any way. It may still be tough, but if one of our clan goes overboard, neither I nor your father will be happy.”
“We need every obelisk in pristine condition. Netul contacted me and one I told him to check is destroyed. It’ll take five months to make another. Luckily most of the ceramic was easily collected and can be reused.
“Still, the tower has been damaged by time’s ravages and my fixers will be busy for a month correcting the wounds. If it breaks I’ll have to construct another and it’ll take months more and additional resources.”
“We know, Daddy.” Isabella said, wearing her tribal style armor. “Davan also is at the ready to pull anyone back if they get overzealous. All our people going in will have a tracer he can use to teleport anyone out.” She lifted an arm to show a bracelet on her left wrist rather than the feminine Valek on her right. “My husband’s tracers have shown great results so far. Last week on Zerika it saved one of my people scouting the Salamander mountains around where I was born. Davan jumped him safe and sound out of a cave and right to the med bay in my castle. He and his team will monitor all six hundred fresh groups. Each of my groups have five Water that will follow my warriors and keep the scraps.” Isabella then fingered the pommel of a long, ruby red katana glittering with the clear sign of a Star-saber. “We’re ready whenever you are. Teams are ready and will stick together when separating at any forks. Ligers need to stay outside though. They’re too big and the corridors are often too small.”
“True. No time like the present. Go tell the Water council to deactivate the door in three minutes. Have the family close to slay the horde when the shield drops.” Eyes flitted to the writhing mass behind the energy barrier trying to get at them.
The chime of singing swords rang out across the area and the roar of thousands of Ligers readied for a fight. Isabella stood near her father along with practically everyone else. Breena stuck close to Renee and Sparky while Steven, Stone and Visor were by Oliver. Weapons crackled with funneled power, ready.
At precisely three minutes the enormous entrance flickered and dropped the energy shield and out from it belched thousands of Beasts. Slicing waves of energy flew through the air cutting and dicing the wave of Beasts long before ever becoming a credible threat. Energy just enough not to scar the structure. Angie and her people telekinetically scooped the mass out of the way and ready the meat harvesting as Isabella yelled the old Hunter code… “HUNT RELENTLESSLY!”
Then people and Liger flowed into the great tower now that the way was somewhat clear. The first wave of Beasts were young and weak, but the higher the invasion went, the stronger the threat. Stronger beasts claimed the better territory. Oliver and his group had long ago separated to track down all of the greatest dangers his micro drones had discovered. Steven laughed and Stone found release. Oliver though felt no fear from anything in the tower. It was fun though.
As expected, the tower was a complex maze. Dead ends and looped sections that brought one back to the start was common. The design was intricate and made for a purpose. It would one day store and regulate stellar energy for a rift. Ceramic could contain and store heat and was dense enough to hold heavy material rather well.
For three days it took to clear out every last Beast from the tower. Eggs and young were relocated. Only one individual was seriously injured, but would make a full recovery in a few days. Thousands upon thousands of tons of raw Beast meat was harvested, stored as pellets or sent to places in need of food. After the threat was eliminated Oliver scanned the entire tower to determine the obelisk was in enough of a decent condition to uproot.
For him it was effortless. He merely focused his power and tore it from the ground so gently the ground didn’t even shake, what vibrations were made though Renee prevented, but when he hoisted it, few knew how deep it was. The Obelisk truly was a monolithic giant. It had sunken into the ground for over seventeen kilometers, so deep the bottom was red hot from the hot planet’s mantle. He raised it clear from the planet and ordered drones of his own creation to affect repairs. Millions of orbs with tens of thousands of tendrils finer than hair went inside and not only cleaned the obelisk in the cold vacuum of space, but fixed any damaged or cracked areas. Supply ships loaded with raw ceramic clay came in a train for the drones to collect and repair.
It took a full month to fix it.
During that time Oliver used
the knowledge from the five cities left behind to locate hundreds more obelisks and sent coordinates to all fleets sent to his aid. Creelin were by far the most efficient and capable to transport those in remarkable condition. They especially were helpful by heading to the other two galaxies to collect the structures and use his drones for repairs as needed.
For the next eleven months the Empire of humanity and Creelin peoples worked near tirelessly to recover each and every artifact. Advanced ships were made constantly, many made for heavy artillery or for speed and maneuverability.
And as twenty five thousand years had passed, not all structures were in any condition to function so Oliver had to use Laxus to recreate seventy four found to have been completely destroyed.
Some retrievals even had to be fought out of the Keptl grasp.
It was a major ordeal and logistics and military readiness was paramount.
Many wanted to know how the obelisks worked, but Oliver told only Renee the basics that wouldn’t confuse the redhead. It frustrated everyone for each obelisk were all made of ceramic and nothing more. No form of advanced technology could be found even at the subatomic level. It was clear they fit together after all resembled King’s Tusk, but no one could reason how they would work. Oliver though knew the complexities were too staggering for any human mind to safely handle, but the risks involved were too great to share to anyone, even friends.
Over that year each obelisk was brought to the supergiant star the Creelin were sure would work and Oliver concurred after an extensive study and scan. The star was a violent blue and the biggest he had ever seen with his naked eyes. Even sitting a light year away, the star’s immensity dominated the scene. It was just that big.
The City-ship of Fire sat there for over two weeks as Oliver telekinetically and carefully arraigned the obelisks into an oval, each tip fitting in the hollow bottom. When complete, its opening was enough to swallow a moon and was both robust and fragile. A barrier had been erected around it so space debris didn’t shatter the material. The structure was ready and only a Creelin Mothership on the star’s other side was the only other ship in this system. Dealing with this star was extremely dangerous so only the two ships remained after the gateway was fully connected.
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