“Yes, I imagine so. I am sorry. I only wanted to see what it felt like, how your energy tasted compared to ours. You are a beautiful creature, and I know now that I can set you free. You won’t live long outside of your doll, but I can free your from that prison.” She said, her smile fading to a look of compassion and concern.
“No. I cannot leave this body yet. I must finish what we came here for.”
“As you wish. So Alice tell me, why did you come here?” The matriarch said, taking a bite of a red fruit from her plate.
“The sinners are you call them have sieged your world for a long time. We have come to offer our assistance, to free your world of them. We are small and cannot win in open warfare, but we know that they are after something and if we get it before they do we can lead them away.” She said regaining her mental composure.
“And what do you seek to gain? Nature is not giving, nature is selfish and does what it does to survive. So tell me Alice from beyond the stars, what do you seek?” She responded.
“We seek to use what they are after against them. And we seek your help to turn the tides of war and free our planets and worlds from those who would destroy us.” Alice stated. The woman paused to consider this, picking small bits of food from her plate.
“And do you know what it is they seek, these sinners?”
“A weapon, a weapon of skin and bone. And knowledge. They want to know how you can create new animals and make them stronger than they were.” Alice inquired.
“Ah. So like the sinners, you too seek the knowledge of skin-shaping and you seek the great God of Below? Walk with me.” She said, standing and offering a hand to the mechanical beauty. Alice stood and accepted the hand with grace, she pulled her hand back, startled by the sensation of warm in her hand. She took it again, and this time no sensation flooded her senses. She hadn’t been able to say she had felt anything like touch since she had died, and this was odd to her. But it was no longer there, and she couldn’t waste any more time dwelling on it. They stepped away from the table and the group paid them no mind as if they didn’t exist. Alice would have to question that later. As they walked through the forest it was only a few feet later that the forest descended into itself, like stairs that opened up through the mess of leaves and grass.
The darkness of the forest basement opened up into a wide ruins, well lit by lanterns hanging on the walls. The stonework was ornate and well-crafted, Briannal leading them through the tunnel. The tunnel lead to a square room that was far larger than Alice anticipated when they first arrived in the basement. A table made of stone and glowing with unnatural light resided in the middle of the room, an intriguing display of energy and circuits. Alice was surprised that they had technology like this, but they had weapons that spit plasma so she assumed it wasn’t too far off. The table held a sequence of numbers and strange patterns and shapes. The matriarch manipulated the table with deft movements of her fingers and hands, shifting the way the numbers matched the colors and patterns.
“You see Alice, we don’t manipulate flesh and blood like you may think. We simply convey our desires to the planet and the planet responds by changing life. At night things grow faster than normal and the changes are implemented. This happens with the planet itself as well and allows us to create beasts of different sizes and shapes. Normally this kind of technology was told to take years, and it is entirely possible that elsewhere it would, but here things are different. We can control the shapes our bodies take because they are not full flesh. They are like a blank stone ready for carving, and the bodies we wear are not complete. They are fluid like a stream and thus they can be changed with a thought.”
“So you don’t know how to manipulate them?” She said.
“The science is there, I’m sure. But for us it is a natural talent and not something we know how to teach others. Everything on that board makes sense to every one of us, from our children to our elderly. Does it make sense to you?” Briannal said.
“No. I can’t say it does. But I’m certain someone like Lisa can figure it out.”
“Perhaps she can, she seems beyond her years in mind.” Alice was surprised how fast Briannal had been able to ascertain the intelligence of the young human, and noted that the Cydrakian natives were very observant.
“So the Corporation will be very disappointed to discover they will have to decode your information. That’s amusing. But what about this weapon, you called it the God of Below?” Alice asked.
“Ah yes. The God of Below is what we have come to believe is what the sinners seek. And if that is the case, we cannot let them get to the ruins beneath our world. The God of Below is something that our ancestors created and then killed. A sequence of flesh made for the purpose of killing and destroying. Stories say they created it because our world was overwhelmed by beasts known as the Unchangeable. These beasts wiped out much of our ancestors, and no matter how hard they fought they were unable to contain them. It was even said the Unchangeable were able to devour the spirits of our people and erase us from existence. In a moment of what must have been desperation, they created this engine of terror.”
“And they lost control?”
“Not quite. The creature ravaged the Unchangeable and defeated all that remained of their species, erasing them from the planet. But the creature was not responsible for itself. You see, the God of Below is just a vessel for a spirit, but it corrupts the man or woman that wears its skin. Such strength and power is more than we’ve ever experienced. On our own we can climb mountains in minutes and rip ancient oaks from the ground, but the God can split the earth. It consumes the DNA as you call it of others and shifts accordingly, it can change itself at will make itself more in number. God is a concept of something beyond our imaginations and capable of things only stories tell, and that is why we name it such.” Briannal finished her tale and looked at Alice’s blank features as if she didn’t need to see Alice’s eyes to catch her gaze.
“And so if the Corporation figures out how to use the creature, they can do whatever it is they wish and be unstoppable?” Alice asked.
“If they could figure it out yes. They lack souls like we have, but so do humans and yet here you are. It may be a matter of science and not just nature, and the fear we have for that is great. When they first came they discovered these stories so it’s likely they just wanted to justify their need for killing. But we fight on, we cannot risk them getting their hands on the God of Below and learning our magic, our technology.” She said. Alice understood now why they kept using the word magic, it was impossible for them to differentiate between the two in their language, and it had taken humans much practice to do the same. Alice nodded and examined the glowing board some more.
“How do we get there?” Alice said.
“How can we know that we should fear you less than we fear the sinners? Giving you the weapon could be no different than letting them have it. For now you are fighting against their conquest, but how long before such power gives you the need to conquer others? In nature a wounded animal only accepts aid from others until it finds its own wounded prey to consume.”
“You don’t. I can tell you that I have no desire to conquer others and I will be sure that the information is not shared, but the God of Below must be taken somewhere safe. If they get it, you will see your species and mine die. If you are good with that, then I bid you farewell and we will leave at once.” Her words were projected perhaps a bit too loudly, a mistake in Alice’s attempts to convey emotion. Briannal sighed and shook her head, biting her bottom lip.
“No. You are right. There are times when decisions must be made for the safety of all. If my people hadn’t have activated the God of Below, we would not be here today. I will send a group with you to the other holy ground so you can free my people there. If you do, we will show you the way to the Tomb of Below, and you can have the seed. The seed will give you the ability to create your own God, if you so choose.” Brianna turned and gestured for Alice to leave, walking up
the stairs emerging into the daylight of the forest. Alice approached her men who looked up at her.
“Where have you been Alice? This place is amazing!” Sgt. Masters said, and Alice did not miss the way that Lisa gripped his arm. She wondered when Lisa had moved so close to him.
“I have discovered the secret weapon, and I know now that we have to end this invasion as quick as possible. She says their other soldiers are currently holding off Corporation forces on the other side of the forest, and we must go there immediately. Sgt, get your men ready. We leave in thirty, and pack the biggest stick you can find.”
“That doesn’t mean I’ll have to walk softly does it?” The man mused aloud.
“We’re not walking Sgt. We’re flying.” Alice said. She didn’t bother to answer the puzzled look on the Sgt.’s face and instead withdrew herself to the shelter of the columns with the matriarch not far ahead of her.
Chapter 9
The harriers were beasts of great strength and power, something that Alice found amusing as they kicked off from the ground. They carried the soldiers underneath the harriers in armored baskets that wrapped around the monsters and gave them a little protection of their own. Alice rode in her own carrier underneath a beast that was larger than the rests, the strongest one trusted with carrying her hidden weight with it. The matriarch stated that they didn’t use them for travel much as they were the hardest of the beasts to communicate with, but the need was more dire than usual and the situation called for it. In each basket with the Earthlings and Martians was a Cydrakian who served no other purpose than to keep the harriers on track with their flight. Like a grenade, the policy was pull the pin and let them loose on the enemy but this was different.
They had received word that the Corporation was restocking their troops on a regular basis and flying out their wounded. Bombers would drop a few explosions then take off from the battlefield, something about their attack didn’t make sense but it was effective in weakening the defense effort by the Cydrakians. As they left the forest and took into the air she could see that they were only a few minutes flight from the battle and noted it was odd that they hadn’t been able to hear or see any of the battle. Her guide told her it was due to the thickness of the forest and that it drowned out the sounds of the war going on not far from them. He focused most of the trip on keeping the harrier in the air and not letting it get sidetracked from the blasts that were going on nearby. He was doing a great job when the harrier dove after a drone and snapped it apart in its massive jaws. Alice held on to the carrier and the harrier righted its course. The one holding the soldiers was lighter and faster moving and went on ahead of them, a move Alice figured was the correct one.
A loud sound of engines made her look around and spotted what appeared to be the horizon itself moving as a carrier approached the scene ahead of her. The massive ship was black and couldn’t belong to anything other than the Eldritch Glaive Alice figured, a small detachment of the ship that was Reinholdt’s representation on the field. It seems the slow and steady strategy had been replaced by a sudden overwhelming force. She used her lenses to zoom in and bring the scene closer to her, and watched as dozens upon dozens of actual full-fledged Corporation soldiers dropped down from ship, guided by floating transport platforms. She missed the rush of adrenaline and settled for a fresh battery to power her limbs, urging the guide to get them there quicker. The harrier zoomed over the battlefield and spat globs of sticky liquid from its mouth, an acidic substance she was told, that collided and melted into the armor of the soldiers. They looked up as the two beasts released the carriers into the middle of the field. The trees had been scorched to ashes around them, leaving an open battle-field that was in the depths of chaos.
Soldiers from both sides numbered in the hundreds as they engaged in open warfare around the columns of the holy ground. Several of the statues were on fire or broken completely into piles of crushed white stone. There seemed to be no more strategy in place than a bar-room brawl, Corporation men struggling to gain ground on the beasts of Cydrak before them. The Martians poured out from their basket with their rifles blaring electromagnetically propelled shots and sending the Corporation troops scrambling for cover. Some dropped large energy shields to protect themselves, but the incredible drain of power only lasted a few seconds. They returned fire and brought two of the Sgt.’s men to the ground, Alice couldn’t see which ones. They were joined by plasma fire as Cydrakian soldiers moved in to protect the Martian’s flanks. A few of the beast-men moved like bloody shadows, ripping apart flesh and armor with their claws and teeth. Apparatuses came to life and gifted the Corporation soldiers with extraordinary abilities, some taking to the skies and other hurling bolts of fire from their hands. Electrical energy crackled outwards and consumed one of the beasts. Alice made a note that she was glad Lisa had decided to stay behind, they would send her for after the battle was over.
The harriers pulled away from the carriers and began their own assault, snapping at soldiers and swallowing what pieces remained. The two harriers ripped off into the air and began to chase the drones that circled in the sky and drowned the plains in bolts of heated light. The transport ship was dropping resources and weapons for the Corporation soldiers, hurling projectiles down when it could though a battery of plasma operated by the Cydrakians was starting to chase it away. Alice leapt into the battle with an accelerated jump that brought her down on a squad of Corporation soldiers. They open fired at her with bolts of plasma, lasers, and other weaponry. She evaded most of the shots with little effort, retorting with her own blasts of light. As she closed the distance she saw two of the beast-men flanking her and smashing their furry heads filled with teeth into the nearest man.
An Officer shouted for his men to close on him, but they weren’t able to hear it through the sounds of violence all around. He looked at and shouted something about “Executioner” and brought his apparatus online. The suit glowed with blue energy surrounding his arms and legs, he rushed towards her and brought his fists barreling outwards. She wasn’t sure what type of energy he was wielding, but she didn’t want to find out. She put her palms together and focused a beam of increasingly hot photonic energy from her palms that pushed him backwards and washed over his suit. She moved to the right and fired more bolts into his back, creating a chain reaction she hadn’t counted on. His suit reacted poorly and though his hands were melted together and ruined, the suit didn’t care and added to his misery by choosing that moment to malfunction and explode into blue light. It reminded Alice of the bomb they had dropped on her colony, the one that had killed Cal. She maneuvered out of the range without being in much danger, but a couple of Corporation men were caught in the blast and incinerated. She turned away from the scene and pushed forwards. The lines were hard to find, but after being on the battle field they became obvious. They had established a base camp at the center of the ruins and were pushing the horde back. The horde was no longer defending, they were trying to reclaim!
“Masters! Get your men organized and pull out the heavy weapons. We need to break that barrier and get inside. They’ve taken over the facility!” She said through her mic, knowing they must have found the entrance to the hall, similar to the one she’d been in earlier. The Corporation soldiers had erected solid metal plates around the entrance, protecting themselves from attack and firearms. Alice had expected they would have to deal with something heavy, but she hadn’t known what until just now. Sidebottom and Isaacs approached her with haste in their steps, dragging with them the long, slender tubes of explosive launchers. A small force of five Corp soldiers exited the protective shell and released bolts of rapid-fire projectiles to take them down. Masters tossed a metallic sphere that landed at their feet and rippled outwards, drawing the projectiles to the magnetic ball. Two more of the Martians brought up behind him and emptied shots from their long-barreled rifles, having run out of ammunition for their EM rifles and switching to combustion long-shots.
The projectiles struck
the Corporation men with precision headshots, the explosive rounds raining chunks of skull and brain on the ground. Masters took a few shots with his EM rifle and brought down the rest of them. One by one they were joined by plasma wielding beast-men and their primal soldiers, manipulating their bodies to engage the different threats. Alice might have been impressed if it wasn’t for the fact they had already lost, now they were trying to play a losing game and hoping they had a move to push it out of the brink. Two thuds echoed around them as Sidebottom and Isaacs let loose their projectiles, the rockets burrowing holes into the metal before going up in fireballs. The metal shields dropped, and Alice looked upwards in time to see the transport ship take off in to the distance. One of the harriers had attached itself to the vehicle and was ripping chunks of metal off with every bite and scratch. The natives had more confidence walking with Alice and her men, which was to be expected. They had been fighting an enemy that outclassed them for a decade and believed they were doomed to be fighting the “sinners” for eternity, like a hell they didn’t deserve. They must have not had proper training in fighting an enemy like this, and learned what they could as they went; Alice thought.
The beast-men ducked through the holes first, with the eight remaining Martians taking up support positions behind them. The gunfire rang out in the tight space of the hallways as they opened up the doors and took out their opponents.
“Lisa, I need you here now.” She said.
“On my way”. The response was filled with nervousness, but Alice knew Lisa could handle it.
Alice walked down the stairways and what greeted her was bigger and more wide-spread then the scene at Tempal, the ornate stone burnt and chipped away from gunfire. The ceiling here was 40 feet high with columns supporting the dark stone roof. Alice rolled out of the way of arcs of plasma that were filling the hallway, finding cover behind a pillar next to Sidebottom. Sidebottom gave her a look before peering down the scope in his long-shot, hoping to find a suitable target at this close range. He squeezed the trigger and a cry of pain was heard somewhere deeper in the facility. A bolt of plasma hit Alice in the back, knocking her forward and onto the dirt. Her sensors screamed in pain as they informed her of the damage she had suffered, some of her armor had been melted and the heat had fried the circuits in her back.
Rebirth (Rebel Wars Book 2) Page 13