The shaman paced back and forth. Lost in his own thoughts while I stood there and tried hard to remember everything he was muttering. I wish I had a pen and paper, wait I did have my map and pen. I started to note take and got most of it down when I saw he had stopped and was staring at me. I guess I could speak now.
“I died on Earth, like the mother planet of humanity Earth, or on dirt?” I asked.
“You have no memories, do you? I know this about you as you were the general that frustrated my forces so defiantly for two years. Your father died in a mining accident, your mother killed herself when she was young. You never gave up on becoming something better than your mother though. You strove to be an Olympic athlete. In 2779 you did blood work for the events. That blood work got the attention of that vile mastermind Empress. That frustrating woman caused our invasions of human planets endless trouble.” The shaman grumbled and kicked the dirt.
If I had died then was that a clone? Were we both clones? Was my body still alive, or was this all part of an elaborate simulation?
“I have to say I am not buying your story. Humanity could drop bombs, laser your troops, and close every portal you ever opened. The Horde are weak compared to humans.” I said planning to continue but he interrupted with a cackle of a laugh.
“You are delusional, they really did send you here with a fresh mind. Let me guess the last thing you remember is the 2779 death race in which you died. Well here is a news flash, it is 2792. Muarta is an old god of ours, so old he predates this universe and transversed to this cosmos billions of years ago. I tell you this because you think your fancy electric ships and high tech weapons are superior to the Horde. Do not feel bad, many species rationalize that as technology advances it protects them more from potential enemies. Muarta is a god against technology. He is one of our founding gods. Muarta is one of the six who created our rules and bound them with contracts. We do not invade planets from massive starships. We gather enough electrons to open portals. Muarta can dial into any planet's core and open a gateway to the planet's surface with enough power. There is never a need to travel any other way. Every planet that orbits a sun, in what you humans call the goldilocks zone, we send a small portal to. We send a test goblin and if the goblin comes back we can colonize it. If the goblin does not come back we send a few orcs, then a few ogres. We send enough for some to return in case they meet hostile life forms at the portal. We always end up learning if we can inhabit it or not.” Virtue said as if everything he was telling me was a fact.
I sighed and thought this over. Thirteen years had passed, that made some sense given my older look here on Vin. The Horde did use portals so it could work that way. My best option was to let him finish.
“Have you heard of nullifier magic?” The shaman asked outstretching his hands.
“I have, it was in a conversation with a friend,” I said not wanting to give away anything to this creature. The fact was I knew very little about it.
“Yes, well let me tell you more. We have a spell, it comes directly from Muarta, and feeds him. He is the spell creator, we shamans are his catalyst, and the intake of all electrons is the execution of the spell. Did you understand what I said?” He asked.
“It is a bit vague but I think I got it. You have an ancient god that comes from a different universe. This god uses the shamans of the Horde as a catalyst to steal electrons. This spell turns every piece of equipment that runs on electricity off?” I asked.
If that were true the effects it would have on an advanced human world would be catastrophic. I remembered my time on Swan, I had devices everywhere that ran off electricity. I struggled to find much that relied on old technology like propellants or gas. Sure there were some items in museums but everything had been converted to energy efficiency centuries earlier.
“Correct, it steals and shuts down all electric devices and storage containers. The first world we found with humans was called Essex. It was a tech world and had very few actual humans on it. It was almost fully digital, a haven for escaped, rescued, and born artificial intelligences. This was how we learned of your master, the Empress. With one spell we wiped out every defense. Every electron in the atmosphere of that world was stolen. Any satellites, spaceports, and spacecraft that tried to beam communications down were pinpointed and targeted. The spell is not instant but nearly as fast as light. With distance, it makes it much harder to disable electrical use. Needless to say, anything close to the planet had its electrons stolen and fed to Muarta. The gracious god that he is used those electrons to funnel more portals to more habitable planets.
“It took us a while to find humanity's hub of stars. The Horde councils and upper echelons were excited at the prospect of a worthy foe. New Spain was the first human dominated planet that we found in 2785. Once we had your cluster of stars down it was quick work opening the portals and launching our war. We found your species wanting. Do you know what a human who is trained, domesticated, and dependent on electricity does when it is stripped from them? Hint, it is not fighting valiantly. Most commit suicide when the realization that they have to fend for themselves hits as reality. Those that might want to take up arms realize the modern weapons no longer function. They tried desperately to recreate your propellant weapons of the past. You have seen my caravans marching south, by the millions, some by the tens of millions. They do not allow time for our enemies to build anew. Especially when a species so dependent on technology finds itself without it.”
I listened and could see some valid points the shaman was making but I did not still believe everything he was saying. I was not sure what it would take to accept his words as truth.
“Is there a way you can prove any of this?” I asked running my hands through my hair in frustration that maybe this shaman was telling the truth.
“I can but I would have to portal jump us to a distant planet. It will be fine and the agreement we made will protect you the entire time.” Virtue said.
I weighed my options and decided I would go with him. I had to know.
“Lead the way,” I said.
The shaman opened a portal the size of a human and I ducked into it. The moment I entered there was blackness...
CHAPTER 15
My vision returned and I stood on a blue planet. Not blue as in water, but blue as in the starlight of a blue giant. We marched over loose gravel that crunched loudly. In front of us, a simple pre-fabricated building waited. The rivets and bindings gave away the door. Virtue place a palm on a box that scanned his hand.
A hiss and a beep and the door parted. I edged into the space uncertain of what we were walking into. An old man slumped behind a desk, asleep with a tablet playing a video quietly. I noticed it was a news broadcast and aptly paid attention.
“The war has dragged on for well over a decade. A stagnated engagement that has altered the course of human history. Tonight, we unfortunately report that those remaining on Alpha Prime have surrendered.” The reporter said sadly. Had I gotten lucky and arrived right at a recap or was this playing for me.
Virtue interrupted any chance for me to hear more when he banged the table with his staff.
“Huh,” The old man realized he had visitors and melted the tablet into the desk. “Oh. I will get her.” He reached behind his ear and pressed a button I barely noticed.
I was curious as to what would happen next. I was not disappointed in my surprise as his body morphed. It was hard to explain what I saw, but it was best described as a skin flip, one atom at a time. He burst into a trillion little specks but it was a controlled contained explosion. Then as the atoms rotated he reformed into her. Sara, Empress, Madame Mastermind, the Seducer. It had been less than a month since I had seen her last, but her human body had aged ten plus years.
She wore the same tight, form fitting deep blue spacesuit. The zipper was lowered to allow her busty rockets to be exposed the perfect amount. Her gray steely eyes pierced into mine with more than shock, outright astonishme
nt.
“How can this be?” Sara exclaimed. She raced to hug me but Virtue thrust a hand out to stop her.
“The fact that you exist still surprises me, Madame,” the shaman said angrily as he furrowed his hairy brow. “The contract for us forfeiting Earth was very clear. No clone of Gryff, by you or any member of your Empire or they would forfeit both lives. It cost us a great deal to have him assassinated, and more to lose Earth. I am wondering how you outplayed our deal.”
I paced and absorbed the conversation.
“I also would like to know. Alas, somehow he is here. When you awoke did you do so covered in dust?” Sara asked as she tapped on her chin. The woman was a legend for her intellect so I guess she asked a very specific question I could answer.
“Yes, a light covering. I am not in a simulation, am I? I am a clone... My real body?”
“No, this is real, and your original body died on Earth. You were betrayed by an old training coach from Swan. A bone knife across your throat and then through your eye. I still torture the traitor in my hidden dungeons.” She said and then turned to face Virtue. “Okay, well, it was not me or the combined Empire of humanity and A.I. I rule. I am sorry I cannot help you further. As I see you are wearing white, I know my Gryff is safe. Last question, what was the last thing you asked me?”
I pondered this one and realized she called me her Gryff. A lot had happened, oh right I wanted a signing bonus... Sex. I thought that over. If she raced to hug me here, which meant the other Gryff probably was friendly with her, if not intimate. What had she said earlier in that meeting? Her new body reminded her of lust... She erased it. We had sex and she scrubbed it from my memory. I knew it was odd that as things heated up between us, everything suddenly went black.
“Are you figuring it out? It is okay, you will get there with time, and all young minds are prone to doing irrational things.” Sara leaned over the table and flashed me some cleavage. I think I got the hint.
We had sex, the young mind would be a child. A child that was probably as enhanced and brilliant as her mother. If that was true then where were they, and how were they not part of the Empire their mother ruled? Did I have a son or a daughter? Had they had cloned me? Not on Vin, but where, and how did I get there? Or did she lie and the Earth Gryff was a clone? So many more questions raced through my head. I went to start asking but was halted.
The seductress stood tall taking away my view of her lush assets and waved a finger at me.
“Say no more Gryff. I wonder Virtue, if you and the councils would be willing to bargain with me to have some private time?”
“I have allowed too much, I hoped this Gryff would slip and provide us with vital information. He seems as cunning at the last one at holding his tongue. Your time here is complete. I hope you believe me now. Until later Empress.” Virtue conjured up a portal and dragged me with him.
∞∞∞
I shook my head in an effort to clear my vision, portal travel was disorientating. All around me the noises of battle ensued. Screams of pain were drowned out by an earsplitting roar. Virtue retreated into me as he evaded a thrown boulder. The Fearless Company was battling six ogres in the location where I had disappeared.
“Wait Gryff, we are under the white color of truce. You and I cannot intercede until you are to safety. There are rules to prevent ambushes after meetings. I must guide you to the barrier and let you cross it before we can part ways. That or portal us elsewhere to safety.”
I wanted to argue. I needed to help my troops. The wagon mounted ballista spewed bolts against the spread out ogres. I made the wisest choice I could think of. I ran as fast and as determined as I could to Fernlan. I sprinted and pumped my legs with every ounce of my being. Fernlan was not very far from the river. I glanced back and spotted Virtue levitating over the ground while meditating on his spell. The speed at which he moved was impressive but I was focused on running as fast as I could. The moment I felt the tingle of the barrier he flashed away.
Nate and the Frontier Knights were mounted on warhorses in full battle armor. They all talked to me at once. I ignored them and yanked Donnie off his mount. He stood there mute in anger at my actions.
“My lord, they would have seen you and should be retreating now. It would be prudent to wait!” Nate shouted down at me, desperate to get my attention.
I wanted to ignore him but I could not. My blood surged through my veins as I leaped into the saddle. I did not know how many survived still as they battled their way back. The brief glimpses I had gotten of the ogres were daunting. They were twenty feet tall, making the one I had killed before seem tiny. Every step they took while they fought shook the ground. Seven hells, I could see the rocks dance in the dirt this far away.
Fearless company materialized into view in a full sprint through the pines. The noise that followed them was frightening. Three ogres chased the tiny humans with snarled faces full of rage, clubs raised waiting to strike. Their tiny ears must not feel the pain of how loud their roars were. Lazra shot an arrow behind the trailing ogre and I heard a screech of pain. Four ogres.
The men were barely faster than the monsters that hunted them. The only thing that allowed the four humans to stay ahead of their pursuers was the fact that the ogres had to explode through pines to keep up. We yelled as loud as we could for them to hurry.
The Frontier knights drew weapons, the air rang with the sound of steel. The ogres had stopped their advance and tensed awaiting our rush. The remaining Fearless troops crossed and we bolted forward. Our mounts flung clods of earth and we closed the distance. The ogre I charged released an overhead swing with his thick club. I full stopped my warhorse. The horse neighed so drastically we went vertical. The spiked club missed us by inches as I grappled to stay mounted.
When the horse connected four hooves back to the earth, Nate and Marcus delivered thrusts into each leg of my attacker. I spurred the mount to within spitting distance. As I got close enough I stood on the saddle and launched myself to the chest of the Ogre. It was focused on trying to swat Nate when I plunged my sword deep into his heart. I kicked off the chest and crashed to the ground, getting the wind knocked out of me.
The ogre looked at his gushing wound then staggered to a knee. He teetered and swayed. I gathered space between us when he toppled in death.
Nate and Marcus joined the fighting that was a game of cat and mouse with the other two ogres. Blood poured from numerous minor and a few major wounds. Kyle and his horse were clubbed and sent flying dozens of feet. I hesitated on what to do, my mount had moved on and was trying to kick an ogre.
The ogre's club called to me. I sheathed my sword and picked up the immensely heavy weapon. I ran silently at the ogre that had his back to me. When I got within range I torqued my back for a powerful swing. I felt my aura pour into the weapon. I swung high for the upper right thigh and connected with a shock wave of power.
My victim's femur snapped as his hip popped out of place. He crashed quickly into the ground with a thump that made my feet bounce. His vision was blurred and he looked to be in immense pain, so I ended his misery. An overhead swing into the skull mushed his brains. A leg and a hand twitched before he shat himself and died. I wanted to comment or complain but I tried to not vomit. The last ogre was panicked now.
He was alone and injured. There were still ten humans, most with mounts fighting. He turned and ran from his current engagement to retreat. I was ready as he approached me with his awkward gate from a crippled hamstring. The spiked club caught his good foot. The twenty foot monster tumbled and rolled.
I went to end his life when Nate dove off his warhorse and slid his pike deep into the creature's eye. It connected with the brain rapidly, the arm that was trying to stop Nate flopped to the ground and the monster breathed his last.
“Everyone on a mount, Lazra fired at a fourth ogre who probably was mortally wounded or close to death. Chase it down. If you cannot find it recover the ogre hearts from the first
battle. Wounded take priority. Go now!” I shouted as I raced over to the dead ogre and sawed at the chest with my sword for the prized heart.
“Wina update.” I called out as I proceeded with my gruesome work.
“There are orcs on the east end rounding the barrier now towards you, maybe ten minutes before they arrive. They are fifty strong and are large veteran warriors. The only luck you have is they are too big for wargs. Your men have found the trail to the fleeing ogre. They will find it dead not too much further away. There are two wounded humans at the river crossing, one looks mortal. You can recover them both if you sprint now.”
I sliced through the arteries that connected the heart and plopped it free of the ogre's body. “Nate I am off to get wounded, get these two hearts. Hopefully, we can salvage the one I pierced from the most awesome kill shot ever, well besides your leaping eye stab. Back to chat later.” I hollered as I tossed the heart I had into the barrier and spun to return to the river.
I was tired and sore but without injury somehow. So untypical of me. I cruised past the battle remnants and leaped over the fallen trees. I saw the destroyed ballista, it was a tangle of wooden parts and frayed rope. Bodies littered the ground, mostly human. A man was squished beyond recognition, and another had been torn in half. The scene of carnage around me was disturbing. The two dead ogres were littered with the ballistic bolts, blood pooled below them.
“Left, under that brush, and then a dozen feet from her is the other,” Wina told me.
I flung the bushes about and found Una barely breathing. Her legs were shattered and her pelvis crushed. Large round holes revealed she had taken a brutal spiked club hit to her lower body. I knew there were proper ways to handle someone with a broken back, but I did not have the time. I went to the other wounded man to see he had already expired. His cold eyes stared in denial at his death.
“Wina, how long?”
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