The Gauntlet of Possession (The Teracian Chronicles Book 1)

by Christopher Lambert

  Letting himself go, William thought back to what was most important. His friends. His dear friends, Allen, Trevor, Brenda and his girlfriend, Anya, all stood in front of him. Allen with his coarse dark hair getting in his eyes. He had known him since middle school. Allen always got him in trouble back then, but he turned out to be his best friend. He didn’t tell him enough times how much he meant to him. Allen was the strong one, not him. After what happened to his parents and that time on the school roof, he got through it and managed to turn everything around.

  Trevor and Brenda, the friendly kids from London. Unfortunately, they became a target for bullies because they were different. Trevor was almost expelled after he defended his sister from the other boys. Left one with a broken nose. They were alike in every way except their attitude; in that way, they were polar opposites. William cringed as the blood dripped into his eyes. I can’t leave them all behind.

  His mind shifted back to his past as his final ounces of strength drained from his shattered body. Anya Rose, the quiet girl with her full red hair and hazel eyes. She changed his life and accepted him after what he had done that night. The hate inside him broke through the gates and laid eyes on his brother’s killer; the cries plaguing him could soon be over. She needed his support now more than ever. Ever since the doctor told her about the condition.

  If we really are on a different planet, we’re all that we have left.

  A massive burst of energy suddenly erupted from the top of the cavity as if something had frantically tried to escape. William felt his body become numb and his concentration falter. I need to get the gauntlet. It’s the only way. The blood on his hands was dry now, and he was able to grab ahold of the weapon once more. The strength remaining wasn’t enough; his hand fell to his side. Everything was absolutely silent as he found that his hearing was gone. He touched his hands on the metallic floor, and they made no sound. Panic gripped him as he tried to free himself from death’s cold grip, but found he could not move his arms anymore. Without a fight, his head nodded forward. I’m coming to see you, little brother.

  As the temple continued to collapse, a large Teracian body fell through. Lifeless and beaten, the warrior’s body collided with the ground, but not before an energy burst left its gauntlet. A chuckle escaped its throat. The energy pulse struck with such an intensity that it shattered a hole in the glass cylinder. Several of the computer monitors came to life, and an alert sounded. Pieces of glass and plastic landed on the floor as the container began to crack, allowing a thick fog to creep out. Swarms of darkness shrouded his mind as his heart stopped. Black smoke filled the room, closing the light off from view.

  A faint outline, shrouded in darkness, shook and staggered towards William. The entity collided with him and vanished, causing his body to rise. Each motion resulted in a snapping of bone and awkward movements with his frame being forced to move. As he stood upright, blood erupted from the wounds and snaked upward across his skin. His eyes abruptly flicked open. The sky-blue color of his pupils that had once shone brightly, suddenly became washed over by black.

  **********

  An alarm came from all directions as a voice rang loudly in the console room. Seated in a leather chair, an elderly man overlooked a set of large computer monitors. Clear tubes and wires sticking out from his spine and head, and dark fluid gathered in the sealed container in the corner of the room. The smell of oak resonated from the finely polished table where his hands rested.

  ALERT. ALERT. SPECIALIZED CONTAINMENT UNIT DZ065 HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED. SEPTUNE STATION LOCK DOWN PROCEDURE RECOMMENDED.

  PROCEED: Y or N?

  An abrupt knock assaulted the wooden door.

  “Come in.”

  It was slowly pushed open, and a dark figure approached the wooden table. Armor encased his body, and a gun was holstered at his side. Patches of blood stained the fabric on his leg with numerous bends and dents on the custom-made exoskeleton. The clean-shaven gentleman closed the door and rearranged the cloth on his bionic arm. His face betrayed his Japanese descent. The injuries on his legs prevented him from standing up straight and instead he wore a slouch.

  “Sir, am I safe to assume that you are aware of the situation in the Temple of Amethyst?”

  “I am aware, Akira. What do you have to report?”

  “One of the new arrivals has entered DZ065 and is presumed dead. The two Teracian Therak’tow spies have been dealt with. The others are untouched as you commanded.”

  “Why did you allow this to happen? Your mission was to infiltrate that temple and contain the spirit so we could use him.”

  “The Teracians were too much sir. They were Windenfall Elites. I had no chance against them, and I had to use all of my strength to stop my head from being crushed to the ground.”

  “Why did you not dispose of the boy? If he survived, everything we’ve been working on for four centuries will be jeopardized. Don’t tell me you’re unaware that the integrity of the glass chamber was compromised? I should throw you off this station for your foolish incompetence,” the frail man said with dead eyes and grinding teeth. His eye started to twitch as the machine to his left pumped more liquid through the tube.

  The Inquisitor stepped back, knocking over a pile of boxes and clenching his injured arm, “He won’t survive an-and Dazshra is presumed unable to gain a host.”

  “Assumptions are what cost us Earth, Akira. Do not forget that there are others that I could use for this role.” He flipped a switch on the console, and a countdown commenced on the corner of the screen.

  “I’ll make sure he’s dead and that the problem is solved. Forgive me for my failure,” said the Inquisitor as he bowed and limped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Staring up at the screen, the temple laboratory became blocked with dark smoke. The ancient wrinkles in his ancient skin tightened as the black, razor-edged gauntlet on his right arm burst the leather chair arm, instantly rendering it into a pile of ash.

  “Assumptions are what cost me everything,” he said to himself as he flipped his greasy hair back and pressed the Y key on the keyboard.

  Four

  Rays of Light Amid the Helpless

  “William! William!” Brenda said as she fell to the cold stone floor with tears flooding out of her puffy eyes. “Why is all of this happening? This isn’t real. None of this can be real.” She slammed her fist onto the floor until the knuckles on her hand became bruised and cut.

  Running to the gaping hole, Trevor looked into the abyss. The never-ending darkness emanated despair and seemed to engulf the entire room. Each light in the four corners of the chamber flickered slightly as if trying to hold on for their sake.

  “He can’t be gone. He just can’t be gone. William! Oh god…what are we going to do?” said Trevor. His voice trembled and stuttered as he ripped out his phone and shined the light into the cavity. Allen ran to his side, and they both gasped at the hand gripping onto a chunk of metal layered under the stone. Without thinking, Trevor laid onto his stomach and extended his hand to their wounded protector. The Teracian stared up at him with a bloodied face and deep gashes along its forehead. The area between them was too great, and their hands couldn’t quite meet.

  “Allen, you have to help me. He’s gonna fall if we don’t do something.”

  Trevor stretched out his hand and met the firm grip, “Okay I have him. You have to pull me up before this floor collapses.”

  Allen stood up and grabbed ahold of Trevor’s waist, lifting him slightly off the ground. A searing pain coursed throughout his body and the wound on his arm and shoulder reopened, causing him to lose his grip and fall onto his side. He glanced at his shoulder and saw a yellow substance leaking from the gash, which was swollen and a dark shade of red.

  “Come on, Allen. You can do it, man. You need to help lift.”

  Brenda was suddenly at Allen’s side, helping him up. He looked into her eyes and saw four sets shifting back and forth. The back of his head felt like i
t was going to explode and his heart ticked away like a fast-approaching time bomb. Only for a brief moment did he hear another strange voice in his head.

  “I know only one of you can hear me, but you humans must leave here. I am far too injured to climb up, and I have failed to accomplish my mission. You must leave before you are doomed to fail as well. He is coming.”

  “Allen, are you alright? Allen...Allen!” Brenda said as she stumbled to keep him level. She shrieked as his head slumped over.

  “Trevor, something is wrong with Allen. He just passed out again! We have to get him back outside. Anya might know what to do.”

  “What? Damnit, I can’t be in two places at once. Brenda, I want you to get out of here. Once I get him out, I will meet you back in the forest.”

  “But what about Will?”

  Trevor adjusted his waist and extended his arm, “Brenda please just get out of here. I can’t lose you too.”

  Brenda hesitated for a second and then bent her knees, adjusting her weight. She stood up, and with a grunt lifted Allen over her shoulder, his weight pushing onto her back intensely. “You be careful. I’ll see you outside,” she said as she anxiously trudged up the stairway.

  The hole in the floor continued to crumble and break as if a monstrous ocean was slamming against it, taking away piece after piece. Painful feelings of dread accelerated in Trevor’s gut as he attempted to save the injured Teracian. He could have left him for dead, but his sense of morality wouldn’t allow him to leave a friend behind. Looking around the room, he saw only specks of crimson blood splattered on the floor near a broken column; nothing useful. He stretched his arm to the breaking point attempting to reach out again. The rough ridges of the broken stone cut deeply into his skin.

  “If you can hear me, try to reach for my hand. I can pull you up.”

  The Teracian didn’t move. Its chest heaved as it struggled to hold on. Eventually, it brought its other hand forward and squeezed, allowing Trevor to pull it up. Cradling its left arm, it limped away from the pit on the floor. The wings on its back flexed as if to realign, revealing more injuries along its body that seeped with strange, thick liquids. Trevor watched as the warrior grabbed ahold of its injured arm and closed its eyes. A sudden glow of green light shone from the gauntlet, and the Teracian’s arm started to twitch. The light subsided, and a thick casing of steel slowly bubbled from its flesh. Trevor kept his distance and found himself with his back against the cold wall. His mouth quivered at the sight.

  “What are you?”

  The Teracian focused on its arm and didn’t appear to hear him.

  “Please…please tell me there is a chance that my friend is still alive? Is there a way to reach him?”

  The silver figure continued to ignore him and focused on its arm. The temple suddenly shook violently as if something had awakened under the floor. Trevor stumbled and caught himself before he fell.

  He wiped away the sweat collecting on his forehead and glared at the alien, his fists clenched, “That thing that you guys missed is still out there. What if he has William? What are you going to do about that?” said Trevor, realizing he was being ignored. He took off his drenched coat and threw it to the ground. The sopping fabric splattered on the hard, smooth floor. He tried to relax and started to breathe deeply. He hated that he wasn’t being acknowledged, and it made him feel inferior.

  “We didn’t ask for any of this. You people brought us here. We didn’t come here on our own! Did you bring us here? Answer me! William is probably dead because of you and your partner, and you aren’t even…”

  The light from the gauntlet faded and the room suddenly became dark. Trevor lost sight of the alien but found a hand swiftly closing his mouth, ending his frantic yelling. Rustling wind breezed through his shirt. A feeling of warm metal on his skin and the smell of dried blood caused his stomach to curdle. Complete darkness plagued the chamber with silence, save for the sound of crumbling stone. A loud energy burst whirled out of the dark void, and a lone cloaked man appeared, seemingly unscathed from the fall. Foreign electronic noises and static resonated throughout the room as the gun in his hand came to life. The familiar skin tone and hair on their attacker’s exposed arm gave Trevor little doubt the man was alien.

  A voice escaped its lips with a raspy and robotic undertone, “I know you’re here, Teracian. There is more than one way for me to find you. You really think I’d let you succeed?”

  Trevor watched as the dark presence skulked around the chamber, letting the gun in his hand grind on the wall. The Teracian moved away, and Trevor felt a slight vibration that grew with each passing second. Glancing behind him, he saw a dim glow of light circulate to its wrist.

  Everything that proceeded was a complete blur, and Trevor could barely comprehend what took place. A sudden flash of light glazed over the north wall and a current of electricity smashed into the Teracian next to him. Several beams of energy blasted in every direction. Trevor to run for the exit. He felt a rush of heat blow past his head and quickly ducked to miss a ricocheting bullet. The smell of hot metal and singed clothing assaulted his nostrils. Two more energy flares whirled across the chamber. The temporary light guided him to the exit. He collapsed at the entrance and hid behind the stairs. The battle was over with one last crash, the impact blasting a small crater into the wall near him. Each of the four dark corners became illuminated once again. The victor grasped the other by the neck and walked to the massive opening that now compromised half of the temple floor.

  The Teracian remained helpless as the dark figure stood just above the swallowing void. Trevor wore a look of utter despair as he witnessed the decimated body, its left arm completely torn off and spilling blood down the silver armor. He could only watch as the proud guardian was tossed into the hole like a scrap of discarded meat. The sight made him want to puke, and he turned away clenching his teeth. He’s going to kill me next. I should’ve grabbed that knife!

  “Don’t worry. Ajhara will meet his end soon enough,” said the fiend.

  The muscles in his chest became tense as a sudden flare of wind busted from the chamber. Seconds passed, and all was silent. His entire core shook, and his muscles screamed at him to bolt for the corridor. Peeking around the corner, he saw no one remaining in the temple. Without thinking, he picked himself off the floor and sprinted for the exit, listening as the floor continued to give way behind him.

  **********

  The waning darkness of the night sky emanated a peaceful aura as the soft sounds of the forest came to life. The wind and rain, long forgotten, left only puddles and azure leaves in its wake. Anya watched as William and the rest of the group vanished into the dark corridor. She swayed her toned arms back and forth as she paced around the clearing. It was still relatively dark, but she started to notice a sign of the soon approaching sun peeking out from the faraway horizon. She’d be lying if she told anyone that she wasn’t worried about William and her friends. This month would mark two years for their relationship, and she had enjoyed all their time spent together. She always cherished the memory of their first encounter in one of the student government meetings. Brenda had invited her and introduced William, the class vice president. They spent many hours after the Senate meetings lying on the roof of the campus parking garage. She wished they were there instead of wherever they were now.

  Anya unzipped her dark purple hoodie and took it off. She grimaced and scrunched up her brow at the sight of the drenched sweater. The sun will dry this if I lay it out. She placed it on a nearby rock and unfolded it gently. A sigh escaped her throat as she felt the creeping hands of exhaustion setting in. One of the nearby trees was mostly dry and a little comfortable on her back as she sat down against it. The air around the forest started to feel warmer, and numerous clouds made their way across the sky. Her strawberry-colored watch said 5 A.M. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a copper locket with gemstones sparkling on each corner. Inside was a family picture of her and her parents. A frown stretched
across her face as she closed it and curled up with her thoughts. Moments went by, and she soon fell asleep.

  Time slipped by, and the sun slowly started to kiss the horizon. Anya felt a tickle on her nose that roused her from her rest. Dozens of little legs crawled up and down her body. They were bright green and had four long tendrils that rotated every few seconds. The brilliant patterns on their wings absorbed the sunlight and flashed it back out in the air. Anya opened her eyes slowly and jumped out of her skin at the sight of the insects. She let out a scream and brushed her hands frantically around her body. In a quick flash, all of the creatures flew off into the pale green sky. Terror crawled onto her face as she breathed in deeply. Shadows were starting to form on the forest floor as the sun grew larger above her. She checked her watch and saw that she’d been sleeping for 2 hours. Glancing up at the sky again, she marveled at the green color and a hint of anxiety brushed past her as their assumptions about the world were correct.

  A single blue leaf fell from the tree above and landed on her lap. She picked it up and studied it. The veins along the leaf’s edge spiraled from the center outward. To her expectation, all of the leaves around her had the same pattern. Surprisingly, she had a hard time standing, and her bones and muscles ached. She still couldn’t see too much of the forest, even with the sun out. An idea ran through her head, and she stared up at the stone temple, analyzing the architecture and formations. She jogged over to the side of it and saw a few broken ledges that she could climb onto. Taking each ledge one step at a time, she made it to the top in only a few tries. Her balance was smooth as she reached the top of a tall column. As she sat on the edge and peered out into the surrounding landscape, a whole world opened up to her.