by Max Jager
Aurela took his arm tenderly and Rock looked at him curiously. "What is it Firius?" Aurela asked in a gentile and worried voice.
Alerius shrugged off Aurela's affection. "Deneks!"
Alerius hadn't faced these metal beasts since Reign. The half-machine, half-demons were out in full force along side the lowly zealots. The zealot hellions were the volcanis armed with assault rifles.
Alerius handed back the binoculars to Rock. Rock understood the word denek. It was pronounced about the same in his own language. Alerius shook his head in disgust. He rubbed his forehead and began to wonder how he was going to get through that kind of ground force. It was bad enough dealing with an uncountable number of zealots but now he had them and a good number of deneks to deal with!
Alerius exhaled a deep breath and looked at Aurela. "I've got to get down there!"
Aurela began to stroke his arm gently. "There's got to be another way to get down there beside you just heading headlong into them!"
"There's not!"
Aurela again backed off while Alerius kept looking at The Pyramid intensely.
Alerius knew there was no way he could get through a force that big without some kind of aid. He was a damn good soldier and had true skill but he wasn't God! He was hoping that maybe God himself would come down and help him but he guessed God had more important things to do. What, he had no idea! He couldn't figure something more important then this!
How? How was he suppose to get Aurela in that Pyramid? He couldn't just rush down there guns blazing. He put the Turquoise Steed's shotgun on his back and kept thinking. He had to hurry too. The Flaming Meteorite would be there soon.
Then, a memory came into his mind. Aurela noticed it too. He remembered back to when Aurela threw the nebron with the power of her mind. 'No!' His rational mind screamed out. Everything in him told him not to sacrifice Aurela like that! He couldn't help it though. It was almost like a powerful unseen force was enforcing the idea of throwing Aurela right down there with him. The idea of him going down there with Aurela stuck in his head like glue. It made him sick to his stomach to even think of something like that but what else was he suppose to do? He need some kind of back-up down there and Aurela would be perfect.
'NO!' Again his mind's voice shouted out! He couldn't do that! She was not use to combat nor was Alerius going to put her in any. She was a Leyline though. She existed for the sol purpose of destroying powerful demon monsters like the Flaming Meteoroite!
'NO! NO!' "NO!" Alerius yelled out!
He was shocked. Both Aurela and Rock were now staring at him.
Aurela asked him, "What's wrong Firius?"
Her voice was sweet to him. It was hard to believe that she was to become humanity's only hope. Alerius stared at The Pyramid. He knew that he had no choice but to put Aurela in the fray.
'NO!' So what if he was being selfish! He shouldn't have to make this decision in the first place! He was so mixed up right now. Nobody had ever shown him love like Aurela before and he loved her right back. Alerius looked away from The Pryamid and up into the sky.
'God?' He was praying!
Alerius had hardly ever prayed before but he was praying now! He figured it was the only option left open to him now. He was so confused he had no idea what to do. He had to rely on somebody else's opinion. He knew that the mission came first but how could it with his love interfering. He had always put the mission ahead of Aurela but the mission had always been about protecting her.
Now, the mission had changed. Now it was a whole new mission. It wasn't even a mission anymore. It was now a crusade. Alerius didn't do crusades. 'I don't know what to do here?' He continued on with his internal prayer. 'I know I haven't prayed to you but I'm praying now because I'm out of options! I love her and the mission was to protect her but what the hell am I suppose to do now? I shouldn't have to make this decision! This isn't fair! The mission was to protect her! I love her so much and I'm not going to put her in danger like this! Please, don't make me do this!'
He felt a strong shiver go up his spine! As if God himself was gently pushing him. 'I know! I know this is what she is here to do but I don't want to see her like this! I refuse!'
A strong wind blew and it made him shiver again. It seemed to come from nowhere and somehow enforced the idea of using Aurela as a weapon.
'Damn it, no! I won't throw her to the wolves like this!'
Alerius suddenly thought of something. As if God himself had put it there. He would be right down there with her. It was still the same mission as it had always been. Get Aurela from point A to point B without having something happen to her. Now though, the deck was stacked more in the enemies favor then ever.
It wasn't a different mission in any way. Alerius was scarred for her. He was just making excuses. He had never really felt fear before. He was afraid for her and was afraid that he couldn't protect her. He had never felt fear for someone else. His love had now come full circle for her.
Alerius looked at Aurela and thought one last thought before charging into battle. 'I wonder if this is even what she wants? I never did ask her if this is what she wants! If she wants to turn back right now, Her and I both will.'
Almost as if God had answered him through Aurela she said, "Firius, I know something's wrong. Whatever you decide I will go with you. I love you!"
'The mission! The damn mission!' Alerius thought. His mission was to get her to The Viseus Pyramid. His situation now, was no more different then any other. He was letting his fear stop him from completing the mission. A feeling. His choice had been no different then before. His feelings or the mission and right now he was damning both.
Alerius put out his hand toward Aurela, open fisted. Aurela grabbed it gently. Alerius then ripped out one of the small machine guns and looked it over. Its rust color shinned to him. The small black scorpion on the pistol grip seemed to thirst for demon blood. Not even turning his eyes to Aurela he asked in a very demented tone, "Shall we dance?"
Before Aurela could even get out a "huh?" Alerius was charging down The Hill with Aurela in hand! He jumped onto the ground below and Aurela went with him as he still had a grip on her hand. He was running head long into the hellion force.
A few Deneks caught sight of him and even a few more volcanis saw him too! Alerius began to fire wildly at them as he ran. Aurela was keeping right up with him. Alerius hit two of the volcanis and they flew back from the impact of the bullets! The few deneks that had seen him began to launch a full assault on Alerius! The bullets flew over his head and around him as he kept moving. He couldn't dodge this heavy of a barrage for long as he kept getting closer.
Soon, more deneks moved in and more zealot volcanis were firing. Soon, the hail of bullets would be too much for him and he would be torn to shreds! With Aurela still in hand he flung her in front of him like a human shield. "Okay Aurela, do something miraculous, please!"
Aurela panicked! She had no idea what to do! If she didn't do something a bullet was bound to hit her in about a couple of seconds. Maybe less then that. "Please Aurela, if you don't we all die!"
Aurela looked at the hail of lead and whispered to herself. "Your not going to die Firius! Nobody is! I love you!"
Aurela threw out her hand and suddenly the barrage of bullets whipped around doing a 180 degree about-face and started heading straight for their point of origin. The bullets hammered into the volcanis and about fifteen deneks exploded from the damage they took from their own bullets as well.
Alerius couldn't help but shout out, "Thank you God!"
The rest of the forces around the Pyramid had caught sight of the dynamic two and started heading for them! Alerius and Aurela were soon surrounded! Alerius spun his gun in all directions firing everywhere! He nailed about seventeen grunts and two deneks. The zealot foot-soldiers flew back to the ground, dead. The two deneks slammed into each other somewhat malfunctioning from the bullets in the confusion.
Alerius then swung Aurela by her arm like an ice skater. S
he was completely off the ground and she stuck out her free hand. She leveled down two lines of enemies with her power and Alerius was firing with his free hand and put down the third wall of enemies all around them.
(Aurela didn't kill anybody with her telekinetic power. She just pushed them in a direction she wanted.)
Alerius then flipped Aurela over his back in another fluid motion and she extended her arm just like a dance move. Two deneks slammed into each other while Alerius nailed three volcanis and a denek himself. He then brought Aurela back to his side and both of them got close to each other. Suddenly, they both extended their arms. A hole squad of deneks and volcanis went flying into the air right in front of them. Alerius sprayed a multitude of bullets at them and the deneks exploded in midair and the ground troops were taken out with the blasts.
They were indeed dancing right up to The Pyramid! They were making some progress through the ranks of enemies but they still had a way to go yet.
Alerius unloaded and reloaded his gun. Aurela was moving her free arm every which way; knocking down enemies as they came after them. She could level an entire line of them. Alerius blew away three more foot-soldiers before having a bullet drill his left arm. The one with his gun. He was so driven by the bullet that he swung Aurela with him as his body reacted to the shot.
Aurela reached over to heal him.
Alerius reacted fast. "Don't worry about me! Get him!"
He was referring to the monster that had hit him. Aurela looked at the volcanis that had hit him and got this grimace on her face. She swung out her arm hard and the zealot hellion was blown back high into the sky and into obscurity.
Alerius swung her and fired in the disappeared trooper's direction. Meanwhile, Aurela laid waste to about three lines of enemies. Alerius laid down plenty of volcanis and a couple of deneks. He reloaded his gun and they still proceeded toward The Pyramid.
Alerius spun her like a top and made her impact with his chest. He then leaned her over and spun her in that position. She laid waste to about fifty enemies in a vertical circle. Alerius was firing as she did this. He hit plenty of soldiers and deneks but he probably got rid of only half of the ones he hit.
Suddenly his gun was out of ammo again. He loaded it up and began firing again. Aurela was doing her best to keep the enemy off of him. He was ready to go again.
He and Aurela then spun forward covering about twenty feet. Aurela knocked down a whole other long line of enemies while Alerius kept firing. He was firing over Aurela's shoulders this time. Alerius then spun Aurela right out in front of him and she knocked down a thick wall of enemies. Alerius held tight to Aurela's hand and launched himself, with Aurela in hand, right over the enemy. He was firing as he was up in midair at more enemies behind the ones that had just been knocked down. When he landed he rolled and Aurela rolled with him.
When he got back up to his feet, he used the force of the roll and launched Aurela right up into the air again. He sprayed the enemies in front of him. Aurela took out a whole slew of charging deneks behind him. She was floating in air and blasted the machine-demons right onto the ground. Alerius fired into the ground mess that Aurela had made with the deneks. He hit one making it explode causing a massive chain reaction.
The explosion was massive! Comprised of a bunch of smaller ones making one huge one. When Aurela hit the ground with her feet; her and Alerius both felt the force of the explosion. It about knocked them both down.
They began to run right for the Pyramid under cover of the smoke from the explosion. They didn't have too far to go. They both took out about twenty more enemies a piece before finally getting to The Viseus Pyramid itself!
Alerius looked up at the building as it towered up to the sky. In front of them was a long row of steps. Aurela began to act weird as she set one foot on the first step. Alerius saw her hair lightly fly back by some unknown wind and she pointed up at the top of The Pyramid with her finger. She then said in a very firm tone. "Up there, Firius! Get me up there!"
Alerius was very shocked but he was going to get her up there. He took hold of her hand and they both began to run up the stairs. Aurela had her eyes closed as they ran. "We have to hurry, baby."
Alerius didn't know how to react to that statement so he just kept running. 'Baby?' She had never called him that before. Hell, that 'dear' thing was pushing it with him. He wasn't going to push her though. Not when they were so close to their objective.
In the back, he could hear a mess of volcanis running up the Pyramid after them. He could also hear the sound of spacecraft fighters. He didn't know whether they were friendly or hostile and right now, he really didn't care.
The steps went on forever. He figured that the entrance was near the peak of The Pyramid. He kept going with Aurela in hand hoping to reach the top. He holstered the Scorpion SMG as they both ran.
Aurela was changing and he noticed it. Her innocence seemed to be draining and her tone of skin was starting to become lighter. Almost as if it was starting to glow!
Alerius could feel the changes in her. He could almost feel her entire personality starting to change. He could sense the power that was starting to fill inside of her. She was changing into a more confident, commanding, and powerful force.
Suddenly, Alerius and Aurela stopped. They both felt something. Something evil. Alerius's arm was still somewhat hurting from the shot he took earlier but he was ready to use it. He tore the shotgun from his back and aimed it right at the entrance of The Pyramid. He felt this tremendous amount of evil resonating close to it. They were only about ten feet from the opening. The zealot grunts behind them were gaining but this evil entity was close.
"It's him!" Aurela said.
Her voice was filled with venom. More then anything Alerius had ever heard from her ever! Her voice was just as scary as the evil presence. Alerius looked over at her and her skin was loosing its blue tint and was taking on a pearl white glow.
She slowly grabbed his gun hand and aimed the shotgun to the left of the opening. The opening was surrounded by a circular platform and Alerius could feel the evil presence getting closer. As if it was standing right on the platform waiting for the right time to come out.
Alerius leaned into Aurela, "Who is it Aurela?"
Her tone of voice seemed harden. She sounded no longer innocent but mature. She sounded confident. That sweet honey soft tone of hers was gone. She sounded like a completely different woman. She sounded no longer like an angel. She sounded like an archangel!
From around the corner came a slow moving figure. It looked somewhat like a thinner hound but when Alerius saw who it was his eyes widen larger then saucers. It was Korzen!
He had his big revolver trained right on Alerius. Alerius began to shake as he saw the traitor appear. He noticed that the two bumps on his temples had gotten bigger. That yellow tail of his was swinging to and fro. "Hello Firius."
Alerius was trembling. He couldn't believe it! He had come so far and damn near had gotten Aurela into The Pyramid when he had to show up! There was no way he could get her in now! Korzen had become far too powerful for him to stop!
Planet Hogarth: A Pyrrhic Victory
Aurela leaned in close to Alerius's ear. Her stern tone whispered into his ear. "Don't let him frighten you Firius. He's not as powerful as you think."
Alerius swallowed hard and then retracted back from her. "What would you know?"
Aurela backed off hurt. She didn't react like she had before though. She seemed to expect this kind of reaction from him this time. She seemed to back off willingly. She was still hurt by it but she seemed more use to it now. As if The Pyramid somehow had toughened her heart. Not really changed it, just made it more able to cope with pain.
Korzen walked to the front head of the steps right in front of the entrance. He still had his gun trained on Alerius. Korzen cocked the hammer back and gave Alerius a demonic stair. Of course, His eyes were purely demonic now and anything human left in them had completely dissipated.
Korzen smiled and said, "I was hoping to get here before Flaming. Looks like I succeeded. So Firius how do you purpose…"
Suddenly, the clouds that had filled the sky giving a gray overshadow to the ground started to clear up. A bright red tint covered the ground and the whole sky seemed to be on fire. The whole sky was filled with flames. Suddenly, it seemed this mouth appeared up in the sky. Alerius's mind flashed back to Scalobore and it was exactly the same. The Flaming Meteorite was there! He was going to eat the planet! Just like he had Scalobore! The hounds' home world would be gone!
All the ground forces paused and were staring up at the sky. More hellion forces seemed to be landing. Alerius looked back at Korzen and said, "Korzen, we don't have time for this! That 'thing' up there won't hesitate to devour this planet just because some one thousand forces are here or even you!"
