Prophecy: The Descendants War Book 6

by John Walker

  Prophecy

  The Descendants War

  Book 6

  John Walker

  Copyright © 2021 John Walker

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  DISCLAIMER

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This story contains explicit language and violence.

  Blurb

  Titus Barnes faces a dilemma. After facing down a Kahl invasion force to preserve a Rhulin colony, his ship is in need of serious repairs. Some of his crew is lost half a galaxy away and his allies are in no better shape. With a war fleet barreling down on them and a threat of reassignment looming, he must get the Triton moving before they receive new orders…or are annihilated.

  The lost away team crash lands on a planet ruled by religious zealots who believe they are part of some type of Prophecy, one which puts them in the spotlight of a foretold event. With a Kahl battleship hunting for them, countless soldiers on the surface, and no other allies, they have no choice but to go along with their new hosts. The alternative is becoming captives of their enemies even as they may be marching toward certain death.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  Deilna swiped her blade to the left, the curve opening her opponent’s throat. Hot blood splashed her face, nearly getting in her eye. The invader gurgled as they clasped at the wound. Their eyes rolled in their head, mouth agape in a silent scream. She stepped back, throwing a kick to the gut.

  Another part of the enemy patrol opened fire near her. Deilna dashed to the right toward a series of stones. Each impact threw dirt into the air, some of it scattering over her as she broke into a sprint. They chased her, tearing into the rocks as she passed behind them. Sliding to a halt, she took stock of the situation.

  The rest of her group engaged the enemy throughout the clearing. They moved through the trees, darting out to take out a target before hiding once again, disappearing into the dark of the forest. Deilna directed her people to remove the targets’ helmets before attempting to kill them, meaning they worked in groups of two for the most part.

  One darted out, ripping the helmet off from behind while the other attacked from the front. They saved their projectiles, using blades instead. The goal was less about finishing them off and more about creating terror. When the enemy found the bloodless bodies of their fallen, they’d think twice about their tactics.

  I want them in clumped groups. The larger the better.

  Their smaller patrols of six proved they had no idea what to expect on the planet’s surface. Not from the natives nor from the people they pursued. Several vessels came down besides the Kahl attackers. Some crashed. Others made it with survivors.

  They are desperate individuals who will do anything to survive.

  Deilna’s ears twitched. Some of the attackers approached, coming near enough to her sanctuary to snap twigs and shuffle rocks. She drew close, crouching beside the edge. A shadow loomed as a man tentatively drew near. Another two paces brought them in range.

  She hopped out, startling him so he threw his arms up. Their weapon discharged in the air as Deilna wrapped her left hand around the back of the soldier’s neck. He still wore his helmet, so she thrust her blade directly into the soft part where the chin met the neck, burying it to the hilt. The body stiffened before falling, taking her weapon with it.

  A shout gave her the warning she needed to get back to cover. She spun back to the stones, leaning against them while drawing her pistol. They knew where she was. Staying wouldn’t work but the tree line was a good two hundred paces away. Once she got two-thirds of the way there, she’d be exposed.

  Deilna whistled three times, giving a signal to the rest of her people. They came to the edge of the trees, firing their projectiles into the clearing. The Kahl invaders cried out, returning fire. That was her cue.

  She sprinted away, moving to the trees. Someone pursued her, which shocked Deilna. She glanced over, watching as one of the armored invaders closed the distance between them. How is he so fast? Wearing full body armor, he was going to overtake her. She fired behind her, blind attacks that didn’t so much as slow him down.

  He cried out as he lunged, catching her around the waist. They went down, rolling in the dirt over a dozen yards. She lost her weapon in the fall, coming up in a crouch. He tossed his helmet aside, revealing a square jaw, dark eyes, black hair… scars marring his features.

  You’re a big one. Deilna figured he stood at least a foot taller than her with at least half again her weight. And fast for your size. But are you a capable of hand-to-hand combat? The question was meant to give her confidence. It failed. This beast had skill. His reckless pursuit proved his courage if not his wisdom.

  He clapped his hands before advancing. Hunching his shoulders, he held his hands out to either side. He’s a grappler. Deilna backed away, sizing him up. His armor seemed particularly massive around the arms and thighs. With a thick neck and impossibly wide chest, she had no idea where to attack.

  All the soft bits are well protected. More importantly, they probably aren’t all that soft.

  “Alright, then.” Deilna continued to retreat. “You can always go back to your friends.”

  If he understood her, he didn’t let on. He scowled, grunted, then charged. Deilna timed her reaction… throwing herself to the ground while tossing a kick aimed at his ankle. She scored a hit, sending an excruciating blast from her foot to her hip. The target didn’t go down, didn’t even trip. He barreled through her assault like nothing happened.

  Did I break my foot? Deilna shifted into a crouch. Her leg ached, but it supported her weight. Thank the Prophet for that much. Gunfire continued, a constant stream of fire. Her opponent turned, smiling as he advanced again. He’s got a sidearm. Why didn’t he draw it and finish me off?

  Deilna grabbed a stone before standing. She shifted it to her right hand, clasping it tightly. This is not my wisest decision. As the behemoth drew close, she didn’t fall back. He drew back his fist, ratcheting off a blow toward her head. His arm gave the wind a voice, a quick whistle that she ducked.

  As Deilna came back up, she slammed the rock into his chin. That blow made him stumble. It gave her a moment of hope as she followed up, swinging again.

  A beefy hand caught her wrist, squeezing until her fingers extended. She cried out, slamming her knee into his groin. The armor protected him. He laughed, continuing to squeeze, applying pressure to the bone that didn’t seem to end. She slammed her free hand into his nose three times, desperate to stop him from crushing her arm.

  The third hit made him loosen up. He punched her in the gut, dropping her in an instant. That felt like being hit by a rock! Deilna fought to breathe, struggling to move. He grabbed her by her shirt, lifting her easily before tossing her through the ai
r. She flew far longer than she thought possible, coming down hard on her stomach.

  Deilna tried to whistle; to call for backup. She couldn’t muster the breath. She wallowed there, trying to rise, failing… struggling with every fiber of her being to move again. The ache in her ankle extended to her wrist. Closing her fist took effort and even when her fingers touched her palm, she couldn’t squeeze.

  The heavy footsteps of her opponent approached. Deilna rolled on her side, watching him approach. If I’m going to die, I’ll look this monster in the eyes. He may rend the life from my body, but he won’t have the satisfaction of fear. That was for the invaders. If only one of her crew died to terrorize them, that worked for her.

  Two of her priestesses tackled him from the left. Even their combined weight didn’t bring him down. He slapped both sides of one’s head, snapping her neck. The other he tossed off like she was no more than a fly. Deilna didn’t know who he killed; she couldn’t see the woman’s face.

  Bastard. Trying to rise made her tremble… but that was the extent of her body’s response.

  Sadila returned—the woman he’d thrown aside. She hopped on his back, driving her fingers into his eyes. He howled in pain, grabbing at her wrists as she let her weight do the rest of the work. His head tilted back while he clasped at her wildly, still bellowing like a wild animal caught in a trap.

  Deilna fought again, this time claiming her feet. She used the brute’s belt to draw herself to her full height then drew his pistol from the holster. “Disengage!” Deilna shouted. Sadila dropped to the ground, rolling away.

  Blood flowed down the monster’s cheeks. His ruined eyes looked like pits in his face. He groped the world around him, huffing in desperate rage. She aimed the weapon at his head, inches from his nose, before pulling the trigger. A splatter of gore burst from the back of his head. The face turned black, partially melting.

  “High Priestess!” Sadila caught Deilna before she could fall. “Are you okay? Did he injure you?”

  “Yes,” Deilna replied, “to both questions.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Did any of the enemy survive?”

  “We left three as instructed. They have fled the area. Back to their craven shuttles.”

  Deilna nodded. “Then we should withdraw to the camp. There will be more. And we have to be vigilant if we want to focus their efforts.”

  “Are you sure this is the best course of action?” Sadila helped her move through the trees, letting her lean against one once they were out of sight. “We could stop them ourselves. Make sure they never return.”

  “Then the Prophet will never find us,” Deilna replied. “This is our destiny, Sadila. Our chance to make our history come true. Think of how many generations have passed while we waited for this opportunity.”

  “The enemy has numbers,” Sadila said. “They even have some skill, but I do not think they are accustomed to fighting against our style.”

  “Oh, they are. We have warned them. When they come back, they’ll be prepared for these tactics. And they shall do two things. The first is to prepare their soldiers for small unit assaults. Their weapons extend to war technology. The kind of things they might use to disorient or even kill without firing.”

  “And the second?”

  “Amass armor too large for this kind of ambush to work. Which is what we want.”

  Sadila’s brow lifted. “I do not think I understand, High Priestess. Why exactly do we want a larger force here? What’s the point?”

  “If we do not overcome great adversity, then we will not be noticed.” Deilna winced as she touched her wrist. The flesh bruised, deep purple-black marks forming all around. “You’ll understand when it gets closer, my dear. Now, fetch the others. We must move out quickly before they rally.”

  “Surely, you don’t imagine they’ll come immediately back here, do you?”

  “They must investigate the attack and recover their fallen. If not for the bodies, the equipment. Take their guns. We’ll use them in the coming fights. Otherwise, leave the rest to rot.”

  “Yes, High Priestess.” Sadila rushed off, leaving Deilna to nurse her wounds.

  That could have gone so much worse. The invaders carried deadly weapons. They worked together well. But they were looking for fugitives, not an embedded force ready to repel them. And face them in open combat. We will bring them to their knees. The heavens themselves will gawk at our pursuit of glory.

  Those of her congregation already proved themselves worthy of the Praises. They would bring honor to their people and spill enough blood to call down divine intervention. This was her promise to the Prophet and the sworn oath she shared with her mate, Haulda. Together, they had a destiny to fulfill.

  This enemy, these invaders, will meet their makers on this planet. Whatever guided them before, whatever brought them here, has put us all to a test. For them, it may seem like any other day. But we have prepared since time immemorial. Before our recorded history. If my Haulda does his part, we will be mighty.

  But first, they had to regroup. Prepare for the next assault. The next attack. The driving force to keep the invaders interested. They must howl for vengeance before the day is done. And that was precisely what Deilna intended to give them. Cause to throw everything they had at the planet.

  Enough to make the Prophet proud.

  Chapter 1

  Waves of heat rushed on the wind from a fire some thirty feet high. Dirt smoldered, rocks glowed orange. Devastation stretched out to a quarter mile in all directions around the epicenter of the crash. The impact had obliterated a vast section of forest, atomizing the trees before they had a chance to burn.

  The TCN shuttle remained intact, though for how much longer remained a mystery. Alon stared at the sky while being dragged from the crash. Black particles drifted on the wind; ash from the destruction. Someone removed his helmet. The scent of charred wood made him narrow his eyes, though at least there didn’t appear to be all that much smoke.

  What happened? Alon couldn’t recall the last ten minutes. The Flotilla came to mind. Boarding the shuttle, bolting from the hangar… those events remained. Everything after fell into a void. One that seemed to grow the harder he tried to overcome it. Where is everyone else? Who is pulling me?

  “Hell… hello?” Alon croaked the word. No one responded. His hearing came back, fading in like emerging from warm water. Wood crackled nearby, though beyond that, he found himself in an eerie silence. Like the world itself mourned what happened. We were like a bomb… but how the hell did we survive?

  A sense of fear fell over him; terror at the thought of their descent. Is it coming back to me? At least the emotions did. The rattling of the ship as he encountered heavy turbulence. A voice shouted over the intercom, telling them to hold on… to strap in. Their troop transports were tough. They could withstand some serious punishment.

  Maybe that’s how we lived. Alon saw them hit the ground hard on several occasions. Some of those ruined the ship, but the occupants walked away. Some kind of inertial dampeners worked in their favor. He couldn’t remember the specifics, but that came down to his odd amnesia.

  “Is she okay?” Niva’s voice drifted on the wind, coming from far away. He had no idea how far. He tried to sit up. A strong hand pinned him in place, holding him down. “What’s he trying to do?”

  “Be himself,” Tiller replied.

  Okay, so two made it through. Andrews? Vesper? Kyle… I… can’t remember the other names!

  “He’s getting twitchy though,” Tiller said. “I need a shot of that stuff. Do we have any in the first aid kit?”

  Lysa’s face appeared above his. “Hey! Alon, can you hear me?”

  Alon nodded.

  “Good!” Lysa patted his shoulder. “Scans show he took a clonk on the head. I’ll get him back up.” A cold pinch on the neck made him hiss, wincing as a similar chill rushed through his veins. They encroached on his chest, tickling his gut. He sat upright, drawing a sharp gasp that ended with a heavy cough. “
You’ll be okay! Try to relax… considering the circumstances.”

  “What… the hell… did you… give me?” Alon’s head cleared. The weight keeping him down went away next. Pain in his gut remained though it was deadened.

  “Painkiller,” Lysa said, “something to get you on your feet until we can do something proper. Come on!” She dragged him to his feet, keeping hold to steady him. “You got this?”

  Alon nodded. He swayed, though he suspected that came from getting up too fast. The painkiller knocked back the worst of his misery. Only some discomfort remained, mostly in the regions where he’d been shot. Deep breaths weren’t pleasant. His lungs felt compressed, like a vice squeezing his chest when he inhaled sharply.

  Smoke inhalation maybe.

  He got his first good look around the area. The devastation from their crash presented itself as blackened ground and scorched foliage. Those trees still standing were husks, their spindly branches twisted and smoldering. Waves of heat distorted the air, primarily rising from the crash site itself.

  The shuttle looked to be in one piece, but plumes of smoke shot out of the thrusters. Scorch marks on the side looked like blast marks, as if they’d been shot. Alon didn’t remember an engagement. He couldn’t remember much beyond the shaking… the falling… thinking he was going to die.

  “Hey!” Niva appeared in front of him, looking him in the eye. He blinked several times. “You need to focus. We have to get out of here right away. Can you carry anything or are you too hurt?”

  “I… think I’ll be okay.”

  “That’s a no.” Niva pulled him with her, back to Tiller and Kyle. Vesper reclined on the ground while Lysa tended to her.

  That’s right, she got hurt. Badly.

  Alon took stock of the people who boarded the shuttle with them. Quilla, the pirate who had helped them out. Milna and Jok, the Kahl resistance people. Tiller, Vesper, Kyle, Lysa, Niva, and Andrews. Everyone made it off the Flotilla alive. Whether or not that remained true after the crash, he couldn’t say.