by Jason Melzer
Seeing the creatures fly up I turned my shield light back to the others as their dark forms flew past me. Following them with my eyes I watched them destroy the other balloon and take a soldier crouched alongside the truck. I didn’t even know about the third attack as metallic threads whipped overhead and light filled up the sky behind me. Looking back the arc thrower finished spitting lightning as two Balkor and three Borain fell dead from the sky.
The arc thrower turned off dropping into the street as I witnessed piercing claws carry its owner away screaming. I couldn’t see the dead and dying as my shield shined on two more of the creatures swooping down. Above me orange shells filled the sky as they curved into the buildings with howling young. The first creature passed me as the second was hit crashing into the ground next to me.
Link attacked it finishing the wounded beast while another lightning storm filled the air. Among the arcs my eyes were draw to shapes of the beasts before two more fell dead next to me. Looking back to the soldier as his lightning kept killing more I saw the hunter swooping across the road. The creature was taller than Link extending long curved claws. The soldier dropped the lightening weapon and darkness filled the air as his screams were cut short in the skies above.
The howling calmed as the attacks had ended for now. Tolajh was still alive as he pulled the heavy covering off of the truck exposing the glowing Thego to the night air. Tolajh sounded worried. “Roltan will be crossing that road very soon. We will retreat with them to the crater. Release the Thego!” The howling around us started to get louder as Link took my hand and I shined my light forward to see where to run.
I didn’t watch to see the truck open. I ran past dead vehicles away from screaming soldiers before stopping on the corner of the next street. The howling stopped as I looked back to the masses of glowing and floating Thego. The sky filled with young pale Balkor swarming the truck as I shined my light looking for Tolajh. In the swarm orange shells fired at the young before a dozen large dark shapes dove in.
The shots fell silent amidst the howling and screeching of the juvenile monsters. Only a few of the Borain emerged alongside us to leave the dead and chaos behind. Tolajh stood by my side for a moment before Link turned off my shield spot light. The soft glow of plants was our light as the black road surrounded us with the crater far ahead. Link took my hand leading me as my eyes began to adjust to the dark. Moving past an overturned truck I could see Preti in the distant lights of the crater.
Preti and the soldiers flying to safety with the aid of gravity drones left my heart to sink. Tolajh walked by my side as we started to hear the sounds of wings and claws gathering on the buildings. Tolajh softly spoke as we kept moving at a slow pace. “Roltan must have made a decision about ending this quicker. We are not alone and after that feeding frenzy the Balkor may just let us go. Just walk calmly to the crater.”
Moving with my guide thoughts of what I might lose tried entering my mind but I walled them off. I was going to make it back to see my sister and we were going to stop some court from taking my healing away. Three Borain still walked with me, Link, Tolajh and two others out of the hundred that had been ambushed. Pulling on my arm Link kept me closer to the sides of the road where I saw the dark sphere shaped lights with the backdrop of glowing vines.
Link was leading me as he whispered. “We can’t fly away yet. I can see the sky full of adults that could easily catch us. It would be better if we move closer before flying ahead.” Looking over to the others moving with us I wondered if I would be expected to leave them behind. Or if I could carry them to safety if we were close enough for the defenses in the crater.
Darkness was leaving our path as the first warning howls started to call from the sides of the buildings. Tolajh called out over his radio. “This is Tolajh. I need cover fire on Roltan’s route now! One kilometer out. I need heavy shelling to get the apprentice out now!” The howling filled with excited reverberations and the sound covered up Tolajh and the response from the radio. Link began pulling on my arm as I saw two shells fired from the crater pass over head.
The explosions were louder than the howling as flashes of light revealed a tipped cargo truck, its back door wide open on the road. Running forward with Link more shells passed by overhead causing more flashes of light to fill the road. As I neared the shelter of the truck I saw a Balkor swoop ahead with Tolajh in its claws. Link pulled me down sharply pushing me into the back of the cargo truck before I heard the sound of more shells and a locking door.
Sliding to a stop on my side everything was black before my stomach turned. I started to fall upwards with the container ringing from shrapnel and holes piercing it. Feeling another force pushing against the gravity I felt heavier as I changed direction. Hitting the steel wall in the container it collided with something with the sound of a crunch. Still feeling the shield in my hand I moved to turn on the light and see the dust that filled the air around me. Two more explosions put shrapnel through my container but missed me out of sheer luck.
Moments passed and Link swung the back of the container open to dust and flame inside a building. Sliding out of the container I stood next to a collapsed wall with a hole big enough to crawl out of. Along the hallway were eggs and pieces of shell with what looked like babies of the Balkor. Coughing I watched a smaller juvenile pick up one of the babies and call out the broken wall with a howl.
Seeing an adult land on the side of the building it blew air onto the baby before receiving it in its mouth. Link stood next to me as I pointed at the juvenile asking him. “Are the Balkor talking by smelling each other?” Link turned and picked up a baby before handing it to me with an idea. “Call the adults over for this child and see how it responds. I will pull you away if they get violent.”
Walking over to the hole in the wall I gave a simple howl before an adult landed next to the hole and saw me. Blowing air over me I lowered the baby into the waiting jaws of the adult before it turned and flew away. Walking back from the horrible breath Link held my face still with his hands. “He has placed on you a pheromone marker for some reason. Why would the Balkor mark you?”
Remembering what Tolajh said my voice was excited. “He is marking a good dead for mercy! The more I help the more mercy I can have!” Link looked up the hallway to see more of the baby Balkor crawling down the hall from a fire at the center of the building. Link Turned back sharing an idea. “We need a stronger sample to replicate it in your biology. I will bring babies from the nest and you hand them out. If the smoke fills the hallway we must leave before it covers the scent of mercy.”
Picking up and handing off the babies took time which I didn’t feel we had. Minutes passed as we got to the last of the babies. Before handing me the last one Link pulled me aside for a word. “Your key can store and even produce these pheromones in your skin. If you need more mercy in the crater then ask your key for more.” Being given the last baby I noticed it blew onto my skin as well.
As if it was thanking me using more pheromones. Calling for another adult I handed off the baby before crawling out of the hole in the wall. Many adults hung next to me intimidating in size as a bangle tiger with huge teeth for killing. They came close starting to smell me before moving away and I spread my wings. Pushing off the side of the building I rose to see the large guns in the crater were knocked over. I watched orange shells crossing through the sky.
Link took a second to join me as the Balkor showed no interest in him. Without even talking I raced ahead above the road knowing my sister was in danger. Passing dozens of Balkor on the way to the crater I emerged in the lights as shells missed me and I dove. Landing on the ground I looked up to see Preti was stressed and working feverishly. She struggled to focus on the power plant over the natural lake of the crater.
Tolan was calling out to me from the spot light tower as I looked up to see the Balkor and shells in the sky with my sister. One of the hunters swooped down to me before landing and growling. I offered my hand and it smelled me before a howl
emerged from its mouth and retreating. Hearing a radio on the ground Tolan was worried. “What are you doing over there Simran? Get over here before they eat you!”
Picking up the radio I tossed it to Link as I had good news. “I know how to demand mercy. I need to demand it from the Balkor, please stop the shooting if you can.” Link seemed almost happy to hear what I had just said before I left him with the radio. Flying towards my sister I caught hold of an adult from behind before touching its face. The creature changed its direction soaring for the skies leaving me to see the orange shells stop. My key glowed as I intercepted another creature in the air which held my arm before smelling me.
Its attitude changed as it flew up and away. Dancing through the air I spoke to many creatures only receiving a few scratches. With the last few Balkor flying with me in the air Preti was finishing the power plant. Moving in to grab another flier the remaining creatures swooped up leaving me confused. Turning around to follow it I saw one Balkor that put all of the adults to shame. It was as big as a rhinoceros with a glowing red crest made of horns on top of its head.
Quanik yelled to me from his cover. “It’s a blood king! Get out of there now! They eat everything, even Balkor!” It intercepted me before I grabbed onto its head and it smelled my hand a few times. Shaking its head the king landed on the ground throwing me onto the gravel. Not responding like the others this big one seemed more curious as it again sniffed. As I got up it pushed me with its head with a calm face observing me beneath the red glowing crest. I didn’t know why it would toy with me until it opened its mouth and the saliva started dripping with hunger.
It wasn’t going to accept my demands for mercy. Remembering the baby that blew on me I spoke to my key. “Give me the pheromones for the scared baby.” My key glowed as a different kind of strong smell covered my hands. The Blood king’s hungry expression changed to one of growling anger. I didn’t wait flying up as the creature snapped its jaws narrowly missing me. Flying from it as fast as I could orange shells began again to trace paths in the air.
Looking around the crater the big guns were destroyed with most of the giant walking Tsychal. Flying to the last pair of Tsychal war machines I watched larger blue colored gun fire pass me before I pulled away. Flying back towards my sister I reached her as she was dropping the power plant into water. Rainbow colored writing covered its sides and the engine roared to life as the gravity drones moved the forge out of the crater. The power plant steamed and sizzled in the water as Preti called out to me.
“When it cools more we can use it to move Tychod to sun light!” Hearing steel hitting steel I looked back to see a fallen Tsychal had been thrown at the last vehicles now toppling in a heap. Flying back for us the Kings howl was horrible as it jetted forward and we tried to maneuver. Angrily it whipped its tail narrowly missing me and striking Preti away before turning back to me.
Diving for the lake I didn’t have time to wait as I pulled off my key and plunged into the water. Touching the key to the power plant I felt the world around me turning on. Swimming for the surface I was flung out of the water by a large pair of claws before landing on the side of the lake. The calm predator with a crown of blood red glowing horns landed next to me as I reached up for the artificial sun scared that this was it.
Speaking out loud I called to it. “With my flame I light you! Turn on! Wake up!” The tooth filled mouth of the Balkor blocked my view as the first flares crossed its surface. On my back I didn’t know how much longer it would take or if the larger creature would care but I hoped the sun would wake up. The ground around me filled with bright light as the giant creature turned closing its eyes and howling in pain. The blind King began wandering away in anguish as I got up in time to watch it get taken down.
Tolan held a white tube above the monster firing down a white missile that exploded above the target. The net spread open covering the monster before it shook as electric arcs knocked it out. Glitch was the first to clamp a chain on its leg before the others secured the beast. Cheers carried across the battlefield as Preti and Tolan landed next to me with our guides. Preti worriedly hugged me. “Why did you take those risks? What were you thinking?” Pulling out of the hug Tolan gave me one as I answered my sister.
“I was thinking I wanted the lights on. Now save the world and move us somewhere safe.” Preti couldn’t help but smile at the realization that she had work to do. Her last gravity drone raised the power plant and she connected with it before rising into the sky. Archon was partially lit by Tychod’s small sun as the colors of the art in Preti’s skin brightened. My sister opened her arms as if she were opening curtains in a window.
Looking where my sister looked a giant portal door in space approached Tychod with the ground rumbling. Passing through the portal door the ground still rumbled but above us Tychod’s massive engines slowed the world. The daylight face of Archon hung above us as Preti lowered to the ground in the city crater. My sister’s powerful experience came and went leaving me proud of her bravery. Glitch pulled out a temporary portal pad for Tolan with words for him.
“Now it is your turn to pick a world and use your flame as an apprentice.” Roltan and Quanik had reached us with other soldiers before Roltan asked me. “How is it you flew and led the Balkor away? How did you do it?” Getting down on one knee for a moment I felt my remaining braid of hair fall past my shoulder. Looking at it I knew I had gotten lucky.
Speaking to the soldiers I gave my answer. “I helped the Balkor move some of their young away from harm. They thanked me using pheromones so that others would show me mercy. The idea came from a story Tolajh told us about his father.” Quanik spoke up concerned. “Tolajh. Did he make it?” I wished that I could tell him that I didn’t know as I answered.
“He was carried away.” Sighing loudly Quanik replied. “Tolajh and his service will be remembered. And so will the work of the Kin who saved Tychod.” More shuttles were arriving as the people turned to the wounded and our time on Tychod was closing. Quanik shared a thought looking to the captured monster. “I bet we can get all of the pheromones for a library from that big one over there. With the Fellorns help Tychod will be safe in a few day’s time.”
Preti placed her hand on my arm and I looked up to her as she smiled thanking our host. “Thank you for your generosity Quanik. Please make sure Rajesh is cared for and good luck with the monsters.” Quanik placed a hand over his chest with a smile as I looked back to Tolan. A new portal door opened to a dim world as I looked over to see in it were little flying drones on a city street.
Accompanying the machines were white beings that looked Pontu but like ghosts that you could see through. Glitch turned back to us with orders. “Before you enter this world you will wear your space suit at all times. Quanik please destroy the portal pad once we move through.” Link opened up his storage compartment in his chest and pulled out a back pack before giving it to me. Taking a moment to slide it on over my gravity wings Link hit the button on the pack before the space suit turned on.
Quanik answered Glitch as I looked back to the ghosts on the other side. “I will destroy it once you leave. If any of you ever find the time to visit I will be glad to open up a window for you.” Glitch pointed through the door as he replied. “Your emergency link will be coming on in ten seconds. The Fellorn will help you soon. Good luck Quanik.” Walking through the door I could no longer hear the talking on Tychod as the new world was covered in a misty twilight.
Turning back to watch Glitch bring Tolan through I looked back to Quanik who picked up his gun. Quanik’s eyes darted up to see something in his sky before he again pointed his gun down to the portal pad. Firing a few times the connection broke and the doorway disappeared. I heard my radio turn on and Glitch spoke with us as the street filled with small flying drones and with ghostly Pontu. “Welcome to the world of Ocelia young apprentices. The world of the virtual dead.”
Chapter 7
Silence of the grave
Heavy mist filled the city
streets in the new world as it seemed calm and still. I watched the virtual dead glow in the mist as floating drones followed the spectral figures emerging from the buildings. Each drone seemed connected with a ghost and had a pair of antenna and what looked like a lens for projecting. Preti’s voice came over the radio as I watched the ghosts. “Why is this world the world of the virtual dead?” Glitch took hold of a flying drone as he answered.
“This Pontu world was attacked and taken centuries ago by the Davon. They sabotaged the emergency life support network placing the population in stasis. Once they encrypted the stasis program codes they destroyed the medical mainframe and used the locals as living shields.” Glitch clicked a button on the top of a drone and one of the ghosts disappeared. Pressing the button again the ghost reappeared before us worried and glad.
More ghosts gathered in the plant filled street as Tolan asked his own question. “Why wasn’t it taken back?” With surprise the spirits began to scatter while one approached from down the street. Her mouth moved but we couldn’t hear what she was saying as I asked. “Can you guys hear her? Can they talk to us?” Glitch answered as he let the stasis drone go. “I will broadcast your words and their words and we can learn more.”
