by Jason Melzer
The engines fired again slowing Ocelia above Ponris as we gently fell into orbit. With my arms still wide open I brought them together to watch the portal door close behind Ocelia. More ships passed through firing on Pontu ships and worlds. I reengaged Ocelia’s sun with the nearest star while hearing chaos over the radio. “Sentinel worlds four, five and six converge on Ocelia and move in. All three apprentices have arrived on Ocelia. The Davon are engaging them!”
Snapping out of it a red light began blinking in on my armguard before I used my thrusters to fly forward. Two streaks of smoke approaching me quickly turned into hundreds of smaller missiles that were chasing me. A ship flew past me before it was jarred apart by the explosions that I didn’t have to bear. I opened up a personal portal door some distance before passing to another region of space. The remaining missiles were destroyed as more Davon ships fired at me.
Dozens of ships rushed into the field of battle as they fired at the missiles that I was dodging. Focusing in my maneuvers I could hear Link’s voice on my radio calling to me. “Simran. Are you alright? Do you hear me?” I was relieved to hear my guide as I again started to fly through space dodging Pontu and Davon fighters hunting and killing each other. Talking to Link I didn’t feel safe up here. “Link. Do you remember that shield on Tychod? I really wish I had another right now.”
As I maneuvered another sentinel world exited a portal door and more ships filled the space around me. Link seemed distracted but had an idea. “Well the plasma shield upgrade can trap plasma in a shield shell if you need to protect yourself. Connect to the sun and try making a shield.” Curiously I had to try it as I looked to the artificial sun wondering how safe it was inside. Opening a portal door from the artificial sun to my shield orange hot plasma expanded around me.
Moving my left arm forward I felt the plasma shield connecting my shield to the sun. I felt the pressure in my mind as I guided the shield to surrounding me on all sides. I was swallowed by the burning hot fusion layer of a sun and now separate from danger and sight. Being safe had made me blind to the ugliness around me. This wasn’t right. I wanted to be safe but I wanted my sister and family to be with me.
Listening to my radio I heard screams, shouts, and cries amidst the destruction that I was safe from. I tried not to think of how many were dying and how much suffering was around me. My radio finally settled on a voice filling me with dread. A chill ran down my spine as I squeezed my fists realizing that I was done losing people that I cared about.
Chapter 8
Carrier of the flame
Alone I was hidden from destruction in my little star above the skies of Ponris. Memories of family flashed through my mind as I felt the need to leave. Listening to the radio Tolan’s voice was filled with fear as I hated myself for staying. “I need help over here. Three Torshun class titans are ordering me to surrender. I’m not done with the medical station yet. Help me!” Closing my eyes for a moment my orange fortress felt wrong.
I felt the desire to change as if I needed to leave a cocoon to spread my wings. Collapsing the star around me my fortress took the shape of a shield as I looked down to Ocelia. Flashes of explosions filled space and its skies as I radioed Tolan. “Tolan where are you? I can help out.” Seeing a dot appear it was in a city near a large silver vessel being pursued by Davon ships. My sister and guide were busy in the prison ship as I focused on the red dot below.
Opening a portal to a room and moving the door from space to my destination I soon floated over the city scape. My space suit turned off as I saw Tolan floating next to a huge ball of molten steel a hundred meters away. Giant war machines dwarfed the buildings around themselves threatening Tolan their cannons. Looking from my shield to the Torshun titans I knew my friend was stuck. Talking over the radio I was hoping link would hear.
“Link, can I break things to keep Tolan from dying?” Waiting as I watched Tolan I knew we didn’t have much time left. Links voice came as I watched another friend staring at fate. “Yes. I give you permission to damage vehicles in defending Tolan. But you are not to kill in defending him. The city has been cleared of non-combatants but take careful for the Davon.” Darting through my first portal door I saw the back of a titans arm covered in weapons. I hit it with my sun shield and plasma sprayed liquid metal onto the titan.
The arm fell away as I hit the other arm letting fire burn the machines paint job. Plasma sprayed away the metal holding the other arm which dropped to the streets below. The burning titan collapsed as my next portal took me away from the heat of my fury to the next titan’s legs. Striking both of the legs it got hot as I made molten metal rain into the city below. Moving back from the war machine and heat the titan collapsed as its body dropped into its legs and through a building. The last titan jumped flying back before it landed sending up dust.
Two more titans landed next to the survivor as shadows covered them from the large Davon ships that had delivered them. Rolling and turning in flight the ships yellow streaks of fire missed me as I ascended to them. With the radio still on I called out to Tolan. “Hurry up and finish Tolan. When you finish we can go!” Passing over the front of the ship I started to move along its spine while pressing my shield into the ships skin. Molten steel trailed me as I flew as fast as I could.
Opening another portal door at the end of the ship I moved through it and was now cruising over the second vessel. Leaving a trail of molten steel down its spine I looked back to the first ship as smoke poured out of its back. It was slowly descending and burning as the words came to my mouth. “I am Simran Singh. I am a keeper of the flames of creation.” Opening another portal door I saw the barrels of a Torshun titan aiming at me.
Rolling to my side a streak of light missed me and exploded in the vessel I turned away from. The explosion threw me away from my door worried about the other war machines aiming at me. Opening another door to the streets I quickly was flying low in the city as my eyes were drawn to more fireballs. Pontu fighters hit the Torshun war machines as one was torn to pieces in the barrage of missiles.
The remaining two monumental war machines turned to attack the fighters. Two of the fighters exploded as I opened another door behind the closer titans back. Flying through the door I struck into his back between the two large jet engines keeping it flying. Ascending away from the molten wound the engines exploded causing it to drop below me quickly. Watching it land in the streets its really big guns were now aiming at me as I moved my shield down.
I expanded it and the guns fired at me. It was like being rocketed up into the air on a ride as my shield disappeared draining from plasma loss. Moving up into the air I passed the other titan as a second wave of fighters had swooped down. Explosions tore through the titan in the air as it went limp and began to drop to the city below. From another direction the survivors of first wave of fighters returned and sent yellow bolts of fire through the last titan in the city.
The husk of the titan that fired at me fell back into the buildings below. Its deep booming fall was soon followed by the second crumpled form hitting the city. Pontu fighters streaked past me as I looked around making sure I was safe in the air. Dust was filling the city and I almost felt too safe as if I should be in danger. Looking back to Tolan he was still working as Pontu ships were landing at his work site. Opening another door to be by Tolan’s side I arrived in time to see him add the quantum alloy.
A rainbow fire spread throughout the structure carving the steel into a finished shape that resembled a ring similar to the world we were on. As the finished piece was lowered into a large pool of water clangs and twangs came from the metal cooling. Reaching again for the sun I opened a door into the plasma shield and filled it with heat. Tolan sat there with his mouth open looking at my orange and red shield unbelieving.
“You used a shield to do that?” Tolan pointed to the smoking ships and crippled war machines as I replied. “I don’t think I hurt anyone and I didn’t do it all.” The Pontu soldiers and ships that had landed nearby were
bringing hairy pig like creatures from the Davon ships. The Davon even had tusks only they had slimmer bodies and walked on two legs like the Pontu. Looking away from them Tolan was talking over the radio as I wondered how my sister was doing.
“Glitch. I finished the medical computer. How is the prison ship?” Listening for my sister Link came back over the radio. “Everyone is fine but we will need to make an emergency landing if help doesn’t come soon. The support fighters are a few minutes out. Can you help?” Tolan looked curiously at my sun shield before answering “Yes. See you in a few seconds.” Looking down to my shield I turned it so he could see the upgrades on my arm guard.
His armguard had the same upgrades as I gave him instructions. “Open a door to the inside of your plasma shield and shape it so it’s like mine.” Eyes opening widely Tolan smiled and admired what I had. “Wow, that’s so cool it has to be illegal. Oh well, we’ll find out later.” Soon Tolan was smiling up at me as he brandished his own sun shield which had more of an oval shape. His face was so happy it was cute as I tried not to smile while I spoke to him.
“We need to help everyone out okay? Only defend until the fighters arrive.” Tolan nodded finishing his smile. Turning to my side I looked at the portal door I had opened to see my sister’s ship through it. Tolan raced through first and I followed. Emerging by the silver ship I turned to see the four large Davon cruisers that were pursuing. Missiles passed overhead and were destroyed by fire coming out of the prison ship.
Explosions above and below us highlighted the smoke trailing out of the crafts burning wounds. Flying to the prison ship I expanded the shield to be much larger than I was as it covered a small portion of the hull. Tolan flew farther along the ship doing the same as he expanded his shield to cover another portion of the ship. Holding my position alongside the ship Links voice came over the radio. “Simran move five meters to your right and Tolan move down one meter.” Moving to the side ten or fifteen yellow spots struck my shield before it became smaller.
Looking over to Tolan the strikes pushed him back a little as the missiles hit his shield. There must have been thirty that caused small jets of plasma to blast forward destroying the weapons and cancelling their power. A few stray missiles hit the ship to my left blasting more burning holes and giving me worries about the prisoners. I needed to see what was coming so I formed a window in front of my face. Looking beyond another volley of missiles rushed to my left.
Moving in their way I closed the window and again a few dozen yellow spots crossed my shield. Three explosions went off to my left and the shield got smaller with smoke moving past me. Link called out over the radio as Tolan took more hits missing a couple of missiles between us. “Preti has mimicked your sun shield and will be joining you outside young apprentice.” Focusing again I pumped more plasma into my shield making it bigger as Preti flew into the space between me and Tolan.
She took a few seconds to expand a shield and cover the center of the ship before I opened another window. Seeing missiles inbound something big on the nearest vessel moved and pointed at me. It looked a lot like the weapons used on the Torshun titans as I quickly closed the window. The large cannon blast threw me back into the side of the silver ship. The shell drained my shield completely and I bounced off with a slight pain in my head.
Confused for a second I flailed down through the air catching a glimpse of the many missiles that tore into the ship’s hull where I was guarding. I could taste blood as I coughed out liquid and my back started screaming in pain. I dealt with this kind of pain all of my life as I knew what I needed to do. Looking back to the ship that had shot me I opened the next portal door and saw the cannon below me.
Flying down and through the door I landed on the gun barrel. Charging up the sun shield again I leapt forward and carved a large molten groove down the barrel. I had to destroy these large guns on all of the ships hunting us. Opening another portal door to the second ship I followed the second large gun barrel leaving a molten mess behind me. Links voice started shouting as I opened the third portal to the next ship. “The fighters are here! Get out of there!”
Veering off from the portal door I saw missiles hitting the other Davon ships in this formation. A portal door opened ahead of me and Preti was waving for me to join her as I dove for the door. I emptied my shield and lost control of my flight to be caught upside down by Tolan. As I regained control I looked to the Davon ships as three of them dropped in flames to the surface below.
The fourth lifted to the clouds as it was pummeled with more missiles than it could handle. Soon the fourth burning ship began to drop down to Ocelia with its nose pointed up. I was sore but satisfied as Preti led us onto the prison ship crowded with Pontu. The ship was very large and spacious like a long football stadium as People were being evacuated. The Pontu moved so we could reach the bridge as we walked over the broken shells that once imprisoned them.
Half way to the bridge two children crossed between us playing their game of tag. I recognized them from earlier as one chased the other headed to a portal door. Passing blood and medics they cared for and moved the wounded through more portal doors leaving me to wonder. Is it over? The strange thought disappeared as light stopped pouring in through holes in the ship. Outside Pontu workers were filling the holes with black foam as they flew alongside leaving us in the dimmer lighting of the ship.
Reaching the end of the two kilometer long ship the large door to the bridge was broken open and waiting. The bridge was small with four different consoles covered by holographic computers. At its front was a large screen that showed another ship flying in front of us. Link closed his chest storage unit before turning around to welcome me. “Your first solo mission went well my apprentice.” Before I could respond the radio on the ship turned on.
“This is the captain of the tow ship Pearl. All portals on the prison ship Dawn will be turned off in three seconds so please stop sending people through. My team just finished sealing your hull and I will have your ship at the docks in twenty seconds. After transport you may continue evacuation.” The tow ship attached a cable onto our ship with a loud clang before I felt it pulling us. The door opened and we moved into blackness and the next door opened to space.
Seconds passed as we emerged among broken and damaged Davon ships floating in space. I could see an artificial sun ahead of the space ports along the sail of a new reef world. Confused at how the Davon ships got here Link answered my question. “The Pontu retrieved all of the Davon ships before they crashed into Ocelia. I reviewed and cross referenced all of your sensory data. None of you contributed to the deaths or casualties today.”
Glitch and Chip walked away from their stations as Glitch answered the next unspoken question. “That means that all of you are eligible to become forge kin.” Turning to my sister I gave her a hug and Tolan quickly was giving both of us hugs. Quietly an older Pontu stood in the bridge doorway before addressing us. “We have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the apprentices of the forge on Ember. I am happy to see that all of you have made it in relatively good health.”
The elder looked at me as I felt my shorter hair where my long braid had once been. Smiling back the older creature with his beautiful walking stick continued. “I am the forge keeper Talalh and I have been sent by Terminus to interview you. After your interviews I will take you to the reef world of Ember where the forge resides.” Walking into the room Talalh extended his hand and shook my hand and then Preti’s.
Next Talalh grasped Tolan’s arm at the elbow in something that looked similar to a hand shake. Moving over to our guides he reached his hand up and placed his hand over the right palm of each guide. Turning back to us he called for us to follow him outside the bridge. “Follow me to the interview and ignore the cameras. Many galaxies have become curious about your rising as the new forge kin.” Link followed me through a portal door to a room with hundreds of Pontu waiting for us.
The room was in a large ship with windows showing the beauty of P
onris and the many reef worlds around us. Flying around the ship were small drones with spinning lenses and fuzzy rods that looked like microphones. Following Link to a central stage and stopping by his side it took me a moment to focus. I watched the older Pontu as Talalh walked to a seat at the head of the stage.
As he sat down he turned to face the audience. Waving to the whispering onlookers the room fell quiet as he addressed them. “This the seven thousandth and forty third conclave of the forge will begin. The conclave has just received the new apprentices and will begin reviewing submissions.” Holograms appeared on the stage of the world Koleas, my face and my construction of the tower I built.
Seeing images of Listal was bitter as I gripped Links cold metal hand to keep away the tears. Talalh started the public interview with me. “Official guide designated as ‘Link’ please bring forward your apprentices key.” Looking up to my guide I pulled the key off and handed it to him before he walked forward and lifted it up. Equipment scanned it and holograms of it were projected next to an image of my face.
Talalh continued. “Tell me Link. What is the quality of the key?” My guide lowered my key pointing to the hologram and describing what was there. “The quality is masterful. There are a number of new quantum tubule formations that seem to enhance communications with the forge.” Talalh cut in stopping Link. “Excellent. I am sorry to hurry this along but I need to know the quality of her creation with the Quantum Telemetry tower on Koleas.”
