Fate and Dreams

by Erik Weir

  Tantia laughed as her body twisted, dodging each incoming strike until something touched her senses. Turning her head, she barely caught the hint of a streak when something struck the back of her head and blasted out her eye. The goddess screamed before a barrage of plasma bolts slammed into her face and along her tentacle body. The screams turned to shrieks as Xull fired, each bolt striking true. Tantia was blasted against a pillar, a mana bullet striking her again and again before it entered her mouth.

  The goddess of madness let out a gurgled moan before lightning struck her body from all sides and she was gone, sent back to Dark Spire.

  Umus and Roohr clashed again like titans. The temple shook as the monster god pushed at the god of light. Grunts and growls filled the air as another shockwave spider cracked pillars. Umus grinned as his mace swung hard. Roorh’s hammer came down in savage swings. When they met, mini explosions filled the temple.

  “I never liked you,” Umus grunted as he was slowly pushed back by the monster god.

  Sparks filled the air as Roohr growled with greedy fury.

  Umus’s boots dug in as he glared at the monster god’s many eyes. “You never had a chance.”

  Roohr pushed again, driving the power of his shoulders forward before Umus rammed his boot into the monster god’s stomach. A star winked in the universe as Roohr stumbled back, holy pain touching his nerves. Seeing a shadow, he looked up to Umus’s spiked mace swinging down. The strike was so hard, Roorh’s face buckled under the power, several eyes shooting out and landing on the floor. Umus kept his grin as his left hand grabbed Roorh’s shoulder, fingers digging into his body and holding him still as he raised his mace again. Divine blood spurted as Umus brought his mace down again and again. The god of light cackled before letting go of the monster god’s body. Roohr stumbled back, fell to his knees and lighting struck from all sides, sending him back to the Tempest Realm.

  “Who’s next?” Umus smiled before setting his sights on Thulu.

  “You’re next,” the god of light grinned as he advanced on the Elder.

  Nephy moved with the grace of a bird and stabbing with the accuracy of a wasp. Redarr tried to fend her off but for every two strikes he blocked, a third one would get through. The cloaked demon god retreated until a sinister smile formed. Nephy advanced before she whirled around and blocked Ibris’s misty swords. For a moment, the god of life kept the two gods just at bay, her sword arm moving in blinks, parrying incoming swings.

  Ibris let a few more arms of smoke appear, misty blades forming when plasma bolts struck his form. Xull advanced, firing in rapid bursts. The ghostly god of sleep tried to move but the energy from the plasma bolts disrupted his form. Nephy smiled as she pressed her attack on Redarr.

  “Your… not like us,” Ibris said with a harsh whisper.

  Xull advanced, each plasma strike hitting the ghostly god. “Energy is universal.”

  Ibris turned into a stream, snaking through the air when a mana-bullet struck him. The god let out a sad moan before plasma bolts rained from the artificial construct. Power and plasma burned at him before he cried out. Lightning blasted his incorporeal body, sending him to Eddor.

  Redarr backed up, his sickle barely keeping the goddess of life at bay. Sickle and sword clashed with power, but the god of disease moaned his discomfort.

  “I will not be bested by you!” Redarr shouted as his sickle swirled into a blur.

  “Life overcomes disease,” Nephy said before letting go of her sword.

  Green hands grabbed at Redarr’s cloak as the sickle point stabbed into her side.

  “You lost,” Redarr laughed.

  Nephy said nothing as bugs, worms and green energy swelled along her arms and clasped onto the god of disease. Redarr’s laughing died as living energy crawled onto him. Trying to pull away, the god hissed as he could not break Nephy’s grip.

  “Life is greater than holy power. Life can overcome death,” the green goddess smiled.

  The creatures latched onto the cloaked god, tearing at him. Redarr tried to smash them with a skeletal hand but the creatures simply crawled onto his hand and up his arm. For every few dozen he killed, hundreds and soon thousands tore at him like a piece of meat left on a forest floor.

  Nephy let go and the god of disease fell to the temple floor. He reached out, his deformed body showing through his destroyed cloak. Nephy picked up her sword, stepped to the god and drove the point into his celestial skull. Redarr let out a whimper before lightning lit up his body and sent him back to Night Sun.

  Baaldir stood, watching as it played out. Umus stepped to Thulu, mace at the ready. Nephy stood up, sword in hand and facing the Elder. Xull turned her plasma cannons on the Elder in god form. Dorian remained at Vala’s side, gun in hand but he had only fired a single shot, the mana-bullet still streaking around the temple. The god’s gaze fell on Vala and the gloom in his mind grew thicker.

  “Vala…I must…kill…Vala…” Baaldir said before his eyes widened.

  A scream filled the temple as Baaldir fell to his knees. The God of the Hunt looked down as a hand burst from his chest, followed by another. Energy spilled out of the god’s chest as a horned head pushed out into the air and let out an animalist screech.

  Hexnia struggled, pulling her body from the god. “You fucking asshole! I’m going to kick your ass,” the demon goddess shouted as her upper torso emerged.

  ***

  Victor stared as Vindrel approached a Dreadnought. Docking bay doors open, drop ships emerged by the dozens. Underbelly spikes of the ship launched, streaking down until several were mere feet from the mountain and they exploded into falling mechanical bodies. Drones with digital blue eyes pulled plasma rifles before their feet touched the sloping ground of the mountain. Curved spikes extended from metal feet and clamped onto the mountain before they began their advance up.

  Dropships floated down as Victor looked to the dreadnought closest to him. “Time to tear it up.”

  The Champion called up his stats.

  Victor Hobbs

  Acolytes Unlocked- 77/77

  Divine Orbs- 0

  Powers to Unlock-0

  Spheres of Influence

  Str (Gaia)- 20

  Con (Nano)- 20

  Int (Abyss)- 10

  Will (Holy)- 15

  Wis (Mind)- 15

  Cha (Shadow)- 5

  Swords

  Iron Sword

  Elemental Sword

  Gun Blade

  Bone Sword

  Cursed Blade

  Phantom Sword

  Holy Blade

  Sphere Abilities/Powers

  Mind

  Speak/Read/Write Languages

  Transmutation

  Unseen Hand

  Enchant Weapon

  Enchant Armor

  Portal Weaver

  Gaia

  Increased Strength/Speed

  Animal Tongues

  Jump

  Animal Shapeshift

  War Form

  Summon Monster

  Nano

  Heightened Senses Upgrade

  Body Enhancement/Repair

  Interface Upgrade

  Weapon Upgrade

  Armor Upgrade

  Power Suit Upgrade

  Shadow

  Seductive Whisper

  Illusion Glamour

  Chaos Gloom

  Shadow Minion

  Shadow Craft

  Shadow Walk

  Holy

  Light Aura Shield

  Soothing Touch

  Healing

  Energy Craft

  Summon Guardian

  Bend Time

  Abyss

  Impulse Control Touch

  Body Control Touch

  Mind Control Touch

  Harvest Thoughts Touch

  Possession

  Bend Reality

  Channeling influence, he spent five points of Strength to increase his Strength and speed while five points of Will flowed to his aura ability
. His Holy Sword emerged from his wrist and slid into his waiting palm, spending another Will point to power the mystical blade.

  “Victor, what’s the plan,” Vindrel said as she craned her head to him.

  “Fuck them all up,” The Champion smiled before pressing his boots to Vindrel’s back, spending a point of Strength to activate his Jump ability and launched himself into the air.

  Vindrel smiled as she opened her maw and lightning blasted at the floating dreadnought.

  Victor soared upwards like a bullet. Gaze hard as stone, he pointed his Holy Blade and braced himself before stabbing through the hull of the ship. The sword cut through like it was water. Inside, drones moved through a corridor before metal exploded at them. Plasma pistols fired as a man came at them. Sword slashing, bodies burst into sparks as they were cleaved in two. Drones fell as more emerged, firing down the corridor. Victor turned toward them, plasma bolts bouncing off his aura for a microsecond before his body launched at them like a truck. Sword slashing, drones were cut to pieces in a blink of an eye as Victor barreled through them. Sword swings cut at the sides of the corridor, the Champion causing as much damage as he could as he made his way to the Bridge.

  ***

  Lily, Dawn, and the acolytes watched as blue-eyed drones made their way up the mountain. Rifles pointed up and mechanical fingers pulled on the triggers. Plasma bolts rained upward as Lily and the acolytes ducked down against the walls edge. Pieces of stone wall were cracked or blasted off as the barrage of plasma hammered at them.

  “Return fire!” Lily shouted before getting up and running for the stairs.

  Dawn nodded as she activated her backpack while hoisting up her plasma rifle and aiming down. Cannons unfurled from her back and over her shoulders. They hummed with power before the elf pulled the trigger. Plasma rifle and cannons exploded as bolts rained down on the advancing drones.

  Night stood up, lightning arcing along her arms as she whispered command words and pointed her fingers. Lightning blasted out, striking drones and shorting them out, their bodies falling.

  Two gargoyles raced behind Lily while a banshee floated into the sunny air, took in a deep breath and screamed. Vissi’s voice sent a cone shaped shockwave down the mountain and shattered drones to pieces.

  Slyths pulled back on bowstrings and released magical arrows into the advancing army when more spikes from the dreadnaughts blasted down and exploded before they hit the ground. Drones fell and opened fire by the hundreds. The mountain was lit up by plasma and magical fire when the drop ships hovered close to the village.

  Nerin the War Maiden eyed the demonic wolves jumping from the opening bay doors and landing on the streets of Vala’s mountain village.

  “To me,” Nerin shouted as Ida, Halisa, and Nix were to her side, swords and axes in hand.

  The War Maiden's rushed down the village street as a horde of Devil Wolves came at them, eyes glowing and claws flashing. Nerin let out a war cry and she launched into the incoming wall of muscle, her axe swinging and blood spurting from a split head. The Devil Wolves howled as they clashed with the War Maidens. The street was full as they fought like beasts, the Maidens keeping the enemy from advancing. Drop ships moved in closer, more Devil Wolves launching out and landing.

  Ida fought like a demon when a claw slashed across her leg. Blood spilled as she stumbled and whipped her sword across a Devil Wolf throat. The Maiden stumbled back again when four succubi were at her side.

  “You fight like us,” Helena the succubus smiled before driving her rune sword into a Devil Wolf stomach.

  Succubi and War Maidens slashed and stabbed at the incoming horde. The demon women laughed as they cut at the burly beasts, using their smaller sizes to dodge against long wolf claws. Maidens brought blades and axe heads down, foul blood spraying them as they screamed for more.

  Lily jumped a number of steps at a time before she stopped on the ancient staircase. Staff in hand, she watched as drones marched up the mountain, plasma rifles firing. The succubus spun her staff, knocking bolts from the air. The gargoyles at her side launched over the lilac-colored succubus, gray wings flashing and crossbows firing. Magical bolts struck drones in the chest, their bodies exploding and parts tumbling down. Despite the attacks, the enemy Xull drones continued their advance with little slowing them down.

  Three women stood among the many acolytes, watching the carnage as it happened.

  Nyx looked to Tyress and Leeza, “You know what we have to do.”

  Tyress looked to Leeza and Leeza looked to Tyress, brows hardening.

  Nyx continued, “We have to do this for Vala and everyone here. I know you both don’t like how you are when you change, but I will be there to make sure you don’t hurt each other.”

  “You have always been the voice of reason between us,” Tyress smiled at Nyx.

  “As long as you keep us in line, I’ll do it,” Leeza followed up.

  “We do it for Vala,” Nyx nodded.

  “Praise Vala,” Tyress and Leeza said before their bodies began to grow larger.

  All three women began to change, bodies morphing and bulging. Nyx gave a wolfish smile before fur sprouted along her body. Sharp teeth grew and a wolf snout extended. Leeza’s body fell onto all fours, her hands and feet taking on a round blunt shape as her skull shifted and horns stabbed out of her forehead. Tyress let out a roar as her arms shrank but her legs and body grew bigger. The sounds of battle continued until all three women changed into their animal forms.

  Nyx stood like a slender werewolf with long, gray hair. At her side, a blue triceratops stomped on the ground. A green and brown skinned Tyrannosaurus Rex stood, salvia dripping from her open maw.

  “For Vala,” Nyx growled before she and Leeza charged down the mountain.

  Tyress roared as she turned to the attacking dropships. Stomping forward, the T-Rex bashed her head at a close dropship and sent it spinning from the sky. Devil Wolves that slipped past the War Maidens and the succubi attacked the T-Rex only for her to open her mouth and clamp down on bodies. Blood spurted as lower halves fell. Tyress chomped down on other Devil Wolves and threw them off the mountain with a swing of her massive head.

  Lily knocked away plasma bolts as Avo and Nobo fired at climbing drones. A shout from behind caused the demoness to glance back.

  “Out of the way!” a monstrous roar filled the air.

  Lily stepped aside as a triceratops came down the ancient staircase, a werewolf on its back. The succubus smirked as they charged down at the approaching drones and smashed into them, breaking them to pieces. Nyx launched off the dinosaur shifter’s back and brought her claws down on drone’s faceplates as she fought like a wild animal.

  Lily charged to join their side when she saw more drones and Devil Wolves joining the advancing army.

  “Vala help us,” Lily said before screaming defiantly and leaping into battle.

  ***

  Victor sliced and bashed his way through the ship. The design was the same for all of them from what he remembered aboard the Avatar. Making his way, he cut down any drones that came into view, his aura still holding.

  Turning a corner, he stepped back as six drones opened fired. The Champion shook his head as they continued to blast away. The moment the firing died just a little, the Blade slipped around the corner and bolted for them. Rifles went off, but the Champion was already on them, slicing drones in half before the corridor floor was littered in parts.

  Looking to the Bridge door, Victor stalked forward. The doors didn’t open as he hefted his Holy Blade and sliced through in a triangular pattern before kicking it in. Two halves blasted out and landed on the floor as Victor made his way onto the Bridge.

  The Captain’s chair turned around and the sickly demonic smile of Xix greeted him.

  “Welcome aboard the Talon! I was hoping we would meet again and here we are,” Xix laughed.

  “Call off the attack and retreat,” Victor demanded as he didn’t slow his walking.

  Xix ta
pped his cheek. “I think not. I positioned the ship closer so I hoped you attacked it first. My hunch was right.”

  The ship shuddered as a blue dragon flew past the view screen, spitting lightning.

  “Don’t worry about your dragons. We haven’t even used all the dreadnought’s firing capabilities. But I think you have other things to worry about,” Xix said before turning the chair back around and giving orders to the drones under his command. “Prepare all cannons to fire on the temple.”

  Victor looked to one side and then the next as two doors opened. A War Wolf with a lock of gray fur along his neck stepped out of one door while Luis stepped out of the other. Flint held his spear while Luis hefted his large hammer.

  “Hello cousin,” Luis grinned as frost grew into spikes along his hammer.

  ***

  Cassandra stirred from the temple floor. Blinking, she looked to Thulu standing in the center of the temple chamber. Umus, Nephy and Xull stalked forward while Dorian stood by Vala’s side. The Keeper let her senses fan out, drinking in the energies and shying away from the deep, cold darkness emanating from the Elder. Senses continued to fan out, feeling and seeing the battle as it was taking place outside. Dragons blasted at ships as smaller plasma cannons fired in all directions. Drones and Devil Wolves attacking acolytes with power and greater numbers.

  Ida, a War Maiden cried out before claws slashed at her body, an arm flying off. The Maiden fought on until teeth and claws ripped into her, her heart stopping and her body falling to the stone floor.

  Cassandra let out a small moan as she felt the rapid heartbeats of Kira and Skye locked in a vault deep in the mountain with two warp spawn, Vonn and Yimer. Fear colored their souls as Vonn tried to keep a brave face, unsure if she would be strong enough to protect them if the enemy began invading homes and finding the vault door.

  Perception changed and she was back in the temple, seeing Hexnia falling from Baaldir’s chest and screaming like she was newly born. The God of the Hunt looked down before the demon goddess turned her hatred filled eyes to him and drove her heel into his chin, sending him flying onto his back.