The Marilians

by Beth Worsdell

  It took me many shots before I finally hit the Marilian in one of his red eyes. The look on its vicious face turned from a triumphant grimace to utter shock as its brain began to shut down. I watched with satisfaction as the monster dropped to the ground with a thud. As soon as the Marilian was dead on the ground, I looked at Anthony. The fear and confusion on his young face were stabs to my heart. I wasn’t paying any attention to the fighting around me at that point, or the fire that was raining down from the Marilian ship. Saving our son was my only focus.

  I could feel my whole body starting to tremble with a rage and determination that I’d never felt before. It wasn’t just coming from me; it was also coming from my baby girl. She knew her brother was hurt, and she was just as upset as I was. It was a stronger feeling than when I protected myself against Kay, when she had been turned. Dropping the handguns to the floor, I reached for Anthony, and I grabbed him by the shoulders just as his body started to slump. Anthony was turning, and his eyes were starting to change from green/blue to blood red. Coarse dark hairs were beginning to sprout from his skin, and his fingernails were starting to turn from nails to silver claws.

  “No!” I shrieked, as I tried to hold onto him.

  My feelings of rage and despair burst from me in a blue pulse of power. It vibrated through the very core of me as it released, surrounding my son and me. I watched in sudden amazement as the energy converted to the same blue fluid as before. It coated him and thickened as the energy flowed from me to him. Before long, Anthony was inside a blue fluid bubble capsule, and his body began to relax and slump even more in my hands, as his reddened eyes started to close. For some reason, I knew he would be safe now, protected in the bubble against the Marilians and the change that had begun. I released my son, letting the bubble touch the ground with Anthony floating inside it.

  Now our son was safe; I turned my attention back to what was going on. I hadn’t even noticed that Qiu was right behind me, using his own body to shield Anthony and I. Luckily, the fire from the Marilian ship didn’t appear to hurt or damage the dragon, and I was very relieved.

  “Are you ready, young one, we need to destroy their ship?” Qiu said urgently.

  “Yes,” I said, as my anger at what they were doing seemed to all but consume me.

  I was so enraged that my body pulsed with the blue power that was still surrounding me and filling me inside. Qiu’s own power was glowing a bright red, and as soon as I used his leg to leap unto his back, our energies collided and then blended together like we were one. I’d never felt more powerful as I did right at that moment. Qiu rose from the ground with me holding on to his large red scales. I looked down, and I could see the angels trying to freeze the Marilians with their power, as the rest of family and friends tried to shoot or slay them with their weapons. I was relieved at the sight because it appeared that we were winning.

  Qiu and I headed for the Marilian ship as it repeatedly shot its fire at the people and angels below it, as well as the nearest buildings. There must have been Marilians independently controlling the fire weapons because, as soon as we started to get close, some of the weapons moved and began to aim right for us. However, the power that now surrounded Qiu and I deflected everything they had. Qiu was amazing, swooping this way and that, which made the Marilians turn more of their weapons our way, instead of everyone below. I didn’t need to look down to know that my family was ok; I could feel that they were. The only negative thing that I did feel was their worry for Anthony.

  I couldn’t even feel the fire as it bounced off Qiu and I; I couldn’t even feel a tickle. Qiu soared higher, flying above the ship, and I felt his power growing as his body started to expand. He swooped down towards the ship, and as we got close, he blasted the ship with his own powerful fire before swooping away. When I looked back at the ship, there wasn't a mark on it, and my heart sank. It wasn’t because they had a shield or anything like that, it was because they were from a fiery and turbulent planet. Whatever their ship was made of, it was definitely fire resistant.

  ‘We need to try and knock it out of the sky,’ I told Qiu, ‘the fighter jet is already busy trying to take down the smaller ships.’ I didn’t have to say anymore. Qiu showed me with his mind what he was going to do, and the next thing I knew, we were soaring again, but this time, a lot higher. I was abruptly nervous because I knew what was coming. ‘You will not get hurt, young one,’ Qiu said in my mind, trying to reassure me. We flew so high that we were among the clouds, and Qiu’s power began to build again, only this time, it felt different.

  For a moment, we seemed to stop in mid-flight before Qiu curled himself inwards, and I instinctively laid myself as flat as possible against his scales, holding on tightly as was humanly possible. Then, he shot us downwards as if we’d been shot from a cannon. The speed at which we were traveling was so fast that I could feel my cheeks vibrating with the G force. I kept my head down, trying to be as streamlined as possible while trying to breathe.

  I looked up slightly just at the wrong time as the Marilian ship was looming towards us, and Qiu appeared to be aiming for the center of the ship. I knew what Qiu’s plan was, but I honestly didn’t know if it was possible, but I trusted the dragon. Lowering my head back down, so it was touching Qiu’s scales, I waited for the impact. I felt us hit the ship as soon as Qiu’s horns and head made contact. I could feel the force of the Marilian ship’s metal as it tried to resist Qiu and the power he wielded, but there was no stopping us. Qiu’s head and the rest of his huge body and me ploughed through the Marilian ship, leaving a massive gaping hole straight through its center, which filled with billowing black smoke and fire.

  When we broke through to the underside of the ship, Qiu swooped beneath it, getting us away from the burning remains. As he soared up and away from it, I lifted myself to look at the burning craft. I knew as soon as I saw it that it was finished. The black smoke was coming out of the ship from every direction, and as we watched, it began to tilt as it started to lose power and control. I was filled with huge satisfaction while watching it fall from the sky while hoping anyone down below was getting out of the way. The ship started to fall from the sky sideways, and it fell so quickly that there was no escaping for the Marilians on board. It hit the buildings below it with such force that the ground shook beneath it, the buildings crumbled, the ruins filling with acrid black smoke.

  We could hear everyone below us, cheering and rejoicing at our victory, but I knew we had a long way to go. When I looked down at the angels and people on the ground, I was thrilled to see the remaining Marilians all lying on the ground, and everyone was celebrating. Although I wanted so badly to celebrate with them, I knew in my gut that it was too soon. Qiu flew to the ground as close to James and the kids as he could, and I slipped off his back as soon as his taloned feet landed, not even waiting for him to lift his leg for me. Instantly, our power auras changed to their original colors of red and blue. I ran to James and the kids, wrapping them all in my arms and holding them tightly.

  “It’s not over by any means,” I chided them, “we have friends still fighting, and we need to help them.”

  All of their faces dropped at my words, and I really didn’t want to burst their bubbles, but we didn’t have time to waste; we were needed elsewhere. James came up to me, and he cupped my face in his hands, kissing me on my lips.

  “You are the most fearless and the most amazing woman I’ve ever known, do you know that,” My husband declared.

  I could feel myself blushing from the smoldering look he was giving me, and I could feel everything he was feeling, his awe, admiration and love for me.

  “I love you,” I whispered.

  James’ resounding smile said everything.

  He removed his hands and took my hands in his.

  “I love you, too baby, and you’re right, we need to help the others,” he said, suddenly very serious.

  I turned to the nearest angel.

  “Please take Anthony back to the main craft,�
� I told them before turning to my family, friends and angels, “Let’s go.”

  I knew the angels would take everyone where they were most needed, and as the angels flitted with my fellow humans, I mounted Qiu.

  “Let’s go to where we can help the most Qiu,” I said, feeling the power between us connect once more.

  Within minutes, we were soaring again, and below us, we could see the fighting raging. As we headed towards the nearest Marilian ship that was raining fire down, I had a feeling that we were going to do the same as we did before. Qiu began to fly upwards, but before we had the chance, something shot up from the ground right underneath the ship. It was a rocket, and it hit the Marilian ship on its left side, sending it into a sideways fiery descent, its weapons on the right continued to shoot fire bolts, right up until it hit trees and old buildings before exploding in plumes of black smoke and orange and red flames. When I looked to the ground, a man was looking up, he had a rocket launcher on his shoulder, and I think a huge grin on his face.

  Chapter 21

  Iwas so thrilled by what I’d just witnessed. It meant that all those fighting, who didn’t have a dragon on their side, still had a chance of bringing down the Marilian ships. I took a moment to touch my com and reach out to Christik, Lindaz and Evest. ‘I don’t know where you are, but this is what’s just happened,’ I told them as I sent them mental images of Qiu and I taking one ship down and images of the man taking down the other ship. ‘Thank you, Mel,’ Christik said, ‘We are at the fake holding structure, and we could use your help. Your family is already here.’ I was relieved to know that my family was with the most powerful of the angels, and the people below us seemed to be doing well against the remaining Marilians on the ground. ‘We are on our way,’ I replied.

  Qiu heard everything that was said between us, and the longer we were connected, the deeper our connection felt. ‘I feel it too, young one,’ Qiu said in my mind as he began to soar to the clouds again. On the way to the fake holding structure, flying high on Qiu’s back, I’d never felt so alive and free. We flew over more areas that the angels had already healed, and the sight lightened my heart. It also made me so much more determined to protect it against the monsters who wanted to ruin it all, just because they could.

  Within a few minutes, I could see the large, white, fake holding structure in the distance with three of the Marilian ships above it. Two of the ships were striking bolts of fire in multiple directions, while the other was actively trying to take down Lindaz and Evest, who were trying to draw the ship away from the people and angels on the ground. ‘We need to take down the ship that the elders are occupying, Qiu,’ I told the dragon, ‘that way, the elders will be free to help us take down the other two.’

  Qiu reacted immediately, climbing even higher, and because we’d already taken down one of their ships, this time, I knew we weren’t going to get hurt. I laid myself flat again as we climbed, but this time, I kept my head up, just enough so I could see everything. Qiu stopped in midair, coiling himself before shooting downwards straight for the ship. I should have been terrified as the ship loomed towards us, but I wasn’t. Qiu’s horns and head broke through the hull of the ship as if he was cracking an egg. The metal was nothing compared to Qiu’s massive horns. I don’t know if it was because I was watching this time, but it felt like slow motion as we ploughed our way through the various levels of the craft, leaving nothing but destruction behind us.

  The moment we were free, Qiu swooped to the side, and we watched everyone else start to evacuate the area as quickly as they could. The ship burst into flames and began to fall from the sky at speed while moving in the direction of one of the other ships. My heart pounded in my chest as I wished and hoped they would crash together, and when the ship we’d just hit did indeed crash into the other; my heart rejoiced. Not being able to stop myself, I lifted myself and flung both of my arms in the air.

  “Wooooo whooooo,” I shrieked.

  I’m sure I could feel Qiu smiling at my exuberant gesture. I spotted Lindaz and Ying flying towards the clouds, looking almost like a shooting star in a blaze of browns and golds. The sunlight bounced off Ying’s golden scales, making the dragon look so magical that he was breathtaking. Ying’s large gold horn pointed the way as Lindaz effortlessly sat on his back, with her shimmering hair streaming behind her, just like Ying’s shock of ebony black hair was streaming behind him. As soon as they reached the clouds, Ying’s massive wings spread out, stopping them for a moment as he curled himself inwards.

  I held back onto Qiu’s dark red scales as he flew in zig zags, and I held my breath, knowing what was coming next. Ying shot himself downwards like a golden arrow with Lindaz close to his back. They shot through the air at such speed that you could have easily mistaken them for a bolt of lightning. The impact noise rolled out across the sky like thunder. I felt the vibration through my whole body as I watched them crash straight through the Marilian ship. With the elders’ power and the powerful dragon, they were a powerful force. As soon as they emerged from the underside of it, the ship broke into two. Fire and thick smoke began to rise from the two halves, and the ship fell hard onto the scattered buildings below.

  There were no cheers from anyone on the ground this time. The fake holding structure had worked, better than we could have hoped for, and the Marilians were on the ground in force. I mentally chided myself for not acting quicker to help them. I was so focused on getting the ship down that I forgot that every minute counted. ‘Let’s kick some more Marilian ass,’ I said to Qiu.

  I scanned the ground as Qiu descended, and I spotted a large group of Marilians fighting with some of our friends. Our friends didn’t seem to be faring so well; all of them were covered in their own blood. ‘I see them, young one,’ Qiu told me as we flew in their direction. Bodies were everywhere. We had lost so many people, and my heart broke at the burning and cut bodies strewn on the ground. Some were charred beyond recognition, others had fatal wounds from the Marilians’ talons, laying in their own blood. The angels were doing their best, but there were too many Marilians and not enough of us. ‘We need to see your talons in action,’ I thought to Qiu, Tian, Shen and Ying. The resounding dragon roars that rang through the air told me that they’d heard me.

  Qiu and I didn’t stop and wait for them. As Qiu swooped down and landed on the ground, I scanned the area, spotting some of our friends who were already turning. There was nothing I could do for the people who had already changed or who were dead, but I was determined to try and save the ones who weren’t lost yet. As soon as I slid off Qiu’s back, he began slashing at the closest Marilians, his talons shredding their tough skin and thick hair as I ran to the nearest changing human. Thick black blood began to spray in all directions.

  The woman I approached first was wearing combat gear just like myself; her body was strapped with empty knife sheaths and gun holsters. She’d obviously been fighting with everything she'd had. Blood was streaming from a deep gash in her neck, and when she looked up as I approached her, her eyes were burning the fiery red of the Marilians. The woman’s once smooth black skin was now beginning to sprout coarse dark hair like the Marilians too, and I wasn’t going to let her change any further.

  The woman snarled at me as soon as I reached for her. She bared her teeth as though she wanted to rip my throat out, but I could already feel the power within me reaching for her. The moment my hands touched her face; it was as if I’d given her a massive sedative. I felt the power flowing out of me, and I watched as it started to coat her from her face, head and downwards to the rest of her body. Just like Anthony, she began to slump to the ground as the blue bubble capsule formed around her.

  The battle raged on around us, and I could hear the cries from the Marilians as they met with the talons of the four dragons. They didn’t stand a chance with the elders’ power, freezing them on the spot. I could only imagine what the other dragons were doing around the world, and I hoped that they were just as effective as ours. Once the woman
was secure and safe, I quickly ran to the next changing person, letting my power cover them and halt their turning. Again and again, I stopped another person changing, dodging Marilians as I moved from one place to another. It didn’t even occur to me at the time that we had to deal with the people afterwards.

  Just as I was helping a teenage girl, who wasn’t much older than Abigail, I heard a massive rumble rolling across the sky. ‘Holy shit,’ it was another ship, and it was bigger than the others we had already taken down. It was heading straight for us. There wasn’t enough time for the dragons to take to the air and get into position, and I could feel my panic and worry start to build immediately. I looked around wildly, wondering what the hell we could do to protect everyone.

  “Take cover!” I shouted as I sprinted towards my dragon.

  It was as if Qiu and I were one, both of us began running to each other. I quickly flung myself onto Qiu’s back, trusting him to raise his leg for me. Christik and the elders quickly ran to their dragons too, gracefully leaping up onto their backs and starting to take flight immediately. The Marilian ship kept coming, and the moment it reached us, something opened beneath it. I was expecting fire to rain down like the other ships had done, but instead; something black shot out from the ship like black lightning, and it shot straight into the ground. There was no telling what it was, and as soon as it was released, the opening underneath the ship closed. ‘What the hell was that?’ I asked the elders. ‘We do not know, Mel’ came the short reply.

  Suddenly and out of nowhere, two missiles shot into the sky, coming from opposite directions, a blaze of orange and white trailing behind them. We all watched as the two missiles headed straight for the massive Marilian ship, praying that they weren’t going to miss. We didn’t need to worry. The first one hit the ship on the left side; piercing it effortlessly and exploding in a spectacular fashion. Explosions rapidly burst from the hull in the missile’s wake, just as the second one hit. The second missile came from the right, it hit the ship exactly where the black lighting was shot from. We watched in awe as the ship seemed to implode on itself, before a massive shockwave burst from it, knocking everyone off their feet, including the Marilians.