by Nathan Ward
“Do we go this way?” Josh asked, knowing it was the only choice.
“Come on!” Thomas yelled, barging past Josh without a second thought and dashing in to the opening of the tunnel. He paused for a moment as the surroundings became all too alien for him to comprehend, the way the walls seemed like they were moving under the lighting, like a mass of snakes embedded into the glossy surface.
“Are we doing this or what?” prompted Josh, pressing his chest against Thomas’s back, he stumbled slightly, and glancing back to make sure it really was Josh who stood behind him.
“Sorry, it’s just a bit strange down here…don’t you think?” Thomas asked, nervously cowering away from the walls in fear of what may be lurking behind them.
“The whole fucking world is strange; we’re running out of time!” Josh reminded him urgently, pressing him onward as Thomas took a quick step forward, followed by another step, until he was on the move again and advancing towards the chamber up ahead, fear and hesitation sliding away in this deciding moment as the walls seemed to close in as they reached the furthest point.
Here the walls became narrow and tight, almost claustrophobic, but the pulsating light show moved them forward like a current out at sea, until finally the two weary bodies emerged free of the darkened space and in to what could only be described as a form of throne room.
Stood at the end of the walk way from where they had emerged was Williams, staring up at the all powerful being Astral, who was glaring down towards its disciple with a flurry of nightmarish energy latched around her, sucking away at what remained of her flesh until her entire body was all but a steel skeleton, stood idle yet inflamed by a pool of emotion. She was screaming from the pain as her soul begun to detach from within, the fluorescent blue streams were corkscrewing inside of her and fishing away at the inner core of humanity that had buried itself away within and it was heart breaking, Josh could feel his chest tighten from horror as he watched on, observing with disgust and fury.
“Let go of her!” he yelled, edging himself forward, beyond the point of no return as frosty energy stretched to the far side of the room and covered up the entrance to the tunnel behind them running fluid like ghostly glowing tentacles.
Thomas took a glance backwards and quickly ran forward to get away from the hideous shapes that the energy was forming.
“Josh we’re trapped!” he called, scurrying along the suspended walkway trying to catch up with him.
“Do you hear me!? Let her go!” roared Josh again, luring Astral's attention away from the husk of Williams and back to him, his angry voice thundered towards the centre platform where the Entity thrived from above in a godlike trance, gazing into the human soul of Josh.
“Tiny man, you think there is hope of stopping me? If that is true you must ask yourself where you have been living for the entirety of your pitiful life!” the voice of astral resonated, booming from above and echoing around the top of the tower which continued to project a solid beam of blue light into the morning sky.
Josh looked down at his feet set on the glistening marble ground, spots of energy reflected against it and danced as it passed overhead, still concealing the tunnel that was much further behind them.
“In answer to that very question, in recent days I have lived among fighters, survivors. And if anything they proved to me that even when hope is lost, hope still exists and that’s why we are stood before you right now! Because one man was able to convey a spellbinding force with the use of just a few words, he told me to go home, he shouted in my face, GO HOME NOW, and in that moment I remembered why we do what we do, for the bloody family, the friends and people who make us feel alive - but you wont know how that feels…or perhaps you now do, from all the lives you’ve torn apart and consumed?” Josh yelled back, equally as strong and commanding against the opposition, but Astral continued to cast a dark gloomy shadow over the ant sized man in comparison to the sheer size of the alien mass suspended in the roof of the tower with its arms sprawled around the room like an octopus.
The sight was terrifying, but now Thomas was no longer cowering, instead he was forming his own ideas and biding his time as Josh took the lead, confronting the great power and drawing it away from Williams, who had fallen against the marble and into a slumber. Thomas couldn’t decide whether to approach her or remain where he was already stood, he didn’t want to cause any alarm.
“Do I make a move, creep over to her slowly?” he murmured to himself as his eyes remained glued to the enormous mass of energy above him, then he glanced down again towards Williams, just to see if she was moving.
Then Astral spoke again.
“I have felt enough of humanity to identify when you are defeated, small man.
This world has been waiting to be conquered, with the rise of the UNA and the evolution of our DNA we are untouchable…”
“Yet your city is crumbling beneath you! Have you taken a moment to see through the eyes of your soldiers, to really see exactly what’s happening? It is OVER!” yelled Josh.
He was standing directly beneath the belly of the beast, clutching a pistol in his left hand and pointing it up towards the enormous metal structures positioned around Astral's energy conductors, churning and manipulating the life-force.
Thomas leapt towards Williams, seizing the opportunity while Astral's sights remained set on Josh. As he reached the android he placed his hand on her cold metallic head in hope of triggering a reaction, but she remained motionless, unresponsive.
“Williams!” he yelled, tapping his knuckles against her chest plate, “Captain!” He yelled again, holding on to the sliver of hope that she still possessed a spark of life that perhaps glimmered beneath the layers of shiny protection.
But the familiar blue glow of her eyes did not appear and remained dark. Thomas silently processed the fact that she was dead, even though she had technically never been alive in the first place - she was just an expanded force of ideas projected from Astral's mind, no flesh or blood resided within. But all the same it hit him hard, at least hard enough for him to shed tears which fell in small, soft splashes against the chrome of William's forehead.
Chapter 43: And the World Came Crumbling Down
“The body of your friend has been released of all binding contracts, it is now yours to do as you please with, small man!” bellowed the great voice of Astral.
As the creature's words rang out it glared down towards Josh who stood quaking in the distressed remains of his footwear.
“The names Josh, you call me Josh!” he responded.
“I shall call you whatever I so desire, you are in MY power, Joshua Levett, MY realm!” thundered the voice once again, fully aware of the weapon clenched within Joshes left hand.
“And you are how everything came to be, this whole scenario, the madness begun with you… and that is how it has to end. Whatever it is we have to do, it has to be done from this room…” Josh muttered in a low voice - but Astral could hear every word spilling from his mouth.
“You are in my presence, fool!” Astral reminded him darkly.
But Josh didn’t care, he simply threw his hand towards the all powerful mass as a sign of disregard, but then quickly pulled it back, placing it firmly against his hip were a wound had begun to leak, dripping a trail of crimson down the surface of his battered off white leathers. Josh let out a subtle gasp, gritting his teeth to distract himself from the stabbing pain that throbbed as nerve endings gave a silent scream.
“Some don’t get chances like these,” said Josh, pausing to take a breath as he turned towards the cool blue spot light shining down from the suspended face of evil, “Why haven’t you killed us already? Hmm? Perhaps you’re aware and ticking over possibilities, a plan C, D, E…but you’re going to need more…”
“There is no desire of deviation,” replied Astral, unaffected by Joshes threats.
“No desire!? Deviation is your only option! Where else can you go? What else can you do? From that very first time
you begun feeding on humanity that moment was the beginning of your end, you may have already heard this but we truly are your creations! We will be key to your very own undoing…” Josh reminded Astral, mimicking the speech that Murdock had already given to Commander Houghton, whilst waving around the pistol that remained firmly grasped in his hand, pointing it up towards the metal structures fused into the highest point of the towers spire.
The chamber fell into a state of silence, with only the sound of machinery chattering away to itself and pulsating beats of energy fluctuating around the walls that encased the great power. The fluorescent blue glow shone bright, glaring from what seemed like eye sockets within the grand mass lurking overhead.
Thomas found his way back on to his feet and slowly crept towards Josh with his right hand clenched and his sights set upon the matter alternating back and forth from the core of Astral.
“The Human race have always been the antidote to our disease!” Astral bellowed in fury.
The outburst had startled Josh, who hadn’t anticipated a response so quickly as for a moment he trembled, looking up at the glowing mass as he felt very much like a small man – the thought that ran through his head was small man, big monster, but he dashed it aside as he continued his journey towards Thomas.
Then while turning to meet Astral's mighty gaze he noticed something at the corner of his eye, or perhaps prominently a lack of something as it registered vaguely that something seemed very wrong will the metal carcass of Williams – but he couldn’t work out what it was, not without giving away obvious interest.
“Always?” Josh asked, “We've always been the antidote? What does that mean?” As he distracted with the question he paused to take a hold of what Thomas was offering from behind his back - a small chromed capsule, about the size of a marble and he didn’t waste any time in handing it over. It had to be important, he guessed, to have some kind of relevance to the current situation that they had found themselves in, but Josh hadn’t the slightest clue why as confusion filtered across his face.
“You are not the first to face our wrath; time and time again you have all attempted to defeat me, in fact you are the one hundred and thirty sixth embodiment of Joshua Levett to oppose me…” The voice of Astral sounded, triggering a cold sweat in both men as the truth was told.
“I’m the WHAT?” Josh yelled in utter confusion, “The one hundred and thirty sixth embodiment? You’re talking in tongues, you’re MAD!” he added, breaking out in a panic as theories begun to emerge from the back of his mind, theories he wasn’t yet ready to consider.
“Maybe, we’re just part of a cycle…I’ve seen it done before in films…” Thomas said, afraid to take his eyes off the disturbing shape lingering above them, “Stories were good for bringing the world of imagination alive; the things we believed would never exist, at least not in our day and age…But maybe they do.”
As Josh stood beside him his face had paled to a deathly hue.
“Ca…can you... you say that again…” he whispered, barely able to compose his speech as he was met by a look of shock as Thomas turned back his head. The pair of them slowly pivoted in awe of the god like power sitting over them, their bodies on the verge of shut down as mortal fear overwhelmed them.
“How…how are you doing that?”Astral and Josh questioned, speaking in sync with one another, causing the eyes of Thomas to widen even further as he looked on in amazement and horror, listening to the words of his friend being spoken in time, unnatural to anything he had ever heard.
“From time to time it had been common for minor fluctuations within the plot, but the change of heart regarding Captain Murdock is one that makes one three six something rather unique. However I have lived this moment endlessly…Your life and soul is textbook, Joshua” explained Astral, transfixed on Josh.
“You mean to say, I have lived out this moment…one hundred and thirty six times?” stuttered Josh.
“Not just you, but the entirety of the Human race! They have all relived the chaos of the past three weeks on repeat while I remained observant, I learned and adapted, making the correct decisions to better the following attempt to conquer your planet.”
“And now we win again, you’re just going to reset time…We go back to the lives we dream of and traipse through your bullshit again and again until the UNA become what, invincible?” Josh asked with uncertainty in his tone, staring up into the bright beams of light emitting from Astral's core.
“Something like that, yes,” it confirmed, now curious whether the two small humans would make the move that had always been the way...
Josh pulled hard against the pistol's trigger, unleashing a burst of ammunition into the metal structures positioned around the great mass of energy - much to Astral's disappointment for this had already been predicted.
The two heroes gave their all to stop Astral in its tracks, Josh continued to unload the last of his bullets into the tower machinery that supported the containment field around the electrifying pool of squirming energy, now rippling as explosions ignited, tearing down the interior walls and breaking apart fragments of the walkway where Josh and Thomas had stood.
“If Astral is going to reset time, we best make sure we beat the fuck out of it!”
Josh yelled, with the chromed marble still grasped in his right hand while his left pressed against the guns trigger, unloading until the cartridge was empty.
Flames burst from bullet holes, weaving in and out of the neon blue energy which had begun to move in a whirlwind motion around the entire chamber. The giant beam of light which had continuously lit up the sky suddenly retracted back inside of the structure, merging with the whirlwind of light and fluorescent ripples, fused with fire and electricity as an ungodly shriek resounded that could only have been conjured from the depths of hell itself, Josh assumed as he and Thomas pressed their hands against their ears and begun to cower towards the ground to escape the heat that raged fiercely around them, knocking against them like a rabid Howler, tearing apart the outer skin of their already worn out leather uniforms with its teeth that were as sharp as kitchen knives.
“Josh! The piece of technology I handed you…if it’s what I believe it to be…it will end all of this. Throw it into the blaze, finish this!” Thomas yelled, with his face planted firmly against the cracked marble surface beneath him, panting to catch his breath.
“What do you think it is!?” Josh roared above the deafening chaos as he brought the small chromed device to his eye for a closer inspection, now all too aware that the ground beneath them was starting to crumble.
“It’s the power core, energy overload! They sure do make them better than we ever did… Now throw it! It’s what Astral would of wanted, exterminate the fucker…and if time resets, we fuck them over again and again, together!” Thomas yelled.
A tear - or perhaps a droplet of sweat - fell from Joshes cheek as he returned a look of sincere appreciation towards Thomas; as if it could be the last time he would share a moment in his company or even be able to lay his eyes upon a friend. In that moment, death seemed close, but it wasn't a thought to linger on because time did not afford the luxury.
Josh pressed his hands on the rubble with all his force, raising his body from the scorched ground and into the centre of the whirlwind that had begun to riot out of control, he was at the heart of the storm as it ripped apart everything in its path, whipping against Joshes leathers like sand paper and knocking him from side to side, it was tough to keep a firm foot on the ground but he managed, using his extra pounds to his advantage.
“If you’re going to take the cowards path out, just remember who’ll be waiting for you…unless, for all we know it might be a load of fucking baloney!” shouted Josh. Then he flung the chromed core high towards the top of the towers apex, the device caught adrift of the current and suddenly became lodged within the fire and energy dancing around, until its shell was rendered useless. The core erupted with a mighty boom, knocking Josh on to his back against the cra
cked marble surface behind him, the explosion ruptured the energy whirlwind, causing it to disperse against the sides of the tower, tearing them apart and unsettling the integrity of the structure, which had now begun to creak under the pressure of the weight that it could no longer support.
Glass and concrete fell from the highest points, crashing in to the suspended marble walkway where Thomas and Josh were left unprotected as the chunks begun to shower on top of them.
Meanwhile just a few levels down from the immediate destruction, the sound of the tower falling apart was spiraling through the survivor's minds like a siren of emergency. Murdock knew the sands of time had now well and truly begun to drop as he evaded the steel pointed claws that had become visible behind the flesh of Houghton’s finger tips.
Explosions continued to erupt, sending a shock wave in a descending motion down through all the levels of the tower, knocking loose materials that crashed to the ground, forming obstacles for Murdock to dodge while he fought valiantly against the last of Astral's puppets.
“Your life force is dying, Commander…Or would Astral be better suited? It’s time for you….to disappear!” grunted Murdock, as he reached for Houghton’s neck and clamped his hands around it, however she offered no resistance while there remained a faint blue glow in her eyes from the remnant of Astral's soul. Houghton just stared back at him as if she suspected that some day, no matter how impossible it seemed, they would meet again. And that exact train of thought happened to cross Murdock's mind for the briefest of moments as his grip tightened in frustration. This wasn’t something he was prepared for, he was used to the look of fear in enemy eyes, as time had progressed it had hardened even the weakest of men, trained them, molded them to be better suited within the new world that was unfolding at an alarming rate around them. But Murdock knew he had something that no one else had, a power that even a god would relish – immortality, or so it had seemed - as his wounds bonded themselves instantly back together, leaving the faintest of scarring on the surface of his skin and only under close inspection would anyone ever notice them. Instant healing. Immortality. He felt like a god in that moment.
