Beast of Xeriel

by Elijah Isaiah

  He stared blankly at Gala, yet to blink. Gala did not want to make any sudden moves. Magnus cautiously reached up to touch the container. Fei’s eyes, nor body moved. The comatose like state, made Gala feel more secure. Until her father shook her senses awake. “Gala, get out of here.” Magnus Whispered. Fei’s eyes abruptly fixated on Magnus. Gala raised her blasters and quickly backed toward the door.

  Smashing her back into the wall, the door would not open. “Gala GET OUT OF HERE!” Magnus yelled. He held up his device to the tank. “I can’t!” It won’t open!” She shrieked in panic. Suddenly, the tank, vibrated and exploded.

  As the tank shattered, everything stopped, remained still for a moment, time paused briefly before ending in a concussive blast. Gala was smashed against the door before sliding to the ground. Magnus took the brunt of the blast, as he was thrusted against the wall by the force.

  Lale’s body followed suit on the other side of the room. Fei’s naked body in his normal form suspended in mid-air where he was previously submerged. Magnus tried to shake off the grogginess from the blast.

  Squirming to his feet, nearly falling as the liquid provided a slippery flooring. Magnus held up the device to Fei. A silver circlet formed round Fei’s head with the same green jewel of liquid in the center of his head piece.

  The liquid began to illuminate. Magnus breathing heavily. “Enough!” He ordered. Gala rose to her feet, blasters at the ready. Fei’s blank stare slowly transformed. A deep aggressive frown. His armor regenerating around his body despite not having his shards, a new armor.

  His dark armor as dusk in the night, more rigid and sharp, fiendish in appearance. Gala opened fire. After a plethora of shots, she realized his armor was absorbing the energy. “How!” Magnus bellowed, watching the failure of his device.

  Fei lowered himself to the ground. A blood red drape flowing down from his gilded belt into the raw green Iku beneath his feet. Stepping out of the tank and onto the lower floor. His focus switched to Gala.

  She proceeds to unload her arsenal again, switching to blasters with greater and greater fire power. Magnus rushed to save his daughter. Fei’s armor neutralizing her weaponry. Fei reached out to Magnus forcing his body to halt mid stride. Frozen in place, Magnus could not provide any aid.

  Gala dropped her blasters. She held up her fists, prepared for hand to hand combat. Fighting in the frontlines was invigorating, hand to hand with larger opponents was usually exciting to her, but this fight was horror inducing.

  She began swinging wildly and unlike her usually natural and precise strikes. Fei blocked each of her punches and kicks. After a few jammed attacks, Fei planted his palm into her chest, a clear wind energy thrusted her against the door. The impact knocked the wind from her body.

  Gala dropped down to her knees unable to fight gravity, gasping for air. She jumped back to her feet, staving off the pain mentally. Gala threw a few more strikes toward the body of her opponent.

  Nothing could get through his elite defensive guard. After another wayward punch Fei evaded and dislodged her shoulder from its socket, cracking her armor in the process.

  “Agh!!!!” Gala screamed. Tears falling from her face. She dropped to a feeble position against the door. Fei released his hold over Magnus. Allowing the worried father to run to his daughter. To give them some space, Fei nonchalantly retreated to the front of the prism. “You beast! I’ll kill you!” Magnus screamed, witnessing his daughter’s agony.

  “My son.” Fei spoke in a booming deep voice. Different than even his feral form had ever projected. He turned to face Magnus. “Why did you try to kill my son?” He asked calmly. Magnus was frantically trying to open the door for Gala to escape to no avail.

  “My life, I understand. Lale’s life, I understand. But my son?” Fei asked again. “I had to. I know what you are. Where you come from. Your blood. He was possibly even more dangerous than you.” Magnus responded furiously.

  Magnus stood guarding his daughter from his enemy. “Spare her. Kill me. But please don’t hurt her anymore.” Magnus pleaded. Fei was taken aback by his request. Closing his eyes as if searching for something inside himself.

  “The great Councilman of authority.” He said, opening his eyes. “Yet, you possess no power from the Iku. You led the most dangerous military in our galaxy. Destroyed planets and conquered civilizations. But you enjoy no strength of your own. I heard it all. I know.” Fei sinisterly chuckled.

  “I used to think you may have been strong enough to defeat me. To think what it would do to your image, if everyone knew you were pathetic.” Fei continued. Fei thought for a moment. “Alas, I will allow the idea of you to stand the test of time.” He said.

  “For every being to know, the powerful Councilman Magnus. Fell by my hands……. Not that it matters. I care little of the people. I have been enlightened to a new path.” Fei explained.

  Fei began to transform into his feral form. “I just want every idea of you to be utterly destroyed by me.” Fei growled. Magnus raised his hand, once again praying for the device to work. Fei reached up and took the circlet from his head and tossed it aside.

  Fei reached forward, causing Magnus’s hand with the device to lift against his will. Closing his fist Fei fused the device to Magnus’s hand, as it melted through his armor.

  Magnus squealed in pain. Falling to his knees. Fei took one finger swiping through the air, sending Magnus soaring to the other end of the room. He was met with a great thud as his body hit the wall.

  Magnus cupped his hand, the searing pain almost too much to bear. But he knew what would happen next. “Please! He’s alive! Your son is alive. Please spare my daughter.” Magnus begged. Fei halted before grabbing Gala. He returned his gaze to Magnus.

  “He survived. If he fought for me, I swore to let Kyah keep him.” Magnus explained. Fei grimaced at the sight of Magnus. “You misunderstand. As you tried, so will I.” Fei seized Gala by the throat, lifting her off the ground.

  Fei forcefully pinned her to the door as his grip tightened. “I assume you understand now why she must die. Seeing as killing an heir is not of foreign nature to you.” He said. Gala violently squirmed and kicked, scratching and clawing at Fei’s face and armor. Desperately fighting with one arm to break free.

  Fei looked back at his helpless and defeated nemesis. “If she survives, I’ll allow her to fight for me.” He taunted. Fei withdrew his colossal black halberd. The blade cracking the ground as it landed. He grabbed the neck of his weapon and slowly plunged the blade through Gala’s armor and into her chest.

  Gala shrieked using her one arm to fight the blades entry. After a few seconds, her cries went silent. Fei removed his blade, the blood dripping into the Iku. Placing Gala on the ground he slid her body to her father.

  Magnus wept uncontrollably as he held her against him. Fei made his way over to Lale. He placed his hand on her. Focusing his energy and mind.

  “It won’t work.” Magnus boasted through his sorrow. “She will never come back.” He piled on. Fei attempted to block out Magnus as he focused on trying to bring his beloved back. Nothing happened. He tried multiple times, but Lale would not awake.

  “You will remain imprisoned here forever. I’ll never let you leave.” Magnus cried. Fei scooped Lale’s body and strode toward the door. A shadowy crimson energy covered their bodies. Fei placed his hand on the door, causing it to melt away. Magnus fuming as his enemy was escaping, and he was powerless to stop him.

  Once through the doorway the 48 guards were alarmed at Fei’s arrival. “I’ve dreamed of killing each one of you.” Fei’s voice rumbled. Placing Lale’s body gently on the platform, Fei engaged the Fated.

  Fei again drew his halberd, twirling the blade and large hilt, the massive weapon appearing weightless. The swarm of the guards would have easily annihilated all other foes. Fei lunged forward covering the distance between the guard opposite him on the platform in just one step.

  His right fist shattering the guard’s armor and protruding
out the back. Instinctively, he whipped around withdrawing his arm from out the body, grasping his halberd with both hands and impaling the guard next to him. The remaining opponents drew their blasters and opened fire.

  Absorbing the energy into his dark red aura and new dusk armor, Fei swiftly flew to the other side of the platform. His movements substantially faster than his victims. To their naked eye, he reacted quicker than a blink. To Fei, he beheld a still photograph.

  A blank canvas for him to paint with their blood. He placed the palm of his hand on the chest of the unsuspecting guard. Rechanneling the absorbed energy through their armor and exploding the guard’s organs. Blaster fire lit up the darkness.

  The light of the lasers only slightly faster than Fei, as he strategically pirouetted around the room. Shooting across to the other side, he removed the head of another guard with a powerful swing of his back fist and an unnerving roar.

  His armor continued to absorb the energy as he moved. Each landing shot feeding his frenzy. Fei opened his palm following the trajectory of the head he viciously detached and unleashed a bright red stream of energy. The continuous stream seared through a line of guard’s armors cauterizing their insides.

  One brave guard attempted to rush Fei’s backside. Fei’s senses combined with his speed would prove too much for the individual effort. Without looking, Fei twirled his halberd, thrusted the blade behind him and through the would-be assailant. Extracting his blade, Fei hacked and slashed a dozen more guards before they reacted. Only seconds had passed, but 24 guards remained. The guards ceased firing, seeing as it was providing their opponent fuel.

  Fei allowed the guards a moment to regroup. He laughed sinisterly as they formed up and withdrew their melee weapons. “It was all of you, who attacked me. Tried to kill me. Tried to murder my boy.” He growled extending his colossal halberd in their direction.

  “You failed. As the Fated of this world. I survived to destroy you all.” The remaining guards rushed in together. Fei let out a roar that could be heard on the surface.

  The first two victims killed with one swing. He twirled his halberd fiercely behind his back at an angle, ducking the next attack, simultaneously decapitating the aggressor. Twisting, turning and twirling, not one attack could penetrate his defense.

  In kind, not one guard could evade his swing or possess the strength to block his blade. Fei effortlessly wiped out the remaining guards. Blood soaking the platform, the smell of searing flesh trapped beneath the surface.

  Fei’s heartbeat was steady. The effort during his slaughtering of the Fated, not being reflected in his physical calm. He was pleasantly surprised by such an increase in his power. In the past he would have struggled or been defeated by the guards.

  Yet, now he stood unharmed. Fei planted the hilt of his halberd into the ground, leaving it standing upright. He reached out, mentally calling for Lale’s body. It obeyed, levitating across the platform and peacefully into his arms.

  Her beauty in death only surpassed by her beauty in life to him. He cuddled her body against his, as he observed the two levers. He noticed the right control was active in a lowered position, while the other upright.

  Fei seized his weapon by the throat, his body swirling in his dark energy. After another deafening roar he shot up through the ceilings. Rubble falling behind him.

  A few moments later, Magnus emerged from the chamber. His eyes puffed from every tear that fell. He trudged through the blood and rubble to the center podium. The smell of burnt flesh hovering beneath his nose.

  Magnus placed his hand on the lowered lever, beginning to return it to its upright position. He hesitated. His eyes followed the light to the chamber where his true enemy murdered his daughter.

  The image flashed again of Fei pummeling Gala. Magnus literally, shuttered at the thought. Releasing his grip on the lowered right lever. Magnus grabbed the left control and pulled. The platform shrieked and shook before lowering him even further into darkness.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  T he last of the people of Tetcht exited the traveler. Murmuring and groaning at the sight of their destroyed home. Despite the ruin and the collapsed structure of the Protector, the last two remaining sentry members smiled at the vision of their great city.

  Sentry 3 went straight to work along with the people and Ton, cleaning up the battlefield. Gathering supplies, weapons and removing the Pratham tech from the dead. 19 stood before the crew. “Thank you all for helping us.” He said, with a slight nod.

  “For all the war you brought to Tetcht, you fought valiantly to re-establish peace.” 19 continued. “You and your clan will always be an ally. Whatever you may need, just ask and you will have it.” Jesh said, shaking 19’s hand.

  “My gratitude will never be enough, but you will forever have it.” 19 offered. Dara followed behind Jesh for a final goodbye. “I apologize Princess for my actions. I should have questioned my orders. I was just so afraid that.” 19 paused, Dara’s innocent face releasing him of his regret and torment.

  “Thankfully, Tumakako stopped me.” 19 said. Dara had informed the crew and the citizens of Vanakan’s treachery. Revealing her mother and Tumakako’s relationship. 19 saw the same warrior spirit in Dara as he witnessed in both her parents.

  “It’s alright. Fei would have killed you if you refused a direct order.” Dara not so sarcastically joked. 19 agreed. “However, maybe death is the price for not shattering your character.” He returned. 19 kneeled before her, kissing the back of her hand.

  “You are our brightest star. Never forget your people. We will never forget you. If you ever want to return home. Please do not hesitate. You are the true Empress of Tetcht.” 19 said, genuinely staring into her eyes. Dara accepted his gesture and proceeded to help him to his feet.

  “For now, I will leave you and 3 to govern my affairs.” Dara kidded. The rest of the crew said their goodbyes to the sentry warrior, leaving Kyah last. Kyah firmly grasped his hand, pulling him close.

  “Wars are not easily won. Arm your people. Remain vigilant. If we lose this war, your people must be prepared.” She whispered. Kyah released his hand and boarded the traveler. 19 understood. The ancient engine rumbled, as the crew prepared to depart the secluded planet. 19 looked on as the traveler lifted off.

  He watched as his people worked together, united, and unafraid of the future. He would see to it they would be prepared for any incoming threat and more importantly the return of their Empress. 19 approached Ton and 3 as they discussed the revitalization and expansion of their city.

  ∆

  The relic ship took to the sky, through the atmosphere and into deep space. The twins at the helm, calculating the fastest route to Pratham. “What are our options?” Kyah called out.

  “Well, any route in this hunk of junk will result in a several hundred thousand years journey. I don’t even think the Iku can prolong life that amount of time. I sent out an encrypted distress signal to Gala, but something is disrupting it from transmitting.” Yaffa answered.

  “The lack of lightspeed travel only provides us one alternative.” Zeeba added. “The MәShean, may provide us with a proper ship. Dara’s enemy idea may work. It may take some convincing, but our mission would definitely align with the eradication of humans.” Zeeba said.

  Yaffa laughed as if on cue. “Are there no other close by systems that could help us? The Mechy’s are scarier than all of humanity combined.” Da-Xia inquired. “Well, let’s refrain from the insults if we plan on requesting their aid.” Jesh interjected.

  “What are the MәShean?” Dara asked. “Artificial intelligence. They broke away from most of the organic systems around 500 years ago.” Kyah explained. “They successfully rebelled from our control and occupied their own planet.” Jesh added. Da-Xia removed her armor. She then pulled up specific spots of her mesh attire, displaying various scars on her body to Dara. Da-Xia’s face matching Dara’s at the healed wounds.

  “They aren’t like regular humans, organics or animals
. They’re much more difficult to fight. No one machine appears alike. They alter their artificial genome at will, analyze us with ease. You think the Viper and his minions are tough. Imagine fighting something that is as smart as our scientist’s and as capable as some of our top tier soldiers. Then sprinkle in their hive mind connection. You have yourself one lethal enemy.” Da-Xia eagerly described.

  “Which is why we will chart another course and choose a different plan.” Kyah demanded. “If we take another alternative route, the nearest ally planet is a couple thousand lightyears away. Pratham will be gone by the time we arrive on the ally planet.” Yaffa objected.

  “It doesn’t seem like we have much choice. Dara’s idea might be the best option. I wonder if my parents knew the MәShean were so close by? Using them as a disguise for the Council not to come looking around?” Jesh submitted to the group. “We just have to convince the MәShean we don’t intend to subjugate. They are free from us. I think we’d all like to keep it that way.” Jesh concluded.

  Da-Xia withdrew her guan dao. “Alright, time to talk to the Mechy’s.” She said holding her blade close. “Perhaps you should stay aboard the ship when we arrive.” Jesh suggested.