by R. L. Ullman
This is really it. The final showdown. I have no clue how this is going to go down. I don’t know if we should try to negotiate or just attack.
But apparently, K’ami has her own ideas.
“The power of the Orb is wasted on you,” she says, and spits in the Worm’s general direction.
The Worm sneers. “Oh, I’ve been waiting for you, K’ami Sollarr,” he says, gripping the Orb of Oblivion. “It appears we have a lot in common, don’t we? Probably more than you care to admit. Tell me, did you clue in your little friend about our conversations?”
“What?” I say, turning to K’ami. “What conversations?”
“Do not listen to him,” she says. But she won’t look at me.
“I see you have not,” says the Worm. “Well, your partner and I have become quite close over the past few days. Both of us trying to use the Orb to overpower one another. But as they say on our world, possession is nine-tenths of the law. My claim is much, much stronger. However, our little mind chats helped me learn that you had defeated the morons I sent to the Waystation. I’d given them the simple task of retrieving the blueprints so I could free my friends here, but I never really expected them to succeed. Turns out, I didn’t need them anyway.” Then he looks directly at K’ami, “Thanks to you.”
“Be silent,” K’ami whispers.
“Don’t you think the boy deserves to know the truth?” asks the Worm.
“What’s he talking about?” I demand. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on,” says the Worm, “is that your friend here told me how to free this guy.” The Worm puts his hand on Meta-Taker’s shoulder. “Once she gave me all the details about his cell, I was able to take him out of suspended animation. All I needed to do was get in through the air vent. It took me about fifteen minutes. Of course, it took him a little longer to regain consciousness. And boy was he peeved when he woke up! But all I needed,” he says petting the Orb, “was a little mind control magic to get him back in line.”
“You told him about Meta-Taker’s cell?” I yell at K’ami.
“No!” she says defiantly. “He controlled me. He made me ask you, and then he stole it from my mind.”
“And once I had Meta-Taker,” The Worm continues, “he was like a Swiss Army Knife to help free the Intellects. Then I used their brainpower to bust out the rest.”
My mind races back to everything K’ami and I have gone through. What other secrets did she reveal? My weird powers? The Sheeld? I feel more confused than ever. Can I still trust her? Now I don’t know what to do.
“You do not understand the scope of the power you possess,” K’ami says. “The Orb will destroy you.”
“Oh, trust me,” The Worm laughs. “There’s nothing overly complex here. It’s quite simple actually. You see, whatever I want, I get. Like your death for instance.”
The Worm clutches the Orb with both hands.
“Wait!” I yell, stepping in front of K’ami. “If you’re going to kill her, first you’ve got to go through me.”
“Elliott, no!” K’ami orders.
“Is this a joke?” The Worm says, laughing aloud. “So, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I challenge you to a battle to the death. You think you were ignored? You think you were nothing? Imagine growing up powerless in a family of superheroes. Do you think anyone really pays attention to you? Do you think anyone really cares what your grades are, or if you have friends, or ... if it’s your freaking birthday?”
The Worm just stares at me.
“Well, I can tell you they don’t. They tell you you’re part of the family—part of the team. But you know in your heart of hearts that they’re just humoring you—that they’re trying not to hurt your feelings, because your pitiful life isn’t where all the glory is. So, I know exactly how you feel. And, you know what? I’m tired of it. That’s not how I’m going to go down!”
“Fine,” says the Worm. “Do you want me to kill you with Black Cloud or someone else?”
“No,” I say. “I want you to do it. You may be the master of a Meta 3 army, but behind those blank stares, I bet none of them have an ounce of respect for you. I mean, who can respect a Meta 1 that can’t even kill a twelve-year-old Zero?”
The Worm turns to his army. They stand motionless, but then Makeshift leans out and shrugs his shoulders.
“Very well,” the Worm says. “As you wish. Makeshift, keep an eye on the girl.”
“No Orb,” I say. “You do it on your own.”
“I won’t need the Orb, boy” he says, confidently.
We square off. I quickly recall everything I can about his Meta profile. Based on his fighting tendencies, his favorite move is to burrow underground and re-emerge behind his victim for a sneak attack. And then, he’ll do it again and again until he wins. I feel pretty confident I’ve got his number.
His problem is that he doesn’t have mine.
I crouch into the low frontal karate stance Shadow Hawk taught me, maintaining my balance to easily shift from defense to offense without losing energy.
I wait for him to strike first.
“What are you standing around for?” I say. “Are you afraid of me?”
“Hardly,” he sneers.
Then, as expected, he dives to go underground. Unfortunately, his head smashes hard on the surface and his body topples over.
“Take that!” I say, and deliver a blow to his solar plexus. Then, just as Shadow Hawk taught me, I get out.
The Worm scrambles to his feet, shaken and wheezing. “Lucky,” he says. “Must be special soil here.” His face is bright red. He turns to see if his army is still watching. They are. “Now you’ve made me angry!” This time he tries the same move, but to his left. He slams into the ground again and flips onto his back. I move in and kick him in the ribs.
He coughs violently and pulls himself up to one knee. He’s dizzy. Disoriented. He staggers to his feet. “My powers? What are you doing to me?”
“Oh,” I say, “I’m simply doing the same thing to your powers that you did to my family.” Then I sock him square in the jaw. “I’m getting rid of them!” The Worm falls backwards and several of his teeth go flying.
I bend over in pain. My hand is on fire. It feels like it’s broken.
“Elliott!” K’ami yells.
I spin to find the Worm lying flat on his back, both of his hands on the Orb.
“You tricked me! But now your little game is over,” says the Worm, holding the Orb up over his head.
Suddenly, my head starts throbbing. It feels like my brain is being squeezed to a pulp. I hear his voice trying to enter my mind.
I try to resist it, to push it back out, but the force is overwhelming. One thought starts to build up inside of me—one word that will release all of the pressure. I build it up and build it up. And then, I release it like a raging volcano.
OUT!
The Worm screams. It’s a terrible, high-pitched scream. Then his eyes go white, and he flops over like a limp noodle.
I look over at K’ami. She’s also holding her head. Somehow, probably through her psychic link with the Orb, my thoughts impacted her also.
“W-What did you do to him?” Makeshift asks.
“Stay back!” I warn. “Or, I’ll do the same to you!”
Then I look at the Worm’s body. K’ami is huddled over him.
“K’ami, wait! What are you doing? I have the Sheeld.”
“I’m sorry, Elliott,” she says. And then she turns towards me, the Orb of Oblivion in her bare hands.
“KABOOM!” came a thundering pop from above, and I cover my ears to dull the sound. And then it gets dark, like some giant planet is blocking the moonlight.
I look up and see an enormous spaceship hovering above us.
The Blood Bringers have arrived.
I TAKE CONTROL OF ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING
So much is happening it’s impossible to keep track. K’ami is holding the Orb of Oblivion, a spa
ceship chock-full of blood-thirsty aliens is floating over our heads, the Worm is an unconscious vegetable, and all the Meta 3 villains are slowly regaining their wits.
And, oh yeah, apparently I’m the only sane person in the entire zip code.
I don’t even know where to begin.
“W-What is that thing?” Makeshift asks, looking up.
“Oh, that?” I say. “That’s some really, really bad news.”
It’s time to focus. The one thing all this craziness has in common is the Orb. I have to get it out of K’ami’s hands and safely into the Sheeld. Then we’ve got to get out of here, before the Blood Brigade get their paws on it. I pull out the Sheeld and rub its underside. It opens up like a Hungry Hungry Hippo.
“Quick, K’ami!” I yell. Drop the Orb into the clammy thing!”
But she doesn’t respond. It’s like she’s frozen in a block of ice. Her eyes are closed. Her head tilted towards the sky. “Such power,” she mutters in a kind of daze. “I never imagined such power.”
“K’ami! Can you hear me? Let! Go! Of! The! Orb!”
She turns and opens her eyes. Her pupils are dancing like flames. “No, Elliott Harkness,” she says. “This is our only chance.”
“Our only chance?” I say. “For what?”
“For survival,” she says. “That is a Blood Bringer warship. No one ever escapes the Blood Bringers alive.”
Just then, all sorts of noises erupt from high above. I look up to see a giant hole opening in the side of the warship. The next thing I know, dozens of smaller ships come pouring out and start flying towards us. There’s no time to lose. Things are about to go freaking nuts.
“K’ami!” I order. “Put the Orb in the Sheeld!”
But it’s too late. Within seconds, the smaller ships hit the ground, dumping waves of Blood Bringer soldiers into the courtyard. The aliens form a giant circle around us, including the Meta villains, many of whom have now fully recovered from the Worm’s mind control and are completely confused by what’s happening.
I take in our new situation. As far as my limited knowledge of alien warrior species goes, The Blood Bringers are an impressive group. Each of them is Sumo-sized and covered head-to-toe in some sort of leathery brown armor, the texture of which seems strangely familiar. They are carrying long, spear-like weapons with huge blades fixed to the ends. It seems like there’s hundreds of them. I try to take a quick count, but can’t keep up. And it doesn’t really matter anyway. We’re totally outnumbered.
Makeshift drops into the fetal position and starts whimpering.
Suddenly, a group of Blood Bringers part and the biggest, baddest one I’ve seen yet steps forward. He’s also outfitted in head-to-toe armor, but wears a long, gold cape and carries the largest weapon of the bunch. He stops about thirty yards from us, his piercing green eyes scanning us from beneath his helmet. Could this be the Emperor?
“Welcome to Earth, G’rarr Mongrell, High Commander of the Blood Brigade,” K’ami says with a respectful nod. “I see our esteemed Emperor did not wish to get his hands dirty.”
“K’ami Sollarr,” the High Commander says, “Does your insolence know no bounds? Traitors are not permitted to use the name of the Emperor, the Lord of the Universe, in vain. Besides, you know all too well that killing is the birthright of the Blood Brigade.”
“I do know this,” she says. “Just as you know that I am in possession of the Orb of Oblivion, the very object I am certain you are here to retrieve. Fortunately, I am feeling generous. I will give you one chance to call off your hounds and I shall consider sparing your life. If you choose otherwise, I regret to inform you that you, and all of your beasts, will die a painful, honorless death.”
The High Commander delivers a deep, hearty laugh that rattles my bones. “Little girl,” he says. “Do you forget to whom you are speaking? I am the High Commander of the Blood Bringers. I am the Destroyer of Worlds. I am the Harbinger of Death. Hand over the Orb immediately and I promise your ending will be a swift one. I cannot, however, promise the same for your lowly, earth-dwelling allies.”
I hear growling and other bodily noises behind me. The Meta villains are getting restless.
But K’ami doesn’t move. Instead she gives a wry smile. “I know exactly to whom I speak, High Commander. Your offer is quite fair, but I fear you have chosen unwisely. Prepare to die.”
The Orb begins to pulsate.
But nothing happens.
K’ami looks at the Orb, and then back to the High Commander. But he’s just standing there, watching her. What’s going on? Why didn’t the Orb do its thing?
Then the giant takes a step forward. “Foolish girl,” he says. “Did you not think that we would prepare properly for a battle with the Orb of Oblivion? Your father was a traitor, but his research for the Emperor was quite thorough. That is why our armor is made entirely from Sheelds.”
K’ami gives a look of surprise.
And before I can move, the High Commander points his weapon and fires a laser blast right through her.
K’ami falls backwards.
I catch her before she hits the ground.
“Kill them!” the High Commander orders. “Kill them all!”
Suddenly, there’s a loud roar and a white blur appears, delivering a powerful right hook to the High Commander’s face. It’s Meta-Taker!
There is a moment of stunned silence. And then a massive brawl erupts between the Meta villains and Blood Bringers.
I cradle K’ami in my arms. She’s been shot clean through the chest. She’s struggling to breathe, her whole body is shaking. Blackish blood is flowing everywhere.
“K’ami,” I plead. “K’ami? Can you hear me?”
“E-Elliott,” she says, coughing several times. “I-I am sorry. I-I thought with the Orb I could ... save us. B-but I failed.”
Tears stream down my cheeks. “K’ami, hang on. You’re not going to die. You can’t die.”
She smiles feebly and squeezes my hand. “No, it is too late ... for me.”
“No, we’ll find a way out of this,” I cry. “I promise. We always do.”
“No, Elliot,” she says. “P-Please, take the Orb in the Sheeld and finish what my father started. You will always be my good friend. M-My ... B ... FF ... N-Never ... show ... weak ... ”
And then, her green eyes roll back in her head.
She’s gone.
I sit for a moment, holding her lifeless body in my arms.
And then, I yell.
I yell with grief.
I yell in anger.
I look up. A massive battle rages around us, but everything seems like it’s moving in slow motion. The fighting has mushroomed from the courtyard to inside the buildings and even up to the sky. The Meta 3 villains are fighting for their lives. I spot the High Commander who is now mired in combat with Meta-Taker and several other villains at once.
It feels like I’m in a strange dream. A dream I can’t escape from. And then, I hear someone calling me. It’s faint at first, then it grows stronger and stronger.
Has everyone else forgotten about it?
It’s the one behind all of this death. All of this destruction. I look down at K’ami’s body and there it sits, resting innocently in her hands.
The Orb of Oblivion.
I know I should put it in the Sheeld. Just lock it in the Sheeld and make a run for it. Run to safety, and then figure out what to do next.
But, I’m tired of running.
I’m tired of playing it safe. I’m tired of being a victim.
I want to take control.
I know what I need to do.
I reach down and grab the Orb.
And everything shifts.
I feel a sudden, immense surge of power flowing through me. My body feels electric. I feel lighter. Like every molecule of my being is floating on air. It feels like I can do anything.
“And now you can,” says a strange voice. “Now you can be the greatest Meta that every walked the planet.
Isn’t that what you always wanted?”
Where is that voice coming from? It sounds so familiar. It sounds like ... me?
“That’s because it is you, Elliott,” it says. “You have always had the power inside of you. You just never knew how to access it.”
“Who are you?” I say.
“I’m you,” it says. “I’m a better version of you. I’m the person you have always wanted to be. Popular. Powerful. Proud. And now, you can have everything you’ve always wanted. Now it’s all within your reach. Fame. Friends. Fans.”
“No,” I say. “You’re not me. I know who you are. I know what you are.”
“Elliott,” it says quickly. “Don’t be hasty. I understand it may take a while to adjust to your newfound powers. But if you’ll just trust—”
“No,” I say. “I won’t let you leech off me. I’m going to be in control.”
“Elliott,” it says, its voice sounding more desperate. “Just give me a chance. Give us a—”
“I! SAID! NO!”
I push back with all of my will. I push back with all of my soul. I push back like my life depends on it.
And then, I feel the Orb flinch. Bend. Scream.
I surround it with my will. I overpower it.
I feel it succumb to my will.
And then, I master it.
The Orb of Oblivion is now under my control.
I open my eyes.
The battle is still going strong. It’s clear the Blood Bringers are well trained and far more organized than I imagined. They’ve pressed the Meta villains into a corner. The Metas are fighting individual battles. The Metas are losing.
I realize what I need to do. Then I feel a tap on my shoulder. Makeshift is standing behind me. I make a fist.
“Wait!” Makeshift says quickly. “I think I can help you. See, your family isn’t really dead.”
“What?” I say. “What are you talking about?”
“Well,” the little man continues, “See, my powers are kind of strange. I call myself Makeshift because I can ‘make’ things ‘shift.’ Get it? You know, like teleport. So things don’t die when I send them away. I only shift them into a pocket dimension. I call it ‘Exile.’ It’s an alternate universe that’s like Earth, but it’s not. Anyway, I can try to bring them back. If you want me to?”
