Chaos Mortalitus (19 page)

"FOLLOW ME XXIRIAN BROTHERS! FIND MORTALITUS!"

Xenom sits with his head faced downward lost as nightfall draws near, still carrying this longing for purpose, for the sign of his true destiny. In that moment the alarm from the central tower begins to echo through the entire camp. The endless miles begin to roar with activity as the military forces scramble, preparing to face this new unknown threat. Xenom's head lifts to face the commotion in the skies following the sudden burst of activity. He knows what this means, that somehow the camp is under attack and from the look of it, by something serious. General Raithus issues orders left and right directing his military to use any means necessary to eliminate this threat.

As the thousands of enemy soldiers assemble on foot, the slaves hide as best as they can, anywhere. The Xxirian hordes are ruthless and any caught in the path of these war machines will be slaughtered for no reason, mowed down as the Xxirians search for their target. Xenom stands among the chaos all around him calmly, for he is a soldier and has faced many battles in his day. Not far from him just in the corner of his eye, he watches an Xxirian soldier beating a small creature. A small Mezarian female is struck over and over by the Xxirian soldier. The girl's brother escaped not but a few days ago and now she is terrified at what's become of him. It seems in this moment that she is to share his fate as the Xxirian aims for the deathblow.

"Ready for it girl! Are you ready to die?" The Xxirian soldier asks with a sinister laugh.

"Please! I've done nothing to you!" The Mezarian girl replies, begging with tears in her eyes, terrified at the prospect of death. "Please don't! Please!"

"That's it, beg girl! Beg for your life! You'll find no mercy here insect!"

The Xxirian soldier pulls his Xxirian war blade from his back harness and clutches it as the precious metals electrify. He stares at the girl pleading for her life, with only thoughts of her brother replaying over in her head for he's all she has left in this world, or any for that matter. Raising the electrified blade, the Xxirian lunges forward aiming to cut the young girl in two. Quickly from behind, a fast moving figure zeroes in and attacks the Xxirian soldier. Xenom, with lightning speed lunges toward the Xxirian soldier during all the commotion trying to draw his attention from the small Mezarian female.

The soldier's blade falls to the dirt as the Xxirian struggles to quickly recover his footing. He quickly faces Xenom and instantly knows the face, causing his rage to grow. The bright lights from the alarms sounding shed streams of light on the impending battle. "TRAITOR!" The Xxirian soldier screams. "You continue to defy the Monarchy of Chaos! I'll see you die slow for this, Xenom Bairix!"

"Leave the girl! Face me coward!"

"DIE TRAITOR!" The soldier screams. "DIE!"

Charging the position, the Xxirian soldier has death in his eyes but Xenom Bairix is a skilled warrior and this enemy has made a grave mistake choosing the wrong encounter today, a fatal mistake. The soldier dives through the air toward Xenom head on, yet lacks the speed necessary for a deathblow. Xenom blocks the attack, swiftly grabbing the soldier's blade from his hand, as he instantly pounces forward releasing a warrior's scream. He buries the blade in the chest of the Xxirian enemy, shoving it deep into his heart. The soldier's head falls upon the shoulder of Xenom as his body becomes lifeless.

In a last breath, the soldier releases his final words. "Tra-traitor…you would ki-kill your own…ki-kind?"

"You are not my kind."

Xenom stands there a moment holding the blade firmly in the Xxirian's chest and then removes it, wiping the bluish green blood on a rag hanging from his clothing. Once again he hold's the Xxirian weapon of choice for close combat as he returns his attention to the surrounding environment. The commotion steadily increases as creatures running in all directions try to escape the utter pandemonium. Warning the Mezarian girl to run and hide, Xenom looks for a way to help those caught in the middle of this attack. Making his way through the crowds of slaves, he continues to try and get a better look at the enemy that would dare defy such an evil empire.

Turning his vision to the heavens above in search of a miracle when suddenly he sees something that can't be real as a lone creature hovers silently, watching the small figures below scurry about as the military forces mobilize. He can't help but simply stare at this vision, this creature that wears a black cloak floating high above the large towers in the center of this death camp.

I hover silently high in the sky, making my presence known for all to see with the huge camp below swarming with activity as slaves and warriors struggle to grasp the situation. The Xxirians ready their battle cruisers to meet the threat in the skies above, yet they do not know who I am or what I'm capable of. "What are your intentions Ashton?" Mortalitus asks.

"To end this, whatever it takes." I reply. "They don't seem to be responding to any effort made in the name of peace."

"This is quite the paradox."

"Don't worry Mortalitus like you said, it's my decision, I'll carry that much of it alone. I'm no hero, merely a man with a job to do. I won't fail, I refuse to give up, but you already knew that, didn't you?"

"I understand your reasoning, yet your intentions differ from my own. Search your heart, for a great leader is within you Ashton."

"Maybe. It is our different ideals that make us individuals Mortalitus. Standing in the face of genocide and tyranny, like so many before me. This is what makes us honorable. These creatures sealed their fate long ago."

"Forget not your humanity. Forget not your heart Ashton Mortal of the planet Earth. Do these things and you shall never be defeated."

"I have a wife I love, a child I think of every moment. Everything I do now is for those I've left behind. Make no mistake Mortalitus I don't want to be here, I have no desire to right the wrongs of all existence. This fight became mine the day I knew my family was involved, a risk I'm not willing to take. I am neither the hero nor the villain. I'm here to get the job done, to see it's done right, for my family. For those who stand in my way, my judgment cometh."

"Blood will be shed on this endeavor, those in power will fight to the bitter end to keep it. Those seeking the chaos will surely find it and submit to its hold. We cannot escape the inevitable, as this universal tragedy continues. I hope this can be the difference, that peace might fall to the shoulders of my creations but that remains a dream, locked with the eye of the creator I once was."

"We will fight the good fight as best we can. I have a feeling these ones won't go quietly though. Our time approaches as do the wheels of change."

Suddenly something alerts Mortalitus. "I sense a hostile threat approaching Ashton. Be ready."

An Xxirian battle cruiser locks onto my position and begins rapidly accelerating toward me arming its primary weapons, the pilot enthralled with his target, this creature floating high in the sky called Mortalitus. The battle cruiser unleashes hell's fury in my direction, bombarding me with pulse munitions, continually shelling every part of my location with heavy firepower. Explosions surround me one after another, relentless as the battle cruiser continues toward its target. Now swarmed with explosive fire and smoke, my status hidden behind the debris as the Xxirian pilot begins to celebrate radioing central command, confirming the destruction of the invader.

"General Raithus! Target neutralized!" The Xxirian pilot reports. "I repeat target has been neutralized!"

"Excellent work Xxirian." Raithus says clenching his fist displaying a sinister smile. "Your name will echo through this day my Xxirian brother."

The pilot has made a grave error as he continues on course toward the target's location as the smoke begins to clear. Terror suddenly fills the pilot's heart, as the target remains unmoved, silently floating. This creature with no explanation is like nothing imaginable and this power, futilely unstoppable. "General! Target remains!"

"Xxirian! Take out that target now!" General Raithus shouts. "Any means necessary!"

"Yes General Raithus!"

Accelerating full speed toward the enemy that wears the black cloak locked in a dangerous game of chicken, one this Xxirian pilot is sure to lose. Closer and closer, he nears the target as I stare straight on toward the battle cruiser headed my way. The fool, for the honor of his leaders sacrifices his life in that moment, a life that could've meant so much more. Energy begins building within me, calling forth an uncontrollable force, with my eyes glowing in the approaching dusk lighting. Raising my hands I can feel this power continue to grow as the battle cruiser is within my grasp.

Time begins to slow; yet my movement is unchanged as the pilot can only watch in horror. I accelerate toward him, the intense energy lighting up the darkening sky for all to see as I seek payment for the debts of his masters. I rip through the oncoming spacecraft with the vengeance of the fallen, those forgotten in stardust. The once unstoppable battle cruiser splits apart with ease, almost like paper as the searing energy in my wake engulfs it. Passing through the craft, its ion engine detonates with a large explosion from the fatal impact. The heavens burn as the fires engulf the atmosphere, watching the flames dance over my body caressing the metallic armor of Mortalitus.

The inferno slowly dissipates and for all below a vision of the truth as the mysterious creature still hovers silently in the heavens above. Xenom Bairix watches from below, examining the cloaked creature that destroyed a veteran battle cruiser with ease, after it had already fired its primary offensive targeting munitions. The Xxirian slave has never seen power like this and finally the sign he's been waiting for is revealed, the approach of redemption. This mysterious creature, could this be the one to finally end all this suffering? Xenom has learned to never trust anything right away willingly, because for him trust must be earned with the courage of the ancients.

I stare down at all who seek refuge within truth, those longing for freedom in these dark days. Your moment has come brothers and sisters of the revolution; finally your day of vindication has arrived. With the destruction of the battle cruiser high in the sky, a line has been drawn and so this war begins. With steadfast determination I will not be defeated and within the hearts of goodness our memories will never die. Seeking peace here and now, yet I have lost the will to reason with the Xxirians for they seek only bloodshed and so they shall find it.

Sacrifices must be made for the serenity that is to follow and today the Xxirian's price will be their lives. I fix my attention on the towers in the center of the slave camp as thousands of battle cruisers prepare to attack my location, preparing for this new threat. They aren't quick enough for I already have them in my crosshairs. Energy vast and daunting fuses within me as I release a scream to the heavens for those who have suffered through this bondage. My arms teem with energy as a lightning vortex begins to surround me, lit up with the blaze of power I generate.

For all below, beautiful spectacles indeed as they witness the birth of a hero, in the first attack of the Xxirian Verse War. All slaves' watch in awe as the creature from the heavens lights up the skies and suddenly begins accelerating toward the central tower with lightning speed. Finally, the prayers and voices of those lost to this endless genocide, finally they will be heard.

CHAPTER: 15

WAR

Xenom Bairix stares at the sky as it explodes with energy as if the horizon itself was set ablaze. The large Xxirian watches the mysterious figure in the distance, trying to understand the frightening power this creature seems to wield. Questions of the creature's agenda fill Xenom's mind as these moments inch by ever so slow, bringing with them new possibilities. The scene painted is amazing as the mysterious figure jets toward the towers. As the creature's speed begins to increase, it seems to almost distort time and space as all eyes face the skies.

The creature looks methodical, a symbolic vision as the black cloak once again flaps furiously in the wind. Xenom watches the creature reach to its side to reveal an amazing glowing blade. With the speed of thought it approaches the towers, blade drawn as the feeling of something amazing follows just beyond his shoulders for those watching below. Most can't help but wonder, is this the moment they've dreamed of their entire lives? A giant blast of explosive reactions are released with the intense energy expanding outward in a colossal sphere as the creature crashes through the largest tower, followed by continuous explosions of epic proportions.

The tower begins to implode on all levels, sending the toppled structure toward the masses below. Staring up in horror, the slaves watch as the once massive testament to the Xxirian race is destroyed in one blow, leaving the debris to enter into a deadly freefall.

Angela adjusts her party hat as she finishes lighting the candles that lay atop the same German chocolate cake that she has made for years on this day. Her mother, Cynthia Winters, stands in the kitchen with her while she finishes the final touches. Angela's father, Dennis Winters was an amazing man, a loving husband and caring father. It was hard for her to lose him to cancer in 2016 A.D., but his values live on through his daughter. "I think you've done such a great job with all this sweetheart. I'm glad you seem to be doing well."

"Thanks mom. I just like to stick to traditions, even if the guest of honor isn't here. I think it'll help Seth feel the presence of his father."