Excelsior (26 page)

“Excelsior?” Radifen asked.

Matthew turned toward him with a confused look. When he spoke, he expected to hear someone else’s voice, the voice that he had heard during his dreams and flashbacks. But he answered Radifen with his own voice. “I… I don’t know.”

Suddenly the hopefulness that had flooded all five Denarians a moment ago was replaced by shock and fear. Whatever Matthew felt, it wasn’t the lifeforce of Excelsior forcing its way to the surface.

“Oh no,” was all Klierra said.

“Wait,” Jason said in a confused and angry voice. “It didn’t work?! This whole thing didn’t work? You gotta be kidding me!”

Radifen struggled to find a reason for this and held his hand up to hopefully quiet down Jason. “Please, be calm for a moment. There has to be--”

“Stop telling me to be calm!” Jason yelled. “That’s what all of you have been saying to me lately! You keep going on and on about your great planet and your great savior! Just tell me what we’re going to do now that your savior decided at the last minute not to show up!”

Klierra shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t understand.” She then looked at Matthew again. “You’re sure you don’t feel any different?”

Matthew shook his head no.

Jason ran his hands through his hair. “Jesus Christ, what are we gonna do?!” he yelled, getting louder and louder. “Danaak’s gonna wipe us out!”

Zorribis immediately slapped his hand over Jason’s mouth. “The louder you yell, the more chance there is that Danaak WILL know it didn’t work.” He then grabbed Matthew’s helmet and slowly placed it on the young man’s head. “So as far as he’s concerned, Matthew has the sword and Excelsior is back with us.”

The other Denarians nodded in agreement and surrounded Matthew, acting as his protection. Zorribis reached into his holster and pulled out another pistol, handing that one to Jason.

“You know how to use that, right?” Jason nodded, his mouth still covered by Zorribis’ hand. He slowly pulled the hand away and stood beside Matthew, leaning close to him. “Stay next to me, no matter what. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

*   *   *

“My Lord, did you find him?” Hodera asked with confusion as the projection on the Leap of Faith doorway revealed the blue-green planet of Earth. Nocterar took a deep breath and nodded as he felt a rush of adrenaline through his veins.

“He is there,” he answered. “They are all there.” He pressed his hand harder on the sphere and closed his eyes once again. “Now, where are you?” he asked silently. The sphere began to vibrate as Hodera watched the image of Earth getting larger, images becoming more detailed than ever before.

Hodera kept her eyes on the doorway in wonder. “How is this happening?”

Nocterar opened his eyes as he answered. “Your Denarian over there did her job well by helping me get this far. Now the jewel is guiding me the rest of the way.” He smiled as he saw an overhead shot of the top of Tollund Laboratories, with the details mainly focused on the Denarians and the Krunation while the humans and surrounding area were shown in just a simple black & white outline. “Impressive Denarian technology. As soon as there is one lifeform remaining, we will lock onto its signal and bring it back here immediately. I don’t care if it is a Denarian or that traitor Danaak.”

Hodera glanced at Lokris‘ still body and glared at it. Her Denarian, he had said. The Krunation general choked back her contempt for Lokris’ entire race when Nocterar suddenly asked, “Did you bring it with you?”

Hodera silently nodded and motioned toward the sheath attached to her belt, revealing the intricately detailed handle of her sword. He felt another rush of adrenaline flow through his body that was feeling stronger with each passing moment. Nocterar could feel the jewel saturating him with power, and although he wanted nothing more than total destruction of the Denarian race, he hoped the battle on Earth would continue as he grew in omnipotence.

*   *   *

Acerus sat alone in his personal chamber, his eyes shut and his body relaxed in his chair facing the corner of the room. The sounds of his fellow Denarians hard at work were a mere whisper to the High Elder as his old body demanded rest. The worry that had plagued him since hearing Wilitar’s last words finally eased and allowed him a brief window of time to renew his energy.

Just as Acerus was finally in a deep sleep, his eyelids started to flutter. His body immediately began to tense up all over again, and his breathing quickened, his heart rate raising itself to a point it had not been since he reached adulthood. His mouth slowly formed a series of words that were spoken in a whispered tone, “Is it you… Excelsior?”

The voice that responded to him was that of Semminex, the man who so long ago used the lifeforce of Excelsior to defeat Nocterar and pull Danaak away from Denab IV. “Yes, High Elder. It is me. And the time for the Denarians’ return to greater glory is approaching fast.”

“How… is this possible?” Acerus asked, his eyes still shut.

“My lifeforce has been freed from its prison,” the Denab IV savior responded. “My sword can no longer hold me. The young man from planet Earth is close to fulfilling his destiny, but there is more to be done before I can fully return.”

“What can I do, my friend?”

“My return will happen in time, Acerus. The word needs to be spread among our people. Denarians from all across the land must know that the man who will lead them to freedom is returning to them. As you were one of the last to know me in my spiritual form, so shall you be the first to speak of my return.”

Acerus’ heart began beating faster and a rush of enthusiasm and joy brought a smile to his old bearded face. “Yes, my friend. My voice will be louder than ever, and the word shall become action. The time has come for the Denarians to come out of hiding.”

“And it is time for you to lead them, Acerus. We will lead them in spirit and on the battlefield together.”

“By your words, it shall be done.”

Excelsior corrected him. “By our actions, it shall be done, Acerus.”

Acerus’ sunken eyes snapped open. Within them, a renewed life. “It shall be done,” he said aloud.

*   *   *

Radifen and Grannik led the group into the laboratory. They could all smell the ash and smoke wafting through the halls. The carnage from outside was nothing compared to what Danaak unleashed inside. The lights flickered on and off, and the florescent bulbs let out a faint buzzing sound that irritated everyone in the building still alive.

Radifen glanced at Karini and asked in a low voice, “You okay now?”

Karini took a deep breath and smiled. “Yes. Yes, I’m good.”

“Good,” the older Denarian said as he pointed at a hallway to their right. “You and Jason go down this hallway to assess the damage. If there is anyone still alive, let us know. If you see Danaak, do not engage. Let us know and Grannik and I will take care of him. Klierra and Zorribis will stay behind with Matthew.”

Karini motioned to Jason to follow him. Matthew gave his uncle a worried glance. “Be careful, will you?“ he asked. “Even if I were Excelsior right now, you’re still my uncle.“

Jason smiled. “Don’t worry about it. You just hang back and stay out of trouble, okay?” Matthew nodded and gave Jason a quick hug. Then Jason turned and followed Karini. The two men walked side by side, both of them with their guns drawn and their wits sharpened as they slowly stepped around the corner into a darkened hallway.

Grannik and Radifen nodded to each other as they walked down the opposite hallway. “Just like old times,” Grannik whispered to his friend.

“If we can find a way for Excelsior to come back, it will be even better,” Radifen responded.

“Why do you think it didn’t work?”

“I wish I knew.”

As the two teams made their way down the hallways, Matthew kept himself as calm as possible under the circumstance, holding onto the sheath that held the sword. He kept repeating to himself to try and pump himself up: “I am Excelsior. I am the savior of Denab IV. I am Excelsior. I will win the war against the Krunations. I am Excelsior.”

There was no turning back now. The kid that spent his nights and his days at school with his nose three inches away from his sketch pad was gone. He was replaced by someone who had no problem with getting into a scuffle with the local bully and coming out a winner. If only he had the time to take on an adversary like that to get his confidence up.

Klierra placed a caring hand on his shoulder. “Are you all right?” Matthew looked back and nodded, and even though he was wearing the helmet of Excelsior, Zorribis could see into his eyes and was worried that all he saw there was fear.

Zorribis stood in front of Matthew and placed both hands on the young man’s shoulders, speaking in a voice both soft and stern. “Do not start losing your confidence. Remember all of your training from yesterday and today. It is all there. That has not been taken away, so start using it. Do you understand?”

Matthew took a deep breath, collected himself and stopped his hands from shaking. His nerves started to relax; he was ready to go. If he only had someone like Zorribis telling him these things every day, his confidence would be skyrocketing.

Jason and Karini couldn’t think of anything to say as they examined their hallway. The light bulbs had all been destroyed and the human and Denarian felt the glass crunch under their feet. Jason began to cough as he walked into a cloud of smoke that hung in the air. “Oh my God,” he muttered to himself as he remembered the kind of power Danaak‘s jewel could unleash. If he could instantly cremate a human being, could he be choking on the remains of these poor scientists? He was so pre-occupied that he never looked up when the darkness was pierced by the glowing of a powerful jewel and a matching right hand.

“You really think your God is going to save you?” Danaak hissed as he stood over the human. Jason felt a foot kick him in the chin and knock him onto his back. He aimed his pistol and fired, missing Danaak, who moved his head at the last second. The Krunation gathered the power of the jewel and released a blast.

“NO!” Karini yelled. Without a moment’s hesitation, the Denarian healer thrust himself right into the path of Danaak’s energy blast. He absorbed every bit of it and held in his cries of pain, then looked at his chest to assess the damage. He was relieved to see that Jason wasn’t harmed, but was equally afraid to see a hole forming in his mid-section. And that hole was slowly getting bigger.

“Karini!” Jason yelled as Danaak smiled, satisfied with his work. Matthew’s uncle aimed his pistol and fired at the Krunation. “You son of a bitch!” As Karini felt the energy dissolving his body, he couldn’t call to Jason to get to safety, and had no choice but to watch as Danaak started moving closer to the human. As he felt the rest of his body fading away, Karini shut his eyes, accepting his fate.

In the adjacent hallway, Grannik turned around. “What was that?”

“Him,” Radifen answered. The two of them raced down the hallway, ready to open fire on the source of the noise.

Klierra and Zorribis’ eyes widened when they heard Jason’s screaming. Matthew gave Zorribis a worried glance. “I thought he wasn’t supposed to--”

“He’s not,” Zorribis interrupted. “Don’t worry. He is going to be fine. Grannik and Radifen will protect him.” Despite his reassuring words, the Denarian failed to hide his concern.

In the next hallway, Jason stood inches from his nightmare come to life. All the fear that had crippled him throughout his life rose into his throat and choked him. Danaak looked into his eyes and smiled. “You will be nothing before this blast hits you,” he hissed at Jason. “Considering the look in your eyes, I would assume you were nothing already.”

“Then I have nothing to lose.” In a dizzying moment, Jason suddenly felt free. He pushed himself to his feet and used his newly enhanced limbs to punch Danaak right in the jaw.

The Krunation took a step back and caressed his own face. “That is much better,” he said as he pulled his hand away from the jewel, then fired a blast right over Jason’s head to drain his hand of the energy. If he hadn’t had such deadly accurate aim, the human would have followed Karini into the afterlife.

Danaak licked his lips in anticipation. “It has been a long time since I have had a good fight.”

As Jason and Danaak circled each other, the footsteps of Grannik and Radifen grew louder. Danaak turned his head toward the noise and Jason pointed his pistol at him, shooting him in the chest. The Krunation staggered back, then lunged forward and lashed out with a vicious punch to Jason’s jaw.

The punch was so strong that Jason dropped his pistol to cover his face. Danaak grabbed it and used it to pistol-whip the human, causing him to taste his own blood. Jason glared at Danaak and spit a glob of it right in the alien’s face. “Come on!” he demanded. He threw a vicious uppercut to the jaw and Danaak stumbled. Jason’s right eye and lip were swollen, but he was still giving Danaak punishment.

“I may have underestimated you,” Danaak said to Jason as he attempted to catch his breath. Danaak placed his hands on his knees and bent over, keeping his eyes on his opponent who was walking closer hoping to land a crippling blow. When he was right in front of him, Danaak effortlessly connected with a vicious uppercut that knocked Jason off his feet. He laughed as he watched Jason land on his back. His head smacked the floor, knocking him unconscious.