Ximendos, Akasha, Amya, and Ilias entered the throne room in the palace.
Akasha
Who was that man?
Ximendos
An old friend. One I never thought I’d see again.
Amya
Funny how they always turn up at the most random moments.
Ilias shut the doors.
Ilias
He works for the White Coats?
Ximendos
Yes. He is a magician. One of royal blood.
Akasha
A magician?
Akasha had a puzzled look on her face.
Ximendos
Yes. They are a rarity. Very few of them now live. There is a last family hidden above the
Amya
Do you know these magicians?
Ximendos
Very well. They trained me a long time ago. The one you saw today was one who had a change of heart. Their kind is prone to evil. He and another young magician ran from their order a long time ago.
Ilias
Interesting. You said you know them, does this mean you’d be able to persuade them to our side?
Ximendos
I believe so. They aren’t very fond of the human race. I will go to them tomorrow.
Ilias
Good. The more allies we have the better. If you’ll excuse me I must return to Gemma.
He walked towards the doors.
Ximendos
Are you fully recovered?
Ilias
No. I will be in the morning.
Akasha
As will Iris.
Ximendos
Good. In the morning I need you to command the humans to bring up an army of Gears. You must be prepared for battle if our enemies wish to attack again.
Ilias
That can be done. Goodnight.
He left the room.
Amya
I will be leaving right now.
Ximendos
At this time of night? Whatever for?
Amya
To recruit an ally. If you’re leaving tomorrow I should go now. That way I’ll be back when you leave.
Akasha
And who might this ally be?
Amya
My husband.
Their mouths almost fell open.
Pathion
So what do we know about Orthak?
He said to the others as Orthak stood ankle deep in the water below him.
Darby
We know very little. From what I’ve gathered he can absorb any type of attack.
Pathion turned back and looked at Darby.
Pathion
So how do we fight him exactly?
Darby
He is an invincible demon. I have yet to conclude how we can defeat him. Let alone, hurt him.
Vesper walked forward past Pathion.
Vesper
I’ve had enough of talking. It has been far too long since we’ve fought.
Tusa
That it has been. Let’s do this!
Pathion
Fuck it.
Pathion’s fangs popped out.
Pathion
If we die, we die.
Darby flew forward first towards Orthak. There was a scream. Darby swung his small blade at Orthak and Orthak dodged each hit. Orthak screamed again.
Vesper
Keep him occupied.
Darby pulled out a second small blade and slashed away at Orthak. Even when the blades touched they did nothing to Orthak.
Tusa
So weird seeing Darby fight. He is always so calm when he does.
Pathion
That’s because he’s boring.
Pathion flew forward to join the fight with Darby. Pathion’s foot connected with Orthak’s chest but went right through. Darby jumped back and planted his hands in the sand.
Darby
Boom.
All the sand on the beach flew up covering the entire area. Orthak could not see. Darby flew forward and his blades again went through Orthak. Pathion landed next to Darby.
Darby
We have to think of something else. There is no point in me even using my actual powers because he will only absorb them.
Pathion
We can’t even touch him.
Vesper turned to Tusa.
Vesper
You should be getting in there.
Tusa
Right, right.
Tusa ran down the hill towards Darby, Pathion, and Orthak.
Vesper
Now!
The ocean water began to come towards Vesper.
Vesper
Let’s see him devour the entire ocean.
Giant waves covered Orthak and the Syn clan.
Vesper
Mama is home.
Fallen
Here is fine.
Cameron
How can we stay anywhere if that thing is going to follow us everywhere?
Syn turned and looked back towards the way they’ve come.
Syn
Vesper has been activated. The first of us all.
Fallen
Do you think she can hold him off?
Syn
With ease.
Fallen
Good. None of them can beat Orthak. Not even myself.
Cameron
So then why did they stay behind?
Syn
A distraction.
Arkain
Brilliant.
Nick
So where do we go from here?
Fallen
We stay here until the others return.
Arkain
Won’t Orthak be back though? Isn’t he after me?
Fallen
Yes. He most definitely is after you. He might even want Cameron.
Arkain
Well then you all should separate yourselves from me. I’ll be the distraction.
Malic
That’s not a wise move.
Nick
You could get yourself killed.
Arkain
He won’t stop until he captures me. I’ll only be putting you guys in danger.
Cameron
Stop it, Arkain. You’re too valuable for us to just give up.
Arkain
Who says anyone is giving up? With my new training and my sword I can take him!
Cameron
No, you can’t. Orthak is a demon beyond any of our comprehension. Next to Ximendos he is the one to fear most. It is even said that he is part of Ximendos.
Fallen
We’re not too sure what he is. The only one with the answer is Ximendos.
Syn
It is a monster that cannot be defeated.
Velis
You’re staying with us, Arkain. Like it or not. The black bitch will go back to Ximendos once he sees he can’t get to you.
Arkain
What makes you think he’ll stop trying?
Velis
Ximendos doesn’t let his play thing stay outside for too long.
Fallen
That we are hoping on.
Pathion and Darby ran on the ocean over waves.
Pathion
She’s a beauty.
Darby
Truly.
Vesper made the ocean rise to her will. Suddenly a black hole appeared in the middle and the water began to fall in it.
Pathion
There he is!
They saw it.
Darby
This power is far greater than I thought.
Tusa appeared next to them drenched in water.
Tusa
What the hell are we going to do?
Pathion
Just keep up with us. Vesp and Darb have a plan.
Darby
And it’s the only one we ever formed in case we ever fought him.
The continued running on the water around the black hole.
Vesper
Die monster.
The black hole continued to absorb the vast amounts of water.
Amros and Hayden stood in the President’s office.
Hayden
It’s Orthak.
Amros
The power fighting him is enormous as well.
Hayden
The idea of going to it is tempting.
Amros
Tempting as it is, we can’t.
Hayden
You should rest. You’ve put in a lot of hours in the past couple of days.
Amros
You’re right. I shall retire.
Amros walked towards the doors.
Amros
It has been awhile since I’ve shut these eyes.
He left Hayden to himself.
Vesper appeared next to them.
Vesper
I don’t know if this is going to work.
Darby
Give it time. How much energy have you wasted?
Vesper
Very little.
Tusa
Amazing how you can do all this without even batting an eye.
Pathion
I’m not impressed.
They heard Orthak scream.
Vesper
The water has stopped being pulled in.
Darby
Wait for it.
And then they saw him. Orthak was no longer the pitch black figure he always was.
Pathion
What the hell just happened to him?
He was now silver.
Darby
It was just an idea.
He turned to Pathion.
Darby
A long time ago I hypothesized that Orthak could only consume so much energy at one point. He had to become a solid when he reached his maximum level of consumption.
Vesper
Magnificent, Darby.
Tusa
So now we can fight him.
Darby
Yes, but he is now more powerful than any of us.
Pathion
Just by swallowing Vesper’s ocean water?
Darby
Ocean water fused with her energy.
Pathion
Just great. Now we’ve made an unstoppable bullet.
Darby
I said he is stronger than us. I never said together we can’t do it.
Pathion
Enough. You talk very little normally. Put you in battle and you don’t shut up. Let’s kill this thing.
Darby
It’s our only chance at actually doing so.
Orthak stood at a distance as they watched his silver body sway with the water. Suddenly three more figures submerged from the water.
Darby
That changes everything.
Suri felt a sudden cold on her wrists.
Suri
Ian!
Ian woke up after closing his eyes.
Ian
Yes, Suri?
Suri
I think I found our way out.
She thought about what should happen next.
Nicholas sat on his bed. He could not believe all the things that have happened.
Nicholas
I have to make a speech for everyone.
He grabbed the pen and notepad on the table next to his bed.
Nicholas
It’s time we humans play a part in this story.
Emmylou stood up from crouching down next to the bloody corpse.
Emmylou
It’s hard to tell with the missing limbs, that are probably scattered, and the bloody face, but I think this is, well was, Anna Molly Carter.
Conor
Who is she?
Merdos
The Secretary of Defense.
Conor looked at Anna’s body.
Conor
What was she doing out here? Wasn’t she back at the base?
Merdos
Something must have come up while we were gone.
Emmylou
My thoughts exactly.
Emmylou looked up.
Emmylou
You said the Empire’s palace is directly above us so she must have came from there.
Conor
How do you figure?
Emmylou shot him a dirty look.
Emmylou
Because she’s here.
The ground shook and in the blink of an eye, they were surrounded.
Conor
Shit on my nuts.
He said as three Gears units circled them.
Gemma opened her eyes as Ilias came into the room.
Gemma
Everything all right?
Ilias got onto the bed.
Ilias
Never better.
They fell asleep.
Pathion
Four Orthaks?
Tusa
As if one wasn’t enough.
The four silver Orthak’s stood watching the four members of the Syn clan.
Darby
On the bright side, we can touch them now.
Vesper
Let’s get this started.
Vesper raised her arm towards the Orthak’s and aimed at the middle Orthak to the right.
Vesper
I haven’t lived in so long.
A blue beam shot forward and hit the Orthak in the chest sending it flying backwards almost a mile away.
Vesper
That one is mine.
She turned into water and fell into the ocean below.
Darby
Well then.
He put his two blades away. A silver blade appeared from his sleeve.
Darby
We have a lot to do.
He flew forward towards the Orthak’s.
Pathion
Let’s go, fatty.
Tusa
Hey!
They both got into the action. Pathion jumped on top of the Orthak he chose and they both fell under water. Tusa wrapped his arms around his and began to crush it.
Tusa
I like you better now.
Orthak bashed his head into Tusa’s and Tusa fell backwards into the water. The Orthak dived into the water after Pathion.
Vesper
You can’t hide from me.
The water rose to the black sky lifting the silver Orthak up.
Vesper
Are you ready?
Vesper ran up the rising water with a long blade in her hand.
Vesper
Die!
She swung the blade but Orthak parried.
Vesper
Still quick.
Orthak flew forward and slammed himself into her stomach sending them both into the water below.
Darby
Damn.
He said as Vesper hit the water. The Orthak flew forward quickly. Darby fell back narrowly dodging his attack.
Arkain, Cameron, and Nick got away from the others.
Cameron
I wonder how the others are holding up against Orthak.
Nick
Aside from that, can you guys really trust this Fallen guy? Well, fox.
Arkain looked at Nick wondering why he’d ask that.
Nick
I mean, doesn’t he strike you as a little shady? Calling the shots.
Arkain
I never noticed. Hey Cameron, aren’t you the head of the Order?
Cameron
Yes.
Arkain
So why is he calling the shots?
Cameron stood quiet for a moment.
Cameron
I think I’ve been a little too caught up with some personal things that I’ve allowed him to take the reins. Relax though, New Order is mine. I’ll let him get us to the top but once we get there we’re on our own.
Nick
So I thought about it and I want in.
Arkain
Into the Order?
Nick
Yes sir.
Cameron
I don’t know if we can fully trust you though.
Nick
You can trust me. I’m trustworthy.
Cameron
That really doesn’t make sense.
Nick
The point is you can trust me.
Arkain
He doesn’t seem like he’s the lying type.
Cameron
Very well. You’re one of us.
Nick
Awesome sauce.
Cameron
But you’re going to need to stop saying that.
Nick
Not digging the sauce?
Cameron
No.
Nick
Hater.
Arkain
So it’s us and who else?
Cameron
Velis and Malic. They hold their allegiances with me.
Arkain
Good. We just have to make sure we use the Syn Clan and Fallen the right way.
Cameron
We will. Like I said, we just have to wait until we’re on the palace grounds.
Fallen
For what?
They turned to see Fallen behind them.
Arkain
What?
Fallen
You said you just have to wait until we’re on the palace grounds. For what?
Syn approached from behind followed by Velis and Malic.
Fallen
What then?
Merdos
I’ll distract them. You two just run.
They were about to run when a Gear spoke.
Gear 1
Are you Merdos?
Merdos looked up at the Gear that spoke.
Merdos
Yes!
Gear 1
My name is Elijah.
The Gear unit made noise and then the leg opened up. Elijah stepped forward.
Elijah
Lady Roselyn said you’d be coming. We will be your escort.
Darby’s sword missed each time he swung. The Silver Orthak’s are faster than the black one, he thought. Underwater Pathion slammed his fist into Orthak’s face. As the Orthak flowed down the other grabbed Pathion into a headlock in order to rip his head off.
Pathion
Shit.
He said underwater. A sword flew past his head and into the neck of the Orthak that held him.
Vesper
Don’t let your guard down.
Her voice flowed through the water.
Pathion
Below you!
He tried to say but only bubbles came out. Vesper was pulled down by her ankles by the Orthak Pathion was first fighting. Another Orthak appeared and grabbed her by the head.
Pathion
Damn!
It torn her head off. Her body dissolved into water. A silver sword burst through Pathion’s chest. He looked down at it even though it was hard to see with his blood in the water also.
Vesper
Stay calm, Pathion. Do not release yourself.
Tusa appeared and socked the Orthak behind Pathion out of the way. Pathion pulled the sword out of him and swam up quickly with Tusa.
Darby
Welcome back.
Darby landed next to them as they stood up on the water.
Pathion
Why is it only she gets to release herself?
Three giant splashes were made. Three Orthak’s faced them.
Tusa
They’re indestructible. I can’t even eat them.
Darby
I’ve been able to keep mine busy.
They were surrounded.
Pathion
I’m already bored.
A giant circled water wall blocked them from the Orthak’s.
Vesper
I can’t do much with you all here.
Pathion
Just do it!
A thin blade of water flew so fast it cut three of the four Orthak’s in half. The Orthak Darby had fought was just thrown back a few feet.
Vesper
Are you three okay?
All three of them were now underwater in two pieces each.
Vesper
I missed one.
All three of them returned to the surface.
Pathion
Well that was bloody painful.
Vesper
My apologies. If it’s of any consolation, we only have to deal with one now.
The three Gears units landed on the Palace grounds. Elijah, Bonka, and
Merdos
What are you all doing here?
Elijah
We’ve been stationed in the Empire by Roselyn. She believed we’d be useful at some point or another.
Merdos
She thought right.
What do you all want here anyways? Lady Roselyn only said we’d have to help you. She never told us why.
Bonka
It would seem like you children have a death wish.
Emmylou stepped forward.
Emmylou
We’re here to save my dad and a friend.
Yeah, death wise alright.
Conor
Do you know where they keep prisoners?
Elijah
We do. It would be unwise to go now.
Emmylou
We need to get them back as fast as possible.
Bonka
It would be suicide. If the alarms wake Ximendos we will be murdered like Secretary Carter.
Conor
Who killed her?
Ximendos himself.
Conor looked at Emmylou.
Emmylou
Do you know where James Gunner is?
Elijah
Is that your father?
Emmylou nodded.
Elijah
He is always in the control room. It will be rather difficult to get to him.
Bonka
Again, suicide.
Elijah
It would be best to wait for morning. There is more movement so it will be easier to get around. Right now all the alarms are up and ready. If we proceed it will most likely end with our deaths.
Conor
Where can we stay until morning?
Bonka
In our units. Each unit has a small area for passengers or prisoners.
Merdos
Very well. We wait until morning.
Tusa
On the bright side, one isn’t so bad.
Pathion ignored Tusa.
Pathion
The other clones were cut in half except for him.
Vesper
They weren’t as strong as he is.
Darby
This is the real fight.
This time it was Orthak who attacked first. Orthak landed on Pathion’s shoulders and pulled his head off.
Vesper
Pathion!
A beam of energy shot out from the water towards Orthak but he dodged it and landed next to Tusa. Tusa swung but Orthak ripped his arm off. Then his other hand went into Tusa’s neck. Darby moved towards Orthak as Tusa body fell underwater. Orthak blocked each attack from Darby’s sword with his arms. He didn’t need to dodge anymore. Orthak tried to grab Darby by the neck but Darby outmaneuvered him.
Akasha
What is it?
Akasha said from her bed as Ximendos suddenly stopped talking and stood still.
Ximendos
Orthak.
Akasha
I can feel his power so far away. Is he in danger?
Ximendos
I’m not sure. He feels stranger.
Akasha
How so?
Ximendos
I’ve yet to figure that out. He is more powerful than usual though. He has almost even passed me.
Akasha
How could he become that powerful?
Ximendos stood silent for a moment.
Ximendos
Someone must be feeding him.
Akasha stood up and held Ximendos’ hands.
Akasha
I see.
Vesper
Now!
Pathion jumped from the water towards Orthak. He held him from the back.
Darby
Revenant!
His silver sword turned black and he plunged it into Orthak and Pathion.
Pathion
Shit!
Pathion jumped back and held his wound until it healed.
Darby
Time to die, Orthak. This sword, when turned black, is made out of you. Fear my Revenant.
The sword began to drain Orthak of his energy. He screamed.
Suri took a deep breath.
Suri
Here goes nothing.
The now silver hand cuffs shattered. She stood up quickly.
Suri
Ian, I’m coming.
Ian
Okay.
She pulled the cell bars apart and then did Ian’s cell bars. She saw little Ian for the firs time in what felt like months. His face was black with dirt but his blue eyes still sparkled.
Ian
How did you do that?
Suri
I have the power to break things.
Ian
Like a superhero?
Suri
Yes Ian.
She broke his cuffs and held him close.
Suri
I’m going to get us out of here.
She looked up the stairs to the giant grey door above.
Suri
We just have to wait until someone opens those doors so we don’t make a lot of noise. Then we’re going home.
Ian
I like home.
Suri
Me too, Ian. Me too.
Amya walked into the forest.
Amya
I’m home,
She said softly.
I’ve been waiting for you.
A giant pulse of electricity hit Darby and sent him flying into Tusa who had just came back up from below.
Pathion
The bitch is here.
