The Other Side of Beyond, page 24
part #2 of Mitch Mythic Series
“Not before you,” Kate shot back.
In the excitement Mitch had forgotten all about Mother. He looked back to where they left her and he watched in astonishment as she leapt into the air. Her spider legs folded into the side of the chamber and several ports opened on her underbelly . She hovered in the air for a second before rocketing over top of the soldiers to the head of the convoy.
“Did you just see that,” Davis said as he jogged with their group.
“I did, and I’m not surprised,” Babcock said. “
Ahead of them, KiGuan beckoned them from a waiting craft. There were only a few soldiers left and it looked like they were going to be the last ones to get out. Another blast rocked the deck and Mitch stumbled forward. Getting to his feet, he whirled around to see more cracks appearing in the walls behind them. A fissure opened right above the glowing stone and lava began to pour over the rock onto the altar.
“Move now,” KiGuan shouted.
“Don’t have to convince me,” Mitch said under his breath. He looked to his side and saw SoHee envelope herself in the orb and launch into the air.
“Get to that ship. I’m going to buy you some time,” She said as she launched into the air.
“Why do you always have to be a hero?” Mitch said as she shot away.
“Come on, Mitch,” Drak shouted. “We don’t have time. The cavern is caving in.”
“You think,” Mitch said as he jumped onto the deck. The platform was rocked by another quake. Massive rocks began to rain down from the ceiling of the cavern. The boulders tore through the deck as the lava began to flow across it. The craft rocketed forward and everybody stumbled once more as it accelerated across the canyon tailing the other craft escaping the cavern.
Mitch looked back and saw SoHee following behind them. She shot orbs of light up above the convoy to protect the craft from falling debris. Another explosion rocked the canyon and both walls exploded simultaneously. A massive flood of molten lava barreled down upon the hovering craft from behind. The cavern began to narrow and the walls closed in upon them. Mitch looked back in horror as the river of magma rapidly closed in on them. More fissures opened along the walls beside them and they were about to have hot lava rain down upon them, but SoHee shot forward and commanded her orb to expand greatly, enveloping their craft as the cavern closed into a tight canyon. In front of them other craft didn’t fare so well. Boulders fell and lava shot out through cracks all around them and many of the ships were demolished by the falling debris or torn in half by explosions of lava. Mitch watched the bug eyed soldiers plummeting to the bottom of the canyons, the black pits of their eyes stared back at him in horror, mouths agape, shrieking as they fell.
Ahead of them lay a dilated opening leading to a circular tunnel. Mitch watched several ships shoot through the opening to safety. They were the only remaining ship and the river of lava was quickly closing in on them. Mitch could see the orange glowing liquid flowing up the rock wall below the opening. SoHee neared the craft and drew her orb in around them.
“Everybody hang on tight. This is going to be interesting,” she shouted before raising her arms up above her head. Mitch looked back towards the circular opening and saw it was beginning to close. The lava had climbed closer and closer and it was now only a few feet from the entrance. Behind them a great wave of smoke and fire enveloped the orb and Mitch could feel the searing heat against his flesh. Everybody on board gripped the edge of the craft as tight as they could while they blasted towards the entrance. The opening had narrowed considerably, only a small iris remained.
“We’re not gonna make it,” Mitch shouted.
“You’ve got no faith at all, Mitch Mythic,” SoHee said as she looked at him sideways. “Of course we’re going to make it.” And then she shoved the craft forward with a lunge and spun out behind them, blasting an immense wave of energy at the wall of lava. The of energy held the pressing force of molten rock for an instant while simultaneously propelling the craft forward towards the opening. The orb shot out a tentacle towards the ship and latched on as it sailed through the entrance. Mitch looked back to see SoHee amidst a wall of fire. The iris had almost closed and Mitch watched in horror as SoHee was lost in the flame.
A massive blast of light rocked him backwards, but he quickly got back to his feet to see SoHee shoot through the tiny opening, illuminated by her protective orb. She shot towards the craft and gave him a knowing look.
“Told you we’d make it,” she said as she hopped on board.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“IT WOULD APPEAR the Emperor and Empress favor you,” Commander Holrathu said as Robert stood before him, vapors rising off of his newly minted armor. Behind him the two massive spheres continued their endless dance.
“Lucky me,” Robert said as his eyes narrowed.
“Yes, you are lucky, indeed. Let’s hope this luck doesn’t run out,” The commander said as he turned his attention to the Masters standing behind him.
“Brothers and Sisters, we have just witnessed the rebirth of a fallen soldier,” Holrathu said addressing his cohorts. “Our beloved Emperor has granted this wretch a reprieve, but we are well aware this act of mercy must be repaid in full, agreed?”
“Agreed,” the Masters said in unison.
“How will the fallen one return the generosity of our glorious Emperor?” a Master clutching a golden mace shouted out from the upper tier.
“What task could possibly be worthy of retribution for failure?” another Master holding a bejeweled staff wondered.
“Excellent questions my brothers, excellent questions indeed,” Holrathu said as he turned his glowering eyes back to Robert. “There is only one way Robert can make atonement and that is through vengeance.”
“Vengeance, yes, Vengeance,” another master holding a broad sword said as she pointed the sword at Robert. “He must avenge himself. His enemy is our enemy and they must be crushed.”
“That is correct, Master Ardenis.” Holrathu said. “Did you hear that, Robert?”
“I heard it loud and clear, my Master,” Robert said as he looked up at the gallery of Masters.
“Who is it you would consider your enemy, dear Robert?” Holrathu asked.
“My enemies are many and my wrath will be severe. Allow me to return to my home planet and I will begin to make amends,” Robert said as he bowed his head.
“Home, Robert? You’re not going home,”Holrathu said with a laugh. “This is your home now and you will serve at the Emperor’s behest until you have ceased being useful. So tell me, do you want to continue being useful?”
“I will continue being useful, my lord,” Robert said.
“That’s the correct answer. Now, where were we? Yes, we were discussing the matter of vengeance,” Holrathu said and he returned his attention to the gallery of Masters looking on. “We all recall how our beloved Robert failed us at the most crucial moment. Although he was repeatedly admonished about the consequences for carelessness he went about his actions without any regard for the danger present in his midst. Brothers and Sisters, would you like to know the reason for his downfall?” Holrathu asked his audience.
“Enlighten us, great Commander,” the Masters said in unison.
“What is the first thing a novice of combat is taught? Never underestimate one’s opponent,” Holrathu shouted out.
“Hear, Hear,” The Masters replied.
“Perhaps it was my mistake for placing so much faith in him. You see, Robert was a brilliant pupil and he served our cause as fully as he could. On seeing his achievements and his dedication to the Masters, I deemed it appropriate that he should be granted access to our most coveted technology. I stood before you all and presented my argument to you, my most esteemed colleagues. We all agreed Robert was an ideal candidate to carry out our plan and we concluded he would receive the ‘Ray of divine’ light to help him in his endeavors.”
“That is correct,” one of the Masters responded.
“With this power in his hands he was repeatedly warned of the consequences of his failure. And I personally reminded him of the danger laying in his midst. A fugitive, an escapee, a terrorist, no doubt, with murderous intent was hiding in plain sight. He was told on several occasions to ‘take heed.’ But he repeatedly ignored my warnings and an insurrection grew right under his feet, resulting in his downfall at the hands of mere children. Children, children who possessed a great power, a power they had come by through the very terrorist I had warned him about. We all know what happened after that. There is no need to go into the details. I’m sure Robert is aware of his misdeeds and now here he is looking for redemption,” Holrathu said as he looked directly at Robert again.
“How do you suppose you redeem yourself, Robert?” The Commander asked. Robert bowed his head in thought for a moment and then looked up at the Massive form of Holrathu.
“Mitch Mythic must be destroyed,” Robert said as his eyes steeled over.
“Bold words for a man bested in combat by a child,” Holrathu said.
“If your goal here is to humiliate me then I believe you’ve reached your aim,” Robert said. “I accept I underestimated my opponent and I will not let it happen again. Allow me the opportunity to face Mitch Mythic once again and I will crush him into a pulp. I swear on my life and the life of my children I will not fail you again.”
“Mitch Mythic is the least of our concern. He is an insignificant child and he poses no threat to us. His companion, however, is of great interest to the Emperor.” Holrathu said as he looked out at the swirling spheres.
“That terrorist? He’s a waste of time and I will crush him as well,” Robert said as anger flashed across his face.
“Wrong again. The escapee of Chalthantar is the least of our concern,” Holrathu said, returning his gaze to Robert. “The girl is the one we want. The girl and her wonderful mutation, this is the prize we are after. What an incredible development.”
“You mean the girl, SoHee? I’ll crush her as well. She’s as culpable as the other two, if not more,” Robert said in anger.
“You shall do no such thing. She is a prize catch coveted by our Great and Glorious Emperor,” Holrathu said as he looked across the distance towards the spinning spheres. “The universe is vast and immense and the energy flowing between the darkness and the light knows no bounds. Once one has allowed the energy to infiltrate the crude matter holding our physical beings together we become unbound from the shortcomings of the flesh. The energy allows us to remake the world as we see fit. This girl, SoHee, as you refer to her, has done exactly that in a way we have not seen before. A symbiotic relationship with a biological life-form capable of channeling the energy in any way it likes. You may have failed greatly back on earth, but it was your failure that brought about this phenomenon,” Holrathu said as he looked down upon Robert and leaned against the long staff of his axe.
“You’re giving her all of the credit. The whole thing was my idea. All she did was play around with some bacteria. Adding the inReal to the species was all apart of my plan,” Robert shouted back.
“And look at how your plan went,” Holrathu said cutting him off. “I know very well you seek credit and recognition at every turn. We should probably blame your father for that. There is no point in heaping praise upon yourself at this point. The damage has already been done, but from the fires of destruction new opportunities rise as does your chance for redemption,” Holrathu said and then he paused for a moment, lost in thought.
A silence came over the stone pedestal for a moment and a strange wind began to blow, ruffling the cloaks of the masters. A shadow passed over the pedestal causing Robert to whirl around and search for its source. He caught sight of an object in the distance above, circling the pedestal. Like a bird of prey, a figure soared over head, graceful and lithe. It dropped out of the sky and rocketed towards the flat surface where Robert stood before the masters. His eyes grew wide as it dawned on him that he was standing precisely where it would make impact. He leapt back several feet as the plummeting figure made contact with the deck. The impact caused him to stumble, but he quickly righted himself and whirled around to assess the danger only to see Kalis crouching on the deck, sword in hand, staring at him with reproachful eyes.
“I don’t know why you allow this coward to continue breathing, Commander,” Kalis said as she got to her feet and slung her sword across her shoulder.
“I allow it at the Emperor’s behest. I’m not one to suffer any fools and should this fool fail me again it will be the last and final time,” Holrathu said as his eyes tore through Robert.
“I will not fail you, My Master,” Robert said through gritted teeth.
“Don’t be so certain of yourself, Robert. I haven’t yet revealed your path to redemption and you are already claiming victory. This is the attitude which led to your downfall, undone by overconfidence,” Holrathu said as he turned back to Robert. “This is the thing about you and your people: you are unable to learn from your mistakes. The Masters do not care for self serving fools. Our objectives must be met for they are for the betterment of the universe. This great project we are apart of, Robert, has nothing to do with you and it will be done with or without your participation. I do hope you realize how insignificant your hopes and dreams are after being brought forth before our grand and glorious Emperor. Now that you have had a glimpse of his divine plan, perhaps you’ll begin to make yourself useful and stop behaving like some self obsessed fool convinced of his own messianic abilities.”
“My eyes are wide open,” Robert said while posturing before the Commander, well aware that Kalis was watching his every move. “Yes, it is true, I have failed you in the past, but the Emperor has allowed me to see the fault in my ways. I know you, and others present, consider me unworthy of the Emperor’s trust. But the very fact that I am standing before you after presenting myself, in full, to our glorious emperor and returning to you in my enhanced state must grant me a smidgen of reprieve. I have been a fool in the past, I admit, but after my encounter with the Emperor my entire being has been altered and my destiny redirected to it’s true path. It is my only wish to serve the emperor and fulfill his wishes and that of her most esteemed majesty, our glorious Empress.”
“Let’s hope the Emperor has not been misled,” Commander Holrathu said as he eyed Robert with a look of scorn. “I could not imagine the outcome should one so foolish as yourself fail the Emperor again. But enough with these frivolous concerns, the fate of the universe is at stake. Allow me to elucidate our current state of affairs and expound the pathway forward.”
“As you wish, my Master. This humble servant of the Emperor awaits his instructions,” Robert said, bowing his head low.
“Laying it on a little thick, don’t you think, Robert,” Kalis said as she stepped forward. “I’d advise you to keep your mouth shut, but I don’t think that is a feat your are capable of.”
“Enough,” Holrathu snapped out before Kalis could continue. “Bickering amongst ourselves does nothing to aid our cause. Should this antagonism continue, I’ll have you both eliminated. Don’t think for one-second you are in-expendable. The great challenge looming before us requires sacrifice and personal fortitude. We must steel ourselves against our base desires if we are to fulfill the Emperor’s wishes. From this moment forward, any act of insubordination will be considered a traitorous act and all subjects involved will be executed on the spot. Am I clear?” Holrathu said. Robert glared at Kalis for a moment while she returned the favor. Breaking his stare, he turned to the commander with clear eyes.
“I understand you very well, Commander. If you would be so kind as to elaborate upon our objective, I am all ears,” Robert said.
“I, too, would love to hear about your glorious plan, Commander Holrathu,” Kalis returned. “And if any insubordination does occur I request that I should be appointed executioner,” Kalis said while she shot a look at Robert.
“I would also welcome the opportunity to execute any insubordinates should the need arise,” Robert said.
“Very well, I shall summon an executioner when needed, but in the mean time we have a crisis to resolve,” Commander Holrathu said as he turned to the masters standing behind him. “Brothers and Sisters of the Masters Council, it is time for action. An enemy has trespassed upon our domain. This enemy has interfered with our plans before and, as we speak, seeks to sow chaos in our divine order. As you well know, our plans for a certain extent with valuable resources were scuffled due to incompetence. This incompetence I speak of allowed a few individuals with no respect for our law and order to mount an insurrection resulting in an embarrassing disaster to our cause. We managed to recuperate our losses, but our foes have emerged again in the most unlikely of circumstances.”
Holrathu paused as he looked out towards the spinning bodies of the Emperor and Empress. “Although the events that transpired are a setback to our cause, there is a bright side to all of this costly destruction. A wonderful and incredible development has occurred. Chance has blessed us with an anomaly rivaling the strength of our divine leaders. This phenomenon is harnessed by a young female that participated in the uprising we are all painfully aware of. It would seem this girl has come into possession of her power again, but, as we speak, she is being coerced by our enemies to participate in act of betrayal upon our Emperor and Empress. If we don’t take action immediately, our cause will be under attack by a foe capable of immense destruction.”
“Our enemies must be defeated,” one of the Masters shouted out from above.
“Yes, Sister Oktagu. All of us feel the same, but we cannot dismiss the opportunity at hand. Our opposition possess’s a great power, but that doesn’t mean they will possess it forever. Rather than seeking to obliterate our enemy completely, it would seem wiser to seize the asset for ourselves, relieving them of the burden so to speak,” Holrathu said.
“If they possess such a power how do you suppose we make the enemy relinquish the object in question,” another master asked. “If the power is as strong as you suggest, then our foe is considerable to say the least.”
