Quietus

Part 1

Author: Allen Lucas

I think that if there were a God, there would be less evil on this earth. I believe that if evil exists here below, then either it was willed by God or it was beyond His powers to prevent it. Now I cannot bring myself to fear a God who is either spiteful or weak. I defy Him without fear and care not a fig for his thunderbolts. ~ Marquis de Sade

Ye Fallen One

                Alexandria sat in a pristine indigo and red dress. It was held together by a golden clasped necklace bearing the symbol of the order. She peered into a bowl made of jasper jewel that shone in the brightly lit hall which she sat, gazing across a large marble table towards her father, Lord Anubis. The walls of this building were solid black marble, inlayed with an assortment of diamond and upon them hung massive banners of the faith.

                The Red Dragon sat there after finishing a bowl of mixed contents. She saw the familiar patterns in the surroundings that meant he had again feasted upon a mix of ground up Samak in a vegetable soup. She could also smell a hint of blood, along with the understanding that it came from a human female of nothing less than ancient german ancestry. She knew by the strands of energy and lights that emanated off of her father that he had not his armor active at the moment. But as he sat there leaning back in a large backed chair made of rosewood, gold and ivory with the symbol he had long adopted above him engraved in bloodstone; Swirling a mass of blooded red wine in a chalice trapped between three red clawed fingers she knew he worried for her.

                Anubis grinned from the side of his mouth, the small spiked teeth contained behind a simple black lining of his lips. His long red hair had been tied at his back and allowed to flow down his seat.

                “Daughter,” he spoke with a voice that nearly boomed across the walls. His quiet voice belied its power. “Tell me, why is it you have been having trouble eating lately? Is the food not to your taste?”

                Alexandria knew that at this very moment, the faces bore on the kitchen staff were poised in fear. Her father had once tasted a poor roasted duck. The offending chef was made to spend a night under slow heat so that he properly roasted for the flavor to set in properly.

                “No my Lord, the soup is quite delicious,” she said wiping her face with a clean napkin and setting her silverware down upon a separate rectangular plate designated for such dirty utensils.

                Anubis took another sip of the wine and swirled it in his hands. “Then, what is it that stays your hand?”

                Alexandria breathed deeply. She looked upon the bowl again and began chanting in a slow rhythmic hum. The bowl began to float into the air as her eyes lit into a bright blue glow. Slowly, it began to dull in color until she reached out her hand and pulled a string visible only to her eyes, and it transformed into pure stone, which slowly fell back to the table neatly in it’s place. She breathed a sigh of relief.

                Anubis smiled, the swirling mass of black that was on his skin began to twist around his lips. “I see you have been practicing. Very good.”

                She smiled to him and herself. “Yes, I have my lord. But I still find it difficult to understand.”

                “Oh?”

                “Yes. I know how and why I can, but I’ve yet to understand what purpose I shall serve. And why it is I continue to train endlessly with King Baphomet, Ereshkigal, and yourself my lord,” she says looking away slightly ashamed.

                Anubis sighs. “Perhaps then, it is time I teach you a new lesson.”

                Alexandria looked up into her father’s eyes. “Of course My Lord.”

                Anubis clapped his hands and twelve servants came to the table. Each, Alexandria knew were granted the esteemed honor of serving the Royal Family. Many were former heretics that now ceded the call of the order. They began clearing the table quickly, and one came and sat two bowls of water and napkins down. Another six sat an ornate chess set on the table.

                It was unlike anything Alexandria had ever seen. Her studies had brought her the sight of human chess, a simple game designed to teach creative thinking and planning. But this was far different. There were three sides to this octagonal board, each with several hundred pieces. One set was made of ruby, the other sapphire, the last was emerald. She knew immediately that the ruby pieces represented the Order of Anubis. Likely the sapphire pieces were the advents, and the emerald was the AAR, the one with the least amount of pieces. Various pieces of the Order represented individuals, plans, troop deployments and all sorts of a myriad of statistics and measures. Many of which she recognized.

                Anubis smiled and lifted a single piece from his board. It was a large piece with a red pyramid at the top. Alexandria could well assume that this piece represented the Dark Knight Zagam.

                “A single piece, a single unit, technology, method, plan or deployment, is useful. It is time, my daughter, for you to learn one of the most important lessons anyone can teach you. To lead. To rule. Soon they shall be with us, and I must go on to spread my word. You and I will sit together now. And we shall make the decisions that will shape the future of my empire.”

                Alexandria’s eyes went wide.

                Anubis’ eye began to glow in an almost infernal light as he placed the small piece down by the piece she knew to represent The Accolade.

Space

On Route to the Recién Llegado Colony, Mariposa

            Zagam sat in the pilots seat of the ship waiting. He rubbed his thumb across his middle and index finger in anxiety. The speed of these AAR crafts were not to his liking at all. He was able to send the craft quicker towards its destination, but he knew to keep the illusion he would have to come upon them under their guidelines. It was a long process, but much more efficient.

            He looked behind him once again to Sarah O’Conner. When he had his unit active he had scanned her. Surprisingly enough it gave him a unique result. Before when he was the weak being known as Jason he had chanced upon a female known as Fiona. Fiona and he were married after a bit of a rather boring lulling. However, as Zagam well knew, events never quite preceded the same between these different dimensions. He knew she contained none of his genetic code within her. However, her looks, it was a dead giveaway. Sarah was the daughter of this universes Fiona and another man, but she bore the last name he once bore in childish days. He would investigate further, but her resourcefulness and strength were no illusion. She would do quite nicely.

            Zagam stood up and walked over to her. His coat sweeped across the ground as he bent his legs to a squat. Zagam smoothly moved his black finger nail through her red hair. He grinned as the nail scrapped the top of her ear. He lifted it on his nail to his nose and took a deep smell. Not perfect, but the smell was so intense to him it jarred his memory loose of other times. Those times were when his eyes were blue instead of the tone of obsidian; Times where he was without true purpose. Pursuits of the flesh, and the need to breed were all humankind equivocated to. A large bag of flesh pursuing to make new bags.

            But Zagam was more now, he said to himself. Anubis gave him focus, a true purpose. The weakness of the human race was disgusting. The few gathering their strength to protect the many. Weakness. If one could not stand themselves they do not deserve to stand. If one cannot protect themselves they deserve to die. The weak make way for the strong. That is the only way that race could have survived. Could have. Instead more and more as Zagam was seeing into the other realities he saw the same pattern repeating itself over and over again. The human race falling to the united might of the creators. Those creatures that weren’t even all that mighty. At least twenty of the thirty held that history.

            It played out often in the same way. It happened here in this universe after all.

            But Anubis showed him a different alternative. A chance to stop them that truly could work. A chance to make the human race far more powerful than it had ever been. Not corrupted by bueracracy, not crippled by economy, not plagued by the desire for peace. The Order was the truest path. And Anubis was the closest thing to a god that he had ever seen.

            As the memories of his life flashed before his eyes his focus pinpointed back to the task at hand. Now was not the time to get distracted, he though to himself.

            “We have much to do, Sarah,” he said as he touched her wet lips with his thumb, wiping away a little blood. He sat her up on a chair and stripped her naked, and began to wash her body and clean the dirt and infectious tissue from her wounds. Zagam smiled, his imagination linking the event to a young girl taking care of a doll. It was amusing to the Dark Knight. He helped set some cracked bones, and even bandaged up her ribs. All the time subconsciously stroking her face in a sort of twisted motherly manner.

            As he had finished Zagam walked to a closet hall and found a jumpsuit for the craft. It was a basic AAR attack outfit. He set her on the bed and strapped the jumpsuit on her. Carefully lifting her arms and legs to ensure a comfortable fit.

            Zagam looked down upon her face and kissed her forehead.

            “Should you live, we will be very happy together. I already have a name for you, you know. A beautiful name. One I think your mother would have been proud of, had she not been killed that day. A weakness you do not share. You’re a warrior, heart and soul. Your compunctions of human emotion will be gone, and then you can blossom into the killer I know you can be.”

            With that Zagam put his thumb on her chin and opened her mouth. Sarah only just gained consciousness when Zagam’s lips came over hers in a passionate kiss, one she screamed to with the feeling of some barbed tongue reaching down her throat. Her screams were muffled at the violating feeling of this thing creeping down her esophagus, cutting the walls slightly as she watched the Obsidian eyes of Zagam stare at her before her consciousness slipped away.

Bhaklor-4

Creator Armada

            Venez was standing before the great control medal of his ship floating just four feet above the ground. The walls of the War Relic were brimming with Jy-taki soldiers. Fourteen stood at his left flank, fourteen at his right, and each had their focuses just on him. The Order had decimated the ranks of the Advents, and as far as Venez knew Grend, Amira, and himself were all that remained of his once proud race. Twenty four thousand Jy-taki were all that remained of their guards, and a handful of forty Orobouras. Things were looking grim for the once proud Creators.

            Grend, Amira, and he remained here in the safety of this fleet on Bhaklor-4. The bonding of the True W’Kar was reaching it’s mark of safety in only two earthian days. It was then that Grend would bond with the unit, and promised to restore the fallen Advent people and wipe out the order.

            Venez wasn’t taking any chances.

            Grend had already convinced them to commit a great crime for trust in him. An action that threw his society into civil war, letting the Order consume their empire slowly. Venez was checking, just to be sure, whether his friend was up to par.

            It took time diving through the many thousands of logs, battle reports, and movement cycles. But Venez realized that Grend had been followed by the Order. Their coming would herald an attack by the Order up to two weeks later. Was Grend a spy for the Order, or worse?

            Venez took a moment until he placed the pieces where they would fall, and finally realized that Grend had known he was being followed by the Order, and he was using them to dispose of his opposition!

            Venez let himself fall to the floor and his hypersenses saw behind him Amira.

            As he turned he saw the advent. “”Ally, what purpose do you have coming here.””

            Venez was not foolish enough to assume that Amira had no knowledge of this act, could he be the only one in the dark about it?

            ““You figured it out as well then?””

            ““As well?””

            ““I learned some months ago, but I lack the resources needed to do anything about it.””

            Venez turned and looked around. ““Our entire race was led to their deaths by his hand,” “he called out!

            Venez expression was abnormal for an advent, Amira knew. It was not that their race did not have emotions, but the outright expression of them was a useless expenditure of energy. Amira remembered she had the same reaction though.

            Venez took a moment to himself and looked back to her. ““What shall we do?””

            ““You and I both know what we have to do. Grend has not factored our lives into his equation.””

            ““Of that you are sure,”” Venez replied, puzzled.

            Amira walked to the right, circling him from the side and hung her head low. ““He wanted the empire gone. He was willing to and did sacrifice our race for his bid for power. What are we but pawns?””

            Venez nodded. It was logical. Should Grend activate the True W’Kar unit he would have access to it’s impressive array of powers. Though he functionally would not be as powerful as Anubis, the abilities and capabilites of gaining access to the technology and the sheer power of the W’Kar Element would give him the edge he needed to defeat the order. Afterwards, why would he share that power if he had already given to much to gain it.

            ““Pawns,”” he said with an audible scowl.

            ““Yes, pawns. Had we done as the council decreed and not trusted him our race would still be alive. We are as responsible as he, though we did not know it.””

            ““Ignorance is not a valid declaration of innocence.””

            ““Correct.””

            Venez jerked his head slightly as the unit ejected it’s gaseous waste. ““Then, we have no choice but to go to them. But it could mean our deaths, the Republic will not readily accept advents among their ranks.””

            ““We offer ourselves, our technology, and the True W’Kar unit.””

            Venez shot her a glance faster than she thought he could even in the unit. ““And hand that power from one monster to another, never.””

            ““The Republic has not yet bonded a Unit-G with a Zoalord, Zoagod, or any of their other higher potential bonding beings. What makes you think they will do ilk with it?”” she asks.

            Venez cocks his head towards her. ““For the very same reason we now hide in the shadow of a dead world, fear. They know that the Unit-W could save them. Activated upon even a base human it would multiply far beyond the fold of what Anubis is capable of, at least with Grend it will only grant him vast multiversal abilities and a powerful body as last time, but on a human I do not even want to think of the possibilities.””

            Amira nods to him. “”I understand your hesitation, but what choice do we have? The Republic is a variable, Grend is a certainty. We certainly cannot go to the Order can we?””

            Venez spends a minute in silence between their telepathy. He looks up to the ceiling where he sees the symbol of the Advents peering down upon him. It took him staring upon it to look back to Amira and nod. “Let us do this. I will obtain the True W’Kar unit, you must start getting full control over as much of the armada as possible. Whatever you cannot get control of must be disabled!””

            Amira nods. “”Let us begin, then.””

            Venez turns and walks through the membrane that separated the pilot area and the main corridor.

            Grend was once a member of the High Council. Venez stood by and watched the deception and backstabbing he did, but Venez trusted his advent brother. They had been allies for cycles upon cycles. Amira, his own daughter, was now more than willing of throwing her traitorous father to the side for his actions. Had he normal human like eyes they would be focused on Grend’s head!

            But now was not the time for petty heroics, such concepts escaped the Advents anyhow. Now he must focus on what is important. Gender was a trivial thing amongst the Advents, one is perceived as male or female as they wish. It is merely a label, but the two of them would be needed to proportionally repopulate their race. Three was not needed, and the computers could generate proper genetic randomizations to prevent genetic mutation. It was easier to hide a small group than it was a large one, so he would take what he could from Grend and set out to the Anti-Advent Republic. Hopefully a little diplomacy would go far enough.

            Venez floated up a vertical shaft to the shaft which led to the alcove Grend had sealed the Unit-W inside of. The impressive array of defense surrounding this unit assured optimal defense. Each laser held impressive power, and the shielding was strong enough to ensure that all but Anubis himself could get through. Venez placed his hand upon the massive door and traced the proper symbology, using his unit to contact the ship and allow himself entrance. If Grend had not already reprogrammed the system in expectation of his treachery getting in and out would be simple.

            It had taken him a few moments to gather entrance as the system had assigned a particular signal only Grend knew the properties of to gain entrance. It took a few minutes, but Venez figured it out and the defense system dropped high caution mode and allowed him entrance.

            As Venez stepped inside he felt as though he was struck back. Little in this universe could send a shiver down the spine of an Advent, but this certainly was one of them. The power he felt coming off of the Unit-W was intense enough to nearly make his knees buckle. Even behind the energy dampening shielding he could feel its pure energy trying to tackle him to the ground. Venez came to his senses and waved his hand and with a flash of his control medal the shield went down.

            It was then that the full power of this unit struck him, and indeed his knees did buckle. He fell forward but caught himself with his left knee, and a hand placed against the pedestal. He gazed upon the raw naked nature of the Unit-W then for the first time. So much power compressed into such a little thing. Utilized properly the W’Kar Element could power their entire empire…well could have.

            Venez pulled himself to his feet and looked upon the Unit-W. It was larger than a Unit-G by a factor of 25%. The bio-armor on it was a deep almost tantalizing blue color. The Control Medal was misplaced, as it was consumed by the bonding process of the Unit-W, replacing it with an orb of swirling blue and red, as though the elements of fire and water were in battle inside of it.

            His control medal flashed, and the ship quickly went to work and materialized in front of Venez the object of his desire. A case made of the strongest bio-armor his resources allowed. It held a control medal itself, designed specifically to help keep the case shut. Capable of teleportation, shielding, and even in emergency cases, destruction of the item within. The two control medal’s flashed in unison and the case opened to him.

            Venez carefully used telekinesis to move the Unit-W inside of the case.

            “”Are you ready?”” he heard telepathically from Amira.

            Venez allowed the unit to settle in the case and sent the signal to lock it up. ““I am.””

            “”Then we will begin. Teleport yourself to this area, I will force a teleportation on Grend and send him to the planet surface. Once away, he will be forced to teleport back. Before then I will block his unit from our relics and gain control of all the Jy-taki that I can before we depart.””

Inside the Research Section of the War Relic

            Grend stood looking upon a massive holographic image. It was his latest creation. A new breed of Jy-taki warriors! More powerful than the last by over 33%, and equipped with a vast new arsenal of weaponry. Already he could feel it coming. His ascendancy, his approaching godhood.

            It was a long and arduous journey; One that had cost him so much. But Grend was not to be dissuaded at the price. True genius is the exception like himself that could bring such strength to the world. With his race gone he stayed active, hiding the unit from the sight of the Order and letting it mature. Last time the unit was activated only days after it’s creation, the bonding process may have yet set in well enough. Ai-talis may have died, but Grend was certain the mistake would not be repeated.

            Looking about the room he lifted a small tablet when he felt the alarm he had set go off. Someone had lifted the Unit-W off of the pedestal!

            He had only a moment to turn when he felt the effects of the teleport and looked around to notice that he stood on bare rock. The planet surface! Jy-taki began to teleport all around him confused.

            Grend then looked to the sky and sent out a telepathic command to teleport him and his Jy-taki back on board. No reply was heard.

            “TRAITORS!”

Nerios-1

            Koll looked upon the planet’s surface as he descended with his warship and it’s crew. He had lied to Albass and Zass Tallas. He was not twelve hours away, he was two. Long ago he looked upon the wreckage of the Anti Advent Republic and made a realization, his race was going to die.

            Koll did what he felt any responsible leader would do. He struck a deal to save his people. Alone, he traveled to the far reaches of the galaxy to Ye Fallen One, the head planetship of the Order of Anubis. There he allowed himself capture, torture, and other unexplainable things until Anubis himself met with him. There he struck the deal. He would assist the Order in gaining the upper hand against the AAR if at the end of the campaign he spared the Q’Gongi race from destruction. Anubis thought it over, and agreed. He released Koll.

            Koll was ever the betrayer, but he felt his race was more important than a war. The humans had invited disaster into the universe. He thought it best they were all dead. He helped them keep track of the Accolade, and he helped them learn ways around the defenses.

            And the day had come for Koll to see his deal struck. He reached Mariposa and collected over two hundred thousand of the survivors and departed. Meanwhile they had not a thought in their head that he would deliver them all into the waiting arms of the Order.

            A price for his race, a price he gladly pays.

            One of his Lieutenants turned to look at him. “Koll, we are doing the right thing, correct?”

            “Of course we are Vrea. What makes you think otherwise?”

            Vrea looked back upon the twenty marching guyvers behind him, then forward to the great structure that stood before them. It was a massive black tower well over seven hundred foot tall. Its peak had a large blue crystal at the top that glowed with a light that bathed the barren lava drenched landscape in a hue of deep blue.

            “The Yovkisher, the Germag, they ever were our compainions. Brothers even.”

            Koll looked to him. “I know, Though we cannot account for the past we must account for our future.”

            Vrea hesitated, then nodded. “But can we trust them?”

            “Do we have a choice?”

            Vrea had little time to ponder the answer before two massive doors on the stone structure opened up to reveal a massive hall littered with Lycanlords. A grand staircase led upwards and curved on both sides up the large cicular walls. It shook the Q’Gongi when they saw a massive sculpture hanging on the wall of the twisted ankh, the symbol of the Order of Anubis. The walls were as black as pitch and hung large red curtains that swayed and moved with a wind none of them felt.

            But at least three dozen Lycanlords helped complete the picture of terror they were staring into. As they stepped up the stairs the Lycanlords would occasionally jump onto the railing and growl at the walking ground. The effect of this growl set the men on edge, and a few were held back by their fellows to stay their hands from attacking or fleeing.

            They went the ways the Lycanlords directed with their growls or claws, and made their way up the eastern stairs to a monolith of a sight.

            It was a throne room where sat King Baphomet, Ruler of the Ninety Legions. His head was a mass of beastial features caped with a crown made of what Koll knew to be human bones. He was wrapped in a colossal black cloak that covered all but his hands and head in shadowed darkness. His throne was shaped and molded in the most frightening of forms.

            Looking upon it, Koll saw what could only be described as an onyz form of a grasping hand that King Baphomet himself sat upon. From the hand were shards of razor sharp glass that jammed into the sides and held the bodies of at least four still living people held up as a form of morbid decoration.

            Lycanlords stood to their flanks guarding the black stone walls. Vrea looked at one of them only to jump back. When Koll looked to see what had spooked his lieutenant he saw the pressing form of a face and two hands tearing at the inside of the onyx walls. It was as though a man stood behind it tearing at bare rock to try and escape.

            “Bio-Energy. That is your answer,” came a resounding almost carnal like sound from the maw of the lycanlord king. “Bio-Energy given form will do such a thing. More is contained within it than the Anti-Advent Republic or the False God’s ever realized.”

            Baphomet moved his fingers and reached to his side. The creaking wet sound of his body could make nearly any race quiver in disgust. The skin that had one been on his hands and face had a emaciated look to it. It gave the claws and razor sharp fangs of this form an absolute terror to behold. Truly, his face looked little more than a beasts skull.

            The Q’Gongi visibly were on edge, some were contemplating running as fast as possible, but Koll interjected with a raised hand. “King Baphomet, I bring news and sacrifices.” As Koll said this he bowed on one knee before the King.

            Baphomet smiled and placed his hand to his side. Suddenly from shadow a creature walked forward. It was larger than any guyver. Already he was hunched and stood his head up to Baphomets hand on his raised throne. He looked a guyver except malformed and snarling. His proportions did not match any species that Koll knew of. The sickly yellow and green armor and a tail that ended in sets of terribly brutal looking spines. The creature dripped a bit of acidic saliva that steamed but did not burn the floor from a gaping maw where a normal creatures chest would be.

            “Please, go on.”

            Koll swallowed his fear and spoke on. “The AAR has ordered the evacuation of Mariposa and Nerios-1, as I spoke of in my last report. I have brought detailed plans dealing with that evacuation.”

            Baphomet nods. “Then, it is almost time…” he says stroking the monsters head. “This is Rabid, the Hound of the Order. He has a most…insatiable hunger. Impressive actually, as his unique talents may be quite useful in the near future here.”

            “I…I do not understand.”

            What was left of skin on his face curled into a grin. “Tell me, Koll. How many sacrifices did you bring here?”

            “Two hundred thousand. Each healthy citizens of the Republic.”

            Baphomet looked to Rabid and smiled. “See to your hunger Rabid, but no more than ten thousand. Many will be needed for what is to come.”

            Rabid seemed to swoon at the thought of consumption, like an expectant hunt he crawled past the men licking his chest with his whipping tongue.

            “Now to business, it seems the deal you have made is now complete and final. Is that agreed?”

            Koll turned to his men, his people. “Yes,” he says turning back to King Baphomet. “Yes it is.”

            Baphomet smiles. “Very well then. I’d like you to know, we do not abide traitors amongst the Order!”

            Koll’s shocked expression was all that was left when eight Lycanlords leaped on his position. Vrea and the others watched in abated horror as their leader was torn apart piece by piece and consumed by the all encroaching slaughter of the Lycanlords. Baphomet’s laugh was echoed through their minds.

Mariposa

            The Accolade had finally landed safely upon the land of Mariposa. Sarah looked out and upon the wavering sky as it bent and churned due to optical distortion caused by the Accolades vast shielding system. It was as large as a city in and of itself.

            But inside Sarah was a far different creature, controlling her thoughts, controlling her actions. Her screams were all internal towards the monster within. Zagam controlled her somehow.

            (“You should calm yourself, Sarah. Your only making it more difficult.”)

            (“Damn you, let me go!”)

            (“For the hundredth time, no. Here, let me demonstrate what continuing this annoyance will cost you!”)

            Sarah watched as the great many of them began forming lines and heading inside of the Accolade. She saw General Xetel, leader of the Kronos Battle forces standing at the head issuing orders. His form stood above the cargo entrance that everyone was being loaded into. Around him were four guyvers that were separating and seeing to it that his orders were met to. Sarah walked over pushing past a couple of people and sees a baby held in her mothers arms. She’s stares at it for a few moments.

            (“No, don’t you dare!”)

            (“Why shouldn’t I. The child is but a newborn. A completely useless creature.”)

            (“NO!”)

            (“If you feel that adamant about it then fine, I will not. Only if you quit your complaining. Incessant female, I will feel much better about you later.”)

            Sarah walked aboard the Accolade as part of the evacuation procedure and passed through the scanner. All clear.

            (“What, it did not detect you?”)

            (“Of course not. Remember, I’m inside of you. And you’re rather plain as it were.”)

            Sarah stepped inside and followed the directions to a bunk area where three other people were setup in the small room. She noticed the fear in many of their eyes and remarked nothing. Not a whisper from the soldier woman.

            After a period of time they had reached orbit. The ship was moving slower than before. Cautious really. Sarah stood up and walked to the hallway.

            (“Where are you taking me?”)

            (“Your talking again.”)

            She snuck past a guard stationed up and moved slowly across a hallway where she listened into the voices around her.

            “An Advent War Relic? It’s requesting permission to dock?” she heard voiced to the side.

            (“Zass Tallas?”)

            (“Oh, is that his voice.”)

            (“Oh no, stop reading my mind!”)

            (“A tad too late my dear.”)

            “Yes,” she heard Albass say. “They are calling for an end to hostilities. Which I must say I do not completely trust. It is awfully late to start regretting their decisions.”

            “Agreed. And what of Koll? Have you managed to contact him at all regarding his early arrival?”

            Sarah listened intently. (“Early arrival?”)

            (“Well yes. Were you not aware the Order had a spy in your midst?”)

            (“WHAT!”)

            (“Yes. Koll provided us with detailed copies of all plans of action taken by the Anti-Advent Republic. New troop formations, missions, and even ship design.”)

            (“Traitor… a traitor.”)

            “No, I’m afraid not. Another reason I am questioning the validity of these statements. Venez and Amira are known accomplices of Grend,” she heard Albass say. “I am going to allow them entry, only them. No guards, no weapons.”

            A moment of silence paused in the words. “Very well. We must learn to look forward not back. But be careful Albass.”

            “I understand Zass. I will update you in the half hour.”

            The sound of a deactivating screen was heard by Sarah, who quickly ducked into an adjoining alley and waited for Albass to walk by.

            (“How is it she does not sense me”?)

            (“I am masking your presence. My Red Matrix is still in you after all. That and my control medal are the only things I cannot change about myself.”)

            Albass walked into the main docking platform where she sent out a signal for Xetel to join her with the guards. It only took but thirty seconds and twelve fully armed guyvers walked through the door with Xetel, who was in full Battle Mode with a cloak draped across his chest. His massive form leaped with the rest of them down the walkway and up to their leader. Xetel crossed his chest with his right arm, as the rest did, and bowed.

            “My Lady, you request our presence.” His voice resounded like a drum.

            Albass nodded and shifted into her own battle form, letting her hair fall over her back in a wide spread of golden waves. “I will be letting the two Advents on board. I want you all to be ready for anything.”

            Xetel nodded sternly. “Troops, assume tactical assault position Alpha five!”

            With the command the guyvers reacted like a machine. Three stepped forward and onto each side with one foot forward and their vibrational blades extended, three more flanked the other. The other six floated upward with their fingers poised for Pressure Cannons. It was fast, it was fluid. If Kronos had one thing going in it’s favor it was Xetels training.

            Albass nodded and turned. Her main crystal lit up and suddenly the Accolade woke up it’s docking section and the door in front began to descend downward revealing the inner workings of the docked War Relic. She saw two very guyver like beings she knew to be the Advents Amira and Venez step forward carrying a rather large guyver unit like object.

            “Greetings Zoalord Albass of Kronos. I am Venez,” said one on the left holding the large case. “We come to you with offers of alliance against the coming times.”

            Albass looked towards the other. “We offer you free access to our ships technology, the use of our Jy-taki guardians, and this,” she says pointing to the case.

            Albass cocked her head slightly. “And what is that?”

            Xetel looked upon it and walked over taking it from the Advent with more of a tug than was truly needed. “It does not appear trapped My Lady, but it is quite locked.”

            “Indeed.”

            “Yes, Of course.”

            Albass could never understand why so many creators had the need to constantly communicate. She was once told by her father that they talk too much because they are used to always being in complete communicative atmospheres, and the presence of silence in their thoughts disturb them.

            “What is inside,” Albass inquired lifting it from Xetel’s hands.

            The two of them looked at eachother. “Grend’s ultimate treasure. The second True W’Kar unit.”

            The shocked expression on her face was enough to tell them she had not heard of it.

            “Your communicative efforts are limited. It is a fully functional True W’Kar unit, not damaged as one currently used by Anubis is.”

            Albass still stood in shocked silence staring upon it when the Red Alert horn began blaring!

            Xetel immediately moved to action next to Albass.

            [RED ALERT! Order presence detected on board! Shields are down, weapons systems at fifteen percent! RED ALERT! Multiple targets detected off the port, starboard, stern and bow. RED ALERT!]

Ye Fallen One

            Anubis sighed and gently glided the pieces together. Surrounding the Accolade was now fifteen pieces representing the Orders legions, each legion consisting of fifty thousand soldiers. Each piece was carefully positioned around the Accolade, six creator War Relics, Albass, Zagam, Ereshkigal, Rabid, and the seven pieces representing the creator military in the area, and three pieces representing the AAR military.

            His daughter was shocked at the move. Her father had invisible pieces on the board the whole time. Many slipped by without ever being noticed. Amira certainly did not see that it was Ereshkigal that helped her discover the whereabouts of the Accolade, and yet had Albass discovered that it was Koll who had been secretly covered in Red paint the entire time.

            “You see daughter, often the best move is that made gives you an advantage later,” came Anubis voice as he swirled the cup of blood wine in his clawed hand.

            Alexandria nodded. Her father and her had been here for hours, no, days, no weeks! Well, it seemed so anyway. The strings of his plans were finally starting to make sense, except for one.

            “My Lord, a question,” her voice called out staring upon Ereshkigals piece.

            Anubis cocked his brow and set his wine down on a golden plate the servant brought to his side. Should the servant had missed the cup, he would have been fed to the Lycanlords.

            “Ereshkigal was on the War Relic when they stole the unit, correct?”

            Anubis nodded.

            “Why not take the unit then?”

            Anubis chuckled and twirled his fingers in the air and began to materialize a new piece in his hands. “Because my daughter, the time is not yet ready. Patience is a virtue that will come with age for you, I do not fret it now. Should I have taken the W’Kar unit then what would have happened?”

            Alexandria stared upon the board and she began to think. Visions of the board began to rewind as she visually saw the path upon which it went. “Amira and Venez would not have had the bargaining chip they needed to get in contact with the AAR.”

            “Correct, meaning my enemies would still be spread out.”

            Alexandria understood. He meant to get them all as close together as possible. To ensnare them.

            “I…understand. Is it time then to finish them? And what of the Khemet?”

            Anubis grinned and finished materializing the piece in his hand. “No, because not all the pieces have yet arrived. And my people must be kept secret from those hands.”

            She watched her father, Lord Anubis, set the materialized piece next to Zagam on the board. It was a large Sapphire piece with a golden lightning bolt at the tip. Her thoughts began to drift back and forth. “Deus?”

            Anubis smiled again, his deathly fangs looking deeply at her. “Correct, and of course...”

            As Anubis said that the piece that was Grend began to move closer and closer to the Accolade. With him came four large pieces representing his regiment.

            “This is the crowning moment of my plans. The time where all the strings and years of plotting are finally weaving together. Now daughter, yours is the next move. Tell me, where shall my pieces proceed now?”