Chapter 14: Angela

Algron, one of the most sophisticated assassins was a Hulhz. His kind perfected the art of killing for over 25,000 years. The Hulhz were known and feared all across their galaxy, and Algron was one of the best. He has been retained by Kilmore, a genuine Knight of Light. He and 41 of the most talented mercenaries, killers and special operations contractors were about to carry out a night-time raid on a hotel.

He and the others had crossed via an old Nexus point from Avondur to a galaxy and planet far distant from where he and the others originated.

From what he had seen of N’Ger so far didn’t impress him at all. The represented societies were quite primitive in his opinion.

The Hulhz were feared in from where he came from, and rightly so. They were strong, very fast and able to adapt to many environments and situations. Hulhz received intensive training from early on, had access to highly advanced weaponry and most of all could cloak.

Algron always felt it best to gather information about a target and the location before striking.

So he had rushed ahead, of the others and was just about to activate his gravitation reverser to float up to the hotels top level, where the targets had gathered.

Hulhz could only remotely be described as humanoid; he was taller, his outer skin of dull greenish color and his head was certainly not even remotely human.

He had four muscular arms and was very confident in his skills and abilities.

Yet just as he was to take flight something grabbed him by ankle of his right clawed leg and pulled him with great force down, slamming his body onto the dusty ground.

Out of an air disturbing glimmer, an also four-armed being of massive proportions appeared and growled at him.”I don’t think our captain appreciates unwanted guests.”

This appeared to be a signal and a collection of battle suit-wearing beings decloaked before Algron and the rest of Masara’s attackers.

Masara, a female member of the Knights of Light existed for a very long time and in her long life had seen many life forms, but even she had to admit that the group that had just revealed itself consisted of a truly diverse collection of individuals. She drew her sword, a weapon of celestial origin and sourced from the armory of the Citadel of Light.”Mortals, your stand is foolish. I am Masara and you must pay with your insignificant lives for interfering.”

Kilmore, who stood next to the female knight wanted to raise his weapon, but it suddenly became too heavy and pinned his hand under the Nadion-Caster and to the ground.

Masara yelled.”I summoned more fighters. Destroy them while I fulfill our task.” She spread her wings and jumped into the air.

Two of the attackers to the rear od the assassins sent by Lumis heard a rhythmic stomping of feet and turned, only to see a terrifying mob of four-armed giants. A sight that caused entire planet populations of this galaxy to flee in sheer horror. The very ground was shaking as a mass of Y’All warriors armed to the teeth came running like living battle tanks. Their ranks reinforced by Petharians armed with SITKUs and at least a dozen of the latest Union battle robots.

Before the attackers were able to form ranks, a blinding bolt of energy flashed in an impossible zig-zag between them and burned fist-sized holes through what they considered impenetrable battle armor.

Bagog of planet Jurkuh had been a though and formidable warrior and mercenary for over seven hundred years. His name whispered with fear and awe, himself shivered in panic as he saw a huge spider tossing one of his comrades in arms like a weightless toy.

An angry screech made Bagog look into the night sky, just before a stream of sun-hot fire rendered him to ashes he saw the dragon-like creature bearing down on him and spewing fire so hot it liquefied the ground where Bagog once stood.

Out of the ground an enormous hand formed and swatted six of the attackers like flies.

Lator, who had laughed about the tech he had seen on N’Ger did not know that the men that the being before him wearing the latest in Union Battle armor was a Marine carrying a QNP blaster, but he had to acknowledge that this was anything but primitive technology, as his blast was deflected by a purple energy shield while the QNP pulse ended all thought process in the mercenaries mind, by vaporizing head, most of the beings armor and upper torso.

Kilmore screamed in pain as his hands were crushed to a pulp under his weapon that now became so heavy it started to crumble the rocklike surface.

Yet his ordeal was not complete, a frightening, disgusting worm-like thing picked up one of his fingers and started chewing on it.”Pfft, you don’t taste good. Meeze killz you now.”

Masara had reached the Hotel roof, where she was intercepted by a man in a black shroud. Deflecting her blade with a sword and decapitating her with an ax. Masara the mighty battle angel, spawned of a higher plane achieved the rather unwanted record of the fasted killed Knight of Light. She did not even have a chance to say a single word.

--””--

The sudden battle noise from the street level distracted the group of beings assembled on the roof. Just moments before they had witnessed the disappearance of Erica Olafson, and the transformation of Dark Cloud into Eric Olafson.

Stahl, the Eternal Warrior reacted faster than even the Narth Supreme. Over three thousand years of combat experience had honed this immortal Terran into a fighter without equal. Rolling over his shoulder, he lunged forward and behind the hip-high wall while he drew his TKU and glanced over the stone barrier.

The man that replaced Erica was now wearing a black hooded robe, not a Narth shroud as before. Wielding a long sword engulfed in impossible black flames and an ax.

Eric simply was suddenly at the top of the balustrade, deflected the sword of a flying female creature with wings, while he cut off her head with the ax. Bereaver sliced through energy shield armor and the neck of that woman with ease.

Har-Hi, not just a Dai Warrior, but a Juth-Ni, a warrior accomplished. He was right behind Stahl and also jumped on the balustrade, and then without hesitation leaped down to street level and instantly became a whirlwind of flashing blades. Each slash killing beings twice his size.

Stahl’s weapon roared and perforated another being that had followed the flying female.

Now, Luci Fera acted with both her infamous blades. Shard of Fire and Shard of Ice drawn she jumped over that balustrade and descended upon the attackers right behind Har-Hi, as more had appeared.

The intense fight was over fast, even the additional reinforcements called in by Masara were now scattered in a gory spread before the Hotel.

Many thousand N’Ger residents had been made aware of the fight, but the horrified calls of Y’All warrior sightings had caused a mass reaction of panic and a stampede of beings scrambled towards the distant mountains.

Shea had not participated, she had dropped to her knees right at the spot where Erica had disappeared. With teary eyes, she looked up and with a quivering chin, she asked.”Where is she?”

--””--

The Tomradi ground force had tripled since Luurat decided to march on the former Estrella Caravanserai, the compound was surprisingly well defended and the shields that protected the building was of a kind equal to Tomradi technology. Its missile-based weaponry had decimated the first wave of his assault.

While Luurat was confident he could destroy the place with a barrage of ship weapons, he did not want to destroy but retrieve the occupants’ information to the single most important question of the Tomradi existence.

That the chief occupant of that former Caravansderai was indeed the Emperor was ridiculous of course. If that entity was ever to return to the plane of mortal beings, it would choose the Tomradi.

This and the fact that the factions of this world, apparently set aside their differences and came together to oppose him was another aspect of this situation that complicated things. Not that he wasted much thought on that, every single Tomradi and ship were expendable to advance the Tomradi cause and complete its society’s quest to unite all shards, restore the key, find and open the Vault and elevate the Tomradi to become the unchallenged masters of the new Empire. An empire with dominion over everything and all.

That no physical entity even with the technology the First Empire supposed to have, would be able to obtain dominion over the entire universe was an objection that has been forbidden for millions of years. The quest of the Tomradi to find that vault and become the inheritors had not only turned into a religion, but it also defined everything in the Tomradi culture for eons. It had long ago permeated into every aspect and every thought, it was not to be questioned, researched, explained or discussed.

Tomradi believed that the Cosmic Key. once restored not only revealed the location of the vault but opened it and bestowed the inheritor with the ultimate power to achieve dominion.

Luurat had ordered his forces to halt their advance, at least for now.

A being, a human-shaped man calling himself the Yellow Wizard had appeared before him and with a single gesture stopped the energy bolts advancing. Not deflecting them but freezing them in midair.

To the Tomradi leader, this was an impressive display of psion control, but Tomradi knew about psionic abilities and he was certain that being would not be able to affect an orbital barrage issued by the Battle Discs in orbit.

On the summon of a skeletonized thing partially encrusted with greenish crystal ships and beings appeared that radiated enormous power.

Luurat was still confident that the Tomradi would be victorious, but only after a prolonged battle that would destroy the planet and his chance to question those who claimed to have an association with the First Emperor.

So he had commanded this temporary halt.

The being calling himself the Yellow Wizard had also affected the advance of the other forces and stepped before the Tomradi leader.

“I am before you as the envoy of the Voice. Your actions interfere with events of cosmic importance. Your display of violence against those chosen to assure these events can take place has raised the attention and the displeasure of the Voice itself, and perhaps even garnered the attention of the one who is behind the voice.”

“Your psionic power is impressive to those easily impressed. Tomradi can not be stopped and our quest is all that matters. Remove yourself or be annihilated.”

The Yellow Wizard made another gesture and with it, he swept the Battle Discs out of the sky! The immense ships were pushed like toys out of orbit.

That caused the Tomradi to pause, and for the first time since he had come to this planet, question his approach. Nothing should have been able to do this.

The Yellow Wizard said.”I am but weak, but those who act through me are beyond you and all that exists. This is Avondur, and not ships and soldiers will determine the outcome of the Decision.

Go Luurat, advance thy issue with the one behind those walls, go and fight Crimsor or anyone else, but combat must be done by you.