The Destiny Trilogy

Book One: The Legend of Chantri-Bova

Chapter 3: Haezoh Battle of the First Kind

The Near Future...

"Shit! I've been hit!" Brad shouted into the intercom as he struggled to regain control of his Mechani-Suit that was spiraling down to earth.

"Brad, eject!" Pete pleaded, but it was way too late for that. The mercenary air fighters were intent on shooting him down.

The ground was getting closer at an alarming speed, and the last thing Brad thought before crashing was, "Shit…"

Back to the Show

Friday, September 26th, early evening...

These may be the chosen ones, but how can they be ready? thought Helaprosti, sizing up the situation. He may have looked as though he might have been their age, but he was far older and wiser than he appeared, and he knew of the Five's chances if they continued to stay in the state they were currently in. Right now, the Haezoh were rearing up for their strike. We cannot take them all! he assessed.

"We must move! Quickly, grab onto one another," he commanded the five youths as they wondered who this person thought he was to give them orders, or what he thought grabbing onto each other would achieve.

They looked at each other with a shrug and did what they were told. Helaprosti grabbed onto the nearest person—the female dressed in black—and in an instant they were spirited away in a beam of white light.

When they rematerialized, they were in an abandoned garage near the junkyard at the edge of town. And did the questions flow:

Who are you?

Where are we?

What did you do to us?

What are these things?

Why were they after you?

Raising a hand to stop the onslaught of questions, he took a deep breath and began, "I am Helaprosti Rodú. I teleported you to this place. Those 'things' are the Haezoh, gil-Matri's army of soulless warriors, and they were not after me, they were after us." Helaprosti then took the opportunity to survey the five. He always did find it amusing to see how people of this world reacted to the supernatural.

"Us?" came the black-clad female.

"Yes," he continued. "gil-Matri knew I was coming to retrieve you, the Chosen Five, so he sent his warriors to stop me."

"Hold up. You really expect us to believe all this?" came Brad, who had been pacing back and forth.

"Do you doubt what you've just seen?" Helaprosti challenged, slowly losing his patience.

After a pause the boy decided to trust his gut. Brad asked, "Well, who is this gil-Joker?"

"That is the man that makes plans for all our deaths," Helaprosti replied. There was a silence as the words still hung in the air. This reaction was expected, considering the situation.

"I know this is much to take in, but you must believe me when I say that you are the Chosen Five. And be assured, they are after you, and if we do not move quickly, they will surely kill us. You may not choose to accept that which I am about to give you, but if you wish to survive, you must at least take it."

Urgency dripped from his words but he also realized that he was asking for so much so soon.

Helaprosti then softened his tone. "I assure you, this was not the approach I imagined, but circumstances have changed. Now please, they approach."

"What do we have to do?" said the black-clad girl, Antoinette, stepping towards Helaprosti, along with the oddly armored boy, Brad and the blue-clad boy, John, looking as determined as she was. None of them were too keen on the idea of accepting whatever they were going to be given, but if it meant that they would stand a fighting chance against these things, these Haezoh, then John, Brad and Antoinette would take it. Helaprosti smiled. Indeed, he thought. Liz and Pete stayed behind, casting disbelieving glances at the three.

"Simply close your eyes and concentrate on my voice," Helaprosti instructed, preparing his mind and body for the power transfer. The three did what they were told. Impatiently he caste a glance towards the remaining two and with hesitation they too complied. Putting himself in the trance, he began to speak in the unfamiliar tongue.

Utet cal naeg guvwjacetez daloghi naehivet vukoshaket, qn jwo Icruocjhitet naehivet vgicjacechiraket, qn jwo Ecukoghotet jwobvet vgicjacechira. "I give you now your rightful powers, granted to you by the Infinites, granted to them by the Universe."

He repeated these words a few more times, and once he had, the five teenagers ceased to feel the way the felt just mere moments ago. Their breath caught with the shock of the power initially entering them. It was being absorbed by their skin, causing them to shiver involuntarily, as if someone with cold skin had embraced them. Then a feeling not too much unlike pride, or perhaps confidence, came over them as their bodies recognized forgotten skills, and began sliding back into familiar habits.

Finally, the process reached their minds, and they remembered…For Antoinette, this last phase brought on memories as vivid as anything she could experience—yet they weren't hers.

Each of the five now knew their abilities.

"Who are the Ancients?" asked Antoinette once the processes was over, wondering how it is she understood those strange words.

At first Helaprosti was surprised, but he realized who was speaking and the surprise passed. You mustn't know so much so soon. Nor is this the place…

But smiling, Helaprosti answered, "Indeed. They are the Gods of my people. The very Gods that sent me to find you and give you the knowledge you now possess. I am unable to give you full access to you power; I am not that powerful, I'm afraid, nor is this the correct venue. What I have done is given you the knowledge to retrieve the dormant powers within."

His tone suddenly turned rigid, "They come."

It was getting darker and colder by the minute...and then everything was still, as if life had suddenly been put on pause. Then, as if everything was in slow motion they appeared. Those faceless, soot-colored things coolly passed through the wide open entrance, looking fully intent on taking them all out.

But the six were ready. Scared witless, but ready.

"Okay, guys, this is it," Brad reported nervously, breathing heavily, clouds of breath coming from his mouthpiece.

The six were poised for action. And action they did get. Without hesitation the twelve Haezoh were scaling the walls, sounding like a million cockroach legs scratching against the surface.

Despite their new knowledge of their abilities, none of the six people on the ground could fly. The ball was in the Haezoh's court and they made the first moves. They all attacked at once, selecting a target as if they had predetermined who they would fight.

In her peripheral vision Antoinette spotted movement from one of those things. She looked up to acknowledge a sinister-looking vine with spikes adorning it aimed straight for her throat. She envisioned the thorny vine encircling her delicate neck, piercing her windpipe, and those very essential veins. She imagined the metallic taste of her own blood developing in her mouth—and in that moment she realized she did not want that to come to pass.

She found it odd how quickly her mind was working, because in one millisecond she was in dread of the vine, and in the next she was reacting. But her new reflexes weren't enough, for even though she successfully managed to back-flip out of the way of its first attack, she landed in time to catch his second attack at her midsection.

At that moment Antoinette went through a wash of emotions. First was surprise, immediately followed by outstanding pain, topped off with panic. The vine latched itself to her, squeezing in tighter and tighter, the thorns tearing through her clothes and into her flesh.

Gathering to herself a will that amazed her, Antoinette overlooked the pain, banished the panic and concentrated on the task at hand. She gripped the vines with both hands, allowing the thorns to hurt her for the last time, and placed her full concentration on her hands. She would summon the power of ice.

She felt the chill of electrified liquid-ice course through her veins, traveling steadily down her arms and towards her palms, which slightly caught her breath. Under her grasp she froze the vines, watching the ice travel up it like a brushfire. The ice, for some reason, stopped at the creature's hands. Perhaps she needed to work on her powers of concentration. Or perhaps the faceless monsters had ways of countering such attacks. In effect, the vines that had been wrapped around her waist also froze.

Without another thought she slammed her fists through the ice and broke free from the Haezoh's hands, then banished the power of ice. Antoinette whipped around just in time to catch a front kick to her midsection from another one that had come down from off of the ceiling. The force of the kick sent her reeling back a few steps, but it also released her from the frozen vines that were still there.

Thank you, Antoinette sighed to herself. But there wasn't any real time to breathe, because without hesitation, the Haezoh launched blow after blow with inhuman speed. She at first found it difficult to keep up, but after focusing her mind, she began moving as quickly as she could think, and soon was matched move for move with the faceless thing, deflecting his blows and gaining enough of an upper hand to deliver some blows of her own.

Danger! her thoughts screamed to her, and her body reacted before she was even certain what the danger was, because in that instant one of those coiled vines that extended from its head launched at Antoinette's face—or rather where her face should've been. She tumbled out of the way and got her footing in time to see that she was neatly between the Haezoh that she was fighting and the first one that attacked her; both of them were now on the ground with her. Then moving quickly, they sandwiched her between them and clutched their arms around her.

Suddenly their bodies dissolved into an olive green sludge-like version of quicksand that was beginning to absorb her, encasing her entire body in about five inches of it. The thick liquid allowed no air in or out. Antoinette struggled to concentrate over her panic and lack of air. Unable to stand, she fell on all fours.

Think, dammit! Think! she pleaded with herself…then she acted.

She forced her skin to become bark-like and absorbed the moisture from the quicksand, then broke out of the dry sand and gasped for air. She then willed her skin back to normal. But without warning, and before she could fully catch her breath, her stomach twisted violently, and out of her mouth came all the sludge she had absorbed.

Note to self: Don't ever let that happen again, she reprimanded herself.

Two down, ten to go…

The faceless things had by now come down from their perches at assorted locations on the ceiling and walls. For the sake of comfort and the fact that it his view was obstructed, Brad took off his football helmet. He shook his head to wrap his brain around what was happening.

So much was going on around him. In every direction he looked in, there were fists and feet flying. But in spite of the chaos, he was aware of every last bit of machinery in the place. His mind started formulating plans on how to use them…

Looking up again, he spotted Antoinette on the other side of the dimly lit first level of the garage, covered in sand as well as kneeling in it, looking at her own vomit. Jesus! he thought.

"Nette!" he bellowed and just as he was making his way to her side, his path was blocked by two of those Haezoh.

"Get the hell out of my face…" he began as he willed a nail gun to come into his awaiting open right hand. In his grip the power tool that wasn't plugged in, and shouldn't have worked under any circumstance, powered up, and he pulled the trigger, thankful there were still nails in it.

He fired twice to the head of one of the Haezoh who launched at him. With two holes in the forehead that were oozing a burgundy sludge like already coagulated blood, the Haezoh fell backwards. The other Haezoh watched his fallen compatriot for a split second before he himself launched into action. But Brad had no intention of giving it a chance.

Brad whipped out his right leg to connect his hook kick with the side of the thing's head, immediately followed by a spinning heal kick that connected with its jaw, causing the Haezoh's head to snap backwards at a sickening angle. The thing fell on its side, revealing its temple.

Standing over it, Brad fired four nails into its awaiting skull with an uncharacteristic viciousness that would bother him…later. "…You ugly sons of bitches!" he finished before stepping over the still body to attend to Antoinette, who was attempting to stand.

"Look out!" Antoinette gasped as Brad spun around just in time to have the nail gun taken from him by the vine whip from, to his surprise, the Haezoh he shot twice in the forehead, who was now very much "alive" and on the ceiling.

What the…? thought Brad, but before he could finish the thought, the second one that he shot in the temple was launching at him. At the last moment, Brad grabbed the leather in the front of the thing's uniform and used its own momentum to pull the thing down with him to the ground, and then kicked the Haezoh over his head. Antoinette had the good sense to move out of the way.

Rolling up off his back, Brad came face to face with the Haezoh that was formerly on the ceiling. And without hesitation, that Haezoh forward kicked at Brad's midsection, propelling him backwards, into the awaiting arms of the Haezoh behind him. That Haezoh had Brad's arms locked behind him and the one that kicked him was now approaching him, brandishing a jagged knife fashioned from a sharpened metallic plant's leaf.

When the thing was close enough, Brad kicked the weapon out of its hand, then front kicked it in the stomach with his other leg. Then, wasting no time, Brad stepped on the foot of the one holding him and head butted the thing with the back of his head at the same time. When that Haezoh's grip loosened, Brad took that opportunity to throw the thing over his shoulder. Now both Haezoh were in front of him, still 'bleeding' from their wounds.

The one that Brad just threw over his shoulder quickly sprung back into action, brandishing its own knife. Launching at him, it slashed at Brad's midsection, but Brad leapt back, the knife only nicking his football jersey. The Haezoh immediately followed that with a left uppercut and a right cross, both of which connected. Brad used that momentum to deliver a spinning heal kick with his right leg, followed by a roundhouse to its temple, using his left leg. Both of which connected. The Haezoh landed hard on the ground.

Brad took that opportunity to catch his breath. Man, these creeps don't quit!

Brad may not have had an idea what was going to happen next…but Antoinette did. Time began to slow as she witnessed one of the Haezoh stand up and launch the same kind of thorny vine out of its left hand towards Brad's neck, and watched in horror as it successfully hit its mark. The thing raised its right fist and from on top of it came a flat, jagged triangular leaf dagger.

She hadn't a moment to lose. She spotted an axe and grabbed it just as the Haezoh began reeling Brad in, and was beside it with the axe held high when the bridge of Brad's nose was mere inches away from the dagger's tip. She brought her axe down hard on the thing's left arm, successfully chopping it off, then followed through with a slash to its side, and finished with the final blow of the axe coming down on the top of the Haezoh's head.

The Haezoh became very still. Antoinette slowly removed her hands from the axe which was now comfortably lodged a good four inches in its head. The thing fell to the right—and Brad came tumbling after.

She caught him, touched his neck, then willed heat to her hands and felt the vines that were around Brad's neck spring to life, as if in pain, and then fell away.

Antoinette rested Brad's head in her lap. His eyes had rolled inward and little droplets of blood escaped from his parted lips.

"Oh God…" she whimpered, observing the gashes those poisonous vines left behind around his neck.

She completely forgot about the other Haezoh…

Antoinette's guard was way down, for all her attention was on the unconscious boy she could do nothing for. She didn't see when the Haezoh raised its two hands above its head and formed a forest green ball of energy which grew in size. She didn't see when the thing stretched it into an arc over its head as the Haezoh brought its hands down to its sides. And she didn't see when the arc of forest green energy split in two forming a sword of glowing energy in each hand.

All Antoinette saw was the Haezoh being hacked to pieces by a great sword of fire, and when the pieces fell she saw that the wielder was none other than the, raven-haired boy who introduced them to all this madness: Helaprosti.

Just then, Antoinette went from surprise and fear, to gratitude and exhaustion. She looked up at Helaprosti and smiled weakly. Her eyes fluttered and then all went black.

Four down, eight to go…

Meanwhile, at the Arctic Palace…

Even if there was an inkling if doubt in his mind, he couldn't deny what his soul was telling him. The void within him, that had been embossed there for 200 years, desperately yearned for the one person that could fill it. And now that she was so close, he felt that void would drive him insane…more than he already was, anyway.

He sat on his throne (or rather his father's throne) in the palace he grew up in. The (transplanted) palace that had been allowed to fall to decay after 2 centuries of abandon and raids.

Now she was within his grasp.

He needed to save her from those that would lie to her. Those who would tell her that they were her friends. He needed to rescue her before more harm comes her way...because Ptep had all intentions or doing away with all those that brought him sorrow...

Now was the time…

Back to the Fight…

Helaprosti was pleased to find that summoning his Sword of Fire didn't pose much resistance to his body, which was still not quite 100 percent. He had successfully disembodied the Haezoh that had intentions to overcome the fallen pair. But they were not yet out of danger, for they had been poisoned and would continue to deteriorate if he didn't intervene. Still, he couldn't leave the scene with the odds the way they were.

Helaprosti didn't have to wait long before those things advanced his way. The last thing he needed was for the fallen pair to have something happen to them in their vulnerable state. But he couldn't teleport them just yet because his attention had to fall completely on the two Haezoh blazing their swords of Green Energy. For now he'd settle for luring them outside where he had greater advantage.

This was easier suggested than done, though, because Haezoh weren't stupid, and they were highly capable of mortal danger. The young warrior theorized that the Haezoh would split up, one keeping him busy while the other attempting to do away with Brad and kidnap Antoinette. No matter how he sliced it, Brad and Antoinette were in danger.

I hate to admit it, but I need help, thought Helaprosti, readying himself for the clash he knew was to come, Blazing sword held at ready…

A string of thought rang through Liz's mind as urgent as any vocalized plea, yet she knew this thought was not hers. …I need help. Surveying the chaos around her, she assessed that her presence was needed more with the new guy.

As concerned as she was about Brad and Nette's state, her mind was surprisingly clear and focused. She strode over with purpose, approaching the lightshow that was the battle. It was like walking into a fire…

"What do you need me to do?" came Liz's clear voice as she stayed clear of stray blows.

"Protect them while I dispose of these creatures!" came Helaprosti's reply, without turning his attention away from his battle.

Liz knew that she couldn't stay in this area for long, because soon she would be needed again with Pete and John. Taking a deep breath, she blocked out the carnage happening around her and concentrated on the force field she was hoping to conjure. Slowly the area around her two fallen friends began to warp and formed a force field not unlike a bubble around them. The liquid of the force field ebbed.

Stealing a quick glance in John and Pete's direction, she knew it was time to return to their side. "I'm sure you can take it from here?" Liz enquired, wanting to make absolutely sure before running off.

"Yes. Thank you!" bellowed Helaprosti, between strikes and blocks.

That was Liz's cue.

By now Helaprosti realized that he needed more than just his single Sword, as powerful as it was—so he duplicated it. He always did love that feature!

As expected, one of the Haezoh made a move for the fallen pair, but he was confident in the force field. The creatures now had his undivided attention.

He was shocked at how well the Haezoh worked together. This little row was one of the best workouts he'd gotten in two centuries, and even though his mind was keeping up, his body still was not ready for this kind of exertion.

The encounter had been furious and relentless—but then the Haezoh suddenly stopped their attack! The Haezoh then did something Helaprosti hadn't expected: they began to merge! Turning themselves into that olive green sludge they so seem to favor, they came together, becoming a bigger, badder Haezoh.

How long have they been able to do that? Helaprosti reeled as the combined Haezoh came at him with its Swords of Green Energy, which had also doubled in size. This is not good… He needed to get this giant thing away from Antoinette and Brad now!

Gods, give me strength, Helaprosti prayed as the Haezoh Supreme came at him, arms crossed, and when it was close enough it quickly uncrossed its arms from in front of it, backhand slashing with both hands in an attempt to cleave Helaprosti in half through the midsection.

In the nick of time, Helaprosti jumped out of the way and onto the Supreme's shoulders. Clamping on tightly to the its neck with his feet, Helaprosti let himself fall forward allowing him to roll on his back, throwing the Supreme that much closer to the exit.

They both rebounded quickly and Helaprosti jumped right back into action. He ran past the Supreme as if he were making for the exit, and the moment he past the Supreme's left side, he spun around and slashed it in the side with the sword in his right hand, and then immediately jabbed the sword in his right hand forward, to plunge it into the Supreme's back, which was still facing him. But the Haezoh Supreme spun around to its right, parrying the attack with one of its own swords.

The two had only been facing each other for a millisecond before the Supreme lashed out with its left sword at Helaprosti's head. The youth tilted his head backwards to allow the sword to pass over. The Haezoh Supreme took that opportunity to knock Helaprosti's extended sword out of his hand and sent it skidding further back into the garage…back towards the force field containing Brad and Antoinette.

For the young warrior to retrieve that sword would be like taking one step forward and two steps back, not to mention bringing the fallen pair back into the line of danger. But without it, he may very well lose this battle, and he couldn't help them if he were dead.

Don't give up on me just yet, he pleaded to the fallen pair.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he caught movement from the Supreme's vines-for-dreads, pointing at him like a scorpion's tail. He knew that could only mean one thing: acid spray.

Moving quickly and keeping his head low, Helaprosti delivered a hook kick to the back of the Supreme's head using his right leg, then followed through with another, lower hook kick to the its midsection with his left leg, causing the Supreme to double over it.

The creature took this opening and held onto the young man's leg, dropping his swords, and then swept his right leg from beneath him, using its own right leg, causing Helaprosti to fall hard on his face. The shock of the sudden burst of pain stole his breath. When he did manage to breathe, he tasted his own blood...

In the next breath the monster had Helaprosti held above its head with one hand, and on the other hand, a long, flat, jagged leaf-dagger was forming. The Supreme formed a fist and without hesitation plunged his leaf-dagger into Helaprosti's back…

He gasped at the explosion of pain and the sheer speed of the attack. But he still clung to his sword. He gagged on the blood that filled his mouth.

In another moment the behemoth threw him closer to the exit and farther away from his second sword, its own swords all but forgotten.

Helaprosti felt as though all his bones would shatter like porcelain when he landed. By the Gods, this cannot happen, he thought, trying to keep the possibility that he may die this soon at bay.

The Supreme was not through with him yet. It closed the distance between them, brandishing that long leaf-dagger that grew from the top of its hand. No, it cannot end like this. It mustn't! thought the white-clad warrior frantically, eyeing the dagger with apprehension.

The Haezoh Supreme straddled Helaprosti and brought its dagger fast towards his head, only to be blocked, and in the same movement cut off, by Helaprosti's single Sword of Fire. Wasting no time, he sent his right fist into the Supreme's non-face. It staggered backwards.

The wounded warrior rolled backwards, ending up in a kneeling position. I see I won't make it outside. This must end now, he resolved, head down as if in prayer. He let go of is one remaining sword.

Helaprosti quickly charged the Supreme and held it in a headlock with all the strength he could muster. In this position he willed his body to turn to molten lava causing the Supreme's physical properties to change; under his grasp the Haezoh Supreme turned into glass. The boy then sent his knee through the glass Supreme's back, causing the monster to shatter into large hunks.

Finally.

Six down, six to go…

Helaprosti fell to his knees not even bothering to avoid the glass remains of the Haezoh Supreme. He was weakening, he knew. He needed to get back to the sanctuary of the Grounds, for he could feel his life slipping through the opening in his core.

The blood wouldn't stop coming. It hurt to breathe. Getting to his feet would be agony. But getting back to the Grounds would assure that they would all survive.

Forcing himself to his feet and taking a deep—and painful—breath, he concentrated on the totem animal he had been granted centuries before. His human form transformed into glowing white form of his totem, the Dragon.

And he and the fallen pair were spirited away with a beam of bright white light.

Worry not. Your friends will be fine, came Helaprosti's familiar thought pattern, trying its best to reassure Liz. But regardless, Liz was anxious for this fight to be over with so she could be by her friends' sides. Plus she was enraged at the damage those godforsaken Haezoh had done. Liz looked forward to making them pay.

But her desire for retaliation turned steadily to fear as she realized what she was seeing: the Haezoh were pairing off and merging together to form super-sized Haezoh. She recalled how worse-for-wear Helaprosti was after fighting one.

Oh, God, help us, she prayed…

For Pete this should have been the ultimate sci-fi lover's dream-come-true. To find that you are chosen to save the world from the evil aliens that wish to destroy it, and to be granted abilities that seemed to be ripped straight from Galidor.

But nowhere in all the TV shows and comics did is say anything about the heroes getting stomped and being picked off one by one in only their first battle.

This was clearly no comic book romp. This fight was about to escalate to all new levels.

Liz's heart was pounding at her throat and she could plainly see that Pete was thoroughly freaked out by this change in events as well. But it was John who wouldn't betray how worried he was.

He was trying to slip back into his tough-guy persona, but Liz could sense that his anxiety was as deep as hers and that he was ready for this fight to be over for the same reason she was…

This was John's chance to be the hero for Antoinette that she was for him these past few months.

But even though he was determined in this resolve, he couldn't forget that it was Brad who came running to her rescue, and was Brad that had taken damage trying to protect her.

He couldn't shake the image of her cradling Brad in her arms...

But he had to.

John had to hurry up and finish these things so that he could be there when she woke up…

Just then he realized that she was no longer in the garage, and he became frantic. "Don't worry," Liz said. "They're with Helaprosti."

"Yeah, that's reassuring!" John replied, not in the least bit shocked that Liz knew what he was thinking. "We've only known the guy for, what an hour? And already we're getting slaughtered! Do you really expect me not to worry?"

He had a point.

There was no reply. There was no time for one, for the three Supremes had chosen a teen and pounced into action.

One of the creatures' huge fists had found its way to John's jaw before he could fully take in what was going on. Then came another...John didn't know how boxers did it, but the pain made him want to throw in the towel.

Continuing its assault, the Supreme grabbed onto the front of John's jacket and sent its knee into his gut. John had been in enough fights before, but this one was crazy. Never had he willingly taken on someone twice his size, whose fist was almost the size of his own head. He was in way too deep...

The Supreme then hoisted him into the air and slammed him back down to earth. Oh my fucking God, I'm gonna die here! he thought frantically. John was flat on his back, nose gushing, and that monster didn't wait another moment to pin him down.

The Haezoh Supreme reeled back his arm, revealing a large spike that appeared in its palm. John grabbed its wrist with both hands and fought with all his strength to keep the spike from coming near his face. He managed to push the creature's hand back arm's length.

John didn't like the way the spike looked pointed at him like that, and a thought occurred to him: He's gonna shoot it at me! He pushed the hand up above his head and the spike flew right over. He needed this thing off of him, because he didn't know how much longer he could hold the big brute off. Then something else occurred to him.

Don't mind if I do!

John felt a weird tingly sensation traveling up his arm as he prepped himself to unleash the ability he just stole. Quickly removing one hand, he fired off spike after spike into the Supreme's non-face until it fell backwards and off him…

Meanwhile…

The second Supreme launched a vine followed by another, both of which Liz dodged. She was glad the thing was staying its distance. But she knew her luck wasn't going to last.

She spotted a chainsaw. Yes! she thought with glee as she dashed for it. The Supreme let out another one, which she tripped over. The girl quickly scrambled to her feet and prayed, Please still have gas…as she hefted the weighty chainsaw up and started yanking the ripcord.

Now wasn't a great time for the stupid thing to be stubborn because that creature was making its way towards her—yet that was what was happening.

Please don't do this to me! she begged, but the thing was still non-responsive and her shoulder was beginning to hurt from all the pulling. The Supreme was breaking into a run and within moments the thing was upon her. She pointed the chainsaw towards the Supreme at the last moment, and the Supreme landed right on it.

Liz decided to give the cord one last yank—and success! The engine started up, the chain spun while still in the Supreme. The girl was more than just a little freaked out to see the monster quake with the chainsaw. She let go, relieving her arms, and stepped back to let the chainsaw do its thing.

Elsewhere…

Pete was thoroughly freaked out. This was a dude that never fought a day in his life, and now he was expected to go ten rounds with a thing twice his size! This had to be someone's sick idea of a joke. Well, if he was going to have his head separated from his body, he'd at least like to have a weapon in his hands. Ah! he thought, spotting a metal bar. It was the length and girth or a broomstick but it was weighty.

The Supreme approached, but Pete made the first move. He swung the metal bar across the thing's face and was happily surprised that it connected. Then he followed through with a jab to the neck, which also connected. But when he tried to do it again, the creature caught the end of it in its hand and yanked it sideways, causing Pete to momentarily lose his balance. Still, he held on to the bar.

The Supreme then shot out its foot to connect with the back of Pete's leg where it bent at the knee, forcing Pete to fall on that knee. Then the monster followed through with a hook kick to the side of Pete's head, but Pete recovered quickly and sent the tip of the bar into the creep's midsection. He then stood up and brought the bar down on the back of the thing's head. And then again...and again…

Pete continued to beat the Supreme down, imagining the Supreme was one of the many bullies that had him in the same position, until it lay very, very still...

Meanwhile…

John didn't feel too well. In fact, he felt downright light-headed. His breathing didn't come easily either. Somehow he knew that this wasn't exhaustion—or the fact that he just got stomped…

And then came a sharp pain at his midsection, as if he had been stabbed…

The pain was so intense that it made his eyes roll back in his head.

"Oh, God," he groaned. The boy stumbled back a few steps, and then finally fell onto his back.

His eyes fluttered…

The last image John saw before he lost all consciousness was that of the Supreme he just felled rising up and moving menacingly towards him…

"Oh no you don't!" said Liz as she saw that overgrown thing approach John's lifeless body. She figured it would be safe to move, seeing as how the chainsaw had her Supreme sufficiently immobilized.

The girl got between them and placed a force field around her and John. The Supreme began pounding and slashing at the force field, she felt the shock of each blow through her outstretched arms.

"John!" she yelled, not taking her eyes off the persistent Haezoh Supreme. He can't hear me, she assessed.

John, she sent mentally. John, I need you to wake up. But what she saw troubled her…

John felt as though he were having an out of body experience; like he was just in it for the ride…

What was going on? Where was he?

All he knew was that he had no control of this frame.

He was in a dimly lit room with candelabras adorning the walls and a single full-length mirror in the middle.

The body approached the mirror and for the first time John was able to see his face—but it wasn't his…

It was the face of a man he didn't recognize—and he was weeping.

He wore a black robe and held a large knife...

What the hell? thought John.

If this were a dream, he'd very much like to wake up now...

Holding the knife with both hands, pointing towards his naval, the stranger began to speak in a strange language:

"Bihjog, utet ciole riž woigshaket ics sa hwiz rabosha." Master, I hear your call, and I come.

And with that said, the stranger plunged the knife into his stomach…

Oh, God…The pain…

Liz quickly took herself out of John's mind.

An indescribable sound of anguish then escaped John's mouth. "John!" She bellowed, hardly able to concentrate on holding up the force field. "What the hell was that?"

The boy was slowly coming back to awareness.

The Supreme was still pounding away at the force field…

Elsewhere…

Both Pete and Liz saw when John hit the ground, but only Pete hesitated to go to his aid. The Supreme now lied very still and he stood there debating on whether or not he should bother.

Pete shouldn't think that way, though, because they were friends now…But Pete still reserved the right to hold a grudge, right? He'd jump in—he just wanted to see John get just a little beat up first…

Shaking his head though, he decided now would be a good time because Liz was in danger. Pete dropped the metal bar after spotting some chain, then he whipped it in the direction of the Supreme's ankles and yanked as hard as he could just as the monster was about to pounce on Liz, who had let the force field to fall after falling onto her backside.

Pete picked the metal bar back up and ran to John and Liz's side.

John was now getting back to his feet…but so were the Supremes. The creatures had them surrounded. Oh shit, was the collective thought. They all poised for battle anyway.

Just then Liz heard Helaprosti mentally send to her, Grab onto each other now! she relayed the message, and in another moment they were transported to the Grounds in three beams of white light.

Zen'Aku Lati, Tuesday, November 16, 2010