PHALANX - The series

Episode Thirty-three: Peace, Quiet, and Stories, part one

 

“Here we are,” Frederic said, breathing in a deep, cleansing breath. “Earth004. Peace, quiet, no humans for dimensions around, and portable gravity enhancers to keep us entertained.” He said the latter while fingering the small bracelet on his right wrist. A small read-out on his wrist read ‘1500’.

The Jokilar Gerius, the divine Master Slayers, gathered around Frederic, and nodded.

“Right,” Buffy said, throwing a look at the dense forest the natural clearing was in. “And if I remember correctly, you introduced this place to us as ‘the planet where it doesn’t matter if our Armageddon spells go out of control.”

“That is true as well,” Frederic said. “After all, this planet can take a punch, and there’s nothing here except plants and animals… not that those aren’t important, but no sentient life except ours. Which is surprisingly hard to kill.”

Some of the Master Slayers chuckled uneasily. “Remember, we’re here to relax… to get to know your new powers, our new swords, and spend some quality time together.”

“And teach us about the Alter,” Cordelia helpfully supplied.

Frederic chuckled. “That’s your choice, of course. But, with you being able to not only go Super, but Ascended Super, you should have all the emotional power needed to bring out the Alter. Simply recreate the emotional outburst in your minds, and focus it upon your hidden power.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Rei muttered. “You have experience with this.”

Frederic laughed out loud. “Yeah. I learned to use it exactly one month before returning to life. Using the Alter is a lot like turning Super, only that, once it’s out, it’s out. Easy as that.”

“Whatever,” Cordelia said. “Shouldn’t we make camp first, see to a roof over our heads, food on our plates, and a fire for comfort before we start exploring the inward?”

That suggestion was received very positively by the other Master Slayers, who, under Frederic’s leadership, soon broke out into different groups to set up a ‘base camp’ for the foreseeable future. Tents were erected by one group, while a second went out to search for water, a third went to gather firewood, and a fourth went out to look for places that might support good hunting.

An hour later, the group had gathered around a nice crisping fire. All basic necessities had been met, and the Master Slayers were almost jumping with anticipation. They wanted this Alter, and they wanted it now. It was this youthful anticipation that made Frederic smile. Deep inside, the Master Slayers were still young of heart. A little sad, he recalled losing that ability after joining with Shadow. He was old. Two hundred and fifty years of age. He shook the dark thoughts away.

“As I said, start with recreating the emotions you used to turn Super. Use those as basis, and guide them to release your Alter Abilities, rather than your life-force. It’s hard to explain… see it as forcing the world, rather than your body and life-force, to bend to your will.”

Those Master Slayers that hadn’t mastered the ability yet, which was everyone except Frederic and Jennifer at this point, closed their eyes, and dredged up the deepest, darkest emotions from the depths of their soul. The same emotions that fueled the towering rage that forced them Super, were now turned loose upon the outside world.

“You are fighting,” Frederic whispered tonelessly. “You are protecting those you love. You see them fall.” As he spoke, his voice rose in volume. “You are powerless to stop the demons from destroying your home.” His voice rose louder, and he stood up, to start pacing in a circle around the circle of Master Slayers, who were now groaning, fists balled, bodies shaking, teeth bared, and eyes clenched deeply shut. “You see the demon destroying everything you hold dear. You can feel the power rise up inside of you! Feel the world shake, feel it bend to the steel that is your will!!” Frederic shouted, his voice conveying that he was living what he said. “Feel it!”

As one, the entire group screamed. Frederic ad Jennifer clenched their ears shut at the ear-shattering sonic boom that sounded, and Frederic had to steady himself or the earthquake would have thrown him to the ground. Around the circle of Slayers, an entire trench of material had vanished, now swiveling in rainbow-color Alter-Energies around the deafeningly screaming Master Slayers. The screams intensified, and their bodies exploded in Alter-light.

Frederic and Jennifer covered their eyes. When they thought it safe, they looked. The Master Slayers were standing, looking at each other.

Everyone was dressed in a similar-designed Alter Armor, consisting of a pitch-black full-body skin-tight armor, with the Phalanx symbol over their hearts, their Swords strapped to their hips, and a helmet that covered their faces. The entire armor was seamless, giving the impression of being a second skin rather than armor.

Frederic and Jennifer stared.

“You shot straight to Stage three Alters?” Frederic whispered, his question meant more as a statement than as a question.

Jennifer reverently stood up, and looked at the amassed group of fighters. She smiled as her proud gaze trailed over the Slayers. “The Gods chose well, my friends,” she said. She balled her right fist, and shook it at the skies. “Beware evil, for the true power of the Master Slayers has finally been revealed!” she shouted at the skies. Turning her gaze back to the Slayers, who were looking at her with looks ranging from shock to pride, she continued, “Ladies. Gentlemen. I have never been more honored to be in the presence of a group of fighters as fine as you. I salute you.” With those words, she snapped at attention, and clenched her fist over her heart. At the same time, Frederic materialized next to her, in a similar pose.

“My lovely wife has said all that needs to be said, I think,” he told the group. “Although I do wish to say that you all look mighty fine in those armors.”

The group chuckled, and returned the greeting, adding a bow to it. For one moment, Frederic could feel that something was taking place between the group members. The air seemed to thicken with telepathic conversation, and after a brief second, the Master Slayers, including Daphnix, knelt to one knee, unsheathing the Banes of Darkness and bringing them to full power at the same time, presenting them tip-down.

“Lord Frederic and Lady Jennifer, the honor is ours. It is your guidance and protection that made this possible, and it is your confidence in us that enabled us to reach this level. For this, the honor of your respect, friendship, courage and guidance, that we, the Jokilar Gerius, swear to protect and serve you with our lives, to right wrongs, defeat evil, and protect the omniverse and all its inhabitants in all its glory.”

Frederic and Jennifer stared at the kneeling group, at each other, and back to the kneeling group. Frederic stepped forward. He drew his Sword of the Phalanx, whispered “Bane of Darkness”, and held the purple-hued sword at the blade, directly below the handle and cross guard. He presented it to the group, handle to the heavens and tip to the group as he held it up to his eye-level.

“As Leader of the Jokilar Gerius, I, Frederic Fromthefield, Phalanx of the Human, Oech-anya, and Ketari races, Jedi Knight, Commander of the ESMF, personal champion to the Gods of the Universe, Universal Savior, inheritor of Hiten Mitsurugi, S-Class Alter User, and conqueror of the Internal Force, accept your vow of obedience and protection, as well as swear to guide and protect you in the many battles that lay ahead. Jokilar Gerius, arise, and take your place, not as mindless soldiers, but as warriors, companions, and friends,” he intoned respectfully. “May the Gods smile upon us, the forces of Light guide us, and the Universe continue to provide us.”

“May it be so,” the Master Slayers answered as they stood up. A reverent silence descended over the group. The importance sank in with everybody. They all understood the importance of what they had just done… the old would never come again. They were now officially fighting evil on behalf of the Gods of the Universe, Chosen thanks to choices they once made wholeheartedly. This truly was their destiny… and now they had been rewarded for it.

“I meant every word of it,” Frederic said quietly as he looked at the group. “I don’t want you obeying orders simply because I am the boss… I want things to remain as they were. We’re a group of friends fighting evil together. Just because the Gods officially gave me the shittiest job, that of boss, doesn’t mean we have to act like it.”

“Don’t worry, Fred. We won’t let you get too far out of line, or grow too big a head for your shoulders,” Daphnix joked. The Master Slayers chuckled. The tension broke, and they started chattering and laughing.

“That reminds me,” Buffy suddenly said. “We still need to figure out just what our enhancements entail. I mean, we’re Alter-Users now, and we’ve been empowered by the Big Guys, so who knows how strong we are?”

“That’s a valid point,” Frederic replied. “And it was one of the reasons why we’re here.” He closed his eyes. The world shook slightly as a slab of dirt disappeared from behind him. Frederic morphed into the Alter Armor. Reopening his eyes, he looked around the group. “Any volunteers?”

As one, the group looked at Ami, who blushed, visible even through the Alter Armor. Actually, that was incorrect. The Armor itself blushed, discoloring from black to a dark purple at the cheeks.

“Ami?” Frederic asked, looking at her with a gentle smile. Of course, thanks to the Alter Armor he wore, his mouth was about the only thing visible, so Ami might just as well misinterpret that smile as a vicious smirk, so he did his best to make his voice sound gentle.

“Eh…I…eh…” Ami stammered, looking around the group. She let out a breath, and shrugged. “Looks like I got volunteered,” the girl said with a chuckle. She looked up at Frederic, and got into an attack pose. “Very well… I too, am curious about these new abilities. I shall play guinea pig.”

Frederic smiled. “Great. Here we go.” He jumped towards the girl, speed at a conservative Divine Speed which, thanks to the Alter Armor both wore, was still well above Ultimate Divine Speed normally. Their arms and legs blurred as they traded punches. Suddenly, both broke off, jumping away from each other, staring surprised at the other.

“You’re holding back,” Ami accused Frederic.

Frederic shook his head. “You’ve grown better,” he retorted. He took a breath. “Very well. No more holding back, Ami. I want to see just how good you’ve become.”

Ami dipped her head in acknowledgement, staying in her defensive pose. Frederic vanished. Barely a tenth of a second later, so did Ami.

Frederic threw a punch toward Ami’s face, which she blocked by holding up her right hand, receiving the full punch in the palm of her hand. At the contact, a thunderclap sounded, and a concussion wave blasted away from the two fighters. For barely half a second, both fighters stared shocked at each other, before the fighting resumed. Frederic charged in, taking the offensive side, throwing punches and kicks at his younger adversary. After the first five attacks, he gave up every pretense of Ami not being able to follow. She blocked and dodged as if born to it, her level of skill and the flawlessness of her techniques shocking Frederic to his core.

She’s even! Frederic’s mind screamed as the roles reversed, and Ami took the offensive. He dodged and blocked, each block sending yet another concussion wave across the clearing in the large, dense forest. Faintly, he could hear trees topple in the distance. She’s even with me, a Phalanx! That’s impossible! Only a Phalanx has this level of perfection! Frederic’s eyes went wide-open. The Wise One’s voice flashed in his inner ear. “You are the best of the best among your dimensional twins, able to draw upon strengths that are near-Phalanx in strength and speed.” The Asshole! Frederic cursed. He never once mentioned their techniques! They’re even with a friggin’ Phalanx!

Frederic jumped backwards, attempting to put some distance between himself and his zealous adversary. To his sheer and utter surprise, Ami followed suit immediately, following him. She landed a fist in his stomach, making him double over. Her boot hit his face right after, forcing him backward.

Frederic landed on one hand, rotated, and flipped himself to his feet, ready to receive the follow-up. Instead, he found Ami staring at him in total shock.

“I think we’ve got something here,” Frederic said as he calmly erected himself. “Ami.”

“Yes?” she asked timidly.

“Defend yourself,” he screamed, immediately afterwards followed by an Ultimate divine Speed combination of the Hokuto Shinken techniques, striking at each of the girl’s vital points.

If he could hit them, because Ami countered by using the exact same technique, blocking his strikes by strikes of her own, in actuality being forced to do the technique mirrored. She had to use her left hand to block Frederic’s right-handed strikes, and reversed.

Only a Phalanx can mirror a technique like that! Frederic’s mind shouted as his eyes opened wider. Suddenly, both warriors seemed to come to an understanding, and for a few tenths of a second, enough for even someone with normal vision to see them, they stood there, fist against fist, staring at each other. Then, it started again… with Ami doing the technique, and Frederic doing the mirrored counter.

Just as I thought! Her skills and techniques are flawless… total control over her complete array of skills. Her strength and speed are below mine… but her techniques and skills are even!

The two warriors jumped apart, staring at each other, both breathing a little deeper. “We’re even,” Frederic whispered. A hushed silence descended over the assembled group. “We’re even,” he repeated, louder. “I can boost myself higher on strength and speed… but we’re totally even on skill and technique.”

Ami dipped her head, and smiled. She drew the Bane of Darkness that was on her left hip. “Bane of Darkness,” she whispered, unleashing the weapon’s full destructive potential. “Please, Frederic, allow me to see if this goes true for weaponry as well.”

Frederic drew one Sword of the Phalanx. “Bane of Darkness,” he told the weapon, causing it to shift. “I am curious myself, Ami.” He greeted her with the sword, a move she mirrored.

Both warriors dipped their heads at the other, before jumping toward each other, swinging the most dangerous swords in the multiverse. Ami ducked under Frederic’s first horizontal swing, which had been aimed at the girl’s head. To the surprise of everyone present, it looked as if a white crescent concussion wave traveled in the same direction of Frederic’s swing, halving half a dozen trees at the edge of the clearing. The Master Slayers behind Ami had barely been able to fall to the ground.

“Jesus H. fucking Christ!” Daphnix cursed. “What in the Nine Circles of Hell was that?”

“Sword-ki wave,” Frederic identified as he stared at the purple-hued blade. “Once a sword and its wielder have merged so completely they’re one entity, the sword uses the energy of the wielder… and the wielder uses the energy of the sword.”

“Is that why your eyes are glowing purple?” Ami asked.

“Probably,” Frederic replied, bringing the sword down. “Let’s continue,” he said.

Ami charged, and Frederic blocked her vertical slash easily. As the girl continued to attack, and Frederic blocked, easily, he looked strangely at her.

Her technique is flawless… yet she is not up to my level. Why? I see no mistakes, yet she is so much slower… this isn’t right. Frederic threw in a surprise kick to her head, which connected, and threw the girl to one side, causing her grip on the sword to be lost, sending the lethal weapon skidding across the ground.

Ami immediately jumped up, and grabbed the sword with her telekinetic grasp. Why can’t I win? She asked. Why is it that he is so much better with the sword, while we were even in hand-to-hand? Is it…is there…something wrong with me?

Frederic awaited her, standing in a defensive posture as he studied her. His adversary was going through some form of emotional inner crisis, and he wasn’t about to interfere in what obviously was a deciding factor for her future.

Stop swinging me like I’m a piece of dead steal, then, Ami suddenly heard in her head, causing her to squeak, and jump up almost half a meter. Everyone stared at the girl, who seemed oblivious to her surroundings as she looked at the purple-hued sword. I am not a Sword of Destiny, Gerius. I am a Bane of Darkness. I live. Do not mistake me for a piece of dead metal, like those low-powered Swords of Destiny you’re used to. Treat me like you treat yourself, and I will give my life for you. Don’t…and we will continue to lose. I can not help you until you allow me to.

Ami’s gaze shifted from the blade to Frederic. He knows this, she thought to the sword. The Bane answered with a positive emotion. He understands it instinctively. He and his swords of the Phalanx were one long before they became Banes of Darkness. The Swords of the Phalanx were already sentient. They already knew… and so did he. We, the Banes, are second only to them… and as such, he has no problem working with us.

I’m sorry, the girl thought to the weapon. I’m sorry for my mistake. Her gaze bore into Frederic’s, who seemed to have a vague understanding of what she was doing. Help me. Please…help me…

Anytime, Jokilar Gerius. You are my Wielder. A gentle peace washed over her mind. I am part of you, part of your body… Do not see me as a weapon you can pick up…see me as a part as important as the hand that carries me.

Ami once again looked at the sword. She tumbled it along her wrist and her hand. “I have realized my mistakes,” Ami said neutrally, her gaze slowly shifting back toward Frederic. “I will not make the same mistake.”

Frederic raised his Bane in a salute. Ami returned it. And attacked.

“She…she moves like Fred,” Daphnix whispered. “In all these years…I’ve seen the best of the best…but I’ve never…ever…seen anyone move like Frederic other than another Fred.”

“And we’re supposed to be able to do that, too,” Rei answered.

Frederic and Ami blasted toward each other, and the sharp sound of Divine Metal meeting Divine Metal sounded. Two crescent sword-ki waves traveled in opposite directions, making Master Slayers dodge in all directions. The two warriors moved past each other, facing away from the other as they came to a stop.

Suddenly, Frederic sunk to one knee, his right hand clutching at his left side, where blood was gushing out.

“Damnit,” they could hear him whisper. “I underestimated her…” he grunted, and forced himself to his legs, and twisting around so he faced her. His left side showed a vicious slash. The Alter Armor closed over it, and Frederic lifted the Bane off the ground with his Mental power.

It’s still bleeding. And hurting like Hell. It’ll take two Senzus when this is over… his mind whispered to himself. Now, stop underestimating her!

Frederic growled dangerously, and brought up the Bane of Darkness. “No more Nice Guy, Ami. I will make you pay for that,” he said dangerously.

Ami smiled slightly. “I am looking forward to it.”

With a snarl, Frederic launched himself towards the girl, and the duo disappeared in a spinning tornado of sword attacks, punches with the free hand, and kicks with the free legs. Shockwaves and sword-ki waves radiated all around, giving the surrounding warriors a good work-out as well.

There is no pain, Frederic’s mind whispered against the burning, searing pain in his side. There is no pain, damnit! I do NOT feel pain! His focus intensified. Frederic blocked the pain. It had never taken him this much effort to block pain before. Now he understood… when Sorcerer had been struck by the Dark Sword of the Destroyer, just how much pain it had caused him.

He’s so fast! Ami realized. I…I…He’s too fast!

Hold on, Gerius! This is what you do…

Suddenly, Ami jumped up from the tornado, causing Frederic to look up at her. She held the sword high above her head. A Phoenix became visible behind her as the blade of the Bane of Darkness became engulfed in roaring flames. “Phoenix Strike!” the girl shouted, making a vertical slash in mid-air. The Phoenix seemingly dissolved around her, yet recomposed immediately.

Instantaneously, it was on top of Frederic, blasted over him, and radiated out behind him. Again, the trees had to pay the penalty.

Slowly, the smoke cleared, and Frederic became visible once again, his hands extended, a glowing spherical Alter-Shield around him. It had protected him. “That’s a new one,” Frederic grunted as he dissolved the Shield. “Never seen that before.”

Ami smiled a little darkly, and brought her second hand to the sword. “Double Team,” she said, and pulled with her left hand. It seemed that the handle stretched, before a second Bane materialized. Holding both swords up into the air, two Phoenixes appeared. “Twin Phoenix Strike!”

Frederic’s eyes went wide. He might be able to dodge…if he went Super. And that was not an edge he was willing to give Ami. He did not want to give her moral supremacy by going Super.

The two strikes washed over him, and a blood-curling cry was audible over the smoke and the flames. Ami smiled, and landed. As the smoke cleared, Frederic was visible, sitting in a crouch, two Banes of Darkness held in a cross in front of him. The spherical Alter Shield was also present. He stood up, and chuckled at her startled expression.

“That was fun,” he said. “A lot of fun. But now, it’s my turn.” He engaged her sword-to-sword, her split Bane against his Twin Banes. It was over soon… Ami found herself on her back, one tip dangerously near her throat.

“I knew you would make that mistake,” Frederic said. “It’s a very common one.”

“What…ow…what mistake is that?” Ami asked, wincing as she tried to get up, and found wounds on her body that had obviously been created by Frederic’s Banes. The wounds hurt a lot.

“Using two swords can be done in three ways. Option one: you use your leading sword in a single-sword technique, and use the second sword as a sort of defensive measure. Option two: you use a two-sword technique, like you did. Option three is the one I used.”

Ami blinked. “And what’s that?” she asked curiously.

“You use two one-sword techniques,” Frederic answered calmly as he helped her to her feet… before collapsing, clutching at his injured side. When the armor disengaged, a massive amount of blood, stored in the armor, dropped to the floor.

“Shit,” Jennifer cursed, grabbing four Senzus from the reserve. She threw two to Ami, who immediately ate them. Jennifer dropped to her knees next to Frederic, whose fever was reaching ‘elemental’. She slipped the two beans into his mouth. He swallowed instinctively. Almost immediately, the wound closed and his fever broke.

“Strong SOBs, those Banes of Darkness,” Frederic grunted as he got up.

“Tell me about it,” Ami said with a chuckle. “I can still feel the wounds, even though the Senzus healed me.”

“New note,” Frederic said, smiling. “From now on, Banes of Darkness are mandatory for all trainings. We need to get used to the tremendous physical discomfort they cause.”

Daphnix looked up from where he was holding Ami in a tender hug. “That was incredible, Sweets,” he said. “What happened?”

Ami look up at him, her gentle blue eyes gazing into his brown ones. “I…I don’t know, Love,” she answered truthfully. “I…I think that the Gods gave us a huge power boost.”

“No kidding,” Frederic said. “Your techniques are even with a Phalanx, and you even posses the skills at improvisation that a Phalanx has. And you certainly seem to learn as fast as one, judging form the way you handled your sword.”

Ami lifted her Bane of Darkness, now rejoined into a single weapon. “I used it the same way I would a Sword of Destiny, which was a mistake,” the blue-haired girl admitted. “A Bane is so much more… alive… when it’s being used by a wielder.” She looked up and around the group of Jokilar Gerius. “Summon your weapons… talk to them…and you’ll learn,” she whispered to them.

Frederic dipped his head. “They’re like my Swords of the Phalanx, fully alive, and in perfect symbiosis with the one wielding them. When in symmetry, the partnership between sword and bearer is a bond that takes tremendous power to overcome.”

As the Jokilar Gerius summoned their Banes of Darkness, Frederic turned to Ami specifically. “Ami, these new abilities... we need to know how far they go.”

“I fully agree on that statement, Fred,” Ami replied with a nod. “I too, am most curious ‘how deep the rabbit-hole goes’.”

Frederic chuckled. “I wanted to know if I could count on your cooperation in a couple of tests?”

“What kind of tests?” Ami asked, curiously.

“I want to see how you perform when going up against other people,” Frederic answered. “But know that it won’t be a sparring match… it’s going to be a full-out blood match.”

Ami nodded. “I understand. And I agree.”

Frederic smiled at her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I knew you would. Okay, Ami. Let me contact a few people, and let’s see how far the Gods have gone.”

“I can hardly wait,” Ami responded with a smile, and turned to the other Slayers, to check up on their progress with their Banes while Frederic tapped on his Mental Amplifier, contact people.

 

“Freda! Jonathan! Daphne!” The Master Slayers shouted as three forms beamed down.

“Hey, everyone,” the three newcomers greeted. Freda turned to Frederic.

“So, what is this about, Fred?” she asked, sounding halfway between angry and curious.

“Well, there have been some recent developments,” Frederic said, causing a couple of the Master Slayers to chuckle. “And we need to test it. Would you be game?”

Freda was fully curious now, her anger over being dragged her on short notice forgotten. “What kind of developments? And game for what?”

“The Master Slayers… they’re better now,” Frederic said. “and we’d like to test it by pitching one of them against you, and seeing what the result will be.”

Freda’s gaze went over the group of Master Slayers, and finally focused on Frederic again. “Okay, I’m game.”

“Ami?” Frederic asked, causing the young Master Slayer to step forward. “Okay, Freda. Your objection is to beat her, as soon and as hard as you can.”

Freda’s eyes went wide. “What do you mean?”

“By any means possible,” was the enigmatic reply.

Freda stared at her twin.

“By the way, I suggest you release you Instruction File,” Frederic said as final go-ahead, taking a couple of steps back along with the other people present, forming a large circle around Freda and Ami.

“What?” Freda asked, shooting a stunned look at Frederic, a moment’s hesitation which Ami exploited greedily. She jumped towards the female Phalanx, turned to Super 2 in mid-flight, and landed a crushing blow in Freda’s stomach, blasting the single Phalanx backward.

“Oh, you’re so going to get pain for that,” Freda grunted, jumping up and away from where Ami was coming in for a second blow, turning Super2 as well. For a couple of moments, the two fighters exchanged blows, before Freda found herself once again catapulted backward. “That’s impossible!” Freda shouted. “No-one can match a Phalanx!”

Ami smirked, balled her fists, and crouched. She Altered and went Magic Augmentation 2 at the same time. Freda’s jaw hit the floor, but not for long, as the single Phalanx countered with Alter and MA as well.

Ami drew her sword. “Frognar Trianvi, the Bane of Darkness, I request your help,” the blue-haired warrior said, causing the weapon to shift into full power. “Double Team,” Ami immediately said, duplicating the weapon. Freda drew her two Swords of the Phalanx.

The two warriors went at it again, two Banes of darkness hitting two Swords of the Phalanx is a swirling, beautifully deadly dance of power, grace, and speed. It was plainly visible that Freda was getting more and more ticked off, as her aura increased in intensity, her face grew a deeper and deeper scowl, and her attacks became more vicious. Ami, on the other hand, remained calm, more or less.

It was Freda who threw the first blast, a twin beam of power shooting from her eyes, causing Ami to dart backward. “Twin Phoenix Strike!” Ami howled, throwing herself in the air, and slashing downward with the two flaming blades. Freda crossed her blades, and summoned an Alter shield to counter. By the time the backwash was gone, Freda was sitting in a crater, smoke rising from her Alter Armor. She didn’t have Frederic’s reserves. Her shield had lost integrity, forcing her to take the brunt on her Armor.

Freda actually growled at Ami. “Fine!” she shouted. “Suspending Instructions!” she howled, raising her hand. A beam of Mental Lightning blasted towards Ami, with the full intent to knock out the warrior’s mind. Everybody there winced at the power in that blast, fully recognizing the fact that it was a very dangerous thing, one that no Master Slayer could ever have countered.

“Sweets!” Daphnix barked, preparing himself to throw himself in the blast. A restraining hand was placed on his shoulder… by Frederic. Daphnix looked at his life-long friend with a growl of anger. Frederic simply shook his head, and indicated that his friend should watch what happened next. Daphnix’ head swept around, and he stared.

Ami had lifted one hand, and was now staring at it as the blast of lightning was harmlessly absorbed by it.

Frederic’s eyes went wide. They will be immune to Phalanx Energy; he could hear the Wise One say. No Phalanx will be able to influence them unless they say so. “The guy meant that,” Frederic whispered. Only Jennifer, through their new Link, picked up on it. The two warriors locked eyes.

“Argh!” Freda growled, and started throwing fireballs at her opponent. Ami dodged, at first. Then, she started taking the blasts on her Banes. Their hue of purple power increased in intensity with every blast they absorbed.

Suddenly, Ami blasted forward at speed that no one thought possible, riding on a shockwave of purple power. She struck out at Freda, who blocked with her Sword of the Phalanx.

With a blast of purple power, the Bane of darkness met the Sword of the Phalanx. Freda was catapulted backward. The Phalanx stared at her sword, which held only a single stump of blade, which soon rebuilt itself.

“What in hell happened?” Freda asked as she got to her shaky legs. “Who are you, and what did you do to Ami? There’s no way that Ami could do this… and what’s with that Negative energy Blade?”

“Freda Fromthefield, allow me to introduce you to Mizuno Ami, Jokilar Gerius to the Gods of the universe, Wielder of one of the Banes of Darkness,” Frederic said, voice uneven. He turned to Ami. “Ami? Are you alright?”

Ami stared at the integrated weapon. “It…it…broke the Sword of the Phalanx,” the blue-haired girl, powered down to normal, whispered.

“The Bane of Darkness charges with every strike, or with every magic blast it absorbs,” Frederic said. “At a certain point, it becomes the strongest weapon in the entire multiverse, transcending everything, including the Sword of the Phalanx.”

“Jokilar Gerius? Bane of Darkness? What is this?” Fred asked, leaning heavily against Jonathan, obviously not trusting her body to do much of anything. That last blast had put it through the wringer. She had taken blasts of ki from Frederic that had hurt less. Frederic looked at his twin, and sent a burst of data to her. Freda’s face, along with the faces of Jonathan and Daphne, changed.

The trio sunk to one knee. “I…I…we are honored to be in the company of the greatest warriors,” Freda whispered. “You will always have our allegiance, our swords, and our lives, should you need them…”

Six more figures chose this moment to beam down. BorgFred, BorgJenny, and the BorgAmazons surveyed the situation with a single glance: everyone had gathered around Freda, Jonathan, and Daphne, who were kneeling on the ground.

“What’s going on here?” BorgFred asked, looking from Freda, to Frederic. He knew himself well, and he knew that it took something very, very drastic to make him kneel. Frederic was about to answer when Freda stopped him as she got back on her feet.

“Why don’t you find out, Fred?” she asked her Borgified double, rubbing her own pretty body against his cybernetically enhanced one. “Fight her, and find out,” she added, pointing at Ami, who looked like a startled deer at BorgFred.

BorgFred shrugged, and looked the blue-haired warrior over. Curious, he did the one thing Freda had neglected to do. He Altered, and used his boosted Alter senses to scan the warrior. Even through the helmet, the look of shock on his face was plainly visible. It literally oozed off him.

“What in the Nine Circles of Hell happened to you?” he whispered darkly. His let his gaze trail over the others. “Scratch that. What in the Tenth Dimensional Discontinuity of Hell happened to ALL OF YOU?” he barked.

Ami had picked up on Freda by now. Her gaze went to Frederic, who gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Ami dipped her head in response, took a breath to steel herself, and lifted her head to look BorgFred straight in the eye-armor. Her hand went to the Bane of Darkness still at her hip. She drew it. BorgFred stared at the gray mirror-polished blade that oozed purple energy. “BorgFred-san, you can find your answers… and the tip of the Frognar Trianvi.”

That name released something deep and dangerous within BorgFred’s universal Knowledge. “Frognar Trianvi,” he whispered. “Where did I hear that name before?”

Ami left him no time, catapulting herself straight to Super 2, MA 2, full Alter Armor. The booms and crashes forced the triple Borgified Phalanx out of his stupor, and up the scale as well.

“Ami, what happened to you,” he asked, begged, in a gentle tone. “What happened to the sweet girl I got to know and respect as a friend?”

“She’s gone Super,” Ami said. “I’m still me, BorgFred-san. Only, this isn’t the time for being gentle… I am here to fight you.”

BorgFred dipped his head. “And fight me you shall, Ami.”

Ami smirked under her armor, and charged. BorgFred drew his Sword of the Phalanx in a single move of fluid graciousness that showed to everyone that he was a Triple Phalanx, and that he was superior to Freda. He blocked and countered Ami’s moves, which she in turn blocked and countered as well. The blue-haired warrior and the Triple Phalanx stood there, trading blows, neither really knowing what to make of the other.

“By the Gods of the Universe! What happened to you?” BorgFred barked as the two warriors broke apart.

Ami cocked her head as she and her opponent circled each other. “The tip of my sword, BorgFred. The tip of my sword.”

BorgFred drew his second Sword. “Now I will show you what a triple Phalanx is, Ami. Better give up and tell me what I want to know. I don’t like hurting my friends.”

“Neither do I, BorgFred,” Ami replied, putting her second hand on her Bane of Darkness. “Double Team,” she said, forcing the Bane of duplicate. BorgFred stared at her.

“Damn,” he whispered darkly, before charging. The two warriors went at each other, both using a two-sword technique. The moves of both warriors were graceful, stylish, full of power, and obviously extremely powerful. And they were even. BorgFred’s greater strength was compensated with Ami’s greater maneuverability, thanks to her smaller body. Being a young girl had its advantages over being a bigger man.

Ami dodged out of the way of a downward slash by BorgFred, and charged with right Bane, a moved BorgFred blocked, and retaliated with his second Sword. Ami blocked, ducked under the swing, and kicked at his right knee. BorgFred braced his leg, took the blow, and grunted as he felt tendons, muscles, and bones give. For a moment it felt as if she had actually broken his leg at the knee, but he soon realized it was a mere heavy bruise.

Screaming, he charged in with two one-sword techniques, hoping to catch her off-guard. To his complete surprise, Ami countered. She had used Frederic’s earlier lesson well.

Now both warriors were exchanging two one-sword techniques at the same time, one with the right hand and one with the left hand, which was inverted to counter the opponent’s blows.

It was a beautiful as it was deadly, and with each blow, hordes of people were sent to the ground as Ami’s sword-ki blasts blasted in every imaginable direction.

This is impossible! Even the laws of physics have changed around her! BorgFred’s mind screamed. What has happened here!?

Suddenly, something became visible. The hues of Ami’s swords were increasing in strength, and thickness with every blow.

“The Banes are becoming agitated,” Frederic whispered. “My double is going to get himself killed soon…”

True to Frederic’s word, five blows later, Ami snarled, and threw a vicious slantwise slash at BorgFred. He blocked it, and his eyes went wide open when he felt his Sword, his Armor, and his Body give as a purple-powered explosion ripped through them. He was blasted backward against a tree, went through it, hit another one, and another, and another. He came to a halt six very thick oak trees further, jumped to his legs, and charged in. His Swords mended on the fly. His Alter Armor closed, and his body healed.

He was a Triple Phalanx. Such a blast didn’t really do that much against him. And he showed it to Ami, who was now pressed fully on the defensive as the enraged Triple Phalanx tore into her. She could feel cuts and bruises appear on her body, inflicted by one of the weapons she knew of that could penetrate the Alter Armor: BorgFred’s Swords of the Phalanx.

Ami’s back hit a rock formation. She had no place left to go backward. Snarling, the smaller warrior stood her ground against one of the biggest fighting forces in multiversal history: a Triple Phalanx. A Triple Phalanx known as Frederic Fromthefield. Again, the Banes of Darkness she was wielding started charging. She managed to hold out long enough for them to finish charging. She threw the blast at her opponent.

BorgFred knew what was going to happen. He dodged under it, and immediately sprang up to charge his opponent. But Ami’s objective had been reached. She had managed to breach his rhythm to get away. The young warrior was hanging in the skies, a double Phoenix portrayed behind her.

“What the…” BorgFred whispered.

“Twin Phoenix Strike!” she howled, throwing the blasts at BorgFred, who held no other choice but to block them. He got up with little effort. “Such blasts are useless against me, Ami,” BorgFred stated calmly. “I am a Triple Phalanx. I’m sure that they worked perfectly on Freda, but against me, you’ll need something more potent than that!”

Ami fell to the ground in a perfect combat crouch. It as obvious that the young warrior was thinking over her options.

BorgFred fused his two Swords of the Phalanx into a Dual Blade. With his free hand, he unclipped the dual-bladed Light Saber from his belt, and activated it. Ami stared at the two weapons, then looked at the floor.

“Change Modus Operandi,” she whispered, and looked up at the Triple Phalanx. “Double-Blades.” Her double-teamed Banes of darkness fluidly changed shape into two Double-Blades.

“Now that is something new,” Frederic said calmly. Freda stared in shock at him.

“I will not be underdone, BorgFred,” Ami stated, and threw a fireball at her opponent, which he dodged.

The two warriors charged once again, dual-blade meeting dual-blade, two big and cumbersome weapons being handled by people that knew how to bring out the fullest of them. It was an unbelievably beautiful and deadly sight.

Suddenly, BorgFred jumped backward, dropping to one knee, clutching at his side.

“You should stop underestimating me,” Ami stated calmly.

“What is this?” the Triple Phalanx grunted as his Armor closed, yet thee wound didn’t heal.

“Bane of Darkness, the one and only weapon of the Jokilar Gerius,” Ami stated. “Do you yield? I do not wish to cause you further pain.”

BorgFred smiled, the effect hidden under his helmet, and stood up. “This isn’t over yet, Ami-chan. I am a Triple Phalanx. I will show you what that means.”

Ami dipped her head, and went into a combat stance. BorgFred mimicked. Again, the two warriors went at each other. Again, the Banes of Darkness started charging. Only this time, the energy wasn’t released. Rather, Ami continued to charge it.

Gerius! What are you doing?? I WARNED you against doing this! The Bane shouted at it wielder. When the energy becomes too big, I will turn against you! I will feed off your energy!

“That’s the point,” Ami thought back as she snarled and threw another strike at BorgFred’s neck, a strike he blocked and charged her sword with. The strikes became faster, more ferocious, and BorgFred found himself wondering whether he could match her in speed and strength. There was something about her…something he didn’t want to contemplate right now. He didn’t have the time for it. This was as if he were fighting a double of him, one that didn’t leave him any time.

It was like fighting a miniature Frederic Fromthefield.

Suddenly, Ami screamed, a scream of darkness, pain, and anguish, a feral scream of a being in tremendous pain, and BorgFred back off from it. Ami was standing, her lower arms surrounded in a purple hue. The Banes of Darkness’ hue had increased to the point where the dark gray blades were no longer visible. Ami’s eyes opened, and she charged.

With a speed that astonished everyone, even Frederic. “God Slayer! Blast of the Heavens!” Ami snarled, and threw an attack towards her opponent. In mid-strike, the four blades became one, held by the warrior’s two hands.

BorgFred had the instinct to raise his Dual-Blades in a cross-shape to block the strike. The moment Ami’s Super-Strike hit his defense, he could feel something coagulating around him. Time seemed to slow down to the point where every second seemed to last an eternity. He could see all four of his swords shatter into microscopic dust. He could feel the energy blasting through his Alter Armor as if it were nothing, literally ripping it off his body. Within half a second, his Alter Ability gave away completely, and his Armor disintegrated.

The energy then ripped through his body, and all he felt was pain. Pain on top of the pain of his Alter Ability. On top of the pain of his Swords of the Phalanx disintegrating. Pain upon pain upon pain. He couldn’t even scream because his vocal cords were paralyzed with it. Pain. That was all his existence was. Pain. So much of it that his mind couldn’t think. It couldn’t act.

His mind couldn’t even execute the emergency protocols and block off the pain. It had overwhelmed him. He could feel himself going. He didn’t want to go.

But the pain.

That overwhelming, sheering pain that burned through the depths of his soul, had penetrated ancient shields, and done what nothing else had ever been able to do.

The pain had paralyzed him.

Finally, it seemed to subside slightly, and immediately, he was able to place a block on it, dampening it even further. Conscious thought returned only marginally, and his shields strengthened only slowly. His mind had been drained by its fight for survival, by the struggle to keep its sanity intact. Now that the pain was lessening, his strength returned slowly, and he was able to crank open one eye.

“What happened?”

Was that his voice? BorgFred wasn’t sure. His entire being hurt as if it had been pulled through a meat-grinder. But it sounded like his voice, only so much weaker than it usually sounded.

“You were hit by…something,” BorgJenny whispered.

Sensation returned slowly, and BorgFred felt that he was in her arms. He groaned, shifting slightly. The movement caused him to close his eyes against the pain that threatened to burst through the shields he had constructed.

“Stay still, Fred,” his twin said gently. He had a very worried expression on his face. BorgFred’s eyes scanned. He found Ami, who was crying. And shaking, standing close to Daphnix, who had thrown a soothing arm around her. From that one look, BorgFred knew that she was feeling worse than he did.

“What happened?” he asked again.

“It looks as if Ami found the weapon against the gods,” Frederic answered him. “It took all of my power to pull you through. I’m sorry it hurt so much, but I needed all my power to bind your soul to your body, and keep it together long enough for the energy to die down. It’ll take a few more minutes before your Immortality has regenerated enough to heal you.”

“That…could have killed me?”

“It would have killed you,” Frederic answered.

“Wow,” BorgFred said, impressed. He moved his hand. It didn’t hurt that much. He moved an arm, and found the pain tolerable. He sat up slowly. “Big.”

“No kidding,” BorgJenny said, throwing a look at Ami, who just looked at the ground, fresh tears dropping.

“No, Love,” BorgFred said, trying to get to his legs, and stumbling. BorgJenny and Frederic caught him at the same time. “I’m fine,” he grunted to both of them, and wrestled himself to his legs. Shakily, he shuffled over to Ami, who simply looked at the ground, dejected, resigning in whatever horrible fate BorgFred had in store for her. She didn’t bother cringing back… simply accepted the inevitable. In her mind, what she had done… what she had done was one of the most horrible things that someone could ever do.

Daphnix was by her side in a moment, not caring much if this was a Frederic. This was Ami, and he would stand by her. BorgFred shook his head at him, and stumbled towards Ami.

“We fought,” the man said with his broken-sounding voice. “And you pulled your weapon. So did I. the roles might as well have been reversed. It was an accident.” He fell forward. She caught him. Leaning on her support, he continued, “I hold no grudges, Ami.” He forced himself to his legs. “I compliment you. You are an able warrior. I commend you.”

It was she who was supporting him, but it looked more the other way around as she buried her face in his chest, and cried openly. For one of the few times, Ami cried openly, long wailing sobs interrupted by coughing fits.

“It’s okay,” BorgFred whispered repeatedly, stroking her head. “It was an accident. It happens…”

“B-but I-I Hu-hu-hurt you!” she sobbed against him. “I-I I could ha-have ki-killed you!”

“But you didn’t,” BorgFred answered calmly. “It was an accident, Ami. And I had all the help in the multiverse available right on site.”

“I-I am so sorry!” she wailed, pushing harder against him until he could feel his breath constricting. Instead of stopping her, he simply switching off his breath. Being Immortal had its advantages. Since he couldn’t talk without air flowing over his vocal cords, he used a vocalizer-node to speak.

“I know,” he replied calmly, still stroking the blue hair of the girl. “I really don’t hold a grudge, and I really am not mad at you. Things like this happen.” He shrugged. “As long as we learn from them, they’re a good thing.”

“Bu it hurt you… could have killed you…”

BorgFred sighed with what little air he had in his lungs, and stood up straight. Ami released her hold, and BorgFred calmly filled his lungs with fresh air. With one finger, he pushed her face up, so her eyes met his. “But it didn’t kill me, Ami. Listen to me… I forgive you. Now it’s time to forgive yourself.”

Ami opened her mouth, closed it, and nodded, her big blue eyes reaching upwards to his gray ones. “Thank you,” she whispered.

BorgFred smiled. “No problem,” he said, releasing his hold on her as he stood up under his own power. Daphnix put an arm around Ami’s shoulders, and the girl leaned promptly into the embrace.

BorgFred turned to Frederic. “Now, what DID YOU FUCKING DO???” he screamed at his twin, his voice not sounding so broken anymore.

Frederic sent a blast of information. BorgFred’s mouth opened. It closed. He looked at Ami. Then scanned the rest. He transmitted the information to the rest of his group. And sunk to one knee, along with them.

“We are honored by the presence of your greatness…” BorgFred began.

 

Night had fallen, and the visitors had left. The entire group had gathered around the large fire after a large and sumptuous dinner. Thanks to the healing powers of the group, the damaged trees had grown back. As such, the people found themselves in nature instead of a war-zone.

The fire had been stoked until its flames seemed to touch the skies to the Master Slayers, who were lying on their backs, staring at the stars. Most of them had cuddled up to significant others. The atmosphere was relaxed, gentle, and friendly, a total contrast to the horrible fighting that had taken place on this very spot mere hours ago.

Frederic’s arm tightened around Jennifer’s form. He smiled, his eyes half-closed. His guards had relaxed. He felt content.

He opened his mouth, and sang. He didn’t know why, but he suddenly felt the urge to sing. As his eyes closed, he imagined the Martian landscape to accompany the Oech-anya song that sounded across the clearing. The Master Slayers listened intently as their leader sang a beautiful song of nature. Their lesser memories of Mars surfaces as well and they composed their own pictures of the reddish skies, the rusty grounds and the smell of Martian herbs in the air.

As the song ended, Buffy spoke. “I know the language. I know the planet, and its people… but somehow, it never seems real to me,” she said. “They always seem like something someone made up, you know?”

Some of the Master Slayers nodded. “We have the knowledge. But Fred has the memories,” Jessie Bannon said, looking at the man. “For us, it’s just like we studied a book, but if what I think is right, to Fred, it’s as real as this place is.”

Frederic sighed, staring up at the skies. “It is, Jessie. And more than that, sometimes. I possess the memories of the Oech-anya people, but most predominant is the last Phalanx they had… he’s the one who encoded the Necklace to any Phalanx, hoping that his people wouldn’t come to an end after their civilization ended… a faint hope, an act of last desperation so they wouldn’t be forgotten. And it took 250 million years before someone remembered them.” He closed his eyes as the Master Slayers thought about that.

Frederic was the first to speak again. “I can show you. Just connect,” he whispered as his mind readied itself. Something ancient came to the surface.

One by one, the Master Slayers connected their minds to Frederic’s. They awoke amid scenery the likes of which they had never seen before.

There were trees there that were larger than any trees they had ever seen on Earth, made of a material that seemed to be half-sponge and half-muscle. An insect, the size of a medium-sized bird, fluttered overhead.

My name is Vaal; they heard a voice in their heads. It wasn’t Frederic’s. It sounded deeper, darker. And it spoke in Oech-anya.  And I am the last Phalanx of the Oech-anya. You will follow me on the last days of the Oech-anya race, witness them through my eyes, and live them through my body. The time is now three months before the Great Fall that killed us all, and you join me as I make my way to the Central Hall. And now, my narrative ends, and the story begins…

 

Vaal took a breath of slightly tingly Martian air. The great iron content in the soil gave a small metallic scent to the air as it traveled down the Oech-anya’s nostrils, down his windpipe, to his three lungs. Subconsciously, he threw a look upward, where the pinkish skies and a small sun greeted him. The weather was pleasant, slightly above the freezing temperature of water.

Vaal stared wearily at the skies for a few seconds, before shaking his head and returning to his path, as he floated to the Central Hall, carried by his mental powers. Vaal loved floating. To normal Oech-anya, floating was about as intensive on the mind as running was on the body. But Vaal was the Oech-anya Phalanx. To him, floating was nothing.

The Oech-anya he met along the way bowed respectfully, clenching their fists over the center of their chests, where the Oech-anya heart was located. Vaal dipped his head in acknowledgement. As Phalanx, he was automatically awarded leadership. He was the Slintorak Visjnu, the emperor. His word was law. Vaal took another deep breath, and threw another look to the skies. He hated knowing what was to come. Somehow, it didn’t bother his people, everyone continuing as they had been doing for generations. Even to the eve of their deaths they go on as if nothing concerns them, Vaal thought. I am emperor of the bravest people in the universe.

Vaal steeled his shoulders, setting them square as he floated a little faster to the Central Hall. Then why am I concerned? he asked himself. His green, double-hinged jaw set firmer. Because I am their leader. It’s my responsibility to be concerned.

He floated into the Large City that was the Oech-anya capital. He followed the main road, which lead him directly to the Central Hall, the supreme building from which the Oech-anya people were governed. It took Vaal ten minutes of floating to get there.

Vaal floated up to the building, his excellent eyes long since having noticed the group of about a hundred Oech-anya that had gathered outside the gates. As he approached, the group respectfully split apart to allow him clear access to the double doors that lead into the building.

“Excuse us, Lord Emperor,” one male Oech-anya spoke, respectfully bowing as Vaal floated past. Vaal stopped, and turned to the man. “What can we do?” the man asked. “We wish to help.”

Vaal sighed. “Return to your duties. Work just like all the other days, and face the Day with honor, pride, and courage,” he answered levelly. “The Council of Advisors is assisting me in trying to find solutions.”

The man bowed, embarrassed at second-guessing his ruler. “Yes, Lord Emperor. Of course, it shall be done as you decree. Forgive this humble one.”

Vaal dipped his head. Keeping his face straight, he turned back to the double doors, and floated up to them, before finally touching down. “Vaal, Phalanx of the Oech-anya race, Master Slayer of the Oech-anya Empire,” he spoke. The doors turned open on well-oiled hinges. Ten seconds later, Vaal was gone, the doors sealed once again. The crowd dispersed only now.

Inside, Vaal shook his head as he floated through the lengthy corridor lined with offices, to the elaborate stairway at the end of the hallway. He floated up it, and arrived before an elaborate door that had been made from the materials of the Sporat-tree. The muscular material felt warm to the touch as Vaal’s hand pushed it open.

Inside the large room were two dozen people arranged around a large round table. The room was a perfect square, constructed from the stones quarried from the Grand Chasm. As such, the walls held a reddish tint that was pleasant to the Oech-anya eye. The ceiling was decorated with the totally black stone quarried from the top of the largest mountain of Mars. A single chandelier hung from the black hole-like ceiling, holding six glowing sticks of Hundar-wood. The room was well-lit, better than most Oech-anya homes were.

Vaal sat down at the only empty space on the table, and placed his hand in a slot. Immediately, he felt his mind connecting to the table. The slot glowed.

“On this day, the twelfth day of the fourteenth month of the year five-thousand twelve, I, Vaal, Emperor of the Oech-anya, Phalanx and Master Slayer, declare this meeting for opened,” Vaal intoned. He looked around the table. Everywhere, he saw pale green furry faces looking at the table. No-one would meet his inquiring violet eyes.

“I see no-one has found anything new,” Vaal spoke as first.

“No, Your Lordship,” the man next to him said. His name was Baarta, Advisor for Military Applications. “I would still urge his Lordship to consider evacuation.”

“I would have to agree with Baarta, Your Lordship,” an Oech-anya female spoke. Her softer green fur betrayed her sex. Her name was Portanà, Advisor for Technological and Scientific Endeavors. “We have traveled for the last thirty-six months on a craft that should enable five thousand Oech-anya to reach the Third Planet. With our technology, the huge beasts that dwell there shouldn’t be more than a nuisance.”

Vaal stared at the two advisors. “The Third Plant is large, spacious, and holds life. But its gravitational pull is three times ours,” the Phalanx spoke. “Do you wish to kill us? And only five thousand of us? That is one-thousandth of the population! How can I condone the deaths of fifty million people?”

The Advisors stared at the table again; some casting covert glances at Baarta.

“My Lord, I must insist,” Baarta spoke. “We have tried everything else. But the meteorite will be the end of us! It will either hit us, or shift the orbit of our planet so far that we will be unable to live here!”

Vaal felt the Oech-anya upbringing rise to the surface. He was a warrior, not a scientist! He slammed his free hand down on the table and veered up. “Instead of coming up with stupid, half-witting, disastrous and suicidal plans, Advisor, I suggest you start looking at ways that can solve the situation! Build me a cannon that can shoot the blasted thing out of the skies!”

“Tha-that is impossible, Lord Phalanx,” Portanà whispered. “We looked into it, but there isn’t enough explosive material on this planet…”

Vaal snarled, and fell back into his chair. “Then find me a way, damnit!” he shouted.

Portanà stared at the table, her green fur shiny with the fluids of indignity. Vaal stared at the assembled group. “Allow me to remind you, ladies and gentlemen, that I was the one that brought you here! The Oech-anya are warriors, not scientists. If I hadn’t brought you out of the gutters, given you a home, place, and purpose, you would all have been dead by now!”

The Advisors stared angrily at the table. They didn’t like to be reminded of the caste they came from… as scientists; they were the constant source of ridicule among the warrior caste. They were forced to go to separate stores, use separate lavatories, and most hotels and residences wouldn’t even allow them. No, being a scientist was not a good occupation in Oech-anya society.

The only exceptions were Baarta and Vaal, both warriors. “My Lord! We can’t change the thing, and we can’t blow it up! We must evacuate!”

“To where?” Vaal shouted back. “To the Third Planet, and be crushed by three times normal gravity? To the orbiting Body of the Third Planet, where there exists no life? To where, Baarta?”

The big warriors growled at his emperor’s words. “We will all die with certainty,” he spoke. “If we can save–”

“You are a coward,” Vaal snarled. Baarta veered up, pulling his hand from his connector. The light went out, and Baarta’s powers surged to full strength. At the same time, Vaal shot up, disconnecting as well.

“You would dare call me a coward!?” Baarta shouted.

“You would run from a fight!” Vaal shouted. “Are you challenging me, Baarta?”

Baarta snarled his pointed teeth bare, and balled his fists. For a moment it looked as if he were going to charge his lord. Then, his posture sagged, and he sunk back in his chair.

Vaal sat down as well, laughing heartily. “You are a coward, Baarta. Everyone else would have died honorably.”

That, apparently, was the metaphorical last straw. Baarta surged up, and lunged for Vaal, who promptly jumped up, and avoided the swing. “Let’s take this to the Circle of Honor, Baarta,” Vaal said calmly, hands spread slightly, the air shimmering slightly around them with suppressed mental power.

Baarta growled something, and dipped his muscular head. The duo left the room together, followed shortly afterwards by the rest of the advisors. The two combatants flew down the white-stone chairs, and landed on the slippery gray floors of polished stone. Both appeared unaffected. They disappeared through a door on the left. The rest of the advisory council followed a couple seconds later.

The group of advisors ran down a path that led into the lush jungle that was the garden of the Central Hall. It was walled off and well-protected to keep the normal people out. To be allowed in this inner cloister of Central hall, you needed to be from an old and powerful house of warriors, or very high up in the emperor’s esteem.

In the center of the jungle, the group stopped around a large circle of about thirty paces in diameter. On one side, Vaal was standing, erect, totally at peace with himself and his surroundings. The inner peace oozed off him.

On the other side, Baarta was doing some stretching and warming-up exercises. His movements were nervous, his deep-blue eyes flashing form left to right as he went through his routine.

Finally, he stopped, and squared off against Vaal. Immediately afterward, the two Oech-anya blasted toward each other in a flurry of mental power. Blades of mental energy clashed against each other, making sounds of thunder as they hit. Vaal was always there where he was needed, not making a single wasted movement, nor a single superfluous attack. He was always there, at the right time, the right moment, to dodge an attack, and make a counter. He didn’t seem to put any effort behind his attacks, yet they continuously staggered his opponent, who was literally in a frenzy as he hacked and slashed toward Vaal.

The Phalanx remained impassive, and just continued to fight in his power-conserving ways. It didn’t last long. After only half a minute, Baarta’s power and skill started to decrease. After a minute, his speed and coordination followed. And after a minute and a half, his mental blade disappeared. He stood there, panting, sweat raining down his body.

“You, Baarta, are a disgrace,” Vaal spoke as he lifted his mental blade. “I have fought many, defending my honor and the honor of my family, on hundreds of occasions. I protected the virtue of my daughter and my sisters with the blood that pumps through my veins long before I ever became Phalanx. And you are unable to give me a decent match, even if I don’t use my added power!” Vaal ended with a shout, raising his mental blade. “I will kill you; put you down like the dog you are!”

Baarta fell to his knees. “Please, My Lordship!”

Vaal’s eyes twitched in revulsion. “You plead for your life?” Vaal howled. “How did I ever allow such a Vor’chá on my Council?” He deactivated his blade, and looked at his Council. “Aambrosa!” he shouted, pointing at the Advisor of Educational Projects. “Create a blade, and kill this piece of scum. He is not worthy of being killed by a warrior. Being killed by a scientist is just the fitting punishment.”

Baarta stared, open-mouthed at his Phalanx. “B-but My Lord…” he tried. He was silenced by a hand-motion of Vaal. Aambrosa stepped up, and created the strongest mental blade he could. It was as strong as the blades the duo had used earlier. He just couldn’t keep it up that long. He lifted the sword in the skies, and looked at Vaal, who gave a sharp nod.

The blade came down. In the last moment, Baarta hung his head, not even able to look his death in the eyes.

Vaal raised his hand toward the corpse. His eyes glowed green, and the next moment, a blast of mental power left his hand. The corpse vaporized, hushing the small audience. Only the Phalanx could bring a burst of power like that.

It was a hushed Council minus one that joined the Phalanx in the Council Chamber.

“Now I will need a new Advisor for Military Applications,” Vaal rumbled to himself, but still loud enough for the rest to hear. He looked up, and scanned the people at the table. None would meet his eyes. Of course not, they were only scientists. “Now. I want a gun to blow that meteorite out of the skies, or at least nudge it out of the way. I can not and I will not condone an act of disgrace, such as running. We are Oech-anya. Without our honor, we are nothing.”

“Of course, My Lord,” Portanà said, bopping her head up and down in a sitting-down version of a bow.

Vaal stood up. “Life without honor is worse then death, ladies and gentlemen. Fight with honor and all days are good days to die. Live with honor and all days are better days to live. Without honor, we can do neither.” With those words, Vaal strode out of the Council Chamber, leaving a disheveled group of Advisors behind.

Vaal’s mind went over the events of that day as he walked down the large ornate stone stairs, across the hallways, and out of the Central Hall. Once again, he cast an involuntary glance up to the skies. Again, he felt worry creep into his heart. Taking a breath, he forced himself to look down, and he started floating now that he discovered that he hadn’t been doing so.

He floated down the main way of the city and took a well-timed right turn, followed shortly by a left. He stopped in front of a medium-sized building with an open space between it and the road. Touching down, he turned to face the building, linked his hands behind his back, and stood there, at attention, waiting. Several other Oech-anya stopped as well, waiting. All stayed a respectable distance away from him. He was the leader. Untouchable.

After ten minutes, a gong sounded out of the building, and the Oech-anya started crowding closer to the open space of the building. Vaal broke his stance, and walked closer as well. The other left a respectable space for him. Within two minutes of the gong sounding, children ran from the school building, up to their parents.

Vaal’s cool demeanor changed when he recognized two bundles of fur racing towards him. Stooping, he caught both bundles of red fur, and swung them round as he stood up straight. The children squealed in laughter.

“So, how was Teaching?” Vaal asked as he floated down the streets, his two children having crawled all over his body until they found a comfortable spot. His son was hanging from his shoulders onto his back, while his daughter sat in his neck, her hands resting on top of his head. Her curious eyes flashed from left to right from her high vantage point.

“I started with the 1000 blows of death!” his daughter said proudly. “Teacher says I have a gift… I get the theory immediately, and the practice went really well!”

Vaal smiled up at his daughter, proud as only a father could be. “Honor to you, Adeccà,” he said. She smiled and bowed her head.

“Thanks,” she replied, her voice as proud as his gaze was.

“And you, Goaan? How was your day?” Vaal asked, shifting his head so he looked over his shoulder at the son that hung from his back.

“I finished the 54 Instant Death Moves,” his son replied calmly, nestling a little closer to his father’s strong, warm, muscular back. He loved the feeling of his father’s warm green fur coat. Goaan’s mind tracked to the fact that it would still take two years before he would start to develop the adult green fur. Two years. 1244 days…

“You did what?” Vaal asked, stopping abruptly. Adeccà too, stared at her brother.

“It’s no big deal,” the boy answered. “I worked for it really hard, and now I reap the rewards… namely, finishing the Death Moves two weeks ahead of the class.”

Vaal smiled, and resumed his way. “Tonight, I will finish up on that training… put some polish on your teachings.” He was silent for a few seconds. “You have made me proud; both of you.”

Goaan opened his eyes, and looked up at the back of his father’s head. Or rather, he looked in that direction, since his smaller sister was blocking that view. “You…you will train me, father?”

“Honor where honor is due,” his father replied calmly. “You deserved it.”

“I will work too,” Adeccà said. “I want to finish ahead of the class, too!”

“If you do, then it will be you that will be in our Circle in a couple of months,” Vaal said. “But tonight, it’s your brother who will be in the same Circle with me.”

Goaan closed his eyes, and rested against his father’s back once more. “Tonight,” he whispered. “Indeed, tonight…”

The small group arrived at Vaal’s house about ten minutes later. Adeccà jumped down immediately, the small loin-covering garment the females wore flapping as she did so without revealing anything. Vaal looked over his shoulder, to find Goaan asleep. Vaal brought one hand to his lips as his wife entered, and motioned for his back with his head. Shanià, his wife, nodded in understanding.

I’ll put him in his bunk, Vaal’s hands signed to her in standard battle motions. Shanià nodded again, and returned to the living room while Vaal went up the stairs of the simple square stone building, and entered the sleeping room of his two children. Putting the boy down on the top bunk, Vaal made sure that he was tucked in nicely before leaving. Goaan immediately rolled up in a ball and went deeper to sleep. Vaal smiled as he closed the door.

He found Shanià and Adeccà in the living room, watching the display. They were seated side-by side in the large couch. Vaal sat down in his comfortable chair, and stared uninterestedly at the moving pictures on the display. “Is there anything on?” he asked.

“Sh,” Shanià intoned. “Feraan just challenged Chaara over Sikarà,” she added.

Vaal grunted something that sounded suspiciously like ‘what does she see in those stupid shows?’ under his breath. He looked at Adeccà, and found the girl looking back at him with an equally bored expression on her face. A smile crept up on Vaal’s face. Good to see that she inherited some of MY genes as well, he thought to himself. His smile widened as he stood up.

“Goaan gets training from me tonight,” he said. “How about you join me for the hunt, Adeccà? Unless, of course, you prefer to watch the glow-tube with your mother.”

Adeccà threw a look at the screen, where the male and female were about to hug, and turned away with a disgusted look. She jumped up. “Of course, Father! I’d be happy to join you!” the excited bundle of red fur announced. Shanià had heard that, and threw a pointed look at Vaal.

“Are you sure she’s ready?” she asked.

“I’m sure,” Vaal answered calmly. No part of him made any comments as to the superior tone of voice his wife used. They were at home. It was her territory, and thus her right to question him. Even though there was no real separation of the races in Oech-anya society, there were still some things of old that shone through. At home, and when the children were concerned, the female was boss.

“Come on,” Vaal said to his excited little girl as he outstretched his hand. She took it, and together they walked across the hall and into the warrior’s room. It was one of the few times she had been in here, and the first time for the actual business the room was designed for. Unlike Goaan, who had accompanied his father on quite a few hunts already, this was Adeccà’s first.

“Sit down,” Vaal intoned, motioning for a cushion in front of a small shrine. The girl knelt, staring at the figurine on the small table.

“Valerià will guide us in the hunt,” Vaal explained as he knelt next to her, carrying a couple of pots in his hands, and a couple more in his telekinetic grasp. The pots opened themselves, and sat down on the shrine around the statue of Valerià, Patron of the Hunt. Vaal took some of the contents of the first pot on his outstretched index finger. He put some brownish war-paint on his daughter’s face. Since she still had the red fur of infancy, this was more tradition and ritual than practical use.

Next came a different shade of red, followed by two shades of green. He repeated the process on his own face, with Adeccà watching as he did so. She stored the exact lay-out of the different paints in her memory, and couldn’t wait before she was able to do it herself. Finished with the make-up, the two got up, bowed to the statue on the table, and walked to a cabinet on the wall to the right. Vaal ceremoniously opened it, and withdrew two knives, sheathed in holsters that held a belt. He tied one belt around his waist, making sure the sheath and dagger were on his right hip.

He handed the second device to Adeccà, and watched with satisfaction how she copied his movements in tying it around her own youthful hips. Without a word, the two left the room, Adeccà with a huge smile on her face, and Vaal, with a hint of pride at his daughter shining in his eyes.

Once outside, Vaal locked the door. It would remain locked for the duration of the hunt. Adeccà followed Vaal perfectly, mimicking his silence. They were hunters now… she understood it from the lessons at the Teaching Center. Hunters were silent. Hunters were one with their environment. Forty-five minutes later, they halted in front of a large gate in an equally large wall.

“Vaal and partner,” Vaal said. The door groaned, and then turned open inward. Vaal and his daughter went through it, and the door closed soundlessly behind them.

You have the right to one D’Ktara-beast, or equivalent under the Species Preserving Act of the year 4978, a voice announced.

“I know the rules,” Vaal whispered superfluously. He turned to his daughter. “From now on, we’re hunters. Talk only by telepathy or by battle motions.”

Yes, sir, Adeccà replied. Soon, the duo had disappeared in the thick brush of the preserve.

An hour later, they were hiding under a brush, lying on their stomachs under the thorny plant. Two pairs of violet eyes stared at a herd of G’Ral. Vaal’s experiences eyes went over the herd, trying to identify sick or weakened specimens of the four-legged animals. He knew G’Ral could be dangerous when they chose to attack with the two large horns that stuck out from their heads.

Vaal pointed at one animal. Sick, his hands indicated.

How? Adeccà answered.

Limp. Watch carefully, Vaal replied, waiting for the girl to identify the handicap in question. Normally, he would have taken the animal out already, but this was Adeccà’s first hunt. She needed to learn, so it was his duty to teach her. Vaal knew that there would be many more such hunts. He had gone through the same ones with Goaan.

I see, Adeccà replied with shaky hands. What now? she asked, the slight tremor in her hands indicating her excitement.

Calm, Vaal answered. Nervousness makes you act without thinking.

Adeccà took a couple of deep breaths. Vaal nodded approvingly next to her when he felt, rather than saw, her relax. This is how we’ll do this, Vaal communicated with his hands. He wished he could use telepathy, but G’Ral had psychic instincts themselves. Using telepathy would blow their cover. When I give the signal, you’ll jump up, and make us much noise as you possibly can. Use psychic abilities, scream, and run toward them. Once they’re running, I’ll pick off the weakened animal.

Adeccà nodded eagerly, smiling at her father. Vaal gave her an encouraging smile, and snuck away. Suddenly, Adeccà realized he hadn’t said what the signal was. So, she waited, her little heart trembling in her chest, her muscles clenching and unclenching under her reed-furred skin as her violet eyes went over the herd continuously. By the time that she pretty much knew every animal by name and bloodline, or so it seemed, she thought she saw something on the other side of the herd. It looked like a flash of some kind. The G’Ral looked up, at the same direction.

Adeccà grabbed the dagger on her hip, drew it, and jumped up. Her youthful mind displayed as much psychic ability as it could, making her psychic reading as big as it could make it. At the same time, she screamed on the top of her lungs while she ran toward the herd, flashing her dagger and flailing her arms.

The herd saw her. The animals started, and made a run for it. Adeccà smiled as she continued screaming and flailing her arms and mind. Suddenly, the lead animal turned towards her, and stood still as the herd ran past her. Then it charged her.

Adeccà froze immediately. This wasn’t part of the plan! Grabbing a firmer hold on the dagger, Adeccà planted her feet firmly on the sandy ground, flipped the dagger into a reversed hold, and placed her free hand over the hold her first hand had on the knife. Her mind slipped into ‘drill-mode’, and her entire body relaxed. Her mind focused her body on the battle at hand. Adeccà didn’t feel fear. She had no time to feel fear.

The G’Ral was on top of her in under two seconds, giving the girl barely the time needed to side-roll out of the way. She landed in a crouched combat-stance. The big beast threw up the red sand as it growled and turned sharply to meet her once again.

Think, Adeccà! Her mind shouted. She rolled again, coming up on her legs and started running. The G’Ral was right behind her. Finally, she jumped up, and rolled in mid-air, carried by her telekinetic abilities. She prayed to Valerià that she had not miscalculated her parabolic trajectory. She landed on the back of the huge beast.

Who knew Math actually had a use? The girl thought angrily as her legs clenched hard on the beast’s side as it did its best to throw her off. She raised her dagger in a two-handed hold, and drove it down deep in the G’Ral’s body at the base of its skull. The beast howled, sunk through its knees, and rolled over. Adeccà let out a shout of surprise as she jumped off just in time to avoid being crushed under the beast’s huge side.

Only now did she have time to think as she stared at the huge body, laying on its side, twitching in death-throes. Her body was shaking with adrenaline. She didn’t even know she was sitting on her knees until her father appeared next to her, and he immediately dropped to his knees, and drew her in for a hug.

“What happened?!?” he shouted as he held her. “I told you to wait for the signal! I as too far away to help you! You could have been killed!”

“But…but…” she whispered. “That flash…the G’Ral looked at it…I thought…I thought…”

“That was a Dut’Ral, Adeccà. It was a psychic lock-on by a Dut’Ral hunter… it was probably after the same prey we were.” Vaal sighed, and released the hug. He looked her over. She had a gash over her left eye, probably from being cut in one of her rolls over the floor, her fur was dusty from the sandy ground, and there was G’Ral blood all over her hands.

“Wear your first mark with honor, my daughter,” he said as he stood up, and walked to the now dead beast. He drew the knife, and handed it to her, still dripping with the animal’s blood. He drew his own knife, and planted it firmly in the beast’s exposed belly. With skilled and practiced ease, he carved into it, and soon withdrew the heart.

Adeccà watching him the entire time. Finally, he finished his task, stood up, and extended the organ to her. “You have slain your first opponent this day, Adeccà. The honor of eating his heart is yours.”

Her hands trembling in excitement, she accepted the organ with her two hands, and stared at it. Realization seemed to set in, and she beamed at her father. He nodded at her. Adeccà looked back at the organ, opened her mouth, and took a big bite. Blood and muscle entered her mouth. She realized she had never tasted the taste of fresh blood, or the taste of a heart before. She chewed and swallowed, and found the taste almost as pleasurable as the knowledge that this was her honor, her right, for slaying her prey. Adeccà finished the heart without too much trouble, resolving herself that she would have many more of such events in her life.

Vaal smiled proudly at her as she licked the blood off her fingers. “Now, let’s get our prey home.”

Adeccà nodded as her father lifted the animal in his telekinetic grasp. Everybody else would have had to call in a carrier, but her father could carry it himself. Adeccà smiled proudly at him. She touched the wound above her left eye. Her face twisted only slightly at the sharp jab of pain it caused. She ignored it. “Everybody is going to be so jealous tomorrow. A battle scar, and my first slain enemy.”

Vaal chuckled. “You earned every bit of it. But next time, wait for me to give you the signal, okay? A G’Ral is dangerous, but next time it might be something that’s a lot stronger and a lot harder to kill. It might decide to have your heart for lunch instead of the other way around.”

“Okay, father,” Adeccà whispered as she walked next to him.

 

Goaan awoke after a slumber of a couple of hours, his body having been pushed to the limit after the intense training sessions he had put it through to be first of his class. After stretching the kinks out of his muscles, he made sure his bracelet was on right. He plied open the brass plate, and refastened it around the upper part of his arm, right below his shoulder. It was engraved with his name, status as warrior, and lineage. Every warrior wore one… and it was the mark of a scientist if they didn’t.

Goaan made his way downstairs, to the living room, where his family had already gathered around the dinner table. The position at the head of the table was clear for him. Goaan beamed a smile… it was a great position of honor to be allowed to precede dinner at the head of the table. He walked to the seat, and started to sit down.

Immediately, his sister turned to him, and said with a huge smile, “I hope you’ll enjoy the G’Ral beast, Brother… I slew it!”

Goaan slowly sat down, still looking at his little sister, noticing the wound over her left eye. She was three years younger than him. About his age when he first went with Vaal to hunt. He realized it was her first hunt… and thus, this was her first kill as well. “Then this was your first?” he asked. She nodded vigorously at him.

“I had its heart for lunch!” she announced proudly.

Goaan said nothing, just looked at her, his head half-cocked. Suddenly, his accomplishments weren’t as great anymore. For someone on their first hunt to get a kill… forget that. For someone to be rewarded the heart on the first kill, on the first hunt…Goaan blinked. Normally, a hunter wasn’t allowed the heart unless he or she had slain the animal by themselves. And Goaan knew his father well enough to know that he wouldn’t have given her the heart unless she had earned it.

“You killed it by yourself?” he asked, curiously, staring at her with his mouth slightly open.

“U-huh!” she said, nodding again.

Slowly, he stood up, and walked to her chair. “Then it should be you who sits there,” he said. “You have accomplished the greater deed… It would be my honor if you would take it.”

Adeccà’s enthusiasm stopped as she stared with wide-open eyes at Goaan. Slowly, she looked from him to her father, who was looking proudly at his son. When he noticed her look, he nodded. Adeccà’s smile returned, and she jumped off hr chair. She made her way to the head of the table, and spent a good ten seconds looking at the chair. Then, slowly, she sat down. Goaan took her place at the table.

Adeccà took a breath, and swallowed. She took another breath, calming herself. “We give thanks to Valerià, Patron of the Hunt…”

Two hours later, after dinner and training, Goaan fell in his bed. “Oh, Zoran that hurts!” the boy grunted to the Patron of Battle. A smile broke out on his face. “It was glorious… I’ve learned so much, and I lasted a whole minute in full combat!” With those words, Goaan’s pupils rolled away and his eyes closed, his body shutting down into unconsciousness, preparing itself for the trials of the next day.

 

The Master Slayers slowly woke up from their stupor, sitting upright around the crisping campfire, now much smaller than before. Frederic absentmindedly threw some more firewood onto it.

“Wow,” Kimberly whispered.

“Intense,” Xander acknowledged.

“I can’t wait for the next part,” Buffy said.

“That’ll have to wait for tomorrow evening,” Frederic told them. “Because, starting tomorrow, I will put you through my Phalanx workout.”

The Master Slayers groaned, and fell down again, mutterings of protest drowning out by the crisping of the fire, and the chuckles of Frederic Fromthefield.