Allan’s eyes closed and his perception of everything faded to black.
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A wave of sensations washed over Allan, feelings unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He gasped in a breath, his chest burning, his throat aching, and his entire body feeling as if it had been jabbed with a thousand needles.
Allan leapt up with a scream of pain. A second before, his eyes felt as if the weight of a planet held them closed. Now they locked on to what could only be described as a dragon with a freakishly distorted jaw.
“Peace Allan Mac’Millen.” The dragon said, its mouth not moving and the sound seeming to come from everywhere all at once. The dragon looked down at itself. “This is how you perceive me here. Interesting.”
“What the fuck?” Was all Allan managed, his head throbbing as he tried to figure out what was going on. “Who are you? Where am I? I am… you… WHAT. THE. FUCK.”
The dragon chuckled. “All things considered, you are having a better response than I thought you would. Let’s answer your questions over a meal..”
With a wave of its clawed foot, a massive table, one end set for the dragon, the other for Allan, sprung into existence. Allan decided that food and water were probably a good idea and sat down, quickly realizing just how hungry and thirsty he actually was. After downing an unknown quantity of water from a glass that never ran dry, Allan spoke before placing a bite of meat into his mouth. “So who are you?”
“I believe you called me a ‘Horror Squid-Whale’ which I found incredibly amusing.” The higher being said. “As to who I am, we do not have names as you would know them. Asking me that is akin to asking gravity who it is. If it is easier for you, please feel free to pick a name for me.”
Allan stared at the creature across from him, his hunger momentarily forgotten. He continued to chew as he decided not to be his usual inquisitive self. “Alright, I will call you Draco then, as homage to your strange appearance here.”
His words seemed to make Draco laugh, but Allan was already on the selective-dismissal-of-weird-shit train and decided he would see this particular ride to the end. “So Draco, you guys wanted me dead. Is that what this is? Am I dead?”
Draco paused. “We did not want you dead.” He sounded almost morose. “On the contrary, we find you to be a most amusing mortal, especially with your flippant attitude to the little ones you call gods. But we did need you to cease existing for a while. And you are now back, it is for the best if you remember nothing from your time in death. To use terms you would understand, it is best to think of this as an interdimensional waiting room that I have created so we could speak, and so I can verify that I have restored you to the best of my abilities. It is also where I must do some explaining.”
Allan swallowed his current bite of food and drank some more water before setting the glass down and leaning back in the chair. “Here it is, the other shoe is dropping.”
Draco smiled sadly at Allan, his twisted and not-quite-right jaw making the gesture oddly haunting. “I guess you could say it was. The truth of the matter is we had originally intended for you to be dropped back into your reality mere moments after you died. A day or two at the most. However there were several unexpected events…”
“How long have I been dead Draco?” Allan asked, his voice quiet.
“Just over one year.” Draco said in a tone so neutral Allan wondered if Draco had any emotions.
“Is…Is my wife alive? What about Jalla, and Tillia? What about Eddy and my mother.” Allan’s tone was quickly rising into panic.
“Aly, Jalla, Tillia and Nara are alive, as is Eddy.” Draco hesitated. “So is your mother. But Allan, the galaxy you left behind is very different than the galaxy you will be rejoining. They are all alive, but no one is well. It is because of this I wanted to speak with you. So please listen for a moment and allow me to say my piece, then you may ask whatever questions you want.”
Allan nodded, deciding he could listen and chew at the same time, he dug back into the plate of steak in front of him. Draco smiled in thanks and spoke. “To begin with, let me tell you, your mother is living with Aly, Jalla and Nara aboard the Solstice. Tillia has taken Eddy as her alpha and husband. Eddy is currently en route to earth with his division of the special forces he has been assigned to create by Hilx’Nit. Your wife had three humans named Mara, Mack, and the third is a child named Jessie. The Solstice is also enroute to earth.”
“I am assuming they are headed there because you have signaled I will be returning?” Allan asked and Draco nodded.
“Yes. Now, to the important part.” Draco seemed to take a deep breath and reality shimmered around him. “The galaxy is in dire straits. Several of the races that compose what is called the Core Worlds have already instituted isolationist policies. The Banker Clan has suspended account creation, and many of them have scattered to the farthest reaches they can get to in an effort to ensure their race survives. Suffice it to say, the galaxy is falling apart. And it is the fault of the gods…”
Allan cut Draco off, the rage in his voice almost a physical manifestation in this strange place. “WHAT! How could they do this, this is…”
A wave of energy emanated from Draco almost knocking Allan out of his chair. “You promised to listen and then ask questions. I would appreciate it if you kept your word.”
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Allan settled into his chair once more, remembering the thing across from him was the equivalent to a god’s god and exisits in a place he can not comprehend, and for some reason was taking time from its presumably busy day to talk with him. “Of course, I am sorry.”
“It is fine.” Draco said and continued. “As I was saying, this is the fault of the gods and of myself and my people. The gods, when they first arrived and saw us in the place they used to reside, they realized how powerful we were in comparison to them. They asked us if we could save their galaxy.Together we created a race of builder, we called them the Url’Esh, in English it would mean death walkers. Their sole purpose was to walk the dying reality the gods had come from and attempt to rebuild what was failing. When the last of the Url’Esh failed to report we had assumed this meant they had not succeeded in their mission.”
Allan’s eyes were wide. The implications of what was being explained to him was mind boggling. Draco gave him a moment to process and then continued speaking. “This took place countless years ago, you would measure it in eons. What we failed to realize was that the Url’Esh, when faced with their own extinction and abandonment by their creators, chose to leave the reality they could not save rather than go down with the proverbial ship. To do so, they converted an entire solar system into a single massive ship. They loaded as many of their population into the ship as they could and then tore a hole in reality and slipped into the space between space.”
“I’m sorry, but are you saying the Url’Esh, who were meant to be the saviors of a different reality, are now on a revenge trip to kill you all, and in doing so fuck with my family and friends?” Allan asked this hesitantly.
“That is a good summation,” Draco said, “But please let me finish. The journey they have been on has changed them, for thousands upon thousands of years the Url’Esh have drifted between realities, claiming bits of supplies here and there, expanding their ship as they could. The results of all of this is a race clearly based off the Url’Esh and in many ways they are the same, with the same abilities. But they are also different, hellbent on revenge, and more brutal and combat oriented than any species… except for one.”
Allan’s eyes opened wide. “You mean humanity don’t you?”
“Yes Allan, I do.” Draco said with a gentle smile. “In his wondering ways, Xulgra has allowed something marvelous to grow and thrive. Humanity is the only race that we know of who has had a bloodier history than the Url’Esh. To us you are Url’Nar, the masters of death.”
“To this effect we have a question for you.” Xulgra said materializing alongside every other god Allan had met and hundreds more he had not. Several more dragon looking beings appeared with dozens more floating far into the distance. As one, every being in the strange space bowed deep and low to Allan as Xulgra spoke. “Will you do us one more favor Allan? Will you bring humanity into the fold of the greater galaxy, and will you lead those who would fight in an action against the Url’Esh?”
The silence was palpable, until Allan’s laugh broke it. Several gods looked angry, but those who knew Allan seemed to be smiling. Allan broke the tension he could feel building by speaking. “Xulgra, when have I ever said no to something asked of me by the gods?”
Xulgra smiled and the gods and other dragons disappeared leaving Allan, Draco, and Xulgra sitting at the now round table. Draco spoke next. “You have many questions I am sure.”
Allan nodded, “Yes but in all honesty, I don’t really have the energy to ask them anymore. Can you do me a favor Draco? Please just send me anything you can on the Url’Esh? I am assuming you can send me an email or do I need to memorize anything I want to know before I leave this space?”
Draco chuckled, waving his massive foot. “It is done. When you return to your reality it will be there. As a reward for completing the task we asked of you already and for the understanding you have displayed, I also grant you this.”
Draco raised his foot once more and a golden thread of light seemed to reach out and weave itself into Allan’s very being. Draco spoke once more as the thread wove itself in and out of Allan’s skin. “You are a true friend of the gods Allan Mac’Millen, and a true friend of the ‘Horror Squid-Whales.’”
Draco smiled at how Allan cringed slightly at the joke. Allan looked at the strange thread that was piercing his body and raised an eyebrow at a somewhat pale Xulgra. “So what exactly are you doing to me?”
“I am marking you divine. Essentially I am making you into a demi-god.” Draco said as the gold thread finished stitching and sank into Allan’s skin. Allan felt something around his right bicep and pulled up his sleeve to reveal a golden dragon eating its own tail. The Dragon rotated under his skin, its head making a lap of his arm every fifteen or so seconds.
“So what does that mean for me?” Allan said, staring somewhat mesmerized at the moving tattoo.
“Three things.” Draco said. “Firstly, the gods are no longer bound to the same non-communication as other mortals. Secondly, you are immune to most simple diseases, colds, and lesser poisons. Lastly, your lifespan just became quite long. You will see the next thousand or so years should you wish to.”
Draco smiled down at the thoroughly impressed Allan. “I think that is all from me. I wish you well and I wish you luck Allan Mac’Millen.”
Draco faded and suddenly Allan and Xulgra were standing on the grassy hill where Allan had fought Yivnesix. Xulgra looked at Allan. “You are the first who has ever been granted this honor.”
Allan smiled at Xulgra. “You alright?”
“Yes,” Xulgra shook himself and then faced Allan, “I must apologize I had thought I would be able to guarantee your return much earlier than now, but I was unable to. Elunitra as well feels much shame on this. To make it up to you, we offer this.”
Xulgra offered a dagger to Allan that gleamed with gold from its black blade. “A weapon which can kill a god should you need to. It will also change shape, so if you would prefer a larger blade simply think it and it will shape itself to your will.”
Allan smiled and leaned down, pulling free his eight-inch boot knife. He held the boot knife next to the dagger and concentrated. Almost instantly the dagger shaped itself into an exact copy of the boot knife which Allan slipped into his sheath in place of the regular knife.
“One more thing Allan.” Xulgra said holding out a closed fist. Allan held his hand out and Xulgra dropped three small objects into his hand. “Tell your family hello for me.”
Allan smiled, placing the comms device in his ear, the tracker in the boot opposite the divine blade, and holding the smooth black rock that had started it all in both hands. Allan nodded thankfully to Xulgra who disappeared. Allan tapped the comms device to activate it.
Tears sprung to his eyes as he heard Aly’s voice. “Allan? Is that you?”
Allan smiled, wiped his face, and then spoke. “It is. I’m sorry I’m so late. Can you bring me up to the ship, there is much to talk about and much to do.”
Without another warning, Allan was teleported directly from the hilltop to the bridge of the ship where the arms of his wife waited to embrace him.