Lindsey awoke to see the Professor standing over her with a large piece of rubble sticking through his chest. The Vampire wasn't even remotely phased by it. He just wanted to make sure she was okay. Lindsey could also see Kirsteen perched over a nearby rock wincing in pain, with blood running down the side of her head.
"Thank god for a second there Lindsey I thought". The Professor couldn't even finish that sentence.
"She's okay, can we please just get out of here?" Kirsteen moaned.
"Honestly Kirsteen. Its just a few bruises. Try being impaled, which by the way only happened because I pushed you out of the way." The Professor said as he pulled the shard from his stomach.
"Where are the Demons and the aliens?" Lindsey asked as she scrambled up.
"Well most of the Demons flew away when we crashed and of the aliens, all but the leader didn't make it. Even then I don't know if he's alive or I just haven't found the body yet."
"I can assure you I am fine" The leader said from a distance. As the three time travelers turned around they saw he was surrounded by dozens and dozens of Maliak foot soldiers.
"As for you lot however? That depends on if you do as we want" He continued.
"Well isn't that just the way." The Professor said. "We help you escape from Demons who want to eat you and."
"Actually your harebrained scheme got my entire platoon killed" The leader interrupted angrily.
"Personally I think you're not a tenth as clever as you think you are, but the master has ordered you be brought to him.." The Leader continued.
"The Master? Just a short while ago you were proclaiming him to be a false god."
The Maliak leader looked somewhat nervous and quickly punched the Professor. "LIAR I ALWAYS REMAINED LOYAL" He said in rage.
"If any of your platoon had survived they would back me up". The Professor said.
The leader shoved his gun into the Vampire who didn't even look remotely scared's ribs. "Our leader will see through this fools bluster and lies." He said as the soldiers gathered around the three time travelers.
"There's nothing there!" The Demon screamed at its subordinates.
"It is obviously some form of magic my lord." The underling said nervously.
Several Demon ships and mountains had gathered near a seemingly empty area of space, just outside the Maliak's home planet. Any of the Demon vessels that tried to cross through this area would be held back. In truth it was the Professor's vessel. Its magic shielded it from detection
Unfortunately however one of the Winged Demons flying mountain's had stumbled upon the ship when trying to get to the Maliaks home planet and Fang's ships forcefield prevented the mountain colliding with it. Now dozens of Demon spaceships had gathered around this mysterious space. None of them could see it, and none of their weapons could harm whatever was there.
"It doesn't make any sense? The Maliaks don't have that kind of magic. Also if they did, why would they only use it to block one tiny little area in front of their planet?"
"Perhaps it conceals a weapon sir."
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"Then why did they wait for us to destroy the surface of their planet before using this weapon? Nothing about this makes sense. I want to know what's in there. Order all units to attack this forcefield or whatever it is."
"We have the aliens sir." The leader of the Maliaks said to its so called god who as always concealed his face behind a cloak.
"I was just about to give up on your people. I chose you all to cleanse this universe, and look how easily you've been conquered by those savages."The "God" said with disgust.
"Sir if you would only let us use the Demoniatria then we would triumph." The Maliak commander responded.
"NO, that weapon is an abomination against this universe. How dare you question my will again."
"I'm sorry my liege."
"You should have heard what he was saying about you outside." The Professor said smugly.
The Maliak's god however paid no attention the Professor's taunts. He was far more interested in what the Professor was.
"You're a Vampire?" A child of Khastran. I can see his stench all over you. Your breed is not the kind who decimated the red planet? How did you get this far from home. How did you get past the Demons above?"
"Well you know how it is, I'm terrible at directions. I was just trying to get to the pub and I ended up here." the Professor said flippantly. The "God" was not amused however.
"You think the destruction of an entire world is funny do you little man? Of course you do you're a Vampire. Children of the most deplorable Demon in all of existence." It said back. "Still you are not going to withhold any secrets that could potentially help my children?"
"Children? Well it depends on if you lot deserve my help." The Professor replied.
"What are you talking about" Kirsteen said. "You saw those Demons out there. What they did to us? How could you be on their side?"
"I never said I was on their side. You don't always have to be on one side in a war. There isn't a good guy in every fight."
"What do you care about morality Vampire?" The God sneered. "We are talking about the survival of an entire species."
"Why can't you help them?" The Professor asked. " I mean you're their god and everything."
There was a silence before the God attacked the Professor. The Professor tried to fight back, but it was hopeless. Lindsey and even Kirsteen tried to intervene but the Maliaks held them back with their guns.
The monster continued to beat the Professor until eventually Lindsey, unable to take it anymore screamed out.
"STOP…. Please. I'll tell you everything if you spare him."
By now the Professor was beaten to unconsciousness. The God held his beaten and bloody body up with one hand.
"Tell me now or I'll rip his head off."
"We're time travelers. The Professor he created our vessel by magic. It's in a state between the present and the time vortex to allow us to enter it, but to protect it from intruders. That'll be why those Demons couldn't find it. We can take you there."
The God wasn't sure whether to believe Lindsey or not. Her story was fantastic, even by his standards but she didn't seem to be lying. The fear in her voice was genuine at least.
"This vessel can travel across time and space you say?"
"Yes" Lindsey said nervously. "You can't change time I'm afraid. Not without being trapped in an empty space forever."
"I don't care about that. I am not someone who ever looks back over mistakes." The God said as he looked at the Maliak soldiers with disdain. A plan began to form in its head. "Bring me the Demoniatria". The God said.
The Maliaks all looked shocked. "But sir you said."
"I know what I said, but now it seems we might have a way of depositing the bomb against our enemies."
"Bomb what bomb" Kirsteen asked.
"The Demoniatria is a weapon devised by my people. It attacks Demons. They don't belong in this universe and so its able to single them out. I would never allow its use normally. It's too unstable and unpredictable. Up above however when it's safely away from our people. Then you can launch it."
"You mean to say you're happy to sacrifice us." Kirsteen asked.
"What are three lives for the sake of a world?" The God said. "Besides as you two are not Demons then the bomb will not harm you."
"What do you mean you two?" Lindsey asked.
"The Vampire stays here. The bomb will kill him too. Besides I have a feeling he is the most useful of you all."
Kirsteen looked at the leader of the Maliaks.
"After all you said back in the camp, you're now willing to follow this whatever he is again?"
"They would all follow me to the end of the universe. I was the one who raised them from mediocrity and with your help. I'll do it again."
"If you kill us you'll never be able to enter the ship." Lindsey said.
"I'll find a way eventually and if I don't I'll make sure you suffer most of all. You will help us. One way or another." The God said as it held the Professor by the throat.
Lindsey knew there was nothing she could do against this monster for now. For the time being she and her friends were its slaves as much as the Maliaks.
To Be Continued