Now, Threnosh World
The anti-gravity unit’s soft hum was the only hint of motion. The aerial transport’s flight was exponentially smoother than any airplane back on Cal’s home world. Granted he had only ever flown commercial, economy class at that.
Cal stared at his hands.
He opened and closed them.
Wiggled his fingers for what felt like the hundredth time since he had boarded the transport and departed Orchestral Meridian for Cold Plains City.
He had vague memories of seeing his flesh melt away almost down to the bone within Frequency’s ultimate sound.
Threnosh medical technology was almost like magic. Regrowing his nerves, muscles, tendons and flesh was a miracle. He had dodged a bullet. He had telekinesis, but he definitely wouldn’t have enjoyed living life without hands.
Cal wiggled the three fingers on his left hand.
The tech had limits. It could’ve replaced missing Threnosh fingers.
He didn’t fully understand the technology, but it seemed that when it came to his human genetic code the medical pods could only heal what was mostly there, not create replacements for completely missing parts.
He supposed that it could’ve been modified to fit his human genetic code. However, he lacked the knowledge and expertise to advise the Threnosh. Some of the Threnosh may have had the ability, but the ones that did lacked the desire. He had asked and had been refused. They didn’t see the value in modifying a perfectly functional device for one individual.
He liked to think that if there had been a scientifically inclined T-Man then they would’ve given him a hand. Or a couple of fingers.
A sad smile crossed Cal’s face.
The T-Men.
Cal sighed. He shook his head.
A dumb name.
A self-indulgent inside joke only he was in on.
Perhaps it was time for a change.
Another thing to address.
Cal stared at his three-fingered hand.
At least it was the pinkie and the ring finger. The least useful fingers of them all.
Cal glanced at the PID inserted into his left gauntlet.
Three more hours of flight time.
He let out a long breath and swiped a finger on the surface of his PID until he got to Caretaker’s report.
He had skimmed it in the days after he had been released from the medical pod.
The thought of the casualty list brought on the sensation of a barbed hand squeezing his heart.
He had to take a deep breath, check his telepathic walls and perform the series of mental checks he did often to make sure that he was in the real world.
Mother Madrigal was dead, but captivity had left deep marks in Cal.
He had to remind himself that he had seen her body burned to ash and then atomized into nothingness. Or at least as much as Threnosh science was able to determine. Furthermore, the Mother’s core was safely inside the container secured next to his seat.
Three T-Men dead. One at his hands. One T-Man still missing.
Cal’s responsibility. His fault.
They died because of him. Because he pushed them to fight. Taught them, guided them, killed them.
Cal’s jaw tensed.
He forced himself to relax. Controlled his breathing again.
No more delays. It was important. The rest of the T-Men were counting on him.
He opened Caretaker’s report on what had transpired in Cold Plains City and set it to project above his PID.
Cal read quickly, but absorbed every word thanks to his mental powers.
He ended up reading through it three more times before the aerial transport finally touched down in Cold Plains City.
Cal thanked the pilot and disembarked with Mother Madrigal’s core in hand. His PID gave him verbal and visual directions to Caretaker’s command structure.
The metallic streets and structures of Cold Plains City were clean, almost sparkling in the bright sunlight. Here and there were signs of the fierce battle with the cragants. Half-demolished structures and cratered streets that sometimes revealed the tunnels of the sublevels.
Cal was going to be headed down there soon.
The thought of the dark and enclosed space had his heart pulse rapidly for a moment before he mastered himself.
Deep marks.
Cal knew he had a lot of work to do to erase them. If that was even possible.
Threnosh soldiers and assorted staff spared him the barest of glances as he walked into the command structure. His PID was broadcasting his identity and purpose. Not to mention the fact that he was the only human on the planet. There was no need to question him.
Cal didn’t recognize any of them, which made sense since Caretaker’s team was comprised solely of T-Men. Support personnel was provided by the standard Threnosh force under Senior Commander Saldin Flats 326. Everyone was under Prime Custodian 3’s jurisdiction.
The door to Caretaker’s command chamber slid open with an almost imperceptible hiss.
Cal’s smile didn’t reach his eyes as he greeted Caretaker.
The Threnosh’s power armor looked spotless thanks to the new armor plating and lack of combat since the terrible battle against the hierophant and Zalthyss.
According to the report, Caretaker’s duties had been filled by serving as the liaison with the rebel cragant force under General Zanya and one other issue that Cal planned to resolve as soon as possible.
“Honor, I relinquish my command,” Caretaker said briskly.
Cal was taken aback. “I wasn’t expecting that, nor will I accept.”
“I do not understand. Is that not the reason you have come here?”
“No,” Cal smiled sadly, “actually the opposite. I’m here to relinquish command to you.”
Caretaker blinked slowly.
Cal kept his telepathic walls up, but he could read the confusion morph into uncertainty, then into concern in Caretaker’s mind. He took a deep breath. The thoughts of others had been getting stronger. Harder to keep out. Like whispering in his head, constantly, whenever he was around Threnosh.
Cal did his best to ignore Caretaker’s internal thoughts as they broadcast. He respected the sanctity of an other's private thoughts, especially that of a friend and comrade.
“Let me explain.” Cal decided to give Caretaker a hand. “I made this decision based on your own merit and on my lack of the same. Do you want the bad news first? Or the good?”
“The order is irrelevant. It is your report, therefore you determine how to proceed,” Caretaker said.
“Well, in my world, you usually want to lead with the bad stuff and end with the good stuff. That way the person feels better since the good news is freshest in their thoughts.”
“Why? The negative and positive information will remain unchanged regardless of the order they are relayed.”
“Emotional stuff,” Cal shrugged.
“Noted. I will study the issue further.”
Cal’s smile was more genuine this time. “Right, so the bad news. Simply put, I’m compromised. Two years with Mother Madrigal messing around in my head can’t be ignored. My leadership, such that it is, can’t be trusted.”
“You stated in your report that you were taking steps to search and counter any potential threats.”
“Yes and it’ll take more time. Years, even,” Cal struggled for words, “I mean… I killed Brightstrike. I can’t be sure of myself...”
“Acknowledged,” Caretaker stiffened.
“My fault,” Cal continued, “it doesn’t matter to me that Mother Madrigal was messing with my thoughts. I am still responsible for Brightstrike’s death. They deserved better.”
“Brightstrike and PJ15 should have endeavored to return to the rest of our team, rather than pursue the Task to free you,” Caretaker said.
Cal shook his head. “They freed me. Brightstrike’s— they gave me that last push to free myself. Who knows how long I would’ve remained in the Mother’s grip. How much more damage I could’ve done?”
“Acknowledged.”
“Now for the good news. You’ve proven yourself a good leader. You took on and defeated a powerful enemy in the hierophant. You established a connection with General Zanya and her cragants. In doing so you not only deprived the dominion of a large force of powerful soldiers, but added them to our side as a potential resource. You even faced Zalthyss and drove it away.”
“You spoke of deaths. Then I too am responsible for Malendrax and Silver Wolf. There is also Shira’s situation.”
“I’m here to help with that, but you did good. Salamander, Telatrine and Frequency did good at Orchestral Meridian. You have all shown me that I’m no longer necessary to your continued success.”
“We lack your sheer power.”
“PJ15 has made significant strides in that regard.”
“Dominion forces continue to emerge from spires all over our world. More powerful invasive organisms are appearing as well.”
“The leadership council has made it clear that the scope of my involvement is limited to PC3’s jurisdiction,” Cal shook his head again. “It doesn’t matter anyways. I realized that I am exhausted. While I need to purge myself of any traces of Mother Madrigal’s influence, I also need a break. From the first day the spires appeared on my world and I gained my abilities I have been in a constant state of conflict. Fighting monsters, people and worse things. I’ve been on your world for close to five years now, which means that my world’s ten year introductory phase is almost up and I can go back.”
“You would leave us?” Caretaker said.
Cal couldn’t help but read the concern in Caretaker’s thoughts.
“I was never going to stay around forever. Remember, I told you that I was setting you, all of you, up to be in control of your own lives. That time has arrived. I trust and believe in you, in the T-Men,” Cal chuckled, “I think you guys should come up with your own name. Really take ownership of the team, the organization. Look, Caretaker, PC3 agreed with me. You’re ready to take command. All of you are more than ready to continue what I started. You’ve proven it with your performance here and in Orchestral Meridian.”
“But the operation there is not complete. The Inheritors still fight. They still control many birthing creches to create more of their kind, as well as corrupted,” Caretaker grasped for the line receding out of their reach.
“Well, more good news. PC3 has dictated that T-Men are to focus their efforts on reclaiming Orchestral Meridian. You are to depart as soon as I help take care of the one thing.”
Cal could tell when Caretaker gave up their protests before the Threnosh knew. Thoughts didn’t lie and Cal could read them, despite his efforts to avoid doing so. Caretaker’s worries might as well have been shouted out.
“I— acknowledged. How do you wish to proceed?”
“Your report on Shira was… light. Tell me everything.”
Caretaker looked uncertain. Then they tapped and swiped a finger on their gauntlet. “I have deployed countermeasures against unwanted attention. This chamber is protected as best as possible, but without Frequency it is not certain.”
Cal reluctantly reached out with his telepathy. He scanned minds in a wide area. Staggeringly wide from what he had attempted in the past. Before his almost two years under the Mother.
“No one is paying attention to us right now,” Cal said.
“Shira fed on Zalthyss, which is what caused it to flee,” Caretaker began.
Cal’s eyes widened in genuine surprise, but he forced himself to keep quiet.
“I cannot explain what happened next. Shira disappeared. The tracker in her trueskin went silent. Weeks passed before soldiers began disappearing. Always in the sublevels and at the furthest ranges of their patrols. Senior Commander Saldin Flats 326 tasked the T-Men to seek and destroy the entity responsible. The suspected culprit was an invasive organism. The senior commander contracted the patrols, while we ranged out.”
“Did you suspect?”
“Yes. My algorithm pointed me to the likely conclusion that it was Shira. They attacked us as if they did not recognize their teammates. Shira is more powerful, more vicious, more dangerous. Adjudicator and Dralig barely survived the first encounter.”
“Good thing you had those two instead of the others,” Cal said.
“They had the most potential to survive Shira and possibly restrain them. Primal’s trueskin is too large to navigate the sublevels without restriction,” Caretaker said.
“I’m guessing you’ve been able to keep knowledge of this from reaching the senior commander.”
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“Only the T-Men know. If the standard chain of command discovers it they will involved Prime Custodian 3… and I am uncertain on the course of action they would take.”
“How have you kept it quiet for all these months?”
“Shira needs blood. We have been capturing dragonbears from the plains and releasing them in the areas where Shira prowls. I have reported it all as a continuous training exercise and the original culprit as a dragonbear pack that had somehow entered the city during the chaos of the fighting.”
“Zalthyss doesn’t even have blood according to the scans. Not to mention it hasn’t escaped its prison according to PC3. So how did it show up here?” Cal mused.
“I’ve used my algorithm to compare the Zalthyss you fought with the one we fought here. One hundred percent match. There was no difference. It was the same organism.”
“Which should be impossible given the fact that PC3 has the one that ate my fingers locked up tight. Too many things to deal with,” Cal sighed. “I have to prioritize. We have to help Shira first.”
“How? All our efforts to date have been futile.”
“I can reach them,” Cal said.
“Acknowledged.”
Cal’s PID beeped.
“I have sent you the location where we will release a dragonbear tonight.”
“Good, pull everyone back. I’ll care of this by myself,” Cal said.
“After?”
Cal was touched by the trust radiating from Caretaker’s thoughts. The Threnosh had no doubt that he was going to be able to help Shira and resolve the problem.
“I’ll be heading back to home base with this,” Cal held up the container holding Mother Madrigal’s core, “and probably bringing Shira along with me. They’ll need to be checked out and I’ll have to be around them to keep them under control, safe. You and the rest of the T-Men, don’t forget you need to change that name, make it your own, you know… you guys will be headed to Orchestral Meridian.”
“Will you speak to the rest of the team?”
“Yeah, of course. I need to say my goodbyes after all.”
“Very well. I will begin departure procedures. The team will be pleased to return to active duty. Even if they will not be entirely pleased with what you have to tell them,” Caretaker said.
“Nothing lasts forever,” Cal said. He smiled. “You’ve all come a long way and you’ve got more road to travel. You don’t need me around holding your hand anymore.”
“The new recruits back at home base?”
Cal grimaced. “Okay, maybe they do. I’ll check in from time to time from my wilderness self-exile, but I’ve been gone almost two years and from the reports I’ve read things are just fine.” He nodded, more to himself. “I’m not leaving forever. I need a break. Recharge, fix whatever wrongness the Mother left in me. Check on my family, my girlfriend, friends. Hell, my world. It’s been so long. I can only hope that they’re all okay.”
“Acknowledged.”
Cal reached a hand out across the holographic projection of Cold Plains City.
The image distorted around his arm.
Caretaker grasped Cal’s hand and shook it.
“I-I owe you everything,” Caretaker said.
“You owe me, I owe you, let’s call it even,” Cal said. “We’ve both given and received from each other.”
“Comrades. Teammates,” Caretaker nodded.
“Friends,” Cal said finally.
----------------------------------------
Now, Earth
Remy sent the blades flying at the Deep Azure with a gesture.
The blades boomed gunshot-quick across the expanse of space between the two.
The Deep Azure reacted instantly and raised an arm over its face.
The blades sparked against the armored scales.
Remy swallowed the lump in his throat.
For something so large and strong the Deep Azure was quick, superhumanly so.
Remy blinked.
A mistake.
The Deep Azure chose the same time to move.
It covered half the distance between the two before Remy realized it.
The Deep Azure hurled the trident.
Remy pulled a handful of large rock-crusted ore in front of him like a shield. At the same time he dived low to one side.
The rocky shield barely blunted the spearing trident.
Metal and rock exploded, showering the temple in debris.
Remy lost sight of Deep Azure in the debris cloud.
He listened.
Thudding steps to his left.
A huge, dark shape swirled the thick cloud.
Remy sent every bit of metal he could reach into the shape.
The Deep Azure was undeterred. It took every impact without slowing its charge.
Remy scrambled back, using a magnetic field to pull on his full-body metal armor for added speed.
The Deep Azure’s massive fist punched a crater into the stone floor inches away from Remy.
Remy struck back, but his form was terrible and he had to punch up. The Deep Azure’s face was still a foot above Remy’s own even when it was partially bent over, coming up out of its crouch.
Remy’s metal-encased fist clanged like a loud gong against the Deep Azure’s perfect, yet terrible features.
The Deep Azure barely moved back.
Remy tried to keep the pain from showing on his face as he used a magnetic field to levitate up and away from the Deep Azure’s swiping hands.
He wasn’t a melee fighter. He needed distance and space to be at his most effective. The problem was that the Deep Azure was proving practically invulnerable to his metal projectile attacks.
Remy glanced around the temple as he floated up beyond the Deep Azure’s reach. The fishmen were gone. He was all alone with the dark god. Escape was a possibility. He could enter one of the tunnels and try to reach his daughters and their friends. They could all leave together.
Shall I drown them all?
The Deep Azure seemed to know what he was thinking.
You are deep within my domain. Nothing happens without my will.
Remy got the message. There would be no escape for him. At least until his loved ones and the others had made their escape. Unfortunately, he had no idea how long that would take. Which meant that he had to keep the Deep Azure occupied for as long as possible.
The dull pain within him at the use of his powers suggested that he had a time limit.
The Deep Azure strode easily toward its trident. It had turned its back on Remy.
Remy struck, sending blades, broken and unbroken into the Deep Azure’s broad back. A scant handful managed to barely penetrate through the strong armor-like scales.
The Deep Azure half-turned, but resumed reaching for its trident.
Except it was gone.
Remy’s distraction was successful. He had used one chain to pull the trident away, toward him.
The Deep Azure picked up a sizable chunk of rock and hurled it at Remy.
Fortunately, there were bits of metal ore embedded throughout the rock.
The magnetic sphere holding Remy aloft caught the rock.
Remy reversed its flight and shot it like a meteorite into the Deep Azure.
The rock crumbled to bits as it impacted the Deep Azure’s chest and knocked it stumbling back.
At the same time Remy controlled the second chain and wrapped it around the Deep Azure’s legs.
It had worked before. Why not again?
The Deep Azure crashed to the ground, flat on its back.
Remy gestured and more rock-crusted metal bits flew to the Deep Azure, as if it was a magnet. Or specifically it laid within a very strong, attractive magnetic field.
The Deep Azure was buried beneath a small hill of heavy debris in a matter of seconds.
Remy contemplated escape again as he relaxed for a moment.
A loud piercing sound had him clutching his head. The pain was excruciating.
Every single one of his magnetic fields winked out with the lost of concentration.
Remy dropped the thirty feet to the ground with a thud.
He desperately reengaged his magnetic fields.
He needed to be able to move within his all-encompassing armor and to keep the Deep Azure contained.
The former was achieved. The latter was impossible.
The Deep Azure burst free.
Remy had just enough time to block the thunderous punch with his armor-covered arms. He went flying into the far side of the temple, cratering the wall with his body.
Too strong, too fast.
The Deep Azure was just too much for him.
Remy pulled himself free of the crater and sent metal swirling around the Deep Azure. Sparks flew as sharp and jagged metal bits scraped against scales.
The Deep Azure stood within the deadly tornado, impassive. It brought its hands out wide and clapped them together.
The shockwave knocked Remy back and dispersed his metal in every direction. Many sunk deep within the temples stone walls and pillars.
The Deep Azure retrieved its trident, tossing Remy’s chain aside, while Remy struggled to his feet.
Remy tried to move away and maintain distance, but his head was fuzzy and the Deep Azure was quick.
The trident sang out, whistling a song of Remy’s death in the air.
Remy pulled himself back with a magnetic field.
Not quick enough.
The trident’s sharp points screeched against the metal of his armor. The sharp pain in his chest told him that the thick and dense metal plate had been penetrated.
Remy stumbled back, arms flailing in a vain attempt to keep his feet. He hit the ground, flat on his back. He rolled instinctively.
The Deep Azure plunged the trident into the stone floor, like a hot knife into butter.
Remy grabbed the trident’s shaft just below the curved prongs.
He instantly recoiled with a pained shout.
Intense pain had flowed up his hands and arms as soon as he had touch the trident.
Remy skidded across the floor, propelled by a powerful magnetic field as he just barely avoided the Deep Azure’s sweeping slash.
Is this your prime capability? I had expected to expend more of my own.
Remy winced as he picked himself up off the floor and levitated up to the temple’s high, domed ceiling.
His breaths came in ragged gasps.
How much time had passed?
Minutes?
It felt like hours.
Remy dug deep. He ignored the spike of pain as he created a magnetic field around the Deep Azure.
Again? Your efforts barely disrupt my connection to this avatar.
Remy blinked. He had no idea he was doing that.
Perhaps a strong enough field?
No.
He dismissed the thought.
He felt that he was close to the limits of what he could create, especially with how bad a shape he was in. Maybe if he had been rested and the Deep Azure hadn’t been interfering with his power.
No.
He couldn’t win. His best chance, his only chance was to delay.
He had almost done it earlier.
This time he was going to bury the Deep Azure in the middle of the mother of all magnetic storms.
He could sense the metal up above, buried in the earth, the sea floor. There had to be several hundred feet of rock above them.
Remy was ready to pull the entire temple down on both their heads.
He just had to make sure that he didn’t pull too much down and allow the ocean to pour into the tunnels to drown everyone else.
No pressure.
Remy pushed everything he had into the magnetic field.
The Deep Azure stared up at him with an impassive look on its perfectly sculpted face. It was simultaneously a thing of beauty of terror. The deepest, darkest kind that touched the primal part in all humans. The part that knew to fear the dark.
Remy had to bury that fear.
The temple started to shake.
Remy smiled viciously down at the Deep Azure. “This is your domain, huh? Good thing… because you’re going to be stuck down here for a long time.”
----------------------------------------
“Let me go!”
“No, you’ll just get in Dad’s way?” Tessa snapped.
“Shut up! We can help! We have to help!” Veronica pleaded.
“We are helping! Dad is buying time so we can get away.”
Tessa gripped Veronica’s arm as she dragged her little sister behind her.
The tunnel was dimly lit by a mix of the strange glowing mossy substance growing on the surfaces and the occasional torch set in iron sconces fixed into the stone walls.
The tunnel was wider, straighter and more uniform than the other tunnels they had taken to get to the temple. It was obvious to Tessa that human hands had built it.
She was distracted, which was a small blessing. It meant that she wasn’t really paying attention to the disturbing decor carved into the floor tiles and in the walls, not to mention the sculptures.
Tessa had lost sight of the rest of the guys, but since she hadn’t passed any doors or splits in the tunnel she wasn’t concerned. There was only one way to go. She and Veronica could catch up quickly, if the latter would stop being such a baby.
“Fuck! Veronica, stop being stupid!” Tessa squeezed her grip with all her pent up anger and worry. “Did you forget that Mom’s still in these tunnels? The sooner we get out, the sooner Dad can get out, the sooner he can go get her!”
Veronica whimpered, but glared at Tessa and continued to struggle.
“Just… just stop being stupid… is that so fucking hard! Do what Dad said!” Tessa snapped.
Veronica’s acidic reply was drowned out by a cry for help far down the tunnel.
Tessa’s gaze snapped forward. She couldn’t make out much more than moving shapes thanks to the distance and dim lighting.
“Our friends are in danger,” Tessa said flatly. “I’m going to help them. You can do whatever you want.” She roughly thrust Veronica’s helmet down on her sister’s head.
Tessa sprinted away with a burst of speed, faster than the fastest Olympic sprinter.
Veronica frowned, rubbed her arm, properly adjusted her helmet and gave chase, just as fast.
The tunnel opened up into a large circular chamber with several other smaller connecting tunnels.
Fishmen had appeared out of all, but one to surround their friends.
Olo, Gene and Johnny stood in a triangle with their backs to Bastien and Mads in the center of the formation.
The fishmen jabbed spears and swords threateningly, but didn’t seem to be committed to deadly attack. Whether that was of their own volition or caused by the soft light emanating from the upraised head of Bastien’s halberd as the young man muttered a prayer was unclear.
Tessa knew that the fishy bastards wanted captives for their undoubtedly horrible purposes. She had seen what they had done to that old lady and she was the cult leader. No way was she going to let that happen to her friends and sister, let alone herself.
Tessa laid into the fishmen with her kanabo.
Veronica was just a few steps behind.
The fishmen that weren’t smashed quickly retreated back into their tunnels.
“Thanks,” Gene said.
“Sorry, we’re all pretty useless right now,” Olo said.
“Speak for yourself,” Johnny said. “Bastien’s still got some juice left.”
Bastien silenced his prayer and promptly collapsed. Mad’s quick reaction was the only thing that kept him from crashing to the floor. She peered into the eye-slits of Bastien’s helmet.
“He’s out,” Mads said. “Can I get a hand?”
Gene sheathed his sword and took Bastien’s other arm over his shoulder. “I’m out of mana and stamina.”
“Same.” Olo and Johnny echoed.
“No ammo,” Mads said.
Tessa glared at Veronica.
“Fine, we need to get out of here,” Veronica said.
“Which way?” Olo looked at the different tunnel openings. Dark, yawning voids awaited them.
“How bout the one the fishmen didn’t run into?” Johnny pointed straight ahead to the largest tunnel. The one that continued directly ahead from the tunnel they had emerged from.
Veronica scrunched her face as she stared at the tunnel with intense concentration. After a few seconds she nodded. “That’s the best way.”
“Why?” Tessa challenged.
“Cause I can sense fishmen brainwaves in every other tunnel. But, I think I can sense human ones down there or at least remnants of them, like a trail,” Veronica said.
“You can track brainwaves?” Johnny said with a quirked brow.
“I think so…” Veronica shrugged, “maybe.”
“Well it’s a moot point, because I can hear fishmen waiting down the other tunnels,” Tessa said. “We go ah—” her head snapped back to the way they had come.
“What is it?” Gene followed her gaze.
The chamber started to shake. Slowly at first, then with violence. They all waited for it to subside. Based on past experience such things didn’t last longer than a few seconds even if it felt much longer. When it didn’t stop, the panic set in.
“Oh for fuck’s sake! Of all the times for the Big One to happen… now?” Johnny cried.
“Not an earthquake,” Veronica said. “Sounds like—”
“A river,” Tessa finished. “Veronica, carry Bastien. I’m going ahead. We have to go fast. No stopping.”