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The Xenton Chronicles: The Jenshia Star
Chapter 12: Power And Regret

Chapter 12: Power And Regret

Rain continued to fall in the city of Beach Shores. Water was rapidly flowing towards storm drains and streets were becoming flooded. Lightning hit in every direction followed by loud explosions of thunder. Dye found his legs moving by themselves. He was lost in his mind as he wandered around the park.

“What the hell was that?” he recalled.

The different eyes.

The veiny appearance.

Just what was going on, and who was that girl?

The eyes were ever-present in his mind.

Frightening. Almost glowing eerily.

The rain fell down harder. He thought that he should head home but something in the sky caused him to reconsider. Immediately, a stream of purple lightning shot down and struck somewhere downtown.

“It’s back,” he said to himself. He turned to head back home to tell Sam and Jason but then he stopped. It was a stupid idea, but could he somehow be of help. Maybe he could observe the Xenton and see if something could stand out to him. Maybe something that could reveal what this Xenton was looking for and why it was here. That could give them the edge they needed to combat it. He might not be able to fight without his powers but he could still try to be useful.

Buildings crumbled and erupted into flames. The sounds of screams from people in the distance echoed across the boulevard as he drew closer. The crash of thunder ruled the sky as Dye continued towards his destination. As he got deeper into the city, signs of destruction filled his eyes. Smoke and fire in the street reached the sky.

There it was. The being responsible for the destruction. It marched as it progressed up the street, Dye silently pursuing it. He kept low behind a car. Dye saw the Xenton stop. It tilted its head, as though it was listening.

“How will you fair?” it said, it’s voice deep and low.

Dye’s body shook. He was caught. With his body frozen, he wished and hoped that the Xenton would leave him be. He would definitely head home if that was the case.

The sounds of roaring engines charged up the street. When Dye looked from behind the car, he saw military vehicles blow past him. Soldiers manned the guns on a humvee and opened fire. The bullets splattered off of the Xenton’s armor. It turned around as the vehicles were approaching and charged straight for them. He plowed through the vehicle which exploded on impact, rattling Dye who wasn't too far away. The others veered off and crashed into the rubble that layered the street. The Xenton tore through the hull of another humvee like it was nothing, throwing the soldiers inside out with a single hand. He grabbed the vehicle and tossed it. It crashed and exploded. He moved to the rest of the military vehicles and dismantled them like the previous ones.

The soldiers pulled out firearms and began shooting, getting the Xenton’s attention immediately. The entity melted one of its arms into a blade and slaughtered them, with the last stab impaling the soldier and piercing the car which Dye was hiding behind; blood dripping off the purple blade.

Surprised, Dye cupped his mouth to keep his shriek from being heard. The Xenton looked up and saw more forces advancing up the street. The Xenton retracted its blade and darted for the brigade coming for it. A tank opened fire but the shell exploded as it slammed into the Xenton, not slowing the purple, armored enemy down one bit. The Xenton grabbed the barrel of the tank, lifted it and smashed it into the ground. More humvees and tanks opened fire but the Xenton tore its way through it all.

The humvees were crushed and destroyed.

Tanks were toppled like toys.

Soldiers were stabbed and sliced until their blood ran in the streets.

Dye saw the carnage from behind the car. He needed to move but he couldn’t. His body was planted and his nerves set root.

An inbound missile came in and hit the Xenton, blowing it up. The sounds of multiple choppers rung out. The military attack choppers flew overhead. When the Xenton revealed itself, the brigade of choppers opened fire again but this did nothing to slow it down. It sliced through the oncoming attack, causing the missle to split into two. Morphing the blade back into a hand, it shot a stream of purple electricity that tore through the chopper. Using its other hand it shot another stem of electricity that engulfed the other choppers, bringing them into a huddle. They tried to evade but the Xenton ensured that none of them would escape. Dye witnessed as all of them came crashing down, colliding with buildings, exploding as they did as the fiery mess impacted the street, blowing Dye away as a result.

“Pathetic…” said the Xenton.

Dye rolled over in the rubble. He was regaining consciousness when he realized he wasn’t hiding anymore. He was out in the open, and looking up, he saw the Xenton had noticed him. He turned over to try and crawl away, but as though he had blinked, the Xenton stood before him.

The Xenton reached down and seized the young boy by his neck and held him up, making Dye’s feet dangle from the ground.

“Do you dare challenge me, boy?” Said the Xenton.

Dye’s heart began to race; his airway being cut off. He struggled and fought for air, but couldn’t break free from the monster’s hold. Suddenly, the Xenton dropped Dye to the ground. The boy breathed in as much air as he could. The Xenton lowered himself to Dye’s level and stared into the eyes of the boy.

“Speak!” said the Xenton.

Dye continued to breathe heavily.

“N—NO!” he finally gasped.

“Then why are you here?” The Xenton asked.

Fear had gripped Dye with a new level of restraint. He stared down the ruthless being who had just single handedly dismantled a military brigade. He could only imagine what this being would do to him.

“SPEAK!” It growled.

Dye’s heart was beating outside his chest. It thumped uncontrollably as Dye tried to collect himself. He had forgotten why he did something so stupid. How did he expect this to play out? That the Xenton wouldn’t notice him? That he would obtain some groundbreaking information that would help Sam and Jason fight it? He was a fool to think so, and now he was staring up at the consequence.

“SPEAK….” The Xenton’s arm changed back into a blade. “Or I will spill every ounce of your blood…”

It was crazy to even conceive the idea that the Xenton would answer any of Dye’s questions. It was either that, or be carved up.

“Who are you?” he asked.

There was a delay. The Xenton cocked its head to the side. Dye imagined an eerie glare of whomever was behind the helmet.

“Interesting…” it said “I have you at death’s doors yet you're concerned with who I am? Why?”

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Dye wasn’t expecting a question. He needed to come up with a satisfactory answer if he wanted to stay alive.

“B-Because, you l-look like the other a-armored people I’ve s-seen around town…” Dye replied, dread gripping his throat as he spoke.

“Ah, yes. The others. Cowards! I was sure they would combat me despite my warning. No matter, I shall continue what I came here to do, and then I will hunt each of them down one by one and kill them for their spinelessness.” Dye became paralzyed by the idea of losing his brothers. He had horrible thoughts of his brothers with this Xenton’s blade plunged through their chests. “You wish to know who I am? Then I see it’s only fitting that you know the name of the one who will end your world…to bring mine anew. I am Griflore,” the Xenton raised its blade above Dye. Dye saw the sharpened tip and was distraught with what was about to happen.

Before it fell, a force threw the Xenton off balance. Next, a couple of quick jabs plowed the being through the wall of a building. The next thing he knew, Dye was ascending into the sky, he saw the ground leave him as he was taken up. He was dropped on the rooftop of a building and when he turned around there was Sam in his armor

“HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!” Sam blurted out

“I—I,” Dye couldn’t find the words.

“Of all the stupid shit you’ve pulled this has got to be the dumbest! What are you doing here?”

“I was… trying to help..” he said.

“Dye! You can’t help! You don’t have your powers anymore!” he said angrily. “You’re going to get yourself killed, is that what you want?”

“N—No,”

“Wait here!” Sam spread his wings. “I mean it! Don’t move!” he said sternly.

“Sam…” said Dye.

“What?!” he barked.

“It said its name was Griflore…” Dye said in a foolish attempt to be useful in some way.

Sam didn’t answer. He dove from the building and soared downward. Purple flashes of light started to pierce the smoke and as Sam approached, he landed with a clank. Through the smoke, Griflore emerged.

“There you are,” he said. “I didn’t think you would show.”

Sam was quiet, looking upon the purple armored Grilfore as he came from the rubble. Then his walk turned into a mild run and then it became a sprint. Sam’s instincts caused him to react quickly, allowing him to wrap his arm under Griflore’s arm and around his neck. When he was secured, Sam took off, passing Dye as he saw his brother fly upwards. Sam twisted his body with great force and threw Griflore back down. A blue armored Jason exploded from beneath the asphalt and kicked Griflore back up. Sam flew towards Griflore, breaking the sound barrier as he did and delivered another blow, sending Griflore hurtling back down towards the city. The impact caused a huge crater to tear open forcing cars and buildings to be toppled. Sam soared down and stood at Jason’s side. The both of them waited at the edge of the smoking crater looking as the smoke cleared.

“You are newly born…” said a voice. “You have not been trained and that….will be your undoing!”

Griflore lunged through the smoke with his blade. Sam and Jason evaded quickly. He swung his weapon and Jason ducked while Sam tried to attack. He was struck by Grilfore’s elbow and fell. Griflore brought his blade down on top of him but Jason pushed him away. He materialized the falling rainwater water into a shark and sent it rushing towards his enemy. The Xenton sliced through it and as the water from the shark started to separate, Jason turned the water into liquid ropes and tied them around Griflore’s limbs, freezing the fluid.

“Sam!” He yelled.

The evil Xenton looked to find Sam flying towards him at incredible speeds. His body sent out sonic booms throughout the whole block causing windows to shatter and buildings to crumble. Grilfore struggled to break free, but Jason was not letting go. Sam unleashed a gale of razor sharp winds that ravaged the purple Xenton. Sam then raised his hand and summoned bolts of lightning that hit the Xenton, causing an explosion. The earth shook tremendously as lightning and thunder continued to bash each other in the sky above. The purple Xenton came up from the rubble unscratched and unmarked.

“Impossible,” said Jason.

The Xenton looked at both Sam and Jason and started to laugh; its demonic voice echoing through the streets.

“Fools,” it said, “You are weak! Untrained! And you will fall by my hand.”

The thunder, lightning, and rain framed the battlefield. Sam and Jason prepared themselves to strike Griflore again.

Sam summoned another razor gale that was easily evaded by the evil Xenton. Griflore jumped towards Sam and struck him in the face, sending him soaring up into the sky. Griflore appeared behind Sam and without Sam noticing he was hit again and was sent crashing into the city streets. Jason summoned another water beast in the form of a serpent-like dragon and sent it flying towards Griflore, who evaded that as well. Jason redirected it and sent it chasing after his enemy. He gave the command for his creation to attack and Griflore melted his other arm into a shield and protected himself from Jason’s attack.

Sam came flying out of his crater and seized Griflore in a bear hug from behind, throwing his wings over the enemy’s body. Sam spun around at the speed of a tornado, and without warning he opened his arms and released Griflore, sending him flying out towards the ocean. Jason used his control over water and conjured from the sea a gigantic tidal wave. Dye looked up at the towering tsunami with amazement. Jason let the wave crash onto Griflore and he was washed away, the water filled the streets. Jason swam through the water until he found Griflore and with incredible speed, he continuously struck Griflore over and over again until finally knocking him out of the water and into the air. Sam flew down and delivered a blow that plowed Griflore into the roof of a tall building. The water level subsided as it dispersed through the city. Suddenly, the building collapsed and out of the rubble and debris flying through the air, Griflore landed before them.

The two brothers could feel their fatigue rising. The constant fighting they were enduring and still Griflore wasn’t showing signs of weakness. The purple tyrant started to laugh again, making Sam and Jason irritated.

“You two are pathetic,” said Griflore, returning his arms to normal. “And you call yourself Xenton. You still haven’t fully grasped the full potential of what it means to be a Xenton. These childish attacks, they’re nothing to me, a fully realized Xenton. Jason rushed in, materializing a liquified trident in his hand. He swung and twirled the weapon and Grilfore engaged. The two Xenton fought weapon to weapon with Jason swinging his trident, lunging at Griflore, trying to stab him. His many attempts were thwarted but Jason continued. The fork melted and materialized on the other end of the trident giving Jason a surprise attempt at striking his enemy, but that was foiled as well. Jason was able to catch the Xenton off guard with a powerful kick, and as Griflore was pushed away, Jason hurled his trident toward him. As he regained his footing, Griflore grabbed the flying trident, swung it and threw it back. Jason was hit instantly and was thrown through the concrete walls of a building.

Sam intervened with the cracking of an electrified whip. He threw it at Griflore and it wrapped around one of his limbs. He gave it a charge but as though Griflore was a conduit for such energy, the evil Xenton sent a surge of electricity of his own. It crippled Sam, bringing him to his knees as his body convulsed and contorted. Griflore pulled Sam towards him and struck him as well. Sam plowed through rubble and debris, clinking and clanking as he skid across the asphalt.

Griflore raised his hand and gathered as much energy as he could. The purple light was blinding as Dye watched from the rooftop. Sam shook to get up, only to see a devastating assault waiting for him.

“You two don’t deserve to wear that armor,” Griflore said darkly. “I will pry it from your bones!”

Griflore unleashed his assault and the street was caught in a heavy blast. Dye couldn’t believe his eyes. The last thing he saw was Sam being engulfed in the attack. His eyes swelled up and tears began tracking down his face. As the smoke cleared, Dye was able to make out Sam, who was still on the ground. In front of him was someone else. It couldn’t have been Jason.

“Who is that?” Asked Dye.

“So,” stated Griflore, “you finally choose to show your face.”

As the smoke lifted, the bright glare of golden armor caught Dye’s eyes from above. Sam looked up and standing in front of him was Arayan who fashioned Dye’s old ensemble of golden armor. His gold and red blade was raised as a means to defend against Griflore’s attack. He swung the blade down to his side and prepared himself for battle.

“Arayan,” said Sam, both shocked and relieved to see him.

“I’ll take it from here,” he said with confidence, “You get some rest.”

Arayan quickly turned his attention to Griflore, who was as silent as can be.

“I am your opponent now,” said Arayan as he swung the golden red blade up behind his helmet, taking a fighting stance.

“Fine,” said Griflore, “Let’s see how you perform.”

The lightning fell, the thunder roared and the rain pelted from the sky. Arayan readied himself and with the next strike of lightning, the combatants took off.