Telephasic Workshop
Kit Carruthers' Yashudan, Galactic Year 10 025: The Blight
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Note: The views expressed in this story are not, nor have they ever been, the views of it's author. The author means no offense to those who do believe and hopes he has presented your views respectfully.
Note: If you're into dork stuff you may notice the Yashudan series borrows a lot from dork places like Star Wars, Final Fantasy, Star Ocean, Mass Effect, maybe even a little Dragon Ball Z... That's just the way it is. It's sort of like something I always wanted to write as a kid so that may be it. Just so you know I don't usually borrow from other places, this is the only place I do it.
Note: Yes the blight was a little influenced by those bat things in Gears of War.
Chapter One
I'm attending the wedding of Eran nobleman Parnest on his home planet, named after his family, Parnest. A staunch member of Eran's church and level 50 magician of light magic. I myself am a level 25 fire magician, but highly skilled in guns and swords. My name is Arropa. I joined the military as a lowly infantry and have become an admiral at the young age of 32 due to my tactical genius. I'm in the initiative to introduce undeveloped worlds into the empire of Eran, but today's story is not about that. I figured I'd begin with my end. This is my final story.
It was a beautiful ceremony. Sunset, fireworks, rain of rose pedals, on the steps of the beautiful noble palace. About half way through the ceremony, however, we are attacked by a massive flock of strange creatures. All black, they seem to just be two wings connected with no other body parts. A curious anomaly in the sky became a nightmare as millions of the things descend on the gathering and apparently the whole planet, shredding people into tiny bits.
One moment I'm ducking for cover and within 10 minutes I arise only to find I am the only man on the planet.
Chapter Two
I call for help on my device and am brought to the home planet Eran for a debriefing with top command.
They declare me the one to fight this new horrifying creature as they assumed there was a reason I was the only one left alive. They've already come up with a name for it, the Blight. I am to lead the war against the Blight and defeat it at any cost, a task I'm not sure can even be fulfilled, but I'll do my best.
I'm introduced to a man I've heard many legends about, Darn, the most experienced magician in the Eran controlled galaxy. He's a level 150 mage of the element ice. Not very experienced in weapons but he doesn't need to be.
There is only one man in the rest of the galaxy more powerful than Darn, but he refuses to fight for the Eran empire. His name is Kilka and he is a level 200 mage of darkness. We are told to attempt to convince him.
I am given a ship and a crew and set out to learn what I can and protect the empire at any cost.
Chapter Three
We arrive at Kilka's massive ship but we are refused entry. Darn knows the only thing we can do is talk to Kilka in person and the only way to do that is to fight our way through.
We dock, and alarms immediately begin to sound. Darn casts a powerful ice spell and takes out every man in the docking area. I blow the door with a fire spell and we enter. My device detects all the soldiers are of level 10 to level 40, but I have Darn on my side so it should be a walk in the park.
I take cover behind the door and shoot three men. Darn creates an ice wall further up, we run behind it and take cover. I shoot another two men while Darn recharges and then he lets out a blast of ice, killing the remaining 10 people. We advance to the next room and the room after that.
I advance to level 30. Darn has no advancement.
We finally arrive in the main hall and come face to face with Kilka. We tell him of the situation and he simply says maybe the Blight should destroy the empire. He says he won't kill us today but that we best leave before he changes his mind.
Chapter Four
Eran command tells us the Blight is heading for Carocca, which they know is Kilka's home planet. Darn says this is excellent, it's just the kind of thing we need to convince Kilka to fight with us.
By the time we get there, there is already a lot of death. We land in an area that's already been scorched and head for the nearest city, also already scorched. My device detects life in a locked building, we enter and find at least 20 people, one of them a level 100, who had apparently shielded them from the Blight long enough for them to lock themselves in. We bring them to the ship and take off, in order to land on a patch of the planet the Blight has not yet got to.
We manage to save a few hundred people at first before the Blight arrive, but as they started to descend on this city we lost quite a few who wished to help us fight. Mostly people of level 5 to 15. We fight our way through a few neighbourhoods of the city before I just can't tolerate any more damage. My armour barely getting enough time in between blows to recharge. Darn, of course, is relatively fine. After the fighting I become a level 50.
Darn says "It's time to flee, we've done what we can. This should entice Kilka to talk." All in all we managed to save about 2000 people. The level 100 mage overhears and says "Kilka? Kilka is my son. We haven't spoken in decades." Darn insists that God has brought this mage, who introduced himself as Dail, to us in order to convince Kilka.
We fly back to Kilka's ship and hear the man himself over the radio. He says word has gotten around about what happened and if we expect we can lure him in with this news we are mistaken. He says "Good riddance to that testament to cowardice of a planet, who folded to Eran without a fight." Dail comes on the radio and says "Son... We need to talk." And that was enough. Kilka is now on board our ship.
We drop the refugee's off in Eran, besides Dail, and take off again.
Chapter Five
Kilka walks up to Dail as he comes out of the air lock. "Hello, father." "Hello, son." "It's been awhile..."
Dail says "I know everybody is wondering what the hell this thing is. As a scholar of magic I can tell you this is the ultimate darkness spell. Only a man of level 1000000 can possibly cast it, but to my knowledge no such man exists in our era. Only the ultimate holy spell can compete, and even then all it can do is match the power, you would have an impasse."
"You are the only man, reasonably, who could get there. I mean you won't, it's impossible, you're too old to make that kind of progress... And even if you could, you chose your side, you abandoned the light. You let evil penetrate your heart." "Dark does not mean evil, dark simply opposes the light. The light conquers the galaxy in order to spread this so called light. They destroy cultures and make everybody bow to them." "They make other cultures conform because Eran is the light and the cultures are better off." "They beat people mercilessly in order to get them to conform to the light." "It's done with love." "A whole lot of bullshit. If Eran is the light then the light is evil and therefor I choose the dark."
Kilka turns to me and says "One day, when this is all over, we will meet in battle. Until then, my abilities are yours."
Darn says "Dail, do you wish to fight with us?" "No, I'm too old. I'm better off defending, I only have to stay in one spot."
Chapter Six
Darn says "The ultimate holy spell..." Kilka says "Yes?" "It's not my element, but there is a woman, a high priestess, who I believe can help us. She's a level 100 and she's the most talented white mage. Set course for Oullan."
Darn turns to me and says "You know, for a fire mage, you are a man of few words." "Oh?" "Where's your passion?" "All inside, sir." "Well alright then... But you're my commanding officer at the moment, I'm not sir, you're sir."
We land and head for the church. Pernna is the first person we see when we walk in. "The heroes of legend, I see, I hear thousands of lives will continue to flower because of you." Darn says "We did what we could, I'm only sorry we were only to save such a tiny fraction." "Well an enemy like this..." "Yes, an enemy like this. That is what brings us here. Apparently the Blight are simply the ultimate darkness spell, and can only be matched by the ultimate holy spell. And that brings us to you." "Well it's a long shot... A very, very long shot... I am eons of training away from being able to cast the ultimate holy spell. Only one man in history was ever that powerful, Jarrell, and he disappeared over 10000 years ago."
Pernna says "The founder of our church, Jarrell, the man who brought us into our current age of enlightenment. My theory is he has made himself immortal, something not many people realize is a higher holy spell, and did not die as the legends state, simply disappeared and turned into something else. If we can find him, he can surely save us, maybe as a higher member of the church I could convince him." "It sounds perfect to me. If it's the only option then it is God's option."
"I face a lot of criticism in the church for my beliefs, as the legend is his sacrifice is everything Eran is built on. We do everything in the name of Jarrell. And I suggest he just abandoned us like a coward."
"The fact of the matter is I'm not powerful enough to save the galaxy, but I am a talented white mage and can be of great help to you on your journey. I offer you my life." "Accepted."
Chapter Seven
On board, Pernna says "My father is the one who told me stories of Jarrell still being alive, perhaps we should ask him for more information. He lives on the other side of the planet. We haven't spoken in years." Darn says "Does any powerful person have a healthy relationship with their parents? Kilka is estranged too." "Strong personalities tend to rebel."
We arrive at Pernna's house and he answers the door, looking dishevelled, he says "Who are you?" Pernna says "Father?" "...Who are you?" "It's me, Pernna." "Pernna? Sorry, my mind is not what it used to be. I see it in your face now. How long has it been?" "It's been a long time. How are you?" "I am well. As well as I can be." "How's mother?" "Oh she is fine, she just stepped out." "I look forward to seeing her again too."
"Father, why did you always tell me Jarrell is still alive somewhere? How do you know this?" "It's a secret passed down to family members. It has been for hundreds of generations." "Just our family?" "Well it's leaked out a little more than that, it's a conspiracy theory in some circles, but primarily our family, yes." "Why our family?" "Let's go outside, this is a conversation I'd like to have around the fire." "Okay."
We go into the back yard and behind the garden is a grave yard. "Who died?" "Oh..." Pernna walks over to the grave stone. "This is mother's grave..." "Oh. So it is." As he chokes back tears. "Why didn't you tell me!?" "Like I said, my mind isn't all it used to be."
Chapter Eight
The sun is almost down and Pernna's father has started the fire.
"Ten thousand years ago, Jarrell was said to have died. Childless and alone. No heir in this galaxy. This is a myth given to us so we don't realize the holy bloodline, the rightful rulers of the galaxy, still exist. Those in power fear an uprising if the people knew the holy bloodline still existed."
"Thirty eight years before the year 0, Jarrell was born an exceptional child. Level 50 in spell casting only three years after he learned to walk. While both his parents were level 200, they didn't expect any child to be this gifted with so little training. So they spent every penny they had on his training and therefor lived a life of poverty. He was extremely intelligent on top of powerful and by the time he graduated, which was very young, he was the most exceptional human in the galaxy. The first level 1000 anybody had seen."
"While everybody who taught him, including his parents, forced him into light magic, he always had a secret affinity for dark magic, and was able to juggle both. Most people don't know this fact, they assumed he was strictly light. Most people think it's a choice, you can be one or you can be the other."
"As a young adult, he met Marle, with whom he would father one child, and they lived a peaceful and quiet life until their planet was attacked by the now extinct Farrat people, and Jarrell single handedly saved the then peaceful, quiet planet of Eran before they became the empire we know today."
"Knowing that he could possibly be corrupted by evil, he sacrificed himself to prevent a power like his from ever being used again. At least that's what he made people believe, the truth is the spell he cast that made him appear obliterated, actually transported him to a high energy zone where he is cursed to live forever, watching as his once beloved Eran commits many atrocities. Not exactly alive and not exactly dead, he's... Something else."
"You, Pernna, are of this bloodline." "...I know. I've always known." "Good. Find the ruins on the first planet of Eran." "We are forbidden to visit that planet." "Well the galaxy depends on you going. No harm in breaking such a ridiculous taboo." "...Okay."
"By the way... What happened to mother?" "What about your mother?" "How did she die?" "She's... Dead?" with a catch in his throat. "...I love you, dad." "I love you too."
Chapter Nine
As we leave Pernna's father's house the Blight descend on the planet. Pernna and myself go back into her father's back yard to bring him on board our ship, the sky full of Blight. "Father! Come with us!" "No... Leave me. I'm ready." "Father!!" "Go. Make us proud. Remember who you are. Save this terrible galaxy and all of it's terrible people!" Pernna starts to cry. "No! Daddy!" "Goodbye, Pernna." There was a long pause. "...Goodbye, father." she says crying. As we leave, the Blight tear him to pieces and Pernna screams out.
We regroup with the others at the front door and the Blight form a figure. "Now you know. Come find me." Darn casts an ice spell and eliminates a large swath of them. We charge into the nearest city and manage to bring a few hundred into our ship.
Pernna says "Wait! The cathedral!" Kilka says "The cathedral is no more. There's no way we'll make it there in time." "It's full of powerful spell casters, maybe they can buy us some time." "If they can hold their own like you say they can make it to the nearest port on their own." "Still, I want to see." "Fine."
We arrive at the cathedral and find no survivors. We travel to the nearest port and, again, no survivors. "Do you think they made it?" "No." "Maybe they made it..." "Whatever. Let's get back on the ship."
I level up to 60, Darn to 160, Kilka to 205 and Pernna to 110.
Chapter Ten
On the safety of the ship, the four of us secluded. Darn says "I'm going to pretend like I didn't hear about the holy bloodline, and it isn't wise to go spouting off about it to anyone but the four of us." Kilka laughs and says "Typical."
Kilka says "Now that we know what we know, the only reasonable thing to do would be to worship Pernna." Darn says "You're so quick to believe anything that contradicts the church of Eran. You're no more typical than me." Pernna says "I don't want to be worshipped. And let it be known, the reason I won't spout off about it isn't because it's dangerous it's because I don't want to be worshipped."
Darn says "Look, fine, do whatever you want, we need to focus on going forward. I've already got us permission to land at the outpost on Old Eran, let's go and talk to an anthropologist."
Chapter Eleven
We land on Old Eran and are greeted by the anthropologist Jaias. "Hello, Arropa and crew. I've been told of your arrival." Darn says "We hope these ruins will tell us something that may help us with the Blight." "You think the Blight are somehow connected with Jarrell, I presume." "Something like that. Can you tell us everything you know?" "Follow me into my car and I'll drive you to the location you seek."
We arrive at a decorated square in the middle of the ruined capitol city. Tall ancient buildings all around us. "This is the place Jarrell ended himself. It is decorated with both light and dark symbols. It seems to react to magic but it's difficult... It locks on to one person and the theory is it requires both light and dark magic, however because it locks on to the person it has to be the same person casting both spells, and as far as we know such a thing is impossible." Darn says "I see."
"Legend has it, the day in question, all 4 billion members of the church disappeared with Jarrell, the Areates people call it the rapture of Eran and the day all the righteous people left leaving only evil. Though the war is over many Areates people still believe this. They have since become a much more secular society but they respect the old religion that ended with Jarrell. The people of Eran are generally unaware of this rapture besides of course the ruling class."
"The day Jarrell died is the day the planet died. All life on the planet ceased and the remaining people of Eran, all 10000 of them, found a new home world one planet over, the cold air making them meaner than they already were."
"The new church formed in the ashes of the old, and claim they serve Jarrell and the light, but the Areates people know the church is only using the light and they aren't as pure as they claim to be. This is why people aren't allowed to visit this planet and speak to us scholars."
"The thing most will never know, this spell that ended Jarrell and his 4 billion followers, was the Blight. It seems this time, however, it is less focused and going after everybody."
Chapter Twelve
We're in the ship. Darn says "I think this galaxy can still be saved. It's survived the Blight before." Kilka says "The Blight will kill whoever they're aiming to kill, it devastated Eran once it can do it again." "Eran is more powerful now then it ever was in ancient times. We survived. We'll survive again." "It's clear this time the Blight are after everybody." "Everybody but us... I've been thinking, we've been exposed to the Blight so many times and survived what so many other's can't. It's not just because we're powerful, it's because we're allowed to exist." "Perhaps." "The Blight is saving us because the Blight knows we're going to save the galaxy." "Maybe."
Pernna says "Could it really be Jarrell that's doing this? I can't think of anybody else it could be. I know in my heart Jarrell is still on the side of the light. He wouldn't do anything like this just for the joy of destruction." Kilka says "Perhaps he's angry at the church and wants to wipe it out so we can start over."
Jaias, now on board our ship says "I will continue to research and we'll find out. I will find a way to talk to Jarrell, the thing I've been working on my whole life anyway. I have a feeling I'm close, surely my big break will come at the time that needs it most." Pernna says "I think the square has been waiting for me." "Perhaps. If we live in a deterministic reality it would make sense that we would meet at this critical time." "We do... But do you think true neutrality is possible? Can I be both dark and light?" Darn says "We'll find out."
Chapter Thirteen
Pernna says "As a member of the church, as a young girl I was only allowed to use light magic, and that dark magic was taboo for a reason."
"I remember in training, we were in the Eran high energy zone, where we connect to the magic undertones of our brain, I found myself wandering aimlessly to the west, where the cut-throat, do what needs to be done feelings of the darkness are. My trainer panicked and grabbed me. We left the high energy zone, and he beat me up. He said next time you'll be more conscious of where you're going."
"I thought to myself, is this the kind of compassion we're supposed to experience in the light? But I assured myself that he was just doing what he needed to do to keep me on the right path. But I always had doubts in my mind. It hurts. When I doubt I remember the pain."
She gets a scared look on her face and immediately gets into prayer position. "I'm sorry."
"Is it even possible for one person to exist in both the light and the dark? I've never heard of it." Kilka says "Well, the Areates people are very into the duality of light and dark. They do in fact live in both states." Darn says "We really don't know much about the Areates people, only that we fought a war and they are pure evil." Kilka says "I deal with them all of the time. I have a good rapport." "Well then I guess we're paying them a visit. Keep your guard up." "They'll be keeping their guard up as well."
Chapter Fourteen
We approach the Areates home land and they come over the radio in a foreign language. "Kissa ent." Kilka says "She said unknown ship identify yourself." Kilka says "Kilka alt." "Da Kilka. Gat Dala var alta." Kilka turns to me and says "Capitol city Dala, dock four, I'll direct the pilot." Darn says "How do you know Areates?" "I do a lot of business with them." "Business..." "Yeah that kind of business."
We land and are greeted by an Areates man. He and Kilka hug. Kilka says "Alt nara halk Jarrel." "...Halk Jarrel..." "Ik sar blight." "Elek." Kilka turns to Pernna and says "He doesn't believe you." "I really wish you wouldn't introduce me like that." "Noted." The Areates says "Bala nara. Kilka dipsy." "Farra." Kilka turns to us and says "He agrees with Pernna, he thinks I've gone insane."
He says "Par Kilka nerr church of Eran." "Ik elekkan Jarrel. Church of Eran rad." "Inna church of Eran aba..." Kilka turns to us and says "If the church of Eran doesn't like it he likes it." The Areates says "Janna nara halk Jarrell, teu. Inta, te warra?" "Farra." Kilka turns to us and says "Even if she is the descendant of Jarrell, how could we prove it? And how would it have just fallen into our lap?" Darn says "Understood."
"Areates elekkan Jarrel. Lara church of Eran senn." Kilka says to us "The Areates people follow Jarrell, not what the church of Eran has become." Darn says "Good enough for me." The Areates says "Erra Jarrell fent. Marran." "You will see Jarrell's true teachings, you have forgotten." Kilka says "Annar."
Chapter Fifteen
The man who greeted us introduces us to an older gentleman waiting at the gate. "Welcome. Don't get many Eran." he says. "I told you seek wisdom we have. Come my classroom I teach. I am sorry my Eran speak is not very. I am Argat."
We travel through a very clean and beautiful city in Argat's car and are brought to a university. "Follow me." We follow him into an empty lecture hall. "You sit." We all sit in the front row.
"As you know there is force synchronicity. Some believe force due to God, some even think force due to Jarrell, some, the Areates, believe it is just a law of nature and not conscious. Whole universe patterns, a people Tyn have mind subconsciously analyzes patterns and tells where patterns lead, they see future. Unfolding of pattern seem divine but it is simply nature. Isn't God that make pattern unfold it simply only way it could unfold. God do nothing, everything already done. Reality is runaway train, most only wonder where will go and there no conductor. Tyn knows where pattern leads. Tyn knows where train going. Tyn always save us."
"You, Pernna, are not Tyn. You, Pernna, not save us. Blight have perfect explanation, galaxy correcting itself. Not God, not person, just a natural phenomena. Everything happen exactly as should, not because God but because only way allowed to unfold. Agree universe deterministic but not because of divine guiding light."
"Universe a collection of different elements interacting. Not truly enlightened until can embrace every element at once. Every element is just a piece and by choosing one element choosing to be less than you can be."
Chapter Seventeen
Argat says "And now we trip to place familiar to Pernna, high energy zone." Pernna says "I'm ready."
"You see the west is darkness and the east is light. You told you can travel to one or the other." "Yes." "So travel." Pernna drifts aimlessly to the west and then stops dead in her tracks and starts crying. "What wrong?" "I can't! It's a lie!" "You must go where your heart takes you." "My heart takes me to right here in the middle crying my eyes out." "Let me tell you secret. You operate as if you are in body but you are not in body. The middle is perfect place to be, you can reach out to all elements. Don't act you are a body in zone, act your body is zone." "I can't... I'm of the light! I'm of the light!!" "Disappointing... Really hope you were the descendant of Jarrell. Mind said no but heart said yes."
"I can't... I can't..." "I hope you will. If are in fact ones who save us from Blight."
Chapter Eighteen
We transport out to the sound of alarms and screaming. Darn says "They're here." Kilka says "I guess they aren't the result of Jarrell's anger at the church." "Maybe they followed us?"
We go outside and the Blight have formed a figure again. "The Areates were fools for not believing, they deserve a little smack." Darn says "Why!!??" "Find me."
Pernna says "You killed my father! I will not yield to you!" Argat says "Analyze feelings." "What?" "You feel darkness living in you." "Yes... I do..." "Good. You're on right path. Don't forget light, understand duality of universe." "But... It hurts. The darkness hurts." "Work on that."
The Blight fly away with minimal death or damage.
"The darkness has compassion too. Compassion for the whole, the greater good."
Chapter Nineteen
Jaias says he's found a high energy zone at the centre of the galaxy and that it's connected to the high energy zone we've experienced. "I couldn't find it at first because, as you know, space is dilated, a high energy zone can take up a molecule of space but inside have infinite space. I believe the square that we've visited is the entrance to this high energy zone." "It's a portal?" "Yes. And we need Pernna to open it." Pernna says "I'll try my hardest."
We enter the previous high energy zone. "I am not in the high energy zone, I am the high energy zone."
"I... I feel like I'm disappearing." Argat says "Yes, that's it, borders between you and zone must disappear." "It's scary." "Don't worry you come back." "It feels like too much. It's too much to take in." "Well remember how it felt when you first visited, now think about fact it's that feeling multiple times over. If you can do one you can do all." "I can't..."
"We made progress. Usually I would say meditative pace perfectly fine but we racing against time. Get rest and tomorrow go much harder. I'm coming on ship. Like said you're not Tyn but may still have chance."
Darn's device beeps, he says "High alert from Eran. The capitol is under attack by Blight."
Chapter Twenty
We land on a field outside the capitol, the capitol's spaceport being infested with Blight. "We are to escort the royal family to Station A where they will be safest." Darn says.
The door opens, me in lead, and it is immediately filled with Blight. I cast fire and kill everything in the air lock, some minor burns amongst my team but basically fine. The usual harsh air of the Eran home world seems much cleaner under the attack, even though the from here it would appear the city is on fire and the smoke is billowing.
About three kilometres from the city we begin our journey through farmer's fields, Kilka seeming less motivated than the rest of us. Darn says "You wouldn't dare slow down because you know it's the royal family we're saving." "I would dare." "Heresy!" "That's me." "It's for the good of the galaxy that we save the royal family." "It's for the good of the galaxy we let the Blight kill the royal family." "I should kill you where you stand." "You can try." Darn casts ice and Kilka puts up a wall. "Look, I still believe we have a chance to save this galaxy, what with the descendant here with us, I'm just not thrilled about selling my soul to Eran." "Fine. You don't have to save the royal family, just don't get in our way." "Fine."
We reach the city.
Chapter Twenty One
Blood stains and body parts scattered everywhere, it would appear we're too late. Darn says "The family may still be safe in the bunker."
Making our way through the city, it would appear as though we missed the action. Streets are deserted, blood everywhere. Nobody said a word from when we got to the city limits 'till we get to the castle. We get to the castle and it's just as empty and bloodied as the streets. A piece of the ceiling falls in front of us and breaks on the ground. Kilka says "Heh." Darn says "Don't get your hopes up yet, the bunker is impenetrable."
We get to the elevator, it doesn't work. "Looks like we're walking." We get to the stairs and they're entirely collapsed. We go back to the elevator, pry the doors open and release the hatch on the floor. Kilka says "Fuck that, not going through all that just to bring evil to safety. I'll keep guard up here." It's pitch black but we shimmy down the wire for what felt like an hour, not knowing when we'd hit ground, but eventually we do. We pry the door open and enter a room illuminated by electric light and a very heavy door.
Darn goes up to a screen and presses the button. The king's servant comes on the screen. "Darn. Thank the heavens." Darn says "I've been told I'm here to escort the royal family to Station A." "Good. We only had enough food for another week, the station is probably our best hope of getting out alive." "Hope is marginal, but it's worth a try."
The door opens and the royal family step out. "Can you climb?" The king says "Well the young ones can, but I don't think I have the strength to make it all the way to the top." "Then we'll carry you." "That's awfully nice of you. I think we have some rope, that could wor- ...That lady. Pernna, I presume?" "Um, yes, your majesty." "Good, good..."
Chapter Twenty Two
We make it to the top, reunite with Kilka, who looked like he was plotting something but restraining himself for the good of the galaxy. We travel through the dead city and back to our ship, the Blight seem to have gone away completely.
As expected, the moment we get to the station the Blight arrive. We run through the first door we could find into the greenhouse. A massive compartment with many levels all growing food. The elevator moves rather slow because it needs to carry farm equipment. The king's room is at the very top of the station and the greenhouse elevator is a good way to get there.
We put the king, the queen and the two princes in the middle of the platform while the four of us stand on different edges. The elevator slowly travels upward while we destroy all the Blight following us. The Blight get through Kilka's side and attack the queen. Darn says "NO!!" and casts ice on it before it can kill her, but she loses both her legs. The king starts to cry. "YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!" "I swear I didn't." "WHEN THIS IS OVER, MARK MY WORDS, YOU WILL BE DEAD BY MY HAND!" "Behind you." Darn turns around and casts ice on the Blight while Pernna tries to heal the queen. Kilka says "It's more important you focus on the attack than try to heal this old witch, else we could all meet her fate." The queen, crying, says "He's right. Focus." The king screams out and runs at Kilka. "Careful" he says, then stepping aside and letting the Blight attack him. "Something may happen if you compromise our defences." The blight split him in half at the torso before Darn casts ice on it.
We get to the top of the greenhouse. In his dying breath, the king says to Pernna "Dear Pernna, descendent of Jarrell, the galaxy is in your hands." Pernna says "I can do it. I feel it now. I can do it." Kilka says "You understand the darkness, our perspective." "I do. I understand. If Jarrell can then I can."
Chapter Twenty Three
We travel back to the birth planet and walk up to the square. Pernna casts a light and a dark spell at the same time. The square starts to glow and then a pillar of light shoots upward.
Jaias says "I should warn you, everything that was written about this sort of thing suggests this may be a one way trip, and I'm not sure we'd survive long on the other side." Pernna says "Okay." Darn says "We must." Kilka says "If it's what has to be. I figured there was a pretty good chance we weren't going to survive this anyway." and I said nothing.
The pillar shoots upward into the sky. Jaias takes out some equipment and does some readings. "It leads to the black hole at the centre of the galaxy, as expected."
Kilka says "Well, shall we?" And we enter.
Chapter Twenty Four
As we shoot into the sky faster than the speed of light, a voice is heard in our minds. "Welcome to our home. We are the chosen people. When the previous civilization was decimated by Blight, the righteous came here, following Jarrell. We are cursed with eternal life. We are not dead but we are not alive."
We arrive and land on a marble square. A city stretches infinitely into the horizon, the tall buildings made of gold. Eternal night. I hear a voice in my head explaining what these people are...
People on the street have no legs, they only levitate. They have no arms, they create things with telekinesis. They have no mouths, they speak telepathically and have no need for food. Their eyes are huge, their foreheads are huge. Otherwise they look like us.
All they do all day is create neon coloured art with their minds, all day, wherever they are. They create it by manipulating antimatter with their minds. When they complete something they immediately destroy it and start something new.
At the centre of this high energy body is Jarrell, the one true God. He is waiting for us.
Chapter Twenty Five
We get there and it is the one building not made of gold, it is a giant dome made of marble. We enter the building and it is a black circular indentation across the whole floor, with what I can only assume is Jarrell hovering in the middle of it.
"Welcome, chosen souls." Pernna says "Hel-" "No, don't speak. I speak."
"The Blight is an act of charity. We must cut off the arm to save the body. It's healthy. Why do you wish to stop this? Pernna, you've recently became a mage of both light and dark, in doing so you must have realized that the dark is necessary. Well this is the light and the dark in action. This is the only true outcome. This is the galaxy correcting itself. I brought you here so that somebody would understand my actions, and the only people I respect in this terrible galaxy are you four, so the only people I need to explain myself to are you four."
"Pernna, I don't care that you're my descendant, I like you for you. I don't know what got in your head that for some reason because you're my descendant you're the only one who can save the galaxy. I just don't care. Kilka, I'm sorry I had to destroy your home planet just so I could see you. Darn, Arropa, you're the only members of the Eran military that I can stumoch..."
I say "Jarrell... If I may have a word..." "Please do, if it's you who's speaking this must be good."
"I find beauty in a dystopic government, one that can't be matched. We've grown to the point where we've colonized and made beautiful so many places. If we had a perfect society we wouldn't have descent, we wouldn't have fellows like Kilka, and we would be so much more boring. And even if you can't get past the fact that we're a little evil, you should know there are still pockets of good keeping us honest. I vowed myself to Eran due to my desire for a unified and powerful galaxy. Living in a dystopia is so beautiful I almost want to cry. I can't believe a demi god such as yourself can't find beauty in ugly. The government, the people fighting the government, everything, it all comes together to form this beautiful place that is our galaxy. Just because of philosophical differences you're going to end something so beautiful? If that's the way you're going to behave I refuse to even acknowledge you as my deity."
"I knew I brought you here for a reason. That was well said. I'm calling off the Blight, but not because you moved me that much, just that you sort of mirrored the opinion of The Council. I was going to defy them but you've swayed me." Pernna says "The council?" "I've said too much, mortals are not allowed to peek behind that curtain."
"Look, as I'm sure you know, there's no going back to your galaxy. That door is closed. I can't let you stay here, you'd ruin our purity and quite frankly starve to death. I'm ending your mortal coil here." And that's the end of my story.