Chapter 15

"Alia is dead you say?" A deep voice spoke gently in the darkness. "Things have been set in motion then. We can no longer wait in silence, brother. If we stay here and do nothing the princess will have her weapon, and we will die."

One night after the demise of Salem's enemy, Kalis felt a strange sensation cascade through the unseen depths of Lacuna. Unsure of what had occurred, the green-colored Valekry rushed towards a secret location far away from his duty at the docking bay and began preparations for what he believed to be the day of reckoning.

"I know you want to fight them," the Valekry explained as he navigated his way through a strange lightless building. "But have faith in my plan. I will have them devour each other and save our brethren without bloodshed."

Kalis flicked a switch to his left, suddenly filling the room with light. His secretive headquarters appeared in the form of an old glass tower built at the bottom of Lacuna, its large windows overseeing the floor of what had eventually become the modern Tella city. To keep his secrecy Kalis had precisely chosen his base to be extremely old and forgotten, with not a soul in sight as he continued to activate several terminals surrounded by old dead metal.

"I've kept a close eye on that girl Salem. She's just as aggressive and reckless as expected. But she has sympathy for our kind, perhaps that can be used to our advantage."

A large humming sound enveloped the tower as Kalis's base finished coming to life. For years, he had operated the dusty home he called a lab, with its outdated yet familiar systems. During that time he had watched patiently as the Tella quite literally buried themselves in a new lair of greed, creating the boundless roof he could see above. But unlike the city surface Salem had toured, Kalis's old tower oversaw nothing but a barren grey wasteland devoid of plants or mechanical light.

From what he could tell, the forgotten layer of Lacuna was similar to the surface above, only everything seemed a bit less colorful and complex with dull greys and blocky textures dominating most of the architecture. But the old Valekry cared little for the fashion and decorum of the modern Tella and was more than happy with his rustic yet practical assortment of industrial tech. Armed with everything he needed, Kalis continued his work as he paced around the lab.

"I will finish my plan, and if it fails, you know what to do."

The lone Valekry then sprung into action, his mechanical arms busy preparing a series of vials and tablets upon a fragile-looking table at the center of the room. His work was chaotic yet calculated as evidenced by his blistering pace; and even as fragments of glass and liquid spilled onto the floor, he refused to slow down. Eventually, Kalis released a sigh of relief as he finished concocting a strange black fluid that he held proudly in the palm of his hand.

"Look at the way it moves," Kalis beamed as he brushed aside the strange black tablets littering his table. "I knew her death had to mean something. Before, my artifacts were lifeless and still, and yet the moment she was gone they were renewed with something magical."

As far as Kalis knew much of his work depended on the mysteries of an ancient power he could not control - that power of course being related to Alia. In the past, the black tablets he had collected usually contained inscriptions of sorts etched into their surface, but without proper translation, they seemed useless. But everything changed the night Alia had perished. The black artifacts lit up with orange, green, and purple hues, as their lifeless surfaces were filled with power. All Kalis had to do then was grind the artifacts up into a messy fluid of broken shards and blood to finish his work.

"Now for a test," Kalis muttered as he reached for a multi-colored panel to his right.

Suddenly two large glass cells appeared beside Kalis as the walls around him unfolded. Within his testing grounds lay two unconscious Tella, each of them having been kidnapped some time ago to foster Kalis's work. He of course had no intention of waking them or informing them of the pain they would soon experience.

"Begin testing procedure #107," Kalis continued to speak to himself as he inserted his black vile into a nearby console. "Seal the rest of the room."

As the doors closed around Kalis each glass cell was abruptly filled with the black liquid, its gooey texture brushing against the pale skin of the Tella. At first, there seemed to be no reaction, much to the disappointment of Kalis. But after only twelve seconds had passed, an explosion of black blood suddenly shattered the glass as both Tella were violently consumed by the liquid.

"There we go," Kalis smiled. "That is the gift you deserve."

From the eager Valekry's observations, it was as if his crafted substance had sprung to life with unrivaled energy. And in a few brief moments, two figures stood up from the mess of liquid, their forms much taller and no longer visibly feminine. Kalis had succeeded.

"Now show me what you've got."

Staring intently at his test subjects with his singular eye, Kalis took notice of several ghoulish features on the now-dead Tella's body. As far as he could tell they had been completely warped into a skeletal form with no hair or flesh left. Everything they once were as organics had been replaced with rough black skin, which when paired with the unsettling smile that grew upon their enlarged mouths, created an image of sheer terror.

Kalis was not at all surprised when both abominations lept towards him with fury, their long spindly claws aimed directly at his face. The Valekry then made sure to jump clear of his foe, their tumbling bodies shattering the lab's table with ease. And for what felt like an eternity, the husks continued to pursue Kalis around his lab as he smiled at them with glee.

"Very good, I see you are attracted to what I have," the Valekry calmly spoke as he opened the palm of his hand to reveal pulsating green energy.

Kalis then unleashed his power as it struck the husks in a wave of strange green light, which at first seemed to do no damage at all. But just before the husks launched another attack, a green eyeball appeared above Kalis's head with the appearance of a hologram, as his hands then began to morph into the shape of a claw resembling his foes.

"Mine now," Kalis taunted as he flexed his new spindly fingernails, its green holographic image designed to perfectly reflect the monster it had copied.

Kalis then threw himself at the husk to his left, tackling it and tearing it to pieces with the same savagery it had shown to his beloved lab. Once he had completed his assault, he retrieved the head of his enemy and chucked it toward the second husk as if mocking it. The remaining monster was of course unphased and prepared itself for battle with an unsettling screech.

"And?" Kalis replied with a severe lack of amusement in his voice.

The green Valekry then lifted his left claw, its mechanical forearm unveiling a concealed missile that abruptly ignited and flew toward the enemy before completely obliterating it in a fiery explosion.

"And nothing," Kalis finished as he waved at the green-colored smoke that covered his lab after the explosion. "I've finally seen you for what you really are."

An intense hatred then burned within Kalis's heart as he remembered his true enemy and the very reason he worked in secrecy at the bottom of Lacuna. In his mind, the Tella were always monstrous husks deserving of death, and now, he could transform their entire civilization into the appearance they so rightfully deserved.

"One final step of preparation remains, then, we shall see you all."

But before Kalis could reach for the largest button in his lab, he paused for a moment and continued to ponder in silence. In the past, he had always prided himself for being a brilliant planner, and could not stand the sensation of forgetfulness. Kalis knew in his heart that there was a loose end.

"Salem," he muttered as he opened a holographic camera display in front of his face. "I saw your work the night Cora died. You did me a good thing, killing her and those Tella in such a way. I still do not appreciate what you did to my brethren that night and yet, I feel grateful to you. Perhaps your crimson power is not my enemy. Perhaps, you do not deserve the fate of the Tella."

Kalis stood in busy contemplation for hours as he stared at his security display, its many screens displaying footage related to Salem and her daily activities. The Valekry could clearly see the little doll, Salem's children, and of course the crimson mother herself. Every second he continued to monitor her since they met, he felt more and more sympathy toward her. Eventually, Kalis concluded Salem was not like the other Tella.

"You love your children. You took care of that doll the night Alia gave you a chance to abuse her," Kalis sighed. "You weren't even on Lacuna for all these years. Very well then, I will give you a chance."

Kalis then put his final plans on pause as he began to consider his next move. No matter what, he knew he would have his revenge against the Tella, even if Salem opposed him. But for now, the old and hateful Valekry would stay his hand in favor of friendship.

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After her visit to the center of Lacuna, Salem relaxed in silence observing her newly liberated friend with a curious expression. Unlike her maker, Ali was cheery and full of energy, as evidenced by the manner in which she eagerly darted around Alia's home with a broom and dustpan in hand. The doll made sure to open the curtains of each stuffy room, take out the trash, and even orient the furniture of the massive abode all without saying a word.

"Are you ever going to take a break?" Salem groaned as she checked the wooden grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "You've already transformed the place."

"What do you mean? I'm just trying to be a good friend!" Ali replied with a hurried expression.

"Why do you even care so much about this anyway."

"I don't know really, I just get the feeling it's what she wanted," the doll shrugged as she painstakingly swept all the various bits of metal and dust outside the room.

"Well, you've got a knack for maid work I'll give you that," Salem scoffed. "I only lasted twenty minutes helping you before I got bored."

"Well you did a good job," Ali lied with a fake smile. "You would have been an excellent maid hehe."

"Oh please, don't give me that. I will admit though, the place looks...different."

Not even Salem could deny how well Ali had fixed up the place. Thanks to her work, Alia's once decrepit home now appeared in the shape of a warm and regal winter-themed cabin, with polished boreal wood and silky purple curtains decorating every inch of the abode. Some time ago, Salem could easily imagine Alia was just as bright as her doll, seeing as she had to have gone out of her way to even add such decorum to the place. Similar to Cora she was clearly a dainty recluse at some point. But as far as complexity went Alia's home took the cake with how it seemingly etched itself into the rocky mountainside of Lacuna's outskirts.

"She made it with her Flower, didn't she," Salem thought to herself as she began to admire Alia's sense of style. "I think we shall stay here, how's that sound?"

"Wonderful!" Ali beamed.

Suddenly Valor landed just outside the porch with a bang, followed by a torrent of dust. The energetic knight made sure to stick to the landing and avoid the debris before giving Ali the thumbs up. Not expecting such a loud crash, Salem nearly jumped out of fright, waving her fists at Valor with a flustered expression.

"I noticed you were doing some housework there Ali, so I eh, took it upon myself to clear the roof," Valor beamed.

"Very good Valor," Ali laughed as the Knight strolled in, brushing off his shoulders with confidence. "You've done me a great favor."

"Oh, so I'm the only lazy one then eh?" Salem laughed.

"Well, I didn't see Anger doing any work," Valor shrugged.

"Actually, I think I saw him fixing the fences lining the path to the home," Ali added with a slight wince. "He didn't say a word and just kept patrolling after that."

"Told ya," Salem frowned as she began to feel worthless. "Even my reclusive son does something good."

"Well without you, none of us would even be here to help," Valor reminded his lazy mother.

"He's right Salem," Ali added with a smile. "You've done some real good, even if you don't feel like it."

"Doing good?" Salem paused.

It had never occurred to the red mother that she was capable of adding something positive to anyone's life, let alone her own. But as she watched her new family get along, she began to forget her troubles and simply smile. No matter how unnatural it felt to be happy Salem still enjoyed every second of it.

"Doing good, huh," Salem continued as she watched Ali and Valor interact. "I like that."

Just then, Anger strolled in from another opening in the room, his usually cold face seeming strangely content.

"Anything to report?" Salem stared as she got up from her chair.

"For once, things are contained," Anger nodded as he brushed past Ali. "There is no cause for concern."

"Oh well that's a relief," Valor joked as he comforted the doll who Anger had so rudely walked through.

"I did speak to Korus before we concluded our visit."

"And?" Both Salem and Valor inquired. "What is the verdict on Alia?"

"He says there is nothing to worry about concerning the collapse of the Strand. Ina insists Lacuna has seen worse, and all is well with your reputation in the city."

"Excellent, that still means free goodies then, doesn't it," Salem gloated. "She's a good friend both in person and at a distance."

"I do not trust the princess's willingness to give you so much so easily."

"There's a princess? And they give you presents?" Ali gasped with wonder in her eyes. "I thought you just needed some air."

"You have a lot to catch up on don't you," Salem chuckled, realizing she had given the doll a lackluster excuse before traveling to see Ina. "I'm sorry to leave you in the dark like that little doll. I promise next time I won't leave without a better explanation."

The family then continued their banter as joy filled the air. Not even Anger could deny how content he felt seeing Salem safe and well. And for a time, all was right with the world. But unbeknownst to the group, a silent man was spying from the nearby rocky cliffs of Lacuna.

"It's really you, her daughter," the figure whispered to himself in a masculine voice. "Salem."

___________________________________________________

Two thousand years ago, the young knight Corian stood over the edge of a massive silver wall overlooking the Flora capital, his blue eyes narrowing as he watched a black cloud envelop the horizon. Grown artificially by the Flora, he was entrusted to represent humanity's servitude and loyalty to the empire and was trained intensively all his life for the sole purpose of combat. But for the first time ever Corian felt fear in his heart as he watched the black cloud creep closer and closer.

"What did he do," Corian muttered to himself.

In the past, the Flora had taken great pride in decorating their Dyson sphere (a hollow planet surrounding a sun) with layers of complex rings, each of their surfaces having been engrained with beautiful cities both grounded and airborne. As always the ancient alien race preferred to cover everything in chrome with angular shapes and neon lights. But every now and again Corian could spot a gorgeous habitat with organic houses and plants, reminding him of the home he never really had. Now all that beauty was gone, devoured by the mysterious enemy that had already encroached on much of the known universe.

"Orbital defenses are still completely disabled, the parasite will reach your location soon," a robotic intelligence spoke into Corians mind, its feminine voice unusually worried. "You should be leaving now Sapphire."

"He disabled the defenses, didn't he."

"Unable to answer. The Flora have instructed you to head to the upper levels of the city as soon as possible."

"What? There are millions of people down here, they came to us for refuge! We can't just leave them."

"The Flora city above is a higher priority."

"If the parasite devours those people, it will gain enough biomass to wash over us ten times."

"It already has that strength I'm afraid. The entire army is here as far as we know, despite the known difficulties of space traversal."

Corian clenched his fist in defiance. Typically he was the loyal type of knight who only ever gave backtalk in halfhearted jokes and quips, but years of combat against the parasite had taught him the true horrors of war. On the day of the Flora's collapse, he understood the full meaning of desperation and was no longer willing to pretend there was some glorious victory to be won.

"I'm not leaving them."

"You will not have support, Sapphire," the Ai explained as she made sure to refer to Corian by his actual codename in an attempt to calm him down.

"Yea well, I never did," Corian shrugged before jumping off the side of the wall overlooking the Flora city below.

As the young knight spiraled through the air as fast as he could, a blue gem embedded in his ear began to glow, its energy shimmering through his short black hair. Suddenly a large sheet of metal appeared out of his earring and began transforming into a black suit of armor that neatly enveloped his body. By the time Corian came crashing down onto the ground, his symmetrical black armor completely absorbed his fall, its diamond patterns pulsating with a blue aura.

"How long do I have," Corian asked politely while making sure to inspect his suit for damage. "Please Pyri."

"Ten minutes, everyone on that other side of the wall will be dead in five."

"That fast huh," Corian grimaced as he began a full sprint toward the direction of the surface docks. "Why am I not surprised."

"Evacuation procedures will take at least thirty minutes if you activate the lifeboats now."

"You mean they aren't already active?!"

"The Flora have not authorized evacuation proced-,"

"Ceris was right," Corian interrupted. "They don't care, not as long as they have their little collection."

"Corian they have ships," Pyri explained as she highlighted several alien vessels that hovered over the city.

"None of them can run far enough, you know that. We need the arks, and fast!"

Thanks to the so-called generosity of the Flora, many lost alien races were permitted to park their own vessels near the lower reaches of the planet, creating a large cluster of diverse shapes in the sky. Some vessels took the appearance of flying fortresses, with blocky bulwarks and protruding cannons lining every inch of their reinforced hulls. Other civilizations cared more for aesthetics and speed, creating spear-shaped airships more akin to aquatic fish.

"Many of them are advanced races, Sapphire, the Flora have insisted they can make an escape on their own if they so choose."

"Don't lie to me Pyri they won't even last an hour out there. I don't care how big or how fast some of those vessels may be. I don't care if it's shaped like a needle or a damn ice cube, only the Flora have the arks that can take them far away enough."

As Corian rushed through the pristine silver halls of the Flora's metallic planet, he came upon a massive refugee camp the size of a city all on its own, filled to the brim with alien species of all shapes and sizes. Unlike the Flora who preferred uniform patterns of silver, blue, and orange, the refugee center had been newly refurbished with a more chaotic appearance.

"Oh no," Corian gasped, realizing how many species had yet to even attempt an escape.

Every lost culture in the galaxy had been centered at the bottom of the Flora's capital, with all their colors and unique architecture present in a well-organized cluster. Some were small and beautiful, while others were enormous and fierce. But what they all had in common was fear for the parasite and its unstoppable army.

"What is going on mister knight?" A small girl with insect wings squeaked as she hid partially behind her flower-shaped house.

"Get to the docks as fast as you can, spread the word!" Corian yelled as he continued to run at a pace far greater than most vehicles.

"The terminal won't work human," a second much larger creature motioned towards Corian with its scaled arms. "What do we do?"

"I'll start the procedure, I have the authority, just get everyone as close to the ships as you can."

Soon all the different races began to cooperate with each other in an inspiring display of civility as they crowded around the docks closer to the edge of the city. Due to some marvelous engineering, the Flora had constructed several pill-shaped vessels near the very outskirts of space, their large hulls capable of transporting thousands of people anywhere in the galaxy. But Corian knew there was no place to run, and hurriedly began to input classified coordinates into a holographic terminal once he had finally reached the ships.

"Destination Peruvia," Corian ordered as the giant ark ships began to open their polished doors.

"Corian there is something you need to know," Pyri whispered to the young knight as the refugees began to carefully enter the ships with their women and children first.

"Not now Pyri," Corian muttered. "Now everyone! Get inside!"

"Corian the arks fit only so much for Peruvia colonization."

But before Corian could respond, a large furry hand clasped his shoulder, urging him to turn around.

"What is it!" The knight yelled before his eyes widened. "Wait, Azenath?"

The lumbering figure that stood before Corian was none other than the feared empress of the Thara tribe, who once enslaved an entire corner of the milky way before the parasite took over. But Azenath did not always live up to the reputation of her people and spoke to the knight with a smooth and reasonable tone.

"Corian, that's you in the suit correct?" Azenath calmly inquired.

"You got it. Didn't think I was that memorable."

"This isn't your first time visiting the refugee center young knight. You have my gratitude for doing what the Flora could not."

"Yea well, anything for my bear friends."

"Hmph, you keep calling us that," Azenath playfully snarled as she thumped the chest of her own golden armor. "Do we really look like your furry creatures?"

"Well yea, if they wore cool plate armor and shot giant guns," Corian laughed. "It's a compliment though, you guys can be awesome, like when I saw you building most of the houses here."

"The path of redemption is a long one, especially after what my mother did to many of these people."

True to her word, Azenath's opulent family was well known for selling other races and imbibing the pleasures of their flesh, especially if they were attractive and feminine. If any race were to resist the Thara, they would have to face the cruel might of an elephant-sized army wielding unusually advanced ballistic weaponry. But once the parasite attacked, Azenath's family was slaughtered and her mother's golden empire shattered.

No amount of sparkling jewels or silky robes could stop the plague, nor could massive armies and disciplined soldiers.

"I saw my own reflection in the dead eyes of those monsters," Azenath continued. "And so I now make amends."

"Speaking of people Azenath, get yours out of here," Corian motioned towards the arks. "You guys may be a bunch of gun-hoe hippos, but even you have women and children to care for."

"Agreed little human, but the others go first."

"Corian!" Pyri screamed. "There's not enough room!"

Suddenly, the distant wall Corian had leaped from just a moment ago began to shudder as the black mist drew closer. Thousands of screams could be heard from the other end while a series of explosions shook the docking platform. But after a mere handful of seconds had passed, everything went completely silent.

"They're here," Azenath growled. "How fast can you get them out of here?"

"I...," Corian stammered, unable to speak the truth.

"Corian!"

But as Azenath surveyed the remaining crowd of refugees and the number of ships that hadn't even begun to warm their engines, she came to a cold realization.

"There's not enough room," she muttered to herself as her own people began to crowd around her with desperate looks on their faces. "Not enough time either."

"I tried Azenath I," Corian tried his best to stay calm.

"How many will make it out little machine, I know you are there," Azenath called out to Pyri.

"So far only twenty percent," Pyri spoke out loud.

"And if we fight?"

"thirty."

Azenath closed her eyes and clenched her fist. She knew what had to be done, and trembled at the thought. But suddenly, she was filled with courage and determination as tears welled up in her large beady eyes.

"But what if we fight like hell little machine."

"What?"

"We can hold them off."

"Every minute is another percent."

"So it is then!" Azenath roared as she smacked Corian in the back. "We fight! All of us!"

The Thara tribe watched with wonder in their eyes as they listened to their empress.

"For all that is beautiful in this world, for all that we have done to ruin it," the empress bellowed as she climbed atop a nearby crate.

Many other alien races began to watch as well, the largest and most combat-ready feeling a rush of confidence in their heart. They may have hated many others in the past and felt a selfish need to survive, but now all that mattered was their inevitable last stand. No matter what wars were fought in the past, the great plague was the one true foe.

"All who can hold a weapon, hear me now! We fight for those who cannot, let the small and the weak board first! We will hold the line!"

"Azenath," Corian whispered as he watched an army of different races come together with whatever they had to rally behind the empress.

"Make formations! Prepare to meet them!" Azenath motioned with a large golden spear in her hand as she pointed to the wall on the horizon. "With me now!"

Having been filled with inspiration, Corian snapped out of his stupor and ran ahead of Azenath with a black sword unsheathed.

"Everyone! Around the empress! Those ships need time to get all the families out. If you want your species to survive, the fight is now," Corian explained to any remaining races who were unconvinced. "This is it, no one left in the whole galaxy to save you now."

Together, the refugees created a formation around the docks with the mighty Thara at the front, brandishing their bulky armor and weapons. What was left of the Flora's silver wall soon began to crumble as an oozing black goop seeped through the cracks. To everyone's horror, several arms then reached out from the broken wall as a chorus of screams erupted from all sides.

"There they are, monsters of the abyss," Azenath roared as she pointed towards the black horde that tore their way closer. "But we are warriors! We stand against a threat the universe has never known. Be proud!"

The Flora wall then completely collapsed in a storm of dust and metal, crushing the black hands instantly. But after the smoke cleared, the parasite appeared unphased as a mass of faceless corpses then swept across the city streets like a tidal wave. But just before the cascade of death could reach the Thara line, the corpses began to dissolve, their bodily essence coalescing into a much larger figure.

"I've seen this before," Corian muttered as he watched the once disorganized mosh pit of bodies transforms into a more complex structure.

"So have I," Azenath added quietly. "The weak bodies combine into something greater. Have the Flora still not discovered what drives these beasts?"

"Not exactly, but I think I know who led them here."

Just as Azenath had described, the parasite began to form orderly ranks with several new towering figures, their armored skin appearing strangely ornate as if designed by an artist. The Thara had dubbed these intelligent nightmares Nymphazen, due to their curved lances and butterfly-shaped wings. Once the creatures fully came to life, they released a deafening static sound from their featureless faces as a blinding light shot forth from their back.

"Did your people find any weaknesses?" Corian asked as he looked closely at the black armor of the Nymphazen.

"Their weapons produce energy so fierce not even they can withstand it. Use that to your advantage," the empresses huffed. "But otherwise, no my friend, those lumbering creatures do not die easy."

"Believe me, I know."

The Nymphazen then began to gracefully march towards the refugee army as a hoard of skeletal creatures sprinted past them, their ghoulish faces marked with bright-eyed smiles. But to make matters worse, a looming Flora vessel suddenly emerged past the parasite's black cloud, its infested surface releasing white pods that contained even more creatures.

"That must be our orbital fleet, they've taken it," Pyri spoke silently into Corian's mind. "Is that even possible?!"

"Calling all Thara vessels. Prepare your cannons, shoot those pods out of the air, and signal for the other races to do the same!" Azenath ordered as she glared at the Flora's diamond-shaped vessels, their massive and pristine surfaces once known for being completely impenetrable. "How did the parasite accomplish this? Those Flora promised us nothing could best their ships."

"They never told you how the war was really going, did they," Corian sighed as he realized even Pyri was kept in the dark.

At the empress's command, the Thara's blocky fleet began to open fire on the parasite's aerial army, their large guns releasing a deafening roar as a sea of metal and fire spewed out from their barrels. Much of the other race's vessels soon followed suit as a secondary wave of different projectiles came surging forth.

"That should buy us some time as long as they don't just destroy the whole fleet," Corian shrugged as he watched many of the ghoulish pods explode midair.

"Shields up!" Azenath ordered as the army of black creatures drew closer. "Begin bombardment!"

Together in perfect rhythm, the Thara soldiers activated several energy rings around their shields before slamming them into the ground. Once the protective formation was complete many of the soldiers behind began firing off countless volleys of metallic slugs that covered the air in fire and ash.

"Focus your fire on the Nymphazens!" Azenath continued to bellow orders as she fired off her own slug rifle, its blocky structure coated in precious gems.

A pair of missiles flew over Corian's head as every race desperately unleashed whatever weapons they possessed, decimating many of the fearless husks that rushed toward them. But just as the young knight had feared, most of the taller Nymphazen appeared unphased, as if blessed by some unholy magic. A direct confrontation with the beasts was inevitable.

"Brace for impact!" Both Corian and Azenath ordered before the endless horde of corpses crashed into the Tharan shields.

Total chaos ensued as the refugee army did its best to hold off the encroaching wave of merciless creatures. For a time the Tharan shields stayed strong as Corian darted around the lines, cutting apart every husk that climbed the formation with his black sword. Armed with his own enhanced suit, any attack unleashed by the young knight was blessed by the dark blue aura surrounding him, allowing him to remain virtually unstoppable.

"Corian the Nymphazen!" Azenath ordered as she pointed towards the nearest giant who stepped closer to the wall with its unsettling motions.

"I got it!" Corian replied as a blue stream of plasma shout out from his blade, cutting a rather large husk in half.

But before the young knight could reach Azenath's position a stream of black bullets collided with the shield next to him, destroying the formation in its entirety. Just as things couldn't seem to be worse, it appeared the parasite had armed several of its ghoulish forms with scavenged weaponry, several of which were Flora in origin. Corian made sure to narrowly dodge a beam of light before throwing a dagger straight into the eye of an armored husk.

"Plug the hole!" Azenath boomed as she pointed towards several large Thara waiting near the end of the line, their trunk-like arms cradling several large cannons. "Corian focus on the Nymphs!"

Corian then dashed past the chaotic mess of husks before many of them were cut down by the rotating cannons of the more elite Thara soldiers. Any creature that survived the volley would then be crushed by large halberds wielded by even bulkier Thara, whose job was to protect their ranged brethren at any cost. Despite the odds, it seemed for a time that the refugee line could hold thanks to the numerous types of weaponry at their disposal.

"Forty percent complete!" Pyri informed the army as she used her interface to help guide several alien vehicles through the messy battle. "Keep it up Corian!"

Meanwhile, the first Nymph had reached Azenath's front, crushing the shields with little effort using its lance. Upon facing the cannon fire of a nearby alien tank, the winged creature raised its terrible weapon in the air before calling down a stream of purple energy that decimated its surroundings. Not even the mightiest of Thara soldiers could stand up to the Nymph as their golden halberds merely grazed its chest.

"Come on!" Corian yelled as he leaped at the Nymph, cutting across its back with his sword.

Turning its attention to the knight, the Nymphazen expanded its wings and jumped far up into the sky before coming crashing down, its pointy lance releasing a lethal shockwave that slaughtered more of the refugee army. Corian made sure to stay clear of the cascading wave of purple energy before hurling his sword at the giant's hand. Azenath then appeared from behind the Nypmh, and using her ally's precise attack as an opportunity, she snatched the lance from the creature's damaged hands before cutting it to pieces.

"Keep fighting Corian," Azenath huffed as she threw Corian his blade before crushing a nearby husk with her elephant-sized foot. "Everyone else hold the line!"

Corian simply nodded before sprinting off in the direction of a second Nymph that had already broken through the line. But as the battle continued, it soon became clear how unstoppable the parasite truly was. Every time a Thara soldier or any other refugee fell in battle, the parasite would use its spindly hands to snatch their corpses and defile them before transforming the dead flesh into a new husk - armed to the teeth with the same weaponry and armor. Before long Azenath found herself battling her own people, their faces contorted with a ghoulish smile as they fought with no semblance of their original self.

"Fifty percent!" Pyri gasped as she watched the battle from an aerial perspective. "The ships are getting closer!"

Azenath looked up at the sky to see several of the corrupted Flora ships soar overhead. As far as she could tell, the enemy was most interested in destroying any chance of escape. After assisting Corian with another Nymph, the empress then climbed atop a ruined tank before issuing a grave order.

"Pyri, tell the ships to defend themselves, we can't lose them," Azenath coughed as she nearly tripped over her own dead people. "Those who survive in those ships can follow the arks, or at least try."

"Empress, without air support you'll-,"

"Do it! Everyone else, begin falling back to the docks!"

The refugee army then began to retreat as well as they could, with many of the parasites still deeply embedded within their formations. Corian himself stayed at the front, battling two nymphs at once with nothing but sheer determination driving his blade. But no matter how hard he tried the giants kept marching their way calmly towards the dock.

"Little knight," a strange Nymphazen whispered into Corian's mind as it batted him away with its lance. "You fight so hard."

"Wait what?" Corian paused with fear in his voice as he realized something was controlling the Nymph. "No, not now,"

"What is it Corian?" Azenath yelled across the battlefield as she helped her people regroup and blast apart another horde of husks with their cannons.

"It's a Herald!" Corian screamed as a piercing screech nearly deafened the young knight.

A black figure then jetted across the polluted air at impossible speeds, its large wings creating a shadow that darkened the sky. Azenath looked up in horror to see what she believed to be a dragon of sorts with razor-sharp claws and a long spiked tail. Before she could even coordinate an attack against the new foe, the intelligent beast barreled toward the refugee army before falling directly on top of it.

"Behold little creatures," the dragon laughed in a sinister tone as it flailed around the battlefield covered in its opponent's fresh blood. "It is I, Herald of your Goddess."

From what Corian had experienced in the past, he knew Heralds were capable of speaking through the mouths of their army, and shuttered in fear as the parasite began taunting him with a cascade of dead voices.

"Seventy percent complete! The arks are almost full, get your soldiers inside Empress!" Pyri yelled as loudly as she could. "Leave the Herald to Corian!"

"Ah yes little girl," the dragon replied to the Ai as it breached her private interface. "Send your brave knight, I wish to see which of us is stronger!"

"We're so close Corian just hold that thing off!" Pyri stammered as she attempted to ignore the Herald of Death. "If it flies after the other Arks I can't guarantee they won't be destroyed!"

After several more minutes of fighting and slaughter, Azenath's army reached the last escape vessel as the dragon continued its advance. Some few ranks managed to crowd into the Ark, but for the most part, all they could do was keep fighting till the end and hope their efforts would delay the enemy.

Things weren't looking any brighter in the air, as the refugee fleet struggled to defend itself against the infected Flora ships. But as Pyri issued new orders, the remaining vessels began to follow the arks and flee the battle. Soon all that was left was Azenath's proud army to fend off the horde. Because of them, so many species had already left the scene and escaped the impossible.

"Azenath come now, get your people in, I'll stay behind and make sure the Herald doesn't leave," Corian panted as he met the empress near the Ark's large gate. "We're so close."

Azenath paused for some time, before coming to a silent conclusion, "No brave knight, those people need someone to help guide them on their new world. They need a hero, not an empire."

"Azenath I was made for this!" Corian exclaimed. "Let me do the right thing."

"Ninety percent completion, just get the last of the army in there and we'll be-," Pyri explained before her voice cut off.

"You already have, dear friend," Azenath smiled. "Goodbye."

The mighty empress then grabbed hold of the knight with her furry hands before hurling him into the ark. As Corian reached out to protest, Azenath slammed her golden spear into the nearby Flora console, forcing the ark to close its final gate. At that moment, she was content.

"Azenath!" Corian cried as the door activated its emergency function and slammed in his face. "Pyri open the door!"

But Pyri was gone, as the Flora capital above began to crumble. What was left of her local data center had been ravaged by several heralds atop a large silver tower, where at that moment, a blue-haired woman fought for her life. Corian was left all alone, helpless to do anything but watch his new friend make her final stand.

"I refuse to be remembered as a monster. Today, I die a hero," Azenath smiled as she rallied the last of her troops at the edge of the docks. "Come now Thara, the end awaits us!"

Instead of pursuing Corian's ark, the winged herald smiled and posed itself for battle as it watched Azenath with envious eyes. In his crazed mind, the empress was something to be respected, and a worthy hero. A final struggle then ensued as the escaping arks drifted further into space and out of sight.

Five minutes later Azenath and the Thara warriors were dead, along with the rest of the Flora's precious city.

___________________________________

"That's the kind of battle we fought," Corian spoke to himself as he watched Salem with a distinct frown on his face. "That was the war your mother brought upon us all."