Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Fantasy

Chapter 7 Determination

As Illia and her troops make their escape, they were given a short time to catch their breath. However more bad news come from the frontline.

(Illia and her troops are resting beneath a wooden house, The Antimatter cannons emp disabled the Praetors weapons. Rendering them Unarmed)

Illia* This is bad... You are unarmed.

Praetorian soldiers* Worry not your Highness, we are still capable of finishing the mission. Our suits are still able to meld with the dark.

(Human Soldiers and towering Mechs patrols outside in hopes of finding Illia and her troops)

Illia* We can't leave yet. Hold I'll try and contact Renue.

(Illia tampers with the FTL and it made contact with Renue)

Illia* Renue? Hello? Are you there? Is this thing on?

(A chittering sound can be heard from the FTL and soon a signal was established)

Unknown* Whe... r... S-Sig..nal... Come...in...ver.

Illia* Renue?

Renue* Illia what is your status? We are getting hammered here. But we received help from the Order. They are supporting us in our assault.

Illia* I've lost 4 men already. And we're not even half way to Belazel. The antimatter cannons stopped are advance. 

Renue* Where are you currently? The location, check the map in the Tachyon communicator to see how far you are from Belazel.

(Illia pressed multiple buttons randomly and with some luck a map of the current area projected into a wall)

Illia* It say here we are at a place called Verion. And the map says next is Pactogan, then Belazel.

Renue* Great... Still far. We will hold out some more. See you when its done.

Illia* (I could feel the disappointment in his voice) Xyphas still hasn't returned. And my soldiers are unarmed. I need to get them weapons.

(Illia ordered the Praetorians to watch for the enemy)

Illia* Take your positions and don't be seen... I'll take out this patrol so that we may be able to get to our destination faster.

(Illia goes out the old house and saw a little girl huddled in rubble, The little girl is shaking and didn't even notice her. Illia could see a silhouette screaming from within the girl, as if trying to break free)

Illia* I see it... This is the call of the dead.

(The winds gusted as echoes from the war reached the southern area of Verion)

(Illia could see the sadness in the girls eyes, She wanted to approach her. But her duty to her men and people demanded otherwise)

Illia* I have to finish this... Otherwise many more of these orphans will suffer.

(Illia drew her weapons and sprouted her wings, she now confronts the patrol that is after them)

Human soldier* Tell the commander we have found the enemy.

Mech pilot* Understood!

(But before any message could be relayed to the mechs transmitter, a bolt of lighting struck the mech and shut it down)

Illia* I'm going forward... And you are in my way.

(Illia mercilessly drove her arm into one of the soldiers on foot and pulled his head from his body, Illia then throws the severed head into the sky. And as every soldier looked up, she made her way with them... Left and right blood and limb spills... Bullets and fire would bounce from her cloak. Every scream and pain they felt empowered her)

Illia* I have no need of dead bodies... 

(Screams, blood... And death followed in Illias wake. Forgetting that she left her men alone and that she needed to bring them along. What happened? These thoughts go on deep inside the mind within her...)

(As Illia advances she sees an antimatter cannon pointed at her but somehow shutdown)

Illia* Took you long enough...

(A human corpse riddled with holes and burns appeared from behind the cannon... It was Xyphas in a host)

Xyphas* I like my battle messy... And delicious.

Illia* Come let me free you from that prison... We still have a job to do.

(Xyphas slowly approach her, the body could no longer take any punishment. Once close Illia pulls Xyphas off of the body, finally ending the hosts torment)

Xyphas* Thank you, that was refreshing. Ohh? You are alone... What of your men?

(Illia looks back and remembers that she had left them)

Illia* I think its alright for us to leave them. They can follow if ever, I've cleared the road ahead.

(Xyphas chuckles and points where the dead bodies have piled)

Xyphas* More like blocking the road is more like it. I have stopped the Antimatter cannons, and the alarm soon shall stop as the ion batteries have already burned with the EMP discharge.

Illia* Good. We are close to Pactogan... Then Belazel.

Xyphas* Look Illia... 

(Xyphas points towards the dead bodies and shows silhouettes of screaming souls)

Xyphas* Will you not take them?

(Illia brandishes her Scythe as she eyes the souls)

Illia* These are the souls of the departed...

Xyphas* Yes...  They call to the Sepulcher. You must heed them. There is no stopping the nature of your kind, nor suppressing it. You just have to embrace it. 

(Illia approached the souls in the body, they would reach out to her in desperation, the souls then flees the body and goes to Illia. Each soul that enters her body could be heard whispering)

Illia* They whisper....

(Xyphas then points north and told Illia to take every soul she sees... From both the living and the dead)

Xyphas* You can't have them running around like that. They are like poison in water. If you leave it alone it becomes troublesome. Remember Illia... You are the Reaper.