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Wisdom in the Flame
"The Gods are mighty, indeed.." Grandfather explained. The campfire behind him burned brilliantly and with vigor, and the strong northern winds whipped embers high into the cold, black sky above. The acrid smoke burned in my nostrils, but not so strong as to erase the scent of blood - both my own and that of my quarry.
"But there are immortals in the multi-verse.." he continued. "Not far-removed from us like the Gods.. but ever-present, and ever-watching us." this last part he emphasized by driving the butt of his stout, wooden staff into my shoulder. I hardly felt it, in fact I hardly felt anything on that side of my body. My fight with the desert beast was fierce and violent. When I did not whimper or cry or flinch at my grandfather's touch, the wrinkled and weathered old man - my namesake - continued.
"There are those whose influence spans not across rivers and mountains, nor across the plains, or entire continents.. but across planets, across galaxies!" I understood the concept of what a planet was.. our planet, at least. But that there were other planets, orbs of rock, water and wind like ours, high in the sky, was something I could not fathom. And the word galaxy was not one I recognized at all. I wasn't sure then that I believed in any of it. But Grandfather certainly did, and with a fierceness I had seen in no other man so long as I had lived.
"Overlord Ze-qaht is one such immortal." I could tell it pained him to speak the name, he quickly spat it out like so much spoiled milk. The moon above, normally an opalescent blue, reflected no light this night, and as I watched my grandfather stare into the star-filled sky above, I knew what he would say next, and I muttered it quietly along with him.
"It is written, that from the darkness Ze-qaht arose, and from the darkness He rules All." I knew that where there was pure evil in this world, or any world, that it paled in comparison to that of the immortal Great Overlord Ze-qaht. Grandfather had told me many times over, none were known that could challenge Him and what was His. I could not understand how the Gods could allow anyone such power. At the time, I never guessed I would experience the Overlord's relentless, merciless grasp first-hand. My Grandfather knew differently, I suspected, for he was a wise man, the oldest and wisest I ever knew. A true master in the art of scrying, glimpsing with clarity events from the past, present and future. I never thanked him for all he did to prepare me. And I could never have fully prepared myself for what was to come.
Agent of Chaos
As the warning sirens blared and emergency lights flooded the hangar with red light, I scanned the area as quickly as I could for something, anything, that could break the plasteel security restrainers keeping me from walking more than a brisk pace. The skittering, sucking noise of a thousand chitinous cuticles was louder now, echoing down the corridor, almost as loud as the banging in my head from what was certainly a concussion. Then I saw it - the Courtiikan - the cause of this entire mess. And it was standing just a few yards from me, a bloodied vibroblade in its furry fist and a look of pure malice in its eyes.
I didn't know until then that the rat-like race were capable of such emotions, or high-level critical thought for that matter. The thing had systematically neutralized every possible defense on the vessel, whilst simultaneously seeding discord among the ranks of the Crew, until finally when the time came and it's prize - a precious, live cargo from Duablic IV - was easily secured. Soon all Hades broke loose.
We all underestimated the Courtiikan's cunning, and within a span of five minutes half the crew were dead. Another five minutes and the clever thing had located and released upon us the most deadly biological weapon known to exist in this quadrant. Once it had cleansed the ship of biologicals, it would hibernate - for decades, if necessary - until the ship reached its next destination.
I was the only one left who could stop it, and there I stood, bound and all but helpless, staring at the singular instigator of it all, an agent of chaos, without a way out or any reason for hope. Logic lost, all that remained was primal instinct, and when I charged at it - it curled its twisted snout, and smiled.
Excerpt from a Time Travel Story
“I’m from the future,” he said, his words maniacal and super-ceded by constant laughter. And I believed that he meant it. His eyes were wide and bloodshot as he moved purposefully across the empty room, towards me. His bright leathers were gaudy and offensive, his stench even worse. My head was pounding now, from probably multiple concussions, and it was difficult to focus.
In a dash, he leaped at me. I was too tired, battered and beaten to ward him off. His skill at grappling belied his crazy appearance, and with just a few movements he soon held me in a tight choke-hold. Now, I at his mercy, he went on to explain that he was sent back, to kill me. I knew there was more to it than that.
And so I stood, my neck squeezed firmly in the massive grip of his arms, awaiting the signal from outside. And then it shot up, as if on cue, a yellow flare, high into the night sky and easily visible from every watchpost within several miles. I smiled, and he must have seen it. As he pressed the barrel of his gun firmly to my head, I saw everything in my life at once - good memories and sad, challenges, victories, failures, hardships, friends and foes - one after another in astonishing detail. Things I hadn’t even attempted to remember in years were now as clear as day, right before my eyes. Some things, I did not want to see. It hurt too much.
So, with blood and sweat in my eyes, grit in my teeth and the taste of oil and bile in my throat, I stoically pressed the button, hidden well in the fold of my sleeve.
“I loved you..” I spoke, and for a moment it confused him. He must have guessed I wasn’t talking to him, and as the gunman’s finger tensed on the trigger, there was a nearly inaudible click. With memories of Her in my head, there was a tremor, followed by an explosion that shattered the silence and sent the floor and walls flying in pieces in all directions. Everything turned white and hot, and it was all done.
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