The Other Side of Beyond, page 20
part #2 of Mitch Mythic Series
He remembered all and everything in one moment. How he had come to be there and the life he had left behind. It all washed over him in a wave of understanding. Who he was and what he had become and what he was meant to do. The face of a boy flashed before him and a rage swelled within him. Hate and anger surged from the back of his mind and thoughts of vengeance over came him. The boy was the cause of all this. The boy would be destroyed.
He raised his arm out in front of him and a sword manifested itself in his hand. A blade forged from galactic fires, its edge glowing in the blackness. He brandished the sword in his hand. Its razor point slashed across the infinite distance of the universe. Swinging the sword again, he kicked off against the blackness. He rocketed through the empty vacuum with his sword in hand, illuminated particles tailing behind him.
Shoving hard against the nothingness, he felt an assuring presence as it shoved back, propelling him forward through an empty void. As he bounded across the empty void, he felt a pull drawing him towards some unseen object. Mass bending time and space, drawing him closer, drawing him in. The pull grew stronger and he became aware of a some type of object beyond an invisible horizon. The curve of the universe, the span of time billowing beneath him as he crossed infinities in single bounds. Pulled towards a radiating mass that could only be one thing and yet everything all at once. Nothing could be seen in that darkness, but he could feel the mass there before him and he felt the pull of its revolutions. Caught in its orbit, an inescapable collision course.
He felt other objects around him again and he became aware that he was no longer alone. His companions had returned from their sojourn across the void and joined him with him again, condensing towards a single point.
As the debris field around him grew more crowded he could see a source of illumination growing over the curved horizon before him. The particles and debris surrounding him seemed to pick up speed, a foot pressed to the gas and he felt himself nearing the crest of the curve. In instant he was over the hump and his jaw dropped as he saw a bright bulbous light below him, funneling all objects into its brilliant glowing center. A galactic torrent of interstellar objects streamed into the radiating object and Robert, like it or not, was rapidly drawn into the funnel, a tiny speck of nothingness lost in a torrent of galactic proportions.
Again he felt the crushing weight of everything pushing against him. His self compressed and compacted further and further in upon itself. Ceasing to be, the unceasing endlessness of it all. Lost to the infinite and undone, any sense of self cast aside, a useless husk of matter, an insignificant nothing, comprehending all yet understanding none. And in a blip of light he was gone, swallowed by the light, a minute granule blasting through the membrane of the multiverse.
Spinning, dizzying motion. His eyes tried to look, but he could not comprehend the impossible depths passing by his open retinas. His guts, once again leaped into his throat and he could feel himself hurtling across space once again. But this time there was something familiar about what he saw. Behind him, he saw the revolving orbs he saw at the beginning of his journey. But now they appeared to be moving away from him, or, rather, he was moving away from them and at a phenomenal speed. He caught a look of another familiar site as he spun rapidly away from the spheres. A pedestal thrust up from the darkness hovering some distance away. Tiered levels occupied by brooding silhouettes clutching shining objects in their hands. He gritted his teeth and thrust his arms out in front of himself. He focused his thoughts upon the energy surging through him and he willed himself to stop spinning. Hovering upright for a moment, he took in his surroundings once more.
In the distance he could see the imposing outline of Commander Holrathu standing before the other masters. He leaned against his massive axe. The butt of its handle pressed into the ground at a loose angle.
Robert changed his course and rose up above the masters before descending upon the deck. He landed with aplomb several feet from the commander. The impact rattled the deck and the masters stumbled as they attempted to maintain their balance. Commander Holrathu was unaffected by Robert’s theatrics and he looked down upon him with merciless eyes.
“How was your trip, Robert?” Holrathu asked and Robert saw a glimpse of a smile flash across the commander’s face.
CHAPTER TWENTY
MITCH AND DRAK were loaded up onto the deck of one the floating craft that had brought them into the fortress of the bug eyed people. This time they were no longer prisoners, but it was hard not to notice the unwelcoming stares the soldiers launched in their direction.
Mitch heard a screeching sound behind him and he turned around to see two hooded figures being brought forward.
“Get this bag off of my head, I’ll tear you to pieces,” one of the figures shrieked. “You hear me, I’ll eat your heart.” Mitch winced as the sound of as Kate’s unmistakable voice chafed against his eardrums. Two soldiers stood behind them after releasing them from their bonds, Red beams retracting back into shafts. Kate had wasted any time getting her mouth back in motion after being released from confinement.
Mitch watched as KiGuan shouted something at another guard. The guard strode towards Kate and raised his staff above his head. “Wait,” Mitch shouted out. “Take her mask off and I’ll get her to shut up.”
KiGuan looked over at him and shot him a fierce look before turning towards the guards and shouting again. The guard lowered his staff and glared at Mitch.
“Mother says they shouldn’t be harmed. Shut her up before I do,” KiGuan said as he turned his attention to the front of the craft.
“Did I just hear Mitch Mythic’s voice?” Kate said through her mask.
“You’re going to get yourself killed,” Mitch said as he took off her mask.
“I can’t believe that I am happy to see your face” Kate said as she squinted at the bright lights all around. “These freaks are gonna eat us alive.”
“All you need to do is keep quiet and everything will be fine,” Mitch said as he took off Gaelin’s mask as well. “We met their leader and she said is going to help us. Nobody else needs to die, just keep quiet and let me and Drak handle this.”
“Why would I take orders from #epicrotchshot boy?” Kate said.
“Kate, you really need to can it,” Gaelin said.
“This one is like wild animal,” Drak said as he looked over Kate. “Smell like one too.”
“Not helping, Drak,” Mitch said. “Keep quiet and I’ll get us out of this. We’re gonna need all the help we can get if we’re going to find a way home.”
The sound of a staff pounding the deck caught Mitch’s attention and he was brought to his knees as the craft levitated. He tried to stand again, but the forward acceleration of the vehicle sent him rolling towards the back of the craft. He got back to his feet only to see Kate snickering to herself as he stood up.
“You sure know how to keep a girl entertained, Mitch Mythic,” Kate said as Mitch walked towards where Drak was standing. “You’re like a walking fail video.”
“There is something deeply wrong with you,” Mitch said as he strode past. “Keep your mouth shut or I’ll let them feed you to one of those creatures.”
“Sure thing, Master fail,” Kate said.
“What is wrong with you?” Gaelin said beside her and he shook his head in disbelief.
Drak was holding onto a railing at the edge of the deck as it whipped past columns of towering machinery. Mitch stepped beside him and grabbed hold of the rail. “I guess they don’t believe in seat belts or anything in this dimension. I might ask them to zap me with one of their staffs again. That’s a long drop,” Mitch said as he looked down.
“Very far. Be careful, fail Master,” Drak said and his grin returned to his face.
“Don’t you start, too,” Mitch said as he glared at Drak. “I thought we were on the same side.”
“This why people make joke with you Mitch. You take everything too seriously,” Drak said as he grinned again. “Things are happening fast now. Can’t let little stuff get in the way. We need think to clearly now.”
“How come I’ve always got to be the level headed one,” Mitch said with a sigh. “Fine, Mr. Philosophical. What do you think this stone is all about?”
“Not sure, but KiGuan said something about prophecy. One they call ‘Mother’ said something like this earlier. Maybe we learn why we here,” Drak said, pulling against the rail as the craft rounded a corner.
“Do you remember that massive black glowing thing when they brought us in here? I wonder if that was the stone they are talking about,” Mitch said as he peered ahead hoping to catch a glimpse of their destination. “I still can’t believe that all of this is happening.”
“Believe it. This is happening and we are here. Now is the only thing that matters,” Drak said as he looked directly at Mitch. “Don’t let your desire to go home distract you. Focus on staying alive now and maybe we get out of this. You of all people should know that many forces at work here. Who knows what drew us here, but we here now and we only have one choice. Must see this through to the end. And, yes, I remember black thing you speak of.”
“Why is it that you are always right about these things? Take the high road. Do the right thing, blah, blah, blah,” Mitch said as he shot a look at Drak.
“There is the Mitch I know and love. I knew you’d see it my way,” Drak said and he grinned again. “Look sharp, we’re almost there.”
Mitch looked towards the front of the craft and noticed they were about to round a corner. As they turned, Mitch saw the same enormous black stone he had seen when they were first brought in. It loomed overtop of a long metallic deck that stretched out into the open cavern. Several columns of bug eyed soldiers stood in formation along the edge of the deck. The craft neared the platform and slowed down as it descended. The soldiers began to pound the deck with their staffs as the craft settled on the metallic surface. KiGuan hopped off of the deck and indicated with a tilt of his head that Mitch and Drak should follow after him. Mitch shot a look at Kate as he saw her begin to open her mouth. She made a face that showed disgust, but kept quiet even though it seemed to pain her.
KiGuan strode across the deck towards the black stone, quick, lithe movements. Mitch and Drak struggled to keep up as they walked behind the duty driven General and his soldiers. He could feel the soldiers in formation eyeing them with a curiosity one would give a newly captured animal from a far away land.
“Hey Mitch, if they eat you first, I’m going to ask them to save a special part for me,” Kate whispered from behind.
“You seem hell bent on getting us killed. Some of us are trying to get out of here,” Mitch said under his breath.
“Oh, Mitch, you’re so cute when you’re angry,” Kate said. “By the way, look at that get up he has on. You like you just stepped out of an eighties metal video. Where’s your Flying V guitar?”
“Kate, you need to stop it now or they really will eat us. Look at the size of that stone. It looks like we’re going to be ritually sacrificed or something,” Gaelin whispered.
“They’re not going to sacrifice us,” Mitch whispered as he looked up at the giant stone in awe. “At least, I hope they aren’t going to sacrifice us.”
“I’ve seen a lot of science fiction movies and this is what happens in every single one. Look there is the altar where they butcher the innocent virgins,” Gaelin said.
“What happened to our plan to keep quiet?” Mitch asked as he tried to keep pace with KiGuan and the other guards.
They had made their way to the base of the stone. Mitch could see a series of steps leading up to a platform looking out over the metallic deck. KiGuan paused several paces short of the stair case and, in perfect synchronization, the soldiers pounded their staffs on the deck in short rhythmic burst. The sound echoed out across the cavern and a ghostly silence took its place. Mitch could feel a warm breeze passing over him, strange acidic smells wafting up his nose.
The silence was shattered by the sound of gears activating and metal grinding against stone. Mitch looked up to the top of the stair case and saw the same large chamber with its spindly spider legs clambering towards the edge of the platform. The venerable old head looked directly at him, black eyes reaching into his soul.
The soldiers pounded their staffs once again. Holding the pattern for a moment and they began to chant again. At the sound of the chanting, KiGuan began to march towards the stairs. The deck vibrated each time the soldiers struck the surface with their staffs and Mitch could feel the rhythm pounding into his skull. He felt strange sensations pass over him as he mounted the staircase behind KiGuan, dread and fear. Maybe they were going to be sacrificed, he thought as he looked up towards the deck where the chamber stood.
As they crested the stairs KiGuan and the other soldiers bowed low before “Mother.” The soldiers accompanying KiGuan split their party in half and both groups filed towards opposite sides of the platform. Mitch looked back and saw the soldiers on the deck had begun to change their formation as well. They continued to chant and pound their staffs into the deck while they marched in perfect harmony into area open space at the center of the lower platform, making dozens of perfectly spaced columns stretching to the end the deck. More soldiers marched up the staircase and stopped at marked intervals until each landing was lined with soldiers. The chanting fell to halt when all of the soldiers had reached their rehearsed location. Mitch and his companions stood at the center of the platform before Mother who eyed them up and down like a rancher inspecting cattle.
Gears began to whirl within the Metal chamber as Mother approached them. Her spindly legs walked daintily across the platform, metal grinding into stone.
“What is that thing?” Kate whispered, holding back a scream.
“They call her ‘Mother’ and she’s the one that’s going to help us, but she might eat you if you don’t keep your mouth shut,” Mitch said as Mother closed in on them.
“No promises, but I’ll see what I can do,” Kate said.
“This is insane. We are going to be eaten alive, I’m sure of it,” Gaelin whispered
The giant chamber stopped above them and Mother’s head lowered down from the opening in her underbelly. Mitch heard Kate gulp as the head leveled with them and looked them over. She stared at Gaelin for a moment before working her way over Kate. Passing by Mitch without looking, she went straight to Drak.
“You have travelled far, travelled far,” Mother said as she looked Drak in the eyes. “Left it all behind, behind. What sacrifice you have made, much sacrifice. Lost everything, everything. But what have you gained?”
“I have gained freedom,” Drak said almost under his breath.
“Is that so?” Mother said as a smile crept across her face. “And what is this freedom you speak of, speak, speak?”
“We battled against the masters and won,” Drak said. “Soon, I will free my people from the grip of slavery.”
“You are ambitious,” Mother said. “But what makes you think you are free?”
“I am free because I am not a prisoner of the masters,” Drak responded.
“But are you not my prisoner?” Mother asked.
“That’s a matter of opinion, I guess,” Drak said.
“It happens to be a matter of my opinion, I should guess,” Mother said with a laugh. “If it is freedom you want, then freedom you shall have, but I must ask what you want to be free from?”
Mother swung her head away from Drak before he had a chance to answer and focused her attention on Mitch. He forced all of his energy into keeping a straight face, but Mitch felt the fear creeping up his spine as Mother’s black eyes cut into him again.
“Afraid? Yes, afraid, afraid,” Mother said as she brought her face closer to Mitch. “You should very much be afraid. Terrible things coming and there are powerful forces at work all around you. You have made enemies, young man, dangerous enemies.”
“My enemies are dead,” Mitch said.
“Certain are you?” Mother said, she brought her face uncomfortably close to Mitch and he could feel a dizzying affect from her giant eyes as they peered deep inside him.
“I saw it with my own eyes,” Mitch said. He heard the words coming out of his mouth, but it didn’t feel like he said them.
“Yes, you did, you did,” Mother said as continued to look at him. “But what we see is never final and no one battle wins a war,” Mother said and she pulled her head away.
“What would you know?” Kate said.
“Shut up, Kate,” Gaelin said.
Mother pulled her head around and looked Kate dead in the eyes. She smiled, teeth like jagged chunks of glass. Her head darted towards Kate and glared at her for a moment.
“This one has spirit,” Mother said as she peered into Kate’s eyes. “Yes, what would I know. I am an old woman trapped inside a machine, a machine. It wasn’t always like this here, not always like this, not at all. How long have I been in this box, I have long forgotten, long forgotten. But I have not forgotten everything, not everything. Beyond these walls you’ve seen the signs of others, of things from long ago, long ago. Lost to the jungle now, to the jungle. But here was once a great place, a great city. The ones who made it great, I was one of, was one of them.” Mother’s voice trailed off for a moment and she looked the other way.
“Come, follow me. Much to show you now, much to show,” she said as her chamber turned and began to walk towards the altar laying at the base of the stone, spiked feet clacking against the hard ground.
“This is when they sacrifice us,” Kate said.
“I volunteer you. I don’t think I can take much more of your insanity,” Mitch said.
“Hold it together. We need to see this through,” Drak said as he began to follow after Mother. “I have a feeling this isn’t what we think.”
