Prologue
Year: 45 AG (After the "Gap")
Region of Galaxy: Mark Cluster
System: MRK-2
Planet: MRK-2-1, common name Gethsemane
Maro BioMed genetic complex
Brandt took a labored breath and attempted to focus his thoughts as he rested on one knee. His vision cleared and he found himself staring at the bloody microserrated edge of a sword held loosely in his right hand. Brandt tightened his fingers around the long hilt and shifted his focus to the body sprawled on the floor in front of him. Blood soaked its white Maro BioMed lab coat and had pooled on the floor around it. Brandt peered about. It seemed to him that everything in the chamber, other than he and the body, was scorched and shattered, scattered to the corners of the room. Then his vision focused on the unscorched and scattered metal-leafed pages and binding fragments scattered amongst the debris. Even in his haze, he recognized those metal-leaf pages as important.
His thoughts came into focus. Doctor Ian Ambris, the mad doctor! Brandt remembered making a great overhand swing to finish the mad doctor, but Ambris had tried to block his strike with a book. Not any book, but the Tome that Tarluz himself had crafted for the doctor. He remembered the edge of his blade striking the Tome and then a great flash. He knew that his follow through had ended Ambris, but did not know how he himself had survived the Tome's explosion. After destroying many of the doctor's monstrous creations, he had finally put an end to the one responsible for much of this madness. Oddly, he had a feeling that he had seen this scene played out many times before in some fashion or other.
Brandt struggled to his feet and made his way to the exit. He considered waiting for Matthias who was freeing the Tribute. They were a priority that could not wait. The pages of Ian's Tome were important too, but they could wait. Tarluz awaited him and Brandt intended to finish this bloodshed once and for all. He decided that reckoning could not wait.
He worked his way down the winding ramp until it opened into a natural cavern. The walls were wide and the ceiling high. Pillars formed from the meeting of stalagmites and stalactites filled the cavern. He could see no source for the lighting. This was not included in any maps of the BioMed complex he had seen. Brandt took a deep breath of the moist air and felt rejuvenated with anticipation. Tarluz was here. He knew that. But, he felt something else too. A power pervaded this place that he could feel trying to seep into his bones. Brandt took a second note of the cavern's features. They were undoubtedly natural, yet were perfectly spaced, as if by design. A thought crossed his mind, perhaps this planet was inhabited long before we arrived.
A low and steady tapping drew his attention and he began walking toward it. Finally, he reached its source.
"I have been awaiting you, old friend," spoke the enormous form tapping a spear with a point so fine it was a blur even to Brandt's sharp eyes. The form was standing on an apparently naturally formed dais and was clad in BioMed Security armor, black stiff clothing laced with carbon alloy fibers, and held a helmet in its other hand. The exposed face's black skin, white tusks protruding from its warm smile, and black braided hair made clear the identity of the form. Tarluz. The orc fastened the helmet to his armor with a mag-strip, mockingly refusing to place it upon his head.
Holding back his rage, Brandt approached slowly and scanned the environs for cover. He had shot dry his laser rifle while battling the many monsters created in the doctor's lab and held no belief that Tarluz would not hesitate to shoot him before he closed the distance. There was still a low thrumming in his head but he could not place what it meant, although he knew it meant something.
Tarluz, surprisingly, did not draw a hidden pistol. He took the spear in both his hands and stepped down from the dais, confidently closing the distance with Brandt. The two, near in height if not bulk, squared off and began circling. Brandt gave Tarluz a wide stance profile as they circled, left leg in front as the right-hander preferred. His sword was held by both hands spread far apart, holding the hilt at hip level while the blade was pointed up and towards the exposed throat of Tarluz. The orc's stance with a spear was a near mirror of Brandt's, right leg in front for the left-hander. His long spear was also held with hands low and wide and its tip was pointed at Brandt's face. Both were poised to attack or counter.
Tarluz moved first and shifted his weight, thrusting forward at Brandt's chest, uncannily fast for a creature his size. Brandt responded with speed and precision, batting away the spear and then countered by drawing back and switching to an overhand strike which Tarluz batted away with ease.
"The sword was always natural in your hands old companion, " laughed Tarluz as they continued circling while trading strikes and counters. Brandt was wearied from his other battles of the day and tried to ignore the words of Tarluz and the thrumming that was trying to seep into his bones. They continued to circle round and round, striking back and forth with no sign that Tarluz would tire while Brandt's arms began to shake.
"Will you ever let loose and snatch what awaits you or will we do this dance for eternity?" baited the orc. Brandt did not understand to what Tarluz referred. Then, he noticed a change in Tarluz. A look of disappointment that was replaced by rage as the orc redoubled his attacks and Brandt let go all pretense of countering with his own attacks. Suddenly, Tarluz caught Brandt with the shaft of his spear on the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. Brandt quickly tried to regain his composure, knowing the death blow was coming. But, it didn't come despite Tarluz towering over him with his spear poised to run him through.
"You don't remember, do you?" laughed the great black orc in seeming pity as he backed away. "You have yet to reach out to the wellspring of power here and realize yourself." Tarluz paused as Brandt drew himself to his feet and readied his sword. Anger returned to the great orc's voice. "We have fought this battle time and again. Reach out and take it lest I slay you and punish all those you desire to protect."
The thrumming continued in Brandt's head as he listened to Tarluz. Surely, Bethane has escaped by now, he thought. But other thoughts troubled him too. What of the Tribute in the lab above? What of the others on this world, orc slaves and human farmers alike? "You call yourself a freedom fighter but you are nothing of the sort," Brandt scolded Tarluz in return. "You are nothing but a butcher and a rapist." Fires smoldered in the orc's eyes as Tarluz's mouth widened into a smile. The orc proudly nodded and readied its spear after placing its helmet over its head for the first time. A piece of memory and recognition flooded into Brandt as he finally recognized the thrumming for what it was. It was power flowing through a ley line this chamber was designed to amplify. Power that called to his tired body and wished to seep into his bones. Brandt reached for it as he moved to take Tarluz and it responded.
The two danced, exchanging strikes and counters and the chamber hummed with power as the two drank into the ley line. Blue lightning danced in the cavern and between the pillars. As they moved and struck and drank in the power, they changed. Tarluz grew in stature and bulk and his uncanny speed grew too. The length of his spear grew black as the void. The tiredness in Brandt's bones washed away and he grew too. White feathered wings sprouted from his back and his sword shone impossibly bright, like a nova.
Thoughts flashed through the winged creature's mind. The power is here to do what I could not do before! The two continued to trade blows and strikes. "Nevermore," screamed the creature which had once been Brandt as it drank deeply from the well of power. Drinking with a thirst to permanently sever the existence of the spirit it faced. "I will finish you once and forever!" Reacting impossibly fast to an opening when the great orc thrust forward, the winged being sidestepped and swung overhand and through the leaning orc's neck.
The helmet and the head inside tumbled to the ground.
But, rather than rejoicing, the winged creature stared in shock. Just as it had sidestepped, the black orc had adjusted too. The winged creature stared down in a daze at the spear which transfixed it through the heart, knowing it was a death blow. A death blow as powerful as it had just landed upon the orc. One that would end its existence forever. As it collapsed to the ground a thought flashed through its head. Beloved Bethane bears my seed and my legacy. I accomplished that much before ending Orkise. Then, the being's eyes turned to the helmet of Tarluz and filled with dread as it recognized what had happened. Power resided in that helmet, a seed of Orkise's power. He had failed to end this once and for all. Soon, another orc would pick up the helmet and place it upon his head. Orkise will rise again, he thought and wept as he slipped into unconsciousness. The feathered wings melded back into the body, leaving only Brandt.
-0-0-0-
Matthias entered the command into the keypad and the pod opened, releasing its occupant in a flood of water and experimental drugs. The naked red-skinned human collapsed out of the pod but Matthias caught her. After taking a moment in his arms to cough the fluid from her lungs, she stood tall and placed her hands over her swollen belly. Matthias, Brandt has little time. Go to him. He looked in awe at her deep blue eyes as her thoughts entered his head. I will free the rest of the Tribute here. We have much work to do. Matthias followed her gaze as she looked at the scores of the other pods arranged throughout the laboratory. They contained the remaining Tribute.
With one last look at the genetic research laboratory, Matthias turned and left. Confusion and anger filled his head. Despite looking mostly like a red-skinned human from Akiton, with black hair and blue eyes, he was an android and had been a loyal servant of Doctor Ambris for many years. But, when he had seen the pale-skinned and and blonde-haired Brandt being genetically constructed in the incubation chamber, his programming had apparently malfunctioned. Matthias had known that he needed to free Brandt. Would all of this have been prevented if I had not left Tarluz in the care of the mad doctor when I saved Brandt? Other thoughts passed through his head. If I had stayed, could I have prevented the spread of the retro-virus Doctor Ambris infected the orc slaves with which made them uncontrollable? Could I have helped these poor human women test subjects?
The android made his way past the bloody corpses of humans and orcs alike as he headed to the underchambers. He readied his laser rifle and remained watchful for any trouble despite his misgivings. He worried that some of the Doctor's other, more monstrous, genetic creations may be lying in wait. But, the thoughts continued unbidden. Why did I betray the doctor? How could Brandt know if I did or didn't have a soul? Is there such a thing? Then, another thought. The orcs were genetically modified to be docile and grown in the incubation chambers. Were they not property for the company and Doctor Ambris to do with as they wished? Am I not their property too? The onslaught within his head was relentless. Could the same not be said of the Tribute?
Finally, Matthias emerged from the winding ramp and into the empty silence of the massive natural cavern. Feeling compelled by something within, he intuited the correct direction and walked straight to the earlier battle. Tarluz's headless body was sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood with its helmet lying next to it. However, it was of no consequence to Matthias. Brandt was lying beside it, sword still in hand, transfixed through the chest by the spear of the orc.
Matthias dropped his rifle and rushed to the side of his friend. He noted that Brandt was still shallowly breathing but did not dare attempt to remove the spear. Brandt's eyes suddenly opened. Old friend, I am so glad you have found me. Matthias was shocked as Brandt's thoughts invaded his head despite his belief that his friend was a powerful, if yet unrealized, psychic. No, there is nothing you can do to save me but you must help me fulfill my goals. Take Tarluz's helmet and protect it. It is dangerous and will bring ruin if any put it on. Matthias started to protest that he would destroy it but he was cut-off by Brandt. Destroying it will only free his spirit to invade another in some later millennia. After a pause, Brandt continued. You must find Bethane. She has already left this world but I trust your capabilities. She carries the seed of my power within her womb as my son, and once he grows into a man, he will be capable of destroying forever the evil contained within the helmet if he returns here to do it. Do this for me. With that Brandt's eyes closed and Matthias felt the powerful psyche depart from his presence.
Matthias held his friend's body in his arms and wept.