Chapter 25 the end is nigh
Kivar was ecstatic about the change, finally the long wait had ended and the last chapter of their battle was beginning. Meeting the glance from his brother dead on, he could practically see the fire in the other man´s eyes, the fury openly showing through the black irises and the spiked up energy surrounding them. This was it now; the showdown he had expected for such a long time, had anticipated with so much hope that he was slightly disappointed that the moment was there.
The only downside from all this was that he didn´t had anyone he could share it with. Vilandra had been killed, Emoyra was also dead, Rath and Nicholas had bit the dust as well and Maria was closer to the dead than to the living. But he was used to be alone; it was better that way, no one that could interfere in his business, no one that could annoy him and no on that could become his weak spot.
" You just made your last mistake", Michael smiled, but it had nothing comforting, it was the smile of a serial killer about to slaughter his latest victim, slow and extremely painful. He wasn´t afraid of this side of him anymore, no on the contrary he relished in the feeling of the power building inside him.
Kivar prepared himself for the hardest battle he would ever fight in this life, because his brother wasn´t some weak little soldier, he was the most deadly creature after him and that meant a lot. " I don´t think so. You just made your last mistake".
Mike, after checking on his mother, stepped besides his father and his eyes had the same dangerous glint like the commander. He was like the junior clone of Rath from Antar, just a little bit more unskilled, which didn´t necessarily mean he wasn´t a threat as well. " You will die, I swear on everything that´s holy. You will go down and if I have to follow you into hell to make sure that you stay dead".
" That´s cute, little one wants to help his Daddy".
Mike had his hands tightly pressed into fists, just waiting for the best opportunity to strike back at the bastard. He already felt the heat pooling in his arms, anticipating letting loose and causing a little mayhem. He was dying to get his revenge for his mother, for both of them, the future and the present version. Biting his tongue to keep himself from snapping something nasty in the scumbag's direction, he tasted blood in his mouth and it just made him more restless. He felt like a shark that smelled the delicious scent of a hurt animal and was ready to attack it.
Michael was impressed about the patience his son was showing, having not realized how mature and powerful he was, but he was proud to be standing side by side with him, sharing something so binding with each other. " Say goodbye, brother, because this time I´m the one walking away from here".
" We´ll see", Kivar sneered, seemingly very unaffected from the statement. He was nearly undestructable, which made him pretty confident that he would win this game again, just like the last time.
Michael gave his son a sideway glance, telling him with his eyes that it would getting ugly soon. Noticing a faint nod from Mike, he pushed his hands out and shot a really strong blast, trying to catch his opponent unprepared. Unfortunately from him, Kivar was fast in his reaction and so he stepped aside and shot a blast in return.
This time with much more success and Mike was propelled in the air, landing with a loud noise at the wall behind him and bouncing on it before crashing forcefully on the ground. Groaning he felt like all of his bones were smashed or at least broken beyond repair. Air had escaped his lungs with a force that had made him breathless. Looking up he saw his father taking revenge for the attack. Seeing them both so intent and concentrated fighting with each other, he realized that he was better off by just watching the whole spectacle. Crawling towards his mother, he cradled her beaten boy in his arms, hoping that she was just sleeping and not dead already. He had been too afraid to check it earlier, fearing that he wouldn´t find any pulse.
Meanwhile Michael pushed blast after blast with such a force out of his hands that even Kivar seemed to struggle with the onslaught. But naturally he wouldn´t be the most feared man in this universe if he wouldn´t have a few tricks up his sleeve and so he "accidently" missed his target.
" You´re getting sloppy".
Kivar smiled diabolically at his brother and his amusement increased the moment he heard the yelp from junior, who unfortunately had been in the way of his blast. Seeing the blood oozing from a wound from the boy´s shoulder he waited until Michael was distracted with the well being of his son to strike again.
To his disappointment his brother was prepared for that trick and before Kivar knew what was happening, both men collided with such a brunt that they both crashed through the walls on the other side of the room and landed hard on the ground in the passage outside. Any human being would have been dead or at least hurt badly, but the two fighting aliens had aside from a few scratches not an injury. On the contrary they were so good in shape that they started beating on each other instantly.
The sound of flesh pounding on flesh could be heard through the whole cave. A few of Kivar´s army left their guarding spots to look after the noise. As soon as they saw their leader in a heated fist fight with the commander, they tried to interfere to help their king, which was just stopped from the sound of an explosion at the entrance. Instantly they all stormed towards the sound.
Mike, having heard the explosion as well, lifted his mother from the ground, even though his shoulder was hurting like a bitch and carried her out of the hole his father and Kivar had made. For a moment he glanced at both men rolling on the floor, each one trying to get the upper hand in the battle. He wished he could help, but his first priority was his mother and he wanted to make sure that she was out of harms way before he would jump into the action himself. Sending a prayer to the heaven to protect his Dad, he hauled his Mom across the uneven ground and put her in the first room he could find. Dropping her carefully on the mattress lying on the floor, he checked that she was comfortable before leaving. Now he could finally concentrate on entering the fray without worrying about his mother being in danger.
Unfortunately he didn´t come far before some blasts shot over his head and he saw a few of Kivars men running in his direction. For a tiny second he was confused what was going on and why they looked so scared. They weren´t exactly cowards and it had to take a lot to make them take off in fright. Then he recognized what had them running like the devil was behind them and he had to keep his grin from his face. A huge fire wall was chasing them, not for very long, because they weren´t fast enough and before they realized what was going on they were just flakes flying around in the air.
" One thing is for sure, you´re still the whiz when it comes to fire, Aunt Tess".
Tess smiled at the way he was calling her Aunt, although they weren´t really related to each other, but she liked it. It gave her a feeling of family and that she got accepted into it. That was the reason why she went through all this trouble of going into the lions den and facing her worst nightmare, to protect her family. " What can I say, either you´ve got or you don´t".
Max shook his head at the casuelness they both talked to each other, just like they were at home discussing the plans for the evening. But they weren´t there, they were in their enemies lair and needed to finish their battle for once and for all. This was no time for conversation, they had to act fast. " Where´s Michael?".
" He´s fighting Kivar, but I won´t suggest interfering in it. My Dads not exactly himself at the moment", Mike was more concerned about anyone stepping in between them than his father´s life, because no matter what that man would come out of this alive. There was no question about it, it was finally time for Kivar to say his prayer.
Tess was in the process to ask about Maria, when they heard footsteps, more than before coming towards them. But unlike the last time, neither Max nor Tess made any move to defend themselves, just glanced behind them and waited.
A few seconds later Mike knew why and he was so glad to see them all, even the faces that were still new for him. A feeling of things changing was engulfing him and for the first time he was sure that coming back had been the right choice. Smiling at his grandparents, he was relieved to know that they were still alive. " What are you all doing here? It´s not safe".
" Yeah, like I would sit at home while my daughter is in danger", Amy snorted so unlike her that everyone was chuckling at her. She was a hell of a woman and anyone daring to hurt her child would pay the consequences. Swinging her aluminium bat around, she just waited for somebody to cross her path.
Jim and Tony both stared at the delicate looking female in their midst and they had the same adoring glance in their eyes. It was very apparent that they loved her, at least in different ways. But one thing was sure; they all would die for Maria, which was very much obvious at the drawn weapons in their hands and the expressions of determination on their faces.
Behind the men, a little hidden because of the height from them was Isabel and Liz. The two girls looked just as ready to raise a little hell with the baseball bats in their hands, just waiting for some action. Even Alex and Kyle armed with guns appeared like they anticipated a fight and were excited about it.
" Let´s bring it on".
Mike couldn´t keep his mirth at bay at the spoken words from Kyle. It would be getting really great to get to know him and the others under different cirumstances, not with everyone at war or dead. " We should make sure that all of Kivar´s guards are taken care of", turning to the older woman in front of him he was sure that he wasn´t just asking this favor for his Mother, he was just trying to tactfully keep her out of the fire. " Grandma, can you stay with Mom. I would feel better if someone would stay with her".
Amy understood his need to keep everyone safe and in another situation she would have slapped him for trying to cuddle her, but in that instant she didn´t complain. She would feel better to be with her daughter as well. " Tony and I are keeping an eye on her"
" Thank you. The rest of you is coming with me", Mike pointed at the door where his mother was in to his grandparents before he and the others stormed off with their hands or weapons ready in their hands.
In the meantime Kivar had managed to get the upper hand in the fight and had Michael pushed at the wall behind him with his hands tightly around the other man´s throat. He was slightly disappointed about the missing fire, the short time it had taken to weaken his brother. He had expected more. " What´s wrong? Are you done already?".
Michael clawed at the fingers squeezing the air out of him and trying to loosen the hold on him. He couldn´t just let the bastard win, not with his family still in the line of danger and the world in the risk of getting invaded from evil creatures from out of space. " You wish", he croaked.
" Just give into it. What have you got to lose? Your mate is dead and so is your son by now. And your other family will be dead as soon as I´m finished with you. Why waste so much time with prolonging the unavoidable?"
Michael didn´t believe for one second that Maria was dead; he still felt her presence lingering inside of him, even if it was just a weak echo of it. She was alive, still holding onto their connection. But he knew that it was just a matter of time before she would slip and fall in the never ending darkness. He had to win this fight to save her.
Kivar shook his head at the stubbornness of the guy, he didn´t know the word defeat. Some things never changed, which meant he had to double his effort. Suddenly he was hit from something hard and he crashed on the floor. Looking up he was shocked to see the other Vilandra glaring at him. " You have always been kinda rough, but this is a new one even for you".
" You won´t ever touch my family again", Isabel snarled angrily at the scum at her feet. She was so sick of the guilt inside of her for helping the bastard the last time. But she hoped that defeating him would finally set her free from her past.
Mike was impressed about the girl, she was tougher than she looked, just like his mother. Helping his father back on his feet, he was glad when he noticed that aside from some red fingerprints on the skin there wasn´t anything damaged on his Dad. " Are you okay?".
Michael didn´t trust his eyes when he realized that everyone was here with him. Well not everyone, a few were missing. " Where´s your mother?".
" She´s safe. Grandma and Tony are protecting her", Mike didn´t mention that her life was slowly slipping away from her and he felt strange. It was like a tingling in the back of his mind and he was afraid that it meant he had failed.
Michael glanced at the people standing around him, ready to jump into the fray for him. But he wouldn´t let them, this was his fight and he didn´t want anyone interfering in it. He had lost so much the last time, he didn´t want to see a repeat of that happening again. There would be no blood on his hands, well at least not that of his family but rather that of his enemy. " Take the others and get out of here".
Mike instantly shook his head vehemently, not leaving this place without both of his parents. He had lost them both in that other time line, he wouldn´t sit back and wait to lose them again, not as long as he was able to change it. " Forget it, I´m staying with you".
" I´m not arguing with you. Get out of here and keep an eye on your mother", Michael would have been so proud of his son for standing up to him, but this wasn´t about childish rules or anything, this was real and people would get hurt or die and he couldn´t let that happen.
Mike glared at his father, prepared to get into a heated conversation with that man for treating him like a child, but suddenly his right arm felt oddly numb. Gazing down at it, he was shocked to see that his arm was dissolving and it was slowly taking over the rest of his body. Panicked and really scared he stared at his father. " Dad!".
Michael was just as stunned as his son at the rapidedly progress of the disappearing of the body and he felt helpless. Watching his child just vanishing front his eyes was torture and he was unable to do anything against it. Seconds later everything was over and Mike was gone, just like that and Michael knew the reason why. It meant that Maria was dead. Crashing on his knees he screamed so loud that the walls and the ground was shaking like an earthquake. He put all his pain and anger in this single cry that the others around him almost got knocked over from the intensity of the sorrow.
" Told you that it was just a matter of time before you would lose everything", Kivar grinned, enjoying the misery from his brother and almost getting high from it.
Isabel immediately walked towards Michael to comfort him, but was stopped when he looked up at her with black, dead eyes. Stumbling back from the strange person possessing her almost brother, she felt all of his pain pouring out and crashing over her like waves. The message in it was very clear and she knew that this was something he had to do alone, for his family and for them. Nodding at him, she turned to the others. " I think we´re not needed here".
Max was going against his instincts to stay here and support his brother, but he was sure that Michael wouldn´t take it too lightly. This war just got personal and they would just be a disturbance. Ushing everyone out, he gave his friend a lingering look that told him everything he wasn´t able to say to him before following the others out.
They barely made it out of the passageway when all hell broke loose behind them. The sound of explosion rocked the earth and they hurried to get to the room where Maria was with Amy and Tony. They wanted to get out of here before the whole cave would collapse on them.
" I can´t believe she´s dead. She can´t be dead", Liz seemed to just come to the realization that her best friend was gone and she started to cry, heavy sobs wracking her body and fat tear drops falling from her face. She went instantly into Max embrace and clung to him like he was her life vest.
Alex and Kyle were a little quieter in their mourning, but the intensity was the same. Tess and Isabel fell in their arms and all four of them cried for their lost friend. Just the only person not grieving was Max. He didn´t believe it, not as long as he had no proof that Maria was really dead. " We don´t know if she´s dead".
Jim glanced at the door where the other three people from their troop were behind and he feared for the worse. If the disappearance of Mike was any indication than it looked really bad and he didn´t want to think that one of his kids was gone, especially one that was like a daughter to him. " One way to find out".
Everyone was afraid what would expect them in that room and hesitantly they opened the door. The first thing that reached them was Amy crying and Tony trying to comfort her. Preparing for finding their friend dead, they all stepped inside and were more than just stunned at the picture that was awaiting them.
" Uh, where´s Maria?", Jim wasn´t exactly thrilled to see his girlfriend in the arms of her ex husband and the fact that he looked quite too comfortable with it. But it was even stranger that just two people were in this room where three should have been.
Amy immediately jumped to her feet and threw her arms around him. There was so much she didn´t understand and so much that was scaring her with knowing Aliens, but this was the worst of all. She had been able to accept that her grandson came back from the future and she hadn´t thrown a fit when she found out that her daughter was pregnant, but not this. " She just disappeared. We couldn´t do anything, she just vanished in front of our eyes. Oh my God Jim, where´s my daughter?".
Max felt Liz´s hand squeezing his hard and he knew that there wasn´t anything they could do, especially not in this situation. Feeling the walls and the ground shaking with the blast and power from the men fighting, he decided for once to step up to his role and be the leader. " We have to get out of here. I don´t know how long this mine will hold up and I don´t want to be there when this joint caves in".
" I´m not going without my child!", Amy glared at the boy, her sorrow instantly forgotten. She wouldn´t move a muscle as long as Maria was gone and she didn´t know where she was or if she was well.
Tony understood the need for answers, but he was also aware that they didn´t have a lot of time before they would get crushed from the walls around them. He wanted to know where his daughter was as everyone else, even more so, but he had to think rationally as well. It wouldn´t help Maria if they were all dead. " Listen angelo, he´s right. If our daughter is out there she would want us to be smart and not get killed".
Amy glanced at the people around her and she saw they were just waiting for her to move, she even knew that they were right, but her child, her one and only was probably somewhere alone and scared, wondering where her mother was. She couldn´t just go without knowing what happened to her daughter. " I can´t. I have to find her. Go without me".
" I hate to do that, but you´re not leaving me any choice", Isabel put her hand on the older woman´s head and put her to sleep. She would deal with the wrath of Amy when they were far away from the danger.
Jim immediately caught her and threw her over his shoulder. Silently they all piled out of the room and made their trek in the direction of the exit or what they hoped was a way out of this mine. Max produced a glowing ball to light their path and after marching for a while in the endless seeming corridor they finally came to something that appeared like an opening. Tess didn´t hesitate and started running towards it, seeing the closer she got that it was daylight shinging through the beginning of the mine. The others followed her and all relaxed as soon as they breathed in the fresh air and felt the warm breeze touching their skin, although the light slightly hurt their eyes.
Tony glanced at the people standing guard at the cars parked in the middle of the desert and he went to them, warning them that they would maybe have to expect some crazy evil alien to take over the planet and they had to put him out of the way.
" I´ll hope that Michael makes it out alive", Isabel bit on her nail, her stomach in knots and her mind racing with worry. Even though she had seen in his eyes that he didn´t intent on surviving this fight, she wished that he would win and survive. She needed her almost brother and it would be weird without him.
Max put a hand on his sister´s shoulder. He was sure that Michael didn´t want to live with Maria and his son gone. As much as it pained him, he didn´t expect to ever see their friend again, at least not alive. " I hope so, too".
Kyle pulled Tess in his arms and stared at the mine, expecting Michael or Maria or both to walk out of it and saying something snappish. He didn´t want to believe that after all the danger and all the drama everything would end this way. The universe shouldn´t work that way, the good guys should always win and the bad guys blasted to hell. " What now?".
" We wait".
Suddenly a loud booming noise was rocking the ground under their feet and the closest people to the explosion fell down. Then they all watched the mine collapsing, burying everything under a pile of soil, stone and dirt.
TBC