An old friend 2
Pain. It was the first thing Tyr noticed as he drifted up to consciousness. His bite wounds burned in various locations across his body. The smooth floor scraped under his back and he realized he was being dragged. He opened his eyes and saw the overhead lights shining down on him. It reassured him a bit, as it meant he was still on the Andromeda. But for how long? The Maggog were no doubt taking them to their ship. He didn't want to think what would happen after that. He was proud though that he had taken out many Maggog. Not many warriors could make such a claim.
He turned his head slightly and saw Harper next to him. The cocky little engineer was being dragged alongside him and left a wet trail of blood in his wake. From his appearance, he appeared to be unconscious. But he chest rose and fell, which signaled he still lived.
Tyr thought of the promise he had made to Harper, that he would kill him before the Maggog got him. Well, there is nothing I can do now. he thought. I can't even save myself. My gun is empty, my forcelance is who knows where and I am physically exhausted. And Maggog surround us. Even Nietszcheans have their limits. It would take a miracle to save us and I doubt if that will happen. Believing in miracles is more the Rev's type of thing, anyway.
The Maggog that was dragging him stopped and Tyr worried they had reached the aliens' ship. He knew once they were carried off the Andromeda that was the end. There would be nothing after that except a slow painful death. The floor underneath him trembled and the sound of an explosion carried to his ears.
So, he thought, someone is still alive. There's a chance still.
Maggog hurried past him to fight with whoever it was. A few moments later the same Maggogs sailed through the air above him, their fur on fire. They struck the corridor wall so hard they went right through it. The air was filled with Maggog screams.
Tyr lifted his head off the floor. He wanted to see who was causing such chaos among the Maggog. He blinked in surprise when he saw it was a human male he had never seen before. Where had this man come from? Was there another ship? As far as Tyr could tell, the man was alone. He watched in astonishment as the man gripped a Maggog and easily lifted it above his head. He acted as if the alien weighed nothing at all. Nor did its slashing claws seem to do him any damage. Could he be an android like Rommie? The man tossed the squirming Maggog at a bunch of its fellow invaders and they all flew backward to crash into the metal wall.
The human male was tall, around six feet with a well muscled body. He had dark, shoulder length wavy hair. A well-trimmed beard and mustache surrounded his mouth. He was dressed in a black leather sleeveless vest that was studded with silver bits of metal. The vest was partly open at his wide chest and revealed dark chest hair. A wide leather belt with an intricate design circled his waist. A slimmer belt that matched the other held a scabbard with a sword inside it. Black leather pants and boots completed his outfit. He also had wide silver gauntlets studded with red rubies around both wrists. A matching red ruby sparkled on one of his fingers while another finger was covered in an odd silver thimble. A silver earring in the shape of a sword dangled from one ear and he wore a symbol on a leather cord around his neck. Fire seemed to burn in his dark eyes as he watched the Maggog.
Legs spread wide apart for balance; the man stretched his arms out to either side. Electricity started to flow between his two hands. It formed a round ball above his head. He lifted his hands upward and the white ball of electricity grew in size. He gripped it with his bare hands and tossed it at a thick clump of charging Maggogs. The stink of burnt fur drifted to Tyr's nose as the Maggogs sizzled.
What are you? Tyr thought.
"Run maggots! Run for your lives!" The man laughed as the Maggog started to retreat down the corridor. He raised his hand to his mouth and blew on it. Next his shook the hand, pulled it back and made a throwing motion. A fireball exploded from his hand and chased the Maggog down the hallway. Tyr closed his eyes as the ball of flame zipped by overhead and the incredible heat of the magical fire washed over him. The fireball expanded the farther it traveled down the hall until it mushroomed into a fiery blast. The rolling wall of fire backtracked down the hallway and then vanished.
Silence.
Smoke hung in the air and the metal walls were burned black. In a few spots they were even melted. Tyr coughed. The smoke and the stink of charred flesh was too much in his present condition. Next to him, Harper stirred and opened his eyes. He stared up in confusion at the stranger in black leather. A lone figure emerged from the thick smoke that hung in the ruined corridor. It was the Rev in his red robes. He stopped next to Tyr and Harper. "Thank the Divine you are safe!"
"This doesn't have anything to do with your Divine." the stranger in black leather stated.
"Who are you?" Tyr asked.
"I'm Ares, God of War!" the man replied. "And I just saved your butts."
