Alliance of Demons
You see what I mean?
Kiryuu was jostled awake when he heard that familiar voice call to him again.
Listen to them, they think they know but they do not. Soon they will realize that this world they commune with will be made to rot.
"Get out of my head, Ghidorah," Kiryuu whispered.
"Talking to yourself?" asked a voice. Kiryuu looked up and found Jake Sully squatting down to him. "Never heard a pompous computer that could talk to itself."
Kiryuu just chuckled.
"You gonna tell me why you're here—boss?" Jake asked, clinching his teeth. "Or am I gonna have to beat it out of you."
"Beat it out of me?" Kiryuu asked. "I don't have to even grow to my true size to stomp you flat, Jake. Or is that what you want? Ever since you betrayed me, that's what you've been waiting for? A chance to take me down?"
"You think I would want something so idiotic?" Jake asked. "Why are you here?"
"I told you, I did not come here on my own accord," Kiryuu said. "I was brought here."
"Who brought you here?" Jake asked. "And are there others?"
"Others, what others?" Kiryuu asked. "Your demands are making hardly any reasonable sense. I am here alone."
"Who brought you here?" Jake asked again.
Kiryuu's smile melted and he leaned against the wood bars. His eyes focused down to the floor and his brows furrowed. Trying to remember how he came here was painful to him. He wanted to be back with the Chief and Cortana. He knew there was something wrong with her and he knew that only he could fix it.
Tell him!
Kiryuu winced. A spike of pain was sent through his CPU.
Tell him!
"No," he whispered. "What good would it do?"
Let him know what he protects. You've downloaded it. You have seen the plans. You know what Pandora is!
Kiryuu looked at the ground and saw his glowing cords fluctuate and move towards the roots of Hometree. Immediately, the cords dove themselves into the roots and the download began again.
Tell him, now! Let him see us, let him see what he betrayed his species for.
"What's happening?" Jake asked. "Why are your cords in the roots of Hometree?"
"Because I am communicating with it," said Kiryuu.
"How?" Jake asked. "You don't have any way to do that. You're not Na'vi."
Kiryuu stood up and waved a metallic claw at the roots. They bent backwards, forming a hole in the cage to allow him through. Kiryuu walked out of his cage and turned to face Jake.
"This moon is a machine," he said. "It is artificial—just as artificial as I am. It was built with Technomancy by an ancient race who knew how to use it properly."
"What?" Jake asked. "You're fucking joking."
"I'm not," said Kiryuu. "There was a reason why King Ghidorah had been here and that was because of creators of this world. They're known as the Forerunners. The Covenant—the enemies that we fought during the war were after Forerunner technology so they could become immortal. Really, the technology they were looking for was a weapon the Forerunners used against King Ghidorah's creations known as the Flood."
"Shut up," said Jake. "That's enough out of you."
Kiryuu, in a blur, leapt onto Jake Sully, knocking him down. One way or another, he was going to get the bullheaded human-turned Na'vi to listen.
"Neytiri said King Ghidorah has been here, but I say he's never left!" Kiryuu growled. "When you betrayed humanity, you promised yourself that you protect this world. But have do you any idea what this world really is? Do you know who Eywa is?"
"The goddess of this world," said Jake. "Unlike all the other so-called gods we humans used to believe in, at least Eywa is real."
"No, she's no god," said Kiryuu. "She's an artificial intelligence, a monitor of a Shield World that controls the function of this world. Jake, this world is a Forerunner Shield Installation. The animals are artificial, under it's control, and so in partial are the Na'vi. Why do you think they have those damned cords on the back of their necks? To commune with Eywa or to talk to a database?"
"Eywa helped me defeat the skypeople," said Jake. "She chased them off."
"Listen to yourself," said Kiryuu. "Listen to how stupid you sound. Those were your people! They were doing what they were ordered to do. I can understand your feelings for Quaritch, but condemning the entire race to death for the actions of one man is inexcusable. The Monitor of this Shield Installation chased them off because they were digging into areas they were not supposed to dig into. The Monitor knew they were getting close to areas that were supposed to be quarantined."
"Quarantined?" Jake asked. "Like for some sort of virus?"
"Much more than a virus," said Kiryuu. "King Ghidorah's new form. 40,000 years ago, King Ghidorah tricked a Forerunner scientist to create a retrovirus. This retrovirus is called the Flood Super Cell and it turns people into mindless slaves of King Ghidorah. Not only that, but it kills them and reanimates their bodies. When enough Flood have been massed, they can form into another solid body for King Ghidorah. When the Forerunners realized this, they created the Halos to destroy all life within the galaxy—the food of the Flood—as in you, humans, Covenant. You are all food!"
"You're lying," said Jake.
"See if I'm lying!" Kiryuu cried. "I can take you to a structure which will lead you into the installation itself. And it has Flood! Your warriors have found such structures. You're delving into them, trying to figure out how they work. You're delving into a place you were not meant to go."
Jake shook his head and leaned away from Kiryuu.
"Look around you," said Kiryuu. "Look at this tree. Trees aren't designed like this, no matter how alien they are. They're not designed to automatically be houses for people. You cut them down, you chop them up, you turn the wood into houses, but a tree doesn't grow to form a house. Not unless there is something within that commands it. This tree is artificial. It was manufactured, just like everything else on this planet. The Forerunners created this planet to house the Na'vi. It is a Garden of Eden for them, meant to feed them, to clothe them, to give them shelter. Why? Because the Forerunner needed the Na'vi for a purpose. You know what that purpose was?"
"No," said Jake.
"The Forerunners took the Na'vi from their home world," said Kiryuu. "They built this shield world to study them. The shield world was built for the Forerunners to live inside while the Na'vi lived outside so they could observe them like rats. For what purpose? Because they wanted to know if the Na'vi could create a vaccine for the Flood. That is why there are Flood here. But Flood contains tissue of King Ghidorah and that attracts the monster."
Yes! Yes!
Jake's eyes became downcast.
"This world is a giant laboratory," said Kiryuu. "And your precious Neytiri is the rat. And since you're one of them, I suppose that makes you a rat too. It fits, I think. Only a rat would betray his friends and family."
"I have no more friends or family," said Jake. "Not from the humans."
"You think your brother would agree with you doing what you did?" asked Kiryuu.
"Asshole!" Jake bellowed as he reared back to punch Kiryuu in the jaw. Before he could make contact, Kiryuu grabbed Jake's hand.
"Condemning humans means you condemn him," said Kiryuu, clutching Jake's fist tightly. Jake winced just as he felt Kiryuu begin to clamp down, breaking the joints in his hand. He lowered himself to the ground, panting in pain, looking back up at the biomecha. Kiryuu's expression was flat. Then, Jake's eyes widened when he saw Kiryuu's eyes flash red.
"You deny the truth, but it lies below," said Kiryuu in a voice much deeper than his. It was not Kiryuu's voice at all. "And soon through all your deluded hope, you will finally know. This planet is called Pandora for a reason, and not for the creatures living on its surface. You have betrayed your people once and so you will betray them again. For it is you who will unleash the demons from within."
Kiryuu let go of Jake's hand and fell to his knees, exhausted. He panted, holding a claw up to his head.
"Now—you know I am telling the truth," he said.
"King Ghidorah?" Jake asked. "That was King Ghidorah? He spoke through you?"
"I was close to being in contact with his scale," said Kiryuu. "And, well, he did it before. 500 years ago, he used me as a patsy. He's trying to feed into my anger towards you, Jake. Why do you think I'm being very cordial about our meeting? I am trying my best to suppress him. I want to fight you. I want to kill you. I want to do everything to you that you did to your own people. I want you to feel the agony innocent human lives felt at the hands of the Covenant after what you have done. But that is not my way. I am not a savage."
"I suppose restraint makes you seem better than us," said Jake. "How arrogant of you."
"I know when I need to fight and when I do not," said Kiryuu. "Apparently you don't. Do you know what I was about to do when the war was over—after we had mined the moon? I was going to heal it, give back to the Na'vi what the UNSC was taking from them. Now, I wish never to set foot on it. Yet, here I am. Though, I am glad you stopped us with your little Geronimo stunt. If we had continued, King Ghidorah would have appeared again."
He lowered his head.
"You want to know who brought me here," he began, his shoulders shaking like he was suffering from a chill. "It was King Ghidorah. He took control of the Covenant holy city High Charity through his Flood and managed to take it out of the galaxy, following us through a portal to a Forerunner installation. We thought we defeated him on that installation and destroyed it, causing the portal to close behind us. But not all of us made it through. I did not. He trapped me, tormented me, and then when he was done, sent me here."
"Why?" Jake asked.
"Ask him," said Kiryuu. "All you have to do is find your way into the installation and ask him. He is here."
"That is what you want me to do," he said.
"That is what he wants!" Kiryuu called. "He wants to be freed. This world is not real, Jake. It's not real. You fought for a lie. Was it worth it?"
Give me control! Let me ease your suffering. The power, the exhilaration. You felt it. Be it. Let yourself go and let me take control.
Jake got up and snorted. He did not want to deal with Kiryuu anymore today. He had a clan to lead, hunts to go on. He had his wife to take care of. Jake left Kiryuu in his sullen state. He knew the biomecha would not go anywhere. It seemed with all Kiryuu strength, he was completely helpless at this time. Just as Jake left, Kiryuu raised his head.
"You win," he finally said to the voice in his mind.
King Ghidorah bellowed his laugh as Kiryuu slumped his head in shame. Tears flowed down his cheeks, listening to the golden hydra's triumphant guffaw.
0
"Aykeruseytìranyu," said Neytiri. "Deathwalkers."
"The what?" Jake asked.
"They are creatures who were once Na'vi," she said. "Our songs speak of them. They were beings that the Gold Demon made from Na'vi. He used them to trick us. What metal skydemon speaks of is true."
"The Flood," said Jake. "He called them the Flood."
Neytiri walked around the enormous fire, her golden eyes fell upon the other clan members.
"Deathwalkers are possessed spirits," she told them. "They walk like us, but are not like us. Their spirits cannot go to Eywa because the Gold Demon has them. They become a part of him and he commands their lifeless bodies to work for him. They fight for him because he still promises them life."
Jake scoffs for a moment. He could not believe in something so absurd. However, Kiryuu described something similar when he told him about the Flood.
"Kiryuu says that the Deathwalkers still exist on Pandora," said Jake, rising up. "They are here."
"When the demon left, he took the Deathwalkers with him," said Neytiri. "How can you say that is true?"
"Kiryuu is an asshole," said Jake. "But I saw his eyes. I saw him and then I saw the Gold Demon within him. He is right, King Ghidorah is still here."
"We must find where the Deathwalkers are hiding and destroy them!" shouted a warrior.
"Only Kiryuu knows where they are hiding," said Jake.
"Then take the metal skydemon," said Neytiri. "Have him show our finest warriors where they are and they will destroy them."
"Olo'eytkan!" called Waranyu, running towards the group around the fire. "The metal skydemon. He's escaped!"
"What?" Jake asked.
"I went to check up on him and he was not there," said Waranyu. "I am sorry, Olo'eytkan."
Jake looked back to the other members of his clan.
"Gather up your warriors, Waranyu," he said. "We'll fix your mistake."
"Yes, Olo'eytkan," said Waranyu, dipping his head.
"Ma Jake," said Neytiri. "Don't go chasing the skydemon. He is trouble. He could get you killed."
"Don't worry," said Jake. He gathered his bow up and called out to his warriors. They all mounted upon their direhorses and rode off. Jake heard the sounds of lookouts calling to him, sounding their messages in cryptic hoots and chatter. They told him where Kiryuu had went to. He howled at his warriors, raising his bow high. They sounded their reply and swiftly followed. Another sound came and Jake looked up, hearing the call of several ikran makto. Jake's eyes were wide when he decoded their message. Kiryuu was heading in the direction of the sacred Tree of Souls.
"No," he said. "This would be like the changeling. No! Kiryuu must not reach the Tree of Souls. Do what you can! Distract him!"
"Makto ko!" shouted one of the riders.
It took quite a bit of riding to reach the chasm at the center of the Flux Vortex. The ikran makto were perched up on the ribbed stone structures, looking down upon the enormous, glowing willow Tree of Souls. The sun was already starting to set and the bioluminescent vines hanging from the tree started to glow their pink-white color. The riders' bows were drawn and arrows were ready, pointing at a figure at the truck of the tree. Jake Sully and his warriors came upon the tree to find Kiryuu sitting there. Kiryuu's eyes were closed and the cyan-colored, glowing cords floated up to attach themselves to the vines of the tree itself. Jake lifted off of his horse and pulled his dagger from its sheath. He swiftly ran for Kiryuu wanting desperately to burry his knife into the latex rubber skin of the biomecha. Kiryuu's eyes opened and a vine from a rock formation whipped out. The vine tripped Jake, tying his legs together. The vine lifted him up and lowered him down towards Kiryuu.
"How?" Jake called. "How is this possible?"
"I am communicating with the internal system of the Shield Installation itself," said Kiryuu. "The plants here are a part of that system."
He dropped Jake down on the ground.
"What are you doing here?" Jake asked. "Don't you know this is our most sacred place? I should kill you right now!"
"Go ahead and try," said Kiryuu.
Jake yellowed and dove for him, knife in hand. Another whip sounded and Jake saw a blinding flash of silver. He made a dodge for it, leaping sideways and rolling onto the ground, but another bright flash of silver came across him. Jake felt the ground shake as something impacted into the rock. He looked at his side and saw a massive metallic blade sticking out of the ground. It was connected to a long, spined vine, which was then connected to Kiryuu. He saw more of these painfully bladed whips lash about Kiryuu's body, all of them connected to him. Jake saw the exposed areas of biosyntech under the black rubber that held his armor. Those blades were his famous weapon—his tentacles. Jake saw the glowing blue, perfectly polished crystals lining the chitin around the syntech.
"Want to try again?" Kiryuu asked.
"Something tells me you wanted me to follow you," said Jake.
"That was my intention," Kiryuu said.
Jake looked over at Kiryuu's left arm, noticing that he had removed the armor on it to expose the syntech. Bladed spines grew out from the forearm and curved backwards towards the elbow. Jake rolled quickly over to dodge another blade impacting the rock. Kiryuu got up and continued to send blade after blade. He swiped and slashed while Jake attempted to dodge. Finally, a blade slashed and Jake called out in pain. He crashed to the ground, holding his side. His blood dripped from a clean, smooth cut and splashed onto the roots of the Tree of Souls. Kiryuu disconnected from the tree and chuckled, withdrawing his blades slightly away from Jake. Jake gasped, holding to his side.
"Well, kill me," he said. "That's what you wanted to do."
"I want you to see this first," said Kiryuu. "And then when I grow tired of you, I may dispose of you."
A blade whipped out and grabbed Jake by the waist, carrying him over to Kiryuu. He took Jake by the neck and brought him close to his snout. Jake looked around him as he saw several blades circled his body.
"There is a reason why there is a vortex around this area," he said. "And I will show it to you."
Kiryuu lifted up and pressed a depression in the stone near a root of the tree with his foot. The roots in front began to pull back over the stone and a crack split the up the middle, opening to a chasm below. Jake looked down and saw Pandora for what it is through the cracks, metal, circuitry, lights, and mechanical parts. He could not believe that Kiryuu was right.
"Down we go," said Kiryuu, tightly securing him with his syntech.
"What?" Jake asked as Kiryuu leapt into the chasm, taking him with him.
Kiryuu looked back at the Na'vi warriors who gathered at the rim: "Tsamsiyu za'u ìla!"
"Tsamsiyu ne oe!" Jake hollered as he saw them dive down with their ikran. "Ftang vrrtep!"
"Fmi si ftang oe," bellowed Kiryuu. He dove through the rafters, falling through the darkness while the ikran makto followed. Kiryuu's blades lashed out onto a banister and he swung down, landing on a platform. The darkness gave way to an eerie cyan glow coming from underneath. The riders landed on the platform, their bows drawn. Kiryuu grabbed hold of Jake's queue and pulled it tight, placing him between Kiryuu and the warriors. Jake let loose a cry of pain as he felt his queue being pulled taunt.
"Tspang oe si nga tspang pot," Kiryuu warned, keeping a firm grip on Jake.
"Kea," said Jake, raising a hand. He turned back to Kiryuu. "Why have you brought me here."
Kiryuu paused for a moment and looked up, hearing something mechanical move towards them. He saw two glowing points of light encased behind a blue energy shield up in front.
"I knew one of those things would be here," he said. Jake looked up just as an enormous automaton with a blocky body, large pincers below it, and floodlights on the top float towards them. It charged up its weapons and began to fire upon them. Kiryuu and Jake leapt out of the way just as a wave of missiles impacted the floor where they were standing. The Na'vi warriors began to fire on it with their bows, but they just bounced off of its metallic casing.
"Stop!" Kiryuu called. "You'll just make it worse!"
"Si ke txep," Jake cried. "Tsamsiyu ftang!"
"Ìla ayoeng," Kiryuu. He grabbed Jake and ducked again just as the other Na'vi warriors followed. One warrior was tripped on a grate and fell. The robotic guard fired on him, turning him into nothing more than a chard spot on the floor. Jake bellowed out when he saw the thing kill one of his warriors. They ducked behind a column as another wave of fire came racing towards them.
"What the hell is that thing?" Jake asked.
"Enforcer," replied Kiryuu. "The Forerunners built robots called Sentinels to guard their installations, especially ones with Flood on them. Enforcers are one of the more powerful guardians, and they're only unleashed when the outbreak is bad."
"But there isn't any Flood here," said Jake. "You said it's all locked up."
"Maybe," said Kiryuu. "Though it's possible that the Monitor—the one you call Eywa, is trying to stop me."
"Stop you from doing what?" Jake asked.
"Showing you the truth," said Kiryuu.
"Eywa is firing on me," said Jake. "Why? I was her chosen one."
"You served your purpose," said Kiryuu. "Now you are the intruder. Let's go."
He sliced off a piece of his own syntech and allowed it to harden. Kiryuu motioned for them to keep quiet and tossed the piece out onto the floor. As the piece rolled to a stop, it sprouted legs and began to walk around, scuttling across the floor. The Enforcer looked down and began to follow its movements as it scurried its way to the opposite side.
"That's—that's convenient," said Jake.
"Come on," said Kiryuu. He led them down a hallway that was lit dimly by white light. Kiryuu glanced around, making sure that he did not hear any more Sentinels floating around.
"What is this place?" Jake asked.
"This is about 2 miles into the Shield Installation," said Kiryuu. "You just live on the surface. There's a whole nether world you have yet to explore. Though I wonder if Na'vi can survive that world. The Forerunners breathe oxygen/nitrogen just like humans while Na'vi breathe oxygen/carbon dioxide. You may not survive it."
"We seem to be doing fine here," said Jake.
"I suspect this area was constantly exposed to the moon's atmosphere," said Kiryuu.
"Alright," said Jake. "Explain to me this. If the Na'vi were the science experiment for these ancient aliens, then what's the deal with the queue? Why give them the ability to communicate with nature?"
"It was a survival tactic," said Kiryuu. "But also it was a method of instant data gathering for the Forerunners. Like an implant. The Monitor would store the data gathered from the Na'vi through the queue. It also does it when a Na'vi dies. The things you called the Sacred Seeds are remote terminals to the Monitor."
"Great," said Jake. "I'm walking around with a real USB cord in the back of my neck."
"Essentially," said Kiryuu. He glanced up when he heard another metallic sound. It was a second Enforcer. "Stay here."
"Í'awn," said Jake to the remaining warriors. He stood back as Kiryuu leapt into the air and onto the Enforcer's back.
"Run!" Kiryuu called. "Hide behind that pillar, I've got it distracted."
"Ko!" Jake ordered.
Kiryuu's syntech formed into one solid long sword-like protrusion from the palm of his hand. Curling his claws around the scabbard of the sword and stabbed the back of the Enforcer. The Enforcer fell from the air and crashed, allowing Kiryuu's blade to slide completely through, cutting the machine in half. His blade withdrew back into his hand.
You are almost there…shut down the Monitor…
"It's not far," said Kiryuu.
"I know you're leading me into a trap," said Jake. "It has to be."
"No," said Kiryuu. "Why would I do that? If I wanted to kill you, I would have already done so."
"Perfect," Jake sighed. "Tsamsiyu za'u."
Kiryuu remained silent through most of the trip towards the Control Room. His mind was on King Ghidorah, who kept an ever-festering presence inside him. King Ghidorah kept whispering his bitter sweet, poisonous commands to him, urging him forward. The more he allowed King Ghidorah into his mind, the more he felt his own conscience slip away. King Ghidorah was in control of his movements, making his legs walk, making his eyes see. Kiryuu felt the claws of King Ghidorah fold around his CPU. They clamped down to form a cage.
What am I doing? Kiryuu asked as he watched his cage seal him. No, let me out! I don not want to play anymore.
If you wish to survive, then you will do as you are told.
This is not right.
There is no right or wrong, there is only you and me. In the end errors of his ways will Jake Sully finally see. Revenge is sweet, is it not?
Realizing what is really here, I am glad Jake did what he did! We could have been dealing with something a lot worse if we continued than we did when we faced you on the Ark. For that, I will sacrifice anything.
King Ghidorah bellowed when he heard Kiryuu's defiance. Kiryuu once more attempted to fight control. His feet became heavy and he began to drag his tail. Jake saw the mecha fall back, hearing the sound of metal grating across the floor. Kiryuu fell to his knees. He held his head.
"Kiryuu," Jake asked.
"What is wrong with him?" Waranyu.
"Kiryuu, get up," said Jake. "I want to find the answer. I want to know about this moon, what it's purpose was, about the people who built it. And you're the only one who can give that to me."
Kiryuu lifted his head up and his sad eyes stared back at Jake.
"Kiryuu," said Jake. "You dragged me down here, now you are going to finish what you started."
"I shouldn't have brought you here," he said. "Jake, I will say this now. I can never forgive you for your actions. Your reasoning for betraying your species was not because Quaritch was in the wrong that was just the fuel on the fire. I would have done the same thing for what he did to Grace. Believe me I wanted to stop Malcho from mining this moon, from stealing something from a people who did not deserve it. I know what it is like to have something stolen from me. Look at me, Jake. Humanity took my life away! Then they turned me into this to serve them. They took me away from my son."
"Son," Jake said. "Godzilla? He—he was your son? You mean to tell me that you're really…"
Kiryuu nodded.
"This whole time," Jake said. "You're the original King of the Monsters. The one that attacked Japan and was killed in the 1950s. Those rumors were true."
"My island was ruined by atomic weapons tests, Jake," said Kiryuu. "I know what it is like to have something sacred destroyed in front of my eyes. Which is why I am even angrier with you for your actions. The Na'vi had a just cause, but you—your reason for siding with them was not because of Malcho's destruction to their land. You sided with them because you wanted a piece of alien tail! You did it for her and her only. And for that you betrayed my trust. I sided with Malcho only because of the war. Not for money. You sided with the Na'vi so you could impress your girlfriend."
"Fuck you!" Jake bellowed.
"Angry at me or not, you know the truth," Kiryuu said as he rose up onto his feet. "When I finally saw your reason, I banished any last respect I had for you. Your brother would have…"
"I'm not my brother, damn it!" Jake cried.
"You're right," said Kiryuu. "You are not your brother. He would have tried to resolve the situations for the right reasons and probably handled it a bit better to make both sides come out winners. He even had a sweeter tongue when it came to Malcho than I did."
"I'm sorry I didn't live up to your hard to reach expectations, boss!" Jake spat. "I'm just a grunt, remember? That's what you hired me for, to be the grunt."
"Even grunts know how to use their heads," said Kiryuu. He pointed to his own head. "The one up here." Then he pointed down to his crouch. "Not the one down here. Apparently you used the one down here. And now, because of that, you are about to see what the outcome of that will be."
Kiryuu looked around the dark auditorium they were standing in.
"Monitor," he called. "I am a Reclaimer. Make yourself known to me."
"A Reclaimer?" said a booming, masculine voice from the walls. "Here? So long since I have heard that name. Scanning…"
Kiryuu looked around himself just as a blue light scanned over him.
"You are not a Reclaimer," said the voice. "You are a construct."
"I'm still a Technomancer," said Kiryuu.
"Your mind has touched Mendicant Bias," said the voice. "I since a piece of him inside of you. He is a traitor."
"Is that Eywa?" asked Jake.
"Yes," said Kiryuu. "You were expecting a female Monitor?"
"They referred to it as a her," said Jake.
"All Monitor voices are masculine," said the voice. "I am known as 20134 E.Y.W.A, the Monitor of Shield Installation 5623."
"An acronym?" Jake asked. "Eywa is an acronym?"
"My designation is unpronounceable to your tongue," said the Monitor. A blinding blue spotlight turned on and shined on the group. Kiryuu squinted his eyes and saw that the light came from a single optic encased inside a spherical shape that was suspended on a track in the ceiling. The spherical, metallic shape was the similar shape that 343 Guilty Spark had. Only it was much larger. The Monitor released the clamps and descended down, suspended in a gravity field. Eywa floated towards the group. Kiryuu's eyes widened when he saw the familiar glow of the Connection cords growing out from the back of the Monitor and connecting to the systems of the Control Room.
"Your structure is both identical to the now indigenous sentient species of this Installation and similar to that of a Reclaimer," said Ewya to Jake. "I am confused as to why this is."
"He is an Avatar," said Kiryuu. "They are beings cloned from the Na'vi DNA and Human DNA to allow humans to walk on Pandora. I created them."
"Magnificent integration," said the Monitor. "Though with the primitive way you have done it. Why are you here? And why do I sense Bias on you?"
"Mendicant Bias has atoned for what he has done," said Kiryuu. "He lead the Children back to the Ark."
"They are safe?" Eywa asked. "They were here and they were excavating in areas where potential Flood contamination was eminent."
"That was 30 years ago," said Kiryuu.
"Thank the Makers that they are safe once more," said Eywa. "I did not wish to command all bioforms on the installation to attack them, but I had no choice. It was the only way to make them leave so that they would not risk contamination."
"I understand," said Kiryuu. "It seemed a valid reason. Unfortunately, the Flood did escape on one of the Installations—the Fortress Worlds we call Halos."
"Who let them escape?" asked Eywa.
"A group of aliens known as the Covenant," said Kiryuu. "They were interested in finding Forerunner technology. Apparently, they delved into areas they were not supposed to go."
"It is unfortunate," said the Monitor. "Which Installation?"
"04 and 05," said Kiryuu.
"05 has always been poorly maintained," said Eywa. "Which is why a Compound Mind was formed there."
"We call it a Gravemind," said Kiryuu. "However, I know who Gravemind is. He is a larval form of King Ghidorah—the Hydra."
"I am well informed of that information, Construct," said Eywa.
Kiryuu looked back at Jake: "Believe me now?"
"I suppose I might as well give up and say you were right, Kiryuu," Jake sighed, disillusioned. "Eywa is real, but she—I mean he is a giant floating disco ball."
"I do not approve of this nomenclature," said the Monitor. "I am…"
"Eywa," said Jake. "I know."
"If you wish to refer me as thus."
Jake sauntered away. He looked back at his warriors who were just staring at the Monitor with confusion. They were not sure if they should bow and sing their praises or be repulsed. However, they knew that no one would believe them if they said anything about it. So, they figured it was better that they did not tell anyone about this.
"You've made your point, Kiryuu," said Jake. "I believe you. This world isn't real. It's some sort of scientific base that a bunch of aliens built several thousands of years ago. Regardless of that, it still belongs to the Na'vi."
"Incorrect," said the Monitor. "This Installation now belongs to the Reclaimers. It is their duty to continue in the footsteps of the Forerunners. I am here to aid them in this progress, inform them of where the Forerunners left in their attempts to rid the galaxy of Flood and to inform them how to properly use this Installation. If the Reclaimers will return and come to me, I will gladly speak to them."
"This moon belongs to the Humans?" asked Jake.
"It has always belonged to them," said Kiryuu.
"They were using this facility incorrectly," said Eywa. "The Reclaimers must be properly tutored. Construct, inform your makers, the Reclaimers. They are welcomed to return to my Installation and finish what their forefathers started."
"Not fire the Fortress Worlds?" Kiryuu asked.
"Those installations are only a last resort method if no other conclusion can be assessed through more conventional means," said Eywa. "They should never be bothered with unless need to."
"Unfortunately," Kiryuu said. "Those Installations are completely out of commission. One has been destroyed, while the remote access, Installation 00 has been completely decimated. The Array can no longer be used."
"Unfortunate," said Eywa. "Then, the Reclaimers must use my Installation and others like it to find a permanent solution to the Flood. There is no other recourse."
Kiryuu turned his attention to Jake.
"Satisfied?" he asked.
"So there's more of these Shield Worlds out there?" Jake asked.
"Many more," said the Monitor.
I grow impatient!
Kiryuu growled and shook his head. Once more the conscience of King Ghidorah was warring with his own. Unfortunately, the Hydra was winning again.
"Monitor, how would you suggest that the Reclaimers go about finding a solution?" he asked the Monitor.
"This Installation is designed to allow a minimum release of the Flood," said the Monitor. "Enough to study them and how they infect the various life forms of this world and take samples for the solution."
"Could we get a demonstration?" Kiryuu asked, a crooked smile growing across his lips.
Yes, do it!
"What?" Jake asked, looking back at Kiryuu with a horrified expression. "No! Is this what you planned on doing?"
"I am afraid that is impossible at this time," said the Monitor. "Only a Reclaimer can give me that order. You are not a Reclaimer, Construct. It is logical to have a team of Reclaimer scientists stationed in the interior to begin study. There is no such team here at this time. If you would return to your world and bring a team, we can begin the study immediately."
"I see," said Kiryuu. "Too bad. Then, I must attempt another way."
He whipped out his glowing Technomantic cords and attached them to the bottom of the spherical Monitor. The Monitor suddenly jerked backwards at the powerful jolt Kiryuu was sending through the cords. Jake and his warriors leapt out of the way as the Monitor began to fire its central optic laser at Kiryuu. Kiryuu braced himself, allowing the beam to impact upon his shields.
"What are you doing?" Jake cried. "Kiryuu, stop it!"
Kiryuu refused to answer, sending another wave of energy through the cords into the Monitor. The lights in the Control Room began to flicker.
"I should have known you were Rampant, Construct!" said Eywa. "Just like Mendicant Bias. You have fallen to the whims of the Compound Mind as well."
"What?" Jake asked. "What does Eywa mean by that? Kiryuu?"
Kiryuu launched into the air and landed on the top of the sphere. The Monitor spun out of control, firing its beam every which way. Several smaller Sentinels appeared through several access ports. They fired their beams at the Na'vi. Jake brought out his bow and arrow. He shot one of the Sentinels with the arrow. The thick shaft passed through and the Sentinel fell to the ground. The other Na'vi warriors followed his actions and also fired their arrows at the other Sentinels. Kiryuu slammed his metallic claw into the Monitor's casing and sliced through the metal. He pulled it away and sent a bladed tentacle through to the circuitry, stabbing all the way down to the bottom. Then, he leapt off, slicing the Monitor in half. Kiryuu then sent his cords into the system and began to allow his CPU to meld with the Installation's command center. The Sentinels stopped their attack and dropped from the air. Jake looked back at Kiryuu and then to the shattered casing of what was known to the Na'vi as Eywa.
"So much for your all-seeing, all-knowing deity," said Kiryuu with a deep chuckle. His voice suddenly became even deeper and unholy. "I have defied gods and demons."
"Kiryuu?" Jake asked.
"Let the Floodgate swing open wide," Kiryuu said as he placed his hand on the console. "Let the water wash away all the sorrow. The Na'vi will find themselves pushed aside for a greater and better tomorrow. There will be nowhere they can hide."
No!
He turned to face Jake, a maddening grin twisting his face into something horribly unnatural. Kiryuu's eyes were glowing bloody red. His grey scales had a golden sheen to them. Jake knew that voice all too well. It was the voice of King Ghidorah, speaking through Kiryuu again.
"Kiryuu!" he shouted. He rushed for Kiryuu, his knife drawn again. Kiryuu swing around, knocking Jake down with his tail. He placed his hand on the console again and a holographic screen appeared over the central pedestal. Jake lifted up and then smelled the air, catching a fowl scent. It smelled like a mixture of rotten vegetables and sewage. He turned his head and saw several balloon-like jellyfish with spidery legs scuttle towards the Na'vi.
"Olo'eytkan!" called Waranyu. "Peu fayswiräti?"
"Oe si ke omum," said Jake.
One of them leapt onto one of the other Na'vi warriors and he began to scream in pain as it bit into his neck. The creature burrowed into the neck of the warrior and pushed his head to the side, breaking his neck. Three pink feelers grew out from the neck as a greenish carapace formed over his blue skin. His right hand lengthened to form into several long tentacles. The same thing happened to the other Na'vi Warriors. The queue on the Na'vi's neck formed into several tentacles as well, sprouting and writhing all around the bent neck. The blue skin turned to sickly brown as the Flood continued to mutate him. The tail grew longer, and barbs grew out from it. The same thing happened to the others as well as they were painfully contorted and transformed into Na'vi Combat Forms. Now, only Jake remained.
"Your life, I will spare," said King Ghidorah through Kiryuu. "So that you may watch with anticipated care. This world that you would die for, the love that you have coveted for yourself, shall meet with Death's cold stare. A new world I will build from the ashes of the old. A new story will be told. This moon will be my rebirth and like a phoenix, from beyond the grave I will rise."
"No!" Jake cried. Kiryuu pinned him down with his foot.
The new Flood Combat Forms scurried off towards the opening where the former riders had left their ikran. More Infection Forms followed them, hoping to then infect the Mountain Banshees. In the holographic screen, Jake focused his eyes upon the world of Pandora. He watched in horror as more newly created Combat Forms encircled the Tree of Souls. The tree itself began to dim it's lovely glow, its wondrous light being doused by the hideous darkness. Then, the tree fell forward, crashing down onto the chasm floor.
"No!" Jake cried again.
The glow of the forest also dimmed and fell dark as tree after tree began to die. They soon toppled and withered away into nothing but dust on the planet's surface. The ugly rock of the planet became exposed. Then, another image appeared. It was the new Hometree. As he watched, several openings appeared at its base as hordes of Infection Forms scuttled into the home of the Omaticaya Clan. He watched with baleful sorrow as the Omaticaya screamed, being transformed into the grotesque Flood Combat Forms. The tree itself started to shed it's leaves, signaling its death. He turned back to Kiryuu, who had a satisfied smirk on his face. Though Jake knew that was not Kiryuu smiling, it was King Ghidorah. Kiryuu had not led him here, it was King Ghidorah.
"Your clan is through," said King Ghidorah. "Now your world I shall also destroy."
All Jake and even Kiryuu from within the cage of his mind could only watch. From within his CPU, Kiryuu felt the squeeze of King Ghidorah again.
"Your mind is weak," said King Ghidorah. "It has always been."
Kiryuu cried out in pain as he struggled against King Ghidorah's hold. Though it was fruitless. There was nothing he could do about it. King Ghidorah stretched him out and then smashed him together. Kiryuu was thrown against the walls of his CPU. He was shattered into a million pieces. Then King Ghidorah put him back together so he could break him again. Over and over, King Ghidorah needed Kiryuu like dough, squishing him and pulling him.
"I will make you pay for your sin!" King Ghidorah bellowed again. "Both will suffer from my power."
Hours had passed and already the surface of Pandora had become covered in Flood biomass. The Flood had taken over all forms of life on the moon, including the animals. Jake still remained pinned under Kiryuu's foot. King Ghidorah forced Kiryuu to press down even harder on Jake's sternum and he felt his ribcage begin to crack. Blood spurted out of his mouth and he suddenly found it difficult to breathe.
"Do whatever you want to me!" Jake cried. "But just end the suffering!"
He watched from the safety of the Control Room his beloved wife Neytiri transformed into a Flood Combat Form. His son was also soon turned. The Na'vi tried to fight back with their poisonous tipped arrows, but the Flood were not phased. Waves after waves of Flood continued to ravage the land. The destruction would not stop. King Ghidorah was not utterly satisfied until all traces of what the lovely green on the tropical moon died.
As the Flood continued to accumulate the necessary biomass, King Ghidorah was accumulating the souls of the Na'vi. Their song became twisted and as a note of discord rang through their melodies. The song of the Flood tainted the Na'vi's voices. The Flood crawled around beneath their skins, breaking through to contort their bodies and contaminate their minds. There was no place they could hide, no where to run as well. Flood Combat Forms riding on Flood mutated direhorses and ikran overtook the other clans. One by one, the Na'vi clans fell. Nothing was safe, nothing was sacred. The planet was devastated.
Kiryuu finally turned back to Jake Sully while the chaos on the surface continued. He leaned down and took the once proud Omaticaya Clan Chieftain by the throat and held him up.
"I am a monument to all your sins," he said as several syntech blades began to form around Jake. "I shall be your Last Shadow as well. It is in darkness your life finally ends and to Kiryuu will you say: 'farewell'."
Jake's eyes widened when he felt something pierce through his stomach. He looked down to find Kiryuu's blade sliding its way through, piercing out the other side. Kiryuu twisted the blade, gouging Jake's intestines. The other blades rose up and began to slice all around Jake Sully. They tore his skin, they dismembered his limbs, and finally, they took his head. Kiryuu let the body drop into the slick puddle of its own blood. From within, Kiryuu felt the presence of King Ghidorah leave him. His eyes cleared and he looked down. Kiryuu saw the blood dripping from his tentacles, blood splashed upon his silvery armor.
"God, what have I done?" he asked in horror. He looked back at the screens where he saw Pandora, now a changed world. The Flood had conquered it in just a day. "No. What have I done?"
What you meant to do. What we mean to do. This was your promise to me.
"I didn't promise this!" said Kiryuu. "I only wanted to show Jake what this world really is. I showed him that!"
You would not have been able to defeat the Monitor without my help.
"I didn't want this," said Kiryuu.
You will learn your place!
Kiryuu bellowed in pain again, holding his head with his hands. He leaned against the console of the Control Room and began to sob silently. This evil was his fault. He only wanted to teach Jake Sully a lesson. He did not want to kill the Na'vi as well. King Ghidorah had won and Kiryuu had lost. Kiryuu, mentally defeated, slid from the console and curled up into a fetal position. He accepted defeat and shut his eyes. Inside his CPU, he began to run a program—a worm. The worm itself was design to slowly eat away at his CPU piece-by-piece, line-by-line, until there was nothing left. It was the most efficient way to finally end his misery. The worm was a computerized form of arsenic. He had learned his place. Immortality was overrated. Over the centuries, Kiryuu had seen his closest friends die before his eyes. He thought of Will Penter, of Gordon Knight, and especially of Katsura Yugami. He thought of Maria Vasquez and of Mike Ginsberg and Tochi Yumara. He thought of Manda and of Malcho and Lofwyr, and of course Dunkelzahn, but the worm began to eat its way into his memories. The final thing he recalled was the one he held most dear. His son Godzilla. He regretted abandoning him. He recalled a song that the very first synthesized voice had ever sung in 1964. It came from an IBM 7094. In his sullen and deluded state, Kiryuu wanted to sing it.
"Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do," he began in a sob. "I'm half crazy over the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage if I can't afford a carriage. But you'd look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two…"
His voice trailed off, echoing through the dimly lit corridors. As he shut his eyes, he heard the sounds of far off voices coming towards the Control Room.