Previously on
CRISIS
It has all come to this moment. The forces of good converge on the Ringworld, where they shall do battle with the legions of evil. Never before have the stakes ever been so high, for all of reality shall succumb if the wrong side wins. Everything hinges on this moment, from the smallest grain of sand, to entire universes full of indescribable wonders.
Win or lose, it ends.
Ω
Somewhere on the Ringworld
"My lord?"
Barachiel turned to face a Brother-Captain, tearing away from the overwhelming view spread out beneath him. He had set up camp on a nearby mountain, taller than anything found back on Terra, where he could see the progress of entire armies as they rolled across the defenseless natives.
"What is it?" he asked, barely suppressing an impatient growl. Part of him wished to broil the Astartes alive, or perhaps take his time with flaying him. Such a strong specimen would make for a worthy sacrifice to Khorne... but he knew to restrain himself. There would be plenty of time for sacrifices and offers to the gods, once he had the ring under his heel.
"My lord... it appears that the enemy has arrived. A massive ship, similar to the one that attacked last time, has just entered the vicinity."
"Have the Maelstrom blast it-"
Suddenly, a jolt of pain stabbed through the Primarch's head, nearly bringing him to his knees.
"You are not in control here, Primarch," Darkseid growled, his voice like a jagged blade on the soul. "Strengthen your positions, and prepare for a ground assault. I will deal with the ships in orbit."
"O-of course," Barachiel managed to choke out.
The presence left his mind, and he had to resist the urge to cry out in relief. Instead, he turned back to the Brother-Captain, clenching his fists hard enough to draw blood.
"Prepare the defenses," he barked. "There's going to be an assault on our position."
"Yes, my lord," the Brother-Captain replied, bowing his head and scurrying out of sight.
Barachiel watched him go, snorting with contempt, then turned to overlook the progress down below. His hand found the massive warp-sword on his hip, and he gripped the handle tightly, feeling as the chaotic energies of the Empyrean flowed through it and into him.
He hoped that the enemy would come from the sky, raining destruction down upon him and his army. He hoped that they would be even stronger than before, so he could take pleasure in defeating them and offering their broken bodies to his thirsting gods.
And most of all, he hoped that the loathsome reptile called Gojira would face him once more, so he could personally offer its skull to Khorne.
S
All hell broke loose.
As soon as we came into real space, Shinji and I bolted out of the airlock, not even bothering to let it open all the way. The void greeted us, studded with distant stars, with the Ringworld stretching out beneath in all directions, impossibly huge. It took me a few moments to even begin to appreciate just how massive the thing was; even the small seas and forests immediately in view would dwarf entire continents.
Millions of miles away, too small for the human eye to see, the enemy fleet was beginning to turn its attention to us. Yeerk vessels began to make their way, while the titanic battle barge lurched forward in complete silence, gun ports already opening up. The bigger cannons on the ship could swallow an entire Blade Ship whole, and I realized just how much trouble our own fleet would be in.
"Ground team, drop!" Dragon barked.
A small flotilla of Starbugs and Tinker-made shuttles shot out of the Dwarf's cavernous underbelly, racing towards the curve of the Ringworld. Unmanned drones came next, each pushing one of the kaiju towards the surface like a jetpack.
"I see some Yeerk fighters heading our way, closing in fast," Colin warned over the radio. I didn't need an earpiece to hear him; which simplified things. If worse came to worse, I could act as a relay for information.
"We shall ensure they never reach you," Rufutzonth-nimp declared.
With that, the Thuktun Flishithy and Archangel Michael emerged from the Dwarf. Something flared in the x-ray spectrum, and I realized that the Michael had fired its bomb-pumped lasers. Several flameless detonations a half-second later confirmed that they had found their marks.
"We're clear," Colin reported. "Focus on the big ones, now, we're entering the atmosphere."
"Understood," the Defensemaster replied.
I watched as the landing craft entered the upper fringes of the atmosphere, taking advantage of friction to slow down as they careened in a gradual slope to the action down below. If I listened closely enough, I could hear Amy's heartbeat, trying to remain calm and even as she raced to the biggest fight we had ever been in. If anything happened to her down there...
Shinji tapped my shoulder, jarring me back to reality, and I turned to face him.
"Are they on the big ship?" he asked. "Darkseid and the other one, I mean."
I studied the battle barge, peering through layers of armor plating as I rapidly searched each room. Sure enough, Darkseid and the not-me were on the bridge, watching the windows with grim certainty.
"I see them," I said, only to remember that Shinji didn't have super-hearing. So, I gave him a thumbs up.
He nodded, trying to stay calm. "Okay. Let's pay them a visit."
I watched as the Thuktun Flishithy and Michael moved into attack range, lasers flaring as they began to drill holes in Yeerk ships that got too close. Missiles swarmed out of their pods, and the Michael fired off a salvo from its battleship turrets. The battle barge's defenses came to life, a swarm of bullets engulfing the incoming projectiles.
With the ship distracted, I lunged forward, Shinji trailing behind me.
Ω
Aboard the World Maelstrom
(Those two monstrous ships are blasting our fighters out of the sky!) the Yeerk Emperor roared over the vox. (We've already lost several smaller attack vessels to them, and it hasn't even been ten minutes yet! Why aren't you vaporizing them?!)
"They fight smart," Darkseid rumbled, folding his arms across his chest. "They are staying out of range of the Maelstrom's main batteries. Have your fighters circle around and harass them, box them into our sphere of range."
There was a moment's pause before the Emperor replied. (Understood.)
"Good," Darkseid said, switching the vox off.
"If only he realized that these toys are the least of our concerns," the White Woman remarked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I sense that the boy has grown stronger since our last meeting; he is now unleashing his full potential and embracing godhood. No doubt the Kryptonian comes with him as well, to face us directly."
To her surprise, a grin broke out on Darkseid's stony face.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
==/*\==
The Ringworld
The wind howled past Godzilla's ears, drowning out anything else as he dropped to the ground below. Though he knew that others had vision better than his own, Godzilla's eyesight was beyond that of any human; already he could see the enemy forces milling around, miles beneath him. Only now were they realizing what was happening, and by then it would be too late.
The unmanned drone let go of him, its fuel depleted, and he fell freely, dropping like a stone. In the corner of his eye, he saw Gamera's rockets flare to life, slowing the massive terrapin's descent, and Rodan soared with outstretched wings, Mothra trailing closely behind. Swarms of aircraft converged on their position, and they flew to greet them in battle, ignoring the missiles and shells bouncing off of their skin.
Godzilla finally landed, pancaking a boxy tank and dozens of troops beneath his massive feet. He plowed deep into the soil, stopping only when his feet made contact with the hard foundation underneath, sending a jolt up his spine. A massive cloud of dust rose around him, obscuring his form.
Climbing out of the newly made crater, he saw Anguirus land nearby, similarly unharmed, and the others following suit. Already the enemy was attacking, peppering them with shells and missiles. Junior was the first to go on the offensive, light dancing along his spines as he blasted a tank with his atomic fire. Gamera joined in soon after, rocking the battlefield with massive explosions as he let loose with his fireballs.
An unnatural roar reached Godzilla's ears, and he turned to see more of the strange creatures he had fought back home. They came in over a distant hill, filling the air with their cries as they charged towards him and the others. New beasts had joined their ranks, as if pulled from the depths of hell itself
Snorting, he marched towards them, his spines glowing with a fearsome blue light as the power of the atom flowed through his veins, giving him strength. Immense heat pooled deep within his scaled chest, and he fired his atomic breath, blasting straight through the chest of one of the stampeding monsters. It continued forward on sheer momentum, though the blast had killed it instantly, only coming to a stop as it carved a trench in the earth with its body.
The others were closing in on him, more and more coming in over the hill. Taking in a deep breath, he roared a challenging cry of his own, a primal sound that spoke of great battles long since past, of the fury of the earth itself. As if to answer his call, Gamera trudged to his side, howling his own battle cry at the incoming horde. Junior, Anguirus, Varan, Manda, Gorosaurus; the others joined in as well, forming a rough line as they charged together, the most powerful creatures to walk the land.
Roaring once more, the King of the Monsters met the horde head on, the Guardian of the Universe and his family at his back, and swung his fist through the nearest abomination's head.
S
Above
I aimed for a thin segment of the barge's hull, close to the bridge of the massive warship. The advanced armor plating gave way like putty as I punched through, atmosphere venting past me before the emergency bulkheads slammed shut. Shinji gently alighted behind me, his heart pumping as he prepared for a fight.
"I have a bad feeling about this," he mumbled to himself.
I wrenched the bulkheads open, letting the bridge vent out. Already I could see armored troops evacuating the room, leaving only Darkseid and the other me. I let Shinji enter first, then stepped forward, letting the bulkheads shut again. Atmosphere was already flooding into the bridge again as we gently floated into sight.
Darkseid and the other me faced us, standing apart. Shinji's heart raced when he saw them, and I couldn't help but feel nervous as well. There was no reading them; they might as well have been statues for all the good it did. It was a good analogy, too; Darkseid looked as though someone had breathed life into the statue of some brutal god, his face cracked and stony as he glared at me with red, lifeless eyes.
"So," he began, his gravelly voice tinged with amusement. "You come to face me in a duel that will decide the fate of the multiverse. How... trite."
"Enough," I said, my voice firm. My fists clenched as I glared at him, waiting to see what he'd do next. I didn't want to blitz right into a trap; he'd have to move first before I could decide on tactics.
"Oh, do I upset you?" Darkseid asked mockingly. "Did I hurt your feelings by killing those you couldn't save, Zara Jor-El? Of all the horrors we've done before you even knew of what was going on? You're always the same, no matter what you look like; someone who believes they can make the world a better place."
"She's a hero!" I heard Shinji shout. "You kill people for no reason!"
"Do you really believe that?" the other me asked, feigning incredulity. "Have not what I said gotten through your skull yet, boy? None of this is real."
It felt like all the warmth went out of the room. I could sense that the realization had hit Shinji like a brick wall, blocking at any other thoughts.
"What are you talking about?" I forced myself to bark, even as I knew the answer.
"We are phantoms, Shinji; words on paper. No, not even that. We're shadows of shadows, mockeries and caricatures of figments of imagination. Everything that's happened, everything you've suffered, happened because it was dramatic. Because the readers ate it up and wanted more."
She stepped forward, and I suddenly blasted a line across the floor with my heat vision.
"No closer," I warned.
"Of course you stand up for him," she sneered. "You are his favored daughter, his most cherished work, but even you are just a phantom, and nothing more."
"Let them be for a few moments longer," Darkseid rumbled. "I always enjoy a good talk with my enemies before crushing them, both in spirit and body."
The other me acquiesced, stepping back. A coy smile crossed her alabaster lips as she saw, or rather, felt, Shinji grapple with what was presented to him.
"N-no," he mumbled, the horror dawning on him. "I don't believe you. I can't believe you."
"You know I'm right," the other me purred, satisfied that she had him dead to rights. She leaned forward, and whispered, almost too soft to hear.
"Somewhere, there is a boy with a typewriter."
"That's enough," I growled. "I don't know why I'm even bothering with this crap. This ends now."
"Oh, are you going to give me a speech about how you live in a world of cardboard?" Darkseid asked. "Or maybe you'll rant about how I'm wrong about life. My favorite is that utterly banal 'I'm Superwoman; I can do anything'. Tell me, what are you going to use, girl?"
One second, I was standing before him. The next, I caught his chin in a hypersonic uppercut, forcing his head to snap up.
"How about you shut up, and I show you what I mean when I say I can do anything," I said.
His fist caught me in the gut, and I found myself smashing through several layers of armor, finally stopping when I cleaved a tank in half. Recovering my wits, I saw him step through the hole I made through the wall, dropping to the ground. Behind him, Shinji and the other me were grappling in the bridge, energy flaring about their auras.
"I'm going to enjoy this," Darkseid growled, unadulterated fury in his voice as he spoke. "I'm going to break every bone in your body, and make you watch as I kill your wife, and your friends, and everyone else that you will not be able to save."
I got up, dusting myself off, and stepped forward.
"Let's go."
A
The Ringworld
"Hang on to something!" the Batman shouted over the din of nearby explosions. "This is going to be a rough landing!"
Jake did as told, digging his tiger-morph's claws into the padded flooring of the shuttle. The other Animorphs followed suit, each of them in heavy battle morphs. Normally, the shuttle's bay could hold twenty, but it was now only taken up by six: a polar bear, an African elephant, a silverback gorilla, a Siberian tiger, a rhinoceros, and an Andalite.
The shuttle hit the ground hard, nearly throwing them about the interior like rag dolls. Jake winced in pain as his head collided with that of Rachel, and he felt Cassie instinctively take hold of his coarse fur with her teeth. He couldn't blame her; when in their morphs, sometimes the instincts and urges of the animal could overpower their minds.
Finally, they came to a jolting halt, and the shuttle bay opened up to reveal the chaotic landscape outside. Already the sky was blackened with smoke and ash, and Jake could hear the din of distant and not-so-distant explosions. Stubby-winged aircraft soared overhead, only to be swept away as Rodan flew by.
"Go! Go! Go!" the Batman barked, already rushing past them.
Jake did as told, his powerful muscles springing into action as he dashed down the landing ramp. The earth underneath his paws was warm and soothing in its familiarity, and he could feel his heartbeat become more steady as he took stock of the situation. Already, more of the shuttles were landing, depositing the rest of the ground team. The nearest one opened up to reveal none other than Bjorn, his Power Claws crackling with electricity as he stomped down to greet them.
"I SAW SOME ARMOR HEADING DOWN THIS WAY. THREE, MAYBE FOUR LAND RAIDERS, AND A LOT OF TRAITOR MARINES."
(Do they have aircraft?) Ax inquired, flicking his tail-blade anxiously.
"HARD FOR THEM TO GAIN AIR SUPERIORITY WHEN RODAN AND MOTHRA ARE SWATTING THEM OUT OF THE SKY LIKE GNATS," Bjorn replied.
Others were coming into view, now. One of Dragon's battlesuits marched forward, decked out with impressive-looking weaponry and a small fleet of drones that moved too smoothly to be controlled by imperfect human hands, and Eren's group was approaching as well. Speaker came from the side, with Toby dozens of her fellow Hork-Bajir following. They wore armor, now, and had been given heavy nanothorn weapons designed for their bulk.
(Where's Avatar or whatever his name was?) Marco asked, shifting about. (And why haven't we seen any big guns yet?)
As if to answer his question, a blue flash of light erupted in the distance, hidden behind a small mountain range. The low rumble of an explosion followed shortly thereafter, nearly sending everyone off their feet.
"Godzilla and the other kaiju are keeping the heavier weapons trained away from us," Dragon replied. "There's a nearby valley that the Marines and their lighter support are moving through in order to flank us. Atvar and his troops went over to stall them, so we better hurry. I'm assigning each of you a drone to guide you to your positions."
"Got it," the Batman said. "Everyone, move out! Keep the unarmored in the center!"
One of Dragon's drones floated over to Jake and the other Animorphs, a steady hum emanating from a single laser in its center. It paused, as if to study them, then suddenly moved in the direction of the valley.
(Let's go,) Jake said.
He took off, rapidly covering ground in massive bounds as he followed closely after the drone. The tiger-morph's natural bloodlust was kicking in, that predatory instinct to hunt, and he felt almost exhilarated as he leapt over a creek, weaving through a grove of trees. The others thundered behind him in their slower morphs, and he could see the rest of the ground team following their own drones, splitting into several large groups. Speaker, Toby, and the Hork-Bajir followed after him as well, their armor making little noise as they moved.
(I have a bad feeling about this,) Marco muttered.
As they came closer, and the valley came into view, Jake could see why.
It was as if a river of solid bodies was flooding down the narrow valley towards them, boxed in on both sides by steep rocky walls. Marines charged forward, waving chainswords and bolters, filling the air with battle cries and oaths to thirsting gods. Many of them looked mutilated, with piercings crudely shoved through their pallid skin, and some had begun to look monstrous, like the stuff of nightmares. Daemons strode with them, standing heads and shoulders over the rest, their axes still hot from the furnaces of the Warp.
Though Jake was not particularly religious, he still couldn't help but feel that the trumpets had sounded, and that the gates to Hell itself had opened for the final battle.
A handful of landcruisers and troopcarriers had taken up positions on either side of the valley, guns already pounding the coming tide of Marines with impressive efficiency. Explosions pocked the valley, kicking up limbs and bodies, but it was like trying to drain an ocean with a dropper.
"Bjorn and I are going to take the center and pound them with everything we've got," the drone said in Dragon's voice. "Batman and Eren's group are going to handle the right wall, as there's bound to be a few that will climb over or try to flank us from the other side of the forest. Use the trees as cover; make them have to get close to you."
(Understood, boss lady,) Marco replied.
(What if armor comes through?) Ax inquired, sounding more than a little nervous. (They may be going for a pincer tactic.)
"The shuttles are wired to my control," Dragon replied. "We can use them to help with heavy armor. And if that doesn't work, we can try to get Godzilla's attention."
Jake turned to where he had seen the burst of blue light. Now that they were closer, he could hear the distant roars of Godzilla and the others, accompanied by animalistic grunts and cries of pain. He hoped they weren't coming from their side.
"Be sharp," Dragon continued. "It appears that a few Marines are already coming your way."
She was right. Faintly, even with the enhanced hearing of his tiger-morph, Jake could hear heavy and uneven footfalls converging on their position. Twitching his nose, he caught the copper scent of blood on the air, and had to repress the predatory urge to simply go after it. Instead, he pressed his belly close to the ground and slinked forward, taking advantage of the thick vegetation to help conceal himself.
(Spread out,) he said to the others. (Rachel, you're going to have to go on the attack first, along with Speaker and the Hork-Bajir. As soon as one pops up, charge them.)
(Got it,) she replied, flexing her trunk. (Can't wait to make these bastards pay.)
The others moved to hide themselves. Marco climbed a tree with alarming deftness, as did several Hork-Bajir. Speaker crouched down behind a large boulder, his variable-sword extending to maximum length. Toby and more of the Hork-Bajir took cover behind the thicker trees, still as statues, while Cassie used the thick shrubbery to conceal themselves. Rachel and Tobias took to a small grove of trees, trying to conceal their massive bulks.
"Here they come," Speaker rumbled.
Sure enough, two dozen or so Marines came into sight, along with a trio of massive daemons. Only a few of them wielded bolters, thankfully, but they still made for an intimidating sight. One of the daemons in particular was titanic, standing easily over fifteen feet in height. It clutched an axe the size of a small tree in its rough hands, the blade covered with blasphemous sigils. It scanned its surroundings with sickly yellow eyes, then barked out a command.
The Chaos forces slowed, checking their surroundings. The ones with bolters took to the flanks, moving with caution as they scouted out for any signs of danger.
(Now!) Jake roared.
"Free or dead!" the Hork-Bajir cried.
At once, Marco and the Hork-Bajir in the trees came crashing down on the Marines, battering and slicing at them with reckless abandon. One of the Marines got off a lucky shot with his bolter, completely pulverizing the head of an unfortunate Hork-Bajir, only to have his entire torso disintegrated by a nanothorn blade.
While the Chaos forces were distracted, Rachel and Tobias charged. Ten tons of muscle and bone bore down on the Marines faster than an Olympic sprinter, tearing up the earth with ponderous footfalls. One of the Marines on the flank turned in time to get bashed forward by Tobias like a rag doll, his bolter clattering out of reach. Rachel was on him before he could get up again, and a stomp to his unprotected head quickly stopped any resistance. The two pressed on, shouldering aside more Marines as they dove into the thick of combat.
With the long-range weapons out of the way, the others sprung into action. Speaker screamed and leaped, swinging his variable sword in a wide arc as he lunged at the nearest Marine. The monomolecular chain, strengthened by the nigh-indestructible stasis field, neatly cut through the Marine's chainaxe like it wasn't even there, and continued its arc with similar ease. There was a small pause, and the Marine's upper body slid to the ground, blood spurting free.
"Finally!" Speaker roared.
Cassie charged forward, catching a Marine in the face with her paw. The Marine stumbled back, blood trickling from a series of gashes on his cheek, then licked at it. Laughing like a madman, he went on the offensive, carving a thin piece of flesh from Cassie's chest.
Jake found himself sprinting before he even realized what was happening. The ground rolled underneath him like a blur, his body naturally streamlined as he dashed towards the Marine with animalistic fury. He covered the last twenty feet in a single bound, claws outstretched as he let out a low snarl.
The Marine only noticed the tiger lunging at him when he felt its teeth in his throat.
==/*\==
The World Maelstrom
There was the brief flicker of an AT-field, and the White Woman's eyes flashed brightly enough to leave spots in Shinji's vision. He went flying back, stopping only when he smashed into a nearby bulkhead. The ceramite and adamantine armor dented, but held firm, saving him from getting sucked into the silent vacuum. He rose on shaky legs, smoke rising from a small crater in his armor.
"Ah, the classic underdog fight," the White Woman mused, calmly striding forward. "David and Goliath, Jack versus the Giant. I'm sure everyone will love that."
"Shut up," Shinji hissed. He took off, letting the power of the S2 organ course through him, and delivered a right hook to the White Woman's chin. It felt like his fist was connecting with marble, but he took satisfaction in seeing the goddess's head snap back with the impact. The White Woman stumbled back from the blow, a look of surprise on her face, only to recover her wits and reply with a strike of her own, catching Shinji cleanly in the gut. He flew upwards from the sheer force of the punch, bouncing off the cavernous roof of the bridge and back into the floor.
"You're getting stronger," the White Woman murmured, rolling him over with her bare foot. "Shame it wasn't enough."
That was when a trio of Meteor Missiles connected with her face, sending her smashing through the nearest wall.
"You want to bet?" Shinji wheezed, getting back on his feet. The pain was already fading, a distant memory as his body healed itself. He could feel the heat of the core in his chest as power surged through him; already his armor was starting to shine with that brilliant light it had when he had fought Ghidorah alongside Godzilla and the others.
"Clever." The White Woman strode back into the room, the last of the burns clearing away like the morning dew. She set her jaw with an audible crack and glared at Shinji, her fists clenched, and lunged, streamlining like a bullet as she reached out to grab him.
Shinji was more prepared this time, however. He dodged to the side just in time, and brought his knee into the White Woman's gut with enough force to produce a visible shockwave. The goddess twisted, snarling as she tried to grapple with him, but he was moving faster, now, letting himself channel more and more of the power he had so desperately tried to suppress. A gauntleted fist connected with the White Woman's chin in a vicious uppercut, followed by a Proton beam to the chest that sent her flying through the hole made by Superwoman's fight.
Shinji raced after her, refusing to give her a moment's reprieve. The White Woman got up in time to receive a barrage of Meteor Missiles, obscuring her in smoke before Shinji dismissed the cloud with his AT-field, and a roundhouse kick caught her in the neck with enough force to audibly snap bone. She fell limp, eyes staring at the ceiling while smoke rose from massive craters blasted into her torso.
"I know you're faking," Shinji growled, raising a fist.
Sure enough, the White Woman moved out of the way as Shinji's fist smashed into the floor, then gently floated away with a knowing smirk on her face. She righted herself, manually setting her head back into place with a nauseating crunch, and the wounds on her torso began to rapidly seal up.
"You deny your real self no longer," the White Woman murmured. "You and I are one and the same, gods born of the weak beings that called themselves Man."
"I am nothing like you," Shinji seethed. He rushed forward, only to get smashed down through the floor of the chamber with vicious swipe. A massive hangar greeted him as he fell, and he smashed into a stubby aircraft before rolling onto the hard floor. Serfs and Astartes alike ran in all directions as they saw him, and he struggled to his feet.
The White Woman descended, like an angel from the heavens, her body awash with beautiful light as she gently alighted on the floor of the hangar. She smirked as Shinji turned to face her, and continued.
"We are alike, Shinji. Gods, but at the same time we are nothing. Shadows, puppets. We are powerless before the beings that play with our lives, our souls, for cheap amusement. I intend to free us all from that, even if I have to drag them kicking and screaming."
Her heart began to glow a dull red, her skeleton a macabre silhouette as she grew larger, doubling in size within the space of a heartbeat. In a matter of moments, she towered over him, a giant of light.
"It is time you join with me, Shinji Ikari."
Ω
The Ringworld
Barachiel stared at the battle unfolding on the plains below him, his fury growing with every moment. The enemy had come indeed, and already were slaughtering his Legion like lambs. The armies of Darkseid fared little better, he could see, and all because of him.
Even from miles away he could hear the fearsome roar of Godzilla as the beast tore through daemon and kaiju alike, other creatures fighting alongside him. They were the bulk of the attacking forces; there was no denying that, and they had to be stopped before all was destroyed in their wake.
"Status report," he barked into his helmet's vox.
"...communica-... everywhere *scratch*..."
Suddenly, a new sound began to overpower the communication lines to his troops, quickly growing in volume. It was music, the Primarch realized, and incredibly antiquated at that.
"We're no strangers to love... You know the rules and so do I..."
"What?!" Barachiel howled, chinning his vox hard enough to crack the casing. "Brother-Captains, report!"
"A full commitment's what I'm thinking of... You wouldn't get this from any other guy... I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling... Gotta make you understand.."
"Answer me?!"
"Consider this a present," a female voice said, lined with a faint accent. "Enjoy Rick Astley, courtesy of Dragon."
"Never gonna give you up... Never gonna let you down..."
Barachiel ripped his helmet off and, with little effort, crumpled it in his hand before tossing it away.
"I have to do everything myself," he rumbled, unsheathing his new scimitar.
He closed his eyes, channeling the power of the Empyrean, letting it flow through him and make him stronger. Whispers coaxed the back of his mind, telling him of great and terrible things, and he heeded their words. A gash formed in the air before him, seething with black smoke, and he stepped through. The voices shrieked at him, then died away as he emerged through the other side, smoke rising from his blackened armor and skin.
He was in the heart of the carnage, now. His Legion rushed past him, running straight into the slaughter, and he could see the titanic form of Godzilla over the nearby hills. The beast was distracted with a trio of kaiju, their blue ichor staining his arms as he ripped them apart. They would make for a good distraction while the Primarch moved in for the kill. Gripping his scimitar tightly, he strode forward-
-and suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his knee.
Spinning around, he saw a figure standing above him on the edge of the valley wall. An older man, garbed in red armor that reminded the Primarch of an ancient Rajput warrior, a long and flat sword gripped tightly in his right hand. The man glared down at Barachiel, and the Primarch couldn't help but feel a distinct sense of terror, as though he was about to die. The pain in his knee redoubled, and a spear pulled out of his leg and into the man's outstretched hand.
"You dare strike a Primarch?" Barachiel snarled. He sprung upwards, rapidly scaling the valley wall even with his injury.
The man pulled back, still glaring at the Primarch as he brandished his weapons. Barachiel saw that the sword and spear were far more than they seemed; there was something advanced about them, otherworldly even.
"I dare to strike a fool," the man said, his voice deep and sonorous. "I dare to strike a man who thinks he has a right to rule over others and do as he pleases, a power-hungry mongrel who betrays his deepest values so he can get revenge."
Barachiel howled, clearing the distance between them in the span of a heartbeat. The man was faster, however, his movements graceful as he dodged to the side and brought his sword down on the Primarch's leg. The blade passed through armor, flesh and bone like it was but air, and a furious roar escaped Barachiel as he lost balance. The Primarch stumbled, feeling as his leg repaired the damage with the very stuff of the Warp, then spun about to catch the man with his scimitar.
"Blood for the blood god!" he howled.
The man ducked beneath the swing, and repaid the favor with a jab to the side with his spear. The head proved to be as sharp as its fellow blade, and Barachiel could distinctly note a faint vibration as it pierced through his ribs. What seemed like a quick fight was proving longer than he'd anticipated, and he still needed to conserve in order to slay the beast.
"You fight for pretenders," the man said in a low voice, twisting the spear before pulling it out. "Abominations that believe themselves higher than the men that birthed them. They represent all that is the illusion of the world, and you believe them to be your ally, when you are nothing more than a mere pawn."
"Insect!" Barachiel roared.
"Yama will suffice," the man replied, twirling his sword, "but a better title would be my old one: Death."
Ω
The Blade Ship
"We've lost more fighters to the gafrash ships the enemy has, my Emperor," a Hork-Bajir Controller reported. "We are sending out reserves as we speak."
(Have them fly directly at the two warships,) the Yeerk Emperor replied, swishing his tail-blade impatiently as he watched the battle unfold on the viewscreen before him. (It will waste their ammo on the less important targets.)
"But, my Emperor-"
Without warning, the Controller fell to the ground, bereft of a head. The Emperor flicked the black blood off his tail-blade, then turned to the startled Controllers manning the bridge.
(You there,) he said. (Taxxon Controller. Give the order to launch the fighters.)
"Y-yes m-my Emperor," the Controller replied hurriedly, his countless legs twitching over the controls.
(What is the status on the ground?)
"T-the enemy-"
(Stop stuttering, or it'll be your tongue on the floor next.)
The Taxxon Controller paused, trying to stop its shaking. "The enemy is making headway against the forces on the ground, my Emperor. They have fortified themselves in a valley, where they are bottlenecking the Marines and armor columns. The giant flying monsters are crippling air forces at the moment, my Emperor."
(Land the Blade Ship, then,) the Yeerk Emperor said, his voice showing no sign of emotion. (We are getting chewed up in orbit, anyway.)
"My Emperor, what of the battle barge?"
(What about it?)
The Taxxon raised its five-eyed head, as if to object, then went back to manning the controls.
"My Emperor, where shall we land?" a Human Controller inquired.
(Near the valley,) came the swift reply. (Where the fighting is.)
"Yes, my Emperor."
The Yeerk Emperor folded his weak arms across his chest as he watched the Ringworld rapidly approach. Soon, he would be in the heat of battle once more, the blood of his enemies warm on his face as he took their lives.
This time, the Animorphs would not escape him.
You have been reading:
CRISIS, Chapter Eight: Götterdämmerung, Part One