Genesis - the Battle Within (Pillars of Creation Book 1) (17 page)

Genesis blinked away his mesmerised gaze, snapping his mind into gear and trying hard to be objective in light of what he was seeing … he noted another hint of movement as the blades seemed to react in anticipation of his observations.

Come on Genesis focus, rely on your talents, you can do this, don’t get distracted,
he urged himself
.
He knew he needed to focus with complete clarity if he was to fight against this Tel’nagara and escape the exploding ship.

He needed his fullest ability, and he needed to act fast or else their confrontation would be ended for them. Rather than wait for the creature to assault, which would give it an immediate advantage, Genesis decided to strike first.

Genesis slightly hunched his entire body before leaping forward. He was like a coiled snake percussing its prey. His arm shot out ahead of him, instantly building Katana upon herself and closing the perceived radius of safety from the creature to an alarmingly close striking distance.

Parrying in this bizarre fashion startled the Tel’nagara, and its last-second decision to leap backwards was left almost too late, the pre-emptive blow stunning the alien effectively. But as his initial strike fell a good two metres short, and with his other hand left trailing free, Genesis built his sidearm secretively behind his back with his nanos.

The Tel’nagara was also surprisingly fast, and had moved clear long before Genesis landed a blow. The creature recovered quickly from the materialisation of Katana, and drew to full height, ready to advance. Almost smiling, Genesis saw his initial plan unfold perfectly – the Tel’nagara had fallen for his feigned miscalculation – the Immortal dropping instantly as the alien moved forward for the kill.

The creature saw him fall to one knee as though Genesis had put too much velocity on his thrust, and it looked as though the Immortal had fallen accidentally. Genesis again feigned the mistake expertly, making himself look overly vulnerable, and as he predicted, the Tel’nagara began recoiling for its own perceived window of opportunity. Genesis waited patiently as the larger opponent moved over him.

Before the alien could crush him, Genesis employed the second phase of his attack. He whipped his trailing arm back up, levelling his five-kilogram ion-pistol at the creature’s head and depressing the trigger almost simultaneously, over and over again. The loud blasts filled the hallway with brilliant blue and purple light as the rounds tore towards the alien creature’s face—

Genesis couldn’t believe it was going to be so easy, and he smiled victoriously as his enemy’s face erupted and its head became obscured from view. He was almost about to relax and holster his sidearm when his throat tightened, realising what had just happened – he actually was foolish enough to think he’d had the upper hand. Now he was the one to be surprised.

Instead of the intended result – blasting the creature’s head apart – the normally devastating ion-rounds exploded two centimetres in front of the Tel’nagara’s eyes, upon which a shielding of some kind rippled the shots spherically around its face and into the orbs studded on its armour, making them glow an angry shade of green. He gaped in amazement as the creature’s face instantly reappeared behind the green energy field. Genesis cursed his stupidity for underestimating a Tel’nagara, the alien race that had trained his religion right from its origins.

Damn it,
he cursed,
I didn’t anticipate bleeding damned shields, no one ever mentioned those did they …

Genesis scrambled to get clear, but as he backpedalled desperately the creature’s brow rose slightly, almost mockingly, as it cocked its head, and then in a flash it was its turn. The Tel’nagara’s form seemed to blink as it came at such a crushingly fast speed that his eyes struggled to keep up. The very air seemed to distort from its near impossible movement as it charged down the corridor straight towards him. Genesis barely had time to realise that he was retreating way too slowly to escape.

Bringing its powerful right arm down, the creature aimed directly for the centre of his armoured face as its weapon screeched towards him. The alien struck the ground only once with its powerful legs before reaching him, and Genesis barely dove to the side in time, rolling back to his feet as the silver glow of the blade hissed millimetres from his cheek and ear. The Tel’nagara continued forward with its overspent momentum, rushing through like a gust of wind and still trying to slice its blade towards him as Genesis strained to evade the strike.

He was still dissolving his pistol and just had enough time to restructure his Katana, using his talent to his fullest and building her into the twin form of his two scimitar blades, as he hit up against the wall. The creature stabbed its weapon into the ground, using it as an anchor to slow it down, simultaneously melting a deep trough through the corridor as it screeched to a complete stop and turned around.

Genesis quickly changed his footing as he swapped from his heavily entrenched eishin-ryu stance to his more traditional kenjutsu stance, better suited to the smaller weapons and the miraculous speed to which the large creature seemed so uncannily capable of.

Pointing his long scimitars down, as he customarily did in this faster stance, Genesis watched as the alien spun around in a blur of motion and tore towards him. The Tel’nagara took up a stance that Genesis recognised as mimicking Earth’s own practices.

Surprising him however, and with a hiss of energy, the creature stopped short, lowering one of its blades and placing the metal inscribed tube inside a hidden fold at its side, leaving only its right blade remaining. It crouched back, regarding him carefully.

The passage was still filled with Katana’s red glow and the Tel’nagara’s remaining blade’s silver glow. Genesis, informed by his second personality, knew that his laser sealing would only last a few more strikes when facing a Tel’nagara, so he aptly manipulated his own psychic energy and saturated Katana with his full power; Zeal had taught him this skill, which had, like everything else, taken him many years to master, but in such an occasion as this, he was glad he’d persevered and listened.

He looked past the change in his coursing weapon, which could easily be seen as it burned brightly across Katana’s twin form, giving her a new menacingly low light as Genesis tried to wrap into the darkness for some sort of advantage. Just as he was concerning himself with this, the Tel’nagara spoke, breaking the weapon’s hums and hisses and giving Genesis a start with its abruptness and absurdity.

“Human, in my one attack I can tell that I am more than your match, I am the judicator of my race and I am unparalleled in combat, even amongst my own – I warn you now, yield or I will force you to yield.”

Genesis locked onto its burning eyes and replied defiantly, looking to anger the creature and possibly throw it off guard as he prepared for his next attack, “You may be unparalleled in your race, but so am I with my blade – alien judicator of heretic traitors.”

Genesis immediately leapt forward, sending as much energy into his momentum as possible. His first blade struck out at the creature’s unprotected abdomen.

This time, where the ion rounds had ended insignificantly, his blade now continued forward to the flicker and collapse of the Tel’nagara’s shield, which was obviously designed for only stopping fired rounds and not physical or Rieft-enhanced attacks. Disappointingly, Genesis saw that the creature’s own blocking blade just as quickly moved into place, sidling the danger at the last perceivable instant of evasion.

In the same move, the creature’s blade glanced his strike harmlessly aside with its own, almost effortlessly, as the sounds of their contact rang out above the sound of the ship’s now screaming core. Their weapons both told of the true force behind their strength of blows, and Genesis, although mighty himself, could tell immediately the creature was far stronger than he was. Genesis recovered, barely, and tried a series of different attacks to throw the odds in his favour.

At the finale of his attempts, seeing the same result as before, with his left blade taking predominance all the while and drawing as much attention as it possibly could, Genesis brought forward his second blade in a desperate, concluding and well-veiled hit.

He utilised his stealth talent and sent the blade flashing forwards, keeping it well hidden and saturated in shadow right to the last second.

Sailing hell bent towards the creature’s face, the scimitar somehow broke through the impenetrable defence, and finally one of his attacks managed to make contact. But Genesis was dismayed as he watched it barely brush the alien, having only enough force to leave a shallow cut above the creature’s eye as the Tel’nagara whipped its head back, in matching speed. The energy and effort of getting to this point should have warranted him, he felt, much more of a victory.

The momentum of Genesis gaining this ground though, brought the combatants crashing painfully together, with Immortal and alien abruptly losing their footing and wind. Sprawling over the top of the Tel’nagara, Genesis rolled forward, somehow managing to get back into a low crouch and slipping into the shadows. The creature, on the other hand, was taken off guard from being struck so heavily, obviously not expecting a smaller frame to knock it so ferociously.

It reeled backwards, trying desperately to regain balance after being slammed into so hard; it took the entire length of the passage for its momentum to be countered as it hit up against the far wall, denting it deeply. Genesis remained focused only on his enemy with nothing able to break his concentration.

Pausing … waiting, he stood his ground watching expertly for his target’s reaction from his darkened position, and inclination of its next move. Genesis watched a glow of blue fluorescent blood trickle from the wound above the Tel’nagara’s eye.

Unfazed, the Tel’nagara also crouched menacingly, staring directly into the smaller human’s eyes with its blazing, and now angry, stare. But then a cool resolve washed over the creature’s face as it righted itself—

Genesis felt a ping in his Rieft fluctuations as the creature drew in its senses from all around like a vacuum pulling in air toward space. As though weighing all its intuitive options and measuring Genesis to the fullest extent, the creature broke the frozen moment, pacing towards him with long confident strides and again speaking, this time within his own mind.

“
Well human you seem indeed worthy of battle, but I have not got time for this and neither do you, you will accept this destiny one way or the other.
” It gave out a battle cry, loud and penetrating; Genesis heard the fearsome call both within his mind and all around him—

“
RAARGHRRRRR
”

The creature again blinked forward with amazing speed, this time its legs kicking out from under it, sending its twisting form into a seemingly impossible arch barely contained within the four-metre high corridor.

In the middle of its leap, the alien aimed its remaining twin blade towards Genesis, and with a sudden glow and hissing spat the blade exploded, hurtling over the distance at an increasing and even more terrifying speed. Even with his pre-cognition Genesis had barely enough time to try and twist away from the attack, and still he was not nearly quick enough—

The blade scored its intended goal without deviation, Genesis felt it rip through his lower torso and pin him to the wall behind, slamming him to the cold hard realisation that he was obviously no match for his opponent.

The brightly lit impaling weapon momentarily flickered as Genesis looked surprised and horrifyingly down towards the devastation within his own flesh; it fluttered once and then completely dissolved. The metal ornate tube was all that was left of the weapon; it clunked heavily to the ground as it rolled to the Immortal’s side. The wound it left behind did not disappear though, and Genesis crumpled uselessly to the floor, wrenched over in agonising pain.

No blood issued forth as he hit the floor – the wound was completely cauterised – but shocking Genesis more than the wound itself was the realisation that he couldn’t even
begin
to heal from this … as hard as he focused, his nanos were not issuing forth as intended, the repair his body and armour desperately needed was refusing to initiate.

Genesis whimpered as he clutched the wound. The pain was intense as it forced him to hunch forward on his knees, doubling over as he coughed up mouthfuls of brightly coloured blood. Through his pain and from his affinity with the sensation, Genesis somehow distantly felt the creature’s presence closing in again. He rose slightly to see its muscular lower legs and plated armour standing before him. He spat blood across the creature’s armour as he spoke savagely.

“
Do it creature
, do not torment me, I am ready. If you think you can bring my end then bring it swiftly, I deserve that much.”

The Tel’nagara laughed before replying, “You do not know what you are deserving of human, and you know nothing yet of being ready child. But soon that will change, you will come to understand and you will know only what I need you to know; and for now, know that I am
Abad’don
,
keeper of the nine abysses.” Genesis looked up at the creature that was now looking down on him pitifully; he watched in fascination as a new protrusion emerged out of the alien’s arm.

A long slender needle slid out of its wrist as it bent closer to him, hissing in his ear, “You have come a long way child, but know this, you
will
be our reclamation, like it or not!”

Genesis dropped his head and allowed himself to cower deep within the creature’s shadow. Despite his pain, he smiled to himself defiantly, knowing what was coming next. He felt his defiance and anger build at the alien’s taunts.

This creature thought it had him at a grave disadvantage, but it was soon to learn the Shadow’s true nature. Genesis was a combatant who fought best when in such submission … he’d always had to fight greater opponents, injured and hemmed in just like his impossible situation right now. Fighting off the floor or backed into a corner, just as his Master Zeal had beaten him a thousand times before, this was his leveller, this was where he was used to being, and this was where he was at his best; like the shadows, it was his domain and home.

Genesis finished arranging his knees into the eishin-ryu technique, one he’d nearly perfected over the years against Master Zeal, even once nearly tearing his master’s arm clean off; the first and last time he’d ever managed to surprise and actually strike his master properly in-fact. This stance was perfect for his current situation, allowing him to draw his sword simultaneously with landing a cutting strike from a seemingly impossibly suppressed position.

He visualised his action for accuracy and the combination of blows he’d need from the modern era’s Craz’zec code, which gave him access to all past arts with the addition of his Sacred Order’s explicit instructions.

As the creature’s needle came towards him, Genesis heaved up with all his might, bursting out of the shadow and sending the top of his head into the creature’s face with bone-crunching force. In the same instant he sliced one of his blades across the entire breastplate of the alien, a loud buzz emitting from the crystal and blinding light. Unfortunately, Genesis saw, it was not deeply enough – the seemingly light armour held up against his blade unexpectedly well. It did, however, succeed in sending the alien stumbling backwards in shock as it flared its remaining blade back to life.

Utilising the space, Genesis swapped from prey to predator and, disappearing between the flashes of the emergency lights, closed in on Abad’don as it flailed desperately to fend off any more strikes that might be coming.

The alien’s clouded eyes re-adjusted and struggled to search through the darkness, shaking its head in obvious pain. The Immortal knew the strike had done no real damage other than leave a large slice across the armour. But it bought him time and a chance to remain in control of the situation.

Genesis surveyed the alien as he braced against his own pain and steadied himself; he slipped into obscurity and stalked his target. Now on the hunt, he first threw a throwing blade into the far corner, making his prey turn towards the sound. Genesis pounced, dropping like a spider on its unsuspecting spoil.

Annoyingly, the creature got out from under his blade, evading him, and left him without the kill. Genesis did, however, manage to bring Katana’s twisting motion down through the creature’s leg as punishment.

As Abad’don bellowed, knowing this was his only chance and still harnessing his own pain, the Immortal dissolved his blade from the strike and sent both his fists forward in a double blow, sending the Tel’nagara reeling even further backwards towards the flexi-glass window …

With wild hope, Genesis had a desperate plan –
If I can just pull off a couple more hits I might be able to knock the alien through the glass.

Genesis vested the very last of his strength, and propelled himself off the wall again. Spinning up into the air end over end as he brought his foot down into a crushing blow, his foot slammed against the side of the creature’s head as it howled in pain.

But as he landed, the pain of his wound broke through its bindings and tore through him with too much potency to block out or harness, ruining his chance of escape. Genesis staggered to the ground, eyes losing focus, his arms barely bracing himself against the floor.

It’s over, you’ve failed
… his religious personality growled, giving up.

Genesis felt the psychic waves pulsating from the creature as he tried to stay conscious. Abad’don was so strong in Rieft ability, Genesis could barely keep control of the rest of his Apocalypse armour – requiring all his psychic control just to maintain it. This also explained why his body wasn’t repairing. Genesis felt like a weak pupil again, battling against his far superior master …
Sacred’s sake,
he cursed,
it was ridiculously powerful
.

Genesis knew he’d angered the creature and yet that he also had no chance against such seething capacity,
not a weak shadow-clinger … not a Roach like you,
his infused personality goaded him.

His severe pain forced him back up defiantly, as befitted his true personality’s command. He willed himself up with promises of escape and curses that he’d gained through his years of training.

Genesis stumbled forward, bringing his blade sloppily for a last-ditch punching strike with his sapping strength. As he fell forward he realised before he had even begun that he was travelling far too slow, he wouldn’t be able to catch the Tel’nagara unprepared this time. It had recovered from the last attack and now waited patiently for him to continue towards its readied and fortified position.

Before Katana came anywhere near its mark, the creature slapped it away with its own, and in the same fluid motion slammed Genesis away with a Rieft psychic blast against the wall.

Genesis crashed savagely against the solid wall and rebounded uncontrollably as Abad’don brought the needle up, catching him with it as he landed. The thick spike buried halfway through the young Immortal’s neck, as Genesis gagged and spat blood across the floor.

He felt the contents of the needle take effect instantly. An intense burning sensation coursed through his body as he convulsed and screamed in intense pain.

The suffering Wielder looked down at his body in staggering pain; he had visions of red lightning, webs of energy dancing over the entirety of his body. Each wave of pain seeming to bring him to a new threshold, never intended for mere mortals to endure. His skin crawled and cried out along with every nerve in his body. He thought feverishly that this was what falling into lava or a sun would feel like – without the soothing relief of death.

As he writhed pathetically, he slowly felt his consciousness slipping away … feeling relieved, for dealing with the crippling pain any longer would cause his sanity to slip away too. Finally, after a few more agonising seconds, he rolled onto his back, fighting hard to keep his childhood pact, made before he’d even heard of the Immortals. He would face death and not let it creep up as it had done with so many of his fellow associates, family, friends and enemy. A single thought crept into his brain.

I’m sorry Master I have failed you, this … I cannot endure …

As he felt himself slipping out of this world, for some reason he didn’t feel scared. He even curiously and absently focused on the sight of the Tel’nagara, amazingly not plunging its blade into him, but instead its silhouette retreated backwards, into a glowing phenomenon to which it completely and instantly disappeared.

Beyond this sight, a great explosion dwarfed the glowing circular object left dissipating in the hallway, and in this finality and as his eyes shut, Genesis felt himself being picked up by an explosive force. Like a leaf in a windstorm, he was hurtled backwards with tinkering shards into the void of space, away from the Tel’nagara, away from the frigate, and away from his consciousness and life.

The light went to black, and as he lapsed completely out of thought, he heard one last sound that truly did scare him, his AI – Me’lina – she, too was screaming.