Utr Zarya

The presence of the monster made us realize that the threat was real, but we already knew this was the case. Unlike the people from the colony, we were already prepared for the worst outcome. Arcturus quickly directed Xilna and her soldiers to get away from the monster while I got away from the Vyrnian I tried to safe. I quickly found out that many were injured by the impromptu attack and some of the healers were already trying to help them. I was also helping one of them when Arcturus and George stood in front of me, facing the Vyrnian-like monster.

Their claim of being trained to be partners of elite warriors was not just a claim. George once said that he was training to be a dragon rider, and a dragon rider was the best warrior one could become on Earth, especially with all the training and style he could choose from. While he did not end up becoming a dragon rider, but instead a wyvern rider (which was the Earth creature Vyrnians resembled), the training was not for naught. Even if the setting changed, the training was still useful.

Arcturus was also special, given that part of his training was the offensive use of energy conversion, something that he had been stockpiling in his body by absorbing the energy of the colony. The converted electricity was then released from his hands like a crackle of pure energy, one that could effectively slow the monster enough to let George slid between its legs and cut its tendons. It quickly fell to its knees. However, George was not finished. In one quick turn, he climbed on the monster's back and with a twist, decapitate the monster with one quick slash. I turned away as I did not like beheading. It's one violent act too extreme for me.

However, it did not stop the monster. The head was clearly dead, but it was simply returned to its place by the monster's thread-like tentacles, making it acted like an undead. George, who saw what happened, simply said, "Why is it not as simple as it is?"

I could then hear Xilna ordered many of her security guards to prioritize the protection of the healers as she coordinated a counterattack. For the leader of the archaeologists, she seemed to know her way around, and that really helped. However, what I never thought she'd do was join the fight. I yelled at her to stay back, but Xilna said, "I have a job to protect this colony. And besides, I'm not that helpless."

I did not know what she meant until she said, "I suggest you get away from the line of fire" to the combatants. Their reaction was, of course, of confusion, until George looked up and said, "Oh, shit!" Arcturus had moved away when George saw what he needed to see.

A short command of 'fire' coming from Xilna was enough to let a blast of strong, concentrated energy to hit the monster right in the chest. That energy shot was strong enough to disintegrate most of the monster's host body and causing it to let out a high-pitched shriek that hurt my ears. It was nothing more than a shriek that signified its death, for after that, the monster slowly receded and become a black puddle. It ended as quickly as it started, but the damage was very apparent. The worse of it? We were only involved in all this for only a couple of hours.

Part of me wanted to think that we were at fault for giving them the code into the sealed colony. If it wasn't for us, some of those dead would still live to see the next day. However, to my surprise, I was the only one who thought that this was the case, especially after Xilna assessed the situation and said, "Evacuating civilians was the right call after all. This is clearly a risky endeavor."

"You installed a rail gun?!" exclaimed Arcturus after realizing what just happened. "On an archaeological site?!"

"We were going to use it in case something happened," said Xilna. "Guess it wasn't just paranoia."

"Wait. You mean you have suspected that something is hidden in there?" said George.

"It's a sealed colony. Why would you think of anything other than hidden danger?" said Xilna. "Still, I really wished we used that rail gun sooner. That way...we don't have to deal with so many deaths."

I could hear her slightly hesitating when she said so many deaths. While in my opinion, three deaths were not excessive, it seemed that even she did not anticipate death, only injuries.

Xilna decided that the colony was far too dangerous to venture alone. However, she decided to use a small group to further minimize deaths, which consisted of those she deemed to be rather skilled in fighting like Arcturus and George. Of course, they did have reservations, but it was better than traveling in a big group and ended up getting dispatched more easily. There was also a chance that the monster was much bigger in there, causing even Arcturus to gulp in worry.

The only consolation they got was the fact that the former colony was not too big, roughly the same size as a building. However, even a building complex was big enough to hold something dangerous within. They needed a plan, which involved me, especially after Arcturus suggested that the monster could be photosensitive due to being sealed within the colony for so long.

Well, they needed me for my knowledge of being creative with using the healing wave ability. Arcturus remembered that I once showed him that I could intensify the healing wave to the point where it was shining very brightly, which I used to defend myself and the incapacitated George from the photosensitive Nuoevans. He hoped that it was also the case here, though I personally did not think it to be that easy.

It took us a couple more hours to prepare and travel into the depths of the relatively small ancient colony. Once inside, we quickly found ourselves in the reception area of the old colony, appropriately dark and rather dusty. Arcturus quickly checked the reception's computer, but also found that there was no power. Thus, he decided that we needed to restore power back to the colony before they could do anything useful to it.

Of course, we still needed to be wary of the creature that killed several of the guards. Now that the place was no longer sealed, it could slip out without ever meeting us, which could mean a problem if it was loose on this planet. I told Xilna about it and she seemed to acknowledge it.

"Then we gotta be sure that the door we opened is the only way in and out for now," she said. "That way, the security will be able to contain whatever's trying to escape."

"You've...think this through, aren't you?"

"I know my way around situations like this. I try to stay sharp, both in work and in emergencies."

"So, you were an emergency response team?" asked Arcturus while he checked the nearby stairs. "Like, formerly part of a special squad in a colony?"

"I was a native to the Mardu colony of planet Ctwel," she said. "It's a frontier planet with the Frontier Belt region. Mardu is a big city colony and I was part of the law enforcement there. Crime is a problem, and I know how to be ready of anything and stay calm in situations that demands it. There's this one day I must resolve a hostage crisis. If I panicked, things could get bad quickly, so I tried to steel myself. Things went well, and I was proud of it."

"Then why are you also an archaeologist?"

"Because that's my childhood dream," said Xilna. "I joined the force mostly to satisfy my dad. I did not want him to look disappointed after my brother joined the life of piracy. Yeah, I know. Things are hard for us there, and one of us need to stay clean if we want a better future."

"I...never know," I said.

"No one does, at least until I tell them. It's not something I freely talk about, but given that we're going to fight together anyway, why not? Why don't we start with you, Domel Arcturus? That electric energy conversion of yours...I've read about it before. It's an art of defense as part of a soldier's training a long time ago. I guess back then no one saw the consequences of someone with that much power, huh?"

"So, no one learned my technique because it was misused?" said Arcturus.

"Something like that. Also, while healing wave is technically the same technique, it has no other purposes except healing. Even then, learning that takes a while. Believe me, I tried. It's hard, even if it's a Vyrnian natural ability."

We stopped our chatter when Arcturus gestured us to stop. He then whispered, "There's something on the second floor. Stay vigilant."

Xilna silently nodded as I kept my awareness up. He knew danger more than I did, so I trusted his call.

True enough, as we approached the stairs, there was a sound. It sounded similar to something slimy being dragged across the floor, like a slug or something. It was also similar to the one the previous creature let out, which meant this was another creature that took over yet another poor Vyrnian who I knew had been dead years ago. I did not want to see them suffer like that. They needed to rest in peace.

Arcturus did not hesitate in trying to attack the creature with his electricity, but I know he remembered that it was rather useless and only a powerful well-aimed rail gun would make a devastating effect. Of course, that would not stop Arcturus to try, given that he also had George backing him up.

Of the weapons that were with us, the only weapon with the potential of a rail gun was George's. That unconventional gun-sword hybrid actually packed a punch, and he prepared to use it to blow the enemy on the top of the stairs. However, while he did run up and found his target, he did not immediately blow it up, and I quickly found the reason why.

"It's trying to tell us something," said the human.

Of course, given the nature of the danger, hearing this would be surprising. We were fighting against a monster, after all. Still, it did speak, especially after George prompted it to. Even so, after hearing what it had to say, I had a feeling that we shouldn't let it speak at all. In fact, the things it said were mostly an ominous warning.

"So, you've finally...found out who we were," said a raspy voice coming out of a dead Vyrnian. "But no...matter. You are already...too late."

"Too late?" asked George. "Too late for what?"

"The invasion. The plan...has been set in motion...as we took the home planet of our first...subject."

"Home planet of the first...you mean Vyrn?" said Arcturus. "Are you telling me you're the reason why we lost our planet?"

"We...will triumph, and this galaxy...will be ours," said the voice. "All that remains...are the Trikelians. This...is our declaration of victory!"

"You know, I've known delirious," said George. "But this blob has some serious attitude problem."

I couldn't see what happened up there, but George's comment seemed to catch the creature's attention.

"You...what are you? You're not one of them."

"Well, I'm a human, if you're asking. From somewhere you don't even want to bother knowing."

"A primitive. How...quaint." I could hear chuckling, though raspy. "What can your...kind even do...in the dealings of space?"

"I know one thing."

There was a blast, then a shriek.

"You're not going to see your plan through. Whatever it is."

I quickly ran up the stairs, feeling that George somehow provoked it too much. When I reached up, it was already finished. The body of a dead Vyrnian, minus its head, was strewn across the floor. It was clearly dead. George's weapon made sure of it.

However, to my surprise, while the Vyrnian body had served its purpose, the creature manipulating it was still pulsating and alive. So, it only used the Vyrnian as a host, and once the host could no longer be used, it lost its ability to move or to even talk.

"It's...still alive," said Xilna when she caught up on us. "So, only a rail gun can completely obliterate this thing."

"Yeah, but that's a bit too excessive," said George. "And besides, if you need some work, you got yourself some specimen."

I never thought I'd say this, but for a human, George seemed to be leading the charge here. Of course, I wouldn't deny his penchant for trying to take the lead, but he clearly knew his way around, even though he was the only pre-space in the room. I was glad, but also worried. It was a good thing George was a good person, but what if someone with less of a sense of good ended up in space? Well, things could be interesting, but it would be a hassle.

Xilna and I helped coordinate the isolation of the still living creature. The creature was not fighting as much as I thought it would be. It made me feel rather worried. The creature clearly showed that it was capable of speech. It was intelligent. If its race was the cause of the Exodus, I'd be scared to know how many of them were trapped behind the planetary shield. After we were done with the isolation, I joined Arcturus and George once more, now followed by Xilna. We walked deeper into the old colony and tried to find where the generator room was. Still, it had been years since the generator was operational. Any chances of it still working was low. I told Xilna about this, and she agreed.

"I've told the people outside to hook up Orlonel's system to power this colony," she said. "It might take a couple of hours to figure out this old colony's system and find a compatible port, but we'll finish it."

"Of course," I said with a nod.

Arcturus and George moved further on, leaving me and Xilna together. Before long, we managed to traverse through the colony. It was not a big colony, given that it was only around the size of a regular-sized two-story building. However, it was packed with many equipment that seemed to indicate something of their research. Some looked rather futuristic looking, but for us Vyrnians, it reminded us of the world that had been robbed from us by the Vyrnians that took control, and before they lost the planet to the invaders.

The earlier declaration from the creature made me think. I liked to link the facts from the evidences we gathered, much like an amateur detective or something like that. It had been a habit since I was a child, and I used it rather often in my job as a healer. I needed to deduce many things as part of my diagnosis, after all.

So, the mention of an Eye in Vyrnian space (which by now had mysteriously disappeared), then the sealed planet, then the declaration of an invasion. It all led to one thing. We had been invaded a very long time ago, but they managed to hide so long and influenced our lives leading up to the Exodus. The Exodus was when they tried to finally strike, but they clearly did not anticipate the Vyrnians to know about this and as a result, they were trapped on a planet without even being able to influence the Vyrnians who left it.

But then, some of them were already outside. Why didn't they just try and attack while the Vyrnians were the weakest? Why wait for 500 years? What was their plan?

Before I could think about it more, Arcturus and George, who had been exploring by themselves to find things, returned to us. Arcturus then said, "The place's practically deserted. Unless there's more of those Trikelians around, we're safe."

"I hope that's the case," said Xilna. "I need to be sure that this project does not cost us any more lives that those already gone."

She seemed rather tense, but I understood why. Losing some people to mysterious invaders sealed in this colony could cause anyone to go tense, even more so if you happened to be the leader of this project. Also, she knew that we still had a dangerous, but isolated, creature within our custody. Letting that thing free would lead to problems, especially if it was really one of the invaders that caused us to lose our ancestral home.

Even so, we were glad that this little incident did not lead to anything major. We wouldn't be ready if that was the case. My only hope, however, was that we knew what we were up against before it was too late.

Because I knew that things would only escalate after this, and we must be ready.