“What can a man not do with

  brothers and sisters

  at his side?”

  - Septis Letra’r,

  Founding member of

  The Chival Order

  Chapter 26: From Darkness, Light

  At first, nothing happened. Then, violently, the propulsion boots on his armor activated, thrusting Luminous in a random direction, with Koga hanging on for dear life. In an instant, the two collided into a cavern wall, and slid down onto the floor. In the chaos of the moment, Koga had sprained his ankle.

  Luminous appeared to be okay, based on what he could sense. He, however, felt disoriented. Coming in and out of consciousness, he eventually became cognizant of his situation once again. It could have been five minutes or five hours since they had crashed. There was no way of knowing, given he had lost consciousness for what only seemed a moment. Attempting to stand, he intended to figure out where the two of them were.

  The area around him was massive. A cavern this size was quite uncommon, especially to be found in a mountain such as this. Sensing the walls around him, he now understood why. The walls had been carved out. The cavern, or at least a portion of it, was man made. Journeying further in, with Luminous over his shoulder, he discovered that this was more than just some man made cavern. It was a shrine of remembrance.

  Ancient carvings of intricate design outlined the walls, detailing events of foregone eras. Pictography and symbolic language conveyed tales of heroism and tragedy, spanning centuries of time. Koga’s knowledge of the ancient pictographs and how to properly read them was limited. He wished Luminous was awake to read them more carefully. Knowing her, she probably could.

  From what little he could gather, the stories revolved around an ancient order called, The Chival Order. Koga had briefly heard of them in his past studies, though the legends involving their great power were much disputed. In the modern world, the idea of wielding such capabilities was preposterous. Then again, to Koga, being around Luminous and Mitamin had proved to him otherwise. Most of the known galaxy did not even believe in morgath or magic, let alone the power of the machor.

  The Chival were once a great order of warriors, dedicated to peace, mercy, and justice. Or, so it was said of them. History showed them in multiple lights, from hero, to villain, to everything in between. It was not until their great schism that the order’s history seemed to stop. Weakened by infighting, having lost the faith of the sentients it protected, it disbanded, going from memory, to history, to legend, and finally, to myth.

  As Koga approached an inner sanctum, he noticed that great monoliths rose high to the ceiling. Detailed on them were warriors of note. Specifically, lightning wielders. Thor, Zeus, Mazagon of Prathynia, Zexlu, and Partagon the Prudent were some of many names and carvings Koga was able to distinguish. The names and carvings along the monoliths continued. It was tempting to become distracted by this place, but Koga knew he had to move forward. Luminous needed care, and they certainly were not out of danger yet.

  As Koga pressed on between the monoliths, a name carved on farthest from him caught his attention. It was different from the other names carved there. Last on the list, it seemed to be more recently carved. At least, it was not as faded as its counterparts. Koga moved closer to better sense what was written there. It would only take a moment of time to check, he reasoned, and it was in the direction he was already heading. He nearly dropped Luminous as he read the name.

  Erik Kane.

  How was it possible? Was that really his father’s name written there? Had his father been a member of the Chival Order, too?

  Koga examined the carved out name more closely. To his surprise, it was his father’s style of handwriting. When he sensed the monolith’s energy, and who all had touched it over the years, it became all too clear. There could be no doubt of it. His father carved his own name here many years ago.

  In disbelief, he reached out and touched the carving. It felt so real. So liberating to see a piece of his father’s past carved right before him into this aged stone structure. More then that, for the first time in his life, he felt as though he was truly following in his father’s footsteps. He gave a small smile, for a brief moment thinking that Luminous had been right not to turn back. Then, inwardly condemning himself for such selfish thoughts, he brought his awareness back to the present. And the present was very grim indeed.

  The triwolves had found their way into the cavern, and were surrounding the two of them. Apparently, there must have been more than one entrance into this place besides the one he had blasted through. Koga tried to sense a way of escape, but every exit had been blocked off by the vicious creatures. Limping forward with Luminous, he realized he was ill equipped to defend her. His body was too drained and injured, and even the nano tech in his suit could not work fast enough to change that now.

  Setting her down, he tried to wake her. If they were to survive, they would need her gifts to make it out of this ordeal alive. Still, she was out cold. Nothing could be done for her now, except allow the suit’s nanotechnology to heal her head wound, and keep her protected and contained.

  The triwolves attacked with no hesitation this time. Sensing his and Luminous’ vulnerability, they went in for the kill. Adrenaline coursed through Koga’s body as he ran his blades through his foes, cutting them down as they lunged towards him. Some tried to carry Luminous off, thinking Koga was adequately distracted enough not to notice. Realizing what was happening, he quickly charged towards her and ended the triwolve’s lives. Being sure to stand over Luminous’ unconscious body, he took the precaution to be sure their tactic would not work again.

  After seven lay dead, the triwolves grew more reserved. Once again they encircled the two, growling and snapping their teeth as they had on the mountain’s surface. Koga tried to show no signs of weariness, but the monsters called his bluff. They sensed his weakness. His fear.

  “If you’re watching somehow, now’s the time to make a grand entrance, Mitamin,” Koga thought, silently hoping for another miraculous rescue.

  But none was to come. It was as Mitamin had warned him. Luminous was his responsibility now.

  Suddenly, two triwolves leaped from the pack. Koga thought he could counter their attack with one of his own. What he did not see until too late, however, was a third triwolf, much larger than the rest, scurry towards him from his side. As Koga cut down the first triwolf, and turned to cut the second, the large triwolf pounced on Koga from behind. Biting into his leg, the triwolf furiously ran through his kindred, intending to get the best pieces of Koga for himself.

  Koga screamed in silence upon the triwolf biting him. Its teeth went straight through to the bone. Instinctively, he sought to damage the triwolf enough for it to let go, but the triwolf was persistent. It pressed its advantage to the fullest, and was patient enough to deal with the suffering until it was safe to end its prey. Normally, Koga’s strength would be enough to damage the triwolf sufficiently, but his inner morgath was exhausted, and so was he. It was as though his body had given up on him, though his spirit strove within him to fight.

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  His primary concern was for Luminous. As he was drug off, he could see a glimpse of her, being pulled every which way by the triwolf hoard. His armor protected her for now, but not for much longer. It would eventually be compromised, and she would fall prey to the ravenous beasts. It would only be a matter of seconds now. All he could do was helplessly watch.

  Koga’s heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. He was afraid. Scared. Terrified he was going to lose yet another life that had been put in his care. If she died, it was on him, just as it was with Captain Spencer.

  At the height of his fear, something came over Koga. It was strange. Lucid. A vision that felt all too real. In a flash, he had departed his body, and was in a different body. A foreign body.

  “No,” he thought. “This is my body…”

  He soon realized that it was his, only many years earlier in his life. Koga was a boy again. A twelve year old boy in an all too familiar place: Gar’s herald vessel, The Harbinger.

  Standing in his old uniform and the armor Gar used to have him wear, he sensed he was in a hallway aboard the ship. They were submerged, deep in the sea. Above him, alarms went off, indicating the vessel was under attack. He continued to sense the area around him. Soldiers, security personnel, and ship operators scurried around him to fulfill their emergency protocols.

  It took him a moment to realize what event from his past that was reoccurring in this moment. Surely it was a vision, but it felt so real. Everything about it did. In his head, he told himself this could not be happening.

  “There you are! We’ve been looking for you, boy. Come with me!” Gar called out to him from behind. Keeping his pace, Gar ran past him with an entourage of guards. With them was his dear friend, Captain Spencer. Alive.

  Koga could not believe what he was sensing. Shock nearly overtook him at witnessing his beloved compatriot. He could only stand there, staring at them as they ran past.

  “Come, my King! You must stay with us for safety,” Spencer advised.

  Koga followed along, catching up to Captain Spencer as they made their way down a maze of hallways. Flashing red and yellow alarm lights illuminated the path in an eerie, almost psychedelic way. The group’s metal boots clanked along the floor as they ran with purpose towards the last location of the assailant, poised and ready to fight.

  Trapped in his younger self, Koga knew what was to come. The temptation to simply enjoy these moments with his friend were strong, but stronger still was the urge to prevent tragedy from befalling the Captain. Hastily, he tapped Spencer’s side as they ran.

  “Yes, my King?”

  Sign speaking as they ran along, Koga conveyed his warning. He did so with urgency and fear. Perhaps he could somehow change his friend’s destiny.

  “We need to avoid going this way. Let’s let Gar handle this.”

  Spencer looked at him with concern. Reaching out to him, he smiled in the comforting way he always used to. Like a father calming his son’s fears.

  “You’ll be alright, my King. You’ll be safe with us.”

  Koga’s fear was not for himself of course, but for Spencer. With so little time present before the incident was to occur, he needed to stop Spencer from being in it anyway he could. He told him the whole truth.

  “If we follow Gar you’ll die! We must stop! You cannot go this way!” Koga conveyed, simply getting to the bottom of the matter.

  A confused look appeared on Spencer’s face. It was clear that this information was not going to immediately stop the Captain from following his Commander’s orders. Perhaps if Koga had more time to explain, he could convince the Captain from proceeding onward. The moment, however, was quickly drawing near. Koga could now only think of one other thing to do to prevent this.

  As Koga fell to the ground, pretending to have fainted, laser fire could be heard just up ahead, grasping the entourage’s attention fully. Spencer did not notice Koga falling to the ground, but instinctively placed himself between the boy and the danger in front of them.

  Koga’s ruse had come too late. They had finally approached the infiltrator’s location. Gar commanded his men to seize the trespasser, but to no avail.

  The infiltrator, a young teenage boy, had a dark complexion, and a most vile temper. His face from the bridge of his nose to the base of his jaw was covered by a metal mask. His eyes were a fiery auburn color, and his muscles were like tensile steel: thin, elongated, and strong. He wielded a most peculiar weapon. A scythe, more specifically. The same auburn color that burned in his eyes burned on the energy surrounding the weapon’s blade.

  The boy, now cornered, made ready to attack the entourage. Gar was the first to charge him, counting on his superior size to intimidate him into a slow reaction. It became clear, however, that this was no ordinary lad. With a swing of his scythe, the boy called upon a power that launched Gar and his men backwards, with the exception of Koga and Captain Spencer, who were still around the corner. It was as though a heavy gust of air had blown them off their feet, and tossed them like a dandydaflower in the wind.

  The enemy combatant moved as though his feet did not even touch the ground. As Gar and his men stood to their feet, the infiltrator moved to strike the closest to him down, slamming him in the back with his scythe. The blade pierced through his armor and back, killing him instantaneously. Gar and two others moved on the boy again, only this time to strike.

  Lifting his scythe from out of his foe, the infiltrator launched himself into the air, swinging his weapon in a wide, swooping motion, intending to cut off the heads of his approachers with one quick stroke. Gar, with his years of combat training aiding him, read the attack, and ducked just in time. The two other men managed the same, and got in on both sides of the boy. Flipping to land, he swung his scythe again, creating another small gust of wind that lifted his foes off their feet, and blew them back. The whirlwind blew Gar and the two men away from the direction which they had come, and onto the floor once more.

  As the infiltrator continued his attacks, he killed three men who were Gar’s personal guard. This angered Gar greatly, but also inspired an idea to come to mind. Charging from behind him, he fired his wrist gun multiple times at his young foe. The boy used his scythe to create a shield that was as long as the weapon itself to block the fire. This, Koga could sense, was what Gar was hoping for.

  Continuing to charge, Gar rammed the shield with brute force. This was something the infiltrator was not ready for. Stunned, and overpowered, he fell down onto the ground. Gar, after the shield was deactivated, kicked the weapon away from the boy, and placed his boot firmly on the boy’s throat. Without his scythe, the boy could not draw upon his powers. At least, this was the conclusion they all later came to.

  Koga could sense the fury and rage that Gar had boiling up inside him. He knew what was to come. This time, however, Koga would not stand up to him. Captain Spencer would be alive to see the morning come. He would not be responsible for his death. Gar’s murderous intent was not his problem.

  Koga, stuck in his younger body, stood motionless. He closed his eyes and turned off his senses, trying his best to ignore Gar’s angry words. His threats. The charging of his wrist gun. The scared whimpers of the boy on the floor.

  To his surprise, he sensed Captain Spencer speak up, defending the boy.

  “Sir, he’s just a lad. Please, don’t kill him.”

  “He murdered three good men today, Spencer. That makes him a man to me!”

  “Commander Gar, please…”

  His weapon primed, and was ready to fire. Koga stood frozen, making himself suffer through it with tears running down his eyes. Spencer had to live. He had to.

  Spencer ran forwards. Koga could not stop him, as a look of terror found its way onto his face. He reached out, only to fall short of grabbing Spencer’s arm.

  As the shot went off, it was Spencer who stood in front of it. Spencer who had prevented the boy on the floor from being killed. Spencer, who now lay on the floor, dying.

  Koga ran over to him, watching the nightmare unfold all over again. The shot was to the Captain’s heart. Death awaited him. Spencer looked into Koga’s eyes, and with a trembling voice, spoke his last words.

  “Never… be afraid… of doing the right...thing… no matter the consequence.”

  Koga looked on in surprise. As Spencer passed, he smiled at Koga. The Captain was not in shock as the time before. This time, he was at peace. Koga finally understood.

  Through the pain, Koga’s inner wound was healed. Not fully, as it never would be, but enough that now only a scar remained. After so many years, he could see the light of life again. To see past the pain of loss and supposed failure. To see past the pain of defeat. To once again resolve to do right, no matter the cost. To live.

  Returning from his vision to the present moment, Koga found a new energy in his body. An energy he had not felt since his time in the tower with the witch. An energy that sprung forth from him, as electricity began to envelope him.

  The large triwolf let go of him in fear, as Koga rose to his feet, his eyes glowing blue. He could feel the machor’s power flowing through him. In a flash of lightning, Koga ran over to the large triwolf, and simultaneously broke all three of the triwolf’s necks with a heel kick. As the other wolves looked on, they too were stricken with fear at the sight, as Koga’s unearthly power overcame them. Lightning sprung forth from his hands, reaching out to strike the wolves and illuminate the cavern. Thunder rocked the area around him, and brought on a deafening sound as it reverberated through the cavern’s walls. Hundreds of triwolves fell dead to the blast.

  The power of the machor was beyond anything he had felt before. Now that his past trauma was resolved, he felt as though a channel had been cleared of debris. Now unclogged, his connection to the machor was unhindered. Electricity, wild and untamed, shot out from his fingertips and feet. It enveloped him, as his senses were heightened and amplified a thousand fold.

  The last thing the wolves would see before their untimely end was his blinding, mighty arcs of energy, frying them to a crisp. The Blight was no more. Koga Kane had been reborn.