~ Dead Things, Conclusion ~

~ Dead Things ~

~ Conclusion ~

Nuuakhwahu, The Eagle squatted on the ridge of the roof watching the wooded boundary that surrounded the Hybrid Compound: the primary residence, the barn, the Common building and the six guest cottages. He smiled as his Tribesman Chevayo and The Wolf, seasoned and deadly Hopi Star Children checked their weapons and then disappeared, blending into the scenery. The Royal Drachonian Man-At-Arms, Julrex Zanreck Marius of the Remus Magnus Clan, or Will as he was known around the Compound, waited in front of the main house, calmly sharpening his Katana. Battle hardened after centuries of war with the Hybrids, he was the second line of defense if Lucifer or the Demon or whatever it was, made it past the automated perimeter guns hidden in the forest. According to Wisty, the truck would attempt to breech the front gate but that was a diversion. The Draugr would be coming in the back door. Eagle stood as his pregnant wife Luce in her full battle dress and The Comista’s Human cousin, Corrine in her jeans and tank top, both armed with bows and a quiver full of arrows, joined him on the roof. Corrine also had a Baretta 12 gauge shotgun slung over her shoulder.

Luce calmly touched her husband’s arm and he joined with her mind. She had many questions and though Corrine had some battle experience she was also human. Luce didn’t want her privy to information that might give her a case of nerves. As Hopi Star Children, The Eagle and Luce had been here too many times to count. Confronting evil, waiting for battle. Protecting the Tribe and Mankind from Alien threats was why Kachinas were bred, and they had done it unremittingly for centuries.

Eagle ran his plan to her thoughts. Will would disable the truck and kill the driver at the entrance. The perimeter guns are the first line of defense as the Draugr approaches through the forest. If he makes it to the buildings, he will face me, Will, Chevayo, and Wolf, hand-to-hand. In spite of Wisty’s warnings about this creatures power, excluding the Comista herself, I am confident that no single force on Earth could take on three Kachina Holy Warriors and a Drach, and even survive, let alone prevail. With your bows, you and Corrine would be at best, assassins and at the very least, painful diversions to aid our ground attack. If the Gods will the Draugr to make it past all of us, there is a longshot of a backup plan. Robert Hazer is setting up his Sound Levitation Adirectional Transducer in line with the vault.

His what, Nuey?

A machine Robert and his son Jubal developed with the help of the Grey Aliens. They call it a SLAT.

What does it do?

It lifts heavy objects with sound. Luce wrinkled her brow not getting it. They wish to publicly prove that the Pyramids were constructed using advanced technology and not the silly but prevalent slave, log and ramp theory... I'm digressing. The point is the Draugr needs David E. to open the vault. David E. will lead him to the Common Building. Using the SLAT, Robert would make the Giant weightless and they would conceivably somehow propel the monster into the vault, The vault is ineradicable and he’ll be trapped there until the Comista returns to deal with him.

What does ineradicable mean?

Eagle smiled and kissed her knuckle. It means he can’t break out. That’s all hypothetical of course. If we Kachinas can’t handle the Draugr then the humans have virtually no chance anyway. As a worst case contingency, I gave David E. a cyanide pill.”

“Nuey. Just put D. E. in the bunker. Or better yet, give him a truck and get him the hell away. He’s the only one who can open the vault. If he is gone…”

“ I told him that very thing Luce. With Wisty and the baby at risk, he won’t even consider it. The ultimate goal… the only goal. Lucy Lange must not leave with the Blue Crystal Skulls. Luce. Listen carefully. If things start to look bad, you and Corrine head to the bunker with Dermott and the others. You can survive in there for weeks. Make sure nobody surfaces until the Comista knocks on that door herself.”

“I’ll make sure Corrine is safe, but Nuey, I never have and I never will leave you to fight alone.”

The Eagle gently rubbed her bulging belly. “This is about more than you and me. We have a child to consider.”

“Not gonna happen Nuey, I…”

Corrine inadvertently interrupted the silent conversation. “Excuse me Eagle, but why don’t I get Will’s plasma rifle and just cut this thing in half?”

“It won’t fire on the grounds Corrine. The Crystal Skulls are programmed to EMP any electromagnetic surges of that magnitude. Try to fire a Plasma Rifle or Rail Gun or Laser, and the Crystal Skulls would instantly shut the whole neighborhood down. That shotgun is no good either. The combustion suppression program will run as soon as the perimeter guns activate. Rifles, explosives, flame throwers, all useless after that for at least an hour. And remember Corrine. If Wisty shows up, she is on our side. Don’t kill her.”

Corrine responded with a flippant, “Duh!”

Luce pulled an arrow from the quiver, nocked it and squatted, her pregnant belly sagging between her thighs. “Well Nuey, all we can do now is wait.”

The Eagle scanned the property enjoying the mid afternoon sun on his face and a gentle blowing breeze. Suddenly the birds went silent and he caught the scent of death. “Luce, it’s here.” He bolted as the sound of strafing shots from the sentry guns exploded in the north woods.

**********

Using emergency protocols, the Comista of Earth opened the slightly warped and crumbling vault door. Once inside, she ran the scene through the Alien chip in her brain. The concrete walls were cracked, pitted and covered with black powder except for random discolorations of a reddish hue where some compounds contained traces of iron. Burnt hair smell was thick in the air. The Comista’s heart fell. The 13 Blue Crystal Skulls were gone. Apparently vaporized like everything else in the vault. Her chip explained in detail how this scenario was not possible. Even the heat generated from a laser could not have caused this kind of devastation. The walls, built and treated by the Greys were virtually indestructible, and it would take at least 10,000 degrees to melt the Crystal Skulls. Yet here she stood, taking it in.

There was a shadow in the far corner. It was David E., his gray hair and beard, singed and charred. Emaciated, broken and covered with soot, he was naked except for a Blood Stone pendant hanging around his neck. Debbie rushed to him and scooped up what she expected to be remains. But he was alive. Another impossibility. Pushing all else from her mind she carried him from the vault and lay him on a couch in the lounge area. He began to shiver and she covered him with a crocheted Afghan draped over the back. A quick check confirmed his vitals. He was breathing but seriously dehydrated with several broken bones. Pressing the nerves between his thumb and index fingers prompted a groan. His eyes opened and a blank stare morphed into recognition. Through his pain, a single tear welled until it could no longer sustain itself and slowly rolled down to his ear. Lips moved but he could not produce the sounds. “Don’t try to talk yet D.E.” She sent out a telepathic S.O.S. to Shewuma and Jimmy. “I have found David E. He is alive.” She was foolish to go to the Summit and leave the Crystal Skulls vulnerable.

Knowing that Debbie would never invade his thoughts without his consent, David E. touched her arm and then grimaced as he motioned to his forehead. Debbie went deep into his memories and watched the debacle that had transpired unfold through David E.’s eyes.

The Guardians of the Hybrid Fortalice were stalwart in their intent. Under no circumstances could they allow Lucy Lange to acquire the Blue Crystal Skull Super Computers. But that directive was discarded in his mind as soon as David E. saw Wisty manacled by prison chains on her wrists and ankles and being dragged behind the Draugr creature tied by a rope attached to his belt. Pulling her through the woods had left her leather dress in shreds and she was covered with cuts and abrasions. He had been a fool to let her leave. Her deceit, her allegiances, none of it mattered now. He loved her. He would save her and his baby. He had to save them.

Lucy’s transformation was terrifyingly extraordinary. 10½ feet of muscled bulk covered with body armor. The four Hopi Star Children and a Drachonian Slayer of nobility, perhaps the deadliest squad of fighters ever assembled went to the Giant like lambs to the slaughter. D.E. watched the Eagles head almost casually ripped from his body. He watched Luce and Corrine firing a consistent but useless barrage of arrows from their sniper nest atop the ridge, both die horribly. The Draugr spun the Bolas over his head and let them fly. The metal weights of the Bolas twined up Luce’s body until they bashed her head to jelly. Then the Draugr took Chevayo’s lance, after splitting his head down to his neck, and hurled it impaling Corinne. She fell back propped towards the inclined roof, held up by the shaft protruding from her back, arms flailing while gurgling blood in her death throes. Lucy lifted the well-muscled Wolf as he would a child, raised his body overhead and then broke his back like snapping a twig. And Will the Reptilian Warrior, evoked rage from the Hellish aberration for an inconsequential blow to the chest. The Giant ripped off Will’s scaley arms and then with his bullwhip flogged his helpless body relentlessly until the green blood spraying in spurts from Will’s shoulders slowed to a dribble.

Finally Lucy looked over towards David E with a sneering smile. Elevating the battered and helpless Wisty by her chains like an offering to the sky, the Giant bellowed, “I AM INVINCIBLE!”

In spite of his considerable past combat experience, David E. had become panicked. Wisty’s plight coupled with the Draugr’s almost effortless murder of his formidable comrades was too much. He launched the last ditch gambit and lured the Giant to the Common Building on his motorcycle. Feigning negotiations David E. quickly acquiesced to the Draugr’s threats to harm Wisty. The next series of memories were somewhat of a blur. But apparently, the Giant was made weightless by Robert Hazer’s sound machine and in the ensuing confusion David E. forced Lucy and his bound Wisty into the vault, ultimately by using the motorcycle as impetus.

The memories again became static. The three were locked in the vault. Lucy Lange, David E. and his belabored Wisty. Presumably impressed by David E.’s tactics and resolve, Lucy calmly explained how he would now rape and then slowly dismember Wisty until David E. reopened the vault.

Wisty beseeched, “Don’t do it David E. He will kill us both no matter what you do.”

“I know, Wisty.” He turned his gaze to Lucy. “But what of my son? Let him live. If you swear it, I will believe you. I’ll open the vault. Kill me and kill Wisty as well, but after she bears the baby.”

Lucy bowed his head and with a wave of his hand towards David E. replied, “By the Gods of Hells Domain, I swear it. I will raise him as my own,”

Wisty approached confessing her secret. “David E., no! Mon Petite is not your baby!”

“WHAT?”

Lucy snatched her brutally backwards by her tether, sending her to the floor. David E. reacted and Lucy fiercely back handed him across the room into the concrete wall breaking his arm and several ribs. “ENOUGH! This has grown tiresome. I’m just going to kill you both. If I cannot escape, that Comista Bitch will show up eventually and open this vault. In fact, that whole white hair and green eyes thing she has going on is kind of hot. I might kill her slow, you know, the fun way.”

Wisty bowed to him. “Your Highness.” He cocked his head with approval to her accost. “Before we die, may I have a moment to say goodbye to David E.?”

The request was completely unexpected. But that was his Wisty. Always full of surprises. “Why should I?”

“You’re a God now. It’s what Gods do for mere mortals.”

With a self-serving smile he untied the connecting rope and shooed her. “Hurry up.”

David E. managed to sit up gingerly in spite of his broken bones. Wisty went to her knees at his side. His voice was intense. “You say the baby is not mine? Tell me.”

“Lucius raped me. The baby is evil. The baby must die.”

“Momma no! Listen to me!”

Wisty ignored Mon Petite’s telepathic pleas. “I couldn’t tell you before David E. but I see it all now. There’s so much I’ve done badly but listen, I have a plan. We can still stop him. We can die together and take these monsters with us. We can make it right.” He nodded, dazed. She kissed his cheek and took off the Enchanted Bloodstone, placing it around his neck. “For luck.” She kissed him again and rose to face the Draugr.

“Gaia, Goddess of Mother Earth. My life is forfeit. Please help me.” Wisty’s face grew dark while her eyes turned a piercing yellow. Holding her arms high, the manacles opened and clanged to the floor.

Lucy scowled. “What the Hell?…”

Wisty spoke. “I implore the Gods. I seek Justice. I seek vengeance.”

Lucy tried to reach for her but his limbs were frozen. “What sorcery is this? Wisty, what are you doing?” Fear filled his voice. “Wisty stop! You know you can’t hurt me!”

A whirlwind of magical fire spread until it encircled Wisty’s body. David E. saw the red flecks in the Green Blood Stone around his neck flicker and glow and realized what she was doing. His body broken and useless, he pleaded, “Wisty don’t leave me!”

Wisty clasped her hands in prayer. She spoke again but this time her voice bellowed, concurrent with another timbre, ancient and powerful. “Lucifer. I am Ninurta, God of War and Slayer of Demons. You have offended the Old Ones. Your soul is depraved. Your existence corrupt. We accept this Witch’s life in exchange for yours and the child demon.”

“BY THE CLEANSING POWER OF BLOOD AND FLAME,

I CALL ON THE GODS WHO MURDER AND MAIM.

WE BANISH YOUR SPIRIT, YOUR SOUL WE RECLAIM.

NOW BACK TO THE ABYSS FROM WHENCE YOU CAME.

AS WE WILL, SO MOTE IT BE!

David E. cried out with anguish, “WISTY NO!” Then covered his face while his clothes burned away as an inferno from Hell engulfed the entire vault, taking with it the screaming Draugr and Wisty herself. She turned towards the love of her life as she burned, sending to his thoughts, “Take care of Doreen and tell her I’m sorry.” Then from the melting veneer that was her face, she mouthed the words, “I Love You.” And she was no more.

Debbie stood up shaken and broke the connection. So many magnificent lives lost… The Blue Crystal Skulls…gone. Her deep feelings of loss became guilt and then turned to anger. The anger grew and filled her with rage as she vowed,

“Life as we know is over. But I swear by all of the Gods of Man,

LUCIUS WILL PAY!”

**********