Episode 22: Burnination

Nothing is ever easy. With yet another giant Oni wheeling about the sky above I knew that I would be needed so I ordered Trencher to take the wheel and stepped outside. The hideous thing above was raining destruction upon Omexon while its minions swooped down to pluck unsuspecting citizens from the ground and hurl them to their deaths. For a moment the Void wavered, struck by revulsion and sorrow. Poor Una! It was momentary however. We could mourn the dead after the Enemy was dealt with.

I summoned the fire within myself, within Keibatsu, and unleashed it upon the Oni. That certainly got its attention. Unfortunately it then attacked us with some sort of unbelievable heat wave that blistered flesh and set cloth and hair aflame. We threw everything we had at the beast with seemingly little effect. Half of the time it simply sent a flock of the Eyeless Vorax to intercept the attack with their bodies. Clearly something more had to be done. I rushed over to where Aimi was bound and cut the cables holding her in place. In retrospect, not the wisest thing I have ever done, but it seemed the thing to do at the time. I pulled her to her feet and asked her if she knew how to use the ship's guns. With a disgusted snort she indicated that she did. So I squeezed her arm, kissed her forehead, and pushed her toward one of the gun emplacements. I am not sure why I did that either. It was instinctual; I was in the Void.

Next thing I knew giant lasers were streaking toward me from the sky. I was already exhausted but I called upon the kata and used Keibatsu to deflect the lasers back at the Oni, infusing them with the cold of the Void. Unfortunately this act took the last of my strength and I slumped to the deck afterward, unconscious.

I awoke what was probably only moments later to some vile-tasting concoction Zippora was pouring down my throat. I sat up... fast. Everything was moving in slow-motion except a strange green comet in the sky which was proabably Highdive. The Oni looked... smaller. But it was surrounded by a halo of energy that seemed menacing, pregnant. Explosive. Recalling the end of Garandu Oni I decided to take a risk and called upon the Kyo Tee Shee that seems to have attached itself to me, Tsukiyomi. I ordered it to eat Karaku Oni; if it wanted me to be prideful it would damn well do as I say. It seemed to respond as I heard the faint sound of hoof beats somewhere in the distance.

Then came Moses. He flew through the air at incredible speed. At least, it would have been incredible if I too had not been going that fast, and Una flying through the sky, and Rei, and... Mokuzai? Am I the only one of us who does not fly now? Anyhow, Moses hit the thing at full force and took its head with him as he went by. Unfortunately, that seemed to accelerate what seemed to be a building of some sort of explosive energy. I could tell we did not have much time left.

Mokuzai landed, and Rei with Aimi. Mokuzai called all of us together along with the other Prill, and Una joined us then, changing form faster than I had ever seen her do before and depositing a dripping Highdive. Everyone but Moses... he seemed to be going up still, not even having reached the apex of his flight. At the last moment I realized what Mokuzai's plan was and moved away. I approved of getting the others to safety, but I would not leave Moses behind. Surprisingly, Rei stayed behind as well, and Aimi, though she probably simply did not trust the old Prill. Una gave me one disgusted look then changed into bird form more swiftly than I had ever before seen her make the transformation, gripped Mokuzai's staff, and took off. Between us Rei and I worked out about where we thought Moses would land and I was about to direct Trencher to go there when the mass that had been building burst.

A gigantic explosion rocked the ship and sent us all flying into the railing. Enormous lasers lashed out and blasted holes in the city, the Rodan, the docks... everything. It is a good thing that we were farther away and a smaller target besides or we would have suffered more than a glancing blast to one of the ship's wings. Once the light cleared and we were able to see again the devastation was total. Giant swathes of destruction had been carved into Omexon for as far as the eye could see, buildings toppled, burning, in some cases completely obliterated. The Rodan, the mightiest battleship that had ever been built on Karia, was obviously in the process of sinking with gaping holes through its hull. I frantically scanned the sky for some sign of either Moses or Una. They were both much smaller than the ship and so unlikely to have been hit by one of the lasers, but the force of the blast could have sent them flying for kilometers... there was no sign of them, but I thought I saw the distinct form of a silvery horse feasting on the remains of the Oni. Typical.

Trusting that Una had had time to fly far enough distant to be safe, and that she would find her way back to us after, I decided that finding Moses was our first priority. Again Rei and I did some calculations and I made my way to the bridge and started directing the remaining Rogues. I directed one to start operating the sonar while Trencher piloted us in the most likely direction that Moses could have been blown. It was tense for a time until one of the Rogues announced a metallic object in the water not far away, about the size of our companion. I directed a couple of men to the deck with cable and winches, made sure we were on the correct course, and went up myself to see if he was still alive. I should have known better; Moses will outlive us all most likely. He did not even seem to be winded, at least not at first. Moments after he was dragged aboard however he passed out. I was about to call for some men to take him to the medical bay when I had the most peculiar feeling and darkness reached up to swallow me as well.

Some time later after Moses and I had recovered from our exhaustion we found ourselves with decisions to make. Una had found us and brought with her the staff, out of which popped Mokuzai, Highdive, and the other Prill. All together again we now had a ship, one that, with luck, might be able to get us to the western continent where the Dusk Sages disappeared hundreds of years ago. The Rogues seemed lost and confused and wanted to know who the captain was. Moses said that I was, with Mokuzai as my check. I eyed my mechafied friend and thought his choices well made. I had the most leadership experience of us but could not hope to match the Prill's wisdom. Still, I half suspected that Moses had so quickly named me captain simply so that he himself would not be asked to do it.

We decided that we needed to make port to gather supplies for the trip west. Many of the Rogues wanted all sorts of questions answered about procedure and rationing and... some guy named Raul wanted permission to cook oysters? These were the strangest bunch of sailors I had ever encountered. The former captain, Julian, wanted a word with me. He seemed despondent until I enticed him with promises of adventure and intimated that he could have the ship once we no longer had use for it. It also helped when I offered to send Una down to care for his girlfriend who had been hurt in the taking of the Rodan.

Then there was Aimi. I told her that I would not hold her as prisoner; that I did not think I would succeed even if I tried. I told her that once we reached port she was free to go, and in the meantime she was free to move about the ship. She seemed confused and angry. I am not sure why I found myself wishing that she would smile at me like she used to, like she was a cat and I the canary. I think this whole journey is starting to affect my sanity...

Unfortunately the others did not agree with me. Well, Rei did, unsurprisingly, and Mokuzai seemed mostly ambivalent. High Dive seemed intent on getting her off the ship anywhere, anyhow. Most surprising though was Moses and Una. Both of them looked at Aimi with what I would have called hatred in any other people and talked about keeping her prisoner or abandoning her on a deserted island somewhere to starve to death all alone. Things were starting to get ugly when I stepped in. I told them that I had given my word; she was not a prisoner and was free to stay and help us or to go as she chose. Moses said that he would stop her from leaving. I nearly shouted at him. He had just named me captain and then turned around and tried to countermand my first decision? Worse yet, something about which I had given my word of honor? Did they not understand why things had to be this way? Instead I simply told him that I would stop anyone who tried to interfere with her. Una then piped in saying that I would try to do so. I looked at her aghast. Now she was threatening me? Una of all people?

I shook my head. A third giant Oni lays waste to an entire city and sinks a the greatest battleship in the world. Goshi attacking its supposed allies with teleporting soldiers and starting a war between Cheldrun nations. Thousands dead, countless injured, an entire species of Karian all but extinct... and they want to fight over keeping a single unarmed Biomade prisoner. I will not allow anyone to kill her, and leaving her to die would be just as bad. Having to transport, take care of, and guard a prisoner would be an unfeasible drain on our time and resources when we are going into unknown danger. And if she decides to help us she could be extremely useful. And those are my only reasons for doing what I am doing, damn it! They have to be.