"How does this thing work?"   Zach frantically searched the ship for controls, "I don't know Kirk, I never took the 'How to Fly a Hive Ship' class."   "You should have."   Kryn poked her head into the front control room, "less talking more figuring out how to get us out!"   Darek yelled from the back of the ship, "I second that!"   "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just let us concentrate up here. Zach, can you at least crash us into an empty space."   Zach grinned, "actually yes."   He looked around the ship and used what looked like a speed control, they were launched out of the hangar and began to go full speed toward the City.   "Do you think that ship will actually blow?"   "With the generators disabled whatever was keeping his weapon from tearing itself apart will be shut down."   "That's good, how much damage will the wreckage cause?"   "A lot."   They began to near the ground and Zach wrenched the ship into a better position to crash.   "Brace."   The ship hit the ground and skidded down the street Zach had sent it toward. It stopped just before it reached a plaza.   "That worked remarkably well."   Kirk nodded, "surprisingly well. Everyone alright back there!"   "As good as we can be after crash landing."   "Fair point, let's get out of this thing. We want to be in a better location when the ship blows."   Kryn opened the hatch, "then let's get going."   Kryn was the first out of the hatch, followed by Darek. Next was Kana, then Lynn, Zach, and Kirk.   Darek glanced up at Akûn's ship, "how long do you think it'll be before it blows."   Kirk smiled, "soon." ---------------------------------------------------------------   Akûn screamed at his knights while pacing on the bridge, "Shut it down! Shut! It! Down!"   "It's too late, the weapon has already begun it's firing sequence."   Akûn stopped pacing and stood still. Then as quick as lightning the knight's head was gone.   "Incompetence is not tolerated."   With that Akûn fell silent and sat on his throne on the bridge. As the weapon began it's charge he watched his fleet evacuate. One of the knights approached him.   "We should leave, the ship will detonate soon."   "No, I will not run. No cowardice will show from me, this ship will go down, and I will go with it."   "Yes my lord."   The knights began to leave the bridge one by one until only a few remained. He knew they would stay to the end. True loyalty, he was pleased with this.   He felt the ship begin to heat up as the weapon charged up. Then it fired, and Akûn knew his end was nigh. ---------------------------------------------------------------   Mala watched as the Hive ship incinerated itself. When the shockwave hit the City lighter objects were sent flying through the air. Windows shattered, then it was over. The ship was gone, except for a few pieces of burning wreckage crashing to the ground.   They had succeeded, the City was safe, and still ripe for the picking. She was happy, very happy. Dredgen Truth watched the ship explode, then as it exploded a smile spread across his face. He looked completely deranged, and he didn't even notice it. That scared her, she figured this was how her victims felt.   "It is done."   "It is indeed Mala. You were very helpful, despite any doubts I had beforehand. If you can control or direct your bloodlust I may call on you someday."   "I will endeavor to do just that. Though I still will kill."   "Just as I expected Mala, we will see each other again. Though under what circumstances I am not sure."   "Heh, bye."   Truth just turned and walked down the street. Mala walked the other way, she would go back to her hideout. One of many, but it would be a long, winding route. She did, after all, need to make sure no one was following her. Along the way she stopped to make sure no one had planted a bug on her, as expected she found one.   Truth really was thorough, she would hand that to him. She destroyed the bug and went on her way. Unaware of the second one he had hidden better than the first. ---------------------------------------------------------------   Kryn let out a deep breath, "So that's it, Akûn is dead, his fleet is disappearing, and his flagship was incinerated."   "Yeah, I guess that's it. No more big threats to fight, that'll be nice."   "I never thought I'd hear you say that Kirk."   "There's always someone else to kill."   "Now you're back."   "I was thinking about building a new fireteam Kryn, I wanted to know if you'd be interested."   "I would, who else were you considering?"   "So far only you, the others are going to have their hands full with Mala."   Kryn looked surprised, "and you're not going after her?"   Kirk laughed. "No. It would only drive me back down into the person you guys found me as. After my friend, her name was Kirilen, died at Mala's hands I… I went bad. I became something a guardian never should, I'm lucky my ghost even stayed with me."   "Can I suggest a third member for the fireteam?"   "Sure."   "I'll find him, then you can decide in person."   "Not even gonna tell me who?"   "Nope."   "Then he better be good at what he does, because it'll take a lot to convi-"   Kirk suddenly flew through the air and hit a wall. Darek and Kana jumped to their feet and ran toward the hulking figure that stood in the plaza. Zach stood and studied the figure.   Then the figure began to speak, coughing and wheezing between words.   "I… am not… so easy to… kill."   Zach saw the green runes light up on the knights armor. He felt the shadows bend towards the figure. Akûn had survived the explosion.   Akûn swiped at Darek and Kana and sent them flying backwards, jagged gashes ran across their chest plates.   Akûn laughed as he fought them. Kirk was up and dashed at Akûn and slammed a hammer made of fire into his chestplate. Akûn roared as his chestplate shattered and kicked Kirk in the chest so hard that he flew into another wall and died. His ghost flew around him repairing the damage.   Kryn leapt onto Akûn's back and stabbed his helmet multiple times before he shook her loose. He sent his arm backwards and caught her in the stomach as she fell.   Zach knew they were going to lose against Akûn. Even in his weakened state he was more powerful than all of them. None of them had killed anyone of Akûn's caliber, and they never would. He felt cold inside as he knew the death that awaited them, through this cold he felt currents through the air.   They followed the tendrils of shadow that bent toward Akûn. Then he knew how far the Darkness spread. He also knew he would do anything to save his friends from death, he would not let his vision come true. Even if it meant becoming as horrible as Dredgen Yor or Dredgen Truth. So he diverted the currents that fed Akûn.   The shadows bent towards him, he felt even colder inside. It hurt, but he was willing to stand the pain if it meant saving his friends, saving the City. He unleashed the power as Akûn realized what was happening. As he felt the tendrils of shadow lash out at Akûn he knew what he would become.   He saw visions of the future, a future where humanity was safe. No more alien threats, he would do anything to realize that vision. Even though he knew it may be terrible he would do it.   First he needed to be sure, sure that he was doing the right thing. As he thought about this Akûn stopped fighting, instead he sat on the ground.   "So I have lost."   Then his armor crumbled away, he fell over. Instead of being the hulking figure he had been the tendrils of shadow took away his life. His corpse was the size of Zach himself, all of his weight and height lost. Then the corpse faded away.   All of his friends had fallen unconscious, somehow he knew they would have no memory of what he had done. That was good, he could have no one question him. Not until he had figured out what he was going to do about his vision.   "Impressive show."   Zach whirled around and saw Dredgen Truth step into the plaza.   "I myself can do that you know. Tell me, did you see the vision?"   "Of humanity? The one where we no longer have to be guardians?"   "So you have seen it, that is what I fight for."   "You fight for chaos."   "No, I fight for that dream. For a humanity that fears nothing, not even itself."   "I'll find you later, Truth, right now I need to think."   "I would expect nothing less."   Then Dredgen Truth turned and walked back down the street. --------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Continued as a comment.[/b]