Chapter 5: Tyrannus

  Halfway through the drive the other Tatski left the top of the tank and went below deck where the others, some other men and women, were doing the classic Tatski Hara tradition of celebrating their last ride before battle. I turned a little bit to my left to look at her, she appeared to be sleeping; she was facing me with her eyes closed. As I looked at all of the features on her face she opened her eyes. We looked at each other for a second, then I looked back at the trees.

  When we arrived at the northwestern base, our forces were split apart. It was windy just like the first time I was there. Everyone was refreshed from sleeping on the drive over. Well, I suppose I could only speak for myself. Novak gave the order:

  'Blue team hold and wait for my signal before entering in.' The time was 3105. We were to converge with two other teams that were entering from the north and the east and meet at the end of the road, assisting others as necessary.

  We drove up past all of the buildings towards the main entrance into the forest. The base was illuminated by the moonlight, but the path into the forest was pitch black. The canopy was thick and didn’t allow in any light. The leaves swayed in the wind. Knowing that this path is where Tyrannus appeared before killing the first gen years ago was a very ominous feeling. It really felt like a spinosaurus or some other predator was waiting just beyond the darkness to ambush us. We waited a few minutes for Novak’s signal. I whispered to Jess ‘What does it show on the radar?’

  She pulled it out of one of her pockets and showed me the green screen.

  There was no sign of life. Nothing. That was supposed to make me feel better but it only made me feel worse. Before long Novak came across the radio and said 'Blue team you’re good to go.' That was us. We cautiously made our way into the forest. It felt like we were driving at a snail's pace.

  I heard the sounds of the indigenous owls hooting from high above us. The road into the forest went for 30 miles. That meant that we would have to trek thirty miles through the forest to get the Jaro crystal. Knowing this, I figured there was no way we would actually make it all the way to the crystal. We were thirty meters into the forest. So far so good.

  The road was overcrowded with brush. With the blitzers patrolling the area ever since the Tatski Hara established a presence, maintaining the road was too risky.

  A few minutes passed before Novak came back on the radio: 'Pick up the pace.' We started to drive faster. I saw some things move inside the brush to the right. Judging from the ripple effect of the leaves, I could tell that it was of a considerable size. Whatever species it was, they stayed hidden; perhaps they feared us. I had no idea, but I knew I had to keep track of those movements. Jess said to me:

  'I think those are the Loras, the species that built the bridges here. I don’t think they should be a threat to us.'

  I looked over at her. 'Loras? What are they?'

  'They blend in with the forest - they’re tree people. They camouflage really well so they’re going to be hard to see. They look like leaves.' Regardless, I kept watching the places where they moved among the brushes, I couldn’t see them, just the ferns and bushes making sounds where they were.

  I think something was different, it seemed like everything in the forest was watching us and choosing to let us pass.

  Novak came back on the radio: 'We’re approaching the checkpoint.' We stopped where the path ended; abruptly at a rock wall. 'Everyone out, we’re going north around this and meeting with the Red team. On me.' We had to forge a path. Thorns, bushes and trees were all I would see for the next few hours. It didn’t take much time for me to realize something was different about this forest, the grind through it was grueling. After two hours of stepping over logs, slipping on moss, and cutting through foliage, we made it to a clearing.

  I saw Novak and some other Rank 12 Tatski huddled in a circle. I overheard them talking about how slow our pace was. We had only gotten about 2 miles deeper into the forest, with 19 miles left to go. I looked up and I could see these yellow fairies about ten yards overhead floating. At least, they looked like fairies to me from this distance, or big fireflies. I tried to get Jess to take a photo but when I turned to her I heard 'Rilling!.' It was Novak calling me, he beckoned me over to the other Rank 12’s, I walked over fast. I said 'Yes sir.' Novak: 'We think it’s best if you stay with us for this next leg of the mission.

  We’re expecting some Blitzers very soon- you see this?' He pointed to the vines. 'These paths tell me that we’re in Blitzer territory now. The other Tatski would feel better if you were in front so the blitzer’s understand we don’t want a war. Be careful.' I said 'Yes sir', took a few steps back to the others but then I thought - wait a second. I turned around and approached Novak again, I had to ask 'I need Jess, she and I work well together. Is that alright?' He looked annoyed. He made me realize I was almost out of order with my request. 'Granted. Rilling, focus on the mission. I’ve been respectful to you simply because I know Kai and I hold him in high regard, but personally I don’t know what everyone else sees in you. You’re brave, but you’re young and foolish. This forest eats all Tatski Hara alive.'

  The Tatski Hara didn’t really have much in terms of weaponry at that time. Some of us had Machetes, every Tatski had a Tk-9 which was an automatic submachine gun with specialized plasma ammunition, but only a few of us were packing real firepower. Everyone else got the signal that the pace of the mission could pick up intensity. I told Jess 'We’re with Novak for the next leg of the mission. Don’t make me look bad' then I winked at her. 19 miles left to go through enemy territory. What could go wrong? We regrouped in formation and entered the next section of the forest, with Novak’s confidence protecting us like its own shield.

  This was a hell of a mission and we all knew it. Novak and the other Generals' light steps signaled to us all that this was to be as quiet as possible. Nobody said a word. The only sounds were our feet walking across the forest floor. It was hard to tell which sections of the Forest had been carved out by the Blitzers because it was my first time in the forest. Still I felt confident in myself should anything suddenly attack us. We had to go through one of the blitzers tunnels in order to make it to the object. Novak said 'Stop, I feel something.' Jess warned us first: 'There are three blitzers.' I asked 'Are you sure?' 'Yes just three of them, but there’s also something else, A blip at the edge of my radar.' Novak interjected 'We can worry about that later. Make sure the blitzers get the message, you lead alone. We’ve got your back, .' It all came down to me, again. I led the way through the tunnel.

  As I went through it I felt something happen- everything seemed to get a shade darker. We were getting deeper and deeper into the forest, into the blitzers home. I knew what I had to do: Show strength and solidarity. I didn’t have time to think about our chances. The darkness of the tunnel emerged into a shining meadow illuminated by the moonlight. Immediately on the other side of the clearing, the opposite treeline, I saw the three sets of blitzer eyes lurking in the shadows, they were yellow and you couldn’t miss them. I wasn’t sure what to do next, but then I locked eyes with the one in the middle.

  I decided to walk forward into the clearing, just a few steps so they could fully see me. After I did this the blitzer pranced to the middle of the meadow.

  This one wasn’t as intimidating as Mu-jung jo, although like her, this blitzer communicated directly with me in my mind. I walked up and met him in the center of the meadow where he stopped. The first words it said were:

  'Guardian, we have been expecting you, and… your friends..'

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  The blitzer lowered its head right in front of mine.

  'What have your superiors said?'

  I looked at Novak and the other generals and this time I spoke so they could hear: 'We’ve decided the Tatski Hara will not attack unless we are forced to defend ourselves. We will not harm any blitzers unless we have no other choice.' The blitzer looked over at my superiors and back to me then stood still.

  'Will peace with the blitzers help us on our mission?'

  The blitzer held out its claws.

  'I can see your future. You don’t have it in mind to betray us. Be wary, There are much scarier things about The forest than you. know. of...'

  It retreated to their side of the meadow. I didn’t understand that much about the Blitzers or their culture, but they seemed to live by a certain set of values, that was something I could understand. Her words gave me an eerie feeling. It made me believe that there were other threats here that would kill us.

  Compared to the way the blitzers were built, we were almost the infants of the jungle. Not on the very bottom of the food chain but very close to it. I retreated back to Novak and the other generals. Novak inquired:

  'So, we made contact with the target but the target and its friends remain over there. Why is that Rilling?'

  I said: 'I don’t know. The one I spoke with said we’re free to pass, but to be careful.'

  I guess that satisfied Novak because he asked next:

  'Jess, that thing on your radar from earlier, where is it now?'

  'That’s gone. I think I have Tyrannus southeast of us.'

  This was cause for alarm because we had already identified that several miles southeast of here was where we needed to be. That’s where the objective was. Novak continued.

  'How far away is it from our location?'

  Jess changed the settings on her bracelet and then replied.

  'It’s 5 miles southeast.'

  Novak and General Thompson exchanged looks. General Thompson asked.

  'Why are the blitzers maintaining their position?'

  This time was different. A hologram of Caleb showed up on General Thompsons device, Caleb said:

  'Tatski Hara, there is no point in moving any further, Tyrannus is nearby. I advise you to return back to the northern base.'

  The next moment the hologram was gone. General Thompson looked puzzled trying to make sense of the situation.

  He said a bit quieter on the radio 'Everyone down now, quiet. Positional advantage is being held by multiple parties here.’

  We all waited there in a crouched position for some time.

  After a little while I realized everyone was still looking at the south-eastern side of the clearing. The blitzers left when Caleb came over the hologram. It felt like it was just us alone until I heard something. It was coming from the southeast where everyone was looking, footsteps, large footsteps. We felt it getting closer until... it stopped. I looked over at Jess and I noticed that her bracelet was showing a hologram of whatever… ‘it’ was.

  Then, a hologram of Caleb appeared on General Thompsons watch. The words he spoke echoed through the hologram, he was calm but what he said wouldn’t help us. 'Tyrannus is coming to your location. General Thompson. Use your stabilization rods to solidify the ground around you to create a forcefield for your bravest. Everyone stays. Talk to it, according to my calculations this thing isn’t stupid. Should it ever decide to go to Rou’dan it will simply decimate the capital.’

  ‘Now is the time to develop some rapport with… it. Kai is on the way, and I will be watching over you.'

  I believe he told us to stay because even if we retreated we wouldn’t make it to the base in time. It was two miles to the vehicles, around thirty two miles out of the forest, if we sprinted we wouldn’t make it. I looked at General Thompson, when the hologram disappeared. He looked wide-eyed, we all did. He stood up, turned to everyone and shouted 'Everyone, on me!' the other Tatski Hara ran over to us.

  'If it’s coming right for us, we have to do this. Use the noise canceling setting on your ear pieces.' He saluted all of us, then looked at Novak.

  Thompson, and Novak walked to the clearing. Novak was showing his respect for Thompson, a longtime friend. I told Jess to get out of there but she didn’t want to leave me.

  I thought fine, if this is the way we all die, what does it matter anymore? General Thompson laughed and said 'Well young ones. A chance to meet with Tyrannus. This will go down in the history books.'

  Even if we were all killed by the demigod Tyrannus, at least we could rest knowing that we were courageous enough to take a stand for our species' existence.

  Novak said 'Yes, let us take our last breaths together in solidarity.'

  He kind of rolled his eyes. Novak unpacked his bag and took out four metal rods. He gave one to each of us. 'These will allow us to withstand the earthquakes that are caused by its footsteps. Get it into the ground and hold on.' The tension was killing me. Eventually, we started to hear the distinct footsteps of Tyrannus that echoed across the earth. I put my left arm around Jess and held her close. The ground beneath us was shaking more and more with each one of its footsteps.

  My vision started to change - the intensity of the movement. I felt like I was having a seizure. My vision was blurred and my ears started to ring. What happened next felt like a dream. We knew it was approaching, but none of us could speak any words. I couldn’t move even if I tried my hardest, all of us were frozen there. Then, from our left it moved majestically through the trees into the clearing. It stopped and lowered its head closer to us, giving us time to collect ourselves, but none of us could. We were all facing east and Tyrannus approached from the south. We were all terrified.

  When Tyrannus came into our vision that was the biggest, most memorable moment of my life. It started to rain and it suddenly got very dark. Two thunderous steps forward shook the earth. I felt an excruciating pain that shot up and down my right arm. I felt like I wasn’t in control of my actions. I took my hands off of the grounding rod and turned to face Tyrannus with Novak and Thompson.

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. Its black obsidian scales flickered in the rain and lightning, its black horns and yellow eyes. There was no other way this creature could have been designed, not by any other all-powerful architect. It was Tyrannus, a titanic being which encapsulated what it meant to truly be divine. It felt like it was simply observing us. Trying to figure out who we were and why we were there, or it already knew and was here to stop us.

  General Thompson was the only one who mustered the courage to speak. He attempted to defend us: He held up his hands and shouted 'We’re only here to save our race. We can coexist! Do you understand us?' Thompson looked at us and said 'Oh, baby.’ It didn’t seem like Tyrannus understood Thompson. A life-size hologram of Caleb showed up next to the grounding rods, he was dressed in his white lab coat and glasses. He was talking from the comfort of his office in Lazarus when he spoke to the deity

  ‘Tyrannus. We can help you with your foe. All we want in return is this.’ Caleb displayed an image of the jaro crystal over the hologram. In response Tyrannus moved its head lower and brought its giant razor sharp claws down to touch Thompson and Novak. There was a flash of white light before they were turned to stone. It was just Jess and I now, standing behind the petrified obsidian statues of our leaders.

  I was certain that we would be killed in a similar manner, so I turned to look at Jess for the last time. Then, Tyrannus directed his attention towards us. I felt its chilling gaze looking me up and down. Lightning crashed overhead. Then I noticed other citizens of the forest came into the clearing with us.

  One blitzer I instantly recognized: Mu-jung jo. Would she help us? Lightning flashed off her dark body.

  The lightning triggered the device on my arm to start expanding across my armor, reinforcing my body with an obsidian shell. In the next flash of lightning I saw Tyrannus looking right at me. In the next flash of lightning Tyrannus disappeared.

  Was this our chance to get away? Adrenaline coursed through my veins like it never had before in my life.

  Mu-jung jo was still there and she approached us. 'Would you and your love be so kind, follow me please we have so much to show you.' Very well. We ran after her through the blitzer tunnel. It felt like we had no choice; even though Tyrannus had momentarily disappeared into the darkness, she was still there which meant we had to get out. I thought seeking protection with Mu-jung jo was our best option after all. It was still storming and very dark, we couldn’t see anything unless the lightning flashed. I was alarmed as soon as I realized; If Tyrannus had taken a single step we would have felt it.

  Jess said to me 'I don’t think we can make it out of here.' I thought we had a chance. 'We can find a way, if we stay close to each other. The other Tatski Hara are probably coming up with a plan right now, we have to hang tight.' I hoped that she would believe me. I understood how the situation could seriously fuck with someone. It was up to us, but as we were getting near the end of the blitzer tunnel, I looked up and saw those big yellow eyes and dark scales.

  She was waiting there, so naturally we stopped. Mu-jung jo said 'Wait, there’s another way. When you see the water, jump!.' We doubled back and turned right. The path ended and revealed a river with a strong current. It was an underground river. Oh boy, Jess and I jumped in together and we were taken away by the strong current of the river.