The battle begins....

Z P.O.V.

We didn't sleep a wink the past forty-eight hours. Everyone stayed on guard and continued to make preparations for the imminent attack. We managed unbelievably so to develop over two hundred cures for specimen X. And have injected two hundred Numir soldiers. 

It's not much but the numbers are better than what we had originally at least now Numir stood a fighting chance against Solarious. He may have the powerful bioweapon in his grasp but we have finally developed a countermeasure to that. 

"Soldiers are ready and in position" General Adkins stands next to me, his hand behind his back. 

"And they all know what to do?" I reply.

He nods with a slight smile on his face. 

We may be outnumbered by Solarious but he has deeply underestimated all of us and the valiant people of Numir. He thinks that we won't have a fighting chance and we won't see this coming but we have. Surely he wasn't foolish enough to think the great Elders wouldn't have some alarm system to alert of a possible threat.

"Remember, we all stay hidden, draw out their forces and their firepower, then we strike back." 

With a sarcastic salute, General Adkins leaves me to my thoughts and to get himself in position. I stand on the balcony overlooking the courtyard watching the sky and soaking in the bright blue colors that remind me of the ocean. The warmth radiates off of my skin and I close my eyes. After all this time, vengeance will be mine. Solarious will die today. 

Neese P.O.V.

As we finally make our approach to Numir all the soldiers are in place. Their guns at the ready and fingers on the trigger. Master Solarious had made his wishes known. Numkr was to fall to its knees and all were to perish. Women, children any and all life was to be destroyed. I myself didn't necessarily agree with his plan but there was nothing I could do to oppose him. 

Solarious was supposed to conquer and rule the Galaxy not eradicate all life until only his "desirable" beings lived. I sucked in a breath of air. A piece of me has no regrets for what is about to happen and yet another part of me does. 

"Numir arrival in ten minutes" the robotic woman's voice sounds on the intercom. 

"Load up" the reptilian commander hisses. 

The sound of guns clicking and loading fills the bay as we can feel the ship slowly descend. We all stand steady and stay silent waiting for the doors to open and to rain fire down upon Numir. 

Emily P.O.V.

I look at myself in the mirror with a blaster concealed on my hip and Numir armor protecting my body. All black leather chest piece, gauntlets, shoulder and knee pads. They might not be much protection but thanks to the incell DNA and the sacrifice Z made. I am immortal and I basically can't die so armor really wasn't necessary. 

I twist and turn the top part of my body as I examine every inch of me in the mirror taking in how much I have changed. Even being in a stasis pod I can notice I have matured physical looks wise. My hair is a little darker than it used to be, my body has filled out more and my boobs unfortunately haven't gotten any smaller. 

"Keep looking like that you'll miss the whole battle, " I hear Z's voice. 

I feel the heat rush to my ears and cheeks. I can't believe she saw me gawking at myself in the mirror how fucking embarrassing. 

"Umm, how...how long have you been there?" I stutter.

"Long enough to see you twist and turn a few times." She bounces her shoulder off the door frame and saunters over to me. 

She wraps her arms around my waist and clasps her fingers together behind my back. 

"What're you doing Z?" 

"Just looking at you. We have about ten minutes before they land, so in this short time I wanted to see you." She replies, cupping my cheek. 

"We better get to our stations then." I hold her hand in mine as we all out of the room.

"Are you ready?" She asks me. 

"Nope. But there is no time like the present."

General Adkins P.O.V.

Looking at the faces of my brave soldiers I can't help but feel pride. The day has come where all of our training will be for not. Nothing will go to waste today. My eyes scan row after row and not one soldier shows any sign of fear or nervousness. If they are afraid my troops can hide that emotion very well. 

"Solarious and his army will be landing in ten minutes. I want all of you hidden in your positions and no one moves until we give the signal" I speak clearly. 

"Yes General!" They shout in unison. 

"Draw out their forces, let them waste their ammunition, and when the time is right we strike back, this day they will learn what Numir really is, on this day they will regret ever setting foot on our land!" 

They all roar and cheer, clearly fired up and ready to make the enemy pay for ever threatening us. 

Just then the cheers and roars cease as the ground begins to shake beneath our feet. A loud rumble drowns out any other noise. 

I give the hand signal for them to get into position and run and find mine as well. I can feel my heart beating like a drum in my chest, and try to keep my breath steady. 

The ship lands and as the engines begin to die down the ground slowly quits shaking. A low hum immulates from the ship as the bay doors begin to open. Solarious's men come out with their guns aimed and ready. 

Judging by the utter look of confusion on their face one could say they weren't expecting to see the city empty. That's right you scum we knew you were coming. 

We wait patiently and soon they all spread out to search for life. Scattered like flies is exactly what we had hoped they would do. I couldn't help but smile at our good fortune. Dividing and conquering is definitely going to work in our favor. They may have the numbers but we have the smarts. 

As the reptilians and serpents inch their way closer and closer into the city we begin to maneuver above and around them to cut them all off from one another. I look to my spotter up on the roof to the east and lift my hand. His rifle aims and he looks again to wait for my signal. 

Three more steps is all I needed for them to take and we would have them in one big spider web of fire. I wait patiently, beads of sweat trace my forehead. They take a step. Two more steps come on you scum. Another step. I feel the air catch in my throat as I see them shift their feet for the very last and final step I needed. 

I raise my hand into the air and my comrade takes his aim. And as the serpents step into the final spot I close my fist. In the blink of an eye the enemy all drops to the ground simultaneously. A perfect head shot on everyone of them. Orange blood oozes from the bullet holes in their heads. The streets become painted in orange streams as their blood drains from their heads. 

"Take cover!" The captain orders as he continues to see his men drop to the ground. 

The remaining reptilians and serpents scatter like ants and take cover against walls, between buildings, and down alleyways. 

"Begin phase two" I whisper into my headset. 

"Yes General."

Solarious P.O.V.

As my warriors descend upon Numir I can't help but grin with satisfaction. Numir would soon fall and now before me. Another worthless planet conquered to better serve me.  There was no hope for these filthy peasants, I had them outnumbered and the advantage of surprising them. Those misfits thought they'd be safe here, safely hidden away in a planet that is way behind the times. 

This shouldn't take long, I see it taking til sunset to have eliminated this galaxy of the undesirable slime and take their very life from their wretched bodies. Any and all who oppose me deserve nothing short of death. I will rule all and I will be the one true supreme leader. 

My name will be whispered and remembered for many years to come. All will talk about how I solarious rid the Galaxy of scum and trash and brought about a great utopia for all serpents and reptilians. 

"Neese, I want this battle won and this planet mine by sunset." I order before the bay doors open. 

"Yes, Master Solarious." He bows. 

I like seeing him quiver in fear, however he won't be fearful long. Once my ck quest is complete he will join the rest of his kind in an eternal slumber.

The bay doors open and my warriors begin their assault. I am already another step closer to my dream and I can feel the excitement build within my chest. The sheer rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. Yes, this is what I live for, this is what I strive for. 

That feeling doesn't last long though, not too long after the final warriors leave the bay I hear about a dozen blasts go off in the distance. My warriors scatter in fear and hide behind anything they could use as cover.  I look at Neese who stands frozen in the middle of the bay. 

"What the fuck was that Neese?!" I shout. 

He doesn't respond.

"Neese you bastard answer me when I speak!" 

" Master, about two dozen of our troops have just dropped dead." He responds. 

I can hear the shock in his voice and can tell he is at a loss of what else to tell me or how to explain it himself. How can this be? How did they know we were coming? To have about two dozen die already in the first ten minutes of a battle was humiliating. 

I clench my fist my excitement slowly draining away as I become engulfed in nothing but blind rage. 

"Find out where they are and kill them!"  I hiss. 

"Yes, Master." Neese bows and leaves me alone in the bay. 

More gunfire is heard again off in the distance and I can hear the screams of confusion coming from the mouths of my men. How in the hell did I have such cowards following me, fighting for me. Reptilians and serpents are supposed to be a fearless species and yet here they are dazed and confused. 

This cannot be happening, I will not be defeated here. I will not become a laughing stock of the Galaxy. I went to my computer and pulled up a list of spacecraft under my control. I need bombers urgently and I had hoped they would be close by.  I scanned page after page until.... 

Emily P.O.V.

General Adkins and his troops have made good headway of the first platoon that had infiltrated the city. So, far we have had the enemy confused and unsure of where to run and where to fire. 

We just might win this battle and stop Solarious here and now. As his numbers kept dwindling we gained more ground. Soon he would be surrounded and at our mercy. 

I looked at Z. Her plan was working. Staying high and scattered was a good guerilla tactic to use on our enemy. While they attack from above we would move below and our forces would be safe to roam about as the enemy dropped without ever encountering us. 

Z and I decided to stay together and have each other's backs. With the two of us being too stubborn to stay behind and watch we decided if we could be with one another we could protect each other. I mean no safer place to be than a giant Lycan and immortal human to be than beside one another. 

By this time I imagine that over half of the Solarious battle force had been killed and we had yet to suffer a single casualty. The streets and some sides of the buildings had turned orange with the splatter of other tissue on top of the pools of serpent and reptilian blood. 

Soon Solarious ship was in view and we swarmed all sides. Z stepped up and was about to lower the loading bay when a loud hum came and the bay door began to drop.

"Stand ready!" Z commanded and the troops focused their aim. 

We had expected to see Solarious on that bay. But that wasn't the case. The one being that came into view was the personal fucking traitor himself, Neese. 

I could see Z clench her weapon, her knuckles turning white. A growl escaped from her throat.  

"Well...well...well," he said sarcastically, clapping his hands. 

"Hello Z" he grinned.

"I should've known you'd be here you traitor." She scowled at him. 

"Don't be so modest Z, I wouldn't have found you without some sort of help." 

I could see the look of contemplation on Z's face. Did we have yet another traitor in our midst or was it Roland all over again? This isn't good, there are too many who know who we are and why we were here. 

"Roland, betrayed us again I see."

"Hahaha, no Z he didn't, you see Roland never had the courage to betray you, he never wanted to go along with me or Master Solarious." 

Growing annoyed Z kept her eyes trained on him and I saw her finger curl around the trigger. 

"Then who?" Z gritted her teeth. 

"Nu ah ah" he wiggled his index finger at her. 

Z growled louder in return. 

"It isn't that simple to get information this time, your new traitor is need to know Z. And you don't need to know."

The devious smile he gave Z could've been one from the devil himself. Neese was a sure-fire bastard by all accounts and I was hoping to see Z kill him this time for sure. 

"That's okay Neese, you can tell me just before I kill you." 

I could see Z beginning to grow fur and the rest of her body began to change. Of all the times to shift she did  it too soon. I knew Z wasn't thinking clearly. She had lost her common sense and fell prey to her rage. 

"Z don't, he's playing you!" I call out to her. 

Still she doesn't listen to me. 

Z has fully shifted and is snarling towards Z her Wheeler fully extended and it was clear she was done talking and playing games. Neese remained unchanged, he wasn't frightened by her, he didn't even flinch. 

Z circled him and snapped in his direction her teeth fully showing ready to pounce on him. 

" What're you waiting for Z?"  He mocked her. 

"You will die!" She growls. 

" Funny I heard those same words many years ago." He cocked his head at her. 

Z stood there frozen in place. 

" You do remember that fateful night don't you?" He continued. 

I could Z her lycan face shift from rage to pain and then back to rage.

"IT WAS YOU?!" She boomed in her deep lycan voice.

"Why who else?" He scoffed.

Z lunged at him swinging her large paws and slashed at him, Neese ducked and dodged every way. Rolling out of the way last minute a smile played across his lips. He was enjoying this too much. 

Z kept up her assault charging full speed ahead at him and she still kept missing him. When it seemed like she had finally cornered him the sound of one single gunshot rang through the air.  

Stuck in place her large arm in the air slowly blood began to stream from her right rib cage. She breathed heavily and slowly backed away from him. 

"That's right Z, I was there, I was the ins who took her away!" He shouted. 

Z whispered and fell to her knees, her ears down as she held her side. 

"Z!" I called out. 

When I went to step towards her she put her paw up to stop me. Listening to her wishes I stayed in place.

"Why? Why did you kill her? " Z asked pain in her voice.

"It was necessary, Estelle kept you grounded, Estelle kept you sane. And I knew if  I was to have Lycan join me she needed a reason to. So I gave you a reason." 

"I didn't find you until many years later!" She shouted. 

"Correction, I found you shortly after and stayed watching you 'till the time came for the plan to go into effect." 

"So Estelle died so I could join you? You killed my wife for such petty things as going with your plan?!" She shouted. 

Neese nodded. 

"It was necessary Z. And a Lycan with ties to a mate is unnecessary. I couldn't have unnecessary Z." He continued. 

"You bastard! I'm going to kill you!" She lunged at him. 

Managing to surprise him Z caught the side of his face drawing three large lines down his left side. Blood pooled from the wounds. Neese grunted in pain as he covered his bloody face. 

"How….how can you move?….that silver bullet should've stopped you….." He muttered.

"You're not the only one with tricks up their sleeve Neese."  Z mocked him. 

" I don't understand, you shouldn't be able to move. " he gasped. 

" Well, let's just say thanks to my third form I gained a new ability." She lifted him by the throat. 

"Z...please" he barely managed to say. 

" There is no mercy Neese. You killed my wife for your own selfishness, you should've known this day would come. The day you would die by my hand. It's time for you to pay in blood, it's time for you to pay with your life. All these years your little agenda led you down a road to destroy you. And after all the lies and deceit the time has come." 

Z plunged her claws into his chest ripping his heart clear out. To say I wanted to vomit right there was an understatement.  Blood spewed everywhere. Splattering all over Z and Neese drenching the ground beneath. 

Neese's body went limp in her grip and she threw his lifeless corpse aside crushing his still-beating heart in her paw. Black blood oozed from his deflating heart. I stood there in shock at what I had just witnessed. Never would I  have thought Z would have killed Neese the way she did.

Solarious P.O.V.

Seeing Z rip out Neese's heart brought some satisfaction to my eyes. As much as the petty Lycan tries to deny that she is better than me, her killing Neese only solidifies that she is just like me. A powerful creature unwavering, unwilling to hold back, and ready to do what needs to be done. 

I can't help but cackle as she throws his lifeless body aside. I suppose I should thank her for saving me from having to kill him. I mean that is at least one less headache I have to deal with later.

As I watch on, one of my captains approaches me and bows their head.

"Master Solarious, our forces have been cut down by half, may I suggest a retreat and regroup?" 

I turn my heel and stride towards him and lift him by his throat. He holds on to my hand, begging for mercy with his eyes. I keep squeezing tighter and tighter until I feel his bones snap beneath my hands. Slowly the snap and crackle until it's a clean break. 

His hands slide off of mine and I let him go. Dropping to the floor his head now like a swivel. I grab hold of his headset peeling it off his body. 

"We do not retreat, any of you who feel the need to run better die on that field or die by my hand, I have no room for cowards!" I spit the words out like venom over the communicator. 

"Yes, Master!".

" No retreat!" 

The remaining captains respond with newfound confidence. I have the utmost faith in them that we will change the wave of this battle. All this is right now is a mere setback. I may stumble but I don't fall and they will soon learn that. 

Soon my computer dings with an incoming call. I answer the call and my head General comes on screen. His green silk scale face with his red eyes wreak of nothing but a thirst for blood. 

"Ah, General Galtik, it's about time." I say with a smile. 

"Master Solarious, we will be there in one days time. We have already jumped towards your coordinates ". He responds. 

" One days time? Is that the best you can do?" I scowl at him through the monitor. 

"My apologies Master, the boosters won't push any further."  

" General, if this fails before you get here, you had better hope I don't see you because if I do, I will have your head served to me on a silver ducking platter!" I slam my fist onto the console. 

"We will be there in a few hours, Master I will be sure of it." He replies with a slight quiver among his lips. 

"See that you are." I end the call. 

Emily P.O.V.

Z shifts back into her human form and the hole has begun to rejuvenate from where the silver bullet penetrated her skin. Slowly the butt-end of the bullet pushes out of the skin and falls to the ground. 

Her skin is riddled with black droplets of blood all over her body and hair. Her eyes are still black with anger; her beautiful jade color is no longer there. 

"Z?" I whisper. 

"It's okay Emily, " she replies. 

"Your eyes? They're..bl...black" I mutter. 

"I know. They'll go back to normal soon." 

" What has happened to you...Z.." I can manage to form words. 

"Nothing...I'm still me, Leona just gained a more powerful form, I don't quite understand it just yet, but in my third form silver doesn't hurt us." 

"What, are you saying you have your ability of immortality again?"  

She shrugs her shoulders. 

"Any case we have a battle to get back to, this can all wait. Let's kill Solarious first." 

I nod my head in agreement and push the thought to the back of my mind for now. Z was right we have enough to worry about with Solarious. 

.............................

A few hours in and the fighting has yet to cease. By, now we would've figured that Solarious would have pulled back his surviving army but he has yet to do so.

We hit them one after another dropping them like flies. There seems to be no end in sight and yet we push forward. We keep going and going fighting with all we have. Looking that soon we can put an end to all of this. 

That thought is short lived though his serpents and reptilians do something questionable and just stand still out in the open. We went to take our aim this was too easy….or so we thought. 

The wind begins to blow uncontrollably, the trees sway violently and there is a sound of rocket boosters approaching. Oh no is all j can manage to think. This can't be good. 

Now growing up I always heard the expression time standing still. And I always thought it to be a silly saying.  That until this day. The hatch doors of the cruiser that hovers above our heads. And then slowly a long narrow object is released. And as if you are watching a movie frame by frame. The bomb gets closer and closer to us.