Chapter 5: Siege of Arcsin

After nearly being tortured to death by Sholi, Juno chooses to spend her recovery crafting a new weapon and new armor to protect her fragile human form. She may keep some of her natural Crierce abilities, but her human form is much more susceptible to injury. By now, she has taken care of the blood infection. Only the magical brand on her chest remains, and that is something she has no idea how to deal with. What kind of dark magic could've done this to her? She still does not know the full extent of Illixi magic as a whole, let alone that of Echthra.

Echthra… The Illixi Princess…

Using her ever-evolving magic, Juno spends hours dissecting the Illixi vessel she stole and experiments with the extracted materials: valadium, entropic ore, natrisodic alloys, platinum, diamond, chainlace, and spider silk, just to name a few. Illixi ships are quite intricate in their design. Her armor should have that same complexity.

Sitting crisscross on the floor of her bedroom, Juno manipulates the metals and gems into the shapes she wants and then welds them all together with plasma. She's done lots of research on the human body so she could design optimal armor to protect her. Her armor is made of three layers: the base is spider silk, the middle is chainlace, and the rest makes up the uppermost layer.

Of course, she also needs something to enhance her magical abilities, and that's where moon silver comes into play. As the name implies, this highly conductive metal is harvested from lunar bodies. She forges a pair of gauntlets embedded with small, multicolored gemstones. Once finished with her project, she psychically aligns the pieces in the air before her.

Juno gazes at her creation with a profound sense of accomplishment. Her imagination and research have culminated in a beautiful outfit with several key defenses against physical, chemical, and environmental hazards. Of course, Illixi use bioweapons, which are harder to deal with. Her recent research has unveiled the Illixi's most deadly bacteria—clarisma, infetis, and hyceptia—and viruses—Scorplexia, Myphori, and Colirica C. Strains of bioweapons like these can cause horrible damage to the human body, including but not limited to atrophia membranacea (membrane atrophy), accessio cordis (heart seizures), and ictus cerebri (brain trauma). Of course, these are the most deadly conditions that these bioweapons can evoke. Most of the other symptoms of these bacteria and viruses are more moderate.

Still, her human body has no defense against diseases such as these.

Upon completing the new armor, an alert on her phone shocks her.

EMERGENCY ALERT

ILLIXI INVASION THREAT: SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

Juno stares at her phone screen, her heart pounding in her chest.

How did they find me?

Soon, the echoing blare of the emergency alert sound rings through the whole lab.

"JUNO!" Adam suddenly shouts, not in rage, but in sheer terror. Juno hurriedly dons her armor and rushes to meet him and Violet.

"They're here. Oh God, they found us," Violet says, tears springing to her eyes.

"J-Juno, did they track you here?"

"I don't think so. How many are there?"

"I-I'm not sure. Maybe the news is covering the event?"

"Quite likely. We should check. Gather some more information before I deal with the situation."

"Wait, Juno, you're not planning—"

"I have no choice. The Illixi cannot establish a base of operations here. As you can see, I have recently finished crafting a suit of armor and gauntlets. They will protect me."

"N-No, I… I can't ask you to do this for us. What if you get killed?"

"Don't worry, Dr. Graves. Since my last excursion, I've gathered valuable intel on Illixi battle tactics. I believe I know how to defend myself."

"You do?" Adam asks. Juno nods. She takes her phone out of her pocket and immediately searches the web for information on the Illixi invasion. News videos flood her screen. Surprised by how quickly footage of the Illixi's arrival has been released, she clicks on them one by one and studies them carefully with Adam and Violet. They both recoil in horror watching the live acts of violence.

"Where is this?" Violet asks.

"Arcsin," Juno says, reading the descriptions of the videos. She turns off her phone and puts it in her pocket.

"Juno, are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"I must."

"Can we help you at all? I'd hate to make you do this alone."

"No. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. Just stay here and wait for my return."

"V-Very well. Juno, please… come back safely, okay?"

"I will."

Just before Juno leaves, Adam pulls her into a hug. She blinks. She can feel him shaking with nerves. Why is he hugging her like this? Does Dr. Graves really care about her that much? Once he lets go, Juno heads out to her ship, The Carnation, and, inputting the coordinates of her destination into her navigation console, she speeds off toward Arcsin without hesitation.

Her phone buzzes in her pocket. She sets the controls to autopilot and answers the call. Castor's strained voice meets her ears.

"Juno!"

"Hello, Castor."

"Are you…?" He can't finish.

"I'm afraid I am."

"You can't! You've only just recovered!"

"I have to stop them. If I don't, this planet will be destroyed."

"Mirror, please, don't go. I'm begging you. You'll be killed."

"I'm sorry, Castor. I must defend Xindyria and its people at all costs."

Castor ponders his next words.

"A-All right, but… can I please come with you?"

"Nonsense. You would be killed immediately."

"I don't want you to go alone. I know how dangerous this mission of yours is, but…"

"No. I can't let them hurt you."

"What if I had a weapon and armor?"

"Illixi are extremely resilient. As I mentioned to Dr. Graves and Ms. Hallows, they can withstand chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear power. Only the energies of the universe can kill them. You do not have anything that could defeat them."

"What would I need?"

"Unfortunately, I still do not know enough about the full extent of their offensive and defensive capabilities to give you a proper answer." She pauses. "However, I… suppose I could let you use my plasma rifle. It's not very strong, but you can use it to defend yourself if need be."

"Does that mean I can come and help you?"

"Yes. If you're going to join me on this mission, we need to lay some ground rules."

"Of course. Hit me."

"All right. I will give you my plasma rifle to protect yourself with. Have you ever fired a gun before?"

"I have, yes."

"Good. I will admit, it's not your ordinary sniper rifle. When I arrive, I will show you how to use it."

"Thank you."

"Now." Mirror's voice drops. "Here's the thing: I do not know most of the details of this invasion. I can only assume that Sholi tracked me here. I shall only ask one thing of you— never leave my line of sight. The Illixi are ruthless. If I'm not around to defend you, you will die."

"U-Understood."

"Good. I'll head over to your apartment and pick you up now. Get ready."

"I will. See you soon, Mirror."

Both of them hang up at the same time. She changes direction and makes her way to 108 Storm Street, her mind flooded with thoughts on the upcoming fight. She still has little idea what to expect. She's taking a major risk inviting Castor to accompany her, but… She shakes her head. No. He'll be fine. She will protect him, even if it means her life.

After a moment of pondering her mission, she thinks back to Dr. Graves' hug. How odd. She didn't see him as an openly affectionate person, let alone towards her. She's merely a means to an end, a pawn in the interstellar war between two species. Regardless of his reasons, he does seem concerned for her safety which tells her that his heart is genuine. Unfortunately, he can't possibly understand the magnitude of the Illixi's atrocities.

No one can.

***

Meanwhile, in his apartment, Castor freshens up for the day, his heart pounding in his chest. Once he's ready, he turns on his TV and tunes into the news. He watches the violence from the safety of his couch. He's really doing this. Mirror won't let him get hurt, right? He swallows hard, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat.

***

When Mirror arrives, her shiny plate armor sparkles in the light of the dawn. She knocks on his door and he emerges from behind it, a solemn look in his pale green eyes.

"Are you ready?" Mirror asks.

"As ready as I can be."

"Good. Here." She removes the plasma rifle from over her shoulder and holds it out to Castor.

"Whoa. You made this?"

"I did, yes."

"It's beautiful…" Castor cradles the weapon in his arms so as not to ruin her intricate craftsmanship. Her sniper rifle features a hexagon-shaped barrel, a sleek and technologically advanced scope, and rings of tiny superheated coils sparking with electricity. The rifle hums with energy 

"Thank you. Let me show you how to fire it," Mirror says. He hands the gun back to her. Although Castor is right-handed, Mirror is left-handed, so her translation is slightly different. Luckily, Castor picks up on her gestures with ease. She shows him how to channel the energy in the coils and raise the heat without overloading the barrel. Her words confuse him quite a bit, but he still figures out how to use the gun.

"So, what now?" Castor asks.

"I've brought a skin suit for you to wear. Illixi can tell that you are wearing one, but it has protective elements built into it that should add a layer of defense to your otherwise fragile human form."

"Wait, Mirror."

"What's wrong?"

"Up until recently, you haven't worn any armor. How did you manage to stay unscathed for so long?"

"I can retain several of my natural body's abilities. Perks of being a shapeshifter. If you remember, that's why I reverted to my true form after the kidnapping. Now, we must go. We haven't a moment to lose," Mirror says, a note of finality hanging lifelessly in the air. Castor nods and, after locking his door, he and Mirror board her ship.

Just as before, Mirror sits at the controls and plots out her route. Only this time, Castor lies down in one of the sleeping pods buried within the ship's interior. While he sleeps, Mirror watches the scenery of the planet's surface below her change from a cityscape to open fields and, eventually, to a deep blue ocean. As they pass over the sea dividing the continents, Mirror sets the controls to autopilot.

She must attend to something more pressing.

Mirror heads deeper into her cozy home away from home and enters the pool room. Removing her armor and clothes, she transforms into her true form, then submerges herself in the pale water, sinking to the bottom. She closes her eyes and empties her mind, lying flat on the tiles of the pool. Ethereal flames in green, blue, and purple envelop her. Her ship's sigil spreads beneath her in gold. Silver stars twinkle around her.

Wrivin?

Salvete, Juno. Quomodo inserviam?

I have questions.

Aliquam eget nisi tortor.

Why was I born gifted with such strong magic?

Spiritus meus in te latet.

All right. Why choose me?

Vidi quod fias.

And that is…?

Manifestatio generis humani bonitatem.

And that warrants housing the blood of a goddess?

Ita. Tentatio eris ultra comprehensionem, sed perseverabis per omnia.

So then… how do I unlock the rest of my dormant power?

Ruere non opus est. Omnes ad te venient in tempore.

How?

She receives no further response. Of course, Wrivin would speak cryptically like this.

Opening her eyes, Mirror sits up and pushes herself off the bottom of the pool, transforming back into her human form. When she breaches the surface, Mirror takes a deep breath. She blinks. Castor stands at the edge of the pool, watching her.

"H-Hey, Mirror."

"Oh, Castor. Hello. Did you sleep well?"

"I did, yeah. What were you doing in here?"

"Communing with Wrivin."

"Oh. What did she say to you?"

"She said that my powers would come to me in time and that her spirit lies within me, among other things."

"Weird."

A beeping sound interrupts their conversation.

"Seems we've arrived," Mirror says.

"Yeah."

"You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

When Mirror flies overhead, she sees sparks of weapon fire in the streets. She watches helplessly as the Illixi ruthlessly gun innocent people down. She tries not to look too closely. Not yet. She sets the ship down just outside the city center while Castor puts on his skin suit. They step outside. Immediately, the smell of smoke and scorched skin assaults their noses. Castor suppresses the urge to puke. Mirror looks around at the rubble surrounding them both.

She's too late.

"Eeugh. What happened here?"

"The Illixi have already begun slaughtering the people of Arcsin. We must hurry. Come on, let's go."

They rush through the streets, following the sound of screams and gunfire. Mirror's senses are on high alert. Luckily for them, the heart of the Illixi's invasion is close by.

"What's the plan, Mirror?"

"I am going to draw their attention. I want you to get up somewhere high and rain hellfire from above. Kill as many of them as you can."

"Wait, but Mirror—"

"I know. I have no choice this time. If the Illixi subjugate this world, we will lose the war. Xindyria must survive at all costs."

"I… I understand."

"Good. Now, go. I will meet you when I am finished." Mirror turns to go when Castor puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Mirror…?" He asks. She turns around.

"Hm? What is it?" Her eyes widen with curiosity. She blinks.

"...may I?" His voice lowers almost to a whisper.

"Huh? Oh, uh, sure." She leans in and allows Castor to kiss her. He presses his lips against hers intensely, almost to the point of desperation. All of his fears culminate in this gesture of love: the bloodshed of Arcsin, Mirror's safety, and his insecurities about himself. He runs his fingers through her hair and she holds his face in her left hand. Although she's still not adapted to receiving such a gift from Castor, she must admit, she's enjoying the sensation. Her lips tingle when he breaks the kiss. Such a soft and sweet gesture.

She doesn't want him to stop.

"Be careful out there. Please."

"I promise you."

She smiles at him reassuringly, then makes her way through the bloody streets while Castor sets up his weapon at the top of a nearby office building. He watches her walk into the scene of death and destruction through the scope, almost completely helpless. His skin suit will protect him, but despite Mirror's custom-made armor, he still fears for her life. He separates himself from the scope and looks down at her. Her wavy brown hair ripples in the wind and her armor glints in the sunlight. Soon, he sees a large group of humans dressed in professional attire huddling out in the road, surrounded by Illixi soldiers on all sides. She makes her way toward the crowd. He can't see her eyes, but he knows by heart that they are cold and empty.

Up at the front of the crowd is a male Illixi dressed in an ornate uniform with shiny pins on his lapel. He must be some kind of general.

They're going to be slaughtered!

"Welcome, all. I am El'ur, your new leader. I have brought you out here to share our wonderful project with you. We are going to transform this city into an Illixi hub. You need not fear. We have no intention of harming you... yet. Simply do as you're told, and you will be safe, for now."

He speaks more, but Mirror is no longer paying attention. She charges up her gauntlets, solar energy coursing through her hands and into the metal. Her fists glow with light.

"EL'UR!" she suddenly shouts, the humans around her parting like the Red Sea. He silences, then grins eagerly.

"Well well well. A lamb has come to be slaughtered. How pathetic! What's your name, little lamb?"

"My name is Juno. Leave this planet now."

"And what do you intend to do to me? We're far stronger, faster, and smarter."

"Oh, I propose a fate worse than death itself. I shall see to it that Echthra herself sees your failure and shreds you until you're nothing more than bone dust." Mirror's voice shakes with rage. Almost imperceptibly, El'ur shivers.

"Very well. I suppose I have no choice but to engage you in battle." He steps down from his podium and meets her. The humans surround the pair in a massive circle.

"COME AT ME!" Mirror shouts.

***

Castor raises the tip of his sniper rifle and starts firing down at the Illixi guarding the ring of humans. He picks them off one by one, their bodies decaying into ashes from the sheer strength of the plasma. Every blast resembles a direct strike from a bolt of lightning. Their screeches of pain echo in his ears, even from his position.

***

Meanwhile, down on the ground, Mirror sprays solar flares out of her open palms. Unfortunately for her, El'ur is agile enough to evade her initial attacks. He has no weapon on him, meaning he is solely relying on his magic. Mirror still does not know the Illixi's full strength, leaving her at a disadvantage in this fight. However, she is optimally prepared to take any sort of damage again. As he begins his attacks, Mirror creates a wall around the humans, defending them from any residual energy that might be thrown their way.

"You can't do both things at once, little lamb," El'ur says. He lunges at her and sprays crackling dark energy her way, causing the brand on her chest to burn white hot. She drops to her knees and shouts in pain. El'ur laughs and takes advantage of her moment of weakness to launch some physical attacks on her. He slams his legs and fists into her, drawing blood from her nose and mouth. She bares her teeth at him, his abuse ripping into her. Oh, but this is just for fun.

El'ur has a much deadlier trick up his sleeve.

"Watch me." Mirror spits blood at his feet and slowly rises. She smirks. She has him right where she wants him. Allowing her human form to dissipate, she reveals her true nature to El'ur.

"What?! A Crierce?! I-Impossible!"

"Venisti ad mortem, El'ur," she says. With Wrivin's ancient magic flooding her now, she strengthens her shield.

She too has a plan, one that could level the entire city if she's not careful.

El'ur scoffs. Her true form doesn't change his motivation or determination in the slightest. He continues using his dark magic to strike, but now, it does next to nothing. His rage builds and he attacks more recklessly. Meanwhile, Mirror starts to build up her own energy into a final attack that would kill him instantly.

All she needs now is to buy time, but she's nearly out of money.

With her chest on fire, she dodges El'ur's strikes with backflips and somersaults, all while trying to maintain her shield and generate enough power for her plan. She launches a couple more solar flares his way, all of which hit him and rip his skin open. His pale blue flesh melts into puddles of black blood where his wounds are.

"How can this be?!"

"Metuis?"

"N-Never!"

Soon, Mirror lands a direct hit to his face with her plasma-infused gauntlet. He stumbles back and falls prone. Mirror stands above him. He looks up at her. His face no longer has his left eye, but a glob of inky blood. His skin has melted away, revealing damaged muscle and bone underneath.

At last, she has the time she needs.

"You... have not won... maggot. Our factory... will destroy... all of humanity, including you." El'ur says venomously.

"Want to know a secret?" Mirror leans in close. "You've already lost." She steps back and punches a hole in his chest. A wave of plasma spreads from the wound, infecting his entire body. Blood spurts onto her whole body, leaving her face and hands drenched. He begins to disintegrate but refuses to give Mirror the satisfaction of a scream.

***

After El'ur dies, Castor removes his skin suit and rushes down the stairs of the building he had been on top of to meet her. He flings the door open and sprints over to her as the plasma shield surrounding the now applauding humans dissipates.

"Mirror!" he shouts. She turns to face him and then collapses to her hands and knees, her human and alien form both completely exhausted. He arrives just in time to catch her.

"Castor…" she whispers.

"Are you okay?" Castor asks, his eyes wide with worry.

"We're… not finished yet. I still have to purge the rest of the Illixi in this city. Luckily, they haven't sent any injectors or revokers here. However, I… sensed the presence of a space factory while you were asleep. I have to destroy it."

"How?"

"You'll see. Stay close to me."

"Wait, Mirror, what are you—"

Before he can finish, Mirror calls upon Wrivin's name, and, her body flooding with energy from the heavens above, she slams her fists into the road, releasing the sheer strength of a supernova underneath the black pavement. Wrivin would give her blessing to the humans, protecting them from harm. Luckily, even the buildings of the town would survive such a blast.

As for the Illixi, their screams now echoing in her mind are proof enough that her newfound power has confirmed their destruction.

Once the supernova rips through the city, inky blood pools in the streets. Mirror steps through the guts and gore once more, wandering the city streets with Castor holding her up. No sign of Illixi life meets her gaze. Now, all that remains is the space factory. Her energy almost completely depleted, she wonders how to regain it. Could she use the overflowing blood of the Illixi to refuel?

Guess there's only one way to find out…

Castor notices her empty stare and stops walking.

"What's wrong, Mirror?" Castor asks.

"I need more energy if I'm going to take on the factory and its contents."

"Can you ask Wrivin for more?"

"She is a mysterious creature. I have a better method, but I don't know if it'll work."

"What would that be?"

"If I can use what little strength I have left to collect Illixi blood, I can strain out the components I need."

"I suppose that could work. Why don't you try it out?"

Mirror drops to the ground after Castor releases her and she begins soaking the blood up into her gauntlets. Once again, she's taking a major risk attempting something so desperate, but she has no choice. She uses her remaining magic to gather all of the Illixi bodies to the center of the city.

She just needs a bit more time. If she can drain the corpses of their dying embers, she will stand a chance against the factory's deadly machinery.

Mirror hones in on her universal power, her blood thrumming as she consumes the energy of the Illixi's bodies. Castor watches in awe as magic blends with ink, her body glowing. Once she finishes, she sets a spark to the pile and burns the bodies.

As they burn, Mirror watches, the light of the flames dancing in her eyes. Castor looks at her. His pupils widen. Mirror has black blood running down her face. Her eyes are cold and unforgiving, yet mysterious. A warmth blooms in his cheeks. God, she's beautiful. He reaches for her hand. She grabs it. Mirror looks over at him and smiles. Castor smiles back at her. At that moment, nothing else matters as they look into each other's eyes. Despite the blood running down her face and the blood on her hands, she can feel something flaring up inside of her that she can't explain. Her cheeks turn pink. What is this feeling? She's never experienced such an emotion before. She's... comfortable around him, more than his friend. She still doesn't quite understand the word "love," but the more time she spends with Castor, the more she realizes that's what she feels for him. She can feel his hand trembling in hers. Or is it her hand trembling in his? No. It must be his. She intertwines her fingers with Castor's, watching the bodies burn.

Meanwhile, Castor's heart flutters in his chest. Mirror, even now, is stunningly beautiful. How he's managed to befriend such a lovely, powerful creature still shocks him to his core. He reflects on his thoughts after meeting her. She must've had dozens of lovers in her lifetime. Or… does being a goddess mean she must live a solitary life? He wants to ask her so many questions, but he doesn't want to overwhelm her, especially not now. Right now, only one question fills his mind.

Am I worthy of her?