Chapter 6: The illusion of victory
The battle between Marcus and Marduck had reached what seemed to be its climax. General Marcus, with his bright red aura and body engulfed in flames, had finally impaled Marduck with a flaming sword. The blow was so powerful that it seemed to seal the necromancer's fate. Marcus took a deep breath, exhausted but with a victorious smile on his face.
- You were quite the enemy, Marduck, - said Marcus, conjuring another sword to decapitate Marduck's fallen body. The blade cut through the air with a hissing sound, and Marduck's head rolled on the ground. Marcus looked up at the sky, where the space battle still raged, and thought he had finally turned the tide in favor of the Republic.
But something was wrong.
Marduck's head on the ground began to dissolve into a dark mist, and the body Marcus had impaled also dissolved into black smoke. The general looked around, confused, when suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He looked down and saw a black blade piercing his belly. The pain was unbearable, and he fell to his knees, clutching the wound.
- An illusion...? - Marcus murmured, blood dripping from his mouth.
- Exactly, Marcus, - said a cold, calculating voice behind him. It was Marduck, unharmed, without a single scratch. The necromancer stood there, a sinister smile on his pale face. - Did you really think it would be so easy to defeat me? Everything you saw was an illusion, a projection created by my mind. You never touched me.
Marcus tried to stand, but the pain was too much. He looked at Marduck, his eyes filled with hatred and despair. - So... all of this was a trap?
- Yes, - replied Marduck, slowly walking around Marcus. - I knew you would come after me, and I knew you would rely too much on your powers. You are strong, Marcus, but your arrogance is your weakness. And now, you are about to die, while I continue my plan.
Marcus tried to summon his stellar energy, but the black blade in his stomach seemed to drain his strength. He looked at Marduck, his eyes filled with desperation. - Your plan... what are you doing?
Marduck laughed, a cold and empty sound. - My plan is simple, Marcus. I will destroy Helar, then conquer the galaxy and take the Stellarium for myself. My specters are already on their way to the cities of this planet, and soon everything will be consumed by chaos. And as for your fleet in space... well, they will soon discover they are not just fighting ships. Besides, to deal with the Republic, I will ally myself with Silvatron.
Marcus tried to speak, but only blood came out of his mouth. He fell to the side, his vision darkening. Marduck leaned over him, a cruel smile on his face.
- Rest in peace, Marcus. You were a worthy adversary, but in the end, I was always one step ahead.
With those words, Marduck raised his hand, and a dark energy enveloped Marcus. The general took one last breath before his body turned to ashes, carried away by the wind.
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As Marduck celebrated his victory, the specters he had summoned began to spread across Helar. They were ethereal creatures, almost invisible to most people, but with immense destructive power. They floated through the streets of the cities, entering homes and buildings, leaving a trail of destruction wherever they went.
In the cities, people began to scream, not understanding what was happening. Objects flew on their own, doors opened and closed, and a sense of dread took hold of everyone. The specters could not be seen by ordinary eyes, but their presence was felt by all.
In the sky, the space battle continued, but now Marduck's specters were there as well. They invaded the Republic's ships, causing panic among the soldiers. Pilots lost control of their ships, and weapon systems mysteriously failed. Marduck's fleet, now reinforced by the specters, began to gain the upper hand.
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Zorya and Gyro had watched everything from afar, hidden in the rubble of a nearby building. Zorya was in shock, unable to believe what he had just witnessed. Marcus, the hero of Helar, was dead, and Marduck seemed more powerful than ever.
- Gyro... what's happening? - asked Zorya, his voice trembling.
Gyro looked at him, his face pale and full of fear. - I don't know, Zorya. But something very bad is coming.
It was then that Zorya saw something no one else seemed to notice. Specters, ethereal and shadowy creatures, floating through the air. They were everywhere, invading the cities and heading toward the sky, where the space battle continued.
- Gyro... do you see that? - asked Zorya, pointing at the specters.
Gyro looked in the direction Zorya was pointing, but only shook his head. - I don't see anything, Zorya. What are you seeing?
Zorya realized he was the only one who could see the specters. This made him even more frightened, but it also gave him an advantage. He knew they needed to flee, and fast.
- Gyro, we have to get out of here. Now! - said Zorya, pulling Gyro's arm.
The two began to run, passing through streets filled with chaos and destruction. Zorya guided Gyro, avoiding the specters only he could see. They managed to reach an alley free of specters and escaped the city.
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As Zorya and Gyro fled, chaos spread across Helar. The cities were in flames, and people ran in panic, not knowing where to go. Marduck's specters continued their devastation, and the Republic's fleet in space was in shambles.
Marduck, now alone on the battlefield, looked up at the sky and smiled. He knew his victory was near. With Marcus dead and the specters ravaging Helar, nothing could stop him.
- Helar is just the beginning, - Marduck said to himself. - The entire galaxy will be mine, but first, let me go to Enrique , the king of Helar.
Marduck flew at high speed, heading toward the capital. He knew the priest and the king were in a hidden chamber underground. When he arrived in the city, he went to the chamber and saw 20 men, two of whom were the king and the high priest of the Temple of Mandrax, and the rest were royal guards.
- Enrique, it's been a long time, - said Marduck.
- Marduck, you already have what you wanted. Now, let them go, - said Enrique.
- Marduck, do you dare challenge the Republic? Do you think your limited power can stand against the might of the Republic? - said the high priest, still hoping to save himself.
- High Priest, I owe you no explanations, but since you're so curious, I'll tell you right now. My envoy is on his way to one of the portals leading to the Silvatron Empire to inform them of my loyalty to them. Until then, not even the Republic would want to go to war with the Silvatron Empire over a planet like this and a galaxy as backward as ours, which doesn't even have a decent specialist, - said Marduck, his eyes glowing with a gray hue. All the king's guards, already terrified, lowered their weapons and simply fell to the ground, lifeless.
The high priest, in panic, said, - What do you want to do with me, the Republi...
- The Republic won't find out about the Stellarium anytime soon, and when they do, it will be too late. Silvatron and I will already have the Stellarium, and we can share what's left with the Republic. I think that's fair compensation, - said Marduck, placing one hand on the king's head and the other on the high priest's head. A dark aura surrounded them, and they began to writhe in agony.
- NOOOOOO, PLEASE, NO! - The high priest continued to resist, but the king had already succumbed, and an ethereal soul began to emerge from his body. This was how Marduck created his specters. The high priest eventually succumbed as well.
- Hmph, I expected no less from a high priest, - said Marduck, holding two transparent orbs. They were the souls of the king and the high priest, still screaming.
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Zorya was still in shock, but he knew he had to stay calm to survive.
- Gyro, what are we going to do now? - asked Zorya as he drove.
Gyro looked at him, his face full of panic. - I don't know, Zorya.
Zorya agreed, but deep down, he knew things would never be the same. The death of Marcus and the rise of Marduck marked the beginning of a new era, an era of chaos and destruction.
And Zorya, the only one who could see the specters, knew it might be because of his condition as a herald.
As they drove, Gyro looked at Zorya, his face full of worry. - Zorya... what about my father? He was in the capital when all this started. I don't know if he's safe.
Zorya looked at Gyro, trying to find words of comfort. - Gyro, your father is strong. He knows how to protect himself. We'll find him, I promise.
Gyro shook his head, but his expression was still filled with anxiety. - I just hope he's okay. He's all I have.
Zorya placed a hand on Gyro's shoulder. - We'll find him, Gyro. No matter what happens, we're in this together.
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In the capital, Aurelon, news of Marcus's death spread like wildfire. The people, already terrified by the destruction caused by the specters, were even more shocked to learn that their hero had fallen. Marcus was more than a general; he was a symbol of hope for the people of Helar.
In the streets, groups of people gathered, trying to understand what had happened. Some cried, others screamed in despair. Marcus's death left a void that seemed impossible to fill.
- Marcus is dead... what are we going to do now? - asked a woman, holding her child in her arms.
- There's no more hope, - replied a man, sitting in the rubble of a destroyed house. - Marduck will destroy us all.
Fear and despair took hold of the capital. Without Marcus, it seemed there was no one left who could stand against Marduck and his specters.
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As chaos spread across Helar, a colossal ship arrived near the planet. It was the ship of the Chronos Reavers.
- Sir, it seems the planet Helar is at war, - said a man next to Kaliax.
- Yes, but that's not what interests us. What interests us is that star over there, - said Kaliax, pointing to a star with a golden glow. Stars that produced Stellarium tended to change their original color to gold due to the influence of Stellarium.
Kaliax continued, - Let them fight their war. We will reap the rewards. Besides, their leader is just a level 3 herald from the constellation of Thanatos. - Kaliax could see Marduck, and it was good to know that Kaliax's ship was over 186,000 miles away from the planet Helar.
- Level 3, Thanatos... hmph, extremely weak. If he were level 4, I'd be worried. That Sven I fought back then almost killed me and turned me into one of his undead. Boss, if they get in our way, let me kill them. You don't need to get involved, - said the man, his expression full of desire.
- Alright. Continue to the star. We'll extract Stellarium. Prepare the extraction tubes, - said Kaliax.
"Stellarium, this will be the second time I've seen it. The first was when the clan patriarch gave it to Logan so he could protect our race. But he's gone, and I am now the patriarch. When I become a Voidwalker, I will have nothing to fear and will restore the clan's former glory and protect them from the Deviants. Hmph, Orion, wait for me," thought Kaliax.
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### Author's Note
Well, I must say the story is about to heat up, gentlemen. As written in the synopsis, yes, our beloved Zorya will join the Chronos Reavers, gentlemen. And from there, my dear friends, it's nothing but adventure ahead.
This Kaliax is terrifying.
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