Sam was heading away from the IP world as fast as he could. Thankfully the draining had stopped and the sun was getting him back to feeling normal.
A look at the fleet showed that the wave that he and Thantas had used knocked most of them out.
Sam, came the thoughts of Thantas. Are you alright? We thought you had departed us, when you streaked off like that.
I apologize to all of you, when Drivas was hurt, I grew far angrier than I thought I would. I can tell you that there are now only three of the councilors left. Returned Sam's thoughts that brought gasps from the others.
We were worried when your life signs dropped so low. Are you sure that you are functioning well? Came the worried thoughts of Drivas.
All of you, are dear to me, the fact that one of you were harmed has shown me that. I don't want, here Sam paused to settle his thoughts. I don't want to fail, to lose any, let alone one of you.
All five of the females with him looked at him startled, Drivas and Thantas moved forward to hold Sam.
You didn't fail us; you have freed us and so many others. Thantas thoughts said as Drivas nodded her agreement.
A deep sigh sounded from Sam's thoughts; I won't kill unless there is no other way. That, or the one that I do kill is so evil there is no other way to end their terror. I lost a hundred beings on one of the Triad worlds because I was not fast enough. I don't want to be the cause of anymore innocents losing their lives.
We are all here to help you Sam, remember it is them not you that was the cause of the loss of life. Thantas thoughts came trying to soothe Sam.
Sam nodded, all of you know that they have some type of draining field near the chamber with the counselors. I barely made it out of there.
The rest of those with him, their eyes were wide at the news. Sam was the most powerful they had seen if it had affected him that bad, what chance did they have?
The lord Doctor again looked at the lifeless bodies of the three lifeless counselors. The last three were sucking nutrients as fast as they could, they were still only about half their power. He really needed them higher if they were going to destroy this Sam creature.
THe Doctor had already resigned to the fact his race was finished. They needed to make sure that when they went, the Cliverstones did also.
The Doctor touched a button, it showed the view of the two-elite offspring, who were still trapped within the energy barrier. He had to execute them also, before he set off the planet shatter bombs.
Leaving the chamber, he started to rapidly return to his domicile. With any luck most of the Cliverstones, plus all of the remaining elites would be destroyed within a few time units.
When he entered his domicile, something didn't seem right. Checking all the reading within and without the building showed that nothing was amiss. Still an uneasy feeling was staying with him.
Might as well destroy the offspring and their sires while there was still time left. Reaching out the Doctor felt for the two elites.
I hope that the two of you listen well, came the Doctor's thoughts. Listen to the last cries of you pathetic offspring as I slowly, crush the life from them. Know that their cries of death will empower me to further levels that, will allow me to destroy Sam and the other Cliverstones.
The Doctor suddenly heard an almost evil laugh that seemed to come from the area where the elites were. Pathetic? You are becoming forgetful in your advanced years. Have you forgotten, that we elite always have more than two ways out. By now, our offspring have gathered enough energy that you will never reach them before they are free.
The Doctor turned to see the glowing cylinder that the male was holding. With a growl then a roar the Doctor tried to make the energy barrier contract. When nothing happened, the Doctor nodded his head. Come for them, neither of you have the power to... at that moment there were more than a few alarms that started to go off.
"Warning, Warning unidentified assailants approaching the planet. Readings show that no energy shield we possess will be capable of stopping them. Also, detecting a being of pure thought energy moving toward this location." A mono tone voice said.
The Doctor growled as he donned a cover for his brain area. Turning toward the wall the Doctor spoke, "Arm both planet shatter bombs. Start the rest of the counter measures for the approaching Cliverstones."
Less than a moment later a shadowy figure appeared. "So, it is you, Melacon," a voice sounded in and around the Doctor. "After all this time I will finally complete my mission, my mission to destroy the evilest of the Tetricon race."
An evil smile, twisted on the face of Melacon, "I know not how you survived all this time. I am more than certain that the power you had, has done nothing but decline."
A smile appeared on the face of the shadowy figure, "I guess you will perish with that mystery on your mind then. I have waited a very long time, to finally purge the universe of your evil."
Immediately the shadowy figure released a titanic blast of energy that knocked Melacon off his feet. Slamming into the wall, Melacon sprang up sending his own energy blast. Melacon's eyes were wide when the figure almost absent mindedly slapped the blast away.
"My, my, here I thought you would have become stronger, that wasn't worthy of even your people's offspring. I can see that this will be far easier than i thought," The figure said.
A look of seething anger crossed Melacon's face. "We will see who is still alive when this is finished." Melacon again sent out an energy blast though, this one was far more powerful.
The figure again pushed it away though it took a little more effort. "Ah! Much better! Perhaps I might get to use more of my power."
Melacon laughed, "I think you are about to discover that you are dead!"
An excited laugh came from the shadowy figure, "dead? Been there, done that, alive or dead, I have far more than enough power to end you."
An angry growl issued from the throat of Melacon, "it is time to rectify that situation. I have to admit that dead, looked far better on you, than anything else."
Melacon growled louder as the next blast from the figure had him pinned, painfully to the wall.
"You are as you were, all that time passed, you cannot even realize that, soon you will be destroyed!" The figure said as it increased the power hitting Melacon.
The others that were where the portal had been were beginning to worry. They had felt Sam's energy fall something that they had expected though not to the low levels that they had.
All the leaders from the Triads had decided to advance when Sam's power started to climb rapidly. They started to relax, then felt two powers almost as strong as Sam on the IP world.
It was clearly not Sam as he was a small distance from it. They all could only stare at each other, was Sam aware of these two strong powers?
Once again, the leaders were united in their decision to move forward, when they heard Sam. All of them smiled as they shook their heads or equivalent in agreement.
This time, all of the allies moved forward, though this time, it was with a determined purpose.
Sam nodded as he felt the others move forward, not toward him, in an indirect path toward the IP world. A turn back toward the IP fleet had his smile fading in a moment. It was obvious that these assholes didn't care about life other than their own.
Sam had seen more than a few like this, no matter what you did, they would never change. It wasn't that he wanted to destroy them, he would if there was no choice. Sam was starting to feel that it might be the only thing he could do.
Then there was the Tetricons, well, most of them. They he knew, he was going to destroy, the four gone now had him feeling slightly better. Slightly though not completely, he knew if one survived, this would start all over again.
Sam could feel his power starting to climb faster. Ah! The sun's energy was more than refreshing.
I have to end this soon Sam thought, then felt something ominous emanating from the planet itself. Sam stared at the area where he felt it coming from. His eyes went large when he felt something like a huge explosive.
He turned heading to the surface as fast as he could. Impacting the ground, he was heading underground at an alarming speed. He stopped short when he broke through into a huge chamber.
Not slowing, Sam grasped the over a kilometer in size bomb. He pushed, it moving up a long tunnel crushing the doors that were closed at each level. Finally, he had it moving far faster than he thought he could. Breaking through to the surface, Sam kept going finally achieving outer space. With a final push, Sam sent it into deep space.
With a turn back Sam grimaced as he felt the other bomb. Head diving, Sam hit the surface far faster this time, feeling that he had little time to get this off the planet.
Melacon growled when he saw that Sam had removed the largest of the planet shatterers.
So, came the shadowy figures thoughts, once again it appears that you are going to fail. So pitiful that the last of your race was dependent upon the very race you strove to destroy. When you are gone, the universe can truly start to live and breathe again.
You have such high expectations for your success, returned Melacon's thoughts. I cannot see how you can win when the planet and Sam will soon be but a memory. Melacon started to laugh as he was able to break a limb loose from the power that the shadowy figure had him pinned with.
Melacon barely touched a button that activated the last bomb. Then his eyes went wide as he saw that, Sam was already making space pushing the bomb away. A sinister smile came to his lips when he saw that Sam would still be within its sphere of effect when it went off.
Sam had hurried as fast as he could, releasing the bomb he watched as it sped away. At just over ten kilometers away, Sam was wide eyed when it went off! Damnit, he thought, the energy wave is going to impact the planet.
Sam tried to brace his self; he had used a hell of a lot of his energy. With a shake of his head as he watched the wave come closer, he knew one way or another this was going to hurt.
Right before it hit him, he could swear he heard a great multitude of voices yell out. The wave was moving over him Sam was pushing most of his energy into a protective shield. For a short time, it held, though with the wave as large as it was, the shield was soon failing. Sam's last thought as his defenses succumb was damn, this sucks.
Thantas felt the energy wave as it was approaching Sam, damnit! She was too far away to get him out of the way. Reaching out she tried to add to Sam's shield though, she was as she thought too far away to effect it much.
Melacon's face had an evil smile on it as he watched the wave wash over Sam. Even as strong as he was, there was no way he could survive that. If he did, he'd be severely damaged, of no use to his people.
It was at that moment that he felt the pressure from the shadowy figure increase more than twice what it had. A crashing sound from above and behind him revealed the offspring of the Elites, plus their sires staring angerly at him.
"So, I join the rest of our noble race today. At least that pest of space garbage, ends with me today" Melacon said.
"Noble!? Please, there is nothing noble about ruling through fear. If anything, you join the rest of the failure that was most of our race." The Male Elite said.
"I..." Melacon started when most of his legs snapped, dropping him to the floor. His breathing got more difficult as pressure increased over all is body. "You cannot win, you are just as power hungry as you accuse us of being." Melacon gasp out.
"No, this is not to rule, this is justice, for the billions you have destroyed." The shadowy figure said as it nodded to the two Elites and their offspring.
All five turned toward Melacon as an almost visible wave of energy hit Melacon. Melacon started to scream as his entire body was crushed into an unrecognizable pulp.
A voice within the room said, "transfer now being accomplished."
A doorway into another room opened, showing seven clear capsules with Tetricon bodies within them.
The female Elite nodded her head, "so that was their plan. We had wondered how Melacon's body had survived all this time. The atmosphere of this planet, is in no way conducive to our race's well-being."
The female was about to speak again, when she and the male's heads turned toward the ceiling. The male then turned to the female, "it appears that Sam was caught in the blast, no one can feel him. We best go, after we take care of Melacon's consciousness.
"I am afraid that I cannot allow that," a voice came from the speakers mounted in the walls.
The female started to scan around the whole room then below their feet. "So, you like the Cliverstone, were trapped within the machine. Ah! It appears that Melacon, left very advanced programming to prevent your escaping."
"Ha! As if that was ever going to happen, especially after he thoroughly destroyed my body. There is no system to take my mind, it took Melacon many years to get the system perfect. No, I knew that this was a one-way trip when he started this. Please end me quickly, I'm not sure if I can take the torture much longer." The computer voice said.
"So, once again you have failed, I will return to destroy all..., what are you doing!? Melacon's voice also came from the speakers.
"You have had me trapped within this system for hundreds of Solar time units. In that whole time did you not think that I would not gain knowledge. In the physical world you might have a lot of power. Though in here? In here this is my world that I rule, never again will you put me through the pain you again. I think it is past time that you ceased to exist." The first voice said.
"NO! Stop, I am the greatest Tetricon mind there is." Melacon was yelling.
"You were, now? You are nothing!" The first voice said as Melcon's voice screamed louder then started to grow weaker and weaker. "Finally, you are deleted!"
A final scream then the room was quiet. "It appears that, that which was Melacon, is no more." The female Elite breathed out.
The male and the shadowy figure nodded their agreement, the figure suddenly looked upward nodded to the four Tetricons then departed. The whole time it was moving into space it too was reaching out to Sam, like the others found nothing.
Thantas, Drivas, Thellus, Mellos and Raydy were all stretching their senses out, doing all that they could to find Sam. Mellos and Thantas the strongest, were starting to get frustrated.
"Damn! I have been able to feel no matter what, since the first time I felt him. It almost feels as if," Thantas started.
"NO! Don't even think about it! I know he was far stronger than that, even as weakened as he was." Mellos said as look of anger on her face.
"I am not thinking that, he was far stronger than I am, the strongest of our people I have ever seen. I know that if anyone could make it, Sam was it." Thantas said. She then turned to the others, "I think it's time that we ended the terror that the councilors held over almost all"
"We might want to be careful; Sam had said that there was some type of draining field around their building." Drivas said.
As they started to head toward the IP world the shadowy figure appeared. I will continue to search for Sam, I have somewhat of an idea where he might be, though, I will have to return soon.
The others nodded as the figure moved away from the group, who wished it luck, then they descended toward the planet.
Thantas, was seething, here she'd just found her brother, now she might lose him in only a few days. She found that her anger was starting to grow to unparalleled heights.
With her in the lead, they headed straight towards the council chamber far faster than they needed to. Thantas was past the point of caring, that was her brother. The fact that she, couldn't feel him? Did not bode well in her mind, nor for those that, she was intent to only destroy.
Thantas quickly outdistanced the others as she hit the chambers as hard and as fast as she could. In this she managed to destroy one of the remaining three, while fatally injuring another. Summarily, she also destroyed two of the energy sapping devices, plus half the back wall.
Still moving incredibly fast Thantas felt her strength rapidly decline. She dropped lower 'til she struck the ground a great distance away.
Thantas looked around as she felt the draining effect drop too almost nothing. She stood on somewhat shaky legs, she tried to take a step then gasp as the ground rushed up to meet her face.
A moment later Drivas, and Mellos landed next to her helping her to a sitting position. "Damnit Thantas!" Mellos nearly shouted. "What in the hell were you thinking?"
Thantas tried to grabbed the front of Mellos shirt as she hissed. "For far too long, these pieces of trash have been feeding off me. I wanted to no longer feel their parasitic presence. What was I doing? I was trying to end this once and for all."
Mellos was surprised at the venom in Thantas voice, then had to hold the female up as Thantas suddenly sagged,
Raydy and Thellus landed a moment later, "I think we might need to get out of the open." Thellus said. "I can feel more than a few approaching with weapons. Might help her to recover faster if we do."
"No, I need to get closer to the sun, as it is now it will be hours before I recover. We need to get airborne, get me closer to the sun. Mellos, I suggest that you and Drivas do it as you two appear to be the fastest." Thantas said barely above a whisper.
Mellos nodded to Drivas as they each got a arm and rose with Thantas. Raydy, looked at Thellus, as they shrugged then followed.
The last councilor was feeling something that he never thought he'd ever feel again, fear. Though in this case it was more like abject terror. Everyone was gone, he was alone, the sheer volume of the emptiness in its mind caused it to shake. An almost crazed look came to its eyes as, the same eyes darted to and fro searching for, something.
It seemed almost poetic justice as this was the same, exact emptiness, they had subjected Thantas to. For more than a thousand solar time units, the councilor had never been alone in its mind. Now, the absolute nothing it felt and heard was starting to slowly take its toll.
Most of the attendants that had kept it somewhat sane were now lifeless or nearly there. The dying thoughts of the few left alive were also working on what little sanity the councilor had left. Though if anyone were there, they could see that the councilor was slowly slipping into madness.
A few moments later, the councilor regained a semblance of its sanity feeling hundreds of beings' approach. The only problem was that when it reached out to touch their thoughts he felt their hatred, though he also found, that it was directed toward him and the others.
The last councilor reached out activating all of the defenses that Thantas hadn't destroyed. They say that the assault on the councilors chamber, lasted for days with hundreds of thousands dying. Then the defenses stopped as they surged forward hundreds more dying from the councilor's thoughts.
Finally, someone got an energy shot through striking the councilor, after that several hundred energy shots ripped the body to pieces.
Somewhere towards the back of the throng of people a female smiled as she turned to leave. The IP thought warrior, level five floating to the ground, she turned her face skyward, she hoped she could hide. The group she felt approaching, was far more than she could handle, even with the tricks she'd learned from Sam.
She quickly started to drop her power as she had seen in Sam's mind, before it slammed shut. An astounding feat that no one had ever done to her, shut her completely out. The brief contact with Sam's mind that she'd had changed in ways she'd never imagined.
She looked around at the number of people that were wondering around with a lost look to their eyes. Then she looked closer seeing that almost all of the people here appeared to be that way.
A small smile crossed her lips, perhaps she could help them later. She had to survive first, the approaching multitude, that was rapidly closing in on this world.
A thought came to her as she nodded then turned to stare intensely at the hundreds of people. All of them stopped a moment, nodded, then went back to what they were doing before.
The female smiled as she turned a hundred eighty degrees reaching out. Hundreds more stopped like those before then went back to acting as if nothing had happened.
Hmmm, the female thought, she then walked away stopping a kilometer away and repeating the same action.
When the people from the triads arrived, they found most of the IP people friendly and cooperative. They reached out to the entire city finding that it seemed to be unaffected by the madness that was gripping the rest of the planet. The simple fact that they were greeted as warmly as they were, saved a great many on the IP world.
Sam was drifting, as hard as he tried, he didn’t seem to be able to open his eyes. Shit, he hurt all over, touching his chest he winced at how tender it was, hell all of him was.
Finally, he managed to get his eyes to open, surprised that it was as dark as it was here. He started to close his eyes again, when he opened them again in shock, was he in space? Looking around he slowly nodded, yes, he was in space though, as to where he had no idea.
How in the hell was he still alive, in space? Damnit his head hurt beyond any headache he'd ever had.
Slowly shaking his head, he turned all around, where in the hell was earth? A line appeared in front of him leading away, just need to follow it. To his amazement, he started to move along the line.
Shit he thought, there has to be a faster way, what appeared to be a tunnel appeared in front of him. Sam looked around then moved into it, might as well he thought, a moment later the tunnel closed. A few more moments passed then a shadowy figure appeared looking around.
The figure looked around then shook its head, As if on cue the figure popped out of sight as it was drawn back to where its body was.
Natita's mate was sitting next to her when her body jerked with her return.
"Did you find Sam?" Raydy's father asked.
"Where is he?" Sam's father Fino asked.
"He had entered a worm hole; I am afraid though, that I felt that his mind was still dazed. The worm hole was very far I..." At this Natita gasp then her eyes rolled up as she was unconscious.
"I guess we'll have to go about this the hard way." Fino said with Rycon nodding his agreement.
It was two days later that, a nearly unconscious Sam appeared from a worm hole above the earth. Unfortunately, Sam still had hardly any memory as he entered the atmosphere. Unable to remember how to control his flight Sam descended at an alarming speed.
Almost every military alarm went off as Sam's speed started to escalate. Try as he might, Sam still couldn't manage to slow at all. Luckily, he was able to slightly steer away from any populated areas.
A mere ten minutes later Sam struck the earth, enveloped in flames, in an unoccupied area. The crater he left when he hit was another thing altogether. Barely effected, though still with no memory, Sam walked out of the hole.
Though the military had done a thorough examination of the crater, finding nothing, they were still worried. Something had impacted though there was no wreckage, no real evidence especially bodies. For the next two weeks they conducted extensive searches still finding nothing.
The last day of the second week, alarms were again going off as two more objects entered the atmosphere at high speed.
Thantas and Drivas had followed the path that Sam had taken as he crashed to earth. Mellos looked at the monitor she had on her wrist, "it appears we were detected." Turning she looked behind them, "it appears he went that way; the trail is weak though."
Thantas nodded as they both floated off the ground, heading in the direction Mellos machine indicated. An hour after they left the military was again at the site, searching for any indication of an incident.
Both females had traveled for several hundred miles when Mellos held up her hand. "I think we're getting close," Mellos started, then hit the ground as she was hit by some type of beam.
Thantas immediately landed as she looked around carefully. "Sam? Are you here?" Thantas said trying to not move.
A quiet voice spoke near her ear, "I told you people to leave me the hell alone!"
Thantas could feel the buildup of power when she spoke, "Sam! It's me your sister!"
A shimmering to her side revealed a be ragged Sam holding his head. "My sister I have..." this time he grabbed his head falling to his knees. The slightly glazed look in his eyes cleared a moment as he whispered out, "Thantas, help me." Just as suddenly the clarity was gone, though Sam still held his head.
Thantas took a deep breath as she said a prayer as she touched the side of Sam's head. Again his eyes cleared, this time far longer. "I thought you had passed far too easily when the elites told me what happened. You cannot win this time Melacon, not with me here."
Sam looked up at Thantas an evil smile on his lips, "I have already won you Cliverstone bitch, the strongest of the Cliverstone race, a fitting receptacle."
"You forget the one who's body you inhibit, he" Thantas started.
"Bah he will be gone soon, what?! NO! I isolated you, your end is approaching." Melacon shouted.
"Wrong this is my body; you will leave NOW!" Sam yelled
"NO! I am the strongest of the most powerful race!" Melacon said.
"Wrong again, you are just deceased!" Sam said as Melacon screamed the was gone.
Thantas hit the ground as Mellos, limped up to them. "Glad that is over." Mellos said.
Thantas nodded, "I am too," then she turned to Sam. "When you are feeling more recharged? You think you can get us back? Apparently, you never taught anyone else how to open the portals."
Sam and the two females smiled then laughed, "I think I have rested long enough." He said as he put an arm around them both as they shot skyward.
A mere five minutes later a portal opened thousands of kilometers from the earth. Three human appearing entities flew toward it, entered, then it closed.