Night fell on the city of Avalon as trepidation and coldness were the only emotions that had been felt not just in Avalon but the entire planet. The burned body was a warning that this planet would be destroyed in tribute to the Camel God Forswana. The colorful city that had been one of the first to follow the old native God would be the first to die. It would be the first to be incinerated. The Belador knew evacuations would be slow, solemn, because the Bellador does not want to kill everyone just the slow, just the weak. Bellador was in a room upon the Firestarter looking around at the black metallic walls, the lonely matt that he called his bed and thought about everything. Mostly how happy his family would be when they were allowed into the realm of the holy for his exploits.
The great light that would sweep over him when his exploits were finished and the grave would be the most wonderful of sleep. Until then however, he would carry out he almighty works of the great God Forswana. His lord and master who he would not fail and would create the greatest future for them all. A future that would be useful to posterity and the one that the universe can be proud of.
As he was sitting there deep in thought, a slow, weak rap came from his door. A noise that sounded like fireworks to the Bellador. The Bellador walked silently without a noise and creaked his door open. Outside was one of the many nameless crewmembers staring upon Bellador with his deep yellow mask with a droopy face, grey hair, and the red jumpsuit like the servant of the Devil himself.
He quietly murmured, "The master grows hungry my lord, may the chains of contempt break and let run through the valley of sinners". The servant fell to his knees and awaited his master's response. The Bellador's large shadow shape which could be seen from behind the door began to start tapping his fingers on the door pan which was echoing throughout the hall. As the tapping intensified and the large gloved hand of the Bellador made its way out from behind the door. Suddenly and without warning, it stabbed the little man through the neck.
As the servant was choking on his own blood making a "splurting" noise as his life was ending. The Bellador began humming as he waited for the servant to die and watched as the man expired. After waiting a few minutes, he grabbed the corpse by its hair and dragged the body down the hallway towards a massive room in the middle of the ship. In the center of the room was a large white vase.
Bellador carried the body still draining blood on the floor up the dark staircase. Leaving behind it a snail's trail of red blood and threw the body into the hourglass. The hourglass was size of a small building, having cut through three floors of the ship just to allow it to fit perfectly inside, and filled with sand from the system of Fallapore. Bellador began thinking about Fallapore the holiest of planets and the birthplace of Forswana. A fact told to him by the holy septum on Avalon many years ago before he had found Forswna to mean anything.
A lifelong forgotten and buried. He looked down at his black gloves and pulled back the sleep showcasing the decrepit scaly wrist. The sacrifices that allowed him to get here were always going to be difficult but never had he had a regret. When the physical form has been destroyed only then can you begin to understand true order. Order that must be kept at all times because without it, we are nothing but lost in the void.
Belador's attention turned back to the hourglass as the sand began to pour down into the vase. Bellador then walked towards the front of the ship. At the front of the ship, Landric Tally, the oldest member of the crew was speaking to the newer recruits. He said, "The ship has thirty levels with metal flooring on each level sepaerted by automatic doors. The fiftheenth level of the ship was called Death's alley as the Bellador never strayed from it. It held both his living quarters at the end and the navigational system of the ship at the front. The other floors, the crew could do whatever they wanted as long as the ship worked.
The Shadow's master made it this way so that Bellador would not kill all the workers". One of the crew reposnded, "Does he really kill crewmembers at random"? Talley stood up out of his small chair and said, "No, the Bellador rewards competence and punishes the weak, he kills out of kindness not creualty". The younger crewmembers looked down and the room went silent until one of them who was looking at the moniters said, "He's coming".
The command center began to light up with a flurry of activity as the guns began to warm up. The countdown, the Bellador had was just as much a wakeup call to the rest of the ship as a signal that death is coming to those who aren't ready. All across the ship blaring red lights began to sound and hundreds of crewmembers began to move into positon. The call for battle had been rung and the crew understood expectations and punsihemnt for failure. Tally looked at the monitor and said, "When he arrives, remain silent, and working". The ghoulish armada began to turn bright, the large black bat like ship began to come alive. Behind it like an army of the dead several thousand smaller ships began to power-up.
The large ship much like a queen bee began directing the smaller drones into formation. Tally yelled, "The fleet needs to be ready to go by the time the Bellador reaches the control room, hurry". The clicking of buttons, of yelling, and praying could be heard as they watched the ghostly figure on the monitor slowly make his way towards them. Each step making a loud metallic clank that forced faster and faster movement to get their objectives done quicker.
After a few mintes, the automatic door creaked as it swung open. The Bellador walked towards his red throne in the command center and stared his bottomless marble eyes at the crew. He said, "Begin sector-wide communivation. There was a flurry of activity as a large camera was rolled into the room and one of the crewmembers clipped a microphone to his collar. As they were finishing up Tally said, "Sir, we are fully operational and awaiting further instucton". Bellador looked at him and simply nodded. As Tally walked away, he looked into the camera and began talking. "Upon the hill lays a boy. This boy finds that following the will of his selfish desires over his parent's worship. He thinks to himself, why not leave this hallowed land, and go somewhere new". Bellador let out a long sigh, "This boy is overeager, intelligent, and worth saving, but he doesn't understand that once the action is taken, it is very hard to come back drom" He paused took a deep breath, "He believes that running away from his responsibles will give him absolution, but he is wrong, all he has done is remove himself from protection and left both himself and his family vulnerable".
The Bellador's full image came into view as he was standing tall in front of the camera, he simply put his head down, and continued, "Bellador does not decimate, it came for the godly family, and followed the slovenly son until it found him, enjoying the bounty of his vileness, and Bellador smiled". He looked up at the camera, "Your Federation believes that Bellador has left it alone simply became of your strength, that is a lie, because of your courage, a fallacy, because Bellador simply enjoys killing the ungodly at their most powerful". He paused, "When the son left, the Bellador killed the family, killed the animals, burned and salted the earth, and now comes to put the bad child in the ground". His face got close to the screen, He whispered, "Bellador will enjoy ripping your children from you, ripping your bones from you, ripping your souls out of your body, it will cleanse your rancid hearts, and drain away the vileness that courses through your bodies. Bellador is here, run, hide, fight, it is coming". He backed from the screen and stated, "Repent Forswana will forgive those who repent, but we shall see".
The broadcast turned off as the Bellador stared at the planet below and wondered if their death would mean anything to Forswana or they are simply a stepping stone. He looked around the room and felt a tinge of pride of his ability to build a competent crew. Castaway's that had been saved by Forswana's light and were now part of the greatest crew in the world. Bellador looked at the rest of the armada and thought to himself how many would die in the initial bombardment. These souls that had been recruited would have to be as fodder to kill the infidels who decided to throw away Forswana's love and build a temple to darkness.
Bellador rubbed his head and said, "Move forward, and begin the culling". He walked out of the room as one of the crew asked Tally, "What is the culling"? Talley responded, "The ships begin progressing forward with an eye towards planets with life forms. When one was found his ships began firing on the planet until the planet surrenders or sends the hostages the Bellador required. The Bellador recruits this way. He asks for hundred citizens then he cleanses the world" The crewmember quickly asked, "What does cleansing mean"? Talley looked down at the floor, "Destruction of the world".
Avalon
"The universe is a large canvas that needs to be painted on by the Gods and the other superior beings that inhabit the upper echelons of creation. They play games with us lesser beings and tonight I will draw them out". The crowd of people grew quiet and bowed their heads to the old preacher who was standing on a massive altar in the middle of the black citadel that protruded up through the massive city of Avalon on the planet of Diredumm.
The Preacher said, "The native people of this planet always thought of this altar as an eyesore, but we the Goruke had brought our faith and through good will we were given a large area to preach. It has been a place of respite for our people as we are entrenched in this horrible Civil war in our star system and finally we are about to enter peace accords".
The crowd began to applaud as the air was filled with the screaming of the multitudes. The preacher absorbed the applause of the young, of the old, of the rich and poor, of the decrepit and healthy. All listened to every word the old man uttered, beholden to his religion, beholden to his knowledge beholden to him. They traveled miles from all across the planet in order to see the hallowed sermon given in the holy land on Avalon.
The crowd wanted to live in the moment and listen to the words of the preacher. The sermon continued into the night as the old preacher Marmon began speaking louder and louder screaming about the coming of the dark beasts that will take the shape of men. "They will swarm the universe and force its inhabitants towards murder, mayhem, and chaos" Marmon yelled. "The only respite will be to believe in the 7 angels who will combat these beasts and save our souls from the dark damnation". He paused as a platform began to rise behind him and with it seven woman dressed in pure white outfits.
When the platform stopped at its zenith above the preacher, white wings protruded out from behind them in beautiful unison. They began to hum the most beautiful of tunes, the tune that a mother alone with her child would that would allow them to sleep. A tune that is unique to everyone but the emotion was shared throughout. Marmon stuck his old long fingers upward and bellowed over the hum, "The people of this planet need to bow their heads and believe that Happ the Good God of creation will be able to use these angels to defeat the monsters controlled by Hatisus the Evil God of Torture". The crowd was listlessly swaying to the hums absorbing the peacefulness and serenity that was all around them. Marmon began singing a tune in a low deep voice.
The seven will rise
They will Fall
They will Rise
Rise into the Night
Rise into the Night
The Night will Fall
The Hero's will Die
Haitsus will laugh
Happ will cry
Death will be vanquished
Death resurrected
Life will begin again
Serenity will come
Serenity will come
Praise the Almighty
The angels behind him repeated the last phrase and the crowd around repeated the phrase in unison together. After it was said a few times, the whole cathedral went silent as the crowd was reflecting on the solemn pray sung. Then as if even given an order, Marmon began to shriek and yelled, "Haitisus is the threat to all, come together come together, love, don't hate". This was repeated loudly by the many followers in attendance. Once again the cathedral went silent as
Marmon looked down at all of his followers allowing them to gaze into his holy eyes hoping someone could experience the glory that he had been carrying for some time. He finally reached the sparkling blue eyes of an older woman who was standing in the front row in a white dress. He felt it and he grimaced. She suddenly yelled, "Why are they here"? The crowd turned to her as her voice pierced through the silence like chalk on a chalkboard. The bliss of religious harmony intruded upon by the unpleasant sound. Marmon walked down off the stage and grabbed the woman's hand. He said quietly, "My dear, they come because they always do, if they didn't then life wouldn't be worth living". The old woman hugged Marmon and whispered in his ear, "Why are you right"?
Marmon grabbed her hand and walked her up to the altar and told her to lay down. As she laid down, Marmon took out a microphone, and put it up to her mouth. The crowd watched in hushed anticipation as the preacher was to perform a religious awakening, one in along lijne towards absolution for them, and their posterity. Marmon took a breath and said, "Mrs. Huntington as a long time member and a full time believer, tell me what you want from Happ". The old woman struggled to speak as she was flat on her back with so many eyes staring at her. After a few moments to reposition herself, she spoke clearly into the microphone, "I want to be happy".
The crowd let out a boisterous cheer for a few moments before they calmed down to hear the reaction of the preacher. Marmon yelled, "It shall be done, it will be done". He paused and grabbed her hand, "Mrs. Huntington repeat after me, "Happ please give me faith, and kill the doubt before it overwhelms me". She repeated "Happ please give me faith, and kill the doubt before it overwhelms me" as the crowd did the same.
"Happ please give me faith, and kill the doubt before it overwhelms me"
"Happ please give me faith, and kill the doubt before it overwhelms me"
"Happ please give me faith, and kill the doubt before it overwhelms me"
This went on for a few minutes until Marmon took out a knife and said, "Happ, if this sacrifice is worthy please watch in silence". The crowd looked up towards the sky and when nothing happened, they began chanting, "Happ is worthy". Over and over again until Marmon's knife was a few inches above Mrs. Huntington. He screamed into the microphone, "Happ live and take this energy". Marmon's knife was now an inch from her skin and a smile full of glee spread throughout his face as his favorite activity was about to come to fruition. The electricity of the crowd was expanding allowing them to be hard for miles around. Holy bloodshed had started a fire within them, bright, and mindless. The problems of the world forgotten and replaced by a glorious moment of murder. Blood spilled by one of the flock would rejuvenate the herd and allow for Happ to begin his process of forgiveness.
Forgiveness that can only be had through the allowing of a virtuous God to smile at the murder of one by another. Murder, bright red with holy light protruding from its square edges, murder with purpose, not willed by worthless humans. It was ordered by Gods who have made judgment and for this one moment stare eye to eye with the servants that they keep.
However, unknown to everyone in the cathedral, a body was falling at extreme speeds towards their location. This body was from the remains of a fight long over, a body of a person that had stolen many things from many people, and now was at peace. A body whose purpose was solely a message, a body that would begin the next adventure, both the final nail, and the blunt hammer unable to end the suffering, a mistake that would bring pain to many, but would also be the key to salvation.
The body was disintegrating as it entered the atmosphere and would have been late if not for Marmon sneezing. The old Marmon wearing a white gown and wielding a large red knife sneezed. A loud sneeze, a sneeze that would change history. So powerful he stopped what he was doing which gave the body just enough time to crash through the stained glass ceiling of the cathedral. Shards crashed down with a magnificent "bang", shards of different blues and reds fell upon them in a magnificent display. A shower of color fell upon the crowd and all stood watching in amazement as the shards fell upon their faces.
The next few minutes was amazement turning into shock then the realization that many needed medical attention and that what many took to be a religious event was raining shards of dangerous glass on them. Marmon was staring in disbelief at chaos around him but a smile entered his face. The burning husk was all that remained of the body. It had landed not five feet from where the altar stood. It had no distinguishable features that made it sentient except the shape which had been burned by the atmosphere of the planet into a large piece of jet black charcoal.
Marmon spoke into the microphones, "Silence". The crowd turned their attention to their prophet who got on his knees and screamed out, "Long live Happ". There was silence then a burst of a loud cheer. Mrs. Huntington who was still laying on the slab, looked at the husk, and started to cry. Marmon helped Mrs. Huntington off the altar and within a few hours the police were removing the body. The worshippers were being led away for medical treatment with the announcement that another sermon would be held the next day. The next week the news released the story to the public of the federation and Avalon that the burning husk was indeed the traitor Pen Pellyson.
Many were saying it was the work of an unknown force that was coming to relieve people of their suffering and about to bring prosperity to the disenfranchised. Others were saying it was the work of the mythical creature of darkness that destroys the wicked and shields people of the light. Others thought that Pellyson had simply been killed trying to escape a Federation cruiser and had been shot down above the city. An old man on the corner of Shirewood and Moody was screaming, "A place where the leader, the almighty had nestled and protected undone by the shadow that creeps across the land. This world would be consumed in the ashes of the great death and would never be the same.
The one tyrant that the federation could never catch at the detriment of many souls, Evacuate run, please listen". This man was grabbed by authorities and taken away for disrupting the Peace. How could something like that be coming to Avalon, where the righteous worshipped, and now the traitor was dead what could come for them.
Mrs. Huntington was sitting in her home and one thought was flowing through her mind, "The murderer of millions, the reason for the crusade into the outer quadrant, and number one most wanted by every government in the universe". She stood up, took a deep breath, and took out her communicator. It hung on her ear and she said, "You remember that flash drive I gave you, I need you to give it to him tomorrow". The voice on the other end tried to respond but Mrs. Huntington ended the call.
A dark shadow hung in her doorway. She asked, "Why did you save me"? The low, deep voice replied, "Death would always come to you personally, not by some crazed zealot". Mrs. Huntington closed her eyes and thought back to the bright yellow and green that made up the most wonderful time of her short life. She heard the heavy boots walk up behind her and the large hands settle on her shoulders.
The voice whispered in her ears, "Did you still love him after all these years". She whimpered, "Until this very second". The voice asked, "He will tell me the same thing when I meet him soon and soon you two will be reunited". A laser smashed into the back of her skull. It forced her to fall forward out of the chair onto the ground. Blood spilled out her head into a puddle around her body as the door was left open as the figure departed into the night.