Book 7 The Final Battle

BOOK 7 The Final Battle

                                                 Chapter 1
                                                 March 2007
                     
         Supreme General and War Lord Victor Voktor looked up at the icy, sheer cliffs that made up the Ural Mountains in central Russia. He appeared shorter than he actually was because he often hunched over. He had brown hair, cold, grey eyes, was rather skinny, and had a cold calculating face to go with his eyes. He wore a black uniform with carefully polished black boots, an officers' cap with an eagle on top, and a few medals that distinguished him as a high ranking officer. But now, instead of four silver stars on each shoulder, his unifrom sported five stars. He was still second in command of the Empire, but the extra stars were in honor of their conquering the world, no small feat. For he and his leader Supreme Leader Merkuto ruled the Global Empire which consisted of all of planet Earth. The first Empire to do so in history. However their mortal enemies for hundreds of years, the Freedom Leaders, had escaped the Empire’s conquest of their Republic which had been fighting the Empire for a some time. Now the two remaining Freedom Leaders, Dart Smalls and Rose Calumberry had started rebellions in the remote Ural and Himalaya Mountains. To ensure a final Imperial victory they would have to be crushed. Victor intended to take care of the rebels in the Urals while a trusted protogee of his, Brigadier General Alvin Smithers, would keep the rebels in the Himalayas at bay until he could go there after finishing these ones off. He knew it wouldn’t be easy but it had to be done at any cost. So he ordered his men to begin scaling the mountains.

         At this point a short history of this Empire and what the world had become under it is in order. The Empire was formed nearly seven years before by Victor Voktor and Supreme Leader Merkuto. They planned to use mainly male teens to conquer the world as they knew adults would most likely not harm the children. They had a hypnotic effect on them and the teens soon forgot about home and their lives and only sought more power for themselves and leaders. Their principle opposition was the Freedom Leaders who led a Republic that allowed both genders to join equally. However, after losses in the first great war, the Empire adopted this policy as well. After many battles lost and won in that huge war, a cold war, and yet another war, the Empire had emerged victorious and driven the remains of the Republic deep into hiding. The Empire now ruled ruthlessly with its Zaki Secret Police Force and soon began monitoring its citizens in its oldest and most faithful territories in the Americas and Europe constantly. The people became cynical and would soon do anything the War Lords asked of them. Many began to doubt if they could even survive free of their leaders. It was up to the rebels to find out.

         Freedom Leader Dart Smalls was tall with red hair, green eyes, and strong build. He wore plain red clothes that could distinguish him but were not really any type of uniform. He had set up a base to resist the Empire in the Ural Mountains and had a fair number of followers there. They were working on a new plan with some new information they had attained and hope had began to return as they believed they may still be able to find a way to defeat the Empire.

         Meantime, Freedom Leader Rose Calumberry was in her rebel base in the Himalayas with newly promoted Brigadier General Sally Smithers. They also had a good number of followers and were watching Imperial Brigadier General Alvin Smither’s army waiting for them at the bottom of the mountains. The two were brother and sister who had joined opposite sides in this war. Rose was short compared to her friend Dart. She had purple hair, blue eyes, and she was rather skinny. She wore an outfit similar to Dart's but hers was purple instead.  Soon a final outcome would have to be reached in this long and damaging conflict.

         The Rebellion encouraged freedom for all people’s and its sole goal was to bring down the oppressive Empire ruling the world. It was born out of the shattered remains of the Republic that the Empire had ruthlessly crushed the year before. But the Rebels soon hoped to renew the struggle and release the planet from the Empire's iron grip.

                                                 Chapter 2

         Victor Voktor and his aide Captain Christopher Cartwright, as well as his three menacing personal bodyguards and a large contingent of Zaki and Imperial troops moved up a narrow pass in the Ural Mountains. They had word that they were nearing the rebel base now and he had given similar orders for his troops in the Himalayas who were slowly advancing to the rebel base there as well. He now hoped that he could finish these fools once and for all.

         Dart smiled as the Imperial column came down the narrow pass. “We have them now!” He said triumphantly. “Fire!” he ordered. Just then his concealed troops opened up on the enemy soldiers who began to topple over and panic.

         Victor was desperately trying to rally his troops and save the column but it was proving to be very difficult. They could not go maneuver in the narrow pass and could not advance forward or they would be cut off. Furthermore, the pass was blocked by Rebels doing their best to kill them all. They also couldn’t stay in place much longer or they would be slaughtered. They had to attempt to fight their way back. “Fall back!” he ordered. His troops inflicted minor casualties on the rebels but the attack was in truth a failure. Victor soon learned a similar trap had been unleashed against his other troops and that they were too weak to try and attack again. Now it was the rebels turn.

                                                 Chapter 3

         Rose stared at the pins on the map. Blue pins represented their soldiers and black pins the soldiers of the Empire. An amazing possibility had just arisen however. They had beaten back the Empire’s soldiers at the base of the mountains and left them too weak to attack. The majority of the other Imperial troops seemed to be trapped at the cities in Asia. In the large urban centers people were less loyal than elsewhere in the world and these troops were needed to keep order and implement the Empire's new plans for the areas. Because of this, the Rebels now had a chance to break out, spark rebellions all over the countryside of Asia, and then attack the cities when they had enough troops and supplies. She began giving orders for scouts to head out and tell the people they were coming to free them and destroy the Empire.

         Dart had mobilized his rebels in the Ural Mountains and had hit the remaining unsuspecting Imperial troops at the base of the mountains. They had immediately fallen back to an Imperial stronghold. Victor was pinned down waiting for more mobile units to arrive from Europe and the Americas. Dart knew they had only one chance. He would have to link up with Rose’s forces in the south and spark a rebellion all over the continent before Victor could gather the forces to stop them. He began issuing various orders as well. Now the revolt would be open.

                                                 Chapter 4

         Sally Smithers asked her soldiers, “Is everyone ready?” The group all shook their heads and she pressed a button. Seconds later there was a loud explosion which blew a whole in the fortified door on the Imperial radio station. They charged in and killed the few guards. Now came the most important part. She turned on the speaker and began to read a message that would go out to all of Asia, Africa, and Europe. “People of the Empire. You have been in slavery under the tyranny of the War Lords for too long. However, a revolution has just begun against the Empire in Asia! We beg all of you, for the sake of the world rise up and join us to crush the hated Empire!” they turned off the signal just as a sentry came in. “Imperial column approaching!” he shouted. Then another rebel shouted in horror, “They’re Zaki!” “We’ve gotta get out of here.” Sally said. They planted charges in the station to destroy it and began driving away just as the Zaki overran the area.

         With hope of freedom more began to join the revolution against the Empire and soon this new conflict engulfed many areas. The whole of Asia aside from old Imperial holdings in the southeast and on the coast was in rebellion. Large parts of Africa and the Middle East also rose up. Many towns and cities were freed from the Empire and the capital of India, New Delhi became the new capital of the rebellion, being one of the largest cities to fall. But now Imperial forces were beginning to arrive from loyal sections of the Empire to finish off this last opposition against the Empire once and for all.

                                                 Chapter 5

         Dart and Rose had not linked their main armies yet but their scouts had reached each other and they were soon able to make a rendezvous to plan on how to join their forces so that they would have a large enough army to drive out the Empire. After joyously greeting each other for the first time in over a year and a half they began to look at a large map that had been brought along. Voktor had received reinforcements from all over the Empire and had used a massive army to smash the revolt in Africa and then drive deep into the south of the continent and pin its survivors against the coast. Then he had routed the forces they had in the Middle East and was pressing toward India and their capital New Delhi. Now they needed an idea to stop him. After working for some time they had no new ideas and decided to meet again later.

         Rose awoke in bed and shouted, “I have it!” She called Dart right away to their meeting place and described her plan. “I will take my army and place it in front of New Delhi which is obviously what Victor wants and we shall use it as bait. Trying to destroy us he will leave the rear of his army exposed to the Himalayas, then your army will move over the trail we made in the mountains, come out behind the Imperial army and destroy it!” she finished triumphantly. He looked at the map for a few seconds then said, “This just might work.”  They began to put their plan into action.

                                                 Chapter 6

         Victor Voktor was at the head of a massive Imperial army marching on the rebel capital of New Delhi. He planned to take it and then easily finish off the remaining rebels in the world. Soon he came up to the rebel positions a few miles away from the city. They didn’t have as many soldiers and weren’t as well equipped as his troops were. “This should be easy.” he said as he laughed evilly. The battle opened and the rebels resisted fiercely. Voktor transformed into his War Lord form, his true from. It had sharp claws and teeth, red eyes, and two large black wings resembling a bat’s. But this was different now that the Empire ruled the world, he was far more powerful and had regained a black suit of durable armor that he had not possessed since the Dark Ages. It shrugged off bullets like they were nothing as they armies clashed. He supported his men by firing large blasts of energy to wipe out enemy soldiers but soon the Freedom Leader Rose was on the scene and rallied her troops. They began fighting but soon Victor’s men began to gain the upper hand. He leaned close toward her over their swords that were crossed and said, “Now you will pay the ultimate price for resisting us.” She pressed him back and said, “Don’t be so sure Victor.” The battle raged on as the rebels seemed to begin to give way.

         Dart had lead his column through the narrow path on the mountain and was now heading through a small forest that would lead him to the rear of the Imperial army. Then he could save the rebels under Rose and destroy Voktor’s grand army as they had planned. Then all of the sudden high powered lights flashed on and lit up his whole column. They had been discovered! Surrounded by Imperial forces an Imperial Brigadier  General said over a megaphone, “Rebels! This is Brigadier General Alvin Smithers speaking to you. We are destroying your allies ahead and will kill you as well if you continue to resist. Lay down your weapons and the Empire will have mercy.” he finished. His only reply was the rebels opening fire. They killed a few of his soldiers but then the Imperial forces opened fire and within minutes all the rebels were dead or had run off into the woods. Victor was right when he said they would try something like this. Well he had done his job. The rebel capital would fall without these reinforcements and they could end this war once and for all.

         Where is Dart? Rose thought to herself while trying to dodge Victor Voktor. Soon though even more Imperial soldiers came up and her army could no longer bear the strain of holding them off. They broke and fled back to the rebel capital that they were already nearing with their fighting retreat. What could have happened to him? She thought as she ran back toward the capital. Whatever it was it could spell certain doom for the rebellion and any hopes they had left.

                                                 Chapter 7

         Dart, battered and beaten, stumbled into New Delhi with his few remaining soldiers and made his way to the rebel HQ in the center of the city. The same are he had witnessed fall to the Empire once and was now waiting for it to do so again. Rose was livid when she saw him. “What happened to you!” she screamed at him. “The Empire knew we were coming,” he began defending himself, “we were ambushed and nearly everyone was wiped out.” he ended. “My God.” she said. “It’s like he knows us better than we do. He’s too powerful.” she said mournfully. “The best we can do is fight a delaying action here and then fall back to reorganize ourselves.” Dart suggested. But it may have been to late even for that. Voktor’s army and his Zaki had reached the city and were beginning to break in. “We have to leave. Now!” Rose said as they darted out to escape certain death.

         Major General Alvin Smithers, as he had just been promoted to by Victor Voktor, had just entered New Delhi at the head of an Imperial column. His orders were to wipe out any resistance and to hunt down and kill the Freedom Leader’s at any cost. His men were suffering some minor casualties until they reached the rebel HQ in the center of the city and resistance stiffened. He ordered a bombardment of the building and some of the guns in it were silenced. Then his infantry moved in and within a few minutes the Imperial flag flew over the building. A soldier came up to him. “Sir the city is ours. However, the Freedom Leaders and a small column were sighted escaping. We tried to catch them but were ambushed by other rebels outside the city, but I was able to report their position to the Imperial Air Force which is now tracking them.” Alvin scowled but said, “Good work soldier. With the rest of the army forming up we can move on and won’t have to worry about ambushes.” The soldier saluted and left. Within a few hours the Imperial Army rolled on.

                                               Chapter 8

         Meanwhile the rebellion was suffering terrible defeats elsewhere in the world. Their base in the Urals fell to the Empire and their forces in central Asia had been routed. Lastly, their army in South Africa was forced to capitulate as well and many people were going back over to the Empire. The rebels were forced to retreat back to their strongest base in the Himalayas and most specifically on Mt. Everest where a new piece of information would give them a final chance to defeat the Empire.

         Rose and Dart along with their top generals, inclusding newly promoted Major General Sally Smithers who had risen to prominence in their army over the years, gathered at their HQ on Mt Everest. Dart began speaking. “We have one final chance to defeat the Empire. We found a document in New Delhi from Freedom Leader’s long past saying they had hid an item at the peak of this very mountain that would seal away the War Lord’s and their evil in case they should ever return. Well they obviously have and now we have to set it right. Here is the plan. Our main force will wait at the bottom of the mountain and hold of the Imperial Army. Rose and I along with an elite team lead by Sally will scale the mountain and retrieve the item before Voktor can get there with a similar team to destroy it. Unfortunately the document fell to him with New Delhi and he’s on his way here.” he finished. “This is it our last chance. So plan everything well and get some rest. We move in the morning.” Rose finished and the meeting ended.

                                                 Chapter 9

         Victor Voktor met with his usual entourage and a group of Imperial generals a few miles from Mt. Everest. “Well men we have fought long and hard beside each other for years now. And I have never had a more devoted or successful army in all my time as a War Lord.” When the clapping ended he continued, “All we have worked so hard to build is threatened with destruction now, but we shall stop the Freedom Leader’s from obtaining this item and will end this fight once and for all!” Once more the officer’s clapped. He then finished the meeting by saying, “Get some rest, our main army will engage this large rebel force and destroy it while Alvin and I will take a special force to the summit to capture this item and kill the rebel leaders.” After the generals left he took Alvin aside and said, “You have been one of the most loyal of all these loyal soldiers.” he said. “After we win this battle I will see to it you are promoted to Lieutenant General and I foresee you becoming a great War Lord someday.” he finished. Alvin was shocked he had no idea what to say but finally managed, “Thank you my Lord. It’s been a pleasure serving under you!” Victor smiled and said, “Get some rest we are going to have a busy day tomorrow. With a surprise or two for those fools.” He said, and with that they separated.

         Dart and Rose looked out at the mountain the night before their final battle. “Hard to believe it will all be over soon.” Dart said. “Yeah, especially after so long and so much. Then we can fix all of this and free our friends the Empire still has captive in America.” Rose said. Dart agreed and Sally Smithers came up to them. “Well this has a different significance for me.” she said. “Why?” they both asked her. She replied, “My brother is going to lead that Imperial force against us tomorrow along with Voktor and it will be the first and probably last time I will see him in seven years.” They both gave her looks of understanding and their sympathy. Then they all looked back up at the summit knowing that was their last hope to free the world and defeat the War Lords once and for all.

                                                 Chapter 10

         The Imperial and Rebel armies clashed at the base of Mount Everest as two small teams moved up the mountain converging on the summit. It soon became clear the Empire was winning the battle below the mountain which made it even more imperative that the Freedom Leaders stop the War Lords and get the item that could save them and the world. Within hours the two groups were at the top of the freezing snow covered summit where there was hardly enough air to breathe. As the two teams clashed Sally and Alvin finally came face to face. They both tried to kill each other hand to hand without a word, feeling there was nothing left to say before they were finally separated by gunfire.

         Meantime, a few yards away Victor Voktor was battling Rose and Dart in his War Lord form and as they inched closer and closer to the golden orb on a pedestal at the top of the mountain. Then an event occurred that turned the tide significantly. The Supreme Leader Merkuto himself climbed up the mountain and joined the fray. He had immediately traveled there upon hearing of this danger to his rule. His arrival cause even more chaos and the wind and snow on the mountain began to pick up as well. Within seconds though, the Imperial team rallied and attacke again, more fiercly than before. Believing it was the end Dart turned to Rose, "There is something important that I have to tell you!" he shouted to her. "What is it?" she yelled back even though they were only a few feet away from one another. "It was always you Rose, I always liked you." Tears rolled down her face, "I always felt the same way but was too afraid or too busy to tell you." She replied. Then energy blasts from the War Lords began tearing apart the area around them and snapped them back to reality. "I'm going out there, I have to end it." Dart said. "I'll hold them off." Rose said. Then she whispered "Good luck." and kissed him. He smiled and then ran for the summit and the precious orb. But it was too late, Merkuto had already nearly reached it. Then something stunning happened: he was pressed out of the way by Sally Smithers and before he could react she grabbed the orb. The fate of the world was now in her hands. The decision she made would determine the outcome of thousands of years of fighting.

         Everyone stopped fighting and simply stared to see what she would do. Voktor was the first to summon up the ability to speak. “Don’t be hasty girl!” He said to her, his eyes very wide open. “Think about it, let us rule the world and we can give you anything you want! What do you get for siding with them? Nothing!” He said trying to persuade her. Then Dart said, “No, Sally he’s a liar don’t listen to a word he says!” Then she finally replied. “I don’t want the world under the Republic.” The rebels faces fell and the War Lords laughed gleefully. Then she continued, “I don’t want a world under the Empire either.” In confusion the Supreme Leader said, “Then what do you want? Make up your mind girl!” Then she said, “What I want is for your evil to be gone forever and all of this to be gone! And most of all I want all of our lives back that have been stolen by this war and I want my brother back!” she shouted as tears streamed down her face. The War Lords shouted their inhuman howls as they lunged at her and tried stop her but it was too late. A light burst forth from the orb, the same light Voktor remembered damaging his eyes so long ago and encased both him and Merkuto inside it. Then it moved flashed out over the entire world and reverted it all back to the night before the War Lords attacked.

         The Freedom Leaders had their usual, uneventful meeting and went home. Sally and her brother talked and went our with friends and no armed battalions stormed out to conquer the world, no fierce, ancient conquerors came with them to smite the world with death and horror. But up on the summit of Mt. Everest two strange creatures were incased in prisms of light waiting to be discovered by some unwitting humans to reap their terrible vengeance on the world once more. They had not forgotten this adventure and were the only ones still able remember it very well. They are watching and waiting...