Star League -The Last Zomban 2 Awakening

SL-TLZ2 Chapter 2 Myrrg's Last Stand

The region known as the pits was once a large garden created long ago by the Empor Rashkon for his beloved wife. He surprised her with favorite flowers of every color, fruit trees and vegetables. She cherished it and kept it beautiful for many years. After her death, the land was given to the people and it took shape into something magnificent, growing in size to incorporate trees and plants from around the world as well as neighboring planets. It was a perfect tribute to the beloved queen.


Now it is a devastated landscape, the prime target of the first Magorr attack on their world nearly twenty years ago. The once green and thriving land was left burnt with deep craters, the once great trees are now fallen and rotted, covered by moss and choke brush.


Myrrg runs for a field of faded green undergrowth without slowing. "Get ready. Stay two seconds behind me. Look for the markers." Petres drops back. The solids are close.


Right at the edge, Myrrg leaps over the green twenty feet and lands on a rock colored darker than the rest. It takes him two seconds to leap across to the next one. By then, Petres lands on the same rock. The lead Panthro steps on the green and falls into the hidden pit and impaled on long spikes that line the bottom. It takes seconds for the pack to figure out the trap. The next one in line leaps over the pit and the howling Panthro stuck in it. Close on Petres tail, it takes a swing at him and jumps the marker. It falls head first into the second pit. Quickly paying attention, the now desperate Panthros traverse the pits springing every trap with more lives. Despite heavy losses, the Panthros keep going.


On the other side of the crater field, Myrrg and Petres slide down into a small depression and through a small opening under a thick fallen tree. On the other side, he picks up traces of his surviving warriors. Chuk picked a great spot to lay an ambush. There are many hiding places here in the mole hole. He and Chuk were drunk the night they named it and he still finds it amusing. To the left and right are stacks of thick logs awaiting release to crush the approaching enemy.


Myrrg hears the swish of a sword and instinctively ducks. He is relieved to see the graying brown and black Captain of his guard laughing at his back.


"Great reflexes Empor!" he laughs. "Don't slow!" he snaps. "The fortress is mobilizing! Go Empor! Run! I'll see you in the next life."


Ten Panthros make it across the pits over the bodies of their fallen and follow Myrrg's trail. "But not..." He slices down into the neck of the first through and removes his head.  "Too soon!" He slices through the second one through. His booming voice echoes through the trees.


Chuk feels moisture on his head and looks up. A Panthro rests on the trunk above his him. When he makes eye contact, it growls viciously. Totally fearless, Chuk growls back. He steps on a lever. A catapult launches a rock into the beasts face. "All muscle and no brains! That's why I chose this spot stupid!" Chuk steps on another lever and drops into a hole as the rest of the pack come at him from over and under the tree.


****


The sound of death and despair ring in his ears and gets into his head. He tries to shut it out but it occupies his thoughts. This is the last stand. He doesn't expect them to win against these monsters, only to slow them down. He has faith in his warriors but the Panthros are ruthless. There is nothing to help them between here and his personal retreat, in which they are getting closer to.


Myrrg's runs up the trail concentrating on nothing but the crunching of the ground beneath his paws and feeling the wind through his sweat soaked fur. His breathing is winded and his heart threatens to beat out of his chest. A loud rumble sounds behind them followed by a ground rumbling crash! The walls were released! Die you beasts! You brought this upon yourselves!


After a moment of silence, triumphant roars echo through the trees. Unfortunate for them, they belong to the wrong side. The Panthros won and they will resume their chase. The rumbling begins anew, although weaker.


Chuk is dead. Davo is dead. Everyone who came with him is dead. Why? They are dead because they believed in me. Me! If I had paid closer attention to matters at home, I would have seen this coming. I am nothing but a failure! I will be dead soon too! And Daestra will know nothing of these events. He thinks of his mate. She is the smartest and most feared of the Cali. She will stop at nothing to learn the truth. She is fond of saying, "It isn't over until it's over. Either until I succeed or I am dead, it isn't over."


He smiles inward. His mate's wisdom has just saved his diminishing spirit and she doesn't know it. I don't feel like dying today. I still have a job to do. If I die, millions upon millions will die, so get it together! He packs away all his doubt and pushes his powerful forearms faster. Petres has to work harder to catch up.


They are in sight of the fortress of Rashkon. He picked this sight for his private retreat. His father scorned him, telling him it was a waste of time and resources. The place was too unstable with too many ways in and out. That's why I thought this was the perfect place. He sealed up all the escape routes but one and rebuilt most of the place to his specifications.


He forgoes the trail that winds through perfectly pruned trees and climbs up the steep embankment instead like he did when he was a lit and soon they are at the gates of his small fortress.


Three Panthros survived the onslaught and pursue them still. He wants nothing more than to stop and slaughter them all but quickly changes his mind. One is deadly enough but taking on three will be suicide. Panthros are bred for battle and he is exhausted. The only choice now is to get to his private ship.


He is met by warriors at the peak outside the fortified gates of his second home, a veranda of Magorr architecture built around a very old tree. The gate master Loc and his young apprentice Lor are surprised to see him approach in this manner.


Myrrg is furious. These fools aren't ready! "Get inside and lower the gates and prepare for battle!"


"I thought it was another drill," Loc says in defense. Not accustomed to action of any kind, Loc is slow to move while Lor looks over the edge where Petres just came up and his eyes open wide. He turns open mouthed to Loc but he is already through the gate. The Panthros run right over the top of him. Loc drops the heavy iron gate right in the Panthros face. It bounces off with a loud whack! What few warriors are there arm themselves and move for the gate.


***


Inside is a round paradise surrounded by a wall of tall impenetrable foliage. It is like entering another world, one of serenity with trimmed green grass, wading pools, fountains and benches. At the center is a thousand year old tree with a multilayered house built around it so impressive the Magorr are slightly jealous.


Flowers of varying sizes and colors always catch his eye the moment he enters. He truly loves it here as does his wife Daestra. She loves flowers more than he so, like Rashkon before him, he went a little overboard on planting them. It is a pity she is not here to enjoy them with him. A loud crash of heavy metal striking the ground alerts him to the fact that the Panthros are through the gate. He wishes he can enjoy one last look around his paradise because he knows he may never see it again.


***


Around the backside of his house is a gated arched foliage tunnel that leads to a smaller circular clearing with a single building protruding from the ground. The roof opens to the sky and the whine of the light drive of his Sorostar Planet Hopper is music to his ears. When he entered his small paradise he activated the ship by remote and it began to prep itself for flight.


The gate slams shut and Myrrg enters the building. He gets a sudden nagging feeling. Something is not right here. He keys in his access code into the ships panel and the hatch opens slowly. His eyes wander everywhere. He has to upgrade the door motor. It's not opening fast enough. He sighs heavily and impatiently pulls at the door like it would open faster.


Suddenly, Petres body blocks him away from the hatch. He has no idea what happens until he sees a shaggy headed Leo slide down head first from the top of the fuselage on the right of the hatch. He wears razor edged gloves on his forepaws and a double edged razor bridle in his mouth. He slices Petres down his right side. It tears through his leather vest and through his skin. He ignores the pain and kicks the Leo away.


Myrrg is sickened. That could have been me! He realizes his second mistake of the day. This was a trap all along. They got here ahead of us.


"How bad are you hurt?"


Petres pays the wound no notice. "It's just a scratch."


"That's no scratch."


Male Leos are slow and lazy creatures and like to keep to themselves. He is surprised when this one turns to strike again.


The gate bursts open with a loud crash. The Panthros run for the building. As if things weren't bad enough.


Petres stands tall and resigns himself to his death. "Time for you to go," he says to his Empor in a manner that says goodbye.


Instead, Myrrg hands him a data disk and pushes him into the ship. "Get that to the Alliance!" Before the young warrior can protest, he presses a button and the hatch closes. It moves as slow as it opens. Petres is stunned.


He watches through the closing hatch as the Leo lunges, intent on slicing him up with the razors attached to his snout. The Empor sidesteps the attack and pounces on the Leos back. He grabs the straps of the bridle and hauls him up on two legs.


The Leo tries to break his way free by flailing his arms around but Myrrg reaches around and slits his throat. Two Panthros enter the hanger.


Petres looks out the starport as he prepares to launch. Myrrg stands alone against two Panthros holding a dead Leo. This is the stuff legends are made from. Empor Myrrg is truly legendary! I will never forget you.


Without looking at the ship, Myrrg tells him, "Go now!"


One Panthro goes for the ship while the other creeps up to him. He smells blood. His eye is missing and oozing blood. Ouch! That's gotta hurt! And it still keeps going! It stops ten feet from him and roars, "Surrender!"


Myrrg roars back, "Stupid beast. Let's finish this!"


"Surrender!" he repeats.


The ship launches in a cloud of dust. Both Panthros startle and look up. Petres went to full repulsers. Clever boy! You gave me time for this! With strength built on pure adrenalin, Myrrg throws the dead Leo in the air, grabs his back legs and spins him three hundred sixty degrees. The Panthro tries to jump away but is too slow. The razor glove slices off his left leg and continues up his throat to his chin. The beast falls over twitching. Myrrg drops the Leo and turns to fight the second Panthro, who charges from behind. It is on him in an instant. It pounces on his chest and knocks him flat on his back.


The Panthro pins him to the ground and stares at him through narrowed eyes with his ears back. Saliva drips on his face through razor sharp white teeth. He feels weight on his shoulders and hot putrid breath on his face. He tries to move but his body is totally exhausted.


"You win," Myrrg says in high speech. "I have nothing more to give. My mission is done." At least Petres got away. The mission falls on him now. He looks up at the sky imagining that he can see the small dot leaving the atmosphere.


"He will not get very far," a calm voice says.


The voice startles him. He snaps his head left to see the face attached to it. He can't believe it. "You? You're behind the coup?" The Panthro shows more teeth and presses them against his right cheek pinning him to the ground so that he can't look upon his leaders face.


"Back off," the voice sternly orders the beast.


The Pantro backs away without hesitation but stays close. He looks around and realizes he is surrounded by more solids. Leos, Panthros and Sneers. Sneers! As if this situation could get any worse! They are sneaky, cunning creatures. I should have known!


Fighters are going after him but they won't catch him in time. Petres is a good pilot. He will make it. He's not so sure about himself.