Warrior's redemption

The story of a betrayed space warrior who gives his life to stop his old commander.

Hakai woke up feeling exhausted and noticed he was lying on a comfortable low-lying bed. He sat up with some difficulty and wearily looked around. The room he was in was alien in design yet familiar to him and the walls were dotted with circles of many different sizes, all cut out of the same light colored stone. Rows of evergreen bushes with light blue and blood red flowers amid the deep green leaves stood along the walls and ivy-like plants and grasses blanketed the floor and ceiling. Suddenly a searing pain erupted in both his left side and shoulder, causing Hakai to fall back against the mattress. He called out vainly and lost consciousness for several hours.

As he reopened his eyes, Hakai noticed a stout blue-skinned creature sitting next to him, watching him intently. The dwarf stood up and extended his hand towards him. Hakai, reluctant to touch the alien, was still where he was. The alien smiled wide, his face grotesquely elongated like a watermelon and began to speak with a garbled form of the Galactic Basic Language.

"I'm glad to see you finally awake, I and my son K’darlae have awaited your consciousness for many days."

Hakai lifted his hand to touch his forehead.

"Where am I and how long have I been here?" Hakai asked in an unnecessarily loud tone.

The alien's smile faded, becoming serious. "You are on the planet Plantae and as far my knowledge goes, your stay here has been around two standard weeks."

Hakai then passed out from the mental strain of this realization.

Hakai remained in the infirmary on Plantae for a few more weeks. The day after his first awaking in two weeks, Hakai met K’darlae, the blue alien's son, who seemed to take a special interest in Hakai and his story. Every day the young alien and his father, So’ranh, brought Hakai a basket of food, which consisted mainly of carrot-like vegetables and many fruits and other plants. He also learned many things while on Plantae. Hakai learned more about its inhabitants, the Plantains and their history, customs, and their unyielding taste for spike-ball looking fruits they call blagga. They were also fascinated by Hakai's adventures, especially his last adventure before coming to their planet.

One morning, a small group of tall, hooded beings walked into the village. A certain bad vibe pervaded them. Their long, dark cloaks left space for the curved horns that protruded from their heads and shoulders. Minutes from mid-day, the newcomers attacked furiously and without warning the next day. Many of the Plantains were killed and most of their buildings were destroyed by powerful energy blasts. As Hakai listened in horror, he overheard one of the voices, Argeniza had come. His rage grew for Argeniza as a flashback entered his mind.

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Hakai had once been the leader of a small planet conquering task force. Before his life was almost stolen from him, he and his comrades had been ordered to take over the planet Fairbain. As he was flying across the planet's red sky, he searched the ground for energy signatures. All Galaxy Control Force soldiers were able to detect and track energy. He picked up a faint but recognizable energy. Dropping out of the Fairbainian skies, he landed upon the ground approximately 50 yards from where the signature was eminating from. Walking silently, he came to a rocky overhang. He then remembered that this was where he and his team had agreed upon meeting after the domination of the planet; but there were no signs of them. The energy was steadily declining about a hundred feet away. Running towards it, Hakai came to a seemingly insignificant group of hills covered with blue grasses and shattered rock. Ten feet from the leftmost hill, patches of the ground seemed to be uprooted and there were craters in the hills. The energy emitted for the largest of the craters. Hakai slid down the wildly sloping side of the crater and the horror gripped him so tightly; it was as if his stomach was in an iron chokehold. He saw each of his colleagues lying in contorted positions among the demolished rocks.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Hakai yelled, they all appeared to be dead. The energy was still there, still steadily falling.

"It’s Kyra! It's coming from Kyra!" he said to himself.

He ran over to Kyra’s limp body and pulled her slowly down from the broken rocks. Placing his hand upon her warm forehead, her eyes fluttered and opened slowly

"Hakai is that you?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, I'm here Kyra."

She sat up and leaned her back against a rock, wincing horribly.

"Who did this to you? Tonuka, Relyt? Are they... dead?" Hakai asked almost choking on that last word.

There was a silent moment before Kyra broke into sobs.

"It was Argeniza. He and his soldiers ambushed us. Hakai...I'm so sorry. We tried our best, but they were so strong. Argeniza feared that we were becoming too powerful for our own good, especially you."

She paused for a moment to allow him to cradle her head in his muscled arms.

"They're dead, Tonuka, Relyt; both dead. I'm going to be just like them soon, empty, heading for the afterlife."

"No. That's not going to happen." Hakai assured her, placing his arms under her and very gently picking her up. "There has to be a med center somewhere on this dreaded planet."

Hakai jumped into the air and took off using Chikara, the energy field all warriors harness to fly and fight. He searched for energies but there was no life left on the planet. Kyra was dying and before she did, she made Hakai land atop a grassy hill. He lay her down gently. Her forehead was bleeding profusely, as well as her right side and her left thigh.

"I love you, Hakai, you know that", she smiled pridefully. “I don't think I could make it to a med center even if there was one here."

"You can't die! I won't let you!” Hakai had started to cry. "I promise!"

"Hakai, don't make me a promise you cannot keep. Let me die with the dignity of a lover and a fighter."

She closed her eyes and smiled again, as her head lulled to the side. There on planet Fairbain, she died, her beautiful face more calm and graceful in death than in life. Hakai bent down and kissed her upon her brow. "I love you as well, my beloved Kyra, may your afterlife be wonderful and soon I may join you."

Hakai left the planet, and vowing revenge on Argeniza, went to challenge him.

After that, the only things he could remember were his bling rage, the revenge he wanted so, and blood, and pain. He also knew his life hung on a thread and his escape was much to narrow.

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Hakai walked out of So’ranh and K’daralae's deformed home. As he donned his battle armor, which was repaired for him by the Plantains, he continued until he made it to the edge of the alien's village. Argeniza had told the villagers that he would destroy the planet in 8 hours after his attack on the village, if no one stood against him. Hakai, eager for another try at revenge and to honor the fallen Plantains, he tracked Argeniza's energy signature in the direction of the planet's equator.

Hakai jumped and took flight, heading straight for the equator. As he flew, Hakai brushed away a few annoying strands of hair angrily. It would take at least 5 hours to reach the equator.

Flying on Plantae was different for Hakai because of the gravity of the planet was harder compared to the others he conquered. Soon, Dum Kauri, the Plantains father mountain, the largest on the planet, surrounded by grassy foothills, appeared. The Argeniza's massive energy was coming from the closest hill. He had barely landed upon it when he heard that shrill laugh. He spun around to see Argeniza standing with his guards behind him, still enshrouded in cloaks but no longer hooded. Argeniza and those of his species, the Armengians, who looked similar to humans, were tall, burly aliens with three thick jointed appendages on each hand and foot, and had large slightly curving horns atop their large heads.

"I must say that I'm very surprised that you are still alive, Hakai," Argeniza said in a high- screeching tone common of the Armengians. "But not for much longer!"

He lifted a monstrous hand and pointed arrogantly at Hakai’s chest. Suddenly, a thin pink beam of energy bolted toward its target at an amazing speed.

Hakai had anticipated this attack though, and promptly dodged it as the beam pummeled into the rounded side of a hill.

Argeniza smiled wickedly. “Well, well, well, that is truly a surprise. You have improved much since last time." Stepping back, he said, “Kill him.”
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The guards responded immediately, yanking off their cloaks, revealing sickly hot pink skin. Their rich black armor glittered as they both raced toward him, their arms outstretched, fists clenched in an attempt to cut him down. Hakai ducked down slightly, reached up, and grabbed one of the guards extended limbs. The aliens' expression changed from a cocky smirk to a face full of outright terror in the blink of an eye as Hakai threw him easily into one the closer hills. The guard shrieked as his large body was pummeled by the solid rock. At this time, the other guard had rebounded off of another hill, barreling at Hakai.

Hakai hopped up and jammed the point of his boot into the alien's abdomen, then, before the guard had time to gasp, he grabbed the Armengians curved horns, pulled down toward his side, and smashed the big alien's face into the ground, cracking his skull. Argeniza chuckled mockingly, entertained by the little display.

"You have truly improved, traitor" he said, clapping slowly.

"You have no idea." Hakai replied seriously.

Argeniza chuckled wildly, this time anger tinged it. "You still have not the power to defeat me weakling!"

With ten times the speed of a tiger and thrice the strength of an ox, Argeniza rushed at Hakai, punching him in the stomach, and slammed his leg into Hakai’s ankle, taking the wind out of him. Then he threw his huge fist at the side of Hakai’s face, knocking him to the ground. His mind racing, Hakai wiped the blood from his broken nose. 'How am I supposed to beat him when I'm barely able to keep up with his movements?’ he thought.

He stood up groggily, his armor was cracked and he was out of breath, but he still launched himself at Argeniza. The Armengian sidestepped easily and lifted his leg, striking Hakai in his midsection with his knee.

Hakai landed hard on the ground, open mouthed and gasping for breath.

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"You are still weak Hakai! How dear you challenge me with such feeble power?! Argeniza yelled.

Mentally Hakai realized that what the burly alien said was true. He was too weak. But he had finally figured out what the key to killing Argeniza and saving the planet was. The alien was standing over him now, screeching insults, trying to demean him. Suddenly, and much to Argeniza's immediate surprise, Hakai hopped up, turned, and dropped to one knee. Then, he drove his fist straight into Argeniza's genitals. Hakai jumped away quickly just as the Armengian smashed his fist into the ground where he was, wailing in humorous pain.

"I WILL KILL YOU FOR THAT!" Argeniza yelled, holding his crotch.

"We shall see." Hakai said mockingly, stifling a laugh.

The monster bellowed and ran at him. Hakai tried to sweep the giant's leg but misjudged his timing, and just before he could correct his mistake, the pink-skinned alien punched him in the left side of his head. Hard. So hard that he was sent flying back-first into one of the surrounding hills. He decided now was the time to unleash his plan. Argeniza was now sprinting towards him at a speed that completely belied his stature. Hakai breathed deeply, focusing on his energies, blocking out all noise. The Armengian was less than thirty feet from him when he closed his eyes.

"Kyra, my love, soon I will join YOU in the afterlife." Hakai said to himself.

Now Argeniza was only fifteen feet from him.

Hakai balled his hands into fists.

Ten feet.

Five.

Abruptly, he yelled, his voice ringing throughout the hills. All of his energy, his life, his love, hate and his fear burst forth in an explosion more powerful than that of any bomb.

"What the-?!"Argeniza said, as Hakai’s emotion burned his flesh. "Noooooooooooooooo!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Hakai yelled. He felt his life ebbing away and his final thoughts were of Kyra’s beautiful face.

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Endnote

The explosion killed both Hakai and Argeniza, destroyed many of the hills and tore into most of the mountain they surrounded. The violence was felt and heard all over the planet. The Plantains mourned their strange savior’s death and in honor of his sacrifice and the protection of their planet, they named the father mountain after him.

Let this story be a lesson to all of those who read it. Stand up against tyranny and pain. Honor and protect those you love and care for, because love is precious and a thing not to find but to be found by. Hakai and Kyra’s love was true and true love is rare, rarer than most things in life. It is something most will not fight for and those few will not reap the rewards of love. Remember these words of wisdom and may you one day, if you have not already, be found by true love.