The Great War

Chapter 12

The Great War

 

            If someone had told Fred that all of this would happen if he traveled into the future, he never would have done it. He would have just let that soldier capture him and do whatever he wanted with him.

But instead, he found himself sitting in the central plaza on a planet that was about to go to war with their mortal enemies, all because he decided to show up. He couldn't talk his way out of this one. He had to stay and fight.

Fred got up from his seat and climbed on top of the brick wall surrounding the central fountain of the plaza.

"Can I have your attention please?" he said as determined as possible. Every Anerian dropped what they were doing, got up, and walked toward the fountain. "Um... I know... the fears that are going around base camp right now: 'We don't stand a chance,' 'The Sneila are too powerful,' and 'We're fighting for something that's not achievable.' Well... I'm not up here to dispel those rumors... but rather to confirm them." The Anerians all looked at each other in disbelief that their King was telling them this. They looked distraught and let down.

Fred looked down as well. Well, here goes nothing...

Fred reached up to his neck and removed the red plastic collar from around his neck. "But that was King Fred speaking." Fred tossed the collar into the fountain, and heard thousands of Anerians gasp in fear and awe. "Now," he said, reaching into his back pocket. "I speak to you..." Fred produced his lucky necklace and hung it around his neck. "As Fred, General of the Anerian army." A few cheers ran through the army. Fred continued: "I refuse to sit idly by as my people die for something that I caused to happen. So that is why I shall fight alongside you this day, the next, and the future. We will fight in the mountains, the forests... Hell, we'll fight right here if need be! But we will fight. Nothing is unachievable. We will win this war, and we will win this fight!" And with that, the army went crazy. The yelled their appraisal, a battle cry so loud is was like listening to two football stadiums cheer at once. "So everyone!" Fred yelled over them. They all went silent. Fred looked over the army, knowing he was seeing some of them for the last time. "Battle stations. And good luck."

            The army scattered across the planet. There was no shield around Anera, so they had to cover all four sections. Nas would take his unit to the Southern Territory, while Al took his unit to the Western Ward. Fred would stay in the Northern Zone, so that left only the Eastern District unoccupied. Fred needed a leader, but who...

            "Nas, come here a second. I need your assistance." Nas stopped his unit and jogged back to him.

            "What is it, Fred?" he asked.

            "I'm in need of a leader for the Eastern District unit. Any suggestions?"

            Nas looked down, thinking for a moment. When he looked back up, his eyes brightened. "I'll go get him," he said, running out of the plaza and into the suburbs.

 

•••

 

            “Sir, I think you are going to be very impressed,” Vir said to King Ultio as they descended to the underground training facility on Esab.

            “I better be,” Ultio said, not making eye contact.

            As the elevator came to a rest and the doors parted, Vir walked out and turned 180 around the corner of the elevator. Ultio followed him, and after he turned the corner, he ran into the back of Vir, who had stopped. Vir did not appear phased by the bump. “Isn’t it awesome?”

            Ultio gave Vir a look of disgust, but he didn’t see it. King Ultio brushed his robe off and finally looked upon his army. It was absolutely massive: larger than the first army assembled. He also noticed a few creatures that weren’t Sneila, and his eyes widened.

            “Are those…”

            “Yep. I thought they’d come in handy.”

            “They’re perfect. We attack tomorrow.”

            Vir looked at Ultio. “Excuse me, sir?”

            King Ultio grabbed Vir around his skinny neck. “You heard me, Vir. We attack tomorrow.” He let go and strode back to the elevator.

 

•••

 

            Fred could see that Nas had brought someone back with him, but he had never seen him before.

            “Fred, I’d like you to meet Ed,” Nas said triumphantly. “Defense Strategist for the CTC. Perfect man for the job, I think.”

            Fred extended his arm to Ed. “Good to meet you, Ed.”

            “It’s my pleasure, Your Honor,” he responded.

            “Please, just call me Fred. You’re an SC now, so you can just know me on a first name basis.”

            “I’m sorry, SC? What is that?” Ed asked.

            “Squadron Captain. Did Nas not fill you in?”

            “He did, I had just never heard that term used before.”

            Fred smirked. “That’s because I made it up, Ed.”

            “Oh…” Ed said, starting to blush.

            Well,” Nas said interceding. “Whenever you guys are done chit-chatting, I think we have a war to plan.”

            Fred cleared his throat and looked down. “Yes. Yes we do, thank you Nas.” He looked back at Ed. “Alright Ed, you’re gonna be in charge of the Eastern District. Since you’re a Defense Strategist that should be just the place to put your skills to the test, it being the portion of Anera dominated by nature. Use it to your advantage, and don’t attack unless I give orders. If you are attacked before I give orders, retreat 1 mile. If orders have not been given, attack. Understood, captain?”

            Ed stood at attention and saluted. “Yes sir. Understood.”

            Fred nodded. “Good. Take your squadron and head to your position.”

            Ed nodded and took his unit off to the Eastern District.

            Fred turned toward Nas and said, “I suspect the Sneila will be attacking tonight. Send an announcement out to all squadrons informing them to be on their watch. An attack could come at any time, so they must all be ready.”

            Nas nodded and went to the temporary communications shack they had built using some scrap they had found lying around.

            Fred stood in the central plaza, looking around him at the peaceful little villages spewing in all different directions. The last thing he thought before heading to the shack was, All roads lead to Rome.

 

•••

 

            King Ultio sat in his throne, thinking up his own personal battle plan. He knew that he had to outsmart the Anerians, since they probably had some tricks of their own he didn’t know about. I must do something to throw them off.

            That sparked an idea.

            “VIR!” he called. The palace walls shook.

            Vir came trotting in, his dinosaur-looking legs carrying him as fast as they would. “Yes, King Ultio?” he said panting.

            “I want you to do something for me. Go and prepare a long-range missile. Nothing nuclear. Got it?”

            “Yes sir.” Vir had learned to never question King Ultio, no matter how much he wanted to due to his confusion. Vir went and prepared a long-range missile in the Missile Loading Bay. King Ultio walked in just as it was loaded in.

            “Ready to fire, sir,” Vir said. “Where is it travelling?”

            “Anera. The Northern Zone. Central Plaza. I want to give those Anerians a warning shot.”

            Vir typed in the coordinates on the missile control pad and stepped away. “Fire!” he yelled. The missile shot out of the tube and into space.

 

•••

 

            Fred was napping on the floor of the government building when he awoke to a sound that he thought he’d never have to hear.

            Fire burning buildings.

            He walked outside, his nightmare officially coming to fruition. He saw the central plaza in flames, houses burning down, the fountain’s water not being able to stop the onslaught of fire. He reopened the door to the shed. “Nas! Get out here n-” He stopped midsentence. Nas wasn’t in the shed.

            Fred ran into the village, calling his name. Anerian citizens ran out of their burning houses, screaming for anyone to help their families still trapped inside. Fred couldn’t spare a moment to help, his gut wrenching that he couldn’t help them all. Running down the paved streets, he saw, off in the distance, he saw Ed and the Eastern District army rushing toward the city. Had they retreated? Were the Sneilians here already?

            Fred ran to meet them. “What the hell are you doing here, Ed?! Who’s keeping watch over the Eastern District?”

            “It’s okay, sir,” Ed replied. “Nas is keeping watch.” And with that, Ed and his army moved into the plaza to start rescuing Anerians. Fred took off toward the Eastern District.

            Why would he go to the Eastern District?” Fred wondered. Something is wrong here.

            Arriving in the clearing where the army had been camped out, he looked around for Nas, but he was nowhere to be seen.

            “NAS!” he yelled out. Silence.

            Suddenly, on his left came a moaning sound, filled with pain. He rushed over to the bushes and looked with horror upon Nas’s mangled body. Burn marks covered almost every inch of his body, the skin peeling off his arms, legs, and face.

            “Nas… what happened?”

            Nas, realizing Fred was there, smiled faintly. “Fred, you’re alive. Thank goodness…” He coughed violently.

            “How did this happen, Nas?”

            Putting a peeled hand on Fred’s knee, he whispered, “I saved you.”

            Fred backed away. “What do you mean?”

            “The missile. I saw it miles away. It was heading right for our communications shack. I carried you to the government building and threw you inside to keep you safe. I rushed back to the communications shack to try and salvage some equipment… but I was too late. The missile struck the cabin. And more missiles kept raining down on the village.”

            Fred was speechless. Nas had saved his life and hadn’t woken up at all. How could he not notice? “But… why did you come here?”

            “Ed was the most capable man for saving the plaza. I found him and told him I would keep watch here.”

            Fred picked up Nas’s body. “You’re not keeping watch anymore. You’re getting help right now.”

            “Fred,” Nas whispered, clenching the back of Fred’s neck with three fingers. Fred stopped dead in his tracks. “Stop.”

            He set Nas down. “Fred, I’m not going to make it. I don’t want to make it. I’ve done what I was made to do. I’ve accomplished my goal. Now I must fulfill my final duty.”

            Fred watched in horror and Nas’s body went cold, and his eyes closed forever. He had lost his only true friend on Anera. And it was all the Sneila’s fault.

            He picked up Nas’s body once more and carried it back to the Northern Plaza. Once back in the undamaged government building, he set the body down and walked back outside. The army had extinguished all the fires and families were reuniting. Fred retook his position on the fountain. And holding the Planet Microphone (P.M.), he spoke into it.

            “Attention Anera. This is Commander Fred speaking. As you all know, the Northern Plaza was attacked tonight by Sneilian missiles. They have caused panic to break out in our peaceful world too many times, and I will not stand here and willingly accept it. This attack was a decoy-the Sneilians are not in Anera. But they will be soon.”

            Just then, Fred got a brilliant idea. “Commanders, report to the central plaza. Now.”

 

•••

 

            Morning broke across Anera. The sun was shining and the clouds glistened brilliantly.

            But a storm was on the horizon.

            King Ultio flew in front of his grand army of 40,000 Sneilians, a determined look and slight smirk hiding under his long nose. Anera was in his sights. Stopping just outside the atmosphere of Anera, he turned and stopped his army. “Sneilians!” he shouted into the space microphone headset. “Today is the day that Anera is no more! ONWARD!”

            The Sneilians crashed through the atmosphere of Anera, heading straight for the central plaza where the missiles had been sent. For miles upon miles they dove, until finally they came to the plaza. King Ultio purposefully crashed into the main fountain, crumbling it to pieces under his dragon-like feet. He stepped out of the fountain and looked around. “What the-“

            No one was around. Not a single Anerian.

            “Odd… oh well. Sneilians, burn it to the ground.”

            “ULTIO.”

            King Ultio turned with surprise. Down one of the roads stood his archenemy: Fred, King of the Anerians.

            “Ahhhh, my good friend,” Ultio said sneeringly. “Nice city you have here.” He held his arms out.

            “You’re right, this is my city. So leave.”

            The entire Sneilian army laughed haughtily. “And why would we do that? We just got here!” King Ultio said. Walking toward Fred, he said, “And we intend on making the most of our visit.”

            Fred stared at King Ultio with a slight smirk on his face. A stalemate stare. Then, Fred said “Gaox.”

            “What did you say to me, human?” King Ultio blasted.

            Fred turned to his left and looked into the sky. King Ultio did the same, and he spotted it right away.

            An arrow flying a mile off in the distance, heading away from the plaza.

            “HA,” King Ultio huffed. “That’s it? That’s all you could salvage from last night’s air bombing? You’ll have to do a lot better than that if you want to stay alive, foolish human.”

            At that moment, a Sneilian cried out in pain and dropped to the ground dead.

            The arrow from the sky.

            King Ultio turned back to look at Fred. “What is this sorcery?”

            “This isn’t sorcery, Ultio,” Fred said. A smile crept across his face. “This is war.”

            From behind Fred rained a cloud of arrows, all heading high into the sky over the Sneilians heads. They crashed into the crowd, striking dead any who were unfortunate enough to be caught in the path of an arrow. Ultio ducked for cover into the Anerian government building as thousands of Anerian soldiers flocked out of their foxhole covers and into the central plaza.

            King Ultio, safe inside the government building, boomed into his headset, “Vir, get me Ty. Change of plans.”

            Fred, meanwhile, ran with his army into the flock of Sneilians still alive. Swords, daggers, talons, and armor clashed against each other. Fred dodged and ducked his way around several close calls. After several minutes, he finally passed through the throng and made his way into the government building. “ULTIO!” he yelled. Fred had seen King Ultio flee for cover immediately following the arrow shower. “I know you’re here… show that nice reptilian skin of yours.”

            Fred heard footsteps around the corner, and turned to look at his enemy.

            But it was Ty.

            “TY! Where have you been? You dropped off the face of Anera and-“

            Ty pulled a dagger out of his jacket.

            “Ty, what the-“

            “DON’T call me Ty, you backstabber.”

            Fred stood in shock as Ty approached him with the dagger. It was meant for him.

            “Ty, what the hell happened to you man?”

            “I happened to him.” Fred turned to see King Ultio walk out behind Ty.

            “You brainwashed him,” Fred said with clenched teeth.

            “I had the best in the business help me with my endeavors. You see, your little plan on our first attack didn’t work because I had blueprints from Ty here. He helped me read them and figure out your plans.”

            “Ty… why would you do that?”

            King Ultio laughed as he placed his scaly arm around Ty. “I’ll tell you why. Better yet… I’ll show you why. Oh Fraus!”

            A Sneilian in a long black robe appeared right in front of Fred in a puff of smoke. The tail of his robe touched the ground behind him, decorated with stars and crescent moons. Fred looked at the creature astounded. All of a sudden, its eyes started changing colors with every blink. Fred was transfixed.

            “Very good… Now. Who is your king?”

            Fred’s eyes darted momentarily to outside the government building. All he saw was a burning building. In that split second, his nightmare literally flashed before his eyes. The burned down barn with his family’s remains. The smoky sky. The image was replaced with a picture of Nas. He stood before Fred. Nas took his hands and placed them on Fred’s face, and smiled. Nas winked, and he faded from Fred’s vision. Fraus appeared in Fred’s vision again.

            Fred had him now. “Ultio,” he said in a trance.

            King Ultio laughed in triumph as Fraus disappeared. “Very good, Fred, my faithful servant. Now… I want you to kill Ty.”

            Fred’s plan had backfired. He had faked this trance, but now it was as if Ultio had read right through him and was testing him to see if Fraus had done the job. He wasn’t fast enough with his ion blasting blaster yet, so pulling it and taking a quick shot at Ultio was out of the question. Fred pulled out the blaster and pointed it at Ty. They made eye contact, and everything happened quickly.

            Ty winked at Fred, then jumped at King Ultio, caught in a state of utter surprise. They wrestled on the ground as Fred pointed his blaster at the pair, hoping to get a clear shot at Ultio. But he didn’t want to take the risk of shooting Ty, too. After several seconds, Ultio’s bodyweight proved overpowering for Ty, and had him in a headlock. Ultio looked at Fred, who was still pointing the blaster at him. “Go ahead and fire, human. You’ll have to go through him to get to me.”

            What choice do I have? Fred thought. He cocked the blaster and fired.

            Direct hit with Ty.

            But Ultio, to Fred’s surprise, pushed Ty’s body aside and stood up.

            “How are you not dead?”

            King Ultio pushed a button on his scaly wrist and shimmering into vision came thick, shiny, silver armor. “Ion Armor,” Ultio said. “Made especially for Anerian blasters. Another secret passed on to me by your faithful Anerian here, whom you just killed. In front of all of Anera.”

            Fred turned and ran outside, where fighting still commenced. But up on the plaza screens, he saw a view of the government building, where Ultio and Ty could be seen in view.

            Fred stared in amazement as he realized what he had just done. Maybe they didn’t notice.

            A sharp, foreign object passed through Fred’s back as he screamed in pain. Ultio whispered in his ear, “Your people are doomed, King Fred. Vivant, King Ultio.”

            A shocking sensation ran up Fred’s back, as ion blasted through King Ultio’s exposed body. King Ultio’s body slumped into a heap beside him. Fred turned and saw Ed standing immediately behind him.

            Ed knelt beside Fred. “At your service, sir.”

            They laughed with each other and helped one another to their feet. Standing tall, Fred shouted as loud as he could, “SNEILIANS!”

            Fighting immediately stopped and all heads turned toward Fred. When this happened, the Sneilians squealed in fear as they realized that their king was dead. “THIS WAR IS OVER.”

            Sneilians dropped their weapons as Anerians started taking them hostage. “No,” Fred shouted. “I have a better idea.”