August is a month for Prompts #20
8/20: Dread
“The Galva are coming!”
The clear white skies of Lihilimu were suddenly darkened by crude weapon shaped vessels that appeared one after the other. The long limbed, pink bellied, red haired natives of the planet scattered to their sacred caves for solace. A massive sword shaped vessel fell from the sky and plunged into the planet's gut. The warriors of the land gathered to impede whatever dwelt inside.
“Espada!” A deep guttural voice boomed from within, a door appeared on the side of the blade and fell open.
Boom!
The brave soldiers shuddered as a red cloud seeped from inside. The collection of warriors gripped their weapons and readied themselves for battle. A menacing aura rushed out of the ship and spread across the planet threatening all life. The creatures scurried from their burrows and homes and fled in all directions. The beast that accompanied some of the warriors reared and defied their masters orders and fled. Some were trampled in the process, the fighting spirit of those who gathered began to tremble. All eyes watched unblinking at the open space on the blade. All breaths were stifled, a palpable tension lingered. The sound of heavy footsteps caused a man to cry out.
At that moment, the crackling sound of glass marbles falling on ceramic tile echoed rhythmically and the soldier that cried out was headless. A red blade sliced through the torso of the headless body as if it were a zipper. Amongst the many gathered a single being stood.
A towering feminine figure with smoke gray skin, and haunting blood red eyes licked the blood from the red blade fastened to her wrist decorated with gold chains. Neon green paints accentuated three clear crystal studs that lined the bridge of her nose.
No one moved, she was a being built to kill and everyone could tell they were her prey. She pointed at three crystals on her nose.
“This is where you should aim. Destroy this and I die,” her voice was thick and sinister. She flashed a smile of razor sharp teeth and crouched.
A warrior stepped forward and brandished his sword masterfully. He raised his sword and roared, “I am Bosidu Agramth! I will be your opponent Galva.”
“I am Cortador,” the Galva woman hissed, “You honor me with battle. For that I will make your demise swift.”
Bosidu braced himself for her attack, he watched the muscles in her legs coil and her long needle like claws unsheathe. He roared and blitzed her with his blade. However, Cortador has already moved past him with such grace and speed he was not aware he had been cut. The ensuing squelch of flesh filled the air before his body split into seven pieces.
Another warrior shoved a spear into Cortador’s armpit. She turned with such meaningful force the man’s heart stopped before she could cut him. The gathered battalion suddenly snapped from their stupor and rushed towards the massive female Galva. She welcomed their numbers and began to slaughter them with whimsical ease.
A massive warrior of people charged into battle with his hammer raised.
“Gomoti!”
“Gomoti!”
“Gomoti!”
The warriors chanted the name of the infallible hero of their land. He had been away training in the mountains. No one anticipated his arrival, but when he showed up the morale of the natives changed. Hope spread through the men and women gathered who were ready to die for their land. Gomoti leapt in the air and raised his massive sword over his head. He aimed to bring it down on Cortador’s head.
Suddenly, a behemoth the size of a tank appeared out of nowhere. It was impossible for anything with the creature's incredible girth to move as fast as he did. As Gomoti fell the massive creature bisected him in midair with a double sided battle axe attached to his wrist adorned with chains of pearls.
The soldiers gasped, the warriors groaned, their hope dissipated instantly. The monster dwarfed her and was twice Cortador’s size. It was a dreadful sight to behold. The round mountain of muscle with three sky blue crystals protruding from his broad pale gray nose roared.
“I am Talhador! We are Espada Galva! Step forth all who wish to fight!” His voice resembled rocks being crushed. Talhador and Cortador stood back to back as the gathered band encroached.
Within forty nine hours the two Espada Galva cut down the warriors of Lihilimu. Those who remained surrendered and bowed to the Galva. AThe elderly, the women, and the children were gathered and brought before the Espada Galva.
A small dagger shaped ship fell from the sky and pierced the soft earth of the planet. A door opened and a single being emerged, it was smaller than the Espada Galva but his charcoal gray skin and black obsidian jewels was the same as theirs.
“I am Dolk. Come forth leaders and elders. Speak for your people.”
The elders and chiefs of the many groups were brought before Dolk. His voice was like nails on a chalkboard and his red eyes like slits of malice. His gaze was venomous and as the elders pleaded for the Galva’s retreat, they were all cut down by Dolk. Fashioned to his left wrist was a katana like blade that dripped the blood of his victims.
The soldiers who surrendered were slaughtered before their loved ones. Those who remained understood that they were at the whim of the demonic beings known as the Galva. Dread gripped the women and children, their imaginations were not enough to capture the horrors they would face. The women were made to toil over the land. Their children were taught to fight by the new lords of their planet.
The Galva provided the children with weapons and trained them as young as three to use them. The Galva trained the people and stripped the land of its goods and natural resources. The once sacred caves were excavated until they were barren and hollow halls.
For forty years the Galva trained and raised the people of Lihilimu to fight. To stand against any who would cause them harm. The people grew to consider the Galva neighbors and friends more than conquerors and enemies. They were stronger than they had ever been. All of them knew that they could fend off any invaders that came to their land.
On a night of festivals the Galva and the natives gathered in the capital of the conquered Lihilimu. There was merriment and joy in the air. When the sun rose the Galva were gone. The natives of Lihilimu were freed from their bondage. The Galva were gone and the people rejoiced, they began to give thanks when a sword ship fell from the sky.
“Espada!”
The people of Lihilimu were not as weak as they once were. They knew other Galva raiders would come to their planet. They were prepared for any threat that had come. They armed themselves and waited for the Galva that lurked inside.
Cortador emerged from the ship and took a deep breath, she could smell the adrenaline that courses through the people of the land.
“Cortador,” a child called out with her dagger clenched in her hand, “Why have you returned?”
Cortador tilted her head back and pointed at the crystals on the bridge of her nose,
“To test the people of the land. This is my weak-“
Before she could finish her statement the child lunged at her face and slammed the hilt of her dagger across the face of the Galva. Cortador’s crown chipped and she howled in pain and gripped her nose. Goosebumps covered her skin as an elation for battle moved through her.
The people swarmed Cortador following up the child’s attack. The female Galva cackled with excitement as she was able to enter a frenzy and unleash her full power. Talhador joined the fray and fought against his students with delight. They managed to cut open his belly and fragment his crown.
After seventy three hours the Espada Galva were all that remained. The natives of Lihilimu were no more, they were all cut down during the battle. Cortador and Talhador looked around the corpse-filled land and groaned.
“I had higher hopes for them.”
“We live to fight another day.”
“The next planet better be worth the investment.”
“Maybe we’ll train them for just ten years next time. We’ll keep the strongest alive and train them. Maybe then we can find a satisfying demise.”
“A Galva can only die by the hands of the mighty.”
“Indeed, the mighty can only be forged through strife and destruction.”
***
Stay Tuned…
Mine Imagination: Flight of the Hummingbirds
By: T. M. Ashley
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