THE JOINING: The Cycle of the Shards Book One
Chapter 38

Critock circled the frozen form of his enemy. He knew that Pt’ron was still conscious, and could follow every movement around him. But he was absolutely helpless. Critock felt a pang of regret that he should die this way, instead of like a warrior. But they had tried that path, and that didn’t work out. There was no time left for another round. He glanced at the sky, the missile still too far away to be seen, and probably so far behind the other that it hadn’t reached the moon yet. Good. He thought. One less thing that would have to be explained away and just frighten the humans more.

Shanna followed him, watching as he spun his sword around. “Is…Is Daniel still alive?” The thought suddenly occurred to her as she came down from the battles and her brain began to return to normal. She hadn’t yet reached the point where she would have to accept what had just happened over the last hour, but she knew it was going to be bad when it did. Her first thought was for her friend…Or was he ever really her friend?

Critock didn’t sugarcoat the answer as he confirmed her dark thoughts. “He hasn’t been alive for a long time, Shanna. When a joining happens, and there isn’t a quick separation, the stronger willed being absorbs the other. Pt’ron’s a war veteran. Daniel was a high school student. He never had a chance.”

Shanna put her head down silently, thinking for a moment. “So if you don’t leave…”

“I think it’s best if we both keep on going, don’t you?” Critock sidestepped the question, which seemed like a pointless query to him anyway. One swing, and this was over. One swing…. He stopped, facing Pt’ron face to face. One last time. No more delays, no more fighting. The War of the Shards would end here once and for all. “Stand back.” Shanna obeyed quickly as he placed the tip of the Sword of Kon, the energy of which had quickly defrosted the ice energy that had struck it, on Pt’ron’s head. He then pulled his hands back in the air, holding the sword up high. A single strike would shatter Pt’ron’s body, killing him instantly. The Shard would then be easily located and then destroyed soon after. He willed himself to forget the good times that he and Pt’ron had years before. The reasons that he had went so wrong. He willed himself to forget any justification for why Pt’ron had become what he had become, and willed himself to remember only one thing.

Her.

The swing came down, and if it had been one second sooner that would be the end of things. But both Critock and Shanna missed the small spark of red that began emanating from Pt’ron’s side, even through the thin-looking layer of ice. Almost as if the Shard itself knew what was about to happen, it reacted to defend itself, and Pt’ron’s body along with it. Before Critock knew what was happening he was again flying through the air, his blade having struck a strong bolt of energy. He crashed to the ground, adding to his pain and suffering, but at this moment he didn’t feel it, his face covered with astonishment as he rose to his feet slowly, watching as a red globe of swirling energy began to surround Pt’ron, electric energy flowing off of him, causing the grass on the ground to die and turn black instantly.

“What’s happening!” Shanna ran to his side, looking on as red streaks began to rise into the sky, causing clouds to form out of nowhere. Red, swirling clouds that themselves began emitting red lightning. And they were growing.

“…It’s not a dud.” Critock stood in disbelief until his eyes caught Pt’ron’s through the energy and the ice. They blinked as he slowly regained his senses, and Critock knew it was only a matter of time before Pt’ron had completely recovered, and now he was in complete control of a shard even more powerful than the other.

“Wha…What do we do now?” Shanna was at a complete loss for words. Even beyond aliens and monsters and fighting and ships, this was like something out of the bible. A God had just been born, and he was moments from having total control of himself.

Critock found himself saying something very uncharacteristic for him. “…We run.” He couldn’t stop the fear from entering his voice as he grasped Shanna’s arm, much less tightly than Pt’ron had but just as urgently. They backed up and then turned together, running as fast as they could down the hill as the energy expanded, sending red electric and fire everywhere.

As they ran, Critock couldn’t think of anything. There was no plan now against this. Obviously their best bet was still the second missile, surely somewhere between Earth and the Moon at this point. But with whatever this new power was, surely Pt’ron would be able to detect it and knock it out of the sky. It was back to distraction as a plan, but how do you distract a God? Running at this point and getting to someplace safe and just hoping that he would be lost in his own power was the best option he could come up with. He thanked the Five that the hill was so close to the school as they reached the rear doors, rushing inside and slamming the doors shut behind them. Both of them stood with their backs to the door, breathing as though they had just run a marathon.

They were met with expectant faces. The entire school seemed to have regrouped inside the lobby, nursing their wounds and their shock. Hundreds of students and the faculty looked up from the sudden noise of their reentrance.

“SHANNA!” The yell came from near the gymnasium, and Claire came running over, grasping Shanna in a tight bear hug. “I thought….We all thought…”

“Cri…Kyl….He saved me. We almost got him. We were so close…” Shanna shook her head and just hugged her friend back, choosing to be lost in this rare moment instead of facing the horrible reality that was right outside their doors.

Critock just stood stock still, taking in the scene of the entire school. Many of them were crying, and there a couple of students who were isolated, alternating between infrequent screams and talking to themselves. With the wreckage from the fighting around them, it looked almost as if the lobby had been turned into a refugee camp.

He looked up at the stairs, and saw Phelps, dressed with a makeshift bandage, together with John and Jim, both bloodied and looking shell-shocked. The teacher and the alien’s eyes met and they nodded at each other, the equal exchange of the Shard’s destruction and Shanna’s life being saved causing a shared respect. Not that it mattered much right now with the impending proof of failure that could very well be tearing down the walls at any minute. He looked over again and saw Tomkari struggling to float and stay out of everyone’s way, despite the fact that no-one could really see him outside of the small team. He turned back around and faced the window. He watched what looked like a red storm growing over the hill.

He let the thoughts flow over him of everything that had happened since he had arrived on this planet. His conversations, his interactions, everything that he could think of. There had to be something that he missed, something that he could use against him before it was too late…

“Would you do it? Answer the question! Would you sacrifice…”

He remembered Shanna. He remembered the argument. He remembered the empty feeling in his stomach afterwards as he pondered the question one last time. And he knew his answer. He closed his eyes, and before he could direct his thoughts at the mind of the body that he was inhabiting, he received his answer. Whatever was needed. There was no choice now.

He walked gingerly to Tomkari, who looked up at him as he kneeled down. “I’m guessing we didn’t win.”

Critock shook his head. “We’re still alive.”

“Give it a couple minutes. At least we made sure there’s a planet here that he can build into a war machine, that’s something, I guess.”

Critock sighed. “Thank you, Tomkari.”

Tomkari rose higher, tilting his form slightly. “For what?”

“You came with me on this, the only thing in the universe that didn’t judge me as soon as they knew my name. Even when you knew that this was all my fault in the first place. And at the end you threw your vow away, almost your life…”

Tomkari snapped his head back to a full upright position. “Why are you telling me this now? Things happen. The Five willed it, I don’t know why. You couldn’t do this alone, you made mistakes, but everyone does. Just because some are bigger than others doesn’t mean they’re unforgivable. You couldn’t have guessed any of this would happen. It’s Pt’ron’s fault. Never forget that.”

Critock nodded, feeling slightly better. “I’m glad to have known you, Tomkari. I wish I could have known you longer.” He stood, and walked away from the wisp, who wasn’t in good enough shape yet to follow, so he just floated, now alone, and confused.

Outside, the wind had picked up. Pt’ron wasn’t fully awake yet, and still in a rapidly melting ice cocoon. The window was closing. But there still had to be time left for one last goodbye, and one that wasn’t his. He closed his eyes, and turned to the cheerleader, now extricated from her tear-filled hug.

“Shanna.” The voice didn’t have the slight guttural edge to it that Critock’s usually had, and Shanna turned to see him. But it wasn’t him. She could tell from the posture, from the look in his eyes, and from the slight shake he now effected. Critock had faded for the moment, allowing Kyle this one last moment with the object of his desires.

“Kyle?” She said softly, walking slowly towards the boy, stopping close to him and staring at his eyes, confirming the thin black ring in his iris had disappeared. “...I don’t understand.”

“We can stop him. Me and Critock. It’s the only way this works. He gets it now. He would give anything for you, for them, for Earth.” He waved his arm around, thankful for the moment that he had full control of his limbs. “It’s the least he could do.”

Shanna shook her head. “No! This isn’t what I meant! I just meant he should have some responsibility, not that he should actually sacrifice himself AND you!” The people closest to her turned as she yelled, tears coming again to her eyes.

“Shh…Shh…” He reached out and took her hands into his. “It’s ok. I chose this. I can help him.” He chuckled. “We’re a team, finally. And we couldn’t have done any of this without you.”

“But…You can’t…”

“Shanna, two days ago I was just an angry guy that was about to get his ass kicked. Now I’m going to go save the world. Let me have one victory in my life, okay?”

“NO!” She screamed at him. “I CAN’T LOSE BOTH OF YOU!” She crushed him to her in a hug, crying as hard as she could ever imagine..

Kyle pulled back slightly, not removing himself from the embrace but just moving far enough to stare at her. She stared back, slightly confused while tears still streamed from her eyes. Then he moved close again, face to face, and then lips to lips.

For Kyle and Shanna both, the kiss was something that they had been waiting forever for. It was not a simple peck, but a passionate expression, if slightly clumsy due to it being Kyle’s first kiss. For that precious few seconds, there was no Pt’ron, no missile, no aliens and no Shards to interfere. No other students or teachers or people anywhere.

After a moment, he pulled back slightly, their heads close together, and he stared back into her eyes, wishing he could hold on to this moment forever and ignore reality. But he knew it was not to be, as he felt a gentle yet firm prodding from Critock. There were no words now. He felt himself fade into Critock, and Shanna sucked in her breath as she saw the black line appear and knew that she would never see Kyle again.

Critock was silent, wishing for the words that would make this right. None came. He spent another few seconds staring in her eyes. Then he turned and ran out of the rear doors, the Sword of Kon held tightly in his right hand, running headlong into what both he and Kyle felt would be the end.

The wind had continued to blow faster to the point that branches were cracking and falling off the trees, but Critock paid them no mind as he ran once again back to the hill behind the school. He saw the red lightning and swirling magenta clouds, but he would not let that worry him. Only absolute focus would see this through to the bitter end. He knew that every time the sword had interacted with the shield a Shard had put up before, it had been repelled. But he knew the legends of the sword, and was not deterred. Both times he had been caught unaware and was not truly putting all the power he needed to into the strike. This time would be different.

It seemed that the very Earth itself was attempting to stop Critock from reaching his goal as a clump of dirt and grass flew up from almost under his feet. It would make no difference. He was not stopping until either Pt’ron was dead and the Shard was destroyed along with him or he himself fell. But even with that he could buy his friends the slightest bit of time they needed if they wanted to make their escape to safety. If he could distract him for just long enough...

Pt’ron was in sight, right in the middle of the flattop hill just as he was when Critock left him. He wasn’t fully released from his ice cocoon yet, but it was only going to be a minute before he was free, and that was the minute that Critock needed. He bounded up the hill, ignoring the lightning strikes only a few inches off from his feet. He saw Pt’ron’s now very red eyes glowing at him, saw the shield still emanating from the lone remaining Shard, and took his one chance. As he reached the top of the hill, he leapt into the air, holding his sword high, preparing to bring it down in a sideways slash that, if successful, would decapitate Pt’ron. Yelling as he came down, he began to slash his sword...

Before the sword even impacted the shield, a beam of red electricity surged off of Pt’ron and headed straight for Critock. It seemed to have a mind of it’s own as it wrapped around his body and flung him straight back, not off the hill but almost rolling down it. Critock caught himself before he could be sent any further, and as quickly as he could he rose to his feet, shaken from the sudden jolt of power but refusing to let it or anything else stop him.

The remaining ice clinging to Pt’ron simply shattered apart explosively as the Shard completed its task and transferred its power. Fully imbued with the energy, Pt’ron simply turned his head, assessing his old friend, and began to laugh.

Trying to take advantage of what seemed like sheer madness, Critock again attempted to make an assault on Pt’ron, but was quickly waylaid by an arc sheering straight from Pt’ron’s hand into Critock’s chest, sending him tumbling again.

Pt’ron ceased his laugh, but a dark smile remained on his face. “Did I not tell you? Did you really think that I didn’t know this would happen! You betrayed me...betrayed her...and would destroy this entire world. For what? For a chance to somehow defeat me? You were dead the moment you got here! The entire empire is!” He shook his head. “You had one chance to kill me. Know now that your loss is because of you and you alone.”

“NO!” Critock stood up again, facing his enemy. “It was never me, Pt’ron. I’m sorry. I’m sorry what was done to you and how you were twisted into this thing you are now. But everything that has happened is because of you. Starting with her.”

A look of disgust and horror took over Pt’ron’s face from the accusation as Critock began to advance on him, continuing to speak as he did so. “You led us into a trap. You planned all of this from the beginning. YOU KILLED HER.”

“NO!!!” Pt’ron reared back his hands and sent streaks of red electricity surging through the air to strike at Critock once again, but this time he was ready for the attack. He lifted the Sword of Kon in front of him, holding it straight up, and caught the arcs cleanly. The sword began to absorb them, turning it’s usual bright orange into a duller red, and sparks began to fly off of the side. Critock could feel the hilt heating up, but he paid it no mind. This was more important than the temporary pain.

“IT WAS YOUR FAULT! IT WAS ALWAYS ALL YOUR FAULT!” Pt’ron began to scream at Critock as he advanced, catching every lightning bolt that was being sent to him, withstanding the now blistering heat that the Sword was putting out. He felt as though he had double his strength again, and realized that for the first time, Kyle was right there with him, pushing forward with him against the demon that had worked for so long to destroy this world. They were together now. One being. One purpose.

By now they were very close together, and Pt’ron was sending an unending stream of electricity and curses towards Critock and Kyle. This isn’t happening! He thought as he became a conduit for the Shard, pouring its energy directly at his enemy to seemingly no effect. He isn’t powerful enough! Pt’ron found himself standing less than three feet away from Critock, his eyes panicked.

“YOU CAN’T WIN, CRITOCK! THIS WORLD IS MINE!” Pt’ron bellowed directly in his face. Critock, sweating profusely, his hands almost blackened from the heat, knew he was wrong. The world wasn’t his. Wasn’t Critock’s, wasn’t any Marconian or any other race but one. Pt’ron had brought this down upon them, Critock had inadvertently helped him to be here in the first place, and while Critock was the one that began the march, he knew it wasn’t right for him to finish it. Maintaining his grip on the Sword, he let his mind lapse back, just a slight amount, allowing for his partner to take control one last time.

“MY NAME...IS KYLE!!!” With the forceful words, Kyle and Critock together brought the Sword blade down, still taking the electricity, and with as much strength as the two of them had together, pushed it directly into and through Pt’ron’s midsection. He screamed a horrendous, pain-filled scream, and his hands flew back, red electricity surging uncontrollably in every direction from his hands.

After a moment of the torture, Pt’ron realized something important. While he was in unimaginable pain, he didn’t feel any weaker. His life force was still with him. The Shard was maintaining him. He couldn’t manage speech to share his newfound joy at the amazing powers, but he did regain control of his arms, bringing them down quickly and wrapping his hands around Kyle’s neck, beginning to squeeze quickly, abandoning all thought of anything but killing his enemy once and for all!

Neither Critock nor Kyle were expecting the attack, and they inadvertently slightly relaxed their grip on the sword, though not letting go entirely. Pt’ron finally was able to smile and managed to speak, though his speech was raspy, with blood pouring out of his mouth. “Did you really think that would kill me?”

Critock simply looked back at him and replied, despite the hands wrapped around his throat. “No, but this will.”

The second missile impacted one yard behind Pt’ron before he could even process what Critock had said, and instantly exploded in a large fireball, expanding outward almost immediately with power and force. Critock had known that whatever Shard Pt’ron had was likely to be able to keep him alive through anything but total annihilation, so the original plan had to come back into play. Distract to destroy.

Everything happened almost too quick to see. The force of the blast from the missile caused both Critock and Pt’ron to fly through the air, Pt’ron’s hands releasing from Critock’s neck quickly. The Shard was ejected from Pt’ron’s pocket, its power already having levitated it into the air of its own accord, and it flew away from Pt’ron as a fireball engulfed the instantly powerless Marconian. With no protection and no power, the end result was predictable. The heat seared and melted his skin, and the enemy of Critock and the Marconian Empire was reduced to nothing more than a pile of ash in milliseconds.

The Shard itself was then caught in the blast, but instead of melting itself, it simply exploded, pieces of it flying off in all directions. As Critock was directly in front of it, his back to it, no less than six small fragments slammed into his back, embedding themselves deep within his body. The power of the Shard’s explosion was such that it outdid the force of the missile’s, and it served to push Critock even farther ahead, off the hill and tumbling down what was left of it.

The dual shockwaves from the Shard and the missile hitting it’s target completely blew off the top of the hill, causing dirt and rock to fall from the sky over several hundred yards away. The explosion continued to grow alongside the shockwaves, and it expanded outward, searing trees, ground, anything that was outside.

Shanna had been looking out the window the whole time, unable to see much but even with her shock and loss she wanted to know how it would end. She saw the explosion, saw the shockwave, and knew what it meant. The Shard had been destroyed, with Pt’ron, Critock, and Kyle along with it. There was no time to mourn, only to react, as the waves and fire were heading right for them. “EVERYONE GET DOWN! NOW!” She screamed, waving her hands as she ran forward, grabbing Claire and pulling her down, staying on top of her for protection. Many complied immediately, not even questioning the teenage command. Others looked up, saw the orange glow growing brighter, and ran and dove away from the doors and windows.

The shockwaves and fire impacted the school with a large booming noise which seemed to last for a full minute, accompanied by what could only be described as a hurricane beating down on the walls. Every piece of glass in the school facing the outside blew out, and every door blew open. Fire came inside slightly but was buffeted by the change in atmosphere and the force of the waves that carried it. The walls shook, and the children cried.

It was a minute later when the winds and booms simply stopped. Despite the hundreds of survivors in the lobby and throughout the school in their various hiding places, it was eerily quiet. Only a few mutterings and soft crying were heard as everyone tried to make some sense out of what had just happened. After a moment, Shanna slowly rose to her feet, daring to look out the hole in the front where the main doors used to be. There she saw devastation. Overturned cars, blackened streets and grass, as though the apocalypse had come. But off in the distance, she could still see the sun through the smoke, and realized that this wasn’t total destruction. The fire hadn’t reached far. Maybe a mile out?

Just as she was realizing that it was all over, and that somehow she had survived, every single person left in the school jumped when the last bell rang. The school day had come to a close.