U.S.S.A HellField

Chapter 24 Fracture point

The grey woman from my dreams? She was real, and even on her knees was much larger than I had expected. It was surprising as well despite her withered state, even as she sat, she towered several feet above me. Sarkon was gone, whoever this being was; chained to the floor with a large iron collar around her neck. The collar had glowing red alien runes engraved into its surface, it also looked like it was hurting the grey woman If this is who I think It is, that would explain where Sarkon gained such immense otherworldly power. "You have slain my captor, my fate is now in your hands crusader."  The urge to slash her throat and drink from it was strong. I slowly moved my clawed hand toward her neck, wrapping my fingers under the collar. The hard iron cracked and snapped between my fingers as I tore the collar off, and then tossed it to the ground.     

"Thank you, Human."  She said, her ethereal voice filled with relief. She was no longer chained down to the floor. Now that I had a good look at her, I noticed she had very little in the way of any defined humanoid features besides her body shape. She had no eyes or mouth, at least not any that I could see.  - "How do you know that name? Who are you?"  I struggled to say. - "Some of us are old enough to remember when the crusader was a hero who fought against the horrors that threatened to destroy our homes."  She said as she shifted herself up. "As for who I am? I was once someone the people of this land worshipped as a fertility deity, giving life to this once bountiful world."  She said as she held her ten-fingered hand out, a plant grew in the palm of her hand. - "How long have you been trapped down here? Did Sarkon do this to you?"  I don't know what it was, but the longer I spoke with her, the more in control of myself I felt. -  "I was one of many who opposed Umbra'Kesh when he attacked with his armies of meat puppets. As he and his forces were too powerful...when he overpowered me, he imprisoned me in this tomb where the people would build a church and worship me as this great mother."  She said in a defeated voice.

I wasn't sure if I should tell her I had the chance to kill him, but never took it. If I had known just how much pain and suffering he had caused to other worlds, I'd have put him down in an instant. - "Next time I have the chance...when I see him, I'll put him down. I promise."  This would be a promise I would try my best to keep. -"Thank you. Now something should be done about the form you're in, I wish to see the Crusader again as they are meant to be. Not as the beast, but as a hero."  She said, raising her hands as green energy flowed from her into me. I could feel it as my body changed back to normal, and with it, I could fully control myself. - "How'd you do that?"  I asked, confused but also in awe. - "I have, through many centuries of my craft, mastered the art of crafting and molding life forms or biokinesis. Fortunately, you were calm and did not resist."  She explained. - "I suppose I should thank you now. Wait where is...Alice? Where are Alice and Artemis?"  I looked desperately for them. The great-mother pointed up toward the hole in the ceiling. I nodded then jumped up through the smashed floor.   

The village of WraithHallow lay in ruins with every man and woman slain, but the children...narrowly. Homes once filled with families were now toppled and crumbling. Was there no way to save them? I looked around the wreckage of the village, the place that allowed us to stay here and celebrated us for saving them, and how do I repay them? By orphaning every son and daughter and doing to them what I had promised to prevent. I remembered it this time, the transformational, and what I had done, the power I felt was immense, unlike I had ever experienced. But was it too much for me to handle responsibly? I used it to kill Sarkon and end his insane plan while saving the great mother who had been crying out in pain for me to rescue her so she could return to where she belonged, I just wish we could as well. To think I potentially harbored within this armor, the creature that decimated this world who knows how many centuries ago is almost unthinkable. Artemis...Emily, I had no idea, she's grown up so much in the blink of an eye. Enough being lost in thought, I must ensure that Alice and Emily are alright.