Chapter 80
Eighty
After many agonizing steps walking over dead alien bodies and through the disgusting pulsating halls of Emperor Izzo’s ship, they arrived at the docking station. Only minutes remained before the ship self-destructed.
Izzo’s parting gift.
The red lights frantically flashed and danced along the ceiling and the floor vibrated beneath her feet. Autumn’s heart pounded in her ears.
She left Dante with her dad for a moment. They still hadn’t spoken two words to each other. This promised to be a fun flight home.
She raced back onto her damaged destroyer and grabbed Mr. Hiss from the control seat. He was fast asleep, purring in dreamland, blissfully unaware of the battle for the universes that had taken place right onboard. He blinked his brilliant sapphire eyes at her before yawning and stretching. She picked him up, cradling him in her arms.
She rejoined them, Mr. Hiss in tow, purring. She led Dante and her dad onto one of the enemy ships of Emperor Izzo’s alien soldiers that had chased and threatened her life when she had first arrived. She and her dad helped Dante onto one of the seats, clicking his harness in place. A total first for her. It was her turn to make sure he stayed safe. He leaned back, unable to support his own weight. His ink-black hair matted to his glistening blue brow.
Her dad took a seat as well. When she handed Mr. Hiss to him, all he could do was stare at her hot-pink baby ling as he nuzzled his ribs affectionately. She could only imagine what he thought of all this. Of course, Mr. Hiss chose that moment to relieve himself.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” she shook her head and he sighed, rolling his eyes. Mr. Hiss’s muzzle tilted up. He desperately needed to be trained. She’d add it to the long list of things she needed to do when they arrived back home.
Emperor Izzo’s severed head sat in the makeshift sack, resting by her feet.
She hit a few buttons and the door sealed airtight. Great , she smiled. The destroyer itself was easy enough to start as well because the control panel mirrored what she was used to. Thank goodness.
After they had settled, panic rattled her to the core. How the heck was she supposed to get off this ship?
She began to sweat and twitch her fingers. She full-on hyperventilated, growing dizzier by the second. They were trapped and the ship was set to detonate any minute. Her shoulders ached from growing so tense. Perspiration crept across her brow.
“The exit of this ship is motion activated,” Dante offered, probably sensing her out of control anxiety spiking to new levels. His head rolled to the side, midnight hair falling against his battered face.
She nodded. Why didn’t she think of that?
The ship reversed. One minute remained. As they slipped outside of the horizontal entrance, her heart sped. Thousands upon thousands of destroyers had been massacred during the battle. Pieces of wreckage, along with carnage from the bodies of fallen soldiers, floated through the dark void of space. Countless warriors had lost their lives, all thanks to the Grand Supreme’s reign of terror.
Autumn did a double take. She could’ve sworn she saw Emperor Brumha flying, accompanied by his impressive fleet. What the heck? Why was he here?
She glanced at Dante, who was suffering in his seat. She was sure he had something to do with it, but she didn’t have time to dwell. She had to act quickly.
Upon first glance, Emperor Izzo’s ship flew in close range to Surge. So close that the blast promised to take out the planet like he had intended. He would still win after death, and she refused to let that happen. Everyone was counting on her.
“What do we do?” Panic was apparent in her voice.
Dante looked at her, his navy-gloved hands falling at his sides. “Do you have it?”
“Have what?” she asked.
“The portal. Please tell me you do,” he slumped over, too weak to sit up.
She searched her pockets with her good hand, unable to find the sphere. Her heart sped. Where the heck did she put it?
During her second panic attack, her dad tapped her shoulder and handed her the tiny silver orb she’d entrusted him with earlier. The ball sat in her palm the size of a marble.
“Open it,” Dante instructed her, sounding like more of a demand than a request.
With her thumb and pointer finger, she popped open the pieces unsure of what to expect. At first nothing happened. She glanced at Dante. Had they been duped? He leaned over, joining his weak hand with hers, and his eyes fluttered closed. She watched for any developments. Inside, stars sparkled through the darkness followed by translucent purple rays spanning from inside the ship through the blackness of space.
A rumbling blast came from Emperor Izzo’s ship, thrusting the destroyer forward, spinning it in a full circle, accompanied by hurtling debris. Rainbow colors swirled across her line of vision, and they disappeared through time and space. Her eyes fluttered closed from the overwhelming sensation of warmth, love, peace, and safety. There was no fear or pain where they were headed. No sadness or desperation. She could feel it deep in her bones.
When she opened her eyes again, all was quiet, like nothing had happened. No war. No death. No destruction. The wreckage had disappeared, and Emperor Brumha’s fleet and the entire planet of Surge remained untouched. They floated through the peacefulness of space.
They were finally safe in the heart of the legendary 25th Universe.