"Where are the twins?" Flintmace asked as soon as the trio reached the clearing where they had hidden their stealth ship.
"They are inside," Lycaon replied, pointing at the ship. "But what's got you by the balls? Is there any trouble?"
"Trouble would be an understatement," Ashton interjected, narrating everything that happened to the Progenitors. "We don't have much time. The Xyran army is on its way, and we must get out of here before they arrive."
"Are you certain they're coming?" Lycaon's brow furrowed, his eyes reflecting the concern on his face.
"Hm... maybe you should wait and see," Vulcan rolled his eyes. "Does it matter if they are coming or not? We got what we wanted, so time to leave!"
As he said that, Lycaon's gaze shifted towards the two Xyrans they had captured during their operation. These Xyrans had seen their faces, and leaving them behind could spell disaster.
It was the same with taking them with them as they could be used as beacons that'll help the Xyrans locate them, and that would be a whole other issue.
Usually, they would have killed the Xyrans and be done with them. But Flintmace warned them that their beacon could trigger as soon as they killed them. It would give the Xyrans their exact location, which would be the end.
"What do we do about them? Taking them with us could compromise our escape, but leaving them here is equally risky." Lycaon voiced his concerns.
Ashton took one look at the Xyrans, and the others could almost see the gears in his head turn.
"I doubt these low-rankers would have such sophisticated beacons installed in them," Ashton mumbled. "Even Beelzebub didn't have one. However, if that is the case, we could end their misery somewhere the Xyrans would never reach."
"Atlas, Sven," he called out to his shadowy summons, "escort these two to Valhalla. They will serve as a source of sustenance for the undead."
Atlas and Sven, towering and imposing figures, nodded in acknowledgement. They wasted no time grabbing the Xyrans by their necks and approached the portal.
The Xyrans had a glimpse of what awaited them, and the horror in their eyes was unmistakable—a place crawling with undead creatures and skeletons hungrily looking at them, eager to tear the flesh off their bones.
Atlas and Sven took hold of them, their grip unyielding, leading them away towards the darkness surrounding Valhalla. The twins exchanged a glance, a mixture of fascination and apprehension evident in their eyes.
In the shadows of Valhalla, Atlas and Sven carried out their grim task. The captured Xyrans, now bound and helpless, were brought to the undead realm.
The undead all around them were jumping with excitement as they would shortly get to taste something exotic they had never had before.
It was a fate the Xyrans had never anticipated, a cruel twist of destiny. As Ashton had instructed, they would serve as nourishment for the undead. Their life force would slowly be drained... it was a truly horrific way to leave the mortal world.
Irina's voice quivered as she spoke, "What are they going to do?"
"Something much worse than what happened with you two," Ashton replied with a gentle smile before closing the portal.
"That's one scary ability..." Verina mumbled.
"His skill is not something we need to worry or be in awe about right now. Our priority is to leave before the Xyrans arrive." Frank urged, entering the ship. "We need to leave this planet like... right now!"
The ship's ramp lowered with a soft hiss, creating a bridge between the barren ground and the sleek vessel's interior. Irina, Verina, Lycaon, Frankenstein, Flintmace, and Vulcan gathered at the entrance.
The spaceship's interior hummed with energy, the faint glow of controls casting an otherworldly light on their faces. They quickly stepped inside, and as the doors closed, Irina realised Ashton never joined them.
"Is Ashton coming?" Irina whispered to Verina, her voice tinged with concern.
Verina's brows furrowed, mirroring her sister's worry. "I don't know..."
The twins were concerned about Ashton acting as a hero, as he had done a few times in the past.
"Don't worry about him too much," Lycaon, catching wind of their conversation, turned his attention to them. "He has grown a lot and isn't as immature as before..."
"You're trying to convince them, but you don't sound convincing at all," Frank laughed, trying to lighten the situation. "Don't worry; I'm sure Ashton has a plan."
Flintmace waited for everyone to be seated before signalling Ashton the same. Upon getting the approval, Ashton turned away from them and faced the open expanse beyond. His gaze locked onto a point in the distance.
Although he had grown habituated with operating portals, it would be the first time he had opened a massive one. It had to be big enough to fit the entire spaceship, and it was not an easy task to accomplish.
"What's he doing?" Lycaon mused aloud, his gaze fixed on Ashton's preparations.
Before anyone could answer, Ashton's hands began to move in intricate patterns, tracing symbols in the air. A portal began to form, a shimmering gateway to another location. The twins watched with bated breath, their worry giving way to curiosity.
"He's opening a portal," Verina whispered, her voice tinged with awe.
Irina nodded, her eyes never leaving Ashton. "But where is he sending us?"
Ashton's concentration deepened, the portal growing larger and more defined. With a final gesture, the gateway solidified, revealing a scene that seemed both familiar and distant. It was the Eastern Palace on Earth, a place they had often heard Ashton talk about previously.
"This is our quick getaway. The Xyrans won't be able to track us there easily." Ashton said with a confident smile. "Hell, they won't even consider looking for us on Earth."
"Roger," Flintmace replied before pouring life into the engines.
The ship's engines roared to life, vibrations coursing through the vessel as it lifted off the ground. The landscape outside blurred as they ascended into the sky, leaving behind the remnants of their battle.
They entered the portal within a moment, and Ashton followed close behind them. But before he left, he contacted Anna to inform her about the change in plans and for her to head towards Earth to pick them up.
"She's going to be so pissed..." Ashton shook his head before disappearing inside the portal.
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