The Joining: The Cycle of the Shards Book One

42: Cold Close

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.