Karta Stryker

Epilogue

ONE MONTH LATER, AMIDST AN UNKNOWN POCKET IN SPACE AND TIME...

"You bring me disappointment, Ashanti." A voice with an omnipotent presence boomed.

Galgamere knelt in a realm void of ground, the stars luminescent among the swirls of the galaxies. In the presence of a void flooring, footsteps could be heard like expensive dress shoes on a fine quartz pavement, not too dissimilar to the realm that Karta, the Last Stryder, found himself in with Sumatra, the Overseer.

"You have killed millions of Stryders, and all of a sudden, one is too much?" A tall, dark, harrowing man held Galgamere's head up by the horn, staring at him directly in his vacant eyes.

"I'm telling you, Karta Stryker is becoming the hero Sumatra wants him to be. Even the Fates speak highly of him." Malik walked in, face smiling and eyes gleaming with purple.

"The Fates. Guiding everyone's lives as Sumatra sees fit. Of course they speak highly of him."

The God threw Galgamere's soul-less body to the side.

"You think that he is next in line to become one of her puppets?" The godly voice spoke.

Malik nodded.

"I am certain of it. He's turned from a killer into a hero, a change that satisfied her criteria enough for her to already speak to him." Malik sneered.

The voice scoffed.

"So what do you suggest be our next move, Dark Astral?" The voice asked.

"I'm sure you've heard the big news?" Malik raised an eyebrow.

"Jupiter." The God sighed.

"He has fallen by the hands of the one masquerading as Prometheus. Whether it is Zeus' big comeback for taking his kingdom, or this masked individual acting out in their own guise, it opens up a large amount of possibilities."

"Go on."

"Zeus is now free to continue his reign over Greece, which means he'll take the remaining Therro legions that Galgamere left behind. Karta's visions of his family will eventually lead him to Zeus, and therefore, the Fates. He'll be doing us a favor without even knowing it."

"There is no us, Dark Astral. It would do you well to remember that." The god boomed.

"If it weren't for me, things would never have been set in motion. Karta would still be counting stacks in his mercenary office, unaware of his past."

The God laughed at Malik's defence.

"Either way, Galgamere and Karta would have tracked each other down eventually, for all the good your magics do. I will grant credit where it is due though, for now we have a decent grasp on his true strength. What of my brother?"

"From my sources, I collect that he has found another host. A host in a mere boy named Constantine Loch."

"So everything is going accordingly, I trust?"

"So far, so good. I'd keep a close eye. We both know what Kana'Ham is like." Malik snarled.

The silhouette that sat on a throne smiled with a lop-sided grin, his bright blue eyes blaring through the empty cavity of space.

"Worry not. The whole universe shall remember Collodion, the Adversary." Malik bowed.

The silhouette stepped out from the shadow, standing a great 8 feet in height. His head was bald, but had a grey scruffy beard that dressed along his wide square jaw. He wore torn black robes, with grey trousers that were teared at the knees. Collodion held his palm out in front of his face, harrumphing as he closed his fingers into a fist.

"I like the sound of that."

7 YEARS UNTIL COLLODION LETS THE ASHES OF EARTH FALL.