“We have a hull breach,” another voice screamed into the channel, “We have a hull breach!” The massive craft began hurtling toward the surface and the damage was massive. The port side wing had caved in, dooming any escape pods that had chosen the wrong side to escape. Several escape pods launched passed Gunthix with one zooming by especially close.
A familiar voice came over the radio. “All hands,” the calm voice of Admiral Mars, “This is High Admiral Mars of the Battleship Dragon. We are going down. Glory to the Empress.”
Gunthix watched the massive ship collide on its side with the planet, directly over the battleground he fought Buster. The ship exploded, splitting the hull, and launched debris in all directions. He waited for several minutes, allowing for the massive dust cloud to settle. As the bow of the ship emerged from the dust, he faded and disappeared.
XXXI
The Great Hall was filled with tense foreboding. Princess Iris waited, standing, in the center of the room facing Empress Kerrigan on her throne. The Star Marshall stood between the two, recanting glorious battles of the Empire to entertain the crowd as they waited for news. Flanking the walls, crowds of citizens waited. A challenge of this magnitude had never been successful.
Princess Iris continued to mentally prepare herself for both possible outcomes. If Gunthix failed, the attack would press on, her champion would be tainted with failure, and her future reign would be darkened by the failure of her will. Her citizens, still believing in her absolute will, would always have doubt in their mind as to her divinity.
If Gunthix succeeded, however, she would be heralded as a greater monarch then the Empress. She would stop the attack, focusing on healing the hidden rift that had begun within the ranks of her citizens. Gunthix would gain the ability to stop fighting, something she wished more than anything. She wanted peace, something the Empire had never fully known.
Empress Kerrigan remained calm, certain of her decisions. Ancient codes gave advantage to the present Empress, allowing her to mold the shape of future events. Sending Buster, an advanced clone of Gunthix better than the traitor could ever become, ensured her victory. Choosing Buster as her champion over High Admiral Mars instilled a blood-lust within the twisted warrior, but destroyed the morale of the officer. A small price to pay, she was certain.
The recounting of the single battle on Rodes, similar to the average encounter with any species that refused to cooperate with the Empire that resulted in their destruction, began to annoy the Empress. Names did not matter to her, any species that were not Guntherians or Belthonia was disgusting, ugly, and backwards.
She continued her long stare at her attempted usurper, doing her best do maintain a calm face. A smile continued to creep on her face and she would remind herself of her position. She studied the face of the Princess, imagining what her own daughter would look like. Princess Iris's face began to distort and a black image appeared.
The armored Gunthix appeared. He stood for a moment as silence filled the room. Questioning looks began to spread throughout the congregation. Empress Kerrigan jumped to her feet, no longer caring about royal protocol. Princess Iris released a menacing smile, locking eyes with the stunned monarch. A powerful question echoed through the giant room, everyone questioning who was standing between the great ruler and the future empress.
Gunthix took a knee, morphed his helmet back to reveal his aged face and silver hair. His black eyes pierced Empress Kerrigan to her core, filling her with rage and fear. Locking eyes, he spoke calmly and simply, “I am Gunthix of Guntheria, the Champion of Princess Iris.”
Gasps of surprise echoed through the bodies within the room. His name was treason incarnate. It was well documented he was dead. He had killed thousands of Guntherians. Being a hero, his name was purged without honor. He wore alien armor, forcing the crowd to feel their obvious xenophobia.
The secrets that Empress Kerrigan held from the public burned in the minds of the new witnesses. If she had lied about Gunthix, what else had she lied about. They began to question if her will truly was absolute. Above all, they questioned the Guntherian standing before them.
After silence had filled the air again, Gunthix spoke again, “I am Gunthix of Guntheria and I have defeated your champion.”
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