Three Square Meals Ch. 121

Jessica laughed politely, then looked at the pair in surprise. "You're not joking, are you?"

"John has struggled with abandonment issues for his entire life," Rachel replied, her voice quiet and sincere. "His biggest fear before meeting you was that you'd be disappointed in him. He's so desperate for approval from you and Rahn, that simply hearing that you're proud of him would mend decades of doubt and insecurity. If you take the time to get to know John, you'll find it very easy to give him the approval that he's been craving. After that, he'll bend over backwards to include you in his life."

Nodding her understanding, Jessica looked at the girls through tear-filled eyes. "I've put him through so much pain... I swear I never meant to... but that all ends today."

Alyssa and Rachel shared a smile, then wrapped up the brunette in an affectionate embrace.

***

*How old is this place?* John marvelled, striding along the majestic hallway, high in the castle.

*Truthfully, I do not know,* Rahn'hagon replied, glancing up at the high-vaulted ceiling. *Even if there were chronometers to mark the onset of years, time moves very differently in the Astral Plane. I can tell you that no one but you or I have walked these halls for eons...*

John turned to study his father as he walked beside him. *You said that the Kyth'faren built this fortress as a final desperate act. What was it that threatened them? The monsters in the mists?*

Rahn'hagon shook his head, his expression bleak. *They came long after... as more of our ancestors were corrupted by the ones who betrayed and enslaved their own people.*

*A civil war?* John asked in a hushed voice.

*Of a sort...* Rahn'hagon replied, his eyes shadowed with sadness. *As the first spacefaring people, their domination of the stars was unopposed throughout the galaxy and the Kyth'faren Empire soared to lofty heights. Gifted scientists mastered every discipline, from the infinitesimally small, such as genetic manipulation... to the truly gigantic, creating perfect worlds for future colonisation. They began to think of themselves as gods, lords of everything that they surveyed... until their hubris became their downfall.*

He gestured towards a set of imposing doors at the end of the corridor, which swung open to reveal a brightly-lit antechamber. The room seemed to glow, prisms of light shining through beautiful stained-glass windows to illuminate a sphere of hexagons at its centre. Circling the glowing sphere were curved benches, all within touching distance of the angular orb.

*The tragic fate of the Kyth'faren is locked away, kept safe within these gilded sanctuaries. They have become the last repository of their knowledge... hidden from the vile creatures that devoured their civilisation.*

*I thought you said the monsters in the mists came afterwards?* John asked in confusion.

Rahn'hagon nodded, his expression bleak. *When space no longer challenged the Kyth'faren, they began to look inward, seeking to unlock their own psychic potential. Discovery of the Astral Plane came soon after... It was heralded as a miracle, a place where gifted minds were free to create, to the very limits of their imagination.*

*Let me guess...* John said, suspecting what was coming. *All that power went to someone's head?*

*Very astute, my son,* his father replied with a melancholy sigh. *Despite their many gifts, the Kyth'faren were still susceptible to jealousy, insecurity, vanity... all the flaws you've seen in Terrans... and which seem to be possessed by every other species I've encountered. Unimpeded access to the Astral Plane fanned those sparks of negativity into deadly flames, igniting an inferno that has blazed across the cosmos and resulted in the death of trillions. There was one man who led that heedless charge into corruption... Xar'aziuth...*

*Xar'aziuth...* John said quietly, recognising its meaning. *The Devourer...*

*He discovered that a soul could be consumed... the power siphoned away by dark incantations that allowed another to harness its strength. Xar'aziuth and his cabal of twisted followers began to prey on unsuspecting citizens, like psychic vampires feeding on the eldritch essence of their victims. As Xar'aziuth grew in power, he began to dominate the Astral Plane, either corrupting unwary travellers or leaving them as withered husks.*

*The boldest fought back, but they were unprepared to face such a despicable and powerful foe. Every brave soul that fell to Xar'aziuth was consumed, his strength adding to that of the tyrant feeding off his own people. Eventually, all that was left were tiny pockets of resistance, who stood no chance of defeating the titanic behemoth that the monster had become. Glutted on millions of potent souls, Xar'aziuth and his cabal withdrew to the Astral Plane... where they still reside to this day.*

Rahn'hagon reached out to caress the glowing sphere of hexagons. *The collapse of the Kyth'faren civilisation is chronicled in these data archives. It makes for dark and depressing reading... the authors were tormented by grief and despair, as they watched everything they held dear obliterated before their eyes. They made the ultimate sacrifice to construct these repositories of knowledge, supplying their own souls to maintain them and oppose the natural entropy of this place, so that they would stand for all time. Many of these citadels were located and destroyed, but some few still survive, hidden in the sprawling expanse of the Astral Plane.*

*Why didn't Xar'aziuth and his monsters find the rest of them?* John asked, looking around at the airy chamber. *They must've been living on the Astral for hundreds-of-thousands of years...*

*Roving bands of the fallen have occasionally stumbled on one of these sanctuaries by accident and when it is found, it's torn down and destroyed. However, the Astral Plane is vast... and a traveller usually has to know that a place exists to find it. Searching for the precise location of these citadels was a long and painstaking task... I had to scrutinise many laborious texts for the hidden clues that would disclose how to find them.*

John looked down at the runesword clenched in his gauntleted fist. *You found this weapon in one of the sanctuaries...*

Rahn'hagon nodded. *The technique to forge that ancient blade was developed during the final days of the empire. The weapon possesses a deadly purpose; it seeks the destruction of all those that have bartered a portion of their soul with Xar'aziuth and done his bidding.* He smiled and gave John a wry smile. *But of course, you should know that better than I...*

Turning to face his father, John said quietly, *Rahn... You mentioned before that I was the culmination of your research; that you planned to exact revenge on Xar'aziuth for controlling you for all those years. When you sent Jessica back to Terra, would you mind telling me exactly what you were hoping would happen? With my guide causing problems, events didn't transpire as smoothly as I'm sure you intended.*

The guide balked at hearing that. *How dare you blame me for this fiasco! This is all your fault, not mine!*

John gritted his teeth and did his best to ignore the truculent passenger in his mind as he focused on his father.

Rahn'hagon frowned and looked at him curiously. *That you were victorious and ensured our safety is all that really matters...* When John raised an eyebrow, his father smiled and relented. *But I must admit, I am curious to find out how you achieved our goals with your guide still in existence...*

*Tell me your plan, then I'll explain what actually happened afterwards,* John promised, propping his sword against one of the ornate benches and taking a seat.

*Agreed,* Rahn'hagon said with an amiable smile, sitting on the bench opposite. *So... where to begin...*

*You got Jessica pregnant and sent her back to Terra on the Cora...* John prompted him, leaning forward in anticipation.

His father grimaced, his expression turning rueful. *Your mother was devastated when I told her that we would be separated for over a year. In truth, I was loathe to send her away... it was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. Fortunately, she returned unharmed and was so happy to be back that she forgave me as soon as we were reunited.*

*Was it really necessary to have her murder the Cora's crew?*

*They were aware of my existence so their fate was sealed,* Rahn'hagon replied with a shrug. *I had no intention of being harassed by a multitude of inquisitive Terrans for the foreseeable future... I needed my location to stay a closely-guarded secret.*

John always suspected his father would feel no remorse about the deaths of the survey team. With a heavy heart, he realised that with the blood of billions on his hands, Rahn'hagon wouldn't think twice about adding a dozen more innocents to that appalling bodycount.

*When Jessica stole a corvette and headed back to Arcadia, I was raised by my grandparents,* John said quietly. *But Terrans aren't a thrall species... From what you said earlier, a Progenitor is usually sent to be raised by the thralls that he eventually claims.*

*You are quite correct, but the Terrans were merely a stepping stone for you to use as you ascended. Terran females are just as receptive as any conventional thrall... as I see you discovered with Alyssa...* Rahn'hagon said with a knowing smile. *The Maliri still lay unclaimed after Mael'nerak's death, so I thought it fitting to use them to become your servants.*

John nodded and said cautiously, *I gathered a group of Terran girls, then we headed to Maliri Space... where I claimed the Maliri.*

*No. Where I claimed the Maliri,* his guide corrected him with a sneer. *If it wasn't for me, you'd have ended up as Edraele's lapdog.* He snorted in obvious contempt. *But then... considering the way you pander to your thralls, you behave like a neutered pet.*

Ignoring his guide's taunting, John focused on his father. *So what was the plan after I arrived in the Maliri Regency?*

Looking at him quizzically, Rahn'hagon frowned in confusion. *I'm not sure of any other way events could have transpired at that point. I expected you would amass a legion of Maliri, assemble your Soul Forge, then construct your dreadnought. With your flagship ready, the next step would be to build a vast armada of thrall vessels, then activate Mael'nerak's hyper-warp gate and wage the war to end all wars.*

John felt a shiver run down his spine. He felt an unsettling mix of fear... and anticipation.

Rahn'hagon was oblivious to John's discomfort and his eyes sparkled with Machiavellian glee. *They would never have expected your assault in their worst nightmares! Innovative, resourceful, relentless... I imbued you with traits that would make you a terrifying opponent. I can hardly wait to hear tales of you flaunting their rules of war and seizing victory!* He sat back and gazed into the distance, a look of triumph on his face. *To have hunted the Progenitors to extinction... Xar'aziuth would never have anticipated such an audacious plan!*

Staring aghast at his father, John finally understood in dreadful clarity the monumental task Rahn'hagon had expected him to accomplish.

*Now that all the Progenitors are dead, Xar'aziuth will remain trapped in the Astral Plane,* Rahn'hagon said with a smug smile. *With no servants left to harvest souls and feed his inexhaustible appetite, he will slowly starve to death... an excruciating fate drawn out over millennia. He will wither and fade from existence, impotently cursing our names as the architects of his undoing.*

Rahn'hagon rose from his seat and gently touched the orb of hexagons. *After all this time, I can hardly believe that it is over... their terrible sacrifice finally rewarded with a fitting revenge.*

He turned to look at John and saw the stunned look on his face.

With a warm smile, Rahn'hagon patted him on the shoulder. *You've had quite a shock, my son. It's not every day that you discover you outwitted a god. Come, let us return to the ship... and toast our victory.*

***

*We just scanned Arcadia... You're not going to believe it, but the Invictus survived the crash!* Calara exclaimed, sounding overjoyed.

Alyssa leaned heavily against the wall, unheeding of the unsettling vibes she got from the black metal. She could only focus on John's tumultuous swirl of emotions, foremost being his sense of dread at the thought of disappointing his father.

*Alyssa? Is everyone alright?* the Latina asked, surprised by the lack of response from her girlfriend.

Rachel paused in her animated conversation with Jessica and looked at her friend's pale face in alarm. "Alyssa?" When the blonde didn't reply, she asked urgently, "Has something happened to John?"

"We never knew..." Alyssa mumbled, looking stunned. "Never even suspected..."

Jessica shared a worried glance with Rachel. "What's happening?"

Rachel moved in front of Alyssa and stared into her dazed cerulean eyes. "Never knew what? Talk to me, Alyssa..."

Alyssa blinked, struggling to concentrate on the girl standing in front of her. "Rahn'hagon's plan for John... He wanted him to hunt down and kill all the Progenitors..."

There was a sudden tension around Rachel's eyes and she shared a troubled look with Jessica.

***

Rahn'hagon shrugged off the disorientation of being returned to his physical form and watched John shudder as he also returned to his body.

Seeing his son's shocked expression, Rahn'hagon smiled at him with sympathy. "It looks like you need that drink."

He picked up both of their glasses and walked towards the concealed bar, but paused as he passed Larn'kelnar's ornate throne. Tapping on a series of runes built into the control panel on the armrest, Rahn'hagon turned to look at the holographic map of the galaxy that sprang into existence. The 250 billion stars in the Milky Way blurred into a soft blue glow, swirling in majestic spirals around the golden fulcrum at its centre.

John stared wide-eyed at the hologram, astounded by what it revealed. Their current location was highlighted on one of the spiral arms, marked with an azure icon depicting the Maliri Protectorate. Further afield was a pale-green glyph, the Progenitor runes announcing the location of the Larathyran Empire. As his disbelieving gaze swept across the map, he saw more runes in every colour imaginable, the icons scattered across the immensity of that sprawling galaxy.

"To think that every one of them is dead," Rahn'hagon marvelled, his eyes flicking from one Progenitor rune to another. "Larn'kelnar must have had no idea where you were striking from. The fool kept asking me for the location of my hyper-warp gate, no doubt assuming you had reactivated it. I was very fortunate that he was your final target..."

"What do you mean?" John stammered in confusion.

"To avoid drawing undue attention to Arcadia, you were forbidden from journeying here until your mission was complete. Luckily for me, Larn'kelnar was the last of their misbegotten kind... that must have allowed you to circumvent the restrictions I left in place, so you were able to follow him here and eliminate him. How ironic that you slew the last of the Progenitors at the place where their demise was planned and initiated."

John wasn't sure how to respond to that, knowing full well that he'd been oblivious to any restrictions... and that all those Progenitors were very much alive.

Unfortunately, someone else had something to say...

"My Lord, you are in grave danger!" John's guide blurted out, his voice echoing eerily. "All those Progenitors are still a threat!"

John was horrified at his outburst and tried to silence his alter-ego, but the guide defied him with every fibre of his being. His face twisted in a feral snarl as the two halves of his mind fought a desperate battle for control of their body.

Rahn'hagon stared at John in astonishment, bewildered by his son's outburst. He frowned in confusion as he tried to comprehend the urgent warning. "I don't understand... what are you talking about?"

"The Progenitors are all still alive!" the guide growled through gritted teeth. "This cur lied to you! He's opposed your plans every step of the way... he ruined everything! He refused to subjugate the Maliri and barely has a thousand thralls... he hasn't constructed a soul forge, he has no dreadnought... no thrall fleet... He's weak and pathetic, my Lord!"

Staggering backwards, Rahn'hagon looked as if he'd been struck by a physical blow. "I...I don't believe it... it c-can't be true..."

"The situation is even more dire than you could ever imagine!" the guide gasped, his voice strangled as John tried to silence him. "He's been venturing unprotected into the Astral Plane on dozens of occasions... all to indulge the petty whims of his thralls! He even snubbed his nose at Xar'aziuth himself! The ancient one despises him for his effrontery!"

Rahn'hagon went ghostly pale, a look of terror on his face. "How could you do this to me?" he accused John, leaning heavily against the throne to stop himself collapsing in fear. "You've ruined everything!"

John did his best to fight back against his guide and snarled, "Not my fault... guide never told me your plans... kept everything secret..."

"You deceived me!" Rahn'hagon exclaimed, his fear turning to indignant fury. "And to think I welcomed you with open arms... lauded your triumphant return! Thousands of years of meticulous research... and it was all for nothing! You've failed me utterly... I would have been better off if you'd never even been born!"

John flinched, reacting like he'd been slapped.

Rahn'hagon began to pace, his face shadowed with bitter anger. "They'll be coming for me now... they must know I'm here. This sanctuary will soon be under siege... there'll be an onslaught of Progenitors the likes of which the galaxy has never seen... and I'm utterly defenceless!"

Wrestling with John for control, the guide pleaded, "Help me destroy this fool! Let me be the son you always wanted! We can work together, crush any Progenitors that breach the Shroud!"

"Work with you?!" Rahn'hagon sneered, looking at him with utter contempt. "You're a twisted mockery of everything I hoped to accomplish! You have no idea how much the sight of you disgusts me!"

Balling up his fist, Rahn'hagon took a furious swing at John, throwing all his anger and fear into the blow. Paralysed by the desperate fight for control of his body, John was unable to avoid the massive punch, the impact hurling him over the sofa which toppled backwards with a crash. Rahn'hagon's eyes were wild with fury as he gestured towards the upended furniture, which exploded into a million glowing pieces. He strode after John, who tumbled across the floor, blood spraying from his broken nose.

"You've shattered all my hopes, ruined my dream of salvation..." Rahn'hagon hissed, his eyes blazing with an ominous grey light. Eldritch power whipped around his shoulders and the ship's blood-red lighting flickered as he gathered his strength. "I'll have to claim the Maliri for myself... reactivate Mael'nerak's soul forge... build the thrall fleets... everything you should have done decades ago!"

John staggered to his feet and Rahn'hagon slammed a glowing fist into his stomach, the blow lifting him off the ground and battering him across the room. He crashed to the floor with a groan, but made no attempt to rise, still locked in terrible conflict with his rebellious alter-ego.

*If I can't be in control, I'll see us both destroyed!* the guide snarled bitterly, heartbroken at the vehement rejection by his creator.

Rahn'hagon glowered at his son as he stalked towards him. "Now all that's left to do is eliminate the miserable disappointment I see before me. As soon as you're dead, I'll take all your women and claim them for my own... starting with Alyssa. I'm going to need every last thrall I can get my hands on, to escape from this catastrophe you created!"