Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire

Chapter 102: A Dragon's Purpose

Day 205 (6:00 PM Ms. Una's classroom, Central Building)

“Um, thank you Haem that should be more than enough lighting for our needs this evening." The she snake said to the octopus monster with the numerous eyes.

“Wow he is like a walking night light!" Mia said to her brother.

“Tippi how long has Haem been able to do that?" Little Corey asked the otter girl.

“Why are you asking me?" She countered.

“You have known him longer than the rest of us." The Wild siblings said teasing their friend.

“Only slightly longer than you two!" The she otter shot back. “And don't you dare joke about us being intimate!"

“Well you were inside of him." Mia giggled as Tippi grumbled.

Meanwhile on the other side of the classroom...

“Mutt." A silverback gorilla said acknowledging his seat-mate.

“...monkey…" The werewolf rumbled back.

“I am not going to have to separate you two am I?" A snarky teen asked his fellow warriors.

“...no…" Rumble grumbled.

“What is this meeting about?" Ananias asked. “It looks like the whole colony is here."

“It has to be big Miss Una and Rhinox are checking to make sure that everyone here is who they really are." Mr. Collins responded.

“Everyone was relieved of their guard duties for the rest of the evening. No one is watching the maze exits." A mountain reedbuck said overhearing the conversation.

“T'hoka the red prototype was successfully repaired. The away team was even able to activate its surveillance probe which can now scan the lost city for intruders so guards are no longer needed common knowledge actually."

“My dearest Tanya you are a smart one indeed." The male barbarian said the female barbarian. “So what is this meeting about?"

“I am predicting something big and Counter Earth shattering!" A yeti overhearing Tanya and T'hoka's conversation said. “What do you think Arugula?"

“It is." The spring hare next to him said abruptly.

“Is it related to the enemy attacks that we have had around here recently?" A she centaur asked as she walked in with her mate.

“A little bit." Arugula said answering Dianna's question.

“A warrior of few words." Hue said escorting Dianna to two open seats down front.

“Thanks dear, but for obvious reasons, I will stand."

“Something weighing on your mind little cutie?" The dark tan lioness sitting next to me in the back row asked.

“Huh?"

“Since Corbin, Arugula and you returned you have been awfully quiet." Shakara asked. “Even after Big cutie and I rewarded you for your very successfully away mission last night.

“Actually my lioness it was ALL last night, I am thankful that I can even stand."

“We will have to see about that later." She said smiling mischievously.

“I am just realizing what an odyssey my life on this world has been- arriving here by mistake, becoming a beastial's pet human, then a productive citizen during the waning years of the empire, struggling to survive after its collapse and now the looming next chapter." I said as the colony's leadership entered the crowded classroom.

The bear warrior, badger warrior, rhino warrior and sabre-tooth tiger warrior were each checked by Ms. Una as they entered before making their way toward the front of the room. Standing side by side they proceeded to begin the assembly.

“My friends, no my family thank you for attending this emergency meeting." My fierce ursine warrior said as all eyes locked onto her. “As you know there was a recent away mission to repair one of the damaged hover vehicles necessary to our defense of the colony in these dangerous and difficult times…."

27 hours earlier...

I gazed upon the so called future king at the end of the room. His face was quite angular looking with a pointed snout, yellow eyes and short horns on his head and slight build on his frame. But no wings. It was definitely him.

“Sorren?! Sorren?!" I shouted running to hug my friend. “I thought you died!!!"

The red dragon gave me the biggest hug in return before kissing me right on the lips.

*MWAH*

“Um, was that necessary?" 

“I thought you perished within the castle little buddy!" He said snuggling me like we had the first day we met.

I then kissed him right on his lips too. I mean why not?! One of my dearest friends who was missing, whom I thought had either been taken by the entity, the KLIS, died during the destruction of Castle Wundagore, the harsh winter that followed or was finished off by the monsters roaming around was standing right before me ALIVE!!

(HOW AWESOME WAS THAT?!)

“Perhaps they should get a room?" The spring hare asked.

“Arugula, Alex and Sorren are very old and very dear friends who have not seen each other since the day of the fall." The mongoose boy said tearing up.

“Perhaps we should given them some time to get reacquainted." Professor Stern said. 

“Yup." The she ninja said agreeing.

“Yeah, I wouldn't mind a tour." Corbin said grabbing Dawn's hand. “It is weird, how much this place looks like the lost city!!"

“So do you have running water? A soaking pool?" The spring hare asked following behind.

“There are some interesting scents about you Alex." Sorren said sniffing me curiously- all over. “Hmm… bear but then there is lioness, dingo and a harpy. Does Ursa know?!"

“The first two are my lovers Sorren."

“LOVERS? As in a harem or triad?!"

“Both."

“That's my boy!!" He exclaimed as I blushed in acknowledgement.

“The third is a misguided friend and the last well, is well, a long story." I said to him. “I think you have a story to tell too." I said hugging him again.

“Well let's see..." Sorren said collecting his thoughts.

December 31st... (Castle Wundagore on that awful awful last day of the empire.)

“I remember that morning started out like usual. I caught my bull by his tail and rode my coyote like she was a donkey. I just didn't realize that that would be the last time we would ever BE together. If you know what I mean little buddy."

“I know Sorren, I was spending my last night with my mistress before returning to the holding cells in the morning for the High Evolutionary's visit."

“That's right you were labeled a pre-rebel and were facing judgement that morning. How did that turn out?"

I glared at the red dragon.

“Anyway we showered, had breakfast. Lurie had some final checking to do before the High Evolutionary's arrival. Tauren had to make sure the holding area was sparkling clean as well. I decided to go to the cafeteria to start on breakfast. The day seemed just like any other."

“Little did we know…. Life is funny like that." I said as Sorren continued.

“There were few patrons that morning. I remember there was a gnu and antelope eating together. As I delivered their orders I overheard them talking about the morning newscast on the hub. It had abruptly stopped. They thought it was the oddest thing."

“That was around the time World Five was being ravaged Sorren. Dawn was watching the same broadcast as well." I said interrupting.

“Anyway the morning turned into late morning and customers were talking about how communications had ceased with World Five, the city had been isolated from the rest of the empire. Then it happened to World Four and World Three. I thought nothing of it perhaps the hub technicians were having a bad day."

“They were Sorren."

“Just before the noon hour the castle started shaking violently, explosions were heard outside and patrons started screaming. Someone yelled that it was a rebel invasion. But that didn't seem quite right. I left the cafeteria to try to find out what was going on. That was when I ran into you in one of the corridors."

“Alex!!" 

"Sorren!"

"What's going on? Why is the castle shaking?" Your face had a measured look of terror on it. You brushed off my question so I moved onto the next. “Have you seen Tauren and Lurie?" 

You nodded.

"Thank goodness. Where are they?" 

"I last saw them near the holding cells." You replied as the castle shook violently and some walls crumbled exposing the wing to the outside world and the returning phantom cascade.

I started running toward the holding area. You jumped in front of me.

"Sorren no!" You said yelling. "They are, they are gone."

"What do you mean gone?" I asked.

"ONE, the synoptic, the entity got them." You said tearing up. "It got Lea as well."

"Alex are you saying they are dead?"

"No possessed. If you go after them, it will get you too." You said grabbing my paw. I wouldn't, couldn't believe it.

"Alex I have to find them!" I shouted as I started to run off. My rescue was cut short as a hover vehicle crashed through the roof landing on five beastials right there in the hallway. I ran to check on the driver a red panda and then those he landed on. All of them were dead. I saw what had happened but was still trying to process it. That made me more desperate to find Tauren and Lurie. I made my way to the holding area finding one of the High Evolutionary's liaisons and then the master laying in a pool of blood.

“Looking for something young dragon?" 

“Hawk!" I shouted at Tauren's counterpart who had presumably attended your final judgement earlier that hour with the High Evolutionary. “Have you seen Tauren?"

“Why yes we have seen Tauren. He is with Lurie. In fact they have been searching for you as well."

“Hawk why are you speaking in third person?" I asked the brown avian “And what is wrong with your face?"

“We have been acquired."

“Acquired how?" I asked sensing that something was off with the winged beastial.

“By the ONE who killed the High Evolutionary. By the ONE who will reign in the new era. By the ONE who has taken Tauren, Lurie as its own." The avian said walking toward me.

(Alex was right!) I thought to myself.

“So you became a pepper?" I said trying to distract him.

“Would you like to be a pepper too?" The brown bird said with paw outstretched. That was the moment I considered joining my lovers. At least we would be together.

***Do not young dragon you are meant for better things.*** It was a voice I heard in my head. Telling me not to follow. It wasn't the path I was meant for.

“Um, let me think about it?" I said smiling.

“That was not a question dragon. Your lovers want you to join them on their magnificent new journey." The hawk said as the castle continued to violently shake his arm still outstretched.

“My this is hawkward... err awkward." In that moment. I listened to that mysterious voice and ran back into the corridor just in time to see a wall explode to the outside world and a tapir and civet sucked upward into the sky. “This is horrible!" 

I started desperately searching for you but instead ran into the couple from the cafeteria.

“What do we do?" The female antelope screamed from an adjacent hallway.

“We have to flee." A gnu next to her shouted.

“Flee?" I asked the pair.

“The castle is lost cook and I have a sneaky suspicion that the same happened to Sovereign, Sevren and Sogreth as well. No one can reach any of the knights in those castles." The male beastial said.

“Where do we go?" The she beastial asked.

“The loading dock we can escape from there! Dragon?"

“Yeah, right." 

I followed the two to one of the loading docks and dove into gnu's utility vehicle, he opened the hanger door and we departed.

As the utility vehicle took off we watched as hover vehicles continued to rain down on the city striking critical infrastructure, buildings, homes and houses creating a large conflagration.

“Garrett look out!!" The she antelope screamed. “Sorry Anette I was… the whole city is on fire!!!" The gnu shouted as his hover vehicle flew into a giant yellow cloud and stalled.

“Garrett we are losing altitude!!!"

“It won't restart Anette!!!"

“Then today is our day too." The she antelope said shocked as the utility vehicle dove toward the ground.

“Aim for that lake!!" I said grabbing the steering wheel- the utility vehicle hit the water with such force, I just remember the kersplash and then the dark stillness.

“Like you were in a deep slumber?" I asked the goofy dragon.

“Uh huh. Funny you should say that. The next thing I heard was this voice echoing in my head. It said wake up! ***Arise King Dragon ruler of the combined kingdom!***"

“That is pretty profound Sorren." I said looking him in his eyes.

“I woke up and I was lying on a cot in this place Chemar and Cole were lying at my side like they were some type of personal bodyguards. So how your year been going?"

“Believe me yours was much better than mine. After you ran off to look for Tauren and Lurie, I hid in that closet you three used to ride out the last golden cloud incident. It was a good thing too because the castle collapsed on to it. I was buried alive and was unconscious for days. While out cold I traveled to the realm of fire and magma and met its overseer a wolf demon by the name of Diamantopoulous."

“Alex, wasn't that the same being you encountered on that case with Arthur and Minka?"

“The same. Flo sacrificed herself so that we could escape from that place. Anyway  Diamantopoulous brought me up to speed about the cataclysm while tormenting me at the same time. You see he brought me to this museum filled with pictures of all those I cared about. Those who had been possessed by ONE had their pictures moved into this gallery from the main as did those who had died. Their pictures were moved into this other gallery from the main. The dark being watched with glee as I ran back and forth desperately trying to determine which of my friends and loved ones had survived and which had not before growing bored and kicking me out. Like you, I woke up some time later but not on another planet but an underground archaeological ruin- the sister site to where we are now that archeologist professor Dawn Stern had discovered."

“How did you get there little buddy?"

“Lady Ursa dug me out the rubble of the castle and brought me there. Together with Corbin we aided and helped many survivors from the former cities. It was touch and go for a while but we turned it into a thriving colony."

“What about World One?"

“The entity has claimed that area as its own Sorren. It demolished what was left of the city after the fire and built its own- the Diamond City on the remains. I encountered Lurie, Tauren there some weeks ago while on a reconnaissance mission."

“So they survived that is great news!" The goofy dragon said. 

“Not that great of news Sorren." I said ushering him to sit down. “They are still under the entity's control. I desperately tried to free them from it using an experimental weapon- while momentarily free- they said thanks but no thanks; they liked who they had become, whom they served now and their lives under their new master."

Sorren gasped. 

“There is more." I said gently taking his paw.

“What? Those two are still together right? They still miss me right?"

“Well… They are but you have been replaced- a dragon by the name of Eon. He seemed nice."

“Well that didn't take long." Sorren whimpered. “When did you meet with them?"

“Earlier this month."

“So it took Tauren and Lurie just seven months to replace me?!"

“They thought you were dead Sorren. I thought so, too big buddy."

“So things have gone from horrible to much more horrible in the last seven months?"

“Sorren the entity's is taking over the planet. Some are resisting but until ONE can be defeated and its minions liberated we might as well be screaming into the wind."

“Dawn doesn't think victory, any victory is possible." Sorren said placing his paw on my knee.

“I am starting to share that sentiment as well- I lived as an Other for a few months."

“Whaa?" The goofy dragon said shocked.

“I was captured on a raiding mission that went sideways and turned shortly afterwards. Fortunately my transformation was incomplete and I was able to resist the synoptic in time."

“How Alex?"

“It has something to do with the fact that I am not from this reality but an alternate I suppose. ONE was able to acquire the Alexander Winter from this earth and control him just fine but it was never the case with me. So there you have it, the condensed version how my year has been going." I said to the red dragon.

“Remarkable. I just wished I could remember what happened to me in between the hover vehicle crash and here with such detail. But I can't. It is kind of like a piece of me is missing; an itch I can't scratch." Sorren said.

The museum of Memory within Torture Tower in the realm of fire and magma approximately 204 days ago...

"NO!!! NO, NO, NO, NO!!" Alex bleated. "Please tell me this is not real!!! That I am dreaming!!"

"I have always admired you mortals capacity for self denial. It is most certainly real and not a dream." The wolf demon said as pictures of Billy Goat, Sorren and Chemar disappeared from the main gallery and started to materialize into the gallery of the dead.

(No, please not them too!) Alex thought- screamed to himself.

Fortunately, only the picture of Sir Ram's protege stayed. Sorren and Chemar's returned to the main gallery.

"Hmm... the dragon and cheetah were on the verge of dying. Looks like they bounced back- pity. Anyway feel free to look around as much as you like. But please remember that this and the other rooms are largely incomplete so check back for updates." The dark wolf said deviously.

"Diamantopoulous, this is horrid even for you." The blond haired human said collapsing and crying.

The wolf demon picked him up by the scruff of his neck returning him to his feet. "You do know that a cataclysm happened right? Not everyone survived." He said grinning demonically. “As a result my realm has received quite an influx of spirits as of late from yours."

Hearing that Alex Winter ran back out to the hallway to see who he knew was still alive and free from the entity before returning to the gallery of the deceased and the gallery of the possessed just in time to see Bess and Tess' portraits disappear.

"Looks like the synoptic got them. What a pity they were quite a force for change in the waning days of the empire. Well at least they are together." The dark being quipped.

The wolf demon allowed Alex to stay a couple moments longer to watch a portrait of Commander Rhinox start to fade. As he was trying to determine which gallery it would appear in, the dark wolf grew tired of torturing the helpless human whom he knew he could not have. 

"Well that concludes the tour! Thank you for coming!" He said ushering him out.

"Hey wait!" 

"I will tell my slave that you said hi." He said as the human was returned to the realm of the living rather abruptly.

The dark wolf watched the human disappear before departing the gallery, rounding a corner to enter his throne room. As he entered he found his minions at either side kneeling and at the far end of the room his throne next to it bowing respectfully his slave a naked female red orangutan. 

“Does anyone know why the cheetah and dragon returned to the realm of the living?! Their deaths were all but assured!!!"

“Well we do have the antelope and gnu that were with the dragon sir." A long dark shadowy slender figure with long legs, arms and yellow slit like eyes said.

“That was not what I asked Sheldon." The dark wolf said cutting his eyes at his minion.

“Yes sir, sorry sir."

“Anyone else have an explanation?"

“Perhaps it wasn't their time sir?" A humanoid creature with forty eyes said as the wolf demon approached his throne.

“Um, like master?" The red orangutan female said standing.

“What is it slave?" He said staring at her. She was pointing back to the entrance of the throne room where three small beings had just entered.

The beings were dark humanoid looking creatures, black bodies, weird looking heads, hourglass like torsos, long limbs and red eyes definitely not from his realm.

“The Chado. To what do I owe this visit? And within my realm none the less."

The three stepped forward. 

“You can not have the dragon and cheetah." The first said.

“They have a greater purpose to fulfill." The second said.

“As such we have reacquired their souls and returned them to the realm of the living." The third said.

“What is this greater purpose that you speak of?"

“In time Diamantopoulous, in time." The beings said defiantly as they disappeared.

“Wow, far out." Flo said at the abrupt exit. “Like who has that kind of power to enter the realm like that at will?"

“You will reply only when spoken to slave." The wolf demon said standing from his throne. 

“Yes master." Ms. Fuller replied.

“Oh, and that homely freckled blond haired boy sends you his regards."

“Like groovy to the max, Alex survived!! I mean thank you master." The naked orangutan replied.

“What was that about sir?" A dark black molten creature inquired.

“Apparently the Chado have taken an interest in that doomed planet's plight and have decided to intervene." 

22 hours ago….

“And so Professor Stern arrived a few days later. Speaking of which we should catch up with her." The goofy dragon advised.

“I can't get over how much this looks like the lost city only larger." I said as we walked downstairs.

“Professor Stern, Cole, Chemar, and I have lived here ever since." The red dragon said placing his paw on my shoulder.

“I am over the moon that you live my friend." I said hugging the goofy dragon again.

“Ahem present company included?" The nervous cheetah said walking into the conversation. 

Cole raised an eyebrow as well.

“I am glad that all of you are alive Chemar." I then gave them an even greater hug. “So it looks like the Knights of Wundagore have the most survivors. Three in total."

“Make that four Alex." The donkey said correcting me.

“Who else?"

“Sanda." Chemar said.

“No way? How?"

“The Chado brought him through the space-gate a month later. He is on patrol."

“Yeah, where is the other end of that? When Arugula, Corbin and I arrived we landed on mesa far away from here." I replied as we went outside of the tower.

“Is that even possible?" Sorren asked.

“It is now." Cole replied as we started walking toward a single level building with no windows and only one door.

“This is the other end of the space-gate." Chemar said opening the door. “This connects Counter Earth to this planet.

I walked inside there was a similar platform with eight obelisks around it.

“Only the Chado can control and operate it."

“Hmm…" I replied. “So what have you five been doing the past four months?"

“I thought you would never ask." Cole replied.

“Wow." The spring hare replied, eyeing the massive garden.

“This dwarfs the one Dianna built in our colony several times over!" Corbin said to his adoptive mother. 

“Well we have had the extra time and space to prepare." The professor said.

“To prepare for what?" The mongoose asked my sister's doppelgänger.

“To evacuate Counter Earth."

“That is going to be a difficult task if not impossible." I said overhearing the conversation.

“It does sound crazy, but we are living the crazy." Sorren replied.

“We found a planet capable of supporting life on the other side of the universe that is ONEless." Chemar added.

“The locals seem friendly and accommodating." Cole added.

“But the variable multicolor skies, white water, two suns and three moons did take some getting used to though." Ms. Stern replied as Cole, Chemar, Sorren and Corbin all face palmed.

“Such a ditz." The mongoose said under their breath.

Now...

“As Lady Ursa was saying the away team stumbled upon a secret space-gate which brought them to another planet, another world far away from this troubled one." Lady Barq addressed those assembled. “They started exploring and discovered that it was pristine and virtually untouched."

“So there was no presence of this conquer of worlds everybody is afraid of?" A scorpion boy in the crowd asked.

“Or a monster king a certain trio of refugees who are staying with us fear." Shira replied.

*Hiss* *Hiss* Sandu replied.

“More importantly we found one of our own who had been missing." Commander Rhinox said pointing to the door as a blond haired archeologist casually strolled in. “Everyone this is Dawn Stern. The city we now inhabit was her discovery."

“My the population here has surged since my absence." The blond female said. 

“So what are you saying?" A female half human/half rabbit asked.

“I have been in discussions with those who control and operate the space-gate. They are very familiar with our plight, you see they experienced it themselves when they lived here. They have agreed in principle to share their planet; they will let us relocate to their world and settle there permanently."

“So we are giving up on Counter Earth?" Milton asked.

“Milton look at all we have been through the last six months." Melinda said questioning her mate. “All that we experienced, all that we have done is it getting any better?"

*ARF* *ARF* Lolly chimed in.

“Presently, ONE continues to grow in strength and power. Then there is the hostile monster colony nearby that continues to threaten our very existence." Lady Ursa said grabbing control of the meeting again.

“And now there is also TWO which is fighting the synoptic for dominance." Corbin said standing up. “And the rest of us we all are caught in the middle of it."

“Sounds like the 90 year war all over again." Milton concluded.

“The four of us have been in talks with Dawn." The badger warrior said things are not getting any better.

“And we have reached one undeniable truth- in order to ensure the survival of human, beastial, hybrid, monster kind and the generations yet to come we must abandon Counter Earth." Lady Ursa said amidst gasps from all those assembled.

Alex Winter August 1st, YOE 34