FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Kheldians refer to "The Machine" in much the same way that Furries refer to "The Creator of the Universe." --Erg Herman (The Kheldian Philosophies; An Introduction)

E arth, its solar system and then it's star Sol faded from view as did the once flourishing Paragon Island. Nova form, perfect for space travel allowed me to enter hyperspace, once the solar winds from Sol faded to acceptable levels.

Wikipedia has a bit to say about hyperspace (for those who care)

To me hyperspace is just a way to choose a destination in space, unless you know precisely where your going you will never emerge from hyperspace. To my species this is not a problem as Kheldian energy naturally retains all knowledge of this; the Machines creation (this universe) as we were created by the Machine to serve its purposes, whatever those may be.

I focused on the remaining Planet E12 of the Nebula NG-6565 located in the constellation of Sagittarius. This was a repair base for the Masters who used the rest of my species as energy for their engines of war.

I had felt the ether vibrate with what uncomfortably felt like a remaining master, none must survive or this universe will never heal. The Nebula is what remained of the Star destroyed to eliminate this base, it wiped from creation billions of souls but failed to annihilate the planet.

As I concentrated I stretched to a thin line of subjective Kheldian energy and was at once just outside the remaining atmosphere of E12. Shaking a bit I stretched my pseudopods to remove the kinks, never an easy ride. I tasted the ether once more and yes, there it was, the unmistakable stench of a master. I pulsed with anger then quickly cooled my fires, their monitoring equipment may have already detected me, why make it any easier for them?

I concentrated myself into a ball of Kheldian plasma, then pulled material from space around myself like a shell creating a shield from the detection devices (I hoped.) Then I made planetfall like a small meteorite. Hopefully this allowed me to bypass their equipment.

I became a small triped (three legged animal) that fit the planets closed ecosphere and proceeded to ambulate towards a small rise in the landscape. All around me was the blasted remains of machines who's function I would never grasp. The planet had suffered, with 98% destruction of life. Currently I was now one of the few species remaining.

Oh a bit about Kheldians you may not already know, we are not only shape-shifters but energy shifters. We can become any mass or energy configuration as needed. Meaning we have few limitations to what we can become, energy or mass.

As I topped the rise I saw a half bubble with littered remains of life scattered around its base. A masters abode if there ever was one, the wanton destruction of life was a sure sign of its nature. I would feel no sorrow at its passing, perhaps this planet will flourish again. The rest of the bubble was buried deep in the soil.

Keeping Kheldian energy pulses at bay is difficult and I needed to change shape again to remain undetected. But would my shift also alert the masters? I hoped not, I chose to become a slimemold and moved slowly through the topsoil towards the bubble. Good, I had not yet been detected, I suddenly felt fear, the bubble had a field that generated fear, this should have driven me back. This knowledge only made my resolve stronger, get to that master and eliminate it (if I could.)

Survival, pain, the urge to flee, all played out in the body of this slimemold, but it was not a mindless beast, it was me and I was mad.

As I reached the bubble I could still not see inside as the barrier was also a point perspective non-reflective mirror, imagine a mirror that reflected everything around it but you, the perfect camouflage.

I then headed deeper into the soil until I had reached about 20 meters, there I found a crack in the bubble and oozed through. Carefully I headed back to the surface, not knowing what I would find.

As I popped through I saw a master for the first time, now I felt fear, here was a member of a race that had decimated my species. Something no other race had ever come close to doing.

The being seemed to slip into and out of reality, it did not wholly exist in this universe and this was evident by its actions. Phased life was known to Kheldians but this was something different, no wonder it had been so successful in the destruction of my species. All my anger must have made me drop my protection for all at once I stood before the master in my true form.

It looked down at me with what I could not tell, then I was released and floated back. Stunned I failed to speak, I had expected instant death or insertion to one of their machines, instead I was left floating in stunned silence.

It turned away and a voice seemed to come out of the air "you are Krll the Warshade yes?"

"Yes" like I had a choice but to answer, all my thoughts of revenge gone and replaced with curiosity, not fear.

"You came here to eliminate me did you not?"

"yes I did."

"What has stopped you?"

"Your reaction to my presence."

"Why, is this not what you have wanted, craved?"

Why did this conversation seem so wrong?

"You mean a face to face conversation with the destructor of my race?"

"yes."

"No, I never expected this, but why even ask."

It stood silent and wavered into and out of reality.

"I have lived a long time, perhaps not as long as you but a time...."

"And your telling me this because?"

"Because, because? Because, I am ready to die."

This is a trick, I will soon find myself either dead or a battery.

"Why would the destroyer of so much of this reality be ready to die?" I had to ask.

"My race did not destroy yours."

And in that simple sentence my defenses dropped and anger welled up in me, what the hell?

"How can you say that? It is well known my species was used as energy for your war engines!"

"It volunteered."

What? What? What?

"Have you gone mad with age? I was told what happened by one other who survived the slaughter."

"Yes I know of him, he was a coward."

Shit! At that I flung out an energy pulse that ripped off one of its arms.

"Arrrggghh!" it screamed in pain, black ichor slopping from the wound, it turned and acted as if it was ready to attack, then it paused and relaxed. Twitches of pain evident in its frame.

"Does this make you feel better?"

"Yes."

"As you will, my time is almost up, but what I spake was the truth, your race volunteered to power our engines of war as you call them."

This is not possible, why has this mission gone so wrong? Why am I not now standing over the body of my enemy?

"And why would my race choose to annihilate itself, what purpose would this serve?"

"The Machines."

I flung out more energy and 3 arms and 2 pseudopods came off, its blood was everywhere.

"Urgghhgh!" It howled "Either end it already or stop and let me explain!"

I was about to unleash my full power when I realized it had not fought back at all.

"What trick is this? Why use that revered name? EXPLAIN!"

"No trick as you say, but a fact that must be disbursed before the end, so I may rest knowing the truth was known by another."

No, no, no! This is all wrong, why is this happening? Truth? What truth?

"Tell me then of this truth before I finish the job, fight back or not the outcome will be the same."

"You race volunteered because our threat was mutual, the "others" known to my race as the "Sledecci" were determined to delete this universe from the Machines creation.

A threat against the Machine itself? No wonder my race was so quick to volunteer. This explains a lot but not why "Twilights Son" would lie to me before he took his own life.

"Why would Twilights Son tell me the masters were responsible, he did not seem cowardly, at least till his end."

"His end?"

"Of course you would not know, he let himself die after telling me about the war."

"He was a coward to the end, no don't get mad this is the truth. When the others volunteered he ran and hid on Paragon Island."

That explained why no Hero could ever end the war, it was a just war and heroism would not allow interference in a just war. My race seemed to have died to protect the Machine from the Sledecci.

All my energy was drained, but wait why should I believe this beast?

"This sounds good but what proof do I have that this is not just some trick to lower my guard?"

"It is no trick, I thought the remaining Kheldians would ask that so I took the precaution of recording the words of one of your prophets, before he to volunteered to save the Machine."

"Remaining Kheldians, you mean I am not the last?"

"Oh no, the few who remain were not able to assist because they were stunted or damaged in ways that prevented their energy from being useful" "Now listen to the words and image of one you know... Daylights Greeting..."

With that name I was stunned, he was a Peacebringer of great worth, this I must witness.

The master turned and with its remaining arms made motions in the air, suddenly a 4-dimensional projection of Daylights Greeting appeared before me, yes this was no trick.

"I am Daylights Greeting, this is not a trick, what this master speaks is the truth, we the Kheldians both Peacebringer and Warshade gave our lives to prevent the destruction of the Machines creation."

"We knowingly did this for the good of all, we were not victims but heroes and though I will not live to see it, our sacrifice will be the victory for this universe."

"If you are reading this then we were successful, be you Warshade, Peacebringer or other life form know that we, the Kheldian race saved the Machines creation."

"Now I must go, I to am a volunteer in this endeavor, Peace to you whomever you are, never forget us or our sacrifice.

With that the image turned and headed out of sight, the recording had ended.

"Now I can die, knowing that the truth is known, the Sledecci were your enemy, not us, seek out the remaining Kheldians. Perhaps then you can restart your race."

With that it again turned and began making motions in the air, the ground shook, it turned back to me.

"Krll, I do not ask for forgiveness but understanding. Leave this planet as quickly as you can, the chain reaction I have started will end it and me. But do not forget we were not your enemy, and though it saddens me there may be some Sledecci who survived."

"I am sorry."

"Do not be, if you had let me live by not seeking my destruction you would never have learned the truth. Krll a hero forever, I salute you."

And with that I left the planet, as it vaporized into the nebula, the masters words rang in my head, other Kheldians... And Sledecci!!!