Before long, It was time to depart. Jason disappeared into a tent for moment, reappearing fully suited in fitted black plate armor. Looking at him, if weren’t for the shine one couldn’t tell that it was plate armor. Above the armor, he wore navy colored leather jacket with a hood. Around his waist there was a similar colored belt with his Silver Sword ARMS device, a short sword, and a dagger attached to it. Lastly, on his feet were plate boots over what appeared to be sneakers. In his hands were several more ARMS devices which he placed on each of the scouts. They were the devices that had been stripped from them when they were captured, but modified to deactivate their advanced weaponry features. When they were dressed they were brought to their feet and forced to be at the head of the army as they marched toward the Krizian Empire’s encampment.

It took about an hour of marching for Jason and his men to be within visual range of the encampment. The march was made a bit more difficult by the captives, but in the end they only slowed them by minutes. Jason then raised a hand to signal his men to stop as he, a few dozen of his selected men, and the captured scouts continued on to about half way between his army and the encampment. They then untied the scouts and told them to return to their people. They all began to run to the camp save for the one female scout that was willing to speak with Jason earlier.

The encampment came alive, getting to full attention within moments. An attendant ran to inform the young man, Emperor and god of the Krizian Empire, only to stumble backwards out of the flamboyant tent, falling to the ground. He scrambles to his feet and runs to the commander of the army. After several rapid arm movements, pointing to Jason’s Army and the tent excitedly, trying to convey the message that he had received from within, the commander of the Krizian seemed to get what he was being told. He didn’t look like he was happy about what he was told, but he would follow any orders that he was given. He motioned to several soldiers on the wall and a few dozen to gather up. The men line up in formation and move out to meet with Jason’s group, passing by the scouts as they scury into the camp’s walls.

“What are you doing?” Jason asked the female scout.

“If you knew what its like to live in that world you’d be asking the ones you freed who ran back to them, not me,” she replied.

The discussion was put to an end as the Krizian Empire’s commander with several dozen men approached. They stopped a hundred feet away. A white flag, or the best they could make on short notice, was raised. And then, nothing. The Krizian soldiers simply got information, blocking the path with their weapons raised and aimed at Jason’s men. The air around them was tense, but the Free Nation’s men were just confused. Jason, meanwhile grabbed a stick and put a similarly makeshift white flag on it, raising it in the air.

“Parlay?” Jason shouted to the commander of the opposing army.

“Parlay,” the response came.

Jason began to walk out from the crowd and to the middle between them, his eyes fixed on the Krizian commander. The Commander didn’t make a move. Some time passed. It seemed like the commander was just playing with him. Jason decided it was better to be toyed with than having to into battle and risk the lives of either side so he sat on the ground and waited. There had to be a reason for this bizarre behavior. Several more minutes passed before the Krizian soldiers suddenly divided in two, allowing for a litter carried by several men to pass by and continue on to where Jason was waiting.

The litter was carried to the meeting place and sat down before the men stepped back, taking position several feet away. Jason stood up, expecting for whoever was inside to come out any minute. It took a few more minutes, but eventually, out of the litter the young man stepped out. He looked at Jason with a wide smile.

“Hey, Jay, how you been? Long time no see and all that.”

It suddenly made sense that they called it the Krizian Empire. The person that came out of the litter was someone he knew. It was Chris. The last time they’d seen each other Chris was using his wealth that he had earned via intelligent gambling on property back in Gondaluke to take liberties with women who were willing to do what he willed for a price. He had tried add Rina to his harem, but luckily he had been there to make any attempt unsuccessful. Having known Chris for several years in the past he wouldn’t have believed what he was doing if he didn’t see it with his own eyes, but now, years later, Jason found himself face to face with Chris once again, this time, if the woman scout was any indication, having done something completely inconceivable to the impression he had of Chris back on Earth.

“What have you done?” Jason asked not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

“Nothing that you haven’t. I used the technological knowhow that we Humans have that these beasts don’t to get what I wanted, recreating their world to better suit my pleasure. Just like you.”

“You think I have done all that I have, because I enjoyed it?”

“Haven’t you? Its easy to tell. Just look at how many women you have that serve you? Who was it of us that claimed that little girl when we first got here?”

“You’re sick, Chris. How dare you suggest I’ve ever laid a finger on Rina. I’ve only ever protected her from psychopaths like you.”

“Tomay-to.Tomah-to. You say protect. I say grooming to become the ideal toy to play with. It’s all the same thing to men like us.”

Jason hand clenched his sword’s hilt. He wanted to draw it and put an end to Chris’ life this instant, but he realized that this was a meeting between the heads of what could be the most powerful forces on Debris besides the creators and murdering their leader, even for a good cause, even if it was what their people really wanted, it would be seen as an act of aggression and a disrespect towards the people. It only made it worse that Jason recalled that, if he interpreted what scout said right, the scout had mentioned that Chris was looked at a god to these people. One would think that killing a person’s god would not win any favor with those people, but it couldn’t have been that long since this idea had spread. They could get over it, realizing that what they believed was all just some elaborate ruse, but Jason didn’t know how Chris had convinced these people that he was a god. If he’d used technology then it would be simple to convince them otherwise, but if he used another method the problem could go much deeper. Did he wish to risk it? Was this slanderous cretin’s words worth it to possibly cause generations of warfare? He didn’t think so and what’s more, that would be just want the creators of Debris would want Jason thought. Hear a few words. Attack that person in anger. Start an intergenerational war that could last millenia. Entertain the rulers of whatever Debris was. There was much for Jason to lose if he chose to attack and kill Chris but nothing to gain save for smug arrogance at having beat another person with force rather than words.

“I’m not like you, Chris. And don’t act like you know me. You’ve never known me. You presumed to act like you were a friend, but I always thought of you as a nuisance.”

‘Well then… I was hoping that this would all go peaceful, that when we met again you’d have seen the folly of your ways, but I see now, Jay, you’re beyond saving. We all knew it. I just held out hope that maybe I could help you along to reach your true potential, but I was wrong. You’re a mistake in the grand creation and need to be eliminated now.”

In Chris’ hands a pistol in each formed. They looked like something out of a near future fiction story, made of a smooth metallic material highlighted with glowing elements at several places, most prominently where the end of the barrel would be. It only took an instant for them to form and Chris to point them at the dead center of Jason’s torso. A blast of energy was released from them, taking the shape of cylindrical bullet that shone as if it were made of a super dense plasma held together by a magnetic field. Jason couldn’t respond. He was hit with several of the pistol charges and blown to the grown as if he were hit with a sledge hammer hitting him with each of the bullets that connected.

Chris was surprised and a bit disappointed. Every time that he had used these guns before the target of his attacks had vaporized instantly which is clearly not what happened here. Jason’s chest smoldered. Smoke rising from the wounds, but he didn’t move.

Chris shrugged, looking over at his handiwork, “Well, that takes care of that. You all can run along home now and inform them that they had better prepare to receive their new god with open arms.” He turned away from Jason and his troops that were stunned by what they’d seen. They were not accustomed to such surprise attacks and they’d never seen Jason taken out so quickly and easily. Chris walked back to his litter, returning to his throne and waited to be carried away.

Jason’s soldiers slowly stepped forward, surrounding Jason’s body. They weren’t sure what had happened or if he was dead or not. One of the them squatted down and attempted to take his pulse, but his armor kept them from taking it. They couldn’t even tell if he was breathing or not. His eyes were shut tight and his once shiny armor was dulled by the damage he took.

The Chris’ personal entourage hurried to surround the litter. They weren’t scared that Chris would need their help, but they were frightened that if they did not act promptly enough the young god would kill them without a second thought. They lifted the litter up and turned around, back towards the camp. They looked like that hadn’t eaten in days, but they showed an amazing level of strength and stamina as they made their way back, not stopping for anything. The Krizian commander saw them and the instant that the litter had reached the center of their company, he gave the order to march in step with the throne, covering their return from any attacks from the Free Nation soldiers.

The soldiers on both sides weren’t sure what was happening, but they knew they had to act quickly and decisively. The Krizian soldiers had been able to utilize the time to get as far away from the Free Nation soldiers as possible, but the distance was quickly closed once they woke from their stupor. Several stayed behind but most of Free Nation soldiers ran as quick as they could, shouting at the Krizians before one of them made the decision to open fire on the Krizians. Unlike what had happened with the bullets shot at Jason, their bullets went right through the Krizian soldiers’ armor. They kept firing, taking down the Krizians as they closed the distance. Each shot brought another down. They had a head start, but now they were almost all dead or bleeding out on the ground as the Free Nation soldiers surrounded the litter.