The Invincible Hero - Chapter 62

“Lorne?” Tower looked at Malkus confused.

“What do you mean?” Paneneko asked.

“Malkus, are you okay?” B’wiri asked.

Lorne rose from the bed, feeling out his new body he took a few awkward steps and walked around the room.

“Where are we?” Lorne asked.

“We’re in the medical center,” Master Bilvo said.

“This isn’t a very good place to have such an important conversation,” Lorne said more to himself than to anyone else. “Master Que, is there somewhere private we can talk? Maybe a nice calm place. Somewhere no one can hear us even if we’re all screaming and yelling?” Lorne asked.

“Malkus, you’re making me worried,” Paneneko said. Lorne looked at Paneneko sadly.

“Prepare yourself, I have some bad news,” Lorne said to Paneneko. Lorne looked back at Master Que who was quietly contemplating something.

“Master Que, do you know of a place?” Lorne asked as he smiled.

“I do, we can talk at my residence, there’s’ no where better.” Master Que said with a smile.

Everyone followed Master Que to his residence. Master Bilvo was really surprised. Master Que never invited anyone to his residence. Most thought it was because there were too many sensitive things at his place. Others thought he just didn’t like hosting people.

Arriving at the residence, Master Que showed everyone to the back. He had a very large garden and brought everyone to a large table with luxurious chairs. Everyone took their place. A man came out with two maids. They soon brought food and beverages for everyone.

After a light meal, Master Que looked to Lorne to begin.

“I am not Malkus Gun.” Lorne began. “My original name is Dr. Lorne Longoak of Earth in the Zimwarn Empire, named by the people of Earth the Invincible Hero. I was also known as Ying Xiong a four-Clawed silver horn Dragon although my true form was a five-clawed gold horn Dragon known as Wudi Long also called the Invincible Dragon of the Dragon Empire.” After saying this, Lorne noticed a peculiar twinkle in Master Que’s eyes.

“About a year ago, I, along with friends and family engaged in a battle against a being known as the Great Fiend. From the name, I’m sure you can tell that he was of Fiends. The Great Fiend’s goal was to eradicate all life in the Dragon Empire. We waged a final battle against the Great Fiend and in a moment of desperation I tore a hole into the Karmic Transference Zone and along with the Great Fiend, I entered the process of reincarnation very directly.

“My battle didn’t end there, once we entered the KT Zone, the Great Fiend and I continued to battle. Eventually, he told me that if I didn’t save him we would both suffer the Fiend fate. When a cultivator dies, he enters samsara to be reincarnated into a new body and a new life. Fiends, however, are prohibited from this. They suffer the Fiend Fate. You could think of it as samsara for Fiends. However, it’s far more terrible than you can imagine. Fiends are turned into Fiend Stones and these stones are scattered throughout the multiverse. It can take up to trillions of years before a Fiend’s Fiend Stone is discovered and the Fiend is released to live once more.

“During the time a Fiend is trapped in the Fiend Stone, they are in a semi-lucid state. They experience a passage of time trapped within the Fiend Stone. Of course, they’re all driven insane by this process. The worst part about the Fiend Fate is that Fiend’s who suffer the Fiend Fate don’t always survive the process. Very often, Fiends, especially high-level Fiends, are consumed by other Fiends to increase their cultivation level.

“The Great Fiend didn’t want to experience the Fiend Fate; he claimed that at one time he was a cultivator, but for various reasons, he treads down the Fiend Path. He wanted me to help him escape from the Fiend Fate. I wasn’t given a choice, either I save him or I would become a Fiend myself. Of course, I saved him and we were eventually able to escape the Fiend Fate.

“We were drawn to this world through the Karmic ropes we attached ourselves to. The Great Fiend and I entered this world together. I was reincarnated into the deceased body of Malkus Gun. I don’t know what happened to the Great Fiend.” Lorne finished his story.

“You’re not Malkus, my brother?” asked Paneneko.

“No, he died and I entered his body, I have his memories but I am not him,” responded Lorne.

“You’ve been pretending to be Malkus Gun this entire time?” B’wiri asked.

“No, I didn’t pretend. When I entered Malkus’ body I was in an unusual situation. Before entering battle, my life and death brother Big Bear created a special suit of armor that could be used either to protect my physical body or my soul. By the time I exited the KT Zone my physical body was destroyed. Only my soul remained and it was hidden within the soul armor. If not for the armor I think my soul might have been destroyed,” finished Lorne.

“Your soul might have been destroyed, what do you mean?” asked Master Bilvo.

“It is my belief that my reincarnation wasn’t a normal one, I believe I reincarnated into a higher realm,” said Lorne.

“Oh my, how troublesome,” said Master Que.

“I don’t understand, if you aren’t my brother then why did you act like him this whole time? I don’t understand!!!” Paneneko screamed at Lorne. He was worried that this wasn’t a joke. He was worried that his brother was really dead.

“My soul has been sleeping within the armor. Somehow, the memories of your brother continued to operate as if it was still Malkus Gun. For all intents and purposes a pseudo-Malkus was formed by the body it even created a spirit form.” Lorne said.

“If that’s true, then what changed, how did your soul wake up, and where is Malkus’ spirit form now?” asked Tower.

This was the part that Malkus wasn’t looking forward to. He felt extremely guilty. It wasn’t his fault this happened. If he never entered Malkus’ body he would have been dead in that tent. Malkus was given, in a sense, an additional year of life.

“Something happened and the soul armor my soul was sleeping in was damaged. A small hole was created in the armor. For some reason, Malkus’ spirit form came into the armor, found the hole and entered. Once he entered the armor, my soul absorbed his soul form, and I woke up.” Lorne said in a single breath.

“Oh, shig, it was when he was meditating. I guided his soul to the soul armor, I thought it was his soul. It looked strange, but I thought he just had a weird soul. I killed my disciple!” Master Bilvo cried out, then he spurted out blood and fell to the ground unconscious.

“Master Bilvo,” Lorne cried out. Everyone crowded around Master Bilvo. B’wiri shoved her way through and after a few minutes, she was able to revive him. Master Bilvo looked extremely pale and aggrieved. He was supposed to protect his disciple not to kill him.

Everyone finally found their way back to their chairs and sat down again. They were all silent, the mood was extremely somber and depressing. The Malkus they had shared their adventures with, the brother and friend might be dead. However, Paneneko couldn’t accept it.

“You have no proof, no proof. Brother, maybe you had a deviation in your meditation. Don’t tell me you’re dead I refuse to believe it!” yelled Paneneko. He didn’t believe it, but he really did. He was sure his brother was dead, but he desperately fought for the slightest hope.

“Do you have any proof of any of this? Is there a way for you to show us that what you’re saying is true and that you aren’t just delusional?” asked Tower.

“Yes, I can do that,” Lorne said as he nodded his head. “BS42, why don’t you come out,” Lorne said to the air. After a moment, a metallic being appeared before everyone. Master Que was shocked, he didn’t detect this being where did it come from? What was it?

“Greetings, young Lord, greetings to everyone,” BS42 said with a grave smile. He watched the whole thing, he knew the state everyone was in. He needed to be gentle. Malkus was an important person to everyone here.

“Who are…what are you?” Master Que asked.

“I am BS42, the Warbox of Prince Dr. Lorne Longoak,” said BS42.

“Prince?” asked B’wiri. “You didn’t say you were a prince.”

“I forget that part. I only found out I was a prince right before my first death. Plus, in the forty-five thousand plus years I was alive I never used the title.” answered Lorne.

“Why did you tell us? Why couldn’t you have just kept this to yourself.” Paneneko said forcing back his bitter tears. His twin brother was undoubtedly dead.

“There is a reason. I would have continued pretending to be Malkus if it were possible, but I know what’s going on here. I know that you also face the danger of the Fiend Plague. I have vital information I need to share to prevent the destruction of this world from happening. Fiends don’t make friends, they kill everyone who isn’t a Fiend.

I’ve shared some of the crucial information and I have other things to share, but there is one thing that it’s very important that everyone here knows.” Lorne said to the group.

“What’s that,” asked Master Que.

The Great Fiend came with me into this world and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. He seemed genuinely relieved to be free from the Fiend Fate, but he’s also a survivor. If his life depends on it, he might become a Fiend once more. After all, he knows how to escape the Fiend Fate. He could always do it again.

On the other hand, he might be an important ally. He was a high ranked Fiend, he probably knows things about the Fiends that no one else does. He could help us develop counter-measures against the Fiends.” Lorne said.

“This is important, I don’t know how we can track him, but I’ll reach out to the Elder’s Council and we can discuss this,” said Master Que.

“There’s a possibility that you won’t have to look very far,” said Lorne.

“What do you mean?!” asked B’wiri.

“I wasn’t the only person in that medical tent. I may not have been the only dead body, reanimated by a soul.” Lorne looked at everyone and allowed this information to sink in. B’wiri, Tower, and Paneneko began to shake in fear, they immediately understood his meaning.

“Tower and Paneneko, you were both in the medical tent and you both suffered what were supposed to be fatal wounds and yet you managed to survive. It’s possible that one of you is the Great Fiend!”