“Kill it Leya, finish it off! For mankind!” The voice in her earpiece screamed mercilessly. And perhaps mercy was unnecessary here. She hovered at eye level with the beast, fully ready to do the finishing maneuver that would set the human race free from its tyranny. It was larger than any building man’s hands had ever built, and was bipedal in posture. Covered in scales and a slight comparison to portrayals of Godzilla, this creature seemed far from intelligent. The crimson in her wings caught the sun’s rays and cast a blood red shadow over the beast’s face. It was bleeding from several locations, and had labored breathing. Another victory at her hand, and the last creature of its kind to live on this earth. She had sealed the portal that allowed it to return to its homeland, though she knew that it had never lived any life other than a bioengineered solider. It was just a drone created by a race determined to claim earth for its own. Now that the threat of its masters was gone, all she had left to do was kill this remaining survivor and declare the threat gone for good.
She raised her sword, and heard the familiar hum as the energy blade sliced through the air. Her only companion, this blade had saved her life more times than she could count. It had slain more of the space drones than she could recall, and was the only material she could depend on. Now it would finish her final task, and she could begin a normal life. That’s what she was promised, and that’s what she’d be rewarded for saving mankind. That was her dream, and her only desire.
But as she looked into the beast’s eyes, she hesitated. She saw a warrior created by a weaker creature to fight its battles. Just like her, it fought those that challenged its creator’s existence. Unlike her, it and all those that came before it would pay that obedience with its life. It was a slave to science, just as she was. She just happened to be on the winning end. Yet when she had found it cruising the waters hours before, it had not attacked like its brethren once did. It had in that moment almost seemed complacent now that the rule of its masters removed. She looked down at it and wondered if perhaps it would have lived quietly, glad to have its chains removed. But she taken that freedom, and promised nothing but death. In that moment, she saw what could have been her fate.
A surprising cold built up in the corners of her eyes, and she brushed her cheek to find moisture. A tear. She blinked at it, shocked at how human it was. Emotions were never a fault for her. She had lived in constant battle and thus never had time for emotions to take hold. Ever since she crawled out of the test tube she was bred in, she knew nothing of human emotion other than battle lust. And for the beasts that had caused of her creation, she had shed a tear. In fact her cheek was wet from them. She gazed back down at her alternate, and was moved with pity and regret. She wished she could grant it peace and life. The ability to cruise the waters freely, like she would roam the skies. Two beasts finally at rest after war.
“What are you waiting for!? Destroy the monster! It is nothing more than an empty drone, and left alone will be a threat. Finish it now!” The voice yelled again, startling her. Normally the space drones would have pounced on that slip up, but this creature just looked down into the waters, as if waiting for its end. It gave no more of a fight, it just stood there looking out at the sea as if trying to catch one last glimpse of its only peace. Leya raised her blade again, though her arm shook from a weakness she did not understand. It was as if half of her willed to drop the blade instead of raise it. The beast raised its head one more time to look her in the eye. In its reflection she could herself: a beast of the sky preparing to kill a beast of the sea.
“I’m sorry, forgive me and find peace.” She whispered, hoping that those back at base didn’t hear but the creature did. It just kept staring, it’s breathing becoming shallower and slower. Its limbs relaxed, and the spikes running down its back laid flat. It was calm and ready. It gave a nod, as if it understood, and looked back out at the sea. Leya inhaled, raised her blade, and dived at its skull. The blade ran through the bone and continued to descend through its body as she plummeted. Neither blade nor angel was resisted until the creature was split down the middle and she rose out of the sea covered in its blood and her tears.
