• Dev grabbed at Mas, gripping the front of his shirt as Mas laughed, his eyes glowing bright green. “Mase! Mase! Stop this!” Genevieve was crying, her makeup running rivulets down her pale cheeks. I grabbed her hand and led her away quickly as Dev shook Mas. I handed Gene off to Chira before racing back to the main hallway, my steps echoing off of the stone steps.
    “Stay back Lex. I don’t know how dangerous he is. He might try to hurt you.” Dev pushed Mas away from him and moved to stand in front of me.
    “I can handle him Dev.” I put my hand on his shoulder and moved forward to stand by his side. Let’s do this Dev. And no matter what, remember that I love you now and always.” Then I drew my gun, aiming it directly at Mas.
    “Pathetic humans. You are no match for us.” Mas was lifted into the air and his body pulsated with a sickly green light just like his eyes. He was no longer himself. And I really didn’t want to know what he was now; there was something mystical about it.
    “Mason?” Dev made to step forward but I threw my arm out and shook my head. He frowned but I focused on Mas.
    “You humans are going to be obliterated. We will obliterate you with barely a thought. Don’t bother trying to stop us. There is no use for you to. Humans are pathetically worthless creatures.”
    “Who are you and what do you want?” I yelled loudly.
    “We are not from your planet. You would call us ‘aliens’ however we call ourselves the Almighty Protectors. And as for your second question, it has already been answered. We are here to destroy the human race. And since your insipid question has annoyed me, I think that I will start with you.” Mas’ arm lifted with the gun and took aim at me. I heard Dev’s shout as the bullet raced towards me. As if in slow motion, I felt Dev push me sideways and there was a searing pain as something whizzed right by my ear. I groaned and was alarmed to feel something warm and viscous streaming down my neck. Putting a hand up, I realized immediately that it was blood. The shot had grazed across my temple but not lodged in me.
    “Feh, human, that will not stop us. It will only make you be next killed. Or would you rather go first?” The voice echoed through the caverns and made the walls vibrate.
    “I’d rather you fight like a man and not an ‘Almighty One’. Pfft, you are nothing more than a stage magician with your tricks. I don’t think you can fight now can you?” Dev laughed through the speech, his body tense. I could tell he was itching for a fight. But he was nervous of what the being might actually be capable of.
    “Human, you dare insult me? Very well, I shall fight you.” Mas was lowered to the floor, his body still lit with the eerie green light as his arms and legs were moved against his will. “This could work in my favor very easily you spineless human.”
    “No weapons. Toss them away.” Dev said as he removed his own guns. Fear pulsed through me leaving me cold as I saw where this could go.
    “Don’t do this Dev. You don’t have to do this! Don’t leave yourself vulnerable. That’s the first rule of survival!” I heard Chira’s voice from behind me and I watched in horror as the fight began.
    Dev moved lithely, his body a symphony of action. Mas’ actions were jerky and uncoordinated as they circled each other. Dev was patient as he sized Mas up waiting for him to make the first move. Finally, Mas lurched forward, his fist flying to hit Dev in the face. Dev dodged and responded by landing a punch in Mas’ stomach. He dropped and Dev began landing punches on him like he was a punching bag. Then he was forcefully pushed back by an unseen force. Dev hit the wall hard and I watched him slump, completely unconscious.
    “No,” I murmured, a red haze blurring my vision. Slowly, I raised my gun and aimed it directly at Mas’ heart. And I pulled the trigger.
    “Feh! I win you pathetic creature! Now I will finish y-,” his words were cut off in a gurgle as blood gushed from his chest. A trickle of blood trailed from his mouth as he fell to his knees. “What is this?” There was a high pitched scream and the green light disappeared from Mas’ body as he slumped down.
    “You shouldn’t underestimate us humans.” I turned and moved to kneel by Dev’s side. He let out a low groan and opened his eyes. Almost instantaneously, he was trying to stand.
    “What are you insane? Don’t turn your back on-,” he drifted off as he caught sight of the body lying on the ground mere feet from us. “What did I miss?”
    “He underestimated us. I killed him.” Smoothing back a strand of hair from his face, I slowly realized that there was a crowd gathered at the intersection of hallways. Our whole party was murmuring and staring.
    “Mase? Are you alright babe?” Gene went to step forward, her eyes puffy and red.
    “Don’t let her touch him.” I looked at Aiden and he nodded as he grabbed Gene.
    “Mason!” The scream was loud and I winced as Gene began to keen and wail for her lost love.
    “Did you hear the voice Jesstin?” I looked at the leader of the caravans. His face was grim, his lips set in a hard line. Slowly, he nodded. “There was no other solution I could think of.” He nodded again and he and a few other guys moved forward to deal with the body.
    “This is going to be a new sort of war.” Chira muttered, her eyes dark.
    “We better get started getting the rest of the groups woken up.” Dev said.
    “Well we better get started.” I added bitterly as I stared out at the expanse of desert. Fear and anticipation filled me as I realized this was about to get serious. The survival of our species rested on us. And we were completely unprepared for what was going to come at us. This would be a fight for the ages.
    I strode out of the cave into the arid desert and spread my arms. “Show us what you got! We’ll be waiting for you!”