Gardens of Destruction
CHAPTER 48

Mark endeavored to keep pace with Valentina as she nimbly descended the hillside. That irksome tune wormed its way into his consciousness again, the tension within threatening to overwhelm him.

Valentina didn’t glance back to check if he was following. She seemed captivated by the exalted visages turned towards her, as if nothing else existed in that moment, just them. She gazed at them with a tenderness as if they truly were her own offspring. They reached the forefront of this newfound legion, a sight both bizarre and indescribable. Grotesquely shaped humans clad in remnants of clothing, their disfigured bodies and faces arresting enough to render their nakedness inconsequential. Some appeared relatively normal, suggesting the alterations hadn’t penetrated too deeply, or perhaps the invaders had refined their genetic tampering.

Shaking off these thoughts, Mark realized this wasn’t the time for such musings. Perhaps fear was driving his mind to distraction, keeping him from focusing on the impending battle. He longed for concentration but found it elusive, standing arm’s length from his recent foes. The notion that these beings were now his sole allies was still hard to digest. The cocoon of calm he’d spun around himself was fraying, with unbridled terror lurking just beyond its tear.

Gradually, Mark caught up with Valentina but maintained a respectful distance. He didn’t wish to intrude on her divine moment as she traversed the assembled ranks of the transformed, stepping forth to lead. They parted for her with a fervor and submission that seemed to ease their tension as their Queen passed, her small stature commanding, her staff clutched tightly.

“Are you afraid?” Valentina suddenly turned to ask him.

“Do you want the truth? Yes, Val, I feel like I’m about to burst with fear and dread!” Mark confessed.

She offered him an encouraging smile and a warm, childlike gaze.

“Don’t be afraid; they’re scared too!” she gestured towards the crowd of transformed beings.

“It’s hard to accept that,” Mark shook his head.

Valentina halted and fixed him with her piercing eyes, the alien filaments in them forming an intricate jewel-like pattern.

“They’re still human, and that’s why they’re here. Don’t forget that... and they’re in terrible pain. They’re not the monsters you see on the outside. Right now, they’re more human than many will ever be. Being near me brings out their humanity from the inside.”

Mark realized the child before him spoke with the wisdom of a sage. At that moment, he couldn’t discern who was truly speaking—was Valentina still there, or had the omnipresent Sh`ur taken control of her young mind?

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you!” he apologized.

“You’re not offending me, but you could offend them. They’re here to help us, knowing well this might be their last day, yet they came.”

“Do they understand what we’re talking about?” he inquired.

“You mean English? Of course, they spoke it not long ago. But they prefer the new way of communicating with me. Only the humans, of course. The animals don’t speak, as you know!” she teased, awaiting his response.

“But didn’t you say you can communicate with animals?”

“I can, but it’s not quite like talking. It’s more about sharing sounds, images, scents, feelings, and emotions. All of that!”

Engrossed in conversation with the child, Mark didn’t notice when his fear began to dissipate. It seemed that was Valentina’s intention all along.

“Feeling better now?” she asked.

“At least not as bad.”

“That’s how it should be. Soon, you’ll be their leader. They need to trust you... and you, them.”

Swallowing hard, Mark surveyed the surrounding throng, trying to envision this legion under his command. He resolved to become the ugliest among them if need be but refused to let fear and despair seize him again.

Mark strove to keep up with Valentina as she descended the hillside with a speed that belied her small stature. The persistent melody that haunted his mind seemed to echo the tension gripping him, threatening to suffocate his resolve.

Valentina didn’t glance back to see if he was in tow; her focus was entirely on the throng before her, their faces alight with reverence and awe. To her, they seemed not like the monstrous beings he had fought against, but rather like her own kin, gazing back at her with an affection that transcended their grotesque appearances.

Reaching the edge of the crowd, Valentina raised her staff, signaling them to arrange themselves into a formation reminiscent of a wedge, an army rallying behind its queen. Mark didn’t question their destination; the colossal asteroid looming in the distance spoke silently of their impending challenge.

They marched in a hushed procession for what felt like an eternity, enveloped in a silence that allowed Mark’s thoughts to roam freely. He pondered the futility of his questions and the stark reality that he might not survive the impending conflict. Valentina, for all her power, was not invincible, and they were pinning their hopes on the element of surprise and sheer luck—a concept in which Mark had little faith. Fate, he believed, was a shitty ally at best.

Emerging from the shelter of the forest, they were greeted by an open field, its sparse vegetation a stark contrast to the dense woodland. The sight that unfolded before Mark halted him in his tracks, his breath caught in his throat.

What lay before him was a spectacle that defied imagination. The asteroid, now unfurled in all its alien grandeur, stood transformed.

“Damnation,” Mark cursed aloud, his voice a whisper against the vastness of the scene.

Reluctance gnawed at him; the invaders were the enemy, yet the sight before him stirred an undeniable sense of awe. The asteroid, now opened like a blossom, presented a sight of unparalleled beauty. Its crust had split and risen, revealing a giant translucent dome that from afar resembled a mushroom sheltering the life beneath.

Life teemed within. Mark could now see its intricate layers, realizing he might be the only human to witness such a marvel from this vantage point. There were tiers, or semblances of them, some perforated like Swiss cheese, others smooth and unblemished, a confluence of architectural styles from across the cosmos. Enclosed areas alternated with open spaces where alien flora intertwined with earthly plants, metallic growths sprouting amidst green leaves. “So, their experiments extend beyond humans and animals to the plant life as well,” he realized.

The inhabitants of this colossal structure busied themselves like ants in a mound, a comparison Mark couldn’t shake off.

“It’s beautiful when it blooms, isn’t it?” Valentina’s voice, close by, brought him back to the present.

“Beautiful?”

“The Garden! It looks amazing from here. But it’s better not to dwell inside… there are evil things that don’t belong,” she spoke with a familiarity that belied her years.

Mark pondered what it must be like inside Valentina’s mind, straddling two worlds, belonging fully to neither.

“Are there good things in there?” he asked, intrigued by her last remark.

“Yes,” she replied succinctly.

“The Sh`ur?”

“And many others,” she affirmed.

“Won’t they help us?” Mark asked, a flicker of hope in his voice.

“Of course not,” Valentina shook her head. “They can’t, they’re not warriors. Most can’t even comprehend what war is, let alone participate.”

“Are there many civilizations in there?”

“Yes. But I haven’t seen them, only heard from the Sh`ur… soon, I’ll know everything. They’re waiting for me,” she quickened her pace, a sense of urgency in her step.

Mark accepted her words without question, wanting to believe she knew the path they were on.

They had crossed some unseen threshold, for suddenly the beings in the Garden, previously indifferent to their presence, took notice. A flurry of activity ensued as they began descending the tiers and gathering in front of the massive structure, sensing the impending threat and readying themselves for what was to come.

“There they are, they’ve seen us. Now, they will come!” Valentina’s lips curved into a slight smile, her demeanor oddly playful in the face of the looming confrontation.

To Mark, Valentina seemed almost joyous to be here, as if returning home after a long absence. He feared the human part of her might be overshadowed by something more ominous. But as if reading his thoughts, though she hadn’t shared such abilities, she reassured him.

“I am still here.”

Startled by her response, Mark wondered if she meant something else.

“Are you ready to die... Mark?” she asked suddenly.

He exhaled a tense breath.

“I’m ready to face my destiny.”

“Then you’re ready to lead my warriors when the time comes!” she declared with approval.

Mark watched anxiously as the distance between their makeshift army and the ominous array of beings pouring out of the asteroid rapidly closed. The confrontation was nearer than he had hoped.

Valentina kept their ranks from dispersing, unlike their foes who moved in disarray, simply rushing forward without any semblance of order. Mark admired her tactical acumen. She intended to drive their wedge straight into the heart of the enemy’s onslaught while ensuring the flanks expanded to prevent encirclement.

Suddenly, Valentina uttered something in that harsh, metallic tongue. A hybrid emerged from the crowd, handing him a long blade resembling a double-edged spear with a central grip, its form bent as though someone had tried to twist it.

“Remove your jacket,” the child commanded.

Baffled, Mark complied, shedding his garment to stand in his T-shirt, his muscular frame honed by years of training now slick with nervous sweat. He cautiously accepted the blade. As he did, myriad thin filaments sprang from it, wrapping around his arms like serpents. Mark glanced at Valentina, alarmed. She nodded reassuringly as the filaments penetrated his flesh from wrists to shoulders, weaving into his skin. Though he felt no pain, only a surge of euphoria, he began to perceive the blade as an extension of himself, a newfound limb imbued with untold power.

Valentina watched him with satisfaction and proudly proclaimed, “Now, you are truly my General. I can go with peace of mind.”

Rooted in place amidst the howling wind, Mark slowly absorbed her words.

“And you... where are you going?” he managed to ask.

With a grim smile, more a baring of teeth, and a squint of her eyes, she replied, “I must go inside! There lies my mission!”

Silenced, Mark felt the reverence infused by his new weapon seep into his consciousness.

Valentina took a step, then abruptly turned back to him.

“If I don’t return... take care of Mom. Tell her I did this for her and that I’ll always love her!”

With that, she smiled, dashed forward, and with a fearsome cry, plunged into the onslaught of creatures.

In that moment, she was Earth’s new daughter. And the Princess of the Freaks!

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