"How dare you? Stand before me!"

  Orion shakes his head as he sits on his knees, and stares up at the most horrific creature in all of creation.

  He hopes it kills him and gets it all over with.

  Then, he can meet his Creator and rest, finally.

  See his family again.

  The beast yells in protest.

  "Because you show no fear, and wish for death, do you think that means I am done with you?!"

  It was a bluff and the truth at the same time.

  "Do you not care about those behind you?! I control them. They are seeing the horrors of my master. The wars and calamities. The hymns sung to me and the undead!"

  Oh. Them. The pod people.

  Orion turns briefly, and sees them all in their trances or positions or horror and rage and excitement.

  WORLD EVENT IN PROGRESS

  WORLD EVENT IN PROGRESS

  WORLD EVENT IN PROGRESS

  Then, a strange message comes across Orion's display.

  Strange, since the sync is gone and the menu has been downgraded, though the world event notifications start again.

  GO OUT FIGHTING, ORION

  Orion thinks about it.

  It is the only way. It gives those behind a fighting chance. If I die, they are done anyway. And if I die, I am free.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Orion grabs his gun and opens fire on the face of the creature.

  The bullets strike the eye.

  It lurches back, angry and elated and in pain.

  It screams into the air and slams into the ocean, sending massive and exploding waves across all directions. But then, the beast chuckles, and brings forth its bloody, closed eye.

  "You are what I'm looking for!"

  "Hold still. I'm reloading. I'll take care of your other eye."

  Orion does indeed reload and aim for the other eye, but the beast kicks the sand bar.

  All the ground shakes and a mini avalanche of sand falls upon the frozen pod people, and Orion is thrown on the ground.

  His massive gun bounces away down the hill with the avalanche of sand.

  Orion then grabs for a pistol on his belt and aims it at the beast as he lays on his back.

  "Impressive. Stand."

  Orion slowly does, keeping his small pistol pointed at hell itself.

  "You are not ready for me. But you are ready for a piece of me. Of my sharks. If you survive, I will see you again someday, warrior. Perhaps with a real weapon."

  Orion is confused.

  I thought this was the fight! I thought you wanted to kill me! Why you leaving now?!

  But mainly, another thought...

  What does it mean sharks?!

  Suddenly, the beast turns its horrible, tentacled back towards Orion, and stands high into the air.

  Then, in between the crevices of the horrible appendages, small beasts emerge.

  Really miniature versions of the beast itself. Small demonic komodo dragon like creatures on all fours.

  Four break forth. They scream as they come from their hiding place like they are being born, then yell and jump from the body and land on the sand barge.

  Smaller than the Demon Lords, but leaner and more sinister and faster. Like demonic jaguars.

  The beast chuckles out loud. "My sharks. Orion, if you survive, I will see you very soon. If you do not, I will glad to be forever scarred and blinded by someone like you."

  With that, the beast has enough, and dives back into the water.

  It was quite the sight to see. The beast of the sea diving back in the massive ocean under the atomic skies.

  But Orion can't enjoy it.

  The four creatures snarl and make a circle around him.

  "Nice sharks?"