Conviction

By Lex Williams

WARNING: Contains high impact horror and mature themes. Discretion is advised.

The theocratic Mono Empire clashes consistently with the feudalistic Horde and is beset from within it's borders by the nihilistic Oblivion Cult and diseased psychics known as Peelers. Knight of Mono, clad in enormous power armour, are dispatched to various regions to protect the citizens of the Empire. But sometimes, things go horribly wrong.

And sometimes... that is only the beginning.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lex Williams
• Release date: Feb 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463948934

Lex Williams

Lex Williams is a novelettist ( although occasionally writing novellas with the rare novel ) whose intent is to take advantage of self-publishing stories to provide interesting, different and weird ideas that you won't find in traditionally published stories. Williams typically writes for the horror genre ( usually dipping into the surreal variety ), but has explored other areas, such as ( non erotic ) romance and science fiction.

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Conviction

Lex Williams

Distributed by Smashwords

Copyright 2020 Lex Williams

Thanks to my editor, Lee Cope, who I found through writerfind.com.

Thanks to my cover artist, Pius Pranoto, who I found at deviantart.com under the username, telaga.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Prologue

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Other Titles by Lex Williams

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Prologue

The small, blue light flickered, simulating the flame of a candle. Beside it sat a small altar with a series of interconnected rings floating above it, shifting in size and shape. They were a projection of a higher-dimensional shape in three-dimensional space.

Xanthe kneeled before the altar. She wore a form-fitting jumpsuit covered with small, interlocking plates of armour and contained ridges along the limbs and back. One hand clasped a necklace of beads in a fist.

As she mouthed the prayer, she rhythmically slid the beads between her fingers. The movement of the bead, as it passed her thumb, helped her keep time as she intoned the prayer in her mind. It was a mantra which reaffirmed devotion to the holy Mono, and requested guidance in a person's darkest moments.

Xanthe finished the prayer and opened her eyes. She stared at the shifting shapes, folding and twisting the necklace in her hand into a very specific pattern.

She stood raised herself to one knee and placed the necklace on the altar, flicking the holographic display off with her other hand. She stepped away from the altar. The necklace was folded into three circles; each smaller circle was inside a bigger one and hugged one side of the larger circle.

It represented a truth held to be universally true, even by those who disagreed with the notion of a singular god, not that there were many of those anymore. The tiny circle represented what a person saw and knew. The next, bigger circle represented all of the possible things a single individual could see and know, and the biggest circle, encompassing the middle-sized one, represented everything in the universe. This was humility, summarised by a Cardinal of the Order of Mono a few thousand years ago; 'Stay your arrogance of mind; there is always more to learn.'

Xanthe waved her hand in front of the blue light and it dimmed into darkness. In the pitch blackness, she sat down her bed.

Does Mono even have time for my prayers? Would an all-powerful being really make time for an insignificant creature like me?

She lay down on her bed.

Unless there's nothing to pray to.

She grimaced.

That was a bad thought – there has to be a Mono. Otherwise, where does order come from? What other use does the universe have for living things? There is so much left unexplained.

She closed her eyes.

There's always more to learn... I hope.

1

Clad in bulky power armour, the four Knights stood side-by-side. On the outside, the armour looked like a distorted, thick robot, if it was remembered in a child's nightmare: bone-crushing boots, stubby fingers, hulking shoulders, the faint whisper of mechanical breaths.

A rectangular pack was clamped to the upper shoulders of the armour. It contained important life support and power systems. There were emergency redundant systems that would kick in if a major component was damaged, but would only work for a short time.

Their helmet visors were made from a shiny steel, which projected a camera feed into the internal HUD – although it could be removed to reveal a thick glass shield if worst came to worst. A breathing apparatus jutted out from the helmet like a snout, the internal tubing covered by several thick layers of armour.

They stood together outside a number of large buildings on the otherwise barren moon. Nechtan was atop a mound, eyeing his troops. Welcome to the edge of the Mono Empire. He pointed at the glittering lights above them. Out there are monsters that would love nothing more than to dismantle everything we believe in. You've heard of them as the Horde. They will not hesitate to club you to death or to blow you to kingdom come. If the time ever comes, I expect you will not hesitate to stop them. Out here, the only reliable warning system is us. Out here, you and I are the only things between the Horde and the destruction of everything you hold dear. Nechtan's gaze drifted between the recruits. You will immediately go to a live-fire exercise. There, you will learn exactly what each of your newly christened brothers and sisters really are. You should enjoy it – you won't often get time like this together. Let's move out, and praise be to Mono.

They responded in unison: Praise be to Mono.

***

The door to the huge building slammed open with a kick. The four of them stormed inside the warehouse, with Nechtan's voice buzzing in their ears, Be mindful of your allies. Keep one eye on their markers and fight with them!

Twisted holographic figures, clad in salvaged, pieced-together power armour, climbed down from the dark roof. Frigutes, short for Frigutekimen; lizard-people. They snaked their way down the wall with huge, sharp claws and hissed. With irritated expressions, they whispered in their tongues to each other. Lakshmana, a human man, stepped forward and aimed his rectangular rifle.

Each shot he fired was little more than an invisible ray of heat, although a trail was added by their HUDs for visibility. The only true warning was a high-pitched whine as the laser beam exited the barrel. The whine hadn't even faded away before the holographic figure erupted into flames.

His aim swept to one side as he moved. I've got them over here.

Copy. Iveta, herself a Frigute, stepped to the opposite side of Lakshmana and began firing with a similar weapon. Her lizard figure was obfuscated by the power armour, her tail coiled up comfortably around her leg on the inside. Her balance wasn't impacted due to a Frigute's tail being unlike a typical lizard's tail; it had evolved to coil around tree branches, making it more like a loose limb than a stiff counterweight.

Both soldiers were careful to use controlled bursts – those weapons would eventually heat up enough to melt power armour and set anything less fire-resistant than metal on fire.

Together, they had the Frigute holograms under control, until the ground started to shake.

The four Knights of Mono lowered their stances, holding their weapons close. They looked toward the far end of the room, where there was only a light on the door to the next room with darkness extending out from either side.

From that darkness ahead of them, a mass of tentacles, thick with muscle, crawled forth. A Capupedi, also known as a Caps. Its core was covered in a single domed piece of power armour, with its limbs protected by small plates on top of of a treated fabric that provided room to move. It was flanked by another wave of Frigutes and smaller beasts.

With a whirr, Hodei, the Magnatus, readied the bludgeoning device attached to the pair of hands on the left side of his body, colloquially as known as a 'Hammer'. He glanced at the others and asked, Can you keep the little ones at bay?

Lakshmana paused to glance between Iveta and the horde of beasts raining down on them. Can you stop running at them? he hissed back.

Hodei sighed.

Xanthe, the other human, raised her scatter-shot slug-thrower and tapped the back of Hodei's armour. I'll cover you!

Hodei nodded and turned back to the Caps. It inched closer, dragging itself on huge, powerful limbs. He charged, taking pot shots at the beasts with his slug-thrower sidearm. The rounds bounced off the hologram.

Xanthe charged behind him, firing rounds of buckshot at the scampering monsters that had made it to the ground floor. They were Aranacanis – spider-dogs – and the name was accurate. They were the size of a small dog, but they skittered around the floor on many legs. Their power armour was proportionally smaller and thinner, given their smaller frames, but still managing to look menacing as it accentuated the claw-like points at the end of their limbs.

Despite using slug-throwers, Xanthe and Hodei still had to be as careful as Lakshmana and Iveta had to be with their laser weapons. The forces and speeds involved meant the slug-throwers would also heat up dangerously if not used carefully.

Although none of them had to worry about bringing the structures down on themselves – the training area was built from the same material as star ships. The walls were dense and slick. It would be a pain in the arse to move them, but no amount of small arms fire would ever break them and they wouldn't need to be rebuilt after every live-fire training session.

As Hodei reached the Caps, it lifted one claw above its head. He dashed to the side to avoid the strike, and swung the Hammer, shaped like a vague fist, at it. As his blow connected, the device fired a jet of steam at such speed that he staggered backward from the recoil.

The Caps was shredded by the strike, the pieces of its body flying apart and taking out several of the Frigutes nearby.

Xanthe glanced over to the others. She screamed, Lakshmana! Twelve O'clock!

Lakshmana glanced at her and then behind him. The Aranacanis leaped. He held up his weapon as a shield.

The monster exploded into little pieces. Iveta grunted, Be mindful.

Xanthe turned and fired a single blast into the last remaining creature. There was a pause, as everyone looked around at the holographic devastation. For a moment, they were all just happy it had gone smoothly.

Then Nechtan's voice buzzed in their ears. Move! Next room, let's go!

***

All four of them breathed hard as they staggered out of the other side of the warehouse. Nechtan watched them file out.

Alright – line up!

They took shaky steps toward Nechtan, stopping in front of him in a line.

Lakshmana, holding his rifle in one hand like a cane, leaned forward and pressed his other hand against his knee. He spoke between his breaths, You sure... those... were holograms? I swear... my suit is damaged.

Hodei turned to him and laughed. You'll be fine. All you need is a rest. He patted Lakshmana on the back, which sent Lakshmana tumbling into the ground. Hodei held out his top arm. Oh, I'm sorry- But overreached and fell onto the moon's surface.

Using the rifle, Lakshmana pushed himself back onto his feet. The rifle's barrel seared a black mark onto the dirt. Are you right?

Hodei laughed as he pushed himself upright. Yes – are you?

Iveta sighed. Guys, please.

Xanthe turned from her fellow Knights to the Senior Knight, Nechtan. He was watching them silently. As the others noticed him waiting, they quickly stood straight.

Nechtan waited for a good solid minute after they were all standing still before saying anything. Get used to each other; you're family now. There's no one else within several thousand light years besides us. Unless you count the possibility of a Horde incursion. He paced in front of them. Your time is acceptable, but I expect an improvement on the next run. Stopping, Nechtan cast them an aside glance. You need to communicate more. You're in a team. Act like it. You'll notice that I never said you needed to rush in there and get it over with. You had time to plan, actually consider the strengths and weaknesses of each individual in your unit. Hodei shouldn't charge in without cover. Xanthe shouldn't have to provide that cover on the spur of the moment. Iveta and Lakshmana, you both attacked the same enemy several times. You should be using the line-of-fire trails that your HUD provides. You need to think ahead and stay together. Together, as a unit, you're strong. I know it can be challenging, but I plan on sending each of you back home to your families alive, and that can't happen unless you become a family here. His gaze drifted from the Knights up to the stars. Alright. Put the weapons and armour away, get showered and I'll see you all in the mess hall for lunch. You won't often get to eat at the same time. You should enjoy this as well. Move out.

***

Those holograms weren't the first time they'd faced a simulation of the Horde, but it felt much more terrifying to Xanthe. Prospective Mono Knights knew that their training would be harder than most other soldiers because they were one of the few groups expected to fight the Horde at close range. Still, replaying the fight back in her mind, Xanthe realised that the simulation must've been changed to be more vicious. It was everything she was told to expect from the Horde.

The Horde were the only other group that controlled any meaningful amount of space, but otherwise they weren't really comparable to the Mono Empire. They forcibly recruited other intelligent beings into their ranks and killed anyone who challenged them.

They were space barbarians; an eclectic mix of aliens. The only information about their government painted a strange picture: a blend of feudalistic policies, hedonistic beliefs, chaotic lifestyles, an emphasis on personal honour, and a very loose definition of 'friendship'. There were stories from hostages who'd survived: apparently one member of the Horde killing another unprovoked, and with no reaction from the other Horde members, wasn't uncommon.

However, due to their rag-tag nature, the Horde lagged behind the Mono Empire in terms of technology; the Horde's power armour tended to be scavenged and pieced together. It still packed a mighty wallop, but its inconsistencies made it overall less powerful and weaker under fire.

That didn't make them any less terrifying. Xanthe shivered, sitting in the big and otherwise empty mess hall. She sat at one table with the five other Knights gathered around. They wore their flexible, fitted jumpsuits which were covered in armoured plates that stopped at the joints. It was typical wear for a soldier; practical armour in case of battle and fitted for comfort.

Xanthe scooped up a spoonful of the nutrient-rich slop and glanced to her side. Hodei towered over the rest of them, even while sitting down. Most Magnati were only slightly taller than a human, but Hodei was huge, his physique big and broad. His beard was neatly trimmed. Lakshmana shifted his seat so as to be out of reach of Hodei's arms and slurped his slop. What happened then?

And then they were on top of him! Hodei slammed the table with his bottom pair of hands. My grandfather was beset by the biggest, meanest thugs in the Northern District of Scotiatown. So he glanced at his partner – they knew they had to call for backup. But one wrong move and they would've been on the wrong side of a slug-thrower. He raised his index finger. My grandfather had experience as a cop, so he stayed calm. He kept his hands in his pockets and casually walked toward them. They stared at him, hands inside their jackets – ready to blow him away. He slowly removed the hands from his pockets to show they were empty and grabbed their shoulders, smiling. 'Gentlemen', he said, 'Do either of you fine fellas have a light?'

Lakshmana scrunched up his face. You mean, like, for one of those old-fashioned burning sticks that people smoked? he asked.

Hodei nodded. They were in vogue at the time.

Lakshmana scoffed.

I can vouch for that, said Nechtan with a half-smile. My great grandparents both sucked on those cancer sticks constantly. Good thing they got banned again. Hopefully it'll be a bit longer next time before they become 'retro' and people get excited enough about them to lift the ban.

Xanthe leaned forward. So, what happened next?

Hodei laughed. The thugs looked at each other and one of them grunted, pulling out a lighter-pen. My grandfather lit a cigarette. He took a puff and smiled, offering it to them. They stared down at him and said, 'You try anything cop, and it'll be the end of you.' My grandfather sucked down on that thing and laughed, with smoke going everywhere. He said, 'Good thing we already called for backup.' They looked at each other for a split-second and ran. Hodei slapped the table and laughed.

Bullshit, Lakshmana said with a snort. Wouldn't they know backup should have already arrived?

Nechtan shrugged. People are fallible, that's why we trust in Mono.

Quietly finishing her meal, Iveta looked up and asked, Is that why you joined the cops?

Hodei shrugged. Just wanted to a chance to help the community. But it turns out a big guy like me can be a lot more useful in power armour. They said when they tailored it for my frame, they managed to give me ten percent more power in the limbs. He looked down. Still miss Scotiatown.

Xanthe rubbed his arm. It was a good story.

Nechtan took a swig from his drink, motioning it toward Hodei with a nod. Agreed. Never can turn down a good story.

Lakshmana shrugged and leaned back in his chair. It was a passable story.

Hodei guffawed. Only passable? He leaned toward Lakshmana with a big grin on his face. Do you have a better one?

Lakshmana nodded. Let me tell you how they recruited me into the Knights. There's intrigue, suspense, drama-

Iveta raised her eyebrows. What is this, a movie?

Lakshmana frowned, with a hand on his hip. He cleared his throat. As I was saying...

Xanthe smiled and listened. With Nechtan positioned at the end of the small table, watching over them with his years of experience, and everyone chattering away and laughing, she finally felt this cold rock in the middle of nowhere start to grow on her.

***

The vehicle, shaped like an upside-down trapezium with two horizontal discs at the top, rocked back and forth as it climbed its way up the barren mountain. It hovered above the grey dirt of the moon, kicking up trails of dust around it.

The vehicle, capable of flight if necessary, could hide its signature from almost all radar equipment if it was close enough to the ground on this moon.

Xanthe, clad in her full power armour, reclined on a steel frame designed to take the weight. With one hand on a joystick, two feet operating four pedals, and a variety of levers and buttons just underneath her other hand,