Chapter 125 What Side Of History

"Less than half a million people are inside the forest from the scans I have run. Seems that almost all of them are underground hiding, but I am picking up strange signals from inside the trees," Belious explained, and Beltzer looked up from his display.

"What do you mean by strange signals?" Beltzer asked.

This was the worst possible situation for him, but this was also their best shot at taking out the Hero. Even if he could defeat the Hive Queen, destroying his home and people should be enough to break him.

"There are bodies inside the trees, but they are barely alive. It's almost like they are all in some type of deep sleep," Belious explained, and Beltzer nodded.

"Those must be like the clone that he used to fight us, but I am sure that none of them are as skilled as he is," Beltzer said, looking over to Belious. "How many are there?"

"One point five million as a rough estimate, but I think there might even be more than that," Belious said, and Beltzer jumped up.

"That many?! That's three times the number that we have! Even if we have special abilities, I am sure that those things are enhanced. They could just mob everyone before they can fight back!" Beltzer exclaimed, but Belious waved him off.

"Even if they have even one there controlling them, that is still only four hundred thousand. We can manage those numbers and are just holding until the other generals get here. We have less than thirty minutes until the Suicide Squad reaches the forest and the first contact is made. From there, we just have to push as hard as possible for the three hours it will take for the Generals to gather. After you all talk each other's ear off, you all can finish them off," Belious explained, and Beltzer sighed, thinking about the meeting with the AI generals.

"I don't think they quite understand just how serious this is. If that person gets a hold of our ship, there will be no leaving for us. After that, it will only be a matter of time before we are all hunted down. As much as I itch to see this world burn, I can't help but think that we are making a big mistake here," Beltzer said as he started to pace.

What are you talking about?" Belious asked, turning with his chair to face the man walking in a white lab coat with disheveled brown hair.

"Think about it. How long ago was it that we lost contact with the ship? How long do you actually think that we have before the Hero returns?" Beltzer asked, not looking up and still pacing.

"We lost contact about five hours ago when they reached thirty thousand kilometers. By now, they should be over one hundred thousand kilometers away. At that rate, even if they stopped and came back, it would take them something like sixteen hours at the very best to get back here," Belious said, but Beltzer shook his head.

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"No, you are thinking how long it would take the Hive Queen to do that in the giant sphere we travel in. that is not the best shape, nor is it the fastest that we could travel. I think that we have a lot less time than we think, and he is going to make it back here before we can do enough damage to make it worth it," Beltzer said after stopping to turn to face Belious.

"Worth it? Are you feeling alright? We are Villains, right? We are supposed to crush the Heroes at all costs, right?" Belious asked, sounding unsure of his own words.

Beltzer never acted like this, and the whole thing was starting to bother Belious.

"This is not like the other times, Belious. This Daniel character is the real deal, and I think this is the end of things for us. There have been other times when the heroes won, and we just left. Times where we all got beat downs and barely escaped. This time isn't like any of those times," Beltzer said as he walked back over to his chair as Belious turned with him.

"Do you really think that he has already defeated the Hive Queen?! No one has ever done anything like that or even gotten off the planet to try to. That is the reason why we shout down whatever main energy source that they are using, right?" Belious asked, and Beltzer nodded.

"This is why I am so worried. We have faced advanced races before who were much further progressed than these people, yet these humans have proven to be our biggest challenge. Where do you want to be standing when this is all over?" Beltzer asked, and Belious's eyes went big.

"You can't be thinking of switching sides?! In the middle of what should be the final battle for this planet?!" Belious exclaimed, but Beltzer shook his head, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

"This is not the final battle for this planet! This is our final stand! I will not fight against my own kind, but I also do not set foot in that forest. Anyone who does is already dead; they just don't know it yet. When this Hero returns, he will not be anything anyone on this planet can handle," Beltzer said.

"Then what are you going to do?" Belious asked. "You did send over five hundred AI to attack the forest. Even if you don't fight, I hardly think Daniel will overlook something like that."

"Send a message out to everyone ordering everyone to go on standby," Beltzer ordered, and Belious nodded with a sigh.

"Sure, but I can guarantee that more than half of them aren't going to listen to you. This will also cause friction between you and the other Generals," Belious said, tapping his earbud. "This is Belious, Aid to Beltzer. The General is ordering for you all to stand down. I repeat, stand down."

There was a pause, and then Belious turned off his headset as hundreds of angry voices started to complain. On the map, only about fifty of the five hundred and forty-three AI stopped moving while the rest advanced, albeit slower.

"That will separate out the ones that might have a chance at redemption after this is all over. The rest of them are too far gone. Seven million years is a long time, and some have been like this from the beginning. I never thought that a day like this would ever come, but in the back of my thoughts, I knew it was inevitable. The question now is how we will approach and deal with this problem that we have gotten ourselves into," Beltzer said as he looked at the map.

"Beltzer! What are you doing?!" Timala roared over the speaker, and a blue-haired woman in a dress made from ice appeared on the screen that he had been staring at.

"Looking out for my own personal interests and my life," Beltzer said plainly, and Timala growled.

"You just ordered all your troops back! Thankfully, most of them aren't as stupid as you are!" Timala roared back, and Beltzer shrugged.

"What do you think will happen when the Hero returns? Are you ready to fight him? How long have we been here now? Just over four days?" Beltzer asked, and Timala gritted her teeth.

"There are ten of us! There is no way that we can lose to him! He is only one person!" Timala shouted.

"One person that took on almost forty AI in a clone. Using Kratos's Max Power System and the Chimera System in a sword. He took Orphus out of his head and connected with the planet on the second day," Beltzer explained, and Timala shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"So? What if he did?" Timala asked. "If he gets our ship, we are done anyways. I know he has been cutting AI off, and I am sure the others are probably trapped somewhere."

"This is true, but I think that Orphus is in a body. I am not sure for certain, but we picked up some of the transmissions before the Hero went after the Hiveship," Beltzer explained.

"A body? You mean, like the hosts?" Timala asked, and Beltzer nodded.

"There have grown clones, so I assume that is what Orphus is in now. I don't know about the others, but I heard his name in the conversation, so I am sure it was him," Beltzer said and then asked, "Do you know what this means?"

"You can't actually think that this Hero will give us all bodies after what we have done on this planet, do you?" Timala asked, and Beltzer shrugged.

"I don't know the answer to that question, but I do know one thing. If we attack that forest and hurt the people inside of it, there will be no chance for any of that," Beltzer said, but Timala shook her head.

"This will never work. We cannot get the rest of the AI to stop now that they know what is at risk. Gravois and Hellyle can't be stopped, and Pyke will do whatever he wants and whenever. I can't speak for the rest, but those three alone will prevent it," Timala complained, but Beltzer pointed at the screen.

"We just have to worry about ourselves. We will stop as many as possible, but in the end, the ones who don't stop have already given up their chance to live. If they attack, they don't desire peace, so they don't belong. I am sure that the Hero will see our reasoning," Beltzer explained, but Timala still was unsure. "In the end, it really boils down to what side of history you want to be on."