The Rising Sun: Episode 6 Read online

  He smiled.

  It had been on a forest planet very much like this where he had been trained by Jedius. The greenery he saw around drew his memory back to the two serene years he had spent with his master…

  The memory allowed relief to bloom amidst the chaos inside him.

  Feeling a resolved frown settle over his brow, he turned to Mantra. “All right … I guess my anguish and despair can wait for now. We’ve got stuff to do.”

  Mantra held his eyes for a long moment, and a warm smile touched his lips.

  “Spoken like Jedius’s true apprentice.” he said, as though having sensed Ion’s thoughts.

  He gave Ion a gentle pat, and the two of them turned and strolled down the forest, back to the city.

  4

  The entire army of watchmen stood about the large city, their thousand beady eyes pooled at the centre where Mantra, Dantox, Nano, Vestra, Qyro and Ion stood.

  When he had heard the entire situation and the options they were left with, Ion had mentally braced himself for what they now needed to do.

  They needed to gather their forces, in preparation of defending the spectrum from Redgarn’s demon army.

  Ion and the other two watched as Mantra and Dantox split the entire army into many groups: each group was to find and contact a different species among the non man beings, and seek an alliance with them. Dantox, Nano and a hundred other watchmen formed the largest batch among the different groups. They were reserved for the foremost and most crucial of the forces they were having eyes on. The Ensys, their main target among the non man beings.

  As the two Nyon masters finished debriefing them, the different batches began to leave for their specific destinations: each group was enveloped by a glowing halo which shot into the skies like fiery bullets. Mantra and the three students were left behind

  When they were all gone, and Mantra and the three students were the only ones left behind, Qyro asked Mantra, “What about us? Where’re we heading?”

  Mantra nodded. “The Skrylis, like the many other races of non man beings, were greatly harassed during Redgarn’s onslaught eight millennia back.” he explained to them, as the group of them trotted down the maze of empty structures to the city’s outskirts. Where Flamebird awaited them. “But they are a meagre, and a slightly unnecessary addition to the army we will raise. Be that as it may, we need to scrape off all the allies we can for this war, and we cannot exclude even the smallest of forces.” He moved his white eyes over the three of them. “This race of creatures is a friendlier one than most non man beings. They will definitely agree to aid us, but you will need to take trouble in reaching where they lie.”

  “We?” repeated Qyro. “You mean you’re not going with us for this?”

  “No. like I said earlier, there is a more important alliance I need to forge for our cause.”

  The three of them exchanged curious glances.

  “This is a greatly powerful force, almost as powerful as the Ensys army itself.” Mantra told them. “I’m going to contact their leader, and try gaining their support.”

  “What is this, then?” asked Ion.

  Mantra smiled. “Not what. Who. I’m going to meet a former student of mine.” He gave them a sideways glance. “He’s in command of a greatly powerful force that would be of aid for our side.”

  “Your former student?” asked Qyro.

  “Yes.” said Mantra. “You see, over the ages, the Nyon has had the chance to train many mystics. But among the ones we train, very few will continue and stay to serve us.” He looked at Vestra and Qyro. “The two of you were a part of the rare students we’d trained who did. Most others, however, felt that joining the Nyon, which was always in a threatened state and in the hitlist of the Naxim, was a dangerous prospect.” He sighed. “Of course, they were completely right to feel so. And as a result, some of the students we trained never stayed back and joined our brotherhood after we’d finished training them. They decided to move forth and craft their own lives in this world, avoiding further danger for an already dangerous life that a mystic leads. My former student was one of them.”

  His gaze drifted into a dreamy state for a meek second before he brought himself back and said, “This student of mine is now under control of a very powerful force. And I will try and win him over to our side to garner his support and the alliance of the force that he controls. Meanwhile, you need to focus on getting the Skrylis to join our side.”

  “You said we’d have trouble reaching them.” said Qyro. “Where are they, then?”

  “The planet Quolnos, which is where we’re heading.” said Mantra. He then gave them the directions to an underground inhabitation which these creatures had constructed. Ion had trouble remembering the headings, and he found that Mantra wasn’t joking about these creatures being hard to find.

  They walked on quietly through the desolate city, finally reaching where Flamebird had been parked at the outskirts of the city. They boarded the ramp together, entering the ship’s hull. The ramp re sealed itself with a moist hiss.

  “You take Flamebird to the planet.” Mantra said, looking at the pedestal perched at the hull’s centre. “I’ll drop off in the planet Jacova that comes along the way. That’s where my former student will be. You can arrive and pick me up after you’re done.”

  They nodded.

  “We’ve got nothing to worry about.” Qyro said in a dark voice. “Let’s hope Dantox and the others fare well with the Ensys.”

  After a short pause, Mantra turned to him and nodded gravely. “Indeed, let’s hope so. We’ll need them to.”

  5

  Almost a tenth of the entire army of watchmen was here, on this important mission that couldn’t be allowed to go astray. In the darkness, the fiery outlines of the batch of watchmen, as they strode through the cavern, lit the path before and around them.

  Nano marched at the fore of the large group, leading them deeper into the cavern. The Ensys would be present at the very end of the deep cavern.

  Dantox was trotting by on Nano’s right. From the bloom of orange light flickering over his features, Nano saw his face stern with focus. The orange glow reflected in the depths of his eyes so that a strange gleam danced within it. He was carrying a small black pouch within both hands.

  In the silence, the footsteps of the hundred or so watchmen was hard and resounding, like a clutter of stones landing on a rough surface.

  Nano kept his eyes narrowed as he led the lot down it. He kept himself prepared for whatever lay ahead. Good or bad. For he knew that this audience with these beasts was something that might turn both ways. Depending on the mood they were now in. there was a very slight risk that Rigmrr might not take to their appearance too well. Rigmrr, or whoever it was that now led the Ensys: the savage creatures’ ruler established himself through sheer might, and there was a good chance that another had replaced Rigmrr after waging war against him and his followers. Either way, it didn’t matter who led them. Their mission was no easy one: convincing the nasty creatures to join the Nyon’s side was going to be hard.

  Nano braced himself for the worst outcome: the Ensys refuse to help them, and the watchmen leave.

  But Nano was quietly aware that something worse than that might happen as well, when dealing with these creatures.

  They Ensys refuse, and the watchmen don’t leave.

  The chances that the creatures might attack them were not frightening. But if it did happen, the army of watchmen would lose almost a tenth of its number. It would be a slight blow to them. Nano blocked out these strange forebodings, admonishing himself.

  The light from their forms cast an orange glow that rippled over the cave’s walls and ceiling. The cavern grew wider as they warily waded down it, seeming to open up for them slowly as they progressed.

  They were making their way down the cavern, enveloped in silence, for a long time. And then, a noise broke through the gloom, making the entire group halt instantly…

  It w
as something of a high pitched hiss like sound, but also sounding like a shrill roar. Nano inwardly nodded to himself: they were here. The Ensys weren’t far away. That sound was proof of it.

  “We’re almost there.” whispered Dantox, turning to Nano. His hands tightened on the small black pouch Nano had seen him holding all along.

  “Yes we are.” Nano replied, sending a sharp nod to the rest of the batch standing behind. And they marched forth, a new vitality in their stride. This was it…

  As they marched, the noises of the Ensys slowly rose louder. And then, a hundred or so metres down, they found the first of the creatures lurking by the walls…

  They were, in the simplest description, giant spiders with a man torso sticking out from the front. The torsos ended with a bald head with gleaming red eyes that latched over the watchmen, watching as they walked past. Hungrily. The lower part of the creatures, the part that was the body of the spider, was supported by eight large, sharp pincer like legs. The body of the spider would have surpassed the size of two hover cars placed together. And rising from where the head would have bee, the torso of the man was skinny and thin, the bones of their ribs stretched over their flesh. Their hands ended, instead of fingers, with long, sharp pincers that seemed to twitch as they gazed at the army that marched into their home.

  They might have been a truly terrifying sight for someone who might wander into this place out of the blue, unaware of what he would find in there.

  As Nano waded on steadily, one of the creatures stepped forth, blocking his way. The spider portion of this Ensys’ body was smaller than most others, so that his torso rose to tower only a few metres above Nano.

  When the creature spoke, its voice seemed sharp as the pincers in its hands, and it formed words in a slow, rasping tone that would have made the hairs stand on end on any man’s flesh.

  “What … do you seek?”

  “We come in complete peace.” Nano replied in a steady voice. “We are messengers of the brotherhood of Nyon, seeking an audience with your leader, Rigmrr.”

  A total silence landed over the place, with the creatures all gazing at the army, their gleaming red eyes and faces inscrutable. Nano felt his pulse hike temporarily, wondering if they had a new leader. Possibly, a new Ensys had waged a fight with the Rigmrr, and had overthrown him … and if this was so, they would have made the deadliest mistake by asking for an audience with the old one – the entire batch would certainly be allowed to tear them up and eat them by the new leader, for claiming to want an audience with the old leader, a foe of his.

  As the silence wore on, the entire batch of creatures looked at each other, while the one in front steadily gazed at Nano. Who returned his gaze in unwavering earnest.

  He had the strangest feeling that his hunch was correct… the name ‘Rigmrr’ had left a very nasty, pronounced silence over the entire lot of creatures. There certainly was a new leader, Nano realised. And if so, this would be the last day in this millennia for Nano and the other watchmen.

  And then, the creature slowly rasped, “Rigmrr … is not in a position … for meeting with outsiders.”

  This kindled Nano’s curiosity.

  “Why is this?” he asked slowly.

  The creature shook his bald head slowly, and said, “Our leader Rigmrr … has off late fallen prey to a great illness … Which saps into his life … and will soon leave him dead.”

  Nano exchanged a glance with Dantox, and he knew both of them were remembering what Qyro had told them earlier on, of this illness that Rigmrr had fallen prey to.

  A short, heavy silence hung, before the creature went on:

  “His life is eroding … And our people have greater worries … without unwanted outsiders adding to it.”

  Nano knew that he might be pushing his luck, but he was prepared to risk it.

  “In thinking so, you make a great mistake.” he said, and the creatures all looked at each other with the first traces of indignance appearing upon their terrifying faces.

  But the one in front watched him unwaveringly, listening to him as he spoke. “Our world is now facing a far heavier worry. A war. And when it descends upon you as well, your leader’s illness would be nothing to you.”

  His words dissolved in a stiff, loud silence.

  The creature ahead of Nano continued to gaze at him, his gleaming red eyes seeming to glow brighter. Some of the other Ensys slowly inched forward, their pincers twitching, as if yearning to sink into the lot of watchmen intruding their home.

  The Ensys before Nano gave a faint nod, and said, “Explain.”

  Nano took in a deep breath, and then plunged in. He told the Ensys of the rising of the Xeni, and how they would soon unleash their demon forces upon the world again. And of how it was inevitable. He explained that they needed to gather their armies to stand against the invasion of the Xeni’s demonic force.

  When he finished, there was a pin drop, speckless silence, and he had the distinct impression that the Ensys were stunned by what they had heard. Stunned enough not to kill them, at least.

  “The demons…” rasped the creature, and there was a sudden outburst of pincers clicking, and the hiss like voices as the Ensys broke into a tense conversation with each other. Their hiss like voices combined to fill the entire cavern, leaving sharp echoes behind them.

  “What about them?” asked Nano. “The demons?”

  “Our race … has suffered much because of them.” The crimson gleam in his eyes brightened as he spoke, teeth clenched. “They have cast a black taint on us… which endures for eight thousand years.”

  The creature plunged into a story, while the rest of the Ensys stopped to listen to their forlorn tale. It spoke of the war eight millennia back. When the Xeni had unleashed the demons, men weren’t the only ones who fell to suffering. The demons believed themselves to be superior to not only men, but to all other non human creatures, which they deemed unworthy of life.

  The creature held its gaze over Nano for a long moment, before saying in a soft voice, “I see … that you are right after all. There is … a greater cause to worry of.”

  He slowly stepped aside, and spread his hand out towards the inside of the dark cavern, where the tribe of the creatures could be seen gathered about, moving in dark shapes across the gloomy expanse.

  “Rigmrr … will be at the very end of the cavern,” said the Ensys. “Go forth. And you shall meet him in person … to inform him of this terrible new threat that has arisen over our world.”

  Nano, Dantox, and the other watchmen progressed down the place. The tribe of Ensys parted to pave way for them. Backing to both sides of the cavern, and watching them closely as they went forth.

  They marched on for at least a hundred or so metres before stopping at its end. And here, sitting with his pincers folded, his torso bent slightly forward, was quite possibly the largest of the entire batch of Ensys. Rigmrr’s body would easily have come close to the size of a small ship: the lower half of his form, made by the headless body of the giant spider, could have occupied half a large house. Sitting over it, the lonesome torso of the man was long and slim. There were dark black patches painting his skin so that it looked gruesome and sickly … This, Nano guessed, was the strange illness that he was surely suffering from.

  His torso was bent forward slightly, and his eyes were closed, but Nano had the faintest suspicion that he was as alert as could be, despite the half asleep, semi conscious look he gave.

  Before Nano could begin speaking, a harsh, hiss like voice spoke, leaving the mouth of the large creature before him.

  “They … demolished our entire race,” said Rigmrr, his eyes now slowly growing open. “eight thousand years back … they hunted us all down, and attempted to scour us from existence … since then, we have lived on as a meek shadow of what had been earlier on … and we will never, ever allow the Xeni’s empire to rise again for what had happened the last time it did.”

  “The Xeni’s and the demons’ o
nslaught affected all.” said Nano. “The entire world suffered for it. Now, you realise that we are on the same side. Join us.”

  Rigmrr kept his eyes levelled with Nano’s, before letting a devilish smile rip across his face.

  “That … is exactly what we will now do,” he breathed coldly. “To join your side … and to fight the Xeni and their evil forces is what we must now do. To avenge our lost ancestors, to repay them with the blood that they took from us. And also,” His tone grew quiet. “Because once they are released … they will come for us. To finish their job. The Xeni’s forces … will undoubtedly scour the lands, and attempt to finish us, the last of the Ensys, once and for all … To protect ourselves, we must join hands with you.”

  “And you are wise in doing so.” said Nano, nodding. “By joining us, you are allying yourself with the oldest establishment that resists your ancient enemies. And you will be wrapped within our protection as well. I guarantee you that as no one else could.”

  The creature held him in a steady gaze, and then beckoned over to the rest of the Ensys, who no longer looked as intimidating. They were staring at the watchmen with a kind of silent reverence etched over their brutish features. One that lessened their savage display.