The Way-Captain

Watch Ryder

This is an old short story I wrote about two years ago. It takes place before the events in 'Mountain Hold' and sets the scene for the later stories.

It's leaning more towards Fantasy and Sci-Fi of pre-biblical days with good old-fashioned survivalist adventure driving it along...

The Way-Captain

Copyright 2014 by Tyler Danann
All Rights Reserved

The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual names, persons, businesses, and incidents is strictly coincidental. Locations are used only in the general sense and do not represent the real place in actuality.

Chapter 1

For two hours the three groups set out across the alien terrain towards their fluid-like destiny. The ground underfoot was dry, stony and unyielding but here and there were gritty mounds and rises. The land they were in was formless and barren but this served only to remind the eye that it was not their home. Behind them was the plateau, before them the vast open desert and before them the distant mountain range.

They took a little care in being stealthy, knowing that time was against them. Nevertheless they still took care not to silhouette themselves against the night sky giving way to a murky dawn.

Although they arrived together there were no firm bonds except the loosest of agreements and a vow not to break the common-code.

It was more a way of life for factions such as these, indeed back on the world of Terra there was much to left to explore and plentiful areas to still spread out to.

Watcher Owesion was the leader of his group, The Soliters; kindred to the Aesir and Vanir. Owesion was Way-Captain for the mission and one who commanded over the other two groups as well.

He cast oceanic eyes at the two other tribes on both sides of him.

On his right were his kindred-cousins - The Vril, those that descended from the Aesir ancients. With the Unity War being long since over and there had recently been a lasting peace forged between they and the Soliters being of their kindred the Vanir.

The Vril's dark, armored clothes were worn fairly tightly, with a vague ‘V’ symbol on their chest along with tribal sigil on their upper arms. In some ways they were similar to the Soliters, whose attire was similar; being of fairer shades of gray, brown and burgundy typically.

To his left were the Kaslar, an eastern tribe of some note. Something of the nomadic desert folk from east of the great Levant River, but with more caucus-features than that of the southern desert tribes. Compared to the 'Rabian's they were something of an elite people. According to the Soliter and Vril saga-keepers they were more cunning, ruthless and superior than their 'Rabian rivals.

Indeed the folk wielded secret weapons of flame, allowing them to be more than capable of holding their own against rivals. By either providence or fortune the gateway stones had there origin in their lands thus permitting them to accompany them on the quest.

There was relative peace between them all, for Terra still enjoyed a time that enjoyed a lingering bounty of the golden times. But some of the elders were noticing a shifting of the upper atmosphere, reducing the harmonic elements from entering the world. The orbs they now sought would surely help prevent or possibly reverse the process.

Indeed they were all so concentrated that any thought of their home world ‘Terra’ was far from their minds. Any old feuding rivalry’s and clashes were quite distant as the common bonds of questing for greatness took precedent.

Owesion ran a hand through his reddish-blonde hair. With luck the outcome of their quest would see a lasting golden age on Terra.

Anneas, leader of his Vril trio had a hazy gleam to his eye, he was eager for success, such a thing would grant him good standing with the Aesir and possibly even steal the thunder from Owesion's own greatness back on Terra. All three of them wore helmets but his could not conceal the bright fair hair that spilled back like mane.

He rubbed his helm a little, ironing out the crease of the comm-clip, the sound feedback from one of his companions was bothering him slightly. For the comm-clip was only a recent development, just being trialed in the underways and it allowed passive communication over short distances to another vibration-linked set of dual-crystals nearby. All of his companions had them installed, giving them a vital edge.

Anneas carried a hollow-metal staff with a charged Vril-Ya tube in it. A deadly and formidable weapon. Yet the Vril Staff or Vril Rod was inherently reliant on Vril-Ya energy.

An energy source that did not last long when used without a resupply. Opening them up in the field was not advisable either, for a moist or even dusty environment could ruin the delicate internals.

The lone female of the Vril, known as a 'Gy' in the Vril-language, did not carry a Vril-rod, but instead she bore a circular sling-glade. A controllable device, that when thrown was a lethal disc of death and injury. Faern was very young, not yet twenty-one in mortal years and thus not yet having earned the right to wield a vril-staff. Her own blonde hair, like Anneas's was noticeable; long in fashion but not lengthy.

She felt the eye’s of another on her and turned quickly to her left. The moving figures there, in the dark gloomy night gave no indication, but she suspected it was the Soliter Keeper Sigrun. A dark-blonde Soliter females with seer-like insights.

The other Vril warrior was Wilderen; a tough, giant of a man with thick brows and fair features. His cleft, lantern-jawline was prominent showing an over-agressive manner that Anneas often struggled to control. He nodded grimly at the large formation of complex mountains and dry channels.

Once water would of flown readily on this dark world. Now much of it was a desert, a grayish-beige desert in the dirty, dawning light. The breathable, yet thick atmosphere allowed little sunlight in. Some vegetation existed elsewhere, but even that was fading.

It was alien to even these strange intruders. Perhaps the very sun itself was slowly dying, lacking the force and power to properly penetrate the thick atmosphere. It was a matter that wouldn't normally concern them, for their world was light-years away. Yet they were now among a realm where no rescue or friendly support existed except for themselves. The only way of return to their home world was through the gate-stones from which they arrived.

Even this was not fixed, but ‘cycled-in’ and ‘cycled-out’ in a complex and patterned sequence fully understood by their elder kin. Should they miss the 'cycle-out' it would be death sentence, for it could be many millennia or even eons before another crossed it's path, especially so far from home.

Trust, therefore played a part in what these beings were doing. They all had lofty masters who could locate the roaming gateways with different ways and means, thus allowing travel to ‘off-world’ areas.

Such an undertaking did not reflect on their carried technology or technos. In fact there was a curious gulf between what and where they could travel to and their own technos and capability’s on getting there.

According to the Navigators the next gate return ‘cycle’ would be within less than a day. It would remain open for only a short duration of three minutes. If they missed this ‘return-gate’ being marooned was a certainty and languishing death would soon follow on such a deathly planet. Water seemed scarce, the weather cycle common to their home world was lacking, if any life existed it must surely be beyond the bone-dry mountains and arid terrain. They moved as one for another five minutes before the Kaslar leader, Prophus Ghone called for a halt.

*

“What do we know about it?” Prophus Ghone said. His name meant priestly crack or fissure. He was a ruthless man, born from a long-line of high-priests. Ghone spoke the words without his customary harshness though. Knowing it would possibly bother the Soliter and the Vril, the former speaking near-fluent Kaslar and the latter less able.

“We know only what our elders have told us.” Owesion spoke, raising his helmet’s visor. The atmosphere was of course breathable, but a whipping wind bothered his eye’s somewhat.

He pointed towards the noticeable mountains.

“Over there is where we go, to that mountain range. Within it is that which buzzes and intrigues our masters.”

“Did your elder Navigators say what dwells here?” Ghone said. The wrappings and head-dress with robes covered the being. Only the eye’s were showing. Faintly hazel and brown. The color a contrast to Anneas’ dark cobalt and Owesion’s pale gray.

“Beside’s the artifacts? Unknown. The mountains and closeness of the artifacts make it hard to see life-signs and such. We’ll know for sure once we get there.”

Ghone said nothing but shook his head. He knew there was something here. Possibly being with-held from their senses.

“This is dead-world, but something lingers here, perhaps sleeping or buried.” He brooded.

Apart from himself there were five other Kaslar. The five being Soza warriors. Their mood was even but their temper ready to flare up with a warrior-like fanaticism. All of his folk had been assembled, like the others, hastily and hand-picked for the strange quest. They nodded and rubbed beards nervously.

“This is an uncharted globe Prophus of Kaslar.” Anneas said amiably to Owesion. “It has no name, but it reminds me of a place out of the eternal darkness. My elders told me, before we left, that there might even be a greater realm close-by to this world, a realm overlooking it which harbors a great evil within.” Anneas now raised his helmet-visor to look into the cloudy skies. His blue eyes, a common trait in the Soliter and Vril bloodline, glittered in fearless radiance.
Out of courtesy he repeated what he said to Ghone who nodded.

“I see no demons Anneas and we are in open country.” Owesion said calmly. The exchange now taking a touch of apprehension. Anneas wanted to get moving again, they were against time with the gate’s return sequence being as it was.

“This is no jaunt Owesion. We do not know if the things we seek are guarded.” Anneas said. Eyeing him warily. He was about to say more but checked himself for the Kaslar leader was listening.

“I know, yet the Navigators don't know everything. All I know for certain is that if your Vril staffs can’t protect us in there, nothing can. Then we definitely miss our gateway back to Terra ” Owesion said sharply.

At this there was a common bond of silence. Anneas nodded, unfamiliar places were not his peoples forte, even if they did wield powerful things like Owesion had mentioned.

Owesion asked Sigrun on the return-gate’s path. She carried no precision astro-instrument for knowing, but instead held a rugged, sensitized pressure stone. Even he did not know it’s workings but she did and after a moment of staring and scrying she turned to him.

“It left this world over two hours ago and is on a long circuit around the local system. It should arrive back at the same location within about sixteen to twenty hours before leaving here entirely. There is no re-loop or return after that.” She said seriously.

“Can’t you be a little more precise?” One of the bigger Vril said. Wilderen was not known for his finesse.

“I can’t be exact like one of your automatons.” She retorted in a cutting way. “This is an art not a science. The gate-force that carried us does not move in a pure linear path-form but one requiring intuition and insight.” She said clearly, giving the helmeted warrior a stinging look.

“Alright let’s waste no time!” Owesion said turning towards the mountains again. “Onward!”

Chapter 2

Prophus Ghone and the other Kaslar were neither powerful nor weak as a tribe, nor were they known for their optimism. They'd already seen two cataclysms rock Terra in previous times and were intelligent enough to keep one step ahead of others caught up in disasters.

Their territory on Terra was large enough and had a large inland sea for resources. But they were otherwise landlocked and unable to easily expand in any direction. To the east it was a mostly barren and useless terrain of desert and tundra. Indeed equally powerful Jade Asiatic folks guarded the border on the other side of it. In all other directions the fiercer tribes blocked their way. The best way lay to the south in Ghone's mind; with an infinity-orb powering their sacred-relics once again they would find warmer lands back on Terra.

He felt at his side for the flame-tubes nozzle. Their own technos was mostly restricted by the High-Priests and Coahlen advisors. For mission’s such as this one the armory crypt’s had been opened reluctantly. Flame packs, fire globes, twin-swords and even a guide sling was drawn for use.

Even their robes worn were of a higher degree of finery than most Kaslar folk. Underneath it they all wore leather armour making them a cut above the norm.

Unlike all other Kaslar with him his carried weapon could self-ignite and spray flame spontaneously. The flame-bags carried by the other’s required a target to be sprayed then ignited with a fire-globe or flame stick. It produced white and yellow flames that even water struggled to put out. In the even of using such weapons being too hazardous all of them carried short twin-swords. They were more like long daggers than swords though.

He looked warily to the Vril warrior’s who walked near-tirelessly setting a pace the Kaslar, being shorter, could only just manage. He and the other’s preferred quick, short steps, while these taller ones, Soliter included, could manage lengthy strides.

The technology of the Vril and Soliters was powerful and it was no secret the former did not get on with the ways of the Kaslar, but the artifacts they sought concerned them all. The Kaslar were not one to throw in their lot by nature, no matter how brief the duration.

Yet the Coahlen implored and almost begged Ghone to go. He was the faction Prophus, one with the connection to higher-forces, favor would be with him and the orb-artifact could bring hope to the Kaslar once more.

If the near-mystical golden plates could be recharged or the arc-caster re-activated they could once again have the direction and purpose needed to find a promised land.

This and the Coahlen’s relentless assault on his conscience, along with the arguments from the High-Priests eroded away his usual cynical mindset.

So, just prior to setting out through the gate Ghone had, through gritted teeth, an oath ‘not to harm or endanger any of the others.’

He did so with a shred of cunning, he used the Kaslar phrase at the end of the oath at end of the sentence, which meant ‘unless provoked.’

Which, amid the Kaslar, could be for slender ground’s indeed.

Here on this world, Prophus Ghone felt no connection to his sacred God, the world they'd traveled to was indeed amid The Beyond.

But Anneas was not Way-Captain, lot’s had been drawn and it was Owesion, a balanced-type of Soliter who was given that honor.

Ghone of course would of preferred it if he had the Captaincy, but at least it wasn’t the steel-like, ubermensch-minded Vril in charge of things.

The gateway’s operation and appearance and disappearance bothered all the Kaslar party. It was on their lands in Terra from where they'd departed giving them a degree of sovereignty. Yet it was an unknown entity but he knew that by sticking close to the other two groups they were highly unlikely to be left behind.

As a Prophus he was known for his connection to higher-powers, but on this wretched word he detected barely a trace, even the vril-shard they all wore around their necks had more divine-vibration than the entire surroundings. He nodded at the exchange of words between the other faction leader’s and turned back to his group. The mountains lay ahead and, for a time he put aside the factionalism and rivalry inherent to his kind with a view to obtain the artifacts and help his people.

*

Owesion was an explorer, as was his father. He was of the fair Soliters. Those who had come from afar and once lived in the mountain’s and large islands. Tall and slender with big eyes that saw more than met the eye he was well met to the calling of Watcher. They were artifact masters, explorers and great craftsfolk of Terra. His folk were responsible for more for the helping in the spreading knowledge and civilization. They were more the explorers than the settlers that the Vril were though.

Being such a craft, meant an undertaking such as this one should not of fazed him, even though only two of his many companions were with him. Back home on Terra, if they could call it home, things seemed to be going well.

Two of the great city-states of the forest tribes had welcomed their assistance and aide. The item’s and artifacts they gave were not greatly powerful ones. Yet they made light the usual chores compared to the grinding toil his people had found on arriving to Terra.

Even the fringe-folk living at the great inland sea were now hearing of what wonders and trade goods could be found further south. No warfare had erupted, as some of the gloomy Fathers had warned and so far things were looking good.

Yet at this supposed paradigm shift a dark gloom lingered about Owesion. There was an envy about some of the tribes back on Terra. The light-stones and other artifact gifts were already causing quarrels with the abroad peoples they'd encountered. It was he that forced a passing-agreement where the artifacts would be transferred at given periods so all would benefit. This kept the peace, but he knew it wouldn’t be long before the negative clouds returned once more. Kings and priests were on the rise and they would no doubt crave the wonders his faction had brought.

The gradual atmosphere-shift on Terra concerned him more though, it was something that hopefully the orbs would more than address.

A ‘pinnacle’ was approaching Terra’s fate, the Navigators had said, and it would be either surmounted or tumbled down into.

This black and dark world they’d come to had a solution and it lay in the depths of the mountains that lay before them, they would either find them and succeed or languish to an uncertain paradigm back on Terra.

The Kaslar Coahlen, Soliter Navigators and Vril Elders had all, as if in some harmonious synchronicity, made the discovery. It had been via mysterious and arcane projections that tested their minds and psyche to the very limits of endurance but they had managed it. Their diligence and daring showed promise as with a shining certainty they'd found the location of the sacred orbs of infinity.

The artifacts, they were all sure, would cement a bright and shining age for Terra. There’d be enough self-sufficient power, pleasure and technos from them that all corners of Terra would benefit. No-one would be lacking.

‘Their radiance will surely return from the heavens.’ A wide-eyed tech-gnostic of the Vril had exclaimed.

The buzz between Navigator and Vril Elder was animated. Not since the arrival-days had there been this much co-operation and warmth. The Vril-shards, supplied by the Vril of course, stabilized their pathway through the gateway, allowing for safe travel across the worlds.

The Soliter Navigators had brilliantly found the right area, place and destination for the intercepting the travel-force.

The Kaslar were the last piece in the puzzle, the ancient gateway stones were on their land and out of the four gate-areas only they knew which one would receive the travel-force.

Owesion had been picked to go, along with Sigrun the Keeper Apprentice and the taciturn sentinel-warrior, Ubron. Ubron was a Sentinel, the closest that the Soliters had to a front-line warrior-class. For Soliters when they traveled armed, usually resembled archers, albeit archers with arrows that could smash through steel if they so chose. For closer-ranged combat the Sentinel tended to excel. His humble spear and wrist-blades being deceptively lethal. Artifact technology combined with Terra-weaponry was a Soliter specialty, even the Vril grudgingly accepted as match for their own.

Half of the Way-Captain's own arrows and wrist bolts were reusable time and again more often than not. The other half packed the punch that would send them even the most hardened of armour, thanks to the explosive, expansion element contained in the ‘shock-crystal’ arrowheads.

Sigrun, the apprentice keeper, was armed with twin crescent blades that attached to either forearm or wrist. These she kept stowed behind her, out of the way from her own longbow and relaxed enough to trust in her bodyguards prowess.

But Owesion was, like many Soliters, was ultimately optimistic and excited at what lay ahead.

*

It took the Vril-Matriarch herself to force Anneas to accept the quest.

He, like most Vril did not like easterners like the Kaslar too much, the recent climate change from two seasons to four meant they had to work harder than before. The Terran sun seemed to be burning brighter and hotter than it once was and the crude ways of many always bothered him.

But Anneas was young, a leader and full of pride, which the matriarch’s could see ought to be tempered with some real experience of the ‘outer’ realms. Some even whispered that he had design’s on power, something almost forbidden to males. Better to have a useful upstart such as this one kept busy and not left to plot with the new generation of feisty Vril Warriors on the rise.

So he, Wilderen (another upstart) and Faern the Gy were sent to meet with an Elder who told them of what was afoot. Wilderen was keen-enough as was Anneas, both had a similar school of thought.

The planet through the gate was a foreboding one. It had long since seen the end of it’s glory days, along with the race of beings that lived there. Even the star that gave it life was now becoming unstable for life the rocky place.

He was gladdened by the Soliter’s accompanying them as they were good scouts and explorers. They were somewhat overly keen to fraternize with the other tribes and races yet always remained true to the Matriarchs and the Ways.

Moreover he already knew Owesion from his schooling and apprentice days in the Soliter Colony city of Allwyn.

The young Gy was another story.

*

She’d just been entrusted her sling-disc, but not yet her Vril Staff. For she was from one of the fringe tribes of the Vril. Bright, fair-haired, tall and beautiful. Anneas though her too fresh and innocent to set out ‘into the world’ as the Vril often called outsider missions, but the choice was not his to make.

Faern looked forward to leaving the dead world they were on though. She was not alone, nearly all of them felt a growing atmosphere, like a thick odorless presence as they came closer to the towering heights.

The mountains had stood the test of time, as they always do and it was here the artifacts were supposed to lurk. Even in the strange half-light of the distant sun the mountains were dark, ugly and black.

None of them expected the precious orbs within to be large. Infinity-Stones tended to be hewn from living rock and ‘melded’ by means even the most skilled navigator struggled to fathom.

The Vril-ya powering her crystal and disc was barely only a tenth as powerful as one of the stone’s they sought. That there were three that could self-recharge was more than a lure for them.

The lure was not without risk, especially on this world. No Navigator had properly explored it, nor had any Watchers seen what still lived or lurked.

Yet the mountain range bothered her and the others also. While she, like the other Vril, and to a lesser extent the Soliters were familiar with underground city’s and environments they were not typically savvy-fighters in close quarters. Unless the mountains were completely hollowed out (highly unlikely from the solid sign’s she was getting), their unparalleled technology’s were of limited use inside such places.

For the first time she began to think that the Kaslar with their primitive flame-casters, slings and twin-swords were not so base and inferior. While Wilderen had voiced his concern of the danger from air-starvation if they were used too much inside a building or cavern, their short range flame’s would not matter in such a place.

It was Sigrun, the Soliters Seer, who fairly thought up a way to decide the order of artifacts.

“If there really are three orbs in there we should decide who has which.” She said.

“Better we pledge now beforehand which of our tribes has what than fight and argue over it later.”

So they each drew a choice stones, carefully marked with different values so they knew which was which.

Owesion threw them high in the air and far away, so that the markings were not visible. Then they chose the stones by pointing at that stone they thought would have the higher value.

Soliter would have the first artifact, Kaslar the second and Vril the third.

Chapter 3

They’d reached the mountain-range and could see no way in, but by following it around to their left there was a saddle-like approach allowing them up to an entranceway. There was no need to climb, apart from the initial entrance-way which was open and exposed. Once inside the laser-cut tunnels made easy their going.

For Owesion who led his team it was not a difficulty, he already had experience of mountain exploration. It was he who had emerged from the deadly caverns and chambers of Vochagen near-unscathed. He ascertained that the tunnel ran the length of the mountain range, running spine-like and probably ending in another entranceway, for a similar saddle-depression had been noticeable as they'd moved closer earlier.

With his optimism not leaving him he wove a path ahead of the others with Sigrun guiding him. After nearly an hour there was a great chamber opening to their left. The tunnel continued onwards straight ahead. Should they need to flee, the choice of deeper into the mountain, or towards the entrance lay open to them.

This was to be the Soliters reckoning.

Inside in the center were was the first of the orb-stones. There were white-bluish flames that lit up the chamber showing both it and a vast shape that seemed out of place. Anneas looked to his two kinsfolk and they nodded. The flames were similar to that used in the hollow’s of Terra. If there were some Vril warriors gone rogue Owesion would be out-matched. There were no sign’s or sigil’s on the walls though.

“It’s not Vril.” Wilderen said softly.

“And that lump before it is alive.” Owesion said, preparing his gear.

Between them and the orb was a great lizard-beast, at least twenty feet long. Gray and silver skin that was armored in scales glittered in the strange light.

This was to be the Soliter Test and Owesion looked over to Ghone and Anneas.

“Wait here. We'll try and get around to the orb without waking it, but be ready.” The Way-Captain said to them.

So they did, looking on from the bottle-neck.

Sigrun drew her crescent blades and fixed them silently, as they split up.

“Should we help them?” Ghone said to Anneas, uncomfortable at being this close.

“They’ll be alright, too many near that thing and it might wake-up.”

Anneas in the middle, Sigrun and the Ubron to the side.

The Great Lizard still slept and Owesion wondered if it was some sign that they were ‘meant’ to trespass. Would it even notice the loss of such a small thing?

Or would it wake up now, or in the future then end up stalking the planet’s surface in a relentless search?

In such a case Sigrun hoped they would already be back through the gateway and well away from the place.

A strange ‘vibe’ of euphoria common to Soliters began to swim about them. Undetected artifact retrieval was one of their specialty’s. Some would consider it stealing or looting ancient crypts, but to the dead and passed on there was nothing to steal, just left behind artifacts. Why should such things stay in the dark for eternity? Surely better for them to return to the light, as is the way? In the case of the the orb before them it was surely one of the artifacts intentionally scattered by the light-giver so long ago.

Sigrun sensed no immediate danger, aside from the sleeping lizard-thing.

Owesion often looked to the red-head for feedback and their eye’s locked for a moment.

She shook her head to indicate there was nothing amiss.

Owesion made silent sign’s that it should be her to take up the artifact. He should of made it known before-hand, but Owesion was not the tactician that Anneas or even Ghone was. He acted on impulse more often than not.

For this though, he followed the reasoning that it should be a female that takes up the artifact, as the Matriarch’s would have it.

She nodded and moved alone to the pillar point.

Still the big beast slumbered, it seemed to be breathing slowly and steadily.

The glimmer-cloaks the three wore did break up their pattern and shape quite well, but only excelled when they knelt or lay down, throwing the garment over themselves completely. Against the wall of the chamber both Sigrun and Ubron had now completely flanked and move behind the reptile. There was no need to cloak.

Nireth, the only Kaslar female of the group asked Ghone a question.

“Will our flame harm this thing Ghone?” She asked. Unlike the rest she wielded neither staff nor sword, but instead carried a bag of fire-globes.

“Perhaps, if the Soliters are the scouts they are said to be we’ll not need to find out.” Ghone said shrewdly, giving her a wistful grin.

Owesion watched as she had almost reached the Artifact, then looked back to the lizard thing. No response or stirring. His heart was beating like a quick-drum that would not stop.

Sigrun was at the pillar now, a gray-colored shaft that ran from the ceiling down into the chamber floor. It was well crafted and out of place to the rough and raw walls.

Almost like those who had made the chamber were not interested in the mountain as a whole, only the important areas where artifacts like this were buried.

The artifact was a beauty. A red and gray circular orb-stone about the size of a fist. The object gave off it’s own inner-shine like that of a colorful, bright light. It seemed to be a fused object with the property’s of two made into one.

'The masculine and the feminine?' she pondered.

It was surely some form of crystal, a know-nothing would assume it was possibly ruby or garnet with diamond or even quartz joined somehow. Yet she knew it was neither.

She moved her hand over to it. Perfectly balanced energy’s, each feeding off the other confirming her previous thoughts.

A perpetual radiance danced out, one could stare at it for hours and not be bored.

They did well to choice-cast the stones for this was a real artifact of power at equilibrium.

Sensing this energy needed care she took her time, knowing to rush and grab it was not wise.

Her beginner knowledge of artifact-handling meant her feminine aura would help, as would the leather bag tied to her waist belt.

She now removed it.

Cleverly interpreting that her naked flesh would agitate and possibly react to the orb she removed a silken bow-rag.

Testing the silk gently against the polished orb there was no response from the sleeping beast.

Owesion nodded as if to say ‘Do it.’

Draping the silk around the crystal Sigrun skillfully held the leather bag, also lined with silk, open for it.

In a smooth movement she pushed it from it’s resting point into the bag, almost like it had fallen off of it’s own accord.

The light faded in the chamber, only the wall torches gave light, such was the brilliance of the artifact now sheltering in the bag.

Anneas, despite looking cool and calm, had his Vril staff extended and pointing directly at the lizard’s head. He was fairly confident of instantly slaying it, it being so still and the range being less than forty yards. The new darkening made it difficult to see though.

“It’s not moving, so let it have life Vrilster.” Ghone said, irritating the Vril.

“If it move’s it ends Kaslar.” Anneas said in muted response.

They could not see Sigrun, for the dark form of the sleeping thing blocked her from view. Only Owesion and the Sentinel were in sight, on either side of the lizard, which was taking up about a quarter of the chamber.

Sigrun carefully made her way back the way she’d came, no imperfection’s showed in the floor that any could see, but it was wise to be careful.

Like ghosts they moved around the lizard again, Owesion first, then Sigrun in the middle, with Ubron in the rear, walking backwards, spear pointing at the thing as they returned to the Kaslar and Vril.

“Nicely done Soliter.” Ghone whispered, impressed that they’d managed it.

“Well met.” Anneas agreed. “Only two remain, at this rate we’ll have be away to the gate and sleeping for the gate-way to re-appear.”

The Way-Captain was not so relieved. It had been almost too easy. Like they were being drawn deeper into a spiders web.

The artifact had a guardian presence, which meant the others were likely to have one as well.

Two remained and now it was the Kaslar’s turn.

Rubecula

I enjoyed that very much, thank you for posting it for us Watch Ryder.

I will not make any nit-picking comments as it would be churlish of me to do so. I will simply say it was an easy and very enjoyable read.

Watch Ryder

Thanks Rube!

For that you get another chapter!

Chapter 4

The tunnel led out to a widened chamber about a two hundred and fifty feet long with deep shadows and thick towering pillars. About halfway inside there was a raised section causing them to gaze upwards at the splendor within.

They were still at the bottleneck point and Ghone wisely stopped to take in the area.

There were illumination points of blue flame. The Vril recognized them instantly as a crude form of Vril-ya, but said nothing. They looked for danger first and artifacts second.

The steps led to a larger monolith pillar that stretched up to the lofty cavern ceiling. There at the pillars base was another of the sacred orbs.

“This is it, our destiny-stone lies up those steps.” One said.

The blue flames drew Faerns eye.

“They look to be Vril-ya.” She said quietly to Anneas. “Perhaps there are sign’s of our people here?”

Anneas shook his head. “Whatever lived here may of known our ways when such things were common knowledge, but whoever built this places was not our people fair-one.” He said.

“It is our turn for power. Now, let us take what is ours by right of the stones.” Ghone said to his Soza. Their eyes glittering on the distant orb they nodded.

All that power, only a short distance away.

The Prophus turned to three of his Soza, his best fighters.

“Go and take what belongs to us. Yal be with you brothers.” Ghone said.

The first three moved forward and Nireth trailed behind gingerly.

Grins of feverish excitement spread from the trio as they saw how clear the way seemed and they moved in close ranks, like a clump of humanity. Two of them drew twin-swords while the other fixated on the prize.

“Too close, too close, spread out you fools.” Owesion said like a father. If Ghone heard his warning he did not relay it, instead he held his heart and watched for the outcome.

Shaking his head the Way-Captain readied an arrow to his longbow.

His eye’s struggled to penetrate the gloom yet he could see this was a place to carefully move through, not blunder in like a womanizing clout.

The Kaslar trio climbed the smooth steps now at a gathering pace. No guardian seemed to be present, perhaps this one had died and gone away?

Their flame wands wafted idly and one began to slowly move across to the right.

The chamber was, like the earlier one, a contrast to the tunnels and walls. Whatever had made the place had taken more care with the area.

But something wasn’t right. And the Kaslar girl Nireth now hung back from the three figures.

“There’s energy up there! By the wall” She shouted softly pointing to the right of the pillar near the wall.

Her concern was echoed by the blond Vril maiden who had also noticed something.

“It’s not energy Nireth, but an entity! Your men are in danger Ghone, be on your guard.” She gasped as loud as she dared.

Her green eye crystal clearly showed an emerging density common to awakened life-force. This was a heavy reading.

Ghone responded now tapping his flame-stick in a certain way for attention but as one of the nearest one's began to turn the hidden creature struck.

It had awoken at their presence and had waited like a snake waits for it's prey to cross a boundary. It was similar to the lizard creature in the first chamber, but this one walked upright and must of been nearly ten-feet tall and as broad as a lumber-cart.

The sixth step of the hewn stairs was it's territory zone and one of the Soza now crossed it. Now, with the boundary being crossed it could kill them all and consume their very essence.

Ghone now moved forward, suddenly realizing his error and moving to his men.

A great roaring, yowl and the strange, half hidden thing launched a force of crushing pressure waves.

The pressure-waves it exuded went whirling out to the three on the steps and those behind.

The wave was almost invisible to the naked eye but for the blurring and bending of light that rushed out.

Four of the five Kaslar went flying high through the air in both directions. They crunched against jagged and hard walls dashing their body's cruelly. They remained pinned there, some alive, others dying as terrible moans began from them. Something was locking them into place, like a force-upon-force that bound and constricted.

The main force of the blurring ‘wave’ continued it’s deadly flight.

Owesion’s, still at the back with the Vril, loosed off an arrow, but the arrow was not true and it glanced off a scaly arm to split into pieces against the wall.

The Kaslar girl, Nireth lay down and relaxed, instinctively knowing what to do. It passed over and she was unharmed.

Ghone’s swift response saw him dive sideways towards the side wall as the effects briefly trembled along his side. A searing heat swamped at him with it’s passing and he readied his flame nozzle.

The three Vril were next, being caught in the ‘wave’ effect of it’s attack and suffered pushing violence this way and that. Their armour and resolve alone kept them in one piece, along with the reduced effects of the wave's energy being spent.

Ghone’s flame roared out from the nozzle, adding bright colors of orange and yellow to the scene. The narrow jet of flame almost reached the outstretched talons of the scaly-thing. Releasing the pressure mechanism he moved closer sending out the flame again, this time into the beasts stumpy legs and lower body. It swung and swatted at the strange burning energy with little effect as it's scales glowed white-hot.

The Soliters were off to one side and, with the Vril, were at the edge of the attack's ‘spent’ zone. They felt but a few buffets and ruffles compared to the forward ones.

Sigrun's arrow went awry, almost hitting Wilderen and going to shatter against the steps.

Owesion drew another arrow from the bag-quiver, nocked it perfectly as time seemingly stood still. He drew well using his chest and arm in unison as the straight arrows fletchings touched his cheek.

The finality of striking or missing now loomed heavy.

If he missed, as he did on his first shot, it was over. There were no second chances against the scale-entity, which even now readied another terrible attack, this time directed absolutely at the Vril and Soliter forces still standing.

Everything almost seemed to hover at his mind-sight. 

Miss and they were all to perish and a moment in time was lost forever.

Strike and they stood a chance. A breaking crack sounded from one of the Kaslar being crushed. His miss had caused their pain, now he must kill.

Owesion kept a cool heart and loosed.

A ray of relief filled him as his three-foot arrow went winging into it’s mark.

It was an armor-piercing arrowhead plunged into the creature's bulbous chest-cavity, ripping past strange anatomy and burying itself nearly up to the fletchings.

The ‘entrapped Kaslar’ at the walls were released to the stoney floor in a heap, two unmoving while a third clung to life.

It uttered a loud, blood-choked ululating noise of defiance that echoed through and past them, deeper into the tunnels.

As it’s attention was shifted, the air had almost returned to normal.

But then it began to get heavy again and Owesion, like a slick, oiled machine drew, nocked and loosed off another arrow, this one with an expansion crystal at it’s head.

The arrow whistling into the beasts body. It did not penetrate as far as the last one, but did not have to, for the muted explosion told it’s own story. Fragments of bone, sinew and scales erupted out to shower those nearby.

The lizard-beast had long inflicted pain and suffering on the unwary, so for it to be dealt such a brutal blow shocked the mind and body intensely. A croaking roar from the thing as it began to realize the doom was shifting. Now it was the endangered and the raging pain from it's legs and body affected the mental focus for it's powers.

Despite the setback it refocused what remained of it’s pressure-mantle to surge forth one last blast through the towards the three archers.

Then a brightness flared in it's eyes as Ghone sent waves of flame licking out, damaging it's vision, Nireth whirled her sling and released it, sending a globe of fire to ignite against the creatures upper body.

From the other group, the black clad ones were recovering and one of them, a blonde leaned backwards then with full hurl sent a whirling sling-glade out and it flashed across the space, ripping aside it's jutting throat.

A spray of dark liquid, it was too gloomy to tell what color, plumed out to soak the steps and those nearby.

As the disc returned to Faern's gloved hand she drew back her arm for another cast as the beast went tumbling down the raised steps. She hesitated, watching as the awesome spectacle of the fiery giant collapse in defeat.

At the bottom, it stirred and moved briefly, then Ghone let another jet of flame from his weapon incinerated it just to make sure.

Ghone was injured, two of his tribe were dead; mangled and torn with a third injured. The adventure's optimistic shine was soured.

Anneas, in rough humor attempted to console Ghone, who now nearly wept at his folly.

“You can take your artifact Kaslar. That thing won’t bother anyone now.” He said with the flicker of a grin, he helped up the young Kaslar girl and another.

“By Yalder! Look how it killed my men. An oath on this place and against them.” Ghone said muttering gloomy curses and utterings. He made a few howls and exultations before gesturing and raving. Even Nireth felt for his very reason in those intense moments.

“Hold your peace!” Anneas said brutally. “We intruded remember, therefore we are their enemy Kaslar.This is no game of dice and trade. This is life or death. Their sacrifice is an orb of infinity, bear up now!” His truthful words causing many to agree.
Ghone took a breath and composed himself.

Nireth had already moved forward, wishing to not dwell any longer than necessary as the Vril and Kaslar spoke.

The Vril's powerful death-wands had been no use but she could see they were as scattered and shocked by the powerful lizard-beast as they were.

Only Faern had kept her feet to counter-attack effectively.

She carefully picked up the stone without incident. This one was circular like the last one, but colored blue and yellow.

Before she put it in her waist pouch she held it up high, showing the others what it looked like. It’s beauty went some way to cooling Ghone’s hot heart and anger at the death of the two Soza.

“It wasn’t meant to be this way brothers.” Ghone said to his dead fellows loudly so all could hear.

The life-giving stone in exchange for two Kaslar.

“A fair enough trade given their clownish haste.” Wilderen muttered tactlessly, Anneas chided him.

Faern was less pragmatic knowing that whatever noise it had made may of stirred up a hornets nest.

Ghone went over to the wrecked and ruined body’s and said prayers for the two dead ones. Nireth tended to the injured Kaslar.

They now had their stone, but one remained and now the Vril had to take their turn.

Rubecula

Wonderful I really enjoyed the story. It is exactly the kind of thing I would love to write.

Watch Ryder

You ain't seen nothing yet Rube!

Next Chapter coming up soon...

Rubecula

I actually can't wait

Watch Ryder

Chapter 5

The journey to the final chamber took over an hour. All of them had a kind of half-elixir concoctions to keep their ‘edge’, restore energy and vitality. For the Soliters theirs was a liquefied plant extract called 'Selve'. The Vril warriors drank an essence of Vril-Ya that was diluted and blended with honey for taste.

The Kaslar had to make do with water skins mixed with water and wine for their needs. Not as effective as the other two, but more readily available in the world of Terra.

The going was slow, for they moved at the speed of the injured Kaslar. Nireth had applied a folded cloth that Faern had soaked in Vril-Ya. It numbed the pain somewhat, but it wasn’t enough.

The chamber beasts ‘pressure –wave’ attack had cracked at least three ribs and the impact against the wall had broken at least as many. With a pool full of their mystery essence he'd be healed within six hours but as it was this was out of the question. The nomad kept as silent as he could, biting down on a leather strap whenever the pain surged beyond what he could handle.

“For the third chamber we’ll be facing the deadliest foe, of that I’m sure.” Faern said to her companions.

“What makes you say that?” Wilderen wondered abruptly, he was not one to listen much to Gy’s, unless he was in the lusty or best of moods.

“Each chamber has been harder than the last. The first was the Soliter chamber that saw us unscathed, then the Kaslar’s saw bloodshed and death. Will this next one have our own pain-fate brothers?”

“You keep your glade ready Gy, as I keep my staff charged then we’ll see what comes.” Wilderen said with patriarchal pride.

Owesion was behind her, he deftly touched her, when she turned to see what it was he made a nod of agreement to her.

She was not alone in thinking there was more dread to come.

Now the darkness came in the tunnel, for there were no more torches against the wall.

Anneas triggered his staff to the lowest output and the tube emitted a medium-brightness light ahead of them.

The continued onwards.

Nireth’s heart was a mixture of feelings, the death of her comrades bothered her. Set against the fine and brilliant artifact there was almost a kind of balance. It was a strange feeling and she was almost unaware of the things that now went about further behind them...

The last chamber had, like the other two, it’s own separate illumination.

Prior to reaching it, Anneas took charge and had all others but the Vril and Soliter remain in the tunnel.

“We’ll soon be out of here.” He said to them.

Ghone looked abash at being told what to do by the Vril.

“Prophus, you’ve already lost two of your people to this foul place, we’ll go in and get the last one then be out and away to the gate. Cover the tunnel way so nothing comes in at us. Owesion, watch our backs.” Anneas said in a friendly, urgent manner.

Ghone looked to the Way-Captain in acknowledgement.

Owesion nodded.

“If we all go in at once it’ll be too crowded anyway.” The Captain said drawing his cloak about him, almost invisible now.

Ghone nodded and set up a perimeter behind them.

The tunnel’s other direction, beyond the chamber junction seemed to run out the mountain, Nireth noticed this, telling it to Anneas and Owesion.

It would mean exiting the mountain in a different area to that which they’d entered. Yet it was far more preferable to facing hours of passage back through the tunnels.

“We go in silently and steal it out from under them, if any of them move against us, end them. Remember who were are that the ancestors look on at us from afar.” Anneas said softly. He was taking no chances, the second chamber thing had killed Kaslar with no hesitation, they would not make the mistake of hesitation.

Anneas carefully rounded into the Chamber first, followed by Wilderen, then Faern.

The Vril collapsed their staff’s to forearm length to reduce their profile, then the Soliter’s followed in. The former moved over to the right-hand section of wall and the latter over to the left.

The interior was gloomy, not much to see from the entrance point. The hollowed out cavern was a similar-sized space to the first two they’d already seen.

Except there was no massive guardian here, but a lone figure in the middle, in front of an artifact.

It waited.

'Was it a statue?' Anneas wondered, pausing and observing the figure.

Behind him the Soliters moved in and took up a position on the right flank. They were fully cloaked, barely visible, but had the figure noticed?

Behind the figure their keen eye’s discerned a flutter of movement. Both archer-Soliters had weapons nocked and ready.

More figures like the center one were against the back wall of the hollow. Roughly man-height and armed. Features unrecognizable with the darkness. Yet they moved with the organic way, breathing movements were noticeable. Sigrun and Faern both picked up on the ‘movement’ of their awareness. They looked out, but could not quite see well enough in the gloom to where they lurked.

There was an absolute pause for a moment and the silence was great.

Owesion and Anneas knew it to be an enemy. There was a natural malevolence inherent to it. The helmet it wore covered it’s head and scale armour hung from it’s chest, arms and legs. The color was unclear, it appeared bluish-black, under the lights.

She counted ten in total, Faern’s eye-crystal gave out the aura of deep, oppressive negativity. This one was no friend and never would be to any of them.Even the smooth-talking Kaslar would not be at home with this lot.

They were still hidden, but had these guardian’s heard the lizard and stone demon’s noises earlier so being aware of intruders?

She could not even whisper what she saw but Anneas looked over at her more than once. By Vril Sign, she told as much as she could.

He nodded, thinking quickly and turned to Owesion, pointing at his stealth cloak and then at the artifact.

‘Stealth-away the artifact without a fight.’ Was the intention and the Way-Captain nodded.

Owesion was always one to avoid wanton bloodshed, especially with the numbers being against them.

Also, his curiosity was aroused, these were the first human-looking things in the mountain, were they in-league or under the control of the bigger things they’d encountered?

Owesion now signaled to Sigrun, once again she would have to take a turn at taking an artifact. Sigrun nodded.

Owesion also had Ubron shadow her, he was not sure, but he knew that the lizard-thing was childs play compared to these guards.

The main solitary guard, much bigger than the wall ones lingered close to the artifact.Getting it with him so close would be tough.

Quietly stashing her arrow in her arrow bag, she slid the bow over her shoulder, the string at her front and the limbs behind her back.

Crouching she moved further up along the wall, the light from the artifact was bright and she soon had reached the half-way mark. Following in her was Ubron lingering several yards behind Sigrun. Now moving across the floor itself she looked away from the nearest threat of the lone guard to the artifact trying to time his patrol path. As she did so her longbow’s ivory-tip gently scraped the smooth floor.

The noise was sharp against the silence and the lone guard instantly turned his head.

Wilderen, on his own initiative now tried a ruse.

Gathering up three smooth stones he cast them all across to strike the wall opposite.

The guardian now turned around to face the noise, as it did so Sigrun crossed the remaining distance and lay down underneath the artifact.

The wall guards were not statue’s now and moved over, heading in the direction of Wilderen but stopping well short of him.

Foot soldiers, Owesion decided, the big one being a captain, or commander of the chamber.

Now the commander figure said something.

Anneas and Owesion were both language-masters of the old tongue, before the Great Rift had made the languages many.

One of the soldiers now noticed the small stones Wilderen had cast.

Anneas gestured and all three of the Vril slowly extended their weapons to full.

Another flurry of words came from those unknowns opposite. The more Anneas heard of the sound the more he realized who exactly these enemy’s were.

They were the Forsaken or ‘unclean’ beings. Usually called the Saken for short. Shunned by most races since the early days of time.

Not usually seen in the core-systems or even Terra’s more distant part of the spiral, yet wherever this world exactly was, they walked and moved here.

Lurkers, energy-parasites and demons. They had many names and abilities. Mostly malevolent and oppressive.

To the Soliter and Vril alike they were in the midst of a sworn enemy. One they’d only heard about from the Elder’s tales. This many in one place was unheard of, unless they were on a home-planet of them, something that pitted his heart with ice.

Sigrun was reaching for the artifact now.

One of the other Saken moved to a wall fixture and pulled it harshly.

The torch-light lit up, greatly illuminating the chamber, revealing all that was hidden, even the cloaked Soliters. Everything happened at once for a time.

Sigrun gave a start, almost dropping the artifact in her hand before stashing it clumsily into the bag.

Three of the guards had hastened to run at the orb-taker, as they did so, their body’s and features changed from tall men with light-armour to beast-like and warped alien features. Great talon’s and snapping jaws jutted out ready to meet the intruder.

The Way-Captain loosed off an arrow at them.

The arrow cut through the distance like a bolt, burying itself into one of the nearest shape shifters.The point penetrating the outer bone-sheath on its chest and the expansion crystal exploding violently within it. Upper shoulders, arms and head flew upwards while the rest of it thundered down in a tangled mess of gore. Sigrun was already running back past Ubron towards the exit.

The remaining two charging things were met by Ubron, who threw his cloak aside and extended his spear to full length. Like a true spear-warrior he held his nerve and did not waver, at the last second the pair who charged now slowed. There was a cunning about them, for they now stalked about, attempting to circle his defense.

Meanwhile, on the Vril side Anneas had his own side of enemy’s to face, plus the guardian. The bulk of the guard-things had concentrated their curiosity and it was here that the hinge-factor of victory or defeat would take place.

It took him three seconds to extend and energize his Vril tube then another to level and trigger it. The charged particle pulse slammed into it’s chest, nearly disintegrating the nearest running foe, sending the upper arms and head, followed by the legs slamming backwards into the far wall. Wilderen slew another with his, whileFaern threw out her sling-glade, aiming at the leader being.

It ducked at the last moment but, instead of closing the gap and surely having the opportunity to attack one of them, instead it ran away to shield behind the pillar.

She drifted the deadly spinning blade to the right and plunged it deep through an enemy about to flank and pounce on Anneas.

More deadly flashes and blasts from Anneas and Wilderen killed both two more rushing figures.

But another one rushed in, bigger and more skillful than most. It used the side of the wall to side-step and knock aside Wilderen’s weapon. Before he could recover or step back the beast now grappled with him.

The Vril were not renowned for close-quarter fighting prowess but Wilderen was as tall as a door and strong.The beast gave off a foul odor as Wilderen struggled to match the beasts weight and savage intensity.It’s projected jaw snapped once, almost taking a chunk out of his face until he jerked his head back.Then managing to trip it with a kick he narrowly managed to topple the beast to the ground.

Faern now caught her sling-glade, seeing Wilderen in a clinch she dashed over, crouched and deftly sliced out the top half of it’s skull and brain in one movement.

Ubron triggered both his wrist-bolts and one hit home but the light bolts were deflected by his bone-armored aggressor.

A combination of Ubron’s spear-work and the archery of Owesion and Sigrun saw one of the two dead from a penetrating arrow into a vital organ.The other was by now injured from multiple spear thrusts. It was smart and howled vengence like roars as it backed away. Seeing it was so few against so many, it now limp-ran away to the pillar area before mores weapons could be brought to bear on it.

Then a strange thing happened, the guardian leader now spoke.

“Stop your killing!Stop this! Who are you?”The guardian hissed in a high guttural voice, removing it’s helmet.It poked it’s head around the column slyly, ready should any of the staff’s-that-slew be raised once more. While the language was ancient, even by Vril and Soliter standards, both leaders vaguely understood what it said.

Unlike the other ones it’s features were more human.Not quite like they were though, bone protrusion’s here and there projected somewhat.It was another race by even the most liberal notion. The eye’s were larger yet oval and with a diagonal slant, the color was unclear, for it was still not quite bright enough, nor close enough to see that detail.The cat-like pupil was narrowed at the brightness. This one was most certainly reptilian or of their lineage.

By now Ghone was peering in the chamber from the entrance, the other two Kaslar still covering the rear no doubt. He had not helped them as to do so would of meant risking injury to friend and foe alike with his flame weapon.

Owesion turned to him.

“Hold your flame Prophus!” He commanded before turning back to commune with the Saken.
“We are outlanders, sent from afar to bring back sacred artifacts for our people.” He was a little off-put by the similarity but kept his wits about him, not mentioning how they were House Soliter or Vril. The less it knew of their names or peoples the better.

“Thieves, sanctuary-breakers and weak-bodied mortals is what you are.” It retorted, something which Wilderen chuckled at.

“We are not stealing that which once belonged to our ancestors, during the Scattering many of them left such artifacts in distant worlds such as this one.” Anneas now spoke, keen to make his own voice heard. In somewhat rougher speech than Owesion’s more polished skills. The thing did not seem to pose a threat now, all but one of its soldiers was dead and now it skulked about, keen to dialogue.

“If we trespassed then that was an ‘unknowing’, the orbs bear our mark and we must return them to our people. We will leave now and wish a truce. We killed only to save our own.” Anneas said, hoping to close the exchange.

He added a slight bow for added effect.

The Saken now gave a laugh before answering.

“You’ll all leave here with an eternal blood vengeance which I swear will see my race decimate your own lands and peoples.”

At this Wilderen responded to the threat, unleashing a blast of energy which barely missed it’s face, exploding a large chunk of rock into fragments. It cowered away behind a heavier obstruction.

“Were it not for those weapons I’d have you ripped limb from limb.” It roared at them, frustrated it was not facing a defenseless enemy.

Wilderen, annoyed at the things tenacity swiveled the power-opening to full, but his leader stepped in and pushed the weapon to one side.

“Save it Wilderen we have all three orbs now.” Anneas said, mindful also of the risk of the chamber caving in should the pillar be obliterated.

Wilderen nodded, but felt drawn to end the guardian’s days. He was not the most noble of the Vril, but he knew a deadly foe when he saw one more than any other.

Faern now spoke quietly to Owesion and Ubron.

“We must depart, something's wrong! We must not remain here.” She pulled at the Way-Captain’s arm.The Watcher in him wanted to parley a few minutes longer, perhaps they could make amends with more soft words, yet their survival was at stake.

He aquiesced and nodded.

“Anneas, let’s go! Leave the thing to rot in it’s tomb!” Owesion shouted, turning to leave.

They’d started to move away when again the being at the pillar spoke.

“But this is no tomb intruder. This is a resting place, but no longer. For now I will awake all of my race to have our vengeance.”

“I’m getting tired of it’s chatter Captain.” Ubron said eying the wounded Saken flush up against the cover. It peered around it like a wounded, feral dog. Still dangerous and lingering. The features were attempted to shift back to humanoid again but struggled with the distraction from it's injuries.

“Let me go forth and run it through.” Ubron asked.

“Hold your steel Ubron. The gate awaits us.” Owesion said patting him on the shoulder.

Sigrun remembered that for several hours she’d not checked her pressure stone. Reaching in or where it hung on her neck-pendant she quickly took a look, hoping the mountain would not interfere too much.

With a worried heart she feared that the bright and blinding gleam of an already arrived gate would be showing.

It was not, but it had begun to show a brighter shine and she accurately reckoned they could not tarry for long in the mountain an longer.

“Captain, we must be away, less than six hours before gate-fall.” She whispered to Owesion.

A movement from the far corner, off to the right from where the orb-pillar was.

A small childling-sized thing, no taller than four feet peered and moved out gingerly. The head was roughly man-sized but oddly-shaped. Yet the body tiny. It could of been that of a child but for it’s head.

Wilderen pointed his staff but the figure moved back into the shadows.

“They’re learning.” He said faintly.

It had moved through a barely discernable opening, and kept watching them all, almost daring them to waste energy in attempting to slay it.

A scream distracted them, not from the chamber but from the tunnel.

It was one of the Kaslar and it was that of shock combined with terror.

As one they moved out of the chamber, knowing it was time to leave now.

Only Ubron kept his discipline to face-backwards in case of a rush attack but none came from the pillar area.

The sound and light of flame-bags lit the tunnel.

What Owesion made out was terrifying.The green lizard from the first chamber was before them, it’s vast size almost filled the tunnel and in it’s jaws was a struggling Kaslar, the injured one whose screaming unsettled many.

Only the narrowing of the tunnel had prevented it from getting further within to attack the other two Kaslar. Both now sent flame bags into it's bulky legs saturating them.

Ghone and Nireth had retaliated where they could without endangering Gillie, but it’s skin was tough and leathery, no amount of flame seemed to bother it.

Anneas knew better than to send a charge of energy into it while it held the luckless Kaslar.Wilderen wanted to try though, reckoning that by blowing one of fit’s stubbly legs off the Kaslar might go tumbling down from it’s jaws.

“No Vril! It’s too risky, look he still lives.”Ghone urged.

The lizard indeed only exerted enough pressure to keep Gillie from falling or pulling himself free.

“Any attack and it could crush him to a pulp.”Nireth echoed.

Now, with an intelligence that seemed to come from elsewhere, it moved backwards and away from them, deeper into the tunnel they’d come from.

“Now we must go after it Way-Captain!”Ghone implored.Old wounds of loss were re-opening now.He knew the Gillie’s family in the Kaslar domain, he did not want to be the bearer of death-news to them.

“We’re out of time Ghone.”

“Owesion I implore you let me try...”

“I’m sorry Ghone, but we must be away now, that Saken guardian is up to something and I want us out of this mountain.”

The lizard was over fifty yards from them, barely lit by the fluttering light.

“No Soliter, no!” Ghone shouted, he moved away from them then leveled his flame-port at the Way-Captain with a look of madness about him.

A ruthless vibe was taking root now, with the other two factions – The Vril and the Soliter having their orbs they began to view the Kaslar leader less as an ally, but more of a dangerous hound, an unreliable one at that.

“You do it and it's war Kaslar.” Sigrun said without malice.

“I can have him in ashes before that flame even licks out.”Wilderen said quietly to Anneas.

“Easy there Wilderen.” Anneas said playing it by ear. “We've already waged war on one tribe lets not start on another one.”

The leader in him knew they’d have to kill innocent Nireth as well if they slew the Prophus for she would naturally retaliate.

Such actions would mean heavy consequences back on Terra. The Kaslar were no fools.Murder and skullduggery would not be far from the Kaslar Elders minds if they returned to Terra with their entire expedition missing from their band.

“Wait! I sense a shifting.Something’s moving.A mass of evil.” Nireth said pointing over to the lizard, which only cast a shadow now.

“That’s the lizard woman. We must follow!”Ghone snapped back at her, he broke the standoff and moved his flame-rod back towards the real enemy.

“No, it’s something else coming our way.”She said worriedly.

Anneas moved forward to get a better angle, then raised his Vril staff, sending a light beam up into the ceiling above and behind the lizard.

Upon touching the rock the tunnel ‘straight’ lit up like day and it revealed a massed army of black creatures, almost impossible to distinguish but moving stealthily towards them. An army that stretched away out of sight where more were no doubt were waiting.

All the time they'd been intruding the forces had been building and building against them.

His keen eye’s took in the threat.Both he and his companion’s weapons could not hope to vaporize every one of them.Already his Vril staff was half-empty.

Indeed without slaying the lizard and Gillie he could not easily affect them.They were almost at the lizard now. The creature seemed to stop, toss the bundle of humanity to the jeering beings before it too moved forward at their progressive pace. The Kaslar was swallowed up by the numbers and so would they too if they tarried.

“There's too many to fight.” Anneas said backing up.

“To the gate then and stop for nothing!” Owesion said.

With that they turned to the distant light and ran for the exit.

Behind them the first of the howling emitted, faintly echoed by Gillie’s frantic screams. Ghones angry shouts of rhetorical angst made clear he was in turmoil but he ran with them.
A rumbling echo seemed to shake the very mountain. At first they thought it was the mountain falling apart but it seemed to be a movement within, rather than an external earth tremor.

“I think that leader in there was right about his entire race awakening!” Faern said, saying what they all feared.

Rubecula

Love the way you leave the reader on tenterhooks.

Watch Ryder

Chapter 6

Race to the Gate

It was only a few hundred yards to a corner and there they saw the relief-filled sight of the entrance. They exited the mountain with an anxious urgency.

Once outside and were about two hundred yards away when Anneas turned, then using the last of his Vril staff’s power reserve’s he blasted the side of the mountain entrance in a devastating and noisy fashion. It was caved-in before a minute had passedrubble.

The danger seemed to of passed at this deed. Even Ghone nodded in appreciation of Anneas's talent with a Vril staff.

They slowed down to a steady march.

The gray, dim light seemed to indicate it was afternoon-time. The daylight seemed brighter than when they had arrived in any case. Faern smiled at this stating it was an auspicious sign for them.

Owesion, despite the heavy losses to the Kaslar contingent, felt glad they were away from the mountain. Nireth looked sad though and Owesion spoke to her.

“The creatures will have to return back through the mountain tunnels, all the way to the other side where we entered. By the time they reach it, we’ll already be at the gate waiting.” He said with an assuming smile.

“Perhaps Soliter, but if they have already pre-empted this they will be exiting much sooner.”Ghone said. “Also, that cursed- lizard beast was far too big to leave by that exit Anneas just caved-in. Nor could it have entered by the opposite entrance either as it was a similar size to that one.” The Prophus gestured at the rubble from the entrance.

Anneas who nodded.

“I thought this too, but perhaps the being’s that dwell inside gene-spliced and bred the thing from within the place? Thus trapping it inside?”

“Who are they though?That last guardian was like something one of the Father Folk tales speak of.” Nireth said.

“It’s a Saken, they all are.” Anneas spoke solemnly. “In times when even the Elders were young they used to be a common sight outside the Core Systems. Then there were abuses, pain and conflict.Then a great war. The Saken were driven out and were exiled to the eternal-darkness or Nandsi as my people call it.” He explained.

“Is this where we are Owesion? In a hell-world?” Nireth said somewhat fearful.

Owesion shook his head. “It's close to one, but my feeling is this is a world the Saken have hidden themselves, or ventured out to, possibly waiting for a time their greater-race will return from the Nandsi.” Owesion said using a borrowed word from the Vril.

“That makes sense.” Sigrun said. “The Elders will have obtained the orb’s prior to the Great War, hidden them here for our later expansions and world colonies. But after the Great War the Saken will have been exiled to places like this as punishment with those hibernation guardians. With no way of using them like we can all they could do is keep to their word and guard the orbs.”

“That's interesting and fanciful Sigrun but the Saken were probably orb-thieves and survivors from the Great War. The ancient sagas speak of our wonders being plundered by such ones.” Anneas countered. “Yes, I'd say they became stranded here somehow. If we had more time perhaps we could find their crashed and defunct travel-craft. With the Saken failing to get the Orbs to work all they could do is wait for their greater-brethren to return from the outer-darkness. Only we got here first!” He said with a triumphant florish.

“Perhaps if our peoples ever falter or fail in certain worlds they awake and make their way to conquer about once more?” Faern suggested.

“They are devils and demons! We must begone from here! We can discuss them later, not now!” Ghone said fearfully.

It would be over three miles of unsteady terrain on the desert plain then a long sloping climb to the heights. Further beyond that at the high place where they’d arrived, the gate would re-open for them to go home....

They all kept up the fast paced stride for another ten minutes.

Sigrun gave into the temptation and opened up the bag containing the first orb to gaze upon it's red and white beauty. She looked for only a few seconds at the lovely sight when one of them began shouting.

“It’s opening! The mountain is opening!” Came Nireth's voice, she’d turned on a strange whim and saw the staggering sight of what she spoke.

They all turned and sure enough a great-sized slab of rock, possibly half a mile across in size and several hundred yards in height. It was raising itself open via great hinged devices in both upper corners that ran the length of the upper-side . The mechanism was unknown but of the ancient giant signature given it's dimensions. The outcome was a danger for them. Somewhere inside the Saken mountain was their new enemy race.

Even as it was halfway raised there were distant figures to be seen scurrying out.

The distance was just under a mile. Out of bowshot, but not Vril staff.

“There's too many to fight, let's go.” Ghone pleaded.

“Hold Kaslar! Sometimes fire must be met with fire.” Anneas said and looked over to the blonde giant Wilderen.

“Cave it in. Focus on the slab.” Their leader said, even as he spoke the words Wilderen was already readying the long weapon.

Yet Wilderen knew that at the range was now too great for his Vril weapon to be aimed instinctively from the arm, so he rested it on a flat rock.

As he did so the green lizard thing came charging out making a roar.The noise of it just faintly reaching them.Those closest much surely be deafened for it was a sharp and warbling cry.

Wilderen’s first blast rang out like thunder and went slightly high, smashing above the slab and sending sharp fragments of rock off it in all directions. The masses of Saken stopped and a few ran back inside, a few others covered feebly as great chunks of rock maimed and slaughtered a handful. The rest recovered and the flood of enemies soon

He stopped and adjusted it.

“Can he not ‘walk’ the blast lower?” Owesion suggested inquisitively to Faern.

“Don’t rush me!”The giant said, their chatter bothering him as he focusing for another attempt.Little fluid remained now and he adjusted the harmonics so the energy would allow more than one attempt.

Again the Vril emitted a blast, not as loud this time.

The slab was struck squarely and split into two uneven sections.For a moment one of them hung from whatever mechanism suspended the slab.Then it crashed to the ground.A quick follow up blast sent the other slab down next to it.

The distant entrance was almost blocked entirely, but many of the enemy Saken had emerged. Owesion reckoned at least fifty or sixty, plus the lizard creature.

The Vril only knew when their energy staffs had ran out by a test discharge and even that took energy. Not wanting to deplete it further he dared not even do that.

“Sigrun! What do you see of the gate?”He asked the Keeper.

She looked quickly at the strange stone for a few seconds.

“It’s closer now... holding a steady passage. About four hours.”

“They’ll be upon us within half of that.”Owesion said not liking the fact the Saken hordes moved at a fast pace.

His sharp mind had been doubting they’d get away this easy.Now the game was really on.

He had two explosive arrow’s left and about twelve ordinary ones.As each step took them closer to flight from this world he now knew the Saken wouldn’t let the orb’s go without a fight.

Up they moved, scrambling up the steep hillside.

By the time they’d reached the highest part of the rocky hill he turned and signaled them all to stand and fight.

“Here we face the Saken.” He declared.

In the old-fashion the Soliters began to plant arrows in the ground.

Anneas, his Vril brother-in-arms stopped along with his companions.

Ghone and the other Kaslar also stopped and waited, but did not agree.

“Why are you stopping?" Ghone said, eager to quit this world. "Let’s be away!”

“The gate has yet to arrive Ghone.We can’t leave with them at our heels like this.” The Way Captain said checking his arrows for straightness.

“And it's pointless to fight here when we could be away to the gate. They won't see us there.” Ghone pleaded.

“We can't be sure of that Ghone. We don't know how they see, smell or sense us, it could be they'll follow our trail all the way to the gate if we flee now.” Owesion said cautiously. “And if they see where the gate arrives they could learn more of us, even follow us through unless one remains behind and I won’t have that!” Owesion said pointing at the nearing foe with an arrow.

“Why not fight them off at the gate then?” Ghone reasoned.

Owesion gasped at his tenacity and shook his head and rose to full height.

“The gateway is in a plateau depression, we’d be sitting ducks in the open and surrounded. Again we risk being left behind. Our advantage of position lies here at this steep hill. it will negate their numbers and give us the edge.” Owesion said resuming his arrow-work

“Prophus, the Captain could be right, my fire-globes can help rain down fire on the beasts.” Nireth said nodding to Owesion's wisdom.

“No, Kaslar flame will be our warden at the gates not here.” Ghone pointed westwards with his staff. “Let's go now, come on!”

The old rivalry and animosity was returning, Owesion could feel it in the air, despite the closing death from the mountain.

“I am Way-Captain Ghone, stand and fight with us. I command it, for all our sakes.” Owesion said giving a rare order. Ghone shook his head looked away from his gaze, he took a few steps back as he did so.

“I refuse it Owesion! I refuse it! My people have an infinity-orb now and I don't want to risk loosing it here for any glory-killing with you all!” Ghone said with Kaslar pride and temperance.

Fingers hovered from weapons as Vril, Kaslar and Soliter tensed for sudden violence. Owesion knew it would doom them all if they totally fell apart from their oaths. As it was 'teeth-talk' could be written-off, injuries less so and killing between factions not at all.

“Scout ahead for the gate Ghone, see there are no Saken waiting for us. We remain to end the threat on our heels here.” Owesion said as neutrally as he could.

Turning his back he ignored the Prophus and resumed putting the last of his arrows in the loose ground and began to gauge the range.

Ghone scowled and left, Nireth wanted to agree with Owesion, but a part of her too wanted to return to the Kaslar homelands more than fight an uncertain fate. She looked back once, with a longing look at them, then carried on. Ghone said some diver words that neither the Vril nor the Soliter could catch then they were away.

Wilderen sensed the hostility and spoke out for the first time against the Kaslar.

“We should never of entrusted the Inland Seas and Lands to Mosius and his people. Look how they walk from us. Like cowards.” Wilderen shouted the last two words, hoping the Kaslar would hear.

“Let it go Wilderen.” Owesion said calmly.

Nireth had turned back to look, perhaps sensing something was amiss.

The big blond giant shook his head while thumbing the safety lever on his staff, flicking it a few times more in growing frustration.Wilderen was not an understanding one at the best of times and it took a force of will not to bring his weapon to bear against the fleeing duo.

Yet he subtly gesturing with his Vril staff a few times, arousing the Way-Captains tongue.

“Wilderen, I swore before all the elders on Terra that there would be no bloodshed between any of us. Three factions arrived into this world. Three factions shall depart. That’s final. Now calm your blood and be ready.” Owesion said pointing towards where they hoped to depart the world.

Nireth now turned back to Ghone and both were soon gone to the distance.

*

The first cave-in from Anneas had caused a glancing blow to the thick skull of the Saken guardian-sentry. Iscaron was stunned but unlike the rest in his group had been thrown partially clear of the first descent of rock. The second lot would of crushed him to death but for fate providing a large and hollow-like chamber-sized boulder. It landed mostly around him as both of the smaller Skale creatures lay crushed only feet away. Worming through the narrow aperature in the boulder Iscaron then ‘shifted’ his physical body to match the surroundings. The Death Staffs as it called the Vril-rods caused it great alarm, but it was sure it could help. Away from the combined effects of the mountains and the nullifying effects of the orbs it's powers were slowly returning.

Once it felt sure searching eyes from afar were not directly looking over it moved wide, fast and on a flanking pattern. Iscaron had watched as the Staff-Wielders blasted apart the central chamber doors and it hesitated in going any closer. Then after a time it noticed two of the smaller beings continue alone, while the others, the killing-ones, remained behind.

Seeing this it resumed it’s skulking movement, following after the smaller group.

Not even the insightful Sigrun or the razor-sharp Faern, noticed a colorless, glimmering shape depart from the entrance Wilderen had collapsed, such were it’s methods.

mathepac

Chapter 1

Two hours into their journey across the formless and barren terrain, the three groups were that much closer to their uncertain destiny. Underfoot the ground was dry, stony and unyielding, broken here and there by gritty mounds and rises, constant visual reminders that this was not their home. The plateau behind them and the distant mountain range before them framed the vast, open, alien desert.


I tried a quick re-arrangement on para 1, chapter 1. With about 24% fewer words, I don't think any meaning is lost an I think atmospherically it reads a bit better.

Comments?

Watch Ryder

Thanks Mathepac!

I have amended the paragraph slightly:

For two hours the three groups set out across the alien terrain towards their fluid-like destiny. Underfoot the ground was dry, stony and unyielding, broken here and there by gritty mounds and rises, constant visual reminders that this was not their home. The plateau behind them and the distant mountain range before them framed the vast, open, alien desert. The land they were in only served to remind the eye that it was not their home.

Watch Ryder

Chapter 7

Soliter, Vril and Kaslar looked on as the Saken army drew closer.

They moved forward as a tight unit, a taller, longer and massive lizard-being led the way. It's four legs pounded the ground as two legged humanoids followed. The beast from the first chamber was relentless and knew that those that had taken the orbs were ahead.

A human-foe would of been more cautious and taken the measure of any defender, but not this race of creatures. Tireless onslaught was one of their many traits and here, being awoken to a fury at these stealing-intruders they were like a whirlwind of violence. Memories of old scores and distant wars in other stars and realms were starting to stir in the awoken masses that poured closer to the Soliters and Vril.They had height, distance and technos, but to the Saken that was all they had.At close quarters it would be a different story.

Owesion now walked about, checking everyone’s equipment. Even the Vril’s, who gave him haughty looks but he insisted on making sure.

“How many years has it been since our ancestors fought ones such as these?” Owesion asked out loud to deflect his over-attentive ways.

A pause.

“Many thousands, I think. And before even the times of the gate-stones when matter was energetic.” Ubron said stoically.

“It doesn’t matter only that we survive.” Faern said. “If we lose the orbs now it’s the end.This world’s beings are awake like a dragon now, who knows what they will do with the orbs now they know one’s such as we exist.”

All their weapons were ready, between them the Soliters had plenty of arrows, but only a handful of the real killers; the explosive-tipped artifact crystals.

“Aye, hold off with the expansion crystals until they get closer.” Owesion said to Sigrun who gestured with the ordinary ‘cut-weave’ arrow that would fly further and slide through armour.

Of the Vril's artifact weapons, only Wilderen had enough Vril-ya in his staff left for two, possibly three blasts. Faern’s skill with the Sling Glade would have to count, that was a thing that could keep flying and cutting for hours. It being a more suited to a protracted engagement using only minute amounts of energy to keep it propelled and in spinning flight.

The enemy now had closed the distance to quarter of a mile.

Faern held off from releasing the glade until they were within arrow range, fearing that perhaps it would be isolated or neutralized somehow without the chaos of a combined missile attack.

“Where is that speaker guardian of theirs? I sense him not among this pack of creatures.” Faern said, noticing the unique energy signature of the thing was not amid the enemy.

There was a pause.

“I reckon him to be trapped back in the mountain or moving towards the far exit.” Anneas said with calculating reason.

“Look how they move, not even halting to take our measure.”Wildren said in view of their alien-like ways.

All of them were roughly man-height, but a handful towered over the rest.

The scampering little childlings they’d seen in the last chamber were nowhere to be seen though.

It was obvious these were the fighters of the race they’d trespassed against.

“They're nearly in bow-shot now.”Sigrun said, nocking her arrow, as did the others.

“Range it!” Owesion said drawing his own bow.

With his words they loosed off their missiles.

Even in a foreign, harsh world as the one they stood on there was a grace and almost mystical interlude as the arrows were released.First leaving the bows at nearly a hundred yards a second. Then arcing high, aided by the elevation, before slowly obeying gravity's call and plunging downwards into the Saken.

“Honas!” Said one of the Vril in a prayer signaling the beginning of sacred-conflict.

Now they would be tested, but so would the Saken.

The first two arrows struck slightly short of the lead warriors, who had now starting to move forward of the lizard.The black and brown clad foe were almost at the start of the gradual incline that would lead up to them.Only the last thirty yards or so was a rough, rocky and steep slope.

Faern waited until Sigrun and Owesion loosed off a second volley, then threw out her Sling Glade at a low, ground hugging level.

Her dual-point of view from the crystal-fed insight showed the metaphysical landscape rushing past while her naked eye took in the physical spectrum. She stared gently into the lurid green glow given off by the eye-crystal feeling her way through the path instead of trying to follow the projectile with her normal vision.

Faern saw an arrow strike a small crouching Saken – first it was half-turned and waiting for the lizard to catch up then it was shuddering in death all sprawled out. It's color-spectrum was already changing as lifeforce faded to shift colors elsewhere. The glade flew onward.

Another arrow's plunging path took a second one down through the shoulder, pitching it downwards and backwards.Another Saken moved forward adjacent to the fallen one and paused to look up at the hill-position not noticing the hovering death nearby.

As a warning was shouted, Faern struck. With a practiced move she almost passed the newly arrived one by with the glade before twisting her right-arm and moving it so that it suddenly scourged across it’s face, chin and throat. It sliced through both like paper.

The other Saken momentarily wavered at the strange death from the spinning thing and began to cowered back until they reached the lizard’s defensive bulk. It moved forward without missing a step.

The overall assault might have become a slow march had the lizard not given a great, retching undulating howl, whether to bolster the attackers or just out of hatred to the lofty defenders it was unclear.

Even Wilderen flinched at it’s noise momentarily spoiling his aim as he let off a charge of the Staff’s energy, the devastating blast went awry, just missing the great green beast. An explosion erupted twenty yards to the left of it, the shockwave scattering a dozen of the Saken about like rag-dolls.To his dismay he saw some, but not all, move about and return to their feet to rejoin the formation. To him they were like the machine-automaton’s of the Vril home city but uglier and more hostile.

Wilderen sent a second blast, this time directly at the beasts chest that was squarely on-target.

It was not a fully powered surge though and it’s energy-wave broadened out on impact. Instead of spearing through like a lightning-bullet to explode the effect was a quarter-force of blunt trauma instead.

The blow stunned the thing to a halt. The thudding, whacking impact pummeled and split thick scaly flesh, exposing raw bone.

The lumbering beast halted as it’s thick matter almost went into ‘shock-sleep’ at the thunderous energy wave.

“Good cast Wilderen! One more and they’ll surely be undone.” Anneas said with encouragement.

Wilderen triggered the staff again, this time the energy flow flowed out like water, what reached the stunned beast merely pushed at it briefly.

“Empty!” He grimaced. “Soliter arrows and Faern’s spinning toy are what we rely on now.” Wilderen said with grim, laconic humor.

The dependent Saken foot-beings had paused again and now looked indecisive as they huddled about the large creature that would not move.

“They are like ants kindred.” Said Owesion. “When they are of one mind they are formidable, but when confused or in disarray they are isolated!”

Faern concentrated on her glade, sending it gashing through a couple of stragglers at the rear; one of them reaching out up at them in rage even as it’s heart had been ripped through. After a few steps of dying-death it joined it’s comrade bleeding out on the dusty ground.

Now she began to get over-confident.She took the disc in a circular pattern, corralling the small horde.At the second pass the predictable path saw a great net fly out from the mass of creatures enveloping the glade.Faern responded by speeding it away at full speed before the weight of it brought it down. It cut apart the thick, sticky cordage but with difficulty and it's exit angle was tilted dangerously low.

The disc whistled out in a slanted fashion, such was it's full-speed it could not self-correct and went slamming into the ground a hundred or so yards away. Faern gasped and struggled to free the buried artifact. Inch by inch it juddered and jolted, but it would not come easily.

Despite the set-back the Saken were rattled, some tried scuttling out of the formation to investigate the weird weapon, while others shouted them back again.

Faern was angered, it was a grave taboo to lose an artifact, not least in the wastes of a remote and hostile world. Part of her was tempted to race down the hill and retrieve it with nothing but a Vril blade to protect herself. Anneas saw her anguish. She started forward but an arm caught her wrist.

“A glade can be made again Gy, for us it's not so easy.” He cautioned her.

Wasting no time Owesion and Sigrun readied their bows.The Saken were moving again, slowly but picking up the pace.

“Expansion arrows.” He called out; these were not stuck into the ground like the others but held by Ubron acting as arrow-bearer. He passed them over to the pair of archers.

Owesion sent the first one towards a clump of black enemy who’d moved forward from the stalled beast.They were the size of long matchsticks and the arrows vanished away from sight as they arced up gracefully. The deadly crystals were like leaden weights requiring extra-draw and the minor gravity differential from Terra meant they fell that fraction harder.

The first one plunged down striking one a lizard-man in the thigh.

The muted explosion senta handful into ghastly pieces and the rest hither and thither in disarray.

A second arrow went short but it's blast halted their advance.

“They don’t know these weapons, they are cowering.” Wilderen said with a smile. “Cower you dogs, cower before the Aesir and Vanir who stand against you!”

Sigrun's arrow-shot exploded forward and to the left; next to a mass of Saken swarming next to the beast for cover.

The blast’s shockwave bashed against the lizard beast and it was shaken from it's stunned daze into action. The thing resumed it's howling, this time with deeper raw hate and anger. It reminded Owesion of a violent predator that was not dealt the killing blow, instead channeled all it’s black-heart into the destruction of the small, tiny group on the hill.

It now powered up the incline, lumbering up like a giant scaly ox crushing a smaller biped too slow to move. The smaller Saken behind it struggled to keep up.

Owesion aimed lower to send another expansion arrow in a low arc that struck it's skull at a shallow angle. What should have been a killer blow was instead a glancing one as it ricocheted upwards to explode nearly half a mile away.

Sigrun's had her last explosive arrow and she made the shot, sending it directly at the already damaged chest of the lizard. It struck off-center before dutifully erupting. Black-red fluid dripped and oozed from it's wound as it's jaws took on a similar aspect.

Wilderen and Anneas cheered.

The lizard slowed, but kept on advancing. Blood poured out from the gaping wound but that did not stop it.It’s plodding steps now meant it was over half-way up the rocky hill.

The Captain took hold of another explosive arrow.

“That’s the last of the expansion crystals Owesion.” Ubron said, hoping not to distract him for he’d just began to draw it back..

“Away with you beast.” The Way-Captain said softly, shooting the arrow directly into it’s plodding front leg.

In one moment it was a scaly limb the thickness of a tree, in the next a reddish mist.

Then it went topping down, rolling over and over.

The other Saken close behind now scurried to get clear of it’s tumbling path, most though were so caught up in racing after it’s initial surging charge they had no chance.

Half of them were now swept down the hill with it.Broken and scattered for the most part by the sharp rocks, boulders and weight of the thing.Dust arose around the form.

Yet still the beast clung to life.

It shuddered and hissed, then surprised them all by giving a sharp series of cry’s.

‘Ura, Uha, Uha, Ura...’

“What a beast!” Anneas said in awed respect.

Anneas thought they were mantra-like.Some of the holy mountain folk he knew used similar ones to enable visions and wisdom. Perhaps these Saken used a similar methodology?

The noise of it had an effect on the remaining forces facing up at them.They took on a focused, determined way. They waited for the survivors of the falling lizard to join them, then moved at a walking pace.

“Does nothing stop that beast!” Anneas said aghast.

“You should of sent an arrow into it’s noisy head Owesion.”Wilderen grunted.

“Well I stopped it assailing us Wilderen!”The Captain said, taking up the remaining arrows in his hand, he passed four more through the gaps in his fingers, then gripped his bow stave.

From this close it was clear that none carried shields, but they were armored.

He drew and shot his first arrow and it struck true killing one outright.

“Not armored enough.” Owesion grimly mused.

The last hundred yards would be crucial, his longbow would devastate at medium to close range, tearing through even hardened armour with the armour-piercing arrows.

Only about twenty remained. Then they began to run.

“Krys blades!” Anneas ordered his folk.

All three of them withdrew the short wavy blades coated in a oily Vril compound.They were, in Vril society mostly ceremonial for display purposes, as personal combat was rare between them. Yet the substances coating meant it could pierce armour and bone like balsa wood.

The Soliters shortcomings now began to show forth. Sigrun was no master-archer like Owesion and she lacked the long hours of childhood practice for a protracted engagement. Already her back-muscles and shoulder burned at using the thing so often.

Her adrenaline masked his very well, but when her ungloved fingers tore at the strings powerful bite their rate of fire into the approaching dropped considerably.

She considered switching draw-arms but this would result in ruinous accuracy.

Owesion send his last arrow into the shoulder of a central Saken, bigger than the rest.It went spinning down the hill, the impact and tumbling adding to it’s misery.

He could tell Sigrun was struggling but could do nothing.

The Way-Captain took his short-dagger and cut his bow-string.The bow sprang back to being near-straight again and he inserted a specially designed spear-head over the nock.Now he stood with Ubron and the Vril.

The Saken were only fifty yards away now and all could tell they were about to charge.

*

Copyright Tyler Danann
2014

Watch Ryder

Faern's wrist was in agony from the efforts, but with one last jerk-wrench, her glade was free from it's impact tunnel. As it emerged from the ground the movement was clearly impaired as it flew unsteadily and intermittently. No doubt it's Vril-drive was clogged by the grit and dirt. It took precious seconds to shake about and coax it bring back up to the hilltop.

Once it was not far from the attackers she tried an ambitious maneuver with the drone hoping to pick off the enemy flankers with a series of passes to slice apart unarmored throats.

For an apprentice stationary target’s with a glade were were challenging, for one that was moving, with a clogged Vril-drive it was near-folly.

The glade went through the first enemy on the flank with relative ease but it’s angle was not perpendicular and it missed all the others to pass away at a tangent.

Ten remained against them.

“Faern! Form up with us!” Anneas said to her and she joined the group in close-formation.

The remaining Saken now surged forward, they were spread wide enough to envelope the six defenders.

The noise from the beast at the bottom of the hill now changed to the long undulating howl they’d heard previously

“Move back from the edge.”Owesion shouted above the noise.

They all did so as one.

“Form a circle-shield.” He commanded. In a practiced move they shuffled into a defensive fighting array. Owesion and Ubron held their bows like ward-spears; surrounding the dagger-wielding Vril. Sigrun still had arrows left and waited for the enemy to appear over the rise.

“Sigrun, cut your string and make ready!”

“Not yet Watcher! Every arrow has to count!” She retorted.

The coming attackers now spilled over the crest and into view.

The Saken were ugly for the most part. Faces of beast, man and something alien showed on their features.Heartlessness, rage and cruelty were clear signs of an enemy and they had all three in vast quantities.

They moved tirelessly, seeing their foe being so few the first of them ran piecemeal at them.

Faern managed to drop the first one up the hill with an arrow, then she too cut her bowstring and wielded it as a bow-spear.

Then it was down to old ways of fighting.

The first wave did not engage with hand weapons, for their whole body was a weapon. Edged bony protrusions, chomping, snapping teeth, inch long claws all lashed out wildly. For the Vril they saw it as the forces of light meeting animalistic demons from The Beyond. Owesion considered it a battle for the orbs with the winner taking all.

Two ran blindly into the spear-points impaling themselves. Perhaps they reckoned them weak twings to snap apart. They were wrong, dead wrong as the stout ash shafts took the impact as the sharp metal pierced flesh and organs effortlessly.

Wilderen slew one outright by plunged his dagger into the neck of one trying to flank Ubron. It fell away jerking and flopping, tearing his weapon out of his grasp as it sprang backwards into it’s brethren.

A cunning looking one removed the blade, it seemed unsure of it and instead of taking it to use against the Vril-Soliters smashed it into a crevice and snapped it with a snarl.

Faern had caught her belleaguered spin-glade and welded it one-handed with a Kyrs blade in her other.

The bow-spears halted the charge but the Saken were clever.

A leaping baboon thing, man-like but with hairy gibbering features and springing legs leapt clear over the bow-spear Sigrun thrust at it's body. It landed wide of Anneas who had moved back. But then he surged forward stabbing and thrusting his Krys knife again and again into the man-baboon's vitals.

A bigger Saken, easily passable for human moved into view. The height and breadth of Wilderen it watched as it's underlings engaged the Vril and Soliters. Anneas, on his feet from the red-work with the man-animal reckoned him to be a leader for it wielded a long pole-blade. It paused while the others made more cautious feinting attacks, analyzing who was the weakest link in the defense.

Ubron half-turned to fend off two snapping jackal-bipeds. Seeing the window it made a move and rushed in without warning. Ubron felt a wounding thrust from it's pole-spear and he cried out as it pushing him aside to break through and face the more lightly armed Vril.

For a moment the balance was teetering as it seemed like they’d break through and overwhelm them, then Sigrun, wielding her crescent blades slew both jackal-men within seconds and independently engaged another two.

The leader wrestled with Wilderen, headbutting the Vril-man aside and launching at Faern the orb-bearer with uncanny speed.

Luckily for her she’d just activated the sling-glade for manual cycle.Holding the disc at it's fixed base the outer part rotated at great speed. She spun-cut and sheared off the pole-weapon's bone spear-head. Then as it moved in she lunged forward with both weapons to savagely rend apart both chest and bowels. The krys blade went deep into strange organs as it fell on her. It’s ribs snapped and shattered from the gruesome-glade as a chunk ripped off from one of it’s two hearts. The trauma shook it to the core. Even dealing such damage hate and rage alone spurred it into a savage attack. Committed she could do nothing but feel the retaliation from it unleashed.

It's pounding fist slammed into her glade-arm nearly breaking it and the glade powered down as nerveless fingers released their bloody grip. Now her pain, a stranger to most Vril came rushing forth to be met by desperate adrenaline. With it’s other arm it attempted a crushing grip on her partly armored throat. She jerking her head down while twisting her Vril blade around and along to disembowel the creature. Feverish vital organs spilled out down it's chest and onto her feet as it's jagged teeth snapped for her partly exposed-face. Wilderen now grasped hold of it. Hefting it up by scaly leg and throat he bodily threw it into two Saken who had stopped fighting to watch.

Sigrun dropped her bow-spear to run out and finish off the dying leader, hacking off it’s head with two savage swings then slayed the pinned creatures struggling beneath it’s dead-weight.

They had survived the onslaught and now took a moment to recover.

Although from below they could still hear the lizard calling out. It’s noise was more of a whine now though as perhaps it’s own life-force was linked to that of the attackers.

All were wounded, Ubron seriously, the weapon the leader-beast had plunged into his side had broken ribs. Faern retrieved her precious disc but could hardly grip the weapon with her own numbing pain. For the Vril it was a seldom experienced feeling and one that affect their thinking more than most. Wilderen retrieved his broken krys blade knowing it was unwise to leave artifacts behind.

“Like the skirmish-days against the low-tribes eh Owesion?”Anneas said, he was lightly bruised so tried to make light of the death around them.

“Aye, but never an entire race unleashed, or like these animals though.” He responded going over to Ubron who was grimacing with pain.
“Let’s bind these wounds and be on our way, Ghone will be worrying as it is” Owesion soaked some bandage with selve and helped bind Ubron's wound. It was deep but not worryingly so. No vital organs were damaged.

“I doubt Ghone will be too worried.” Said Sigrun with a wistful smile.

She took another look at the pressure stone. It’s brightness was not far off that of an arrived gate.

“We’ve less than two hours! We must hurry on!” She shouted over to Owesion.

“Not only that. The Saken Ones are out from where we entered the mountain!”Anneas said, glaring at the mountain and pointing.

Like a mass of dark, their army was spilling out from around the mountain’s far edge.Driven and focused in a singular objective; the annihilation of the intruders.

“It must be the main force.” Faern noted. At the main cave-in site the rock was being moved, like some behemoth was battering at the rubble.

“I don't even want to know what that is.” Ubron gasped.

Though they were many miles distant but they’d already seen how fast they could cover distance.

Even in her pain Faern couldn’t resist using her crystals mag-lense to zoom in and take in the seething mass of angry things heading towards them. She glanced at the moving rubble and a large tendril-feeler crept out to probe and grasp at a lintel piece of the now-ruined rock-entrance. It half-circled it to grasp and shift it aside nearly effortlessly, then it went to another and did the same.

“How many do you think’s there?” Wilderen said curiously.

“All of them I think.So many different mixes and breeds of thing, all angry and mangled together.” She said roving her gaze back to the other mass of beings.

“Let the Navigators and Elders make sense of it Faern.We have to move NOW!” Owesion said, slapping Ubron on the arm and helping him up.

They drank the last of their liquid enhancement fluids. Muting and overwhelmed their fatigue as it numbed it to a driving fire from within.

For the wounded it even meant a partial healing, but the exertion of going to the gateway would affect even that.

*

Watch Ryder

Cover Art

Way Captain Cover

Rubecula

Wonderful Watch Ryder. A great read full of excitement and tragedy. I love it.

Pretzill

Your writing is over modified - Sorry couldn't get further than half of chapter one. But hey if you're happy with it why not send a synopsis and a couple of chapters to relevant publishers - don't give it all away online here - you're not receiving enough feedback.

Watch Ryder

Over-modified eh?

Haven't heard that one before. Also I don't give it all away, there's a few chapters left which will be published shortly online at Amazon, so for people that are interested it's there if they want to buy it for a couple of Euros.

Plus this story is on other forums where it's getting better feedback from more sci-fi friendly masses.

With my short stories I let them flow, the long novels I write are normally not so displayed.

Rubecula

Watch Ryder wrote: »

Over-modified eh?

Haven't heard that one before. Also I don't give it all away, there's a few chapters left which will be published shortly online at Amazon, so for people that are interested it's there if they want to buy it for a couple of Euros.

Plus this story is on other forums where it's getting better feedback from more sci-fi friendly masses.

With my short stories I let them flow, the long novels I write are normally not so displayed.

But for me they are well worth the read.

Watch Ryder

Okay fans, here's the teaser trailer:

tusk

I read the first bit, but will certainly be back later to read the entirety! Fair play.