Book 10 - Chapter 17: The Last Token-edited

Ch 17 The last Token

What the two women called a Sky wagon was a strange contraption with a big propeller on top. It somehow looked to me as if someone designed a flying machine with an insect as inspiration. While there were no insects on Nilfeheim, I remembered my Union school lessons. I also recalled our instructor at Camp Idyllic, Lt. Aurelius. In one of his xeno tech classed, he showed us a similar contraption and he called it a helicopter.

Beliga, motioned to the machine that whipped up quite a gale as it landed on the water. “Come quick, sister. The Knights of Avondur will soon know that three of their creations will not return, and investigate. When they do, they come en masse.”

While I had many questions, I decided to follow them. I didn’t have all that many options and I decided to trust them.

The noise level inside the machine was bearable but not low enough to carry any meaningful conversation. Neither Beliga nor Umati had joined, but I could see them outside keeping up with the flying machine,

The thing was piloted by a man, but thankfully he was busy piloting the fly machine. The only other passenger was an older woman who smiled at me and then offered me a colorful blanked, which I thankfully used to cover myself.

The flight lasted about ten minutes. First, we had followed the river upstream. The landscape did not change much, but then the purplish tree vegetation thinned out and made way to tended fields. Something that reminded me of Jarsumat as well.

The alien sun mostly obscured by gray clouds was about to settle behind a not so distant mountain range.

There was a settlement, a small town or village ahead of us, but the machine swung to the right and gained altitude as it followed the upward slope of a mountain. Moments later it landed on a narrow ledge and was immediately pushed inside by a group of men and women.

The racket of the motor died down and the old woman said. “Sister of Earth, we can get out now. We are all eager to hear how you ended up here on Avondur. There aren’t any others of you?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I am not certain. Others wanted to come here, but I don't know if they made it. The last thing I remember was a hotel terrace on N’Ger and then I woke at the point of that ice cage.”

A young woman with an arrogant, quite hostile demeanor stepped before me just as I climbed out. “I think you are a spy of the Avondur-Knights. That cave is forbidden to anyone. It is a passage they say, to the realm of the Judge. No one has ever emerged from there.”

“I don’t give a hoot what you think, Ma'am. I am here by invitation. I can leave.”

“You can not leave, you know where our hideout is, I warned them to bring you here.”

I was about as annoyed as can be. ”Listen good, girl. I am cold, hungry and quite angry. I do not know where I am, but I assume I am many million light-years from my home, my ship. I am in this situation because of a dirty rotten brother of mine. If you don’t want me here, fine. By Thor’s mighty hammer don’t you dare stand in my way.”

She blinked with her pointed skin trust upward. ”I am a warrior acolyte and the daughter of Kaliha, you are naked and must obey.”

The two-winged women that I encountered first had landed and came close.

Beliga said, “She needs our help, and she defeated an Ice Demon on her own. Go back to Kaliha and remember your place.”

I said. “Whatever outfit you run here, I don’t think I belong here. Thanks for the ride and the rescue. I find a way home. Have a nice day."

The young woman drew a sword. “I only take instructions from my teacher. Kalhia express…”

She could not say more, I had stepped into her reach, whacked her wrist holding the sword with considerable force. She dropped the sword and like a first-rate, amateur tried to reach for it.

That left her wide open for an Aikido throw wich sent her to the rocky ground. I took the sword. “Bad idea, introducing swords to a fight with a Neo Viking.”

Beliga spread her arms. ”Sister, don’t judge us by that. She is an unruly hot head. You are welcome here, please let us find you something to wear and food. We then will gather so you can tell us who you are and we will tell you about us.”

“You sure have a weird way of showing hospitality, I’d say, but okay.”

--“”—

Meeze noticed a second flash of light behind him. Something went through that Nexus Point he had just used, but there was nothing visible.

He knew of several technologies that could cloak or render an individual invisible. He drew his small TKU, a gift from Circuit and dialed it to max. ”Show yourself, Meeze is not stoopiz!”

Out of thin air, a gray empty suit appeared. “I am Tyron, don’t be alarmed.”

“Meeze hops through a trans spatial gate to someplace I never been. Then something invisible comes after. You are a little biz stoopiz, Meeze is very alarmed.”

“I saw you sneak out, right after Captain Olafson. I know we are in a world of trouble for doing that, but I too am very concerned about the Captain.”

Meeze was no longer angry at the Seenian Suit. “Meeze not cares about the troubles, Meeze wanz the Captinz back.”

“I do as well. I was there when she disappeared. She left me behind and all her things. Where did her body go? I have been closer to her than anyone, I know that man that supposed to be Eric Olafson, is not the same as Erica. I am just a machine, but I simply know.”

"Meeze knows too, he feelz not the same. “

“Where are we going Mr.Meeze?”

“We goes after that Captinz and ask him. “

Tyron scooped up Meeze and said. “We can move faster this way and I can extend my cloaking abilities around you as well.”

--“”—

Morning dawned over the city of Sandakaar. The Tomradi troops had settled down where they stood. The old Estrella compound, still engulfed in that purplish force field, armed and armored troops of the First Emperor standing at the ready behind the ramparts.

Crimsor and the vast hordes of Demon creatures also settled down but milling around restless and eager to tear in all these living things of this plane.

None of the usual market activity, none of the locals had come out to set up their stalls and conduct their daily business, Right here at the eastern entrance to Sandakaar, the city appeared like a ghost town. Everyone was hiding, knowing that something utterly profound was about to happen.

Sata himself, Balkurs the servant of Baal and Crimsor had approached Lumis together; they waited. Lumis was nervous as can be. “The Dark One, he has arrived has he not? “

Sata, really looked like many believed a Demon Lord should look, with bright red skin. Piercing, flame engulfed horns from his forehead flame yellow eyes and emitting a feelable scorching heat. “Yes he is here, I sensed his arrival in the early hours of this day.”

“Then where is he? And where is the WEAPON?”

The Demon lord answered. “He is not yet complete, one believes he is searching for that last token.”

Crimsor pointed his gauntlet fist towards the mountains. “The WEAPON has just arrived!”

Sata cackled evilly. “All is not lost, Lumis. You control the WEAPON and the Dark One can be slain.”

Lord Lumis liked the sound of that. ”Then let us secure that WEAPON.”

--“”—

Stahl and his group had traversed to Avondur.

Luci Fera, the demon daughter said to Stahl. ”This is Avondur. It is here the first spark of this Universe has been ignited. It is here where all psionic energy emerges and it is here where thousands of rifts connect to other realities.”

Luci just finished her sentence, when an invisible force blew much of the cave walls aside as if they were made of insubstantial dust. Three humanoids hovered a few feet above the ground.

The one in the middle wore a gleaming armor of silver that shone in brilliant light. The left one wore a red armor, while the right one had the appearance of the Devil himself.

Lord Lumis instantly recognized Alice to be the WEAPON. He thundered. “Minuscule humans hand her over."

Admiral Stahl never to be intimidated or too surprised by anything had his battle suits shield activated. ”Guys find cover. These clowns are serious.”

Alycia reverted to her true form, a seven meters tall winged demon. ”Lumis, you stand against me, the first of the Coven.“

“I am the daughter of Lucifer. Come then Sata and match thy power with mine.”

“I killed one of your kind before and I will do so again.” Har-Hi proclaimed.

Shea drew her sword, just as Egill did.

The three Narth stood close together and instead of speaking, a visible beam of pure psionic energies hammered into Lumis, and pushed the Lord of light with force away, while Stahl fired his main suit weapon. The QNP blast burned right through Sata’s chest. “Don’t mind if this minuscule human roasts your ass, demon.”

Crimsor realized that this group was far from minuscule.

Sata was not killed, but shaken; just like Lumis who just emerged from a pile of rubble. His shiny armor damaged once again.

Sata recognized Luci, and knew he was in for a fight. Why did she stand against him? Wasn't her father one of the entities that had to face the wrath of the Dark One, if that Dark God could not be stopped?

While he summoned his army of demons, he yelled. ”Luci Fera, why are you on their side?”

She answered with a firey blast! ” Because my heritage does not define me, not even once, as I found acceptance with them.”

Lumis did not want to waste time and energy on this fight, he was so close. He had underestimated them, Crimsor also called for fighters and the battle raged.

These ten individuals posed a bigger challenge then he anticipated. Crimsor called the young woman that was the WEAPON, she fought with telekinetics on an unprecedented level. She smashed house-sized boulders like titanic hammers on the advancing hordes. “Crimsor call her and let us leave.”

Crimsor yelled in an ancient language and it did make the young woman stop. She staggered forward and Sata engulfed her in the reddish light of a netherworld portal.

Alice disappeared before her friends could react, as they all were engaged in combat.

“I got her!”  Sata yelled.

The three entities fled, while their summoned hordes covered their retreat,

--“”—

They had given me, clothing to wear. It consisted of a tunic-like belted dress and soft calf-high flat-heeled boots. I was taken to a meeting room.

The older woman I had met in the flying machine turned out to be some sort of community leader. While there were about twenty people gathered, both men and women. I had a clear notion that it was the women that dominated this group.

The old woman introduced herself as Mother Kalhia.

“I must apologize for my apprentice, but I wanted to make sure that you are not a spy. Your reaction convinced me that you are not.”

I rolled my eyes. “I guess this is how things are done here, but it is certainly a weird approach to determine if someone is a spy or not. Anyway, I can rest you assured I am no spy, I don’t know where I am and have no clue who you are or what I am supposed to consider as a spy.”

“Who are you?” The old woman sitting behind a wooden desk, while flanked to each side by male and females. All quite human-looking. I was certain to notice Seenian traits.

“I am Captain Erica Olafson, of the Union starship Tigershark. I came to a world called N’Ger in our galaxy. I went to N’Ger on behalf of my brother. He claimed to have an urgent business on a world called Avondur. It was revealed to us that there was some sort of trans spatial connection between these worlds.

I was betrayed by my brother and the next thing I remembered was me gaining consciousness right at the entrance to that ice cave. Before I could even begin to orient myself, that flying Ice breath thing attacked me.”

She had listened to my words and said. ”Did you mention to have connections to a world called Earth? Have you heard of the Saresii?”

“I am from Nilfeheim, that begun as a colony of United Earth.”

Her face fell with a sad smile. “Our ancestors came here, against their will. Abducted by the Gatherers on behalf of an old Tomradi directive. This is Avondur indeed and many have been brought here.

Our forebearers were colonists of the United Earth Ark Dove and Saresii abductees. The Terran human settlers and the Saresii joined forces and settled in this rough mountain region of this continent.

While there are many rifts, the rifts and gateways are guarded by the Sentinel and by the Lords of Sandakaar.

While many praise the existence of the Seven Circles, the truth is that the Avondurs, the ones claim to be the original colonists, suppress and oppress all those that came later.”

One of the women, to her side, interrupted with an angry tone in her voice. “The Seven Circles, not the Blue Hats, not the Yellow Robes care about this, while the Red Knights use their power and position to keep us under their control.”

A young man added. “We are not allowed to know about technology and must toil in farms and fields to provide our masters with food.”

Mother Kalhia made an agreeing gesture. “The Grey Shrouds use these flying monsters to police us and to keep superstition high. These Ice Breath Demons are not alive, they are some kind of biotechnological constructs “

She folded her hands. “It was an ancestor of mine, who created this group. We call ourselves the Righteous Angels, to instill hope and grow the resistance against the Grey Shrouds and the Red Knights minions.“

I had not interrupted her but wondered why they weren’t more successful. To me the whole outfit appeared small, fanatical perhaps but whatever they did was not a growing enterprise.

I was not certain, if the tall young woman speaking now was Beliga, as she now wore her cowl down and had removed her mask, but her voice was familiar. ”Tell us about this Union and Earth.”

“Earth is now called Terra, and United Earth has long ceased to exist. We are a Multi-Cultural society governed by an Assembly where all members and Union Citizens have a say. We have close to 5000 members, including the Saresii, the Sarans, the Ult, the Nul and many many others. Union space expands into all four sectors of the M-0 galaxy. With the core space in the Upward sector. There is a significant foothold in the Andromeda Galaxy and outposts in other galaxies of the Local Group.”

“Maybe this Union of yours will be able to confront the Tomradi and our local oppressors. If there is such a trans spatial connection.”

“I am sure once this place appears on the Union scanners there will be interest. However, I lack any detailed information. First on my mind is finding my brother and make him aware of the errors of his decision, to use me like that.”

A corpulent woman holding a woolen cape of sorts, with her right fist closed before her chest, yelled. ”Sisters, there is much going on in Avonduur. Rumors speak of a gathering of powerful armies and entities just outside the city.”

--“”—

Rex Schwartz was still recovering from the realization that all his plans had been for naught. He got up from his throne and listened inside himself. The consciousness of Invictus felt robbed of his ultimate triumph. He contemplated going back to his business empire when out of a glowing terminal a tall man appeared.

Rex recognized the being right away. “Luc, have you come to be defeated again?”

“No, Invictus. Neither of us will gain the power cosmic that is known as the Dark One. Lord Lumis, Sata, and other ilk put their hope in the WEAPON. I do not share their conviction. The Dark One will not face them before he has truly been made complete. No, Invictus, I am not here to fight you, I am here to speak to  Rex Schwartz. Our daughter is here, mine by flesh and seed, yours by choice. I warned her about you, but will you put whatever plans you have aside to guarantee her safety?”

Those words stopped Rex in mid-move as he was about to release a power bolt from his ancient Tech Level 12 armor. “Shea is here?”

“Shea is here and she is fighting the minions of Sata, Crimsor, and Lumis. She is not alone, she came with mighty allies, but despite it all, she is human. Through her, both of us might still gain much ground. She is the chosen partner of the one that became the Dark One. If she will come to harm, that Dark God will destroy everything for certain.”

Rex lowered his weapon arm and said. “She is engaged with Eric Olafson, a Neo Viking that chose to live as a female.”

“Erica is no more, the Dark One is united once again with his true shell. He is Eric once more. Neither of us will ever be that Dark God. But through our daughter and with subtle encouragement we might still gain more than all the others. If not anything else, but our continued existence.”

Rex stepped down from his throne. “Proth, Balthazaar summon all our forces. We will strike those who seek harm to my daughter.”

Rex already planned to keep his true identity secret from his daughter and when the moment was right, kill Luc. The demon lord was right, not all was lost. Shea loved Rex and he had to admit that the beautiful, smart woman was dear to him. With the patience of an Immortal, he would secretly expand his business empire, see the Union as a seed for a New Empire. Perhaps gaining favor and consideration of that Dark God.

--::--

Meeze, coiled up in the arms of Tyron Suit, had gained much ground and they were following a silvery strip of the road towards distant mountains. Tyron said. ”Are you sure this is the right way?”

“Pffz, you think Meeze is stoopiz or whaz? This man captinz carries a tracer bug I borrowed." The worm pointed at a Multi Com wristband, he was wearing around his neck.

“I think there are some among the crew that question your culinary choices, but no one thinks of you as stupid. I certainly do not. Say, what do you have in that backpack, it looks stuffed?"

The worm was quite pleased with the Seenian Suits answer. ”Meeze takes a few thingz from the armory. Maybe we needz it.”

--“”—

Eric Olafson followed the tug of his ring. The last token was here, tight on this world and the closer he came to these mountains the stronger the sensation became.

He was no longer bound to human limitations or needed technological help to levitate and fly with great speed towards a large citadel, perched onto the side of a tall mountain.

Eric landed before a sturdy gate. He drew his ax and swung it against it, cutting the massive gate to pieces.

A being of at least eight feet tall rushed close with a raised club. “Creature you violated the sanctity of our abode. The Yellow Robes are compelled to answer a visitor's call. However, a visitor tearing down our gate, however, ceases to be a visitor. Now begone.”

The Dark One did not even answer, his ax felled the brutish guard in seconds and he continued to follow the guidance of his ring. Leaving a path of death and destruction behind him as he penetrated deeper and deeper into the mountain stronghold.

There! In a vault, hidden for eons, the Book!

He touched the ancient tome, just as the Yellow Wizard himself returning from Sandakaar reached the vault.

He was endowed with the might of the Voice itself. He was able to use this might to sweep the sky free of Tomradi battle discs.

Even for all this power, he felt like an insect. The Dark One was complete! The last token had been united with this force cosmic. The quest was complete.

Eric’s mind filled with knowledge and expanded beyond anything any thinking being could imagine. Omniscience and a consciousness that transcended it all was once again his.

The omniverse shuddered.

On the heel of the Yellow Wizard came Lord Lumis, holding Alice in a painful grab. ”Release the WEAPON, and slay that abomination. You are a demon spawn and must obey.”

Alice’s eyes no longer looked human but glowed in a fiery red light. “I am the WEAPON indeed, but you made a mistake. I am his daughter. No command of yours is valid.”

The Dark One turned slowly and Lumis lost all hope, the Lord of Light. The Champion of Crea, the most powerful immortal in the Universe, groaned in fear.

The Dark One raised his hand. “Oh, you doomed fool. They will lament your fate for eons to come before I grant you the sweet oblivion of death. “

Lumis turned to look for an escape.

“Go Lumis, go. There is no place in the Omniverse you can hide from me. You are the first, your mistress will be next. No exile, no mercy! I am the Dark One, I am the Judge!”

Like a statue of crumbling dirt, Lumis withered away. Lamenting in utter agony for mercy.

The Yellow Wizard had dropped to his knees and bowed deeply. Alice stood there, her hands engulfed in Black Flames. “Let me carry vengeance to Sata and his ilk, father.”

“Go then.”

From the shattered vault door a new voice said. “I am not affraiz of you. Stoopiz Dark One. Meeze wants to know where our Captinz Erica is.”