Ray waved his hand, and with the slightest movement of his fingers, the Algh’ham Marak spear, Aram, pulled itself from the wall and flew at Sim’Ra.
The Baeal prince caught the weapon mid-air and gave a curt nod at Ray, his darker-than-the-dark eyes glowing with maddened glory. “So shall start the path of retribution!” he jumped forward like a wild cat, taking on the male Architect. Ray was sure Sim’Ra understood his will to take the female and Vengeance by himself, by simply getting out of his way. By the time Ray was near the female Architect, Sim’Ra was already on top of the confused and shocked male. The Architect was the prey, and he was the hunter.
Ray watched Sim’Ra thrust his spear down through the male Architect’s head, cracking his skull wide open on its path to the mechanical parts of his body. Ray smirked. It was a good sport to see the creatures who had caused so much pain to so many universes finally coming to their knees.
“Now,” he whispered, knowing his words echoed through space and time, reaching every Architect out there. With the help of K’ta and Ijjok, he filled their thoughts with terror. “It’s my turn.”
He grabbed the female Architect’s front left leg as the sinister alien stabbed at him and severed it from her torso with one swift pull. Serhmana’s power flowed through him, and he sensed Yrrha deflecting any non-physical attacks the Architects threw at him. The temple had safeguards against his powers and the powers. Devourer had. But in their vanity, they had never once thought of their two weapons of mass destruction merging. They had been sure of their creations’ unquestioning devotion; the Architects were simply unprepared to face a united force.
His mind was still foggy and confused, but Ray now understood the patterns of creation. He saw everything as it was but also as much more. He understood the fibers they were made of, and he could bend them according to his will. The Devourer had bestowed upon him her eternal knowledge, and now, they were unstoppable. He was unstoppable.
Ray severed all three of the Architect’s remaining limbs from her body. The female’s face was the definition of horror. As a last resort, she reached for her necklace, and Ray felt a tingling sensation.
“What’s she doing?” he asked Yrrha.
“She is trying to corrupt your very being. To unmake you on a cellular level.”
“Can she?”
“Not anymore. You are above their power now, Lohil.”
Ray smiled, locking his glowing eyes with the female. Ray reached for her necklace and pulled it off.
“I—” she mumbled in terror, watching the ornament in Ray’s hands.
Ray smirked and threw it into the blackness covering the temple. He watched the thing disappear into the shadows, falling gods knew how deep. “It’s a rather bad idea to have such long falls here.” He looked at the female. “An architectural mistake, perhaps.” He smiled. He knew it looked wicked, and it didn’t disturb him even the slightest. “You’ll now see why.” He threw the female Architect from the platform with a swift move, ignoring her desperate howls as she fell to her demise.
Vengeance now stood before him, between him and Elaine. The infested woman hissed. “Lohil.”
“Is that fear I hear in your voice, worm?”
“I do not know any fear. Only anger, only vengeance!” The limbs extended once again, deadly spikes serving as spears on their tips. Her hands were two blades dancing below the shadow of her spears. Another hiss followed her body's transformation, and Ray watched the woman’s face split into four, revealing deadly teeth.
“God, how do you even look at yourself in the mirror.”
A shriek was his answer, and Vengeance launched herself at Ray with a push from her back limbs, her bladelike hands taking the frontal assault.
Ray simply waved his hand, but the force hit Vengeance like a tornado. The infested woman flew all the way to the colossal doors, slamming them shut. But she was not one to give up so easily. Vengeance howled and sprayed a dark, greenish liquid from her four-piece mouth.
Her spit reached Ray, and he felt his skin burning. It wasn’t a feeling of pain, however, but a simple form of awareness. Ray looked at his hands and arms where the liquid touched. The acid’s power had melted his clothes, but his skin was already healed where the spit had touched.
“Good move.” Ray smiled, raising his hands as if holding an invisible ball. The ball became visible, a sphere of lightning and smoke swirling inside a red globe. He sent the sphere of power he created with tremendous speed.
“Die!” Vengeance shrieked behind her irritating, inhuman voice and ran toward Ray one more time, only to meet the deadly power globe mid-flight. The impact created a light show as if someone exploded a grenade, and this time, pieces of Vengeance’s body rose hundreds of meters above, only to drop back onto the floor as lifeless drops of flesh.
“Now, stay put like a good lackey.” Ray watched pieces of Vengeance rain on the stone floor for a moment in satisfaction before rushing at Elaine. “I’m here, girl. Don’t you worry. Dad’s here.” He crouched near his daughter. As the Devourer had said, he could see Elaine as a separate being under the chitin covering her skin. He saw past the shell she was trapped in, but he could also see beyond Elaine herself. Her body was resisting on a cellular level, but Ray knew the only outcome of her battle would be the infestation.
Not when I’m here. Ray touched Elaine’s forehead gently, ignoring the irritating feeling of the crust. He felt the fear of his daughter as his power reached every one of Elaine’s cells. It was as if they were all afraid individually of the dark future awaiting them. Do not fear, I’m here. One by one, Ray reached Elaine’s cells with the power of Serhmana. One by one, her cells spread the cleansing light of Ray’s healing, and Ray smiled as he watched the invading touch of Vengeance retreat. First, the pouring waterfall of insects dried out, then the shell covering her body cracked, pieces falling like dry leaves in autumn. She was still unconscious, but Ray felt her heartbeat. He sensed the life force making dominant again the Elaine she was.
“She should be sent back to her own realm, Lohil.” Sim’Ra came by. “She is not a planar creature. Her body needs to adjust to healing.”
Ray nodded, watching her fall into a peaceful sleep, cleansed of the infestation. “I’ll take her to safety.”
Sim’Ra bowed. “Her safety is paramount. However, you should stay here. The merging was violent. You too need to rest and adjust.”
Ray looked at Sim’Ra. He knew the Baeal prince wasn’t telling it all, but it didn’t matter. He was right about the merger. “All right. I’ll heed your words. I’ll rest here. Then we’ll go out there and finish what’s to be done. I don’t think these two were the only Architects scheming evil galactic plots.” Ray took Elaine’s hands. “But first, my girl.”
“No!” a terribly deformed Vengeance shrieked, appearing out of nowhere from right above the duo. “I will not let my vengeance die!” Half of her face was missing, unreconstructed.
Ray immediately responded with a shield woven around them with Yrrha, but before Vengeance reached the bubble, a storm of insects caught her like a ship in a storm. Vengeance's hateful words turned into painful shrieks of endless agony as Ray and Sim’Ra watched her eaten alive, one bite at a time by the tiniest of insects forming the tornado.
The thing was over in less than ten seconds, and the storm died, turning into a female body standing beside Ray. “That concludes the mistakes I have made.” The Devourer said, looking at a small pile of flesh left behind on the archway. “I am sorry for all the grief she brought upon your worlds. This time, she will stay dead.”
Ray nodded in acknowledgment. Now that his mind was one with the Devourer, he understood her logic and reasoning on a whole new level. He knew she was sincere.
“The prince is right. We need to complete the merger. We cannot survive as two different bodies, Lohil. The temple is between worlds. If we were to set foot on another plane without the other, we would dissolve.”
Ray looked down at Elaine. He smiled
nodding. “I’ll send her to a safe place, then I’m all yours.” He closed his eyes and called out for all who could hear. He made everyone hear in every world across the planes that the Architects enslaved. “Do not fear. Do not bow to your oppressors. For now, your salvation is here. I’m here.”
ALL THE KING’S HORSES AND ALL THE KING’S MEN
“Have you sent your child back to her realm, Lohil?”
“Yes,” the Lohil nodded. “Elaine’s safe. I made sure she reached the gunship through the portal. Yrrha helped me protect her and myself from the transition.”
“Good. Now, before you start your quest to eradicate the Architects and end the eternal suffering of countless species, you need to finalize your melding with the Devourer.”
Raymond Harris looked at the female patiently awaiting the duo at the pedestal. “I’m ready.”
“Good,” Sim’Ra nodded. “Take your place at the dais.” He pulled out four of his earrings one by one and put them on the stone surface in front of the two seats where the male and female Architects sat. “When you are attuned to the song of the stones, you will hear all the Arinar ever created, and they will interpret the thoughts of the Devourer for you. You will understand her powers as she understands yours. You will become one.” Sim’Ra ordered his ornaments as he spoke. “These stones will help you transcend between realms as your journey teaches you the ways of the stones. They are lesser Arinar. Ask the stones if you are unsure.”
“I thought your race couldn’t use the stones.”
“The five Arinar, we cannot. I cannot even hear their touch. The lesser Arinar, we Baeal can hear as mere whispers. We can use them to some extent.”
“The stones confirm your story, Sim’Ra,” the Lohil said after a moment of silence. “What about you?”
“I will be here, Lohil. You will be the most powerful being alive, and I will stay by your side to guide you through the worlds and species you will meet. I will stand guard as you complete your journey.”
“Like an aide. A vizier.” The Lohil smiled. “Don’t you worry, Prince, I’ll give you your revenge.” He sat on one of the seats, crossing his legs. The Devourer was already at her place, her eternal stare watching Sim’Ra in silence.
“Let it begin,” the Lohil said, and Sim’Ra reached for the first ornament he put on the stone stairs. With his touch, a vibrant chime filled his ears. It was the call of the eternal song of creation, reaching for their minds to tell of its beauties and secrets.
“Use the shield stone, Lohil. Cocoon yourselves.”
The Lohil did as asked, and a light green dome surrounded the pedestal. Sim’Ra could no longer hear the chime, but he knew the two divine beings could. He reached the second ornament. “This will put you into a sleep by severing the dome from the outside world.”
“For how long?”
“I cannot say, Lohil. It will end when it ends.”
“What about the other two?”
“The third ornament will open you to the dreams. The lesser Arinar will connect to your very essence, opening your mind to the realms you never knew existed. It will be how you and the Devourer will understand each other’s essence. The fourth one,” Sim’Ra pointed at the small, dark earring, “that will help you contact me when the time comes so that I can wake you up.”
Raymond Harris smiled, “I’m putting too much faith in you, Sim’Ra.”
“The prince is certainly in a powerful position,” The Devourer added. Her voice was dull, uncaring, but Sim’Ra also heard the hint of doubt.
He smiled. “I would never dream of sabotaging my own revenge, Lohil.”
“Fair enough, do it.”
“Hear my song, Lohil,” the Devourer said. “Hear me reach out to every creation, every moment in time, and understand the complexity created by lesser creatures. Let me show you how simple it is to see beyond that complexity. Let me give you my experience.”
As the two most powerful creatures he ever knew fell asleep, Sim’Ra watched in silence, smirking. His smirking turned into a smile as he pulled out a fifth ornament; his necklace. He stared at it for a good long time, his black eyes shining in glory like a general beating his opponent at the end of a long war.
“This one, though…”
He clanged the ornament, fiddled with the Aram, and walked to the audience chamber doors.
The story concludes with The Cursed Throne.
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THE BLACKENED PROPHECY
Book 1: Shadows Bear No Names (Feb. 2016)
Book 2: Balance of Power (June 2017)
Book 3: The Cursed Throne (June 2021)
Other Works:
Demise of Hopes (Feb. 2013)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Oganalp Canatan writes science fiction/space opera books and stories whenever and wherever possible. He is also a well-known heavy metal composer, radio DJ, businessperson, visual and UX designer.
Balance of Power continues the story of Raymond Harris, being part of "The Blackened Prophecy" series.
The follow-up for Balance of Power, The Cursed Throne, concludes The Blackened Prophecy trilogy.
To learn more about Oganalp Canatan's works, you can follow him at:
www.oganalp.com
www.facebook.com/oganalpcanatan
www.instagram.com/oganalpcanatan
Balance of Power: The Blackened Prophecy Book 2 Page 32
