“The message from Lady Weun was garbled and incomplete,” Mencari said to the group gathered around the conference room table. “What we gathered from the fragments concerned the Bertoli Fortress, the Nukari Commander named Menla, and something about a mercenary attack. It’s been a while since we’ve heard from her. This might be the reason why.”
Siana and Katen had taken over for Speru and Naijen, who sat in a row along with Jeyla, D’abar, and Raitr. Toriko and Spark, Allia and Ichini sat on the other side of Speru, with Cerna and Cogeni beside Allia. Osuto and D’abar sat beside Kiyanna.
Toriko pulled up a projection to display next to Mencari. “Our probes show numerous Nukari trails leading to and from the planet. Mercenary ships also appear in orbit around Aeun.”
“We going in to bust some skulls?” Naijen said, already intoxicated.
Should he go with the team? Katen and Siana said they’d remain here with Anaka and his son. He still didn’t like the idea of being away, but the team needed him right now. If they could stop the mercenary attack, maybe expunge the Nukari from Aeun, he’d redeem himself. At least then he could tell his wife and son of his recent victories.
The fact remained, at least for right now, that Anaka and his son didn’t need him. They were already rescued, and he could do nothing to heal their minds. Aeun … Aeun needed him. He’d retake the world for Seigie. He looked to the tattooed warrior. “Yes we are, Naijen. Whatever it takes to free Seigie’s world of the Nukari.”
He called up a projection of Aeun. Like an old friend, he recalled it fondly—an unspoiled world covered in blue oceans, interspersed with several large island continents with sprawling green forests and mammoth mountain ranges tipped in icy white. A fleet of six mercenary ships appeared in orbit.
He nodded to Kiyanna to present the plan.
“We’ve contacted Eyani and Ghn’en who just returned to New Eden,” she began. “They’re going to send a force to help deal with the mercenaries. Attempts to reach Lady Weun have failed. Whatever was distorting her signal might have totally cut off their communications. Based on her last transmission, we’ll start at Bertoli Fortress.”
“Seigie’s old base of operations?” Speru said.
“Before she joined us, yes.”
“And who’s Menla?” Speru added.
“She’s the Nukari Commander on Aeun. I didn’t know it when I met her back then. But Lady Weun’s message seemed to indicate something about Menla being in charge.”
With reddened cheeks, Speru said, “Sorry for all the questions, but I don’t remember who Lady Weun was. Is that another name for Seigie, because I thought she was lost at the end of the war?”
“You never met Lady Weun,” Mencari said. “She’s very much like Seigie—a distant descendant, in fact. They also share similar abilities. When Seigie left Aeun with me, Lady Weun stayed behind to defend the planet. But now it looks like she needs our help.”
Kiyanna looked to Cerna and Cogeni. “With mostly everyone here, we have an opportunity to go in force. Are you in?”
“For Seigie, yes,” Cerna said.
Cogeni nodded. “I can help with this. Then I’ll return to Argosy. Niya needs my help with the rebuilding effort.”
“If there’s Nukari, I’m goin’,” Naijen said. Looking over at Speru he chided, “Goin’ to sit this one out again?”
Speru shook his head. “I’m going. Jeyla, can you guys help D’abar and Osuto while we’re gone?”
“Of course, but,” Jeyla paused. “We’ve gone on missions for the Nukari. We can handle this.”
“No.” D’abar gave a firm shake of his head. “Osuto and I have discussed this. Give me time to work with you, teach you how to work as one of us before going in.”
“Please understand,” Osuto said, but was stopped by a coughing fit. The youths nodded and Siana said, “Please, don’t stress yourself, we do understand.”
“Siana and Katen need to stay with Jask—I mean Rhyiel, anyway,” Raitr added. “I’ll help them where I can too.”
“I need to stay and continue some updates to the medical systems here,” Toriko said. “I could use Maro and Ujaku’s help to speed things up too.”
Mencari huffed. “Then that takes you three out.”
“My master, Katen, wishes me to go,” Decreta said, entering the room. “I’m to follow your orders.”
Mencari stared blankly at the creature. It had been so long since Decreta said anything, he’d forgotten the beast could talk. “Very well,” he said.
Allia waved her hand. “Ichini and I are ready too, Rhysus.”
Kiyanna turned back to the display. “We’ll land here, and make our way on foot to the Bertoli Fortress. Once there, we’ll determine the best way to root the Nukari out. We leave in one hour. Dismissed.”
Mencari watched the team flood out to prepare. Osuto stood, more slowly than usual, and shuffled his way. “Are you sure you want to leave now, Rhysus?”
He waited for the last member to leave before responding. “Lady Weun needs us.”
“What about your family?”
“You’re the one who said we’re all family,” Mencari retorted. “If Seigie was alive, she’d want us to do this, and I’d say yes.”
The old man grunted, annoyed.
“I have to do this. Anaka and Rhyiel are safe here with you and the others. They’re in good hands. Let me be useful—for Seigie. I want to retake Aeun.”
* * * * * *
“Good luck to them,” Osuto said, watching the ship pull from the bay.
“Was this wise?” D’abar asked.
“He was set on going,” Osuto said. “And I understand why.”
D’abar nodded. “He likes to get his way, doesn’t he?”
“He’s dealing with a great deal. If he doesn’t get ahead of whatever is troubling him, we have to find another way to help him. We’re not just going to put him down like some animal.”
“Even if he’s a very dangerous one?”
Shaking his head emphatically, Osuto retorted, “No.”
“Then we’ll need a good plan. I think we start with what worked on Jask.…”
Osuto reached for the communicator, locating one of the young Aloans.
“Raitr?” he said into the device.
In seconds Raitr’s hologram appeared. “Yes, Osuto?”
“D’abar and I need you to come to back to the command center,” he said, hesitating.
* * * * * *
“Entering the Aeunian system,” Una said, reviewing the navigational panels. “Rendezvousing with the New Eden ships in two minutes.”
“Nukari ion trails found to the planet,” Minea said. “Numerous satellites detected in orbit.”
“That’s new,” Mencari said, recalling the lack of anything in orbit when last he visited.
“The radiation from them suggests spatial scanners,” Una said.
“A defense grid?” Mencari asked.
“It’s possible, though I don’t see any weapons batteries in orbit,” Una said. “Perhaps there are ground defenses?”
“Early warning then?” he said.
“At the very least,” Una said, nodding.
“Let ’em know, it’ll make it more interestin’,” Naijen quipped.
“Forming up with New Eden ships—now,” Una said.
“Let’s make sure they’re blind,” Kiyanna said. “Minea, relay instructions to the New Eden ships to take out the satellites.”
“I’m on it!”
“Attack vectors identified,” Una said. “We’re going to go around to the far side of Aeun as they commence their attack. I’ll drop you off in the Dante Mountains just beyond the Sieta Chasm, as close to Bertoli Fortress as I can get you.”
* * * * * *
Mencari watched the ship streak back into the sky and disappear, then turned to join the group. They had to follow along a short stretch of the Sieta Chasm and into the Dante Mountains to reach Seigie’s old fortress. As they made their way, the
indigenous life was of little threat. Some larger furred beasts dared to approach, but ran whimpering upon a mere growl from Naijen.
They rounded the final cliff face to behold a mighty structure of crystal that towered from the mountainside.
Cerna gasped. “The Bertoli Fortress?”
“That’s it,” Mencari said.
Just as he remembered it. One massive pillar of crystal jutted into the sky, conjoined by smaller spires of crystal. Solid walls of deep amethyst rooted the massive structure. The whole thing looked like it had exploded out of the ground. Some facets were naturally smooth, while others were exquisitely carved with ornate patterns. Sunbeams pierced through the spires that rose above the chasm’s ridge. The resulting light bent and shifted as it passed through, projecting a blueish spectral light into the chasm below.
“It’s breathtaking,” Cerna whispered.
He recalled the adjoining cavern they traversed the last trip. It was where he first met the mysterious, clopping figure with embedded crystals along her body. A slight grin escaped him, recalling just how rough Seigie was back then. No one was welcomed. He would have met a gruesome fate had his D’mok abilities not saved him from her abilities. The second she saw what he could do, everything changed. A sense of great loss crept up again, along with the guilt of not preventing her death.
“We’re going in one of the side caverns first,” he said to distract himself. “It’s even more stunning inside.”
They made their way inside, and began heading through the smooth and polished corridors.
“It’s so quiet,” Speru said. “Doesn’t seem like anything’s here.”
“It felt that way before too,” Mencari said, looking down the walls of marble inset with precious gems. “I haven’t seen the gemmites yet.”
“Gemmites?” Cerna said.
“These small, kind of dwarflike creatures, with red flamey hair,” Mencari explained, gesturing with his hands over his head. “They tended the cave for Seigie, among other things.”
Something faint rang in the air. Alarmed, Kiyanna raised her hand, stopping the others.
“Listen,” she said, tilting her head toward the sound.
He listened intently, but only heard silence. Just as he began shaking his head in embarrassment, he heard it again.
“There!” she said. “Do you hear that?”
It was a ringing noise, like crystals clinking together, maybe even rubbing together gently. He froze, well recalling the sound.
“Rhysus?” Speru said, concerned.
“I heard this the last time, but in the caves connected to this area,” he said, worried, and cast his gaze down the corridor.
“What is it?” Speru prompted further.
“Creatures of crystal—hostile,” he said. “But they were Seigie’s.”
“Seigie’s?” Cerna said in disbelief.
“They were a project, part of her research. Never intended to be hostile. They were all destroyed—I thought.”
“Maybe the Nukari found a way to bring them back?” Cerna said.
The noise grew, and with it Mencari’s protective aura.
“This way,” he said, “we need to find room to maneuver if we need to.”
* * * * * *
Why would Seigie make creatures of crystal? Cerna wondered while she followed the others through a maze of corridors.
Maybe she needed helpers? But Mencari said it was part of her research. Could she have hoped the creatures might help her fight her crystal affliction? She struggled to recall what Seigie said about that in the too-short time they’d known each other before her death.
The sound seemed to chase them, growing louder, and with various pitches suggesting multiple beasts. They passed numerous abandoned rooms, until the corridor spilled out into a grand chamber. Cerna gawked in awe. Solid crystal walls with inlets of precious gems and metals vaulted stories above them. High above those, an ornate pattern of colored crystal created a skylight. Steps wound along the outside walls, up to an exposed second and third level. This must be inside the fortress itself!
“Up there!” Allia yelled, pointing.
Following the child’s gaze, she spotted two behemoths of ruby-red crystal peering curiously at them.
“And there!” Speru yelled, directing them to a slightly smaller set of sapphire creatures along the far steps.
Behind them, the sounds that had been following arrived. A small band of three-foot-tall creatures of topaz yellow stampeded happily toward them.
“They’re chargin’!” Naijen yelled, simultaneously gathering power in his hands and unleashing a blast.
“No!” Mencari yelled futilely as the creatures were struck.
Cerna watched in horror as the blast shattered their fragile bodies. Those hit shrieked before bursting into static charges, like souls released from broken shells.
A chorus of roars and wailing rose from the creatures above them. Angry auras, matching the color of their crystal bodies, radiated.
“Oh God,” she heard Mencari gasp as a torrent of additional creatures flooded down the stairs toward them.
* * * * * *
Why did he do that? Mencari cringed inwardly. And where the hell are all these coming from?
The flow was endless, the numbers of creatures staggering. The team appeared to be holding them off for the moment, but how long could they sustain it? He didn’t want to have to do something drastic.
But something else didn’t feel right. There was nothing like this when Seigie was here. She’d only referred to a handful of creatures she sealed away. Of course, that didn’t mean she didn’t have others, he supposed. Yet it seemed impossible for the creatures to have propagated this much without her help.
Naijen’s war cry echoed as he unleashed a massive blast, enhanced by Speru’s power. The impressive beam swept carefully across a long section of the crystal beasts, exploding the white-opal bodies into tiny shards. The surrounding structure remained untouched. Naijen appeared to have a finessed control of his abilities, another unexpected first. Perhaps the universe had turned upside down?
Decreta howled, releasing his electrical breath attack, bursting the sapphire creatures into boiling geysers of water.
Something about the way these creatures met their end jarred his memory. He recalled Seigie’s attacks, and the way she powered crystals. Each color had a specific effect, sometimes creating an elemental result like fire, wind, or water, other times healing, or causing energy dispersion. The deaths of each beast matched what he saw from her so long ago.
“Rhysus—above you!” Allia yelled, jarring him back to the battle. Looking up, he saw a collection of larger yellow-topaz creatures joining glowing hands. Their eyes burned with the same light, moments before an arc of electricity shot from them toward Mencari.
Instinct drove his hands up, projecting a protective barrier. The sound of thunder shook the walls as the bolt hit his shield. A strained howl bellowed from the attackers as they maintained the arcing power. Mencari saw a second group of topaz creatures plod up, preparing to initiate their own attack. So far he felt okay. The protective field didn’t seem to strain his energies. Even if another group attacked, he could still hold it.
“Go!” Allia bellowed, shoving Speru within Mencari’s protection field. A bright flash directly next to the group drew his attention. In moments a fiery blast streamed toward them. His heart skipped as billowing flame threatened to overtake Allia. Pushing Speru knocked Allia back just enough to make her vulnerable to the flame. She’s not going to make it!
“Allia!” he screamed, his energies surging.
“KID!” Naijen yelled, projecting his own protective field.
Allia screamed as the fire’s leading edge began to singe her. Mencari’s aura flashed red, releasing a pulse of raw energy. Colliding with his own shield it punched it outward, deploying over Allia. The rest of the flames shot over and around the red field while Allia rolled on the ground, extinguishing the burning embers o
n her clothes and hair.
“Are you okay?” Cerna cried.
“That was close,” Allia said, still panicked. “I … I think I’m okay.”
Mencari felt a sudden strain. Two more attacks struck his protective barrier. In addition to the group of yellow-topaz creatures, a team formed from blue zircon attacked with a powerful jet of water.
This wasn’t just uncanny; these were Seigie’s abilities. But this time the crystal creatures themselves were emitting them! Since they were D’mok-like attacks, it made sense why his own protective energies held them off. Still, this wasn’t looking good.
A warmth came over him. Looking to his side, he saw Speru’s radiant power filling him. Calming himself, his aura returned to a tranquil, golden hue.
A unit of emerald creatures beamed with a sinister energy. Dust and debris began to whip around the outer edges of his protective field, as if he stood in the middle of a tornado. While not a true threat, the combined attacks created a nearly intolerable clamor.
“We’ve got to do something!” Cerna yelled above the noise.
“We’ve pissed ’em off but good,” Naijen chastised.
Can the smugness, Mencari thought angrily. He couldn’t hold the field forever. They needed to hit a number of them at one time. What about his draining ability? Could he drain the crystal creatures too?
A radiant glow around Cerna grabbed his attention. Not now, he thought. He recalled the vast amounts of energy she’d absorbed in past battles. If she tried that now, his own shield would implode and leave the entire team vulnerable.
“Don’t, Cerna,” he yelled.
“Trust me,” she said.
Trust her? She always said that right before doing something that could easily get her killed.
She closed her eyes as her body took on a silver light. With extended hands, a gentle fog of energy formed just outside his protective barrier. The jet of water, pillar of flame, and arcs of electricity began to bend, then pull away from his protective field. The attacks were dissipating, breaking into tiny balls of light. In moments it was like being surrounded by millions of fireflies, all swirling around them.
D'mok Revival 4: New Eden Page 31
