Guardians of Lakaya: The Catalyst

by Richmond Camero

  “That was some light show,” Dror said. “What happened?”

  “I was just testing how powerful the Lifeblood from the pillar is,” Guier replied. “How are things up there?”

  Dror scratched his forehead and said, “I can't tell how high this thing goes. I cannot reach its peak.”

  Kosmos stared at the pillar of Lifeblood in front of them, his hand rubbing his chin. He then stepped near the pillar, his arms in front of his chest. His hands started to move, as if pulling an invisible rope in front of him. The pillar remained as it was for a moment before a thread of Lifeblood snaked from it into the hands of Kosmos.

  The thread was thin and almost invisible to Guier's eye. But he saw it more when the thread circled around Kosmos’ hands. Kosmos alternated from pulling Lifeblood from the pillar and shaping it into a sphere in front of him. Guier noticed that Kosmos was infusing the sphere with his own Lifeblood. The sphere grew bigger. When it became big enough for Kosmos to hold, he cut the thread of Lifeblood and stepped back. He spread out his hands and the sphere turned into a solid wall of glass-like honeycomb. It was white and red in color, reflecting the Lifeblood from the pillar and from Kosmos.

  “This,” Kosmos said, “is a powerful source of Lifeblood. I’m sure this shield can withstand any attack for a long period of time.”

  “Any?” Guier eyed Kosmos raising his staff toward the shield that he created. The staff glowed, starting from under Guier’s hand into the tip. A ball of blue energy fired from the staff and went straight toward the shield. The shield brightened upon contact, absorbing the ball of energy. Guier tried several more and the shield still did the same.

  “I told you,” Kosmos said with a low chuckle. He released the shield and it vanished. “I think this pillar of Lifeblood is harmless as it is.”

  “It won’t do harm to Anarri?” Dror asked.

  Kosmos frowned. “If it does not fall into the wrong hands,” he said. “But there is one other thing that’s bothering me.” Kosmos folded his arms and turned away from Guier and Dror. “Where is this Lieblood coming from?” Kosmos knelt down near the base of the pillar. “You can’t find Lifeblood of this magnitude here in Anarri.”

  Guier’s eyes widened, “Do you mean to say that this is from Terra?”

  Kosmos stood up again and faced them. “I would not rule out that possibility.”

  “But why would Terra have this amount of Lifeblood?” Dror asked. “Do you mean to say that Terra might be in danger?”

  “I cannot be certain,” Kosmos said. “If there is something happening in the other side, we would have felt it.”

  “So what then?” Dror asked.

  “I want to believe that this is Terra’s way of giving off Lifeblood that it cannot hold. That it is Earth’s natural response to maintain the balance of our planet,” Kosmos said.

  “And the worst case?” Guier asked.

  “That this sudden surge of Lifeblood is caused by someone.”

  The three of them exchanged looks.

  “Like I said, this amount of Lifeblood is dangerous in the wrong hands,” Kosmos said. “Imagine those who want to reign over Anarri would see this and would realize what leverage this can bring them.”

  “There will be chaos,” Guier said.

  “Yes,” Kosmos continued. “And we cannot stop them from doing so. Who knows how many of these beacons are scattered in Anarri?”

  Guier knew that Kosmos was right. Just on their way to their current location, they had encountered dozens of beacons. The chance of an Anarrian finding a beacon was high. If Perennia were to defend all of those beacons, their forces would thin out.

  “I have an idea,” Guier said.

  Kosmos and Dror looked at him.

  “If there are Anarrians wanting to get hold of these Lifeblood sources, they would have been marching toward one of these beacons by now,” Guier explained.

  “Go on,” Kosmos said.

  “In the past, there have been several Anarrians that threatened the balance of our world. It may be safe to assume that—”

  “They are the ones going to take this opportunity,” Kosmos said.

  “Correct,” Guier said. “Those groups will be our priority. Dror and I can track their movements.”

  “Alright,” Kosmos said. “Ceire may be a good start.”

  “Yes,” Guier said. “I also had them in my mind.”

  “Perhaps, the Jenaians,” Dror suggested.

  “The Lifeblood harvesters,” Kosmos said. “Surely, they would not miss this opportunity.”

  “And Oblivia?” Guier said.

  “Of course,” Kosmos said. “It would be a mistake to rule them out. If you don’t find any leads, then see if Oblivia has anything hidden in their sleeves.”

  Guier nodded in response.

  “Let’s see what they are up to, then,” Kosmos said, crouching on the ground before Dror and Guier. With his finger, he drew a small circle. “We’re in here,” he said. Then he drew another circle above the first one, and another one on the far left.

  “If I can remember correctly, this would be where Ceire is —” he pointed to the circle above the marker of their location “— and Jenai is in the northwest, in the heart of the mountains.”

  Dror squinted at the horizon. Snow-capped mountains hid behind the clouds and more pillars of Lifeblood.

  “I will take Jenai,” Dror said. “It’s farther and I can fly.”

  “Then Ceire is mine,” Guier said.

  “Right,” Kosmos stood up and swept the ground with his foot. “I could create a Gate for you Guier, but I can only take you as far as my eyes can see.”

  “That’s good enough for me.”

  “Will you be needing one, Dror?”

  “My wings will do,” Dror said. He jumped and when his feet left the ground, he shifted to a hawk. “I will see you back in Perennia.”

  Guier nodded back at him.

  “If you see any sign of the Jenaians, report back to Perennia,” Kosmos reminded him. “We don’t want to fight them, just to know what they are up to.”

  “Understood.” Dror faced the direction of Jenai and flew in the direction of the mountains until he was a speck of dust in the sky. Kosmos and Guier watched him for a while until he was out of their sight.

  “Now it’s your turn,” Kosmos told Guier.

  Kosmos took a few steps forward. He looked past the pillar of light in front of him, past the cliffs surrounding them. He placed his right palm forward. He breathed slowly, his eyes on the horizon. He exhaled and with it, a black ellipse appeared in front of his palm. It grew taller and wider until it was almost the same size as he was. Then, Kosmos withdrew his hand and faced Guier.

  “Do you see that hill?” Kosmos said pointing to the north.

  Guier followed Kosmos’ finger and saw a small hill thick with trees.

  “This Gate will take you to its base. Beyond that is Ceire.”

  “I see,” Guier said. He stood in front of the Gate and slowly walked towards it.

  “Be safe,” Kosmos said.

  Guier nodded and went through the Gate. He stepped on damp grass, the dew sticking on his leather sandals. The Gate that he used was already gone. He tried to look back at where Kosmos was standing, but he was already too far away. Then for a brief moment, Guier relaxed his shoulders and his body. He just wanted to stay still, to detach from what was happening around him. He wanted to embrace this brief period of silence, to cheat reality and be away for a while.

  So he closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

  He felt his aching body, recently battered by their journey from Akisha. He remembered the words of Aban Yulik and how they had already manifested in the forms of Lifeblood pillars, thunderstorms, and the threat of another rebellion.

  He imagined himself bringing an end to all of them.

  He opened his eyes and sighed.

  The tall spires of Perennia could not be seen from his vantage point but he knew where it was. He tipped his
staff toward the general direction of his hometown.

  “For Perennia,” he whispered.

  And on, he went.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Just a little more.

  Apokalypse was submerged in a tub of crimson liquid. Her head was above water and her back was leaning on the wall. Beside her was a silver goblet adorned with rubies. She traced the rim of the cup and lifted it, her little finger dangling. Apokalypse never really liked the treatment that she was undergoing. It pained her, made her feel helpless. But she understood that it must be done for her to regain control of her Lifeblood. She took a sip again and smiled. If I cannot avoid it, might as well enjoy it.

  Apokalypse returned the cup to where it was. She flexed her fingers, long and slender. How many months has it been since she started the treatment? It should have restored some parts of her power by now, shouldn’t it? She tried to summon her Lifeblood and felt a warm sensation in her veins. Then, the warm sensation turned into pain. She grunted, hitting the water with her fist. She laid her head back, looking at the dark ceiling of stones.

  It was a mistake.

  Oblivia wasn’t ready to take over Anarri. The Rebellion had caused her the loss of her precious warriors, the capture of her faithful Knights, the fall of Obliva. And this, she thought, raising her hand. But on the other hand, she felt a sense of pride. Apokalypse was certain that Perennia was not without damages. She wounded them and she knew that Oblivia’s loss was not for nothing. Now, Perennia and Oblivia were at a stalemate.

  For now.

  “My lady,” a hoarse voice called from outside the bathhouse.

  “Come in,” Apokalypse replied.

  A man in a black robe entered, his face covered by a hood. “The scouts have reported seeing several beams coming out from the sky,” the man said.

  Apokalypse laughed. “Just as I expected,” she said.

  “So it’s true then,” the man said. “The Leaking has begun.”

  “Yes, my knight. And it couldn’t have happened at a better time. What of Perennia?”

  “Gaea has sent out his bird scouts,” the cloaked man answered. “Our scouts have also seen some tree-like creatures marching to the beacons. Perennia’s Reets I presume.”

  “That should keep them busy. It will give us some time to execute our plan.”

  The man nodded in response. Apokalypse stood up, her fiery red hair clinging on her naked body. She walked to the far side of the room to retrieve her robe. She slipped into the robe and lifted her hair from her neck.

  “How is Phoenix?” Apokalypse asked, walking toward the man.

  “He is almost ready, my lady,” the man answered. “He’ll wake up in a couple of days.”

  “You know well how to please me,” Apokalypse said. She walked closer to the man and held his hood. Apokalypse removed the hood, revealing a bald head with a dry and gray skin. She held his cheek for a moment.

  “Now, Necromancer,” Apokalypse said. “We make our move.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The Faunus have been around in Anarri for a long time. The Steward of Nature, Gaea, had given the ability to transform into animal form to some Perennians in order to strengthen Perennia’s capabilities. Dror’s lineage was one of the recipients of this ability. He was seven years old when he first learned that he could turn into a hawk. He inherited the trait from his father, who had the ability to change into an eagle. Of course Dror had his share of mischief. One time, he tried stealing from a fruit merchant in his hawk form. From his normal form, he changed a few blocks away from the merchant and flew into the sky to gain momentum. Then he dove like a bird of prey and snatched several berries from the stand with his claws. The merchant shouted at him and went on his business. What else could he do? The perpetrator was just a bird. Dror squawked back in return and scared the merchant. He did this several times with different stores and different storekeepers and Dror knew that he would be caught eventually. But it never stopped him from doing stupid and crazy things.

  Flying made him free.

  The Oblivian Rebellion seized that freedom away when it took his parents from him. He decided to join the Perennian Army promising himself that no more harm would come to those he love. With his wings, he would save lives, he would defend and protect. Flying was not about being free anymore. It became associated with purpose and duty.

  Now on his way to Jenai, he felt his wings get heavier with every flap.

  Almost an hour had passed since Kosmos had sent him and Guier away. Dror looked beyond the clouds and saw thick trees below him. I must be near. He took cover in the shade of the trees. Dror perched in the branch of the tallest tree in front of him and tuned in to his surroundings. There was only the rustling of leaves. He waited to see if the winds would bring him more information, but none came. He flew again, going to the direction of Jenai. A few hundred meters away, he found a dirt path filled with numerous wheel tracks.

  Dror went near one of the tracks and found out that they were still fresh. He flew near the ground and followed the tracks. The road wove through dense trees. The sound of flowing water was rising and falling in every turn. Gradually, the road straightened and led him to the town of Jenai in the edge of the forest. He found a tall oak tree with thick leaves and perched near its highest peak. He waited for someone to come in or out of the town. Soon enough, two Jenaians appeared. They were wearing armors made of light steel. The Jenaians carried crossbows, but instead of one arrow loaded in the body, a circular cartridge of arrows was attached to it. Below the crossbow’s body was another barrel. From Dror’s position, he could not see what the barrel contained but he knew it from memory - he already encountered these weapons before. They were launchers for poisonous and explosive gases stored in glass globes. What the Jenaians lacked for the ability to control Lifeblood, they made up for with their skill in weapon crafting. Dror stared at the weapons and a thought struck him.

  Why are they heavily armed?

  Dror needed to go inside Jenai to find the answers. Seeing the armed soldiers gave him a feeling that Jenai might be in the middle of mobilizing its troops. But he needed to know more. He needed to find out if Jenai would be a threat to Anarri. He withdrew from his position, careful not to make a sound, and flew above the tree line. Jenai must have several roads leading to it. He needed to find the safest path.

  Circling along the edges of Jenai, Dror found out that there were three roads. First was the one that he saw near the edge of the forest, then another one in the southwest, then finally, the road leading into the mountains. There were no walls surrounding Jenai, its borders were determined by the properties built on the land. He considered going through one of the houses or buildings, but a closer observation showed that there were Jenaian soldiers on consistent patrol. He could also try to go inside from the skies, but there were no tall structures to hide him. Dror assumed that Jenai has defense against enemies coming from the skies. He circled Jenai once more and came to a conclusion.

  If he wanted to enter Jenaian territory, he must be prepared to risk his life.

  Dror landed near the southwest entrance and returned to his normal form. He took cover in the thick bushes by the side of the road, allowing him to see anyone who would pass through the entrance. He crouched down for a while and rested. It might be impossible for him to enter Jenai. Dror smirked and shook his head. Of course, he couldn’t just expect the Jenaians to welcome him. He took a peek and caught a glimpse of the southwest entrance. This too had two armed guards posted. Dror inhaled through his teeth. There was no other choice but to go in quickly and pray that he could fly fast enough for him not to get caught. It’s settled then.

  He was about to change when he heard the sound of hooves and crunching gravel. He looked at the road and saw a supply caravan with a lone driver. Dror smiled and thought that the Twin Beings favor him today. He ran carefully behind the bushes and went near the caravan. He wanted to get into it when it was still a good distance from Jenai. After making sure that
there were no other guards around him, he rushed toward the vehicle and hopped on its back. His weight made the vehicle bounce, but the driver did not seem to notice. The road was uneven, swaying the cart from side to side. Feeling that he did not raise any alarm, he studied the supplies in front of him. Most of them were enclosed in crates and some were baskets of rye bread and green vegetables. He could also smell the faint scent of salted meat.

  “Halt!” Dror heard from outside. He felt the carriage stop, shaking the supplies around him.

  “When has Jenai been strict with my deliveries, you impudent fools? Go ask your grandfathers who I am and you’ll know to show some respect!” the caravan driver said.

  “I’m sorry sir,” another voice said. “But we need to have necessary precautions because of—”

  “I know what’s happening around us!” The driver retorted. “Doesn’t mean you can delay my delivery. If the supply master does not pay me the due Quinars because of this delay, I’m gonna charge it to you!”

  “This will only take a moment,” the first voice said.

  Dror heard the man’s footsteps getting louder as it came near him. He hid at the corner-most part of the carriage, behind the crates. He held his breath and listened. Dror heard the rustle of the soldier’s armor and the sound of chains hitting steel. The footsteps and the other sounds ceased, and Dror felt the eyes of the soldier on the crates and the supplies.

  “I’m going to inspect this further,” the soldier said.

  Dror let out a short gasp as he heard footsteps closing in. Instinctively, he readied himself to change to his hawk form at a moment’s notice.

  “Don’t you dare touch them!” The merchant shouted. “That’s enough dilly-dallying and let me pass through. I’ll report you to the supply master if these vegetables rot!”

  “Alright,” the soldier said. “You’re clear.” He waved the merchant off and shouted to the other guard, “Let him pass.”