Ejeeth!! What is going to be our plan for tomorrow, how are we going to face our opponents and save Empyrea, in fact the entire universe, asked Lord Royston.
Lord!! Victory lies in your hands. As the Emperor, you need to lead us to victory. Once our prince gets back, I’m positive he’ll have nothing different to say, said Ejeeth.
Hope, Ameer would have completed the war plan sketch, he is venturesome like his father, our work is to get back the prince as soon as possible, said Lord Royston.
Suddenly Lord Royston had an intuition once again. The intuition was that the eclipse was at its end, with that the whole of Empyrea was glowing dimmer from the dazzling red color. The next snapshot was like he runs into the Empyrean forest and circling a banyan tree where two persons confronting with each other. There was one person with a scepter that stabbed a human and the human hollered in excruciating pain, he was weeping and calling out Royston's name to save him.
No!!!!! No!!!!!! agonized Royston.
Lord!! Lord!! What happened, are you alright, asked Ejeeth.
Something terrible is about to happen, I need to go to Empyrea, to the waterfalls in Sorgamia, Lord Royston was muttering more to himself.
Lord!! But, we need to get back the prince by tonight; otherwise we can’t win the battle against Tyrant, said Ejeeth.
No!! No!! I need to go to Empyrea right now. Someone is going to lose their life and I need to save him. Prince what are you saying, please think for a minute. What is more important, asked Royston glancing at the Phoenix bird.
(The Phoenix bird let out a cry and came and sat on Ejeeth)
The Prince asked you to head towards Empyrea, I will be with the prince and possibly get him back by tonight and Royston, you can take the boat. Once our prince gets back his powers, we could fly back home on the falcon birds, so don’t worry about us, you be safe. And, Royston!! You are the emperor. You need to protect every living thing, said Ejeeth getting all emotional.
Alright!!! Ejeeth, take care of our prince, we need him to win this war, and for saving the entire universe, said Lord Royston.
(Royston lovingly touched the Phoenix bird)
Prince come back soon, we will be waiting for your arrival, said lord Royston and moved out of the chamber.
(The Phoenix bird’s eyes filled with tears)
Prince!! Prince!! Why are you crying? Is there something that I should be concerned about, asked Ejeeth.
Near the coasts of Armania,
Royston paddled the boat as hard as he could and neared the coasts. An empyrean standing on the tower saw Royston paddling towards the coast of Empyrea. After spotting him, the empyrean assumed he was returning with Prince Horus. Firstly, he let the others in on the good news by blowing the trumpet. Hearing the delightful music from the tower man, every empyrean started to gather near the coast to welcome the prince.
What does that music mean? Why is everyone rushing towards the coast, asked Leonce and Manav to an empyrean.
Estukale ikyavanga koildf, said the empyrean and ran to the coast.
Oh my god!!! I didn’t understand a word of what he said. Let’s ask someone else, said Leonce.
Better we go to the coast and check it out for ourselves, said Manav.
That’s sounds good, replied Leonce, and both went to the coast.
I can’t see the prince!!! The emperor comes alone, shouted tower man.
Soon Royston reached the coasts of Armania,
(Indistinct conversation began among the empyreans)
Are you all fine, I am worried a lot about you people, thank god, said lord Royston with Leonce and Manav.
Why do you seem so tense? Relax!! Relax!! Have some water, said Leonce.
(Royston drank the water)
Hey Royston!!!! Where is the prince, and what about Ejeeth, asked Leonce and Manav.
We failed to reach before the start of the eclipse. Ejeeth will bring our prince back by dawn tomorrow, said Royston.
(Empyreans started to move from the coast)
My intuition!! My intuition, it worries me once again; I need to save him, said Royston filled with panic.
Wait!! Wait!! What intuition and who do you need to save? asked Manav.
I got this image where a human loses his life by the scepter’s blade. He screams and calls out my name to save him. I need to save him, said Royston.
Royston!!! We can’t understand your words, Who is that human, was the image that of a war field, are we going to die in battle, asked Lee.
No!! No!! It’s not the war field. I saw the red eclipse in the image, the terrible incident is going to happen somewhere in Empyrea, please be safe, said Royston.
For sure, we won’t go out. I am already filled with fear thinking about the war, said Manav.
Hey!! Where is Ameer…? asked Royston.
We didn’t see him after the war plotting plan at the Emra temple. He might be preparing himself for the war tomorrow, said Lee.
Oh No, we need to look for him, he might be in danger, said Royston.
But Royston, where can we find him in this dark forest, he will be safe Royston, don’t panic, said Lee.
No!! I feel the same fear that Royston had. Lee do you remember his last words at the temple. Ameer while talking about the war plotting and scepters said, we will have an upper hand in the war, I think he pointed out the count of scepters, they have three; we have only two, and unless the prince comes back, it's just one. So, he would have gone to capture one of their scepters, said Manav.
This is so stupid, said lord Royston frustrated.
Why is that stupid…? Ameer has chosen the right sketch, if we have more or equal scepters as compared to our enemies, we could at least defend ourselves from those lords. Don’t worry about Ameer, he is my friend, rather than spending time with our own family, we spent more time with each other. He will succeed in this plot, said Lee.
Lee!! Lee!! The lords could be defeated only by the other lords. No other human or empyrean could easily bring death to them, said lord Royston.
I didn’t know that. Ok, let’s split. I will go to Nagamalya and check on him, while Manav goes to Sorgamia and you to Dinolaya, said Lee.
What I think is, he will be in Sorgamia because while Edrick was speaking about the war formation he mentioned we could win the battle if we conquered the army of Pitheceus first and then compete with the snake warriors of Kraity along with the Vathroo warriors and then finally we could win the Tyrant’s. In that case, Ameer must be in Sorgamia to face Pitheceus in this time of the Emrlar eclipse, said Manav.
We shouldn’t delay a second, said Royston, and the trio started to Sorgamia.
In Sorgamia,
Because of the transition of the red planet Kasumbia even the waterfall glittered in red and the water that gushed seemed like red water. The dark & thick forests of Sorgamia seemed darker in the eclipse light. It was almost evening. Emla (moon) will wane in half an hour but there was another hour of Emra (sun) eclipse remaining in Empyrea.
In the middle of the eclipse, a cold wind blew out of the north rustling the leaves on the tress. In all this rustling, a warrior awaited for his opponent in front of a banyan tree. When the cold wind intensified, the opponent arrived.
Humans!! Humans!! What a waste of time, we should have killed them the next second after getting back the scepters. If I enquired anything about his plan, he would be sweet only to his daughter. Instead of killing the humans, he will have a sword fight with them. If I ask why I should be the villain, his response would be, daughters are always sweeter than the sons.
A warrior looked through leaves and watched Pitheceus move warily through the forest. As Pitheceus passed a tree limb, the warrior draped the limb like a leopard. The warrior was none other than Ameer.
(Ameer jumped down from the tree)
Think about the devil and here it comes. Hey, kid!! Wearing the Empyrean’s warrior dress, sheathe to your right, face filled with fury, Hahaha. Are you going to fight me, asked Lord Pitheceus wi
th a sneering smile.
Ameer was fuming with anger. Without speaking a word, he slowly drew a long sword from his belt. In the eclipse light his sword glistened and he was ready to face Lord Pitheceus.
Ameer made brief eye contact with Lord Pitheceus who was smirking at him.
Are you ready to die, try saving yourself, said Ameer and gestured inciting Lord Pitheceus to make a move.
Hahaha!! You poor little kid, you are going to die a day before the war, I’ll give you a minute to change your mind and run away from my sight, said Lord Pitheceus.
I came here to defeat you. I am not a coward like you to run away, said Ameer and grew angrier by the second.
Lord Pitheceus stepped back on his left foot, as he drew out his scepter, and moved it in an arc over Ameer. This move sliced Ameer’s attire at the midsection. It missed his flesh perhaps by a centimeter. You asked for this right, prepare to die by my scepter’s blade, said Lord Pitheceus fiercely.
Lord Pitheceus charged towards Ameer with his scepters blade upheld, giving him a fore swing and following it with a backswing. Ameer dodged the first and met the second with his sword. The weight of the scepter sent Ameer staggering back but not far enough to knock the blade free from his hands.
Lord Pitheceus swung his scepter and missed but was close enough to slice at least the fabric. But this time, Ameer’s sharp edge of the sword swung near the eye pupils of Lord Pitheceus. It was impressive.
Clanking blades echoed across Sorgamia mixed with the dull sound of steel biting into each other’s flesh. Ameer swung his sword over Lord Pitheceus’s head, and his scepter pushed Ameer’s sword. But, Ameer wasn’t finished, punched Lord Pitheceus on his face and swung his sword across the rib cage of Lord Pitheceus and pushed it.
For an instance they stood and looked face to face. Lord Pitheceus gave a sudden blow. The blow was hard and fast hitting Ameer’s ribcage, like a sharp sting fading fast. Ameer stumbled and staggered, but recovered, looking more determined than ever. They circled each other. (Swing!! Swing!! Swing!!) Ameer pushed forward, swinging towards Lord Pitheceus with a number of attacks. The first two found his scepter, but the third one found the flesh.
You!!!! I am not going to spare you. You’re going to scream and bleed to death till you die by my scepter’s blade, and I will indeed make your entire Emrath scream in agony and pain, said Lord Pitheceus ruthlessly.
Lord Pitheceus swung his scepter’s blade and sliced off a piece of flesh from Ameer’s shoulders. Lord Pitheceus eyes grew bright red in the eclipse light.
I won’t let you win this battle. Ameer went on the offensive. He lashed out, aiming for his opponent’s gut. Lord Pitheceus proved equally effective at defense, and Ameer first met a meaty forearm, he tried again with both hands and swung hard.
(Swing!! Swing!! Swing!!) Ameer took a step back and lunged towards Lord Pitheceus, missed his target, but continued to attack him fervently, every swing was a disaster but a backswing caught Lord Pitheceus. The heavy broad sword ate through the scepter’s blade.
Hey kid, if you want to kill me do it before the end of the eclipse. What are you waiting for, your end is nearing, come on, take a swing at me, Lord Pitheceus tried to instigate Ameer.
Ameer lunged upwards to slash the head of Lord Pitheceus but he gave a mighty blow in Ameer’s abdomen with his scepter that made him fall to the ground.
Ameer fell on one knee, used his sword as support, he got back up and swung at Pitheceus. He stood like a wave-beaten rock and took the blow like it was nothing. Ameer tightened his grip and smashed Lord Pitheceus back swifter than the twinkling of an eye. In shock, lord Pitheceus lost his grip and dropped the scepter.
Ameer went to Lord Pitheceus and pointed the sword to his neck. Now you will see with your own eyes your miserable end. God created this blessed life to live and let live not to desecrate it said Ameer and with his sword stabbed Lord Pitheceus’s chest. Tomorrow your whole family will join you in hell. Bye!! Bye!!
Ameer then quickly went up to take the “scepter of arrogance”. He bent down to grasp it but an abrupt kick on his back made him roll to the ground and that was lord Pitheceus.
Lord Pitheceus picked his scepter and had a broad smile on his lips. You poor little kid, a lord can be killed only by another lord. And I told you to kill me before the eclipse ends, now it’s mere seconds before that happens.
(The eclipse ends in Empyrea)
Once the eclipse ended, Lord Pitheceus felt a surge of energy flow into his hands and fingers, he felt insurmountable power and at the same time his scepter was recharged, he continued to be the Lord of the apes.
It’s time to bring things to an end and now it’s my time for glory, said Lord Pitheceus and sliced Ameer’s right arm. Ameer groaned in pain but Lord Pitheceus didn’t show any mercy as he started to strike Ameer on every inch of his body. Ameer was almost hanging on his last breath.
Meanwhile, lord Royston along with Manav and Leonce reached Sorgamia, and just the way it appeared in his image he saw the same banyan tree. He searched for Ameer all around the tree. At a distance, Royston saw lord Pitheceus bent towards Ameer and it seemed like he was vehemently lording it all over Ameer.
Ameer dropped to his knees, he tried to stand but dropped down again. He saw Royston come running behind Pitheceus.
Ameer raised his sword and smiled one last time. Finally, the time has arrived, now it’s time to face death, you don’t deserve anything like your father said. Our entire universe will remain safe, said Ameer. But then suddenly his eyes started to water and tears streamed down his eyes.
Listening to the words of Ameer, Lord Pitheceus panicked. He held onto his scepter tight and took a step in front to strike Ameer. Witnessing all this Lord Royston moved quickly and hurled his scepter towards Lord Pitheceus. He did not miss and his scepter hit Pitheceus on his back, and the scepter’s blade came out the other way. It was a gory sight.
With the “scepter of nature” nailed in his chest, Lord Pitheceus turned to see and saw Royston running towards him, his mouth and nostrils started to bleed, he muttered few last words. Lord Royston kicked harder on his scepter making it thrust deeper and that took Lord Pitheceus’s life.
But unfortunately, Royston did not spot Ameer who was lying right beneath Lord Pitheceus, so when he thrust the scepter deeper, it pierced Ameer in the process.
Ameer lay like a slaughtered pig his breathing becoming more faint. Royston embraced him, tears streaming down his cheeks choking on the emotional pain that continued to engulf him.
Royston, Royston, we started this, it’s our responsibility to save Empyrea. I have done my best to save the universe, take the scepter, use it to win the battle against them, save the universe, said Ameer putting on a brave front.
(Lee and Manav came running) Ameer, don’t die, we won’t let you said Royston scooping him up in his arms and ran towards Armania to save him.
Royston!! You can’t save me. I’m as good as dead, save the universe from cruel hands, stop running!! Stop running!! Put me down on that rock.
(Royston unable to control his tears made him lie on the rock)
(Lee and Manav came running)
Lee!! You have been with me through thick and thin. I have been lucky to have you as my friend and sorry for competing with you in Falconnia.
Manav!! Come here, Royston help me to give the “scepter of arrogance” to Manav, this is for you, you guys need to win this battle and save our universe.
Scepters of Empyrea Page 35