Chapter 46. Light and Dark
Light and Dark, are the two banks that hold the River of Time.
Ancient Norgonie proverb.
When Andra put her child’s safety into Omara's hands, she knew her baby would be safe from harm, the old Touchtender, was known a strong willed woman. Alone with the strange infant, she would not break her vow, to protect her until Andra returned.
She washed the child in clear water, then wrapped it in a clean cloth. She sat with the baby in her arms, singing an ancient cradlesong.
Days of wonder and nights of dreams.
Forest of dewdrops beside quite streams.
Moons and stars that walk in the sky.
Silver wings that fly on high.
Her mother had sung the song to her, and over her many cycles, she had sung it to countless children. She looked into the strange child's, beckoning blue eyes, and her mind filled with the faces of those children, so long ago. One by one, they moved passed her inner eye, it was if she was with them again, and it made her heart soar. Then she heard a voice speaking to her.
You gave yourself to them.
The old woman didn't know who had spoken, she believed in Isarie with all her heart, surely no demon would whisper such words to her.
“It has been a good life”, she said smiling.
She heard a sound from outside, she rose, still holding the baby in her arms. As she turned towards the tent flap, it opened, standing there were two strong Thungodra warriors, and a Handmaiden of the Goddess.
“What business do you have in the King's tent?” She asked, holding the infant to her breast.
“Give us the child”, replied the Handmaiden.
The old Touchtender drew the child close to her, and looked at the intruders with cold eyes.
“I will die first!” was all Omara said.
The Thungodra were well trained in killing, either by ax or dagger. They could also move silently when needed, striking before a defense could be made. They prayed to Isarie, their vows were to the Holy Mother, and carry out her commands, even to death. So they would not hesitate, to strike down anyone, guarding the King's tent, and anyone who tried to prevent the demon child's abduction.
The Touchtender called Omara, fought with every ounce of her strength, and later her name was written in the Book of Isarie with pride.
Osh had been wandering, in the lower corridors of the pyramid temple, for a long time. He heard footsteps, and caught glimpses of shaven headed monks, from his hiding places. He had learned long ago, in the prison ships of the Markins that it was best not to be seen. He called upon his skill, keeping to the shadows, and moving with the silence of the grave. As the monks passed, he heard them speaking of a great power, coming to destroy them. Not even the combined power of the Nomads and the Norgonie, would be enough to stop the death that was drawing near.
Save my world; the Old man thought; this must be what the Guardian meant.
Osh had always thought of himself as a little man, a cog in a greater wheel that could be replaced when needed. Now he understood that even the smallest of creatures, can affect the outcomes of time and space, perhaps the Gods did exist and they had noticed him? So gathering up his strength, he would try to fulfill the plea from the God beneath his feet.
I will try; he told himself; I will try.
He did not know the inner workings of the great temple, so he relied on mathematics and the designs of ancient structures, to guide him. Sometimes he chanced upon a locked door, or a stairway, mostly he moved downwards. Around his neck hung the ornate medallion, once belonging to Vitranius, it proved very helpful, when a door did not open, he would find a place to insert the ancient ornament, and it would open.
Something else seemed to be guiding him, something, he could not understand using logic or any other means. It was a power within and outside, himself. Although he tried to alter his path, he found he could not, after a time, he found himself in the corridor leading to the Overlord machine's chamber. The thick door before him, was to keep intruders away. Remembering Vitranius' exact finger movements, he touched the places on the door, listening for clicking sounds to follow. The door opened, with no other place to go, he entered.
While many died, the Sandjar slaves never stopped digging. Without food some of them, were about to revert to the cannibalistic ways of their Outland brethren, by eating their dead comrade's flesh. Endo with Mog's help, managed to stop them, reverting to the ways of their ancestors. He told them that freedom was near, then they would have all the food they wanted.
The huge steel gates keeping them prisoner, were slowly loosing their grip on the dense rock. The slaves used their digging tools, and their clawed hands, to tear away the stone, holding the massive hinges, soon their way would be clear. The noxious gas, was beginning to subside now, and it would not be long before their Norgonie masters, returned, then they would pay a price for their rebellion.
Through all this Rawna, stayed close to her mate's side, knowing she was there, gave Endo courage.
I will live to see her free; he told his mind, he reached out and touched her on the side of her face.
It did not take long for the warriors, to return to the Fortress, seeing only half of them returning, the Nomads and Forest-dwellers, flung open the gates, they quickly gathered around them. They took the wounded to be cared for, and gave drink to the others.
Valen was among those who had been hurt, it was only a flesh wound, and wouldn’t need the care of a Touchtender.
Kuno who had been left in command of the Outlanders, saw that his King was not among those returning. He drew near to the Caladon warrior, placing one huge hand on his arm, he spoke to him in an angry voice.
“You are an Outcast, yet still a warrior, why did you not defend our King?”
Hearing what he was being called by the big Nomad, made the blood in Valen’s veins race. Lifting his ax, he was about to challenge the Spikeback's Captain, when one of the Norgonie lookouts on the fortress wall, cried out.
“The Queen and the Outlanders have returned.”
When Kuno heard those words, he let Valen go, averting a fight that would have surely ended in bloodshed.
Quickly the two Whiptails bore their riders inside the fortress gates, they were met with shouts of joy from the warriors. The King knew there was little time for celebration, Atos was only wounded, soon he would come for them.
“Bar the gates and gather the warriors”, he called out, forgetting that it was not his place, to give orders to the Norgonie.
Dropping from the back of her Whiptail, the Queen reinforced his orders.
“Do as he says”, she shouted, hearing her words, the Forest-dwellers ran to carry out the commands.
A moment later, Kuno was alongside his King, as well as the Caladon warrior, Valen.
“The long range guns and disruptors have been placed on the walls”, the Spikeback Captain said, “the Elders are safe, and every strong warrior, awaits your orders”.
Arn nodded his head in approval then turn to see Andra dismounting her Whiptail and moving fast to wear the Norgonie Queen stood wiping the blood from a small cut on her forehead. She came up behind Ishea and grabbed her by the arm spinning her around to look into her blooded face.
“Keep away from him!” she shouted.
Andra was not a Nomad, born on a distant planet, where men and woman acted quite differently to the Nomads of Gorn. She had spent enough time amongst the Outlanders, to know that if someone tries to steal your mate, you must never show weakness. She would also have known that you do not challenge a Norgonie Queen. Ishea answered by drawing her dagger, and issued a challenge of her own.
“I listen to no, half soul!” She screamed, leaping at the Andra.
Arn watched, as Andra grasped the Norgonie female's wrist, using her training as asoldier, she flipped Ishea, head over heels. Hitting the ground with her back, she quickly pulled herself to her feet, glaring at her attacker, with eyes that burnt, green fire.
“I will have your head!” The Queen shouted, then attacked once more.
Andra pulled the twin daggers from her waist, then readied herself for the fight. Arn could do nothing now, a challenge had been given, and not even a King, could stop that.
The two combatants, circled each other like angry Sagar cats, each looking for an opening, both ready to die, if need be. Just as they were about to strike at each other again, there came a shout from the highest tower.
“Atos comes!”
A few moments later, the fortress, was rocked by impacts from cannon shells. The thick walls of the Norgonie stronghold, cracked, but held strong. One shell, struck the pyramid temple, causing the great silver gong, beneath the golden dome, to ring loudly, sending a warning to the warriors. There was no time now for challenges, Andra and Ishea, lowered their weapons, and although the Queen still held great anger in her heart, she turned to her warriors and spoke.
“We fight!” was all she said. Hearing her, the Forest-dwellers gave out a loud cheer, then raced to the fortress walls.
Andra also wanted to finish what she had started, but being a soldier, she knew there was a greater enemy to fight. She turned to look at her mate, when their eyes met, she felt her heart beat faster.
He is a fool like all men; she thought; but he is my fool.
The King also felt a great stirring, deep inside him, whether it was love or the sound of battle, he could not be sure. Being King, he had to lead, so he turned to Kuno, who was standing nearby.
“The God of War, has challenged us”, he said calmly, then smiled. “Give him our answer.”
Nothing more needed to be said, the big Captain gave the order.
“ALL WEAPONS, FIRE!”
Hearing their leader's words, the Outlanders fired all of their long-range weapons, a great blast of fire spewed from the fortress walls.
The Task-robot had ceased functioning, the great chamber, was filled with smoke and fire, the Weapons Console no longer had power, and navigation was erratic. Outer shielding was damaged and not at full strength, therefore, it unable to send out its Mind Pain that rendered an enemy powerless. If the Task-robot could speak, it would have said, “repairs needed”, then given orders to Repair-bots and Spotters to begin their work. The Halfman God now in command of the huge machine, was filled with a rage, one that could not be stopped, all that mattered now, was having his revenge, on the humans before him.
I will kill them all; was the only order that mattered; I will see them ground to dust under my feet.
The huge machine moved out of the thick forest, and rumbled forwards towards the massive fortress walls. Before the powerful claws, could begin ripping stone and steel away, a volley of cannon fire struck the engines, they burst apart, in an inferno of steam and fire. The former warship, ground to a halt, and when it did, the warriors on the wall gave out with a loud shout. Although Atos was stricken, it could still bring death, its guns continued to fire, raining death down upon the Fortress.
Knowing they could not remain inside, to be destroyed by the fire from the sky, the King gathered his warriors to him.
“Who will ride out with me?” he asked.
It was a question that need not be asked, for a Nomad was created for battle, and was always eager to face an enemy.
“I will ride with you”, one said.
“We will stand with the King”, called out another.
Andra was a her mate's side, when she heard him speak, knowing that he might not returned she wanted to be by his side, as she promised, she looked into his eyes.
“Together always”, she said, then she ran to mount her Whiptail.
The Norgonie Queen saw the Nomads climbing into their saddles, and rather than stay behind, while the Outlanders claimed all the glory, she shouted to her warriors to mount their Rowgors. They did as she commanded, and while the canons from the Fortress, continued to answer the guns of the Metal God, the warriors of both tribes, rode out through the great gates, into the face of death.
Vitranius felt the impact on the walls of his temple chamber, with each sound of thunder, he felt his dream of power and glory, slipping through his fingers.
It cannot end like this; he told his weakening mind; I will rule the galaxy and all shall bow to me; he knew that to be a broken dream now, a future that would never be. His plans for power gone, the last shreds of sanity were torn from his mind, he fell into madness.
Around him several shaven headed monks were praying to Arm-Ra, to come and save them. When the ancient Callaxion, heard them repeating words, he himself had written, it made him laugh.
“Fools, insects, humans”, he shouted, “you are nothing to me, nothing, there is no God, only me, only me!”
Seeing their master's face, with the eyes of a wild beast, they ran from his chamber, leaving him to the will of the Gods. The High Priest, watched them run away like vermin, then he picked up a silver goblet, from a nearby table, then smashed it against the wall.
“All is ending”, he said, with siliva slowly drooling from his thin lips, “all is ending”.
Osh was safe, deep inside the pyramid, before him was the Overlord's God Machine. The chamber, filled with a soft light, and voices seemed, to be everywhere. He wondered why, he had been drawn to this place, it would be more logical, to seek the outside, and freedom than, to venture deeper into his prison.
Something is guiding me; remembering his dreams, the Guardian who had appeared before him, and the strange words she spoke, he suddenly understood.
“Save my world”, she said.
Before him stood a machine, whose power might be great enough, to carry out that impossible task. Without thinking, he sat in the uncomfortable command chair, then slowly lowered, the cone shaped helmet over his large skull. When it was in place, he inserted the medallion key, into the mechanism, and waited.
At first there was nothing, just a buzzing like a Dot-fly inside his brain. Then like a field flower blooming, he saw a door opening in his mind, he moved towards it. He reached out with his thoughts, trying to open the door, he found it blocked, by an impervious wall of coding.
He felt the great power building, he knew, if he did not find a way through the mind wall, he would be hit with the mind force inside him, again. This time he would not survive!
“I must find a way”, he thought out loud, “I must save this world, and those I love.”
Egmar no longer cared for her world, or those she once loved, all that mattered to her, was seeing her forgotten son, destroy those who opposed him. The Great Chamber of the Moving Shrine, echoed to the plaintive chanting of the Handmaidens, they knew, only the power of Isarie could save them now. They stood naked, before the golden statue of the Goddess, lifting braziers of sweet smelling incense, they prayed with all their hearts, for the Mercy of the Gods.
In one corner of the chamber, the Holy Mother, sat smiling at such nonsense.
What fools they are; she thought; they put their faith in a God that does not exist.
Thungodra warriors surrounded Egmar, and although it was a great sin, to allow men into the sacred chamber, she no longer cared for the laws of false Gods. At her feet, lay the demon child, covered in the cloth, she had been wrapped in by Omara. She did not cry, or show any sign of fear, she only stared into the air, with those strange eyes.
The Holy Mother, could hear the battle raging outside, every so often, a blast would shake the great wagon, and the Handmaidens would scream in terror. Egmar sat contented, as if nothing mattered anymore. She looked down at the dark spider, sitting on the child.
“A great gift”, the demon said, in words, only the Holy Mother could hear. “Why not take the offering to your son?”
Thinking her companion's words were wise, she rose, taking the child into her arms.
“Come with me”, she told the Thungodra, they followed with their mistress, out of the Great Chamber, ang into the war raging around them. They formed a wall of steel with their bodies, to prevent
any harm to the Holy Mother. They marched side by side, pieces of steel from exploding shells took the lives of some, but they did not abandon Egmar, and kept her safe.
They marched out of the fortress, no warrior dared stop them, they crossed the moat, then turned, heading straight for the enemy, coming to destroy them all.
As the King and his warriors, rode forward into battle, Arn focused his mind, he reached out to the Giants of the Earth, hearing their King's call, the Honnagar answered.
They mounted their Screechers, and lifted into the rumbling sky, the thick clouds that would soon break with rain, hid them from view. They did not need to see, to know where they needed to go, like the Nomads, they were never lost, they would find their leader, and fight by his side.
Ral was also eager to fight, but he could not escape the bars, holding him prisoner. He cried out, roaring in fury, but he could not free himself. There was a flash of white, and a deafening blast, he was thrown across the small cell, hitting hard, against the stone wall. He lay on the hard floor for a moment, he rose, shaking the stars from his eyes, he regained his vision, he saw a hole, torn through the outside wall, he was free.
He lost no time squeezing through the opening, seeing his way clear, he raced to find a weapon, and join his comrades. At the great gate, he found several Norgonie warriors, dead on the ground. Since they no longer had use for their Kagars, he took one, then raced out of the Fortress.
Near the gate, but safe within a covert of stone, Anais and Kela sat huddled together, listening to the cries of the dying. Although the Handmaiden wanted to care for them, she stayed close by the blind Prince's side.
Anais could hear the battle raging around him. but unlike the past, when he reveled in the screams of the dying, his heart was with his people, and the woman by his side.
“You have saved me from myself”, he said to her, “and if this is our last day together, I will be content”, summoning up his courage, he said something he never had said before. “I love you.”
Kela heard his words and felt his arms around her, keeping her safe, “we are all prisoners of our love”, she said softly, then kissed him.
The chamber that once held the great Orb, was now an inferno of smoke and fire. The creature, who had once been a man, knew, he could not rule from his throne any longer. The Task-robot was destroyed, so no orders, were being given to the huge machine. However the Shadowman God could, drawing up all his mind power, he sent a command to the mobile weapons, and in response, the Galu began to move. Deep within, and safe from the Nomad's guns, the armored creatures marched down the dark tunnels, to the outside, each one held a heavy weapon. Their master, had placed one just one thought in their minds, they would follow it without question.
Kill!
The sealed door opened, and out marched the machines of war, each one armored from head to toe, each one with the strength of many men.
They will do my biding; the Metal man thought; and I will lead them.
He left his burning home, and walked down the long corridor, all about him, were his soulless servants. Following their last commands, they were busily repairing, the enormous damage, inflected by the Mother of Voices, on their mobile home. They would continue to work, even if their master was destroyed, even if there was only one left, it would go on. Never stopping to rest, working, always working, eventually they would succeed. Like colony of Blaze-ants, they could bring a mountain down. Leaving them to their work, he continued his exit, he found the hatch seal, opened it and emerged into a world, he had almost forgotten. Around and overhead, he heard blasts from the long-range weapons, they too would follow their last commands, continuing to fire until they were destroyed or out of ammunition. He looked towards the Fortress, to see a great wall of Whiptails and Rowgors, charging forward, he did not fear, he was a God, and Gods do not run.
Arn and Andra, rode side by side, at the head of the Outlanders, as in many other battles past, they shared the same fears and joys. Their minds were linked once more, and because of this, they could fight and die as one, if necessary. The King was not thinking about dying, he let the battle rage, run free within him, forgetting everything, but killing his enemy.
Andra was also feeling the urge for war, her long years of soldiering, had hardened her mind and body, now she was with the man she loved, all traces of jealousy vanished, like the morning dew.
Just behind the Nomads, the Norgonie raced along on their Rowgors, the Drogs had been let free, and their murderous howls, filled the air, like the wailing of demons. At the Forest-dweller's head was the Queen.
Ishea waved her Kagar over her head, shouting the ancient war cries of her people, her face showed no fear, and her eyes burned with a green fire that was terrible to see. She knew, she might not survive, but it did not matter, the wish of any Queen, was to die in battle, then be burned in a funeral pyre. She still wished she was the one, riding beside the King, instead of the weakly Half-Soul.
The Nomads rode onwards, ahead was the Metal God, surrounded by the armored Galu. Shells still burst overhead and the Angel of Death, took many Outlanders, but they did not turn, continuing forwards. Then with a mighty crash, the two armies met and battle was joined.
The Galu fought back with animal strength, killing many Outlanders. The Nomad's Whiptails, took a heavy toil of the armored beast men, they died screaming, as they were torn apart by the reptile's razor sharp teeth, or impaled on their spiked tails. Then the warriors met, face to face the Galu were bigger and stronger than, the Nomads. Their fighting skills however, were very primitive, they relied on their immense strength, and ferocity, while the humans had greater intelligence and skill. Both sides had thick armor, it kept many from being killed outright, soon the ground was littered with the bodies of human and ape-men alike. The Norgonie, without armor, relied on their lightning fast reflexes, to keep them out of harm’s way, but it was not enough, to stop some of them, being killed by the Galu's hand weapons.
Arn and Andra, fought side by side, as they had done in the war with the Talsonar. As before, they could not be defeated, all who stood before them, learned why, they were called Moric-Kan, the Twin Dragons. Any Galu, foolish enough to come within range of their war-axes, met a horrible death. Soon both of them, were splattered by blood and gore, any who saw them, would say, they were demons from the Pit. The fighting madness, was now upon the King, any thought of mercy, vanishing in the red mist, killing was all that mattered now, and more killing.
Valen also fought furiously, it was time to avenge his tribe's slaughter. With each swing of his battle-ax, he felt a burden lifting from his heart, and with the death of each enemy, he knew a Caladon warrior, was watching from Isarie's Golden Hall.
The God-man known as Atos, looked down upon the carnage.
“Look at them”, he laughed, “how weak they are, how puny, compared to me!”
He jumped from his vantagepoint, landing in the midst of the battle. The enormous leap, would have broken the legs, of even the strongest Outlander. The Metal man felt no pain, and he stood head and shoulders above them all.
For a moment, the warriors thought a statue, had fallen from the sky, but when it moved, they saw it was a creature of death and destruction. The Metal man lifted his arm, and when he did, a firestorm spewed from his appendage. The Chamber rifle, attached to his robotic arm, sprayed white-hot fragments of steel, with each blast, a Nomad died. The Talsonar device, was not the only way of dealing death, to the warriors. The rampaging God-man's left hand, could easily crush an Outlander's skull, or break a Norgonie's back. No matter how hard they struck, they could not penetrate, the hardened steel, protecting the metal giant.
Inside the Norgonie Fortress, Kuno shouted orders to his men, he could see, the tide of battle was turning in favor of the enemy. The Outlander's long-range guns, were no match for Atos' more powerful weapons. Even the Disruptors, were of little use, if they engaged them now, their own warriors would be affected, just as much as the enemy. He gave the order to
continue firing at the huge machine, hoping they could find a soft spot, and do more damage to the wounded God. All around was smoke and fire, but he would not retreat from battle, he shouted to his warriors, to give them courage.
“Do not worry men”, he laughed, “if you die, there will be plenty of Po in the Halls of Isarie!” Hearing his own words, he would have given anything, to drink a tankard of the sour wine. Through the smoke and ash on the Fortress wall, he saw a figure coming towards him, a strong woman holding a large silver cup.
Balru, should have been with her people, in the safety of the forest, but she felt her place, was beside the big Captain. Kuno not saying a word, took the cup and emptied its contents down his parched throat, he smiled at the shapely Norgonie woman.
“You are a gift of the Gods”, he said, then he went back to screaming at his loyal warriors.
Osh was in pain, he could not break the God Machine's code, soon it would take his life. He tried everything he knew, the inter-fractal, multi-plan patterns, of the Brillmar, the Quantum diferential prolog, used by the Sogar-Goramic Empire, and several other coding conventions, used by the Outer Rim planets, all of them proved useless. As he floated, alone and helpless, in his dream state, he thought of his adopted son. His life seemed so unimportant now, and he wished with all his heart that he could see Endo's face just once more.
I will miss you my son; he thought, then he heard the soft voice of the Guardian, calling out to him once more.
“The key at the foot of the God”, it said.
“The key?” he called out in his mind, “the foot of the God?”
There was no reply to his questions, and his mind shook with pain.
Vitranius was a man, barely holding on to reality, he wandered like a man in a trance, oblivious to the death and chaos, raging around him. The servants of Arm-Ra, were crying out for salvation, as he slowly climbed up the long staircase that would take him, to the uppermost level of the Holy Pyramid. Reaching the top, he walked out slowly, he stood under the crumbling Golden Dome, the silver gong, gone now, destroyed by the oncoming War God, and soon there would be nothing left of the Great Fortress.
“It was all a dream”, the old Callaxion laughed, “a dream of fools!”
Standing there, he saw rain starting to fall from the sky, he laughed once more, knowing it would soon wash away all his dreams of power.
Nomads The Fallen God Page 47