PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE - THE WIELDER OF EVIL
CHAPTER TWO - ZARDON'S REVENGE
CHAPTER THREE - ESCAPE TO EARTH
CHAPTER FOUR - THE GATHERING
CHAPTER FIVE - THE INQUISITOR
CHAPTER SIX - BANE'S DEVISE
CHAPTER SEVEN - DELIVERANCE
CHAPTER EIGHT - ENDEAVOUR'S WORLD
CHAPTER NINE - CONFLICT
CHAPTER TEN - INTERSECT
EPILOGUE
PROLOGUE
"Chapter two, verses one to nine of the book of Heaven.... In the beginning, before creation, darkness extended the boundless limits of space. The almighty Creator gazed upon this vast darkness and was displeased. In his infinite wisdom, he forged a Great Talisman that will birth the universe of his devise to fill the darkness. The Creator laboured day and night until the Talisman was completed. The Creator beheld the staff of measureless power and was pleased. With his mighty hands, he broke the talisman into four segments releasing his creation unto the endless darkness and fill it with the new universe. The Creator smiled at his new universe and the angels sang songs of praise to celebrate the birth. At the Creator's feet lay the four segments of the Great Talisman and he foresaw a great ill. If these segments were to fall into the hands of the prevailing evil spirit that inflicted his wondrous kingdom, they could be re-joined by the evil spirit and cause unspeakable destruction. The Creator gathered up the segments and entrusted them into the keeping of his two most valued souls; Lord Valour and Lord Hellion, to unconditionally protect the segments against this evil spirit.
Unknown to the Creator, the source of this evil was one of the very souls that he entrusted the Talisman segments. Lord Hellion's corruption moulded his two entrusted segments of the Great Talisman to his perverted design and reeked terrible ill upon the heavens and the new universe. The Creator commanded his loyal servant, Lord Valour to battle against this infected soul and retrieve the precious segments from Lord Hellion's corruption....Here end'th the lesson." Servion's Crystal hands carefully closed the ancient book, then knelt upon one knee and bowed his crystal head.
A deep and powerful voice resonated through the misty air to the bowing figure's ears. "That will be all Servion. You may return the sacred writings to the temple."
"Yes my Liege." Servion rose from his submissive position and left the private domain of Lord Valour.
Surrounding the domain were seven white pillars of alabaster that protruded from a white marble floor and centring the domain was a large alabaster throne where a mighty crystal form presided.
Lord Valour's pondering head sat in his mighty hand, while his golden crystal chest rose and lowered with the clear breath drawn from his wide nostrils. The two ruby eyes that stared from under his prominent brow were transfixed upon an unidentifiable point in space, and above his golden encrusted ears were a pair of horns that slowly moved in conjunction with his deep thoughts. He had battled against Hellion's sinister forces for a millennium but to no avail, as Hellion was still in the possession of the Great Talisman segments. After Hellion moulded the segments to suit his depravity, they became entitled "The Rings of Venal", after the horrid kingdom that Hellion presided in. Upon Valour's own forearms were garbed his segments of the Great Talisman. These segments had been moulded into two golden bracelets with which Valour could do battle against Hellion. His ornamental weapons also had developed a title in the same way as their evil twins and after his proud kingdom. They were known as the Rings of Karn.
Through the millennium, he had executed every tactic that his mind could devise and finally all options were exhausted. His mind stewed over his mental stalemate as submission grew stronger and stronger. He had hoped the holy scriptures would enlighten him or renew his strength, but they only added to his futility. Maybe the sybolistic dreams of his servant Oracle may have a means to the end of his frustration. Between his emerald teeth omitted his commanding voice. "Oracle, come hither."
Behind the misty wall that bounded the domain came a low translucent figure that dragged its bulk towards his seated Lord. The horns upon its head were short and blunt and the faded ruby eyes within its head hinted at its vast age of existence. It spoke with the sound of wind through worn rocks, hollow and vague. "Yes my Liege."
"Speak to me a tale of your dreams."
"Yes my Liege." Two worn eyelids closed over the faded ruby eyes and from his bulk came the hum of a simple tune. The sound echoed over the domain as Oracle swayed to his soothing song and slowly he fell into a trance. The song abruptly ended as his frail voice took over. "I see a dragon who rides upon an evil sprit..... and with his corrupted thews, I see that he wields the wrath of Venal ..... I see opposite him is a pink beast with many brown horns upon his head...... this creature rides upon your mighty shoulders, my Liege..... his heart is strong and loyal and he wields the truth of Karn..... I see the dragon's hot breath burning the truth of the pink beast.... I see great metal creatures that spit words of fire.... I see.... I see...." Oracle gasped in fear, then his eyes opened slowly as his trace was broken.
"What did you see, Oracle. What did you see?" Valour asked with great intent.
"I saw a terrible battle. Countless souls were mercilessly destroyed. I felt their pain, such terrible pain." His faded face contorted into an intense display of agony.
"I think it best that you return to your domain and rest. Leave me be, my thoughts require solitude."
"Yes my Liege." Slowly he moved his bulk into the wall of mist and left Lord Valour to ponder over the mystic prophecy. Beside his steadfast throne was a small pedestal and upon it was situated a diamond grail of red wine. Valour's jewelled vision moved to encompass the grail as his attention was drawn towards it. He searched his memory and failed to recall when the grail was served. His inquisition of the grail's origin was short as he dismissed the mystery as his lack of attention to his surroundings over the last few days. His powerful hand grasped the grail and he consumed the ruby coloured nectar. Its residue filled his mouth with sweet flavour as it travelled to his golden stomach.
The sweet sensation was short lived as it was replaced with a dry bitterness and the warm feeling in his stomach changed to a sharp cramp. His sight began to blur and his senses reeled as the poisoned grail fell to the alabaster floor. Following the grail's flight to the floor was the stalwart form of Lord Valour as the poison ran its deadly course. The cramps increased in intensity and from his abdomen spread black streaks of death that reached to the extremities of his mighty limbs.
A wicked and contemptuous voice invaded the sounds of Valour's groans of agony. "Does it hurt?"
Valour opened his eyes to perceive the blurred, vile figure of his perverted adversary, Lord Hellion. His hideous, red fleshed face, flashed razor sharp teeth from under his sinister smile as his cold black eyes stared down at his prey. From his head projected two sharp horns that were as black as night while adorning his red leathery body was a flowing black cape that rustled as he moved. Surrounding the hideous apparition were a number of grotesque creatures that bore the armour and symbol of their evil Lord. Between the bouts of pain, Valour answered. "Hellion! By what horrid magic did you gain access to my domain."
With the articulation of his words, Hellion's needle sharp goat's beard swayed contemptuously. "I'd love to take the credit for such genius, but I have to say that it was the brilliant work of my Alchemist." Hellion gesture towards a gaunt figure that stood next to him and upon the figure's head was a pointed black head ornament that indicated its preferred art of alchemy.
Valour pushed aside his distress and focused his mind upon wielding the power of the Rings of Karn. As he increased his concentration, so did the effect of the poison and the mental command to the Bracelets was obstructed.
&
nbsp; Hellion laughed at Valour's struggle. "Don't bother trying to summon the power of the bracelets, the poison had totally paralysed your mind and body." Through the means of a gesture from his bony hand, two of his henchmen picked Valour up from the floor and dragged him before their Lord. "Finally I can fulfil my destiny. Now I can rule all of heaven and the kingdom below." He extended two bony red arms that bore two gaudily jewelled, black bracelets and grasped Valour's forearms. When the four segments of the Great Talisman touched, they separated from the wielders and intersected to form a single, solid staff. The staff lay to rest in Hellion's vile talons and omitted a bright, blinding light that caused the surrounding congregation to shield their eyes. With the Great Talisman in his grasp, Hellion spoke his words of prophecy. "Creator, you shall now see my true wrath."
A bolt of divine reverence struck Valour's poisoned body and the ill that paralysed his mind and thews instantly discarded. He burst from the inferior grip of the henchmen and grasped the Great Talisman with his crystalline hands. Valour felt an instant rush of tectonic power surge through his mind and soul. Hellion stared at him in shock as Valour stole that fleeting moment and utilised the Great Talisman's power to do his bidding.
The light from the Great Talisman encompassed the two entangled forms and swirls of vast energy spun about them, faster and faster.
"How can this be? How did you escape the poison?"
"I had a helping hand from the Creator." Valour said with a smile.
Hellion looked about at the unleashed energy of the Great Talisman and cried out in fear. "No...no....what have you done?!"
"I am sending you to a place where you can do no harm to the Creator." Valour announced.
"No you fool. Wherever you send me you will be dragged also!"
"Then together we go to the new kingdom below and become trapped in the segments forever."
"No, you can't do this to me. Stop! Stop!" The swirls of energy grew so intense that the struggling figures within were blotted out, then in a mighty burst of power they vanished from the domain.
Hellion's band stood about confused and disorientated. As their eyes regained focus, they perceived the closing swords from a hundred of Valour's elite guards.
Two small impregnable containers, each bearing a pair of ornate bracelets, were cast into the innocent cosmos to drift aimlessly forever.....
CHAPTER ONE - THE WIELDER OF EVIL
It was the year 3031 A.D.....Earth had become uninhabitable through man's continual quest for wealth and power. With pollution and nuclear holocaust, the planet was laid waste. Such devastation had humbled the human race and man no longer thirsted for the things that destroyed his home, and almost himself. The new mankind sought out a home among the stars. He found many planets throughout the galaxy that were suitable for inhabitation and ultimately formed the great Federation of Planets. During his search he encountered many life forms, some were very advanced and were peaceful like the new humans. Some were not so peaceful!
The most violent and destructive of them all was a race of reptilian creatures called Warrians. The Federation offered them the gift of peace, but they only had hatred and contempt for other races. In response, the Warrians declared war upon the Federation. They were not as advanced as man, but were very resourceful and succeeded in many battles. In the end, the superior humans conquered the Warrian Battle Fleet and cornered them on their home planet, Zeon. With the planet devastated by the phenomenal weapons of the Federation and their Fleet in ruins, the Warlords had accepted their defeat and were performing their ancient Kamikaze rituals to fight to the last with honour.
All accept one. He was divorced from the temples with his mind far from the pessimistic rites of the Zulra. He was deep within the planet's core in search of his kingdom's salvation. He was the Emperor....
His mighty frame paced back and forth in the shadowy depths of the recently discovered crevasse, and with every turn his long black robe with its tall erect collar bellowed in response. Before him, a mining crew worked feverously to appease their Emperor's demands as they cut into the solid granite core with their futuristic mining tools. The clamour of the machinery stopped and so did the Emperor's pacing. Two bright red, sinister eyes glared down the tunnel. The Superintendent approached his ruler wearing his orange protective suit and helmet, then threw himself to the ground in an act of subservience.
The Emperor spoke in his native tongue that sounded like a series of barks and low grunts. "Why have you stopped?"
The Superintendent responded in the same strange language. "My Lord, we have worked continuously for days and my men are totally exhausted. I beg you, grant us a few moments rest."
Two red aluminous eyes glared through the darkness at the Superintendent. "Every moment wasted brings the destruction of our people closer. Until we have reach our goal, the only break your men will get is through death."
He lifted his dusty helmet from the ground and looked up at the superior figure that was concealed in darkness. "My Lord, there is nothing here but solid rock."
"Our salvation lies beyond, I can feel it. It calls to me in my sleep, I know it is there. Now back to work!" The Superintendent backed away and returned to his duties.
As the clamour of the mining machines commenced, footsteps echoed down the cold, damp tunnel as a Warrian garbed in a grey cloak and armour approached the pacing Emperor. With a bow he addressed his Lord. "Emperor Zardon, the Warlords lost all hope of victory and are performing the ritual of death. My Lord, we have not seen you for days, if only you could give a few words of encouragement to the Warlords, they might stop this madness."
"Counsellor Zeddious, I left strict instructions that I am not to be disturbed. Be gone from my sight."
"My lord, why do you persist in this futile search for the voices in your head? The stress of war is playing tricks on your mind."
In the dull light, clean steel flashed from under the Emperor's long dark cloak to the Counsellor's throat. "You dare call the Emperor mad?!"
"No my Lord," cowered the Counsellor. "The kingdom is in desperate need of your leadership, I only request a few moments of you valuable time."
"I have wasted enough time with those fools. They have failed to deliver the kingdom from those foul humans and now it is upon me."
"How can digging a tunnel far beneath the surface, save us?"
Again the clamour stopped and Zardon roared in anger. As he charged down the tunnel in the direction of the drilling with the Counsellor scurrying after him, the Superintendent met them half way and again cast himself to the ground.
The Emperor threatened him with his sword. "Why have you stopped again? If this is another one of your feeble excuses, I will quarter you personally!"
"My Lord, we have broken through to a subterranean chamber. I dared not continue without your consent."
The Emperor turned to Zeddious. "The stress of war is playing tricks with my mind you say?" Zardon strode off to the drilling site with his subordinates in close pursuit. The drilling crew moved aside and bowed as the Emperor approached the two metre high cavity. "Pass me a light." He commanded.
The Superintendent gave him a rod that had a transparent diamond upon the end. With a flick of a switch, the lamp ignited and shed the Emperor in a bath of infra-red light. For the first time the crew gazed upon their Emperor in a direct light source, since he had remained in the shadows over the past several days. Zardon possessed a mighty frame with thick powerful thews that, despite his robe, showed superhuman strength. Amongst his fellow subjects, his skills in mind and strength were second to none. He was a master in hand-to-hand combat and battle tactics, while his sheer size demanded respect from all who addressed him. He had green scaly skin that rippled over his strong body and long bat like ears that continuously moved to maximise sound clarity. A long protrusion from his face that hung down almost to his chest, housed his mouth and a small nose that glistened on the end. Behind his thin lips, sharp teeth shone white under the lamplight and his siniste
r, infra-red perceptive eyes gave an insight into the complex mind behind them. Many believed that a simple glance from the Emperor could penetrate through to the very soul of the victim, then peel open his thoughts like a ripe melon for the Emperor to scrutinise or if he wished, shatter it to the point of insanity. The crew quickly averted their eyes in fear.
"None shall enter this chamber or they will feel the wrath of my keen blade in their bellies, that goes for you too Counsellor." Zardon disappeared into the cavity.
The chamber beyond was like no other that Zardon had seen before. The rock walls were different to those formed from running water or volcanic activity. Instead, it continually writhed and rippled like a living stomach; as if it seemed to be cowering away from something. He continued towards the centre of the chamber where an object hovered mysteriously. Pulses of light emitted from it and the rock walls throbbed in reaction. It was shaped like a sphere with cryptic symbols upon its surface and coloured like the darkest night. Zardon was compelled to approach the half metre diameter sphere and with nervous, three fingered hands - he touched it. Instantly, it split in two as the top half levitated from the base to reveal its contents - two ornate black bracelets encrusted with the finest jewels he had ever seen. The pulses of venomous red light coerced Zardon to extend his forearms to the bracelets, and as he did so they separated and clamped upon his wrists. Agonising pain struck him as his legs gave way under the unseen assailant. He could sense the boiling hot venom passing from his arms to his body and finally to his brain.
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A shriek of agony echoed from the cavity. The concerned mining crew looked to the Superintendent and Superintendent looked to the Counsellor.
"The Emperor is in trouble, we must save him." Cried the Superintendent.
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