The Last War (The Noukari Trilogy Book 1)

by Alex Davis

  Stop this, Viarus! We cannot succeed!

  But the plea is lost on Viarus. Despite the pain he can feel, despite the fact he is on his own in the attempt, he calls out to the gods one more time, every pore within his body projecting the message.

  TODAY WE REACH OUT TO YOU, THE Animex! WE ARE YOUR LOYAL AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS!

  If Viarus could focus on anything but his mind, he would see a wave of force pouring from him. The hell of noise intensifies, the screams doubling, trebling. The message is heard across Genem, too loud to ignore. Viarus manages to blast the words one more time before his energy is drained.

  Falling to the floor, Viarus's thoughts are only with the gods.

  He does not care what else he has done.

  ***

  The Re'Nuck looks around at the devastation. The toll this effort has taken... tens, maybe a hundred of his followers are insensible, writhing and emitting soft whimpers. Those who stand do so with difficulty, leaning on each other for support. There is an undercurrent of copper and sweat. Apius notices a few people with blood pouring from ears and noses. Who knows what damage is done?

  ***

  Ameri watches from her window, looking out over the clearing. She has seen the people gathered, and for a long time the outwards appearance was that nothing was happening. But of course she knows better. The impression is confirmed as the sound reaches her mind-channel, at first one, then ten, soon too many to count. They hope this mild noise will reach the gods?

  It is then that the voice of Viarus arises, and she finds herself filled with fear.

  At first the volume is bearable, but greatly increased. The power Viarus possesses is beyond question – she has seen it first hand. But the energy he musters next is beyond conception. The sounds seems to drown out the whole world, flooding not just her mind but all of her senses. She falls weakly to the floor, having no response to such an influx of power. She grits her teeth, determined not to scream, trying to place up her mental wall once again. But each time she tries it is simply swatted aside, unable to withstand the impact. All she can do is try and endure, survive.

  That will have to be enough for now.

  ***

  Far from the clearing, there is a solitary hut on the outskirts of town inhabited by two figures. One stands, looking around uneasily, the other is laid on the floor, hands and feet tied with rope. Zerial could not move even if he wished to, so drugged is he. Olurus is there to watch over him but he wanders around uneasily. There is too much else going on for him to concentrate. He wishes he could be closer to the heart of things, able to do something, anything. But the feeling of powerlessness within him has simply grown and grown.

  As he paces, he detects a modicum of sound. He can hear the timbre of many individual voices. It is only their distance that makes them appear a murmur, he knows.

  Through the mental muttering, a sound comes like the rapid slice of a knife. Olurus grabs at his head, his ears, as the words reach into his brain.

  TODAY WE REACH OUT TO YOU, THE Animex! WE ARE YOUR LOYAL AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS!

  He does his best to drown out the torturing message. But it is irresistible, its speaker drawing from a well of immense power. As he tumbles to the floor, he can see the walls of the half-built hut buckling, stretching, the wood threatening to break under the strain.

  Do we have this power within us? is the last thought he has before unconsciousness claims him.

  ***

  Zerial has nowhere to fall, nowhere to run. So affected is he by the sleeproot that he cannot event lift an arm or a hand to try and block the aural blast.

  But he hears the noise. He hears it more sharply than any other.

  The sounds comes to him as if through a haze of fog, its location unclear but the cutting power it has all too clear. The dreams that inhabit Zerial's mind are suddenly marked with misery, the images coming too rapidly for him to comprehend, too horrifying for him to interpret...

  The corpse of Asha stands before him, her once-beautiful form already marked by decay. Her pale skin is turning to rotted black across her face and arms. She reaches a withered hand out to him, 'Zerial, Zerial!' she exclaims. He tries to reply, but somehow finds his lips unable to move, his body unresponsive. Deadened Asha steps forward, placing her lips firmly upon his, the bitter flavour of the afterlife upon her tongue. A handful of maggots eagerly crawl from her throat into his...

  Now he is laid, laid very still, willing his arms and legs to move. The limbs disobey him, and above him the face of the Re'Nuck emerges. What begins as a grin soon twists into a leer, and Apius reaches an hand down, stroking his face roughly. 'Helpless now, eh? Perhaps you will not be such a pest to us any more.'

  Apius reaches down again, clenching his hand into a claw. With long, raking nails, the leader of the Animexians gouges into the all-too-yielding flesh of his eyes...

  The dreams rage on, a hundred, a thousand, a swift procession of nightmares from the deepest recesses of his mind. These are not thoughts that could have any life except in this circumstance, at this moment. This is the result of the The Summoning.

  This and the many more impacts felt all over Genem.

  The Consequences

  The sun climbs high above Genem, reaching its zenith, looking down impassively at the only settlement on Noukaria. If it could see, or feel, it would be stunned at the sight that lies beneath it.

  The most majestic building crafted by Noukari hands has taken a battering. Although it still stands firm, there are wooden slats lying on the floor, leaving holes in the wall of the construct. The doors lie in the mud. Inside, a few rows of the rustic seating lie broken. Luckily the temple was built to survive. The damage there can be easily fixed.

  The same cannot be said about the remainder of the village.

  Across the settlement, huts have been left in ruins, roofs and walls crumpled to nothingness by the raw power of the psychic blast. Many were empty, their denizens lending their own efforts to The Summoning. Those that were inhabited now see people standing cluelessly around. They find themselves homeless, victims of an action they wanted nothing to do with.

  The scene is the same across Genem – broken homes, broken people. All in the name of the Animex.

  ***

  Ameri looks around, taking in the effects of the catastrophe. She had dared to wonder, to imagine any number of terrible outcomes to this endeavour. But nothing could have prepared her for this.

  The signs of the damage are everywhere, and Ameri cannot image the sunups of effort and energy it will take to repair. Beside that they will have to arrange all the materials for the task as well. Is there enough will to do it?

  She cannot answer that question, not right now. All she can do for the time being is see to her own home. She is no builder, but at this moment everyone is going to have to make do.

  It is not long before she sees a crowd gathering behind her. They all bear the same stunned expression. She turns to face the conglomeration, not knowing what she can do to help. All she has is her words. Although perhaps words can do something.

  The question comes from one sheepish individual. 'Ameri, what shall we do? What happens now?' Ameri shakes her head, knowing she cannot give an easy answer. She speaks clearly, loudly, picking up more listeners from the immediate vicinity. Is this about to turn into a sermon? It may be. But there will be more truth shared at this single sermon than all of Apius's efforts put together.

  'We stand here in a time of great difficulty. Look around you, at what has happened to Genem. Not many sunups ago we were a town of peace, working with our hands to find the food we eat and build the homes we needed. Our lives may not have been filled with pleasure, or excitement, but we had our duties, our relationships, our friendships. We were building a society where there never had been one before. Such a thing cannot be done easily. But now we have taken a huge step backwards, a setback we must endure. That is the important thing right now. It is vital that we a
ll work together to repair everything we held dear in Genem. And do not think of yourselves first – think of those who need help most of all. Everything will be made right in time. If that means sharing a hut with a friend, or giving up some of your usual duties, then you must do so.'

  'What shall we do about the Animexians?'

  'Their words and their actions have caused incredible damage here. Will they work with us to help us, or will they look after their own? Perhaps. We cannot count on them. You must all remember that going forward. While they concern themselves with that which cannot be seen, we must look at what is around us. That has always been the Noukari way. Let that be your focus for now. The Animexians is a matter that we must deal with at a later time.'

  'Deal with? What does that mean?'

  'I do not know yet. For now, there is plenty to be done. I shall think more on the matter in time.'

  As Ameri makes her final proclamation, she is delighted to see the group break up into smaller groups, deciding on tasks and setting off to achieve them.

  Ameri decides that she has her own important task to see to. Her hut will wait, for now.

  ***

  Heading to the very outskirts, the true scale of the damage is reiterated. Distance from the ceremony seems to have made little difference. Wooden planks lie scattered across the land, and people look out nervously from half-broken huts. She tries to offer a smile, but it has no feeling. She cannot see any injuries as yet, but surely there cannot be so much destruction and no-one wounded or worse. Zerial's hut has not escaped the psychic after-effects of Viarus and his brethren. She can see Olurus sitting on the floor, rocking gently, and she moves to console him.

  'Olurus? Are you hurt? Are you all right?'

  'All right! How can anything be all right again? Look at this place!'

  'Yes, Olurus, there is much damage done. But we will rise again. What is done can be undone.'

  'How many of us heard it, Ameri? The cry, the scream?'

  'We will get over that too, in time. I do not know how many heard it – not all are as attuned as us. I suspect those involved in The Summoning will have suffered most.'

  'There is so much damage done. Just look at Zerial...'

  Ameri turns to the prone Zerial, body filled with sleeproot to lock up a mind filled with hatred. His head is bloodied, but the wound has coagulated to a sticky red.

  'Is he all right?'

  'There is no way of knowing. The sleeproot is deep in his system now. He may be fine – he may...'

  'He may what?'

  'He may never be able to wake again. We are deep into uncharted territory, Ameri. We are unprepared to deal with these events! We cannot...'

  'Calm down, Olurus. Of all people, I need you sane and sensible right now. There is too much madness going on around Genem as it stands. Please, I need your strength to add to mine.'

  'Yes. Very well. I am sorry, Ameri.'

  'Do not be sorry. Simply be yourself and all will be well. We have never been in this situation, but now we find ourselves here we must adapt. I need you to find a healer and bring him here at once. He may be able to tell us more about Zerial.'

  'What are you going to do?'

  'I am going to stay with him. I will decide what must be done after that.'

  'Very well. Thank you, Ameri.'

  She nods, and takes a seat on the floor next to Zerial. As she looks over him, concerned, she finally notices the weariness that has settled upon her. What has brought that about, she wonders? The worries of the last few sunups? The confrontations between Zerial, Viarus and Apius? The foul squeal of the Animexians trying to reach their gods? The burden of being looked to for leadership?

  Just for a moment, she decides to rest her eyes. Just a moment, no more.

  ***

  The next thing she is conscious of is Olurus gently shaking her back to wakefulness. 'Deria is here, the healer.'

  'Good. Very good.' Ameri nods to Deria, who tips her head accordingly.

  'This must be him? The famous Zerial?'

  'Famous?' replies Ameri. She shakes her head, not liking the direction of conversation. Turning to Olurus, she says, 'Go and see what you can do to help around the village.'

  'Yes, Ameri.' He leaves reticently, but follows her command without complaint.

  'Just the two of us, eh? Didn't want him to hear what you had to say?' Deria prods knowingly.

  'I have nothing to say that Olurus does not already know. And whatever you consider him famous for, rest assured it is an undesired fame.'

  'Especially if this is the end result.' Deria replies, kneeling to the floor beside Zerial.

  'Is he unconscious?'

  'No... well, I cannot be sure. He has been given sleeproot.'

  'Sleeproot? Who gave him sleeproot?'

  'Olurus said he could obtain some, then I gave it to him.'

  'Why would you do such a thing?'

  'For his own good.'

  'For his own good. For his own good? Do you have any concept of what sleeproot can do?'

  'It simply allows someone to... rest. Zerial was much in need of rest.'

  Deria shakes her head, looking unhappily at the head wound. She pries open his closed eyes, but nothing can be seen but the whites. She lifts a lifeless arm, lets it fall. Then she rounds on Ameri.

  'I will explain to you what sleeproot does, and then perhaps you will understand. Our own experimentation on the plant is in its early stages. A simple dose of the root is enough to put a person to sleep for many sunups, during which time they will be completely unwakeable. To the external eye, they may as well be dead. You have seen just how deeply your friend is resting.'

  'This what what we wanted, needed.'

  'There is a side-effect of the plant, though. It is not simply a sleeping draught to be used at will. While the body may be quietened, rest assured that the mind of the individual will be active, far more so than usual. Those we have placed under its influence have woken telling of wild and disturbing dreams. They have been set upon by an unpleasant fear and discomfort for sunups afterwards. This seems to have been affected by external events also – when the rain fell, there were nightmares of floods and drowning. When the sun was high, there were dreams of drought and famine. The mind remains in some way aware of its surroundings, and these feed into the mind.'

  'So Zerial will be aware of what has been going on around him?'

  'In a sense, yes. He may have been having nightmares about you, if you've been here all the time. Or whoever else was standing here, or conversations that might have gone on in his presence. But the worst of it is this wound.'

  'It doesn't look too severe.' Ameri replies.

  'Physically, no. The wound has shut itself, and seemingly quite quickly, given the blood hasn't fully dried yet. But what is a much bigger concern is what this may have done inside his mind.'

  'Inside?'

  'Ameri, there's no easy way to say this. Zerial will be having awful nightmares right now, each filled with pain. The physical impact, that moment of agony... right now he will be enduring inner torture.'

  'What can we do to wake him up?'

  'There is nothing that we can do. Sleeproot has no antidote that we have found. The only thing you can do is wait, and hope that he wakes soon. But I cannot promise that he will be the same person. Such experiences have the potential to change people, and you need to be prepared for that.'

  'Prepared? You know I am not his wefi?'

  'That is none of my concern. But if you have done this to him, or had a hand in this, then you owe him a debt. Somebody needs to be here when he awakens, a calming presence. That might be all you can do for him. Now, if you'll excuse me, there are a lot of demands on my time right now.'

  'Of course. Thank you.'

  The healer leaves the hut without a reply, leaving Ameri alone with the prostrate Zerial.

  Regrouping

  At the further reach of Genem, there is
a clearing that has already seen too much activity. On the night of First Worship, it witnessed actions from the Noukari the likes of which have never been seen before or since. And now, it has seen the damage of Viarus's deafening mental screech. In the wake of the failed Summoning, there is a scene of utmost carnage.

  Viarus is one of the first to rise from the fallen Animexians. He is swamped with a wave of guilt as he surveys his surroundings. Perhaps as the cry emerged from him, he has been least affected. Still, he feels exhausted, leaden-legged. This is all his fault, and he knows it. He let his frustrations get the better of him, tried to rush the ceremony, reached out too hard! But how was he to know that this would be the after-effect? Until now, he had assumed the internal voice to be only that. It was now clear that, given sufficient power and energy, the mental voice could have an effect on the external, and everything within it.

  The Re'Nuck is stood next to him, looking in a daze until he notices his companion.

  'Viarus! Are you well?'

  'We have failed...'

  The Re'Nuck's face crumples in thought for a moment as he looks around. 'What have we done, Viarus? Are they... dead?'

  'We need to find out. We need to try and wake them.'

  'You are right, Viarus. Let us check on our brothers and sisters.'

  It takes until the heat of the day for Viarus and the Re'Nuck to work their way round the entire clearing, devoting a small moment of attention to everyone who lies prone. There are moments of joy when some of the Animexians awaken, looking around with stunned eyes. Some smile, glad still to be alive, while others weep at their perceived failure. There will be many more tears to come, as for each of their followers that wakes, there is another who cannot be stirred. Viarus and Apius share the same sadness. But it is Apius who retreats to the centre of the clearing and speaks.

  'My brothers, my sisters, today is a dark sunup for all of us. Yet we must remember that no great achievement was made easily. Our religion was founded from nothing. This temple was built from the very ground, with the hands of the most devout of our followers. We have faced obstacles at every turn, and now we face the greatest of challenges. Today we have set out with the clearest of goals. And – I say with a heavy heart – we have failed. Each of us has given everything for The Summoning, and we stand here at the cusp of defeat. Such a thing is not easy to say, nor to accept. But that fact cannot be changed.'