The key is at the foot of the God?
Then something began to form in his dream, an image of a fallen statue resting on a broken base, an image that he had seen before.
Korath Enargo, he remembered the path of pain, the fallen God!
He as he fought back the rising pain in his mind he focused all his will power on the image before him and looking down at the base of the broken statue of Atos he saw the intricate patterns and symbols. Then that broken and worn base became newly carved and the images that were once obscured with age became fresh and the old man saw them clearly and knew what they represented.
A key.
He quickly transferred those patterns to the coding matrix of the God machine and as he did the pain in his mind began to lessen. And as the last hieroglyph was placed into its proper place the door that had held him back opened and he moved into the core of the all-powerful machine.
As the rain slowly vanished Arn lay on the ground before his enemy and ground his teeth in fury that he was unable to rise up and stand with the woman he loved. He watched helplessly as Moonbud fought the metal giant alone and he cried out in pain as he watched her being defeated. As he tried to regain his feet he saw Ishea stand between him and death and sacrifice herself. And then as he pulled himself up on one leg he watched his son in the grip of the monster and the blast that almost blinded him. Now as his vision cleared he gathered up the last of his strength and stood facing the all-powerful God.
The thing that had once been a man pulled the spear from his optical processor and tossed it aside and although he now had only one vision collector he knew that it was still enough to watch his enemy die.
But as he turned to look into the face of the warrior before him he found that strength was leaving him.
What is happening to me? He thought who is greater than I?
Arn felt new energy flowing into his weakened limbs, a power that he had never felt before, and standing up he looked at the giant and as he did he felt that he was now two people, a man of flesh and bone and an abomination of steel and wire.
All Nomads know that the Gods give life and Isarie in her wisdom created woman to bring that life into the world. But it is the choice of the Mother to choose who shall live and who shall die for there cannot be more than one to share a soul. The Darkman and the King shared the same mother and because of love she went against the laws of the Goddess and let both of them live. Now they stood face to face and only one would remain.
The battle that raged between them was not fought with weapons of steel or fire; they did not grapple in the Challenge Pit or on the backs of Whiptails. This war was being fought in the mind and the one who did not fall would be the victor.
The Shadowman had hate and vengeance as his weapons while the Nomad relied on his strength of heart and his will to live. They stood there like statures while the battle raged around them each one waiting to see who would survive.
I am a God! The Darkman screamed in his mind, and Gods to not die!
The Kings face contorted in pain and blood began to drip from his lip as his mind burned with pain, I will not fall, I will not fall!
Andra and Valen watched as the King stood his ground, too weak to help him they waited and prayed.
Egmar carrying the demon child in her arms was protected by her Thungodra and so was able to move across the battlefield without harm. Around her the loyal guardians died protecting her but they did so gladly for it was their vow to keep her from all harm and thus insuring a place of honor in the Golden Hall of Isarie. Now as they drew closer to the great machine the Holy Mother called out to them to take her to Atos and they obeyed.
The King was weakening for his brother now possessed a power that he did not have. The Orb had given him the ability to control a weapon that would continue to grow and repair itself when damaged and now that power was slowly being channeled into the mind of the Shadowman. Arn could feel himself vanishing into the will of his enemy and he was helpless to fight back, and knowing that it was his end he looked over at the woman that had captured his heart.
Moonbud, he thought, through this world and all the worlds to come.
Knowing that he was about to fulfill his greatest wish the Darkman called out to his enemy.
“Our mother will not weep for you my brother!”
But as he was about to crush the mind of his sibling as strange thing happened for he heard a voice calling out to him, a voice that he had heard before.
“I bring you a gift” the woman said, “an offering to a God!”
And turning away from the fallen King he saw his mother coming closer, he saw that she was holding something in her arms and with that vision he remembered another woman long ago.
What is that thing she is holding? He thought, and focusing his mind on the site before him he let go of his revenge.
Arn felt the pain leaving his mind and taking up his weapon he leaped high into the air and brought the ax down hard on the neck of the metal monster. The blade bit deep and because the armor was weak there it cut off the head of the God and sent it flying through the air. The huge body of the giant stood unmoving for a moment then fell crashing to the ground.
Anything human would have found peace at the moment but the Shadowman was no longer a part of that world so when his head became detached from its body it continued to remember. It remembered back to a time before he became a wanderer in the Wastelands, before his world of pain and hate, back to a place that knew only contentment and love. And as the power that gave him life faded he remembered his mother arms holding him and the soft sound of her voice in his ears and all else was forgotten.
A great cheer went out from the warriors as they saw there enemy die but it did not stop the battle around them for the Galu were not lead by a Coraw and would fight until they last of them died.
Vitranius stood high atop the temple pyramid and laughed at the death and destruction around him, and lifting his arms to the sky he cried out to the heavens.
“End it now” he screamed, “end it now!” for he wished that his life was over and that all things should die.
But looking up at the High Priest the Norgonie heard something quite different.
“Ormandis is calling upon the gods for help”.
“Arm-Ra will answer his prayer”.
“He has the power to save us”. They called out.
And beneath the feet of the Holy man Osh found what his mind had been looking for, there deep in the command patterns of the God machine were the inter-links that would activate the mechanism. The Callaxion could not be sure what would happen but trusting in his instincts he configured the last Mind-link pattern into its proper level and when he did a tremendous wave of information began flooding into his mind. The Overlords had answers to many of the questions that all creatures seek and all he had to do was reach out and become one with the machine to obtain that power. But then he remembered the answer to the question before him.
I universe of knowledge is useless without love.
So he let his mind return to the place where it had started and found himself once again in the great chamber, he opened his eyes and slowly lifted the helmet from his head. And as he looked around he saw the God Machine coming to life.
With a final pull the last stone that was holding the Sandjar slaves prisoners gave way and the gate that was holding them fell to the ground.
Above the dust and rock Endo called out to his people.
“FREEDOM!”
And following the Coraw they began to pour out of the dark world that had been their home. Down the long corridor they raced each one shouting their anger and each one determined to never be slaves again, the old and young alike made their way down the tunnel and when one fell another would pick them up so that they would not be trampled by those behind.
Endo held onto the hand of Rawna and Mog made sure that they would not be harmed in the rush to the outside.
The Nomads and Norgonie were still fighting f
or their lives for along with the Galu the cannons of the fallen warship continued to roar. And although they could not see inside the Repairbots and Spotters were following their last commands and soon the huge machine would heal itself and bring more destruction.
Arn was now surrounded by his warriors and with him was his mate and the young Caladon, the Norgonie gathered up their Queen and with Ral at her side they formed a circle around the Nomads. Above them the Honnargar continued to pluck the Beastmen into the air, and when there was no longer life in their hairy bodies they would cast them to the ground.
When the King saw Ishea he was surprised to see that life was still within her, the wound to her chest would have killed a weaker warrior but the heart of the Queen was strong and she remained alive. Arn moved to her side and touched her cheek and when he did she opened her eyes and looked at him.
Arn bent low and took her into his arms, he wanted to speak to her and tell her how much he regretted his dissension to leave her but he knew that there was no time left to unburden his heart so he just smiled.
“You saved me and your people,” he said softly.
And knowing that she had been a strong Queen and had stood by the man she loved her heart was content.
She did not speak and only smiled and then she saw herself standing by the Western Sea and looking out at the vast ocean and feeling the wind on her face.
“I will wait for you” she whispered, and then she closed her eyes and there was nothing more.
The great pyramid of the Norgonie was coming to life, the smooth outside stone that covered the slopping side of the temple began to crack and break. At the same time the uppermost level started to collapse and when it did the prayer of the High Priest was answered and he had his ending. He fell like a Balbar leaf in winter and as he did his laughter followed him until it suddenly stopped.
The falling stones crushed the shaven headed monks that had gathered at the base of the Holy shrine and their bodies became a mass of unrecognizable flesh and blood. Now a like a Moonbud opening under the darkened sky the temple spread its triangular walls and began to gather up the breaking sunlight on its polished walls. The power of the twin suns was being funneled into the collecting crystals that had been placed deep within the Overlord weapon. Now it was self-sustaining, a defensive weapon that was created to destroy anything attacking it whether it is flesh or steel.
A great rumbling shook the Fortress and Nomad and Norgonie took shelter as best they could. Kuno felt the stone walkway beginning to crumble under his feet and he reached out and took the big forest woman into his arms. Anais and Kela also found comfort in each other’s embrace and thinking that they may not survive they kissed.
Osh felt the chamber shaking and running as fast as his thin legs could carry him he began to search for a way back into the sunlight. He followed anyway that might led upwards and if a corridor became blocked he would choose another and hoped that he might live long enough to see his son once again.
Endo also felt the shaking and with it the roof of the tunnel that would lead them to freedom began to fall. Screams fill the dusty air and many were killed but the Sandjars did not turn back and continued to follow their Coraw. When all seemed lost Endo saw light ahead and calling out to his people they raced forward as fast as they could.
The sky was not bright but it still hurt the eyes of the Scavengers for they had never seen the sunlight and like all their kind they preferred the darkness. But the tunnel behind them was slowly disappearing and so with no other choice they ventured into the outside, and as they did they saw a huge shaft rise out of the massive structure and begin to glow with a brilliant light. It continued to grow in intensity until it reached a level that seemed brighter than any sun, then with a terrific roar it sent out a shaft of energy that shattered the air and flung the Sandjars to the ground.
The beam of power struck the great machine and cut through it as if it was the wing of a Dotfly, the risen warship was cut in two and the chamber that once held the great Orb exploded in a holocaust of fire. The Repairbots and Spotters were melted into pools of lifeless metal never to function again and the cannons of the Talsonar no longer spoke.
But the war machine still had one more task to perform for it was programmed long ago to never let itself fall into the hands of the enemy. The Eran warships had damaged the self-destroying mechanism but it had been repaired and now it would carry out its purpose. It would detonate and destroy itself and anything within its reach.
When the God machine of the Overlords activated and sent out the shaft of power that destroyed its enemy the Galu scattered to the winds for they were primitive creatures and facing an enemy with such power was beyond even their lust to kill. The warriors on both sides lifted their weapons and shouted out the victory cries of their tribes. But it was short lived for they sensed that the Gods would take terrible revenge for killing one of their sacred kind so they gathered around the King and Queen in an effort to protect them from the dying war God.
When the Cyberman was destroyed Egmars mind became dark and she slumped to the ground still clutching the demon child in her arms. And seeing that the Holy Mother was hurt the Thungodra formed a wall around her with their bodies.
Now the Outlanders watched as the great machine began to tear itself apart. Huge blasts filled the air and fire rained down upon them and seeing that all was lost the King took his mate into his arms for he wished to enter the Afterlife with her at his side and together they would sit at the right hand of Isarie.
Andra also knew that they would not survive but it did not matter for she always knew that her life would end beside the man she loved and so she looked into his eyes and smiled.
“Always” she said.
“Always” was the Kings reply.
But as they waited for death to take them the Honnargar guided their Screechers to the ground and leaping from their backs they formed a barrier with their huge armored bodies. They locked arms and stood like statues and a moment later a great wave of fire roared over them as the God of War died.
Chapter 48.
The Pyre.
When a Queen of the Norgonie dies the Forest-dweller’s build a massive mound of wood and place her body upon it, then they lay offerings at the base and ignite it. But they do not weep for her passing for they believe that her soul will absolve them of all sins.
From the Mindlock of Oshismarie Inastro Sistashion.
The Fortress of the Norgonie had survived the death of Atos but many Nomads and Forest-dwellers did not. So the next day they gathered up their bodies and prepared them for burial according to their customs, the Nomads washed their dead and dress them in their finest armor. They took the Journey-Nail from around their necks and drove it through their hand so they could carry their axes into the Afterlife. Then they dug a hole and buried them with a tankard of well-aged Po, a loaf of Kasha bread and a bowl of Grana, all this was done as the Holy Mother prayed and the Handmaidens chanted ancient songs of the dead.
The Norgonie burned their brethren and the ashes spread in the forest so that they might become one, but they did not do this for their Queen for she was worthy of a special ceremony that insured the welfare of the tribe and brought the favor of Arm-Ra to all.
But along with the Outlanders and Forest-dwellers there was another group of warriors that had given their lives to protect their Leader.
The Honnargar were no more.
The blast from the dying warship was to great even for the risen giants but their huge armored bodies had been strong enough to guard the Narga Entaro, their King from harm. Now being that there was no ritual laid down in the Book of Isarie for honoring the ancient warriors they decided to bury them as if they were members of the tribe. But they did not place them in the ground with sour wine and bread, no, for such warriors a special offering must be made. So they killed a Sagar cat for each of them and cut up the meat and laid it around the huge armored bodies, then they filled a great Trofar horn with the animal’
s blood for drink. They did not say a prayer for them for they were not followers of Isaire but the Nomads cut their arms and let their blood drip into the graves to show their respect. And when all was made ready they covered them with soil and rock and then they put the heads of the slain Galu on top of the mounds so that all may know that this was the place where the Giants of the Earth slept.
The Touchtenders cared for the wounds of Andra and Valen and being a Nomad the Caladon warrior would soon be healed. The Off-World girl had only cuts and bruises to show for her battle and rest and Grana would soon mend her. The child had also survived and she along with the mother were taken to the tent of the King were a dozen strong warriors made sure that nothing could harm them.
But not everyone was content at the events that had taken place for when the metal monster had been destroyed the Norgonie found that the Slaves had been freed. So they turned their weapons on the Sandjar and were about to drive them back underground when one of them called out and told them that he was not a slave but a member of the Almadra tribe. The Norgonie never hearing a Scavenger speak in words they could understand were taken aback and before they could kill the blasphemous creature Kuno called out that the young Sandjar was indeed telling the truth. So they held their fire and said that this was a matter for the Queen to decide, but being that she was dead the power of life or death should have gone to the next in line and that was the High Priest of Arm-Ra. But his body lay under a thousand blocks of stone at the base of the Great Pyramid for after the single blast of power the Holy Temple closed up and no matter how much force they tried it could not be entered again.
So without a Queen or speaker for their God they turned to the King of the Almadra for judgement and as night fell he stood in the Great Dome before the two tribes. On one side of the King were the Blind Prince and the Handmaiden, and on the other stood Endo for the others of his kind were being guarded by the Thungodra that had survived.
The Fallen God Page 70