“No, just us,” Seigie said. The odd question made Mencari tense further. Why did they want to know that?
“Are there more of you?” Mencari asked.
“Yes,” Jitsu replied. “We—”
Uri’s deep voice interjected. “We will answer all your questions, but come with us to our village.”
Pentze’s voice rang like a song, “It’s our tradition to feast with trekkers.”
“Trekkers?” Allia said, her nose wrinkled.
“Fellow D’mar, as you are. Those on the path to the new homeworld.”
Mencari’s previous fear turned to excitement. New homeworld? Will we really be given the way to the ancient D’mar?
Seigie looked to Mencari, who nodded. Then she said, “Lead the way.”
Jitsu went to the wall and pressed a selection of blocks. The actions opened a passage that poured a warm, comforting light into the room. Beyond, Mencari saw an ancient stone stairway rising upward. Uri and Pentze’s bodies radiated with light and lifted without effort from the ground.
“We will meet you in the village,” Uri said as they ascended through the hole from which they arrived.
Jitsu stepped aside for Mencari and the others to ascend ahead of him. They entered into a clearing in the jungle. A path snaked before them, leading into the jungle in two directions. Mencari looked around, attempting to get his bearings, when the ground erupted around them. A shower of dirt and debris plumed into the air, causing him to be blown to the ground. He heard Jitsu’s cry of surprise and saw him violently tumble back, disappearing down the stone stairs.
A crackle ripped through the air and another plot of ground erupted. In the sky, a blazing-red orb with a shadowy core hovered above the jungle canopy. Not Uri or Pentze, at least Mencari didn’t think so. While the power of the glow appeared similar, the flaming red aura was not. Jitsu’s falling victim to the attack made Mencari believe this had nothing to do with the three they’d just met. Clearly their attacker had their abilities, however.
“Into the jungle!” Seigie yelled, helping Allia up.
“D’mok shields!” he yelled and ran just behind the others, summoning his protective glow to cover their flank. Ichini snarled as they scattered for cover. Balls of crackling plasma riddled the ground, flinging plumes of dirt into the air around them. A sudden barrage directly ahead of the group dissuaded them from reaching their refuge.
Looking behind them, he recognized a pattern in the blast craters, subtly herding them together.
We’re being toyed with.
He had to do something—more than just run. He turned to face his attacker.
Hellish orbs of fiery plasma burst like comets from the attacker. The calm tutelage of his mentor’s voice echoed in his mind.
Extend your energies beyond your body. Push the attacking energies away from you.
Entering a defensive stance, he further focused his energies. His glow wafted forward in currents, like a flowing tide. Instantly he recognized how it looked much like the power that had drifted off the three D’mar they just met.
You can do this. Osuto’s encouraging words of the past helped him refocus.
The first plasma bolts began to hit. To his relief they broke harmlessly like an icicle hitting a brick wall. But they continued to come with greater numbers and intensity. The orbs began to penetrate deeper into his protective barrier.
He could feel his body strain to maintain the barrier. In a flash of insight, all the training Naijen did made sense. If he made it through this, he needed to do more. If this kept up, they’d be hitting him soon.
“Rhysus!” Seigie yelled, taking shelter behind him.
“Focus your shields on mine!” he grunted.
“What?”
“Just—try!”
He didn’t have to see what was happening because he could feel it. A peaceful, cool sensation washed over him as his defensive shield invigorated. The orbs began breaking even before each one reached his barrier now.
Funny how many times he told Naijen to work as a team, yet so often did things by himself. He smiled, thankful his own prideful arrogance had been avoided this day.
The floating red aura streaked madly, higher into the sky, zigzagging as if pacing, determining what to do next.
“Attack back,” Mencari said, activated his wrist-phaser and gathered power in his hands.
He saw the blue light of Seigie charging two gems. No sooner had she thrown them, she shrieked and fell to her knees.
A rush of adrenaline accompanied the realization that Seigie’s condition compromised her ability to defend them. He began to alternate between wrist-phaser bursts and D’mok energy.
From the orb came a feminine cry of surprise, as their opponent dodged the attacks, fluttered from the sky, and settled into the clearing before them. As the red glow faded, they saw a woman dressed in garb similar to the other three D’mar.
On instinct, he raised his hands and projected another protective barrier.
Deep-red energy gathered in the woman’s hands, and a sudden wave of it blasted across the field, smashing into the group. His defensive field shattered and he felt his body lift and be thrown backward.
Seigie’s shriek echoed surreally in his ears, “Rhysus! Allia!”
The world spun as he rolled across the ground, stopped only when his back hit a massive tree. He struggled to gather his thoughts as the world gyrated.
* * * * *
“Rhysus! Allia!” Seigie screamed. Working through the deep aches and searing pains, she pushed herself out of the indention she’d made in the ground after being thrown back by the blast.
The girl lay quiet while Mencari groaned, semiconscious. Ichini disappeared into a ball of blazing white light. What emerged looked like a large, horse-like beast covered in thick scales instead of fur. She recognized it as the rabid Renzr beast they had encountered in Naijen’s homeworld.
Ichini snarled at the woman as a ball of scarlet-red energy gathered once more.
Ignoring her body’s protest, Seigie lunged forward, dug her hand into a pouch, and grabbed a handful of diamond dust. The red witch’s eyes appeared to be cast toward Mencari. Seigie flung the diamonds into the air in his direction.
“Stop!” Jitsu’s voice weakly called up from the stairwell.
Seigie lurched, putting herself in the diamond dust, and summoned her protective aura as the woman shrieked and unleashed her next attack. Seigie doubted her course of action.
This could be it!
She braced to be struck as the blood-colored stream of plasma shot through the diamond dust.
In the same moment, a rush of static electricity zapped past her, colliding with the red death. A thunderclap ripped through the air as a golden radiance violently entangled with the red.
“Zuri! I said stop!” Jitsu snarled.
Seigie saw Jitsu’s power holding at bay the attack of the one called Zuri. Zuri gasped, then taunted, “You’re alive?”
The beautiful but vicious twisting of the red-and-golden energy faded as the two stood down. Zuri backed away, surprised, yet indignant. A moment later Jitsu propelled himself in a blur toward the woman.
Seigie’s head spun and her body throbbed. Staggering toward Allia, she struggled to see clearly. “Child?”
To her relief she heard a gentle moan in response, and, “Are we alive?”
Seigie sighed, then knelt next to the girl. It hurt less to kneel and rest than it did to continue standing. Hopefully she just needed to rest a moment. “Yes, Jitsu … saved us,” she stammered.
She could hear Jitsu still yelling at Zuri.
“What happened?” Allia asked, pulling herself to sit, holding her head.
“She landed a powerful attack. Are you all right?”
Allia winced, then looked over her body. “Why always me? Do I have a target painted on me or something?”
“It wasn’t just you,” Seigie said, recalling Mencari’s body flinging over hers. “Rhysus?” she calle
d out, concerned, before realizing he had already pushed up to his knees.
“I think I’m okay,” he said. “And no green crystals!”
That proved he was fine. How any of them could think about someone else after taking a hit like that was mind-boggling.
She hated the very thought, but had Naijen been with them, this experience would have been so different. Not that she was fond of having the meathead around, but he had his uses. And perhaps, just perhaps, had the right idea about training. If they survived this mission, she would talk with Osuto and Mencari about making them all more battle worthy. Especially if they encountered those Nukari creatures, with their abilities. If they couldn’t handle a single D’mar, what would a pack of those creatures be like?
* * * * *
Jitsu approached with Zuri. “I’m terribly sorry,” he said. “Zuri thought you had bested us when you appeared outside the ruin’s exit alone.”
Mencari looked beyond Jitsu, to their attacker. Even powered down, she seemed to burn with a red silhouette. Her long, flaming-red hair fluttered in the breeze. He staggered to his feet, and rejoined the others.
From above the jungle canopy, two golden objects appeared. As they drew closer, Mencari saw Pentze and Uri looking on, confused.
“What happened?” Pentze’s melodic voice streamed.
Zuri looked up at them and huffed, “We’re delayed, that’s all.”
Uri looked at Allia, then Mencari with concern and asked, “Are they all right?”
Allia forced herself to her feet, wobbled twice, then gave Uri a weak wave. “I’m … I’m okay, thanks.”
Rubbing her side, she turned to Ichini who had reverted to his original form. “Didn’t think finding other D’mar would hurt so much.”
“Please follow us,” Jitsu said. “Can you fly? It would be faster.”
Mencari looked at Allia, then back to Jitsu. “We can, though we aren’t as skilled as you are.”
“I’m not even going to try,” Seigie said, rubbing her sides.
“Very well, we walk then.”
“Walk,” Zuri huffed. “We’ll fly back.” The words came out with repugnance.
Her body appeared to immolate as she took to the sky. Pentze and Uri followed. Within moments, colored streaks were all that was left of the three.
“Osuto will be happy we found others with such powerful abilities,” Mencari said with consternation.
“Or maybe not,” Seigie muttered.
While they walked, Seigie questioned Jitsu. Though, each response began with a dismissive wave and stating all would be revealed back in the village. When she persisted, he stopped walking. “It is not my place to tell you these things. Our datakeepers will explain everything.”
“Well, how about the ships we found in that swamp?” Allia said. “Can you say anything about that?”
With a sigh, he began walking again. “We’ve had many alien explorers over the years. None of whom turned out to be trekkers like yourselves. We had to protect our land. Once they were mitigated, we had to dispose of their crafts.”
“What do you mean, mitigated?” Allia said.
Mencari spoke quickly. “The ship in the swamp, and the craters in the walls of the ruins. You fought them there didn’t you?”
Jitsu nodded. “That’s what a defender does.”
“Defender. Is that what you do?” Seigie asked.
“It’s not our tradition for me to say more.” With that, Jitsu fell silent again.
As they continued Mencari noticed the bluffs rising, or perhaps they were headed down into more of a canyon. Without an aerial view it was difficult to be sure. A distant rushing of a river came from the north.
They came to a wall of thick vines, which Allia’s Flower Blade plus a blast from Jitsu’s hand cleared. Jitsu looked back with a sheepish expression. “We have little need to walk, so most paths are not maintained.”
“Except for around the ruins,” Seigie added.
“A giant clamshell!” Allia, laughing, pointed ahead of them.
Through the growth, Mencari saw a stony shell that, in fact, looked like a clamshell with a nasty overbite. The fast river spilled over the bluff in a beautiful waterfall that broke chaotically over the top of the shell. Through the gap and flowing water were shadowy outlines of structures within.
“That doesn’t look like a natural structure,” Mencari said.
“The original rock was,” Jitsu replied. “Our stone crafters shaped it for us generations ago. It goes deep into the cliff wall.”
A tiny raised path of gem-crusted stone led to a wall of water. Jitsu glowed, easily extending his field forward, and deflected the water away from the way inside.
Mencari looked up through the glowing energy and the downpour of water, mesmerized.
Jitsu said, “Welcome to New D’lon City.”
Inside was a cavernous opening. Panels of crystal created skylights that let through rays of washed-out light, and created pockets of brilliant spotlights and ambient glows. Despite the constant pounding above, a muffled rumble echoed inside. The only sound of flowing water came from just ahead, where a bubbling spring flowed into a pool.
Like the great shell itself, he noticed the structures inside were made of the same stone. The strange smoothness gave the appearance of molten rock perfectly molded. It was beautiful, and yet downright unnatural. People watched from windows as they approached a mammoth structure, one that actually connected into the ceiling.
Waiting inside were six men and women dressed in ornate ceremonial robes. Each looked gently soiled, as if they didn’t have time to clean them before donning the outfits. They exchanged uneasy glances before each extended a lukewarm greeting to Mencari.
Harsh whispers drew Mencari’s attention to Jitsu, Zuri, and a number of other newcomers who argued in the far corner of the room. Jitsu saw his curious stare and hastily said, “A feast is being prepared in your honor. We … we’re finishing the plans.”
Striding over, he added, “Please, come this way.”
He opened two oversized doors and led them into a long room, filled mostly with an equally oversized dining table.
“Sit please,” he said, and clapped his hands.
In moments, a young boy of around twelve years old peered through a far doorway. “Yes, my reverence?”
“Bring drinks for our guests while the food is being made.”
“As you wish, my reverence,” the boy said.
Mencari felt his brow furrow, and suppressed it as to not be rude. Reverence didn’t feel right. Was there some type of caste system, or perhaps just a formality for politeness?
The six who greeted them entered and sat where Jitsu directed. Another group, this one plainer dressed, entered but stood along the walls, not speaking.
The boy scampered in from the far door, balancing a number of stone mugs. He placed them down with care, as if a single slip would mean his life. Surely the boy was just nervous, Mencari hoped. Traditions could be strange and shocking, he reflected.
Other youthful servants entered from the far door with trays of food. Fresh fish and freshwater clams were followed by some type of blackened pig-like beast.
One of the natives stood from the table, extended his glass, and said with a forced exuberance, “Greetings to our esteemed guests. I am Vamel, one of the datakeepers on our humble world.”
He looked across the table at Mencari, then across at the others, raising his glass. His mouth had opened to speak when the oversized doors flew open and slammed against the wall. Zuri’s angry red aura radiated from her body.
“Do you know what Uri just told me?” she roared.
“Contain yourself,” Vamel said in disdain. “We have honored guests among us.”
“One of our guests is an alien invader,” she growled back. “That makes it my business.”
Mencari noticed Jitsu look down in defeat.
“That one!” Zuri yelled, finger pointed to Allia. “Uri said she didn’t demonstr
ate any D’mar traits.”
“She read us the D’mar script, surely your observers witnessed that?” Seigie said.
“When you attacked, she used the same shields as we did,” Mencari said pointedly. “Show her, Allia.”
Allia closed her eyes. In moments an aura of golden light surrounded her.
In response, Zuri created a red aura around herself and two others next to her. With a sinister smirk, the red witch mocked, “See? That means nothing. We too can extend our power around one another. You’ve demonstrated nothing.”
“She comes from a world called D’lasa, one of the D’mar colonies taken out by the Nukari before the attack on the homeworld,” Mencari said.
“I know of that world,” Vamel said. “But my texts say it was completely lost.”
Allia shrugged. “Our people took refuge in the underground caverns, and rebuilt. We’re still there.”
“So why were you the only one not to attack?” Zuri said, prodding.
“Rhysus told us to run, and before I could do anything, your attack nearly killed us.”
“A likely story!” Zuri nervously brushed her flaming red hair from her face.
“She is one of us, and she is a descendant of D’mar,” Mencari countered.
“Yes, of course,” Vamel said. His nervously warm smile faded as he glared at Zuri. “There is a place for you as the lead defender here at the table. If you forfeit your right, I suggest you return to your patrol duties.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed, then fell once again on Allia. “Fine.” She walked over, pulled out the empty chair next to Allia, and sat down with a grunt. “This spot will do.”
She leaned over and muttered just loud enough for Allia and Mencari to hear, “I’ll be watching you—little invader.”
The girl did nothing in response, except stuff another forkful of the roasted pig in her mouth. “This is so good!”
Mencari smiled at the girl’s tenacity. Zuri was a bit of a monster in every way, except perhaps her beauty.
Vamel asked Seigie, “Tell us where you’ve been before seeking the path to the ancients.”
Leaving her plate untouched, she recounted life on ancient D’mar, and how she volunteered to become a defender to fight against the Nukari. Some gasped, others looked on with disbelief.
D'mok Revival: The Nukari Invasion Anthology Page 46