Kindles of War

by Nicol Terra

  “Yeah well, when your planet is 65,000 kilometers wide, and the distance from place to place is thousands of miles, communication and civilization can be a little hard to go hand in hand.” Rachel added.

  ‘Speaking off, what do you plan to do there, anyway?” Daniel inquired.

  “Besides looking for a stone that can destroy the stars and all the planets at once? Probably shopping. I think a new crystal or some magic stones would be nice to own.” She said, her voice sloping down to a casually lighthearted tone. Daniel couldn’t help laugh.

  “Well, just be careful. I should be there in two months if you are still in the archipelago.” Daniel added.

  "Yeah, I got that. I will keep my eye out." She said as the image of the man disappeared from her sight. She walked back to her pantry and slipped on a light yellow silk pants and a white cotton shirt. Rachel also snapped on a small dagger to her right hip side, scurried upstairs to get a little book bag from the box and left the room entirely. The Airsail slowed down as it slipped onto the mountainous island.

  "First island of nine.” She said to herself, her necklace gave a quick yellow glare that emanated immense energy. The Airsail around her turned invisible as Rachel jumped down a few feet before landing.

  She landed on the south side of the island. This part of the island was mostly low-lying forest. A few million pine trees. It was a vast forest, easily a thousand sq miles in area, although that was only a less than one percent the size of the island. It had one large, snowcapped mountain that towered over it. Rachel headed straight to the mountaintop, through the mist-covered forest. Also, the trees may have laid on a flat surface, the trees themselves were hundreds of feet in height. The island was maybe fifty thousand sq miles in size although it was the smallest of the nine. The largest was the island with five tornadoes on it, which Rachel kept in the back of her mind as she headed northward. There was a small mountain range that cut the island in half, snowcapped and hidden by the shroud of snow.

  A thick coat of mist covered the forest as it hid even the suns from lighting a path in front of her. Luckily, Rachel expertly crossed through the low vision with ease, as her ears picked up a distinct thud from afar.

  A monster, the size of a skyscraper and made of nothing but Water and Snow blocked her path in front of her. A large, open area greeted them for battle. The being had a metal symbol on his forehead, a single droplet of water. His ‘brain’ was shiny compared to his fluid body. It looked like a wad of dark blue water in the shape of hundreds of bubbles linked to each other. He had arms the size of trees, feet the size of boats. It was easily five hundred feet tall. Rachel only scoffed.

  “A baby golem? Come back when you grow two miles, kid.” She said, shrugging as she walked away. The monster intercepted her. Rachel, however, was not concerned and walked past the beast with no fear, as if she had done this hundreds of times before. The creature, confused and angered, charged at her.

  She dodged it gracefully as she jumped behind it and zapped it with a shot of lightning. The bolt of lightning incinerating his entire right side. She jumped and grabbed onto a nearby tree as the monster reformed the half of his body in a few seconds.

  "That is your first warning. Leave now." She said once. The monster did not understand as it charged again. She sighed as she intercepted his charge and blasted it backward with lightning, this time with five times the strength. The nearby trees behind it fell or caught ablaze as the monster, having only one, single blob no bigger than a head trying to reform itself. Before it could, she stuck her foot inside the watery blob.

  "This is your second warning. I will kill you next time charge." She said as she held her dagger to her body, ready to strike once more, her carefree gaze gone as her disciplined eyes shined yellow streaks. Her body coursed with electricity, zapping and smashing the surrounding environment within a meter radius. The monster grabbed her by the foot and threw her through a tree. She got back up, patted the dust off her silk pants. She spat a tad bit of blood although she was unharmed. The monster rushed once more. Rachel shook her head.

  "Such a nuisance." She said, she quickly slinked a silk thread from her bag through her dagger, coated it with electricity and shot it through the monster with a beam of electricity three feet long in just a microsecond, as fast as lightning.

  The beast was zapped with electricity as her dagger vaporized him instantly. She slinked it back to her right-hand side as she continued on her path.

  "Now where is that village?" She muttered to herself as she continued to hike through the forest. She then stopped, gathered her thoughts and turned back to the remains of the monster. "Oh, that was your last warning. Better luck next time."

  On the far northern coast of the continent, in the city of Yari, laid a single airship descending below, the bitter cold and the spine snapping snow slivered down a particular man's face. He had burnt black skin and piercing, yellow eyes. He also had a crimson cap with the phrase. "Justice for all.". He turned his hat around his head, revealing the other side. This side of the hat was blank red. The man sighed as he pulled off his hat and stuck it inside his coat. The cold snapped across his cheeks as the cold wind was strong and potent enough to freeze anyone in place. He jumped down from the airship still in the air, a good fifty feet in the air when he was greeted by two Malditions, each wearing lab coats

  Duran reached for a small canteen in his coat pocket and took a swig as he looked at the men. The canteen was filled with his favorite; smooth, silky spirit.. Just enough to make him forget he was a General with 'responsibilities'.

  "Yo." He responded. The other two, stunned, looked at each other for a moment and back to the man. He took another swig from his canteen, this time for a good three seconds. Blue vodka dripped down his cheeks. The boiling hot drink flushed down his windpipe. When he wiped away trace amounts of his cheek, he felt his eyes droop down. His yellow eyes were piercing through the snowstorm itself as his white coat flowed and melded with the blizzard-like an optical illusion as he walked with the three men inside an underground building.

  The building was illuminated with small spheres of Aura, yellow light, complete with blue and gray stone lined a few thousand meters down underground. Yari was a city known for massive underground complexes, especially if you are in the Military. Kulso loved investing in secrecy. Then Duran felt a small curse out of him as he reached for the canteen.

  "No, Eraz loved his secrecy." He said to himself, but he stopped short of his lips. "At this rate, you'll become an alcoholic." He thought as he put his canteen away, even though he likely already was.

  The stone stairs snaked down the sunken building. The spheres of light guided his path, almost like a tour guide making sure he followed the right way.

  He was feeling the effects of the vodka as his body felt a warm buzz throughout. The staircase led down to an open training ground of sorts with groups of Malditions either punching bags, lifting massive boulder's ten times their size or releasing waves of red energy that exploded or blasted through Golems. As soon as the Golems would blast apart, they would repair themselves instantly.

  The training floor was a colored green stone and stretched for as far as you can see. With the War coming soon, there are now thousands of soldiers, each training their Aura or Crystals to prepare for war. Duran couldn't help but smile, everyone around him was working hard. The furthest back of the room had a few rooms that led elsewhere. One of them was a large communal bathroom, another was an Airship hanger, complete with an elevator. The one he needed to see, however, was the Science Lab.

  He then saw a man walked up to him, cigarette in hand and a warm, blue gaze from his eyes. He was around Duran's size, an old friend. Duran let out a small smile, which then formed a little laugh as the man walk became a rush.

  "Yo! Duran, the man!" He said, took a deep drag from Chakra Chains and exhaled a cloud of smoke. The two bumped fists.

  "D.J, nice to see ya man!" Duran said, reaching to hug eachother.

  "I
heard you were on a mission." He said Duran, noticed in the corner of his eye as a female with red gaze greet them. She had a sour expression as she bit her tongue for a brief second and smiled at the two.

  "Duran, you look tired. Did Eraz and Mudath work you to death again?" She said as the man took another hit from his cigarettes, ashes falling his jet black coat. "You look like a fool, D.J."

  He backed away, offended briefly as he regained his composure in just a second. "What? I would imagine I look rather fly today!" D. J said with a sarcastic, dry tone as Duran gave a quick laugh. Duran's other reason for coming back, now time to pop the question.

  "Nice to see you too, Ariel." He said. Before he could motion to ask his question, D. J gave him a confident grin as he walked away, towards a large chunk of rock easily a thousand foot tall. He spat on his hands, his body going a deep red as he lifted the giant rock, threw it in the air and vaporized it in an instant. He then clasped his hands, wiping off any dust left on his hands as they gave off tremendous heat.

  "What do you think? I have been working on that for a month." D.J smirked, his pride obvious.

  "He means a year," Ariel said. D. J looked at her for a second, almost disappointed in expression as Duran just shook his head.

  "No, to Duran and Mudath working to death. Also, Nice work D. J," He said. "Can you use Ra, out of curiosity?" He asked.

  D.J blinked as the golem reformed a few moments later. The giant monster rushed at D.J as D.J swung around to punch him. In that brief second, the monster exploded in a flash of light and then disappeared. "That means yes." Duran thought. Everyone around them let out an audible gasp in awe.

  "Huh, destroying molecules is easier then I thought." D.J said.

  "The more you get used to Ra, the more it becomes second nature," Duran said. Mastering Ra was often the most basic of things for Chief Commanders. Duran then saw in the corner of his eyes a large, rocky Golem greet him. This Golem looked and inspected Duran as if he was ready to pounce. Ariel let out a scoff.

  "Rockhead, let's see how this year shaped your Ra or Aura," Ariel said. Duran sighed. He didn't wanna use Aura drunk.

  Duran cracked his neck as the Golem rushed at him. He pulled out his left hand and slammed it into the rocky monster. As soon as his fist made contact, protons and neutrons shot out everywhere, dismantling the Golem as he felt his punch slam through the empty space of the atom, when he pulled out, the monster let out a flash of light and disappeared.

  The room around him let out small awe as he bowed. Applause showered the room for a whole minute.

  “That is our General!”

  “The Third Calamity is so strong!”

  Ariel couldn't help but turn to him.

  "Wow, impressive." She said.

  "Indeed. I worked on that for a while now." He lied. In truth, he was just that beyond most soldiers. The soldiers around them continued his training as Ariel motioned closer to him, her lips pursed and her hands locked to the side.

  "Why did you leave?" She asked.

  "Kinda curious myself." D. J said.

  "I was on a journey." Duran looked around as he gave them a quick smile. His Holosphere started to beep rapidly as his Calender pulled up for him. He swiped the notification away, he already knew what he had to do.

  "I have to go, guys." He said he pulled out a white Holosphere, with his picture on it. He winked at Ariel.

  "Call me whenever you want." He said, she looked away. She and D. J, however, relented, as their white Holospheres flew out of their pockets. The three spheres connected at once with a blue beam of light before they flew back into their hands.

  "I will be going on a personal journey, would you guys like to come?" He popped the question.

  "To where?" Ariel inquired.

  "Sosrow, it is a continent north of Idera Archipelago. It is relatively unexplored, but I would love for you guys to come." Duran added.

  The two of them lit up as they both let out a small smile, only for D.J to immediately correct it, trying to keep his cool.

  "Well, sure." D. J said, Ariel nodded. Duran nodded, and he walked away, his white Holosphere in hand as he brushed past name to name, checking who was on his contacts or not. He looked briefly when he saw Eraz's name. Below his name was a special tag he had for all of his friends. For Ariel, it read 'Ex-Girlfriend,' For D. J, it was "Drinking Buddy.". For Eraz, it was "Best Friend.". He swiped right, removing the tag for Eraz as he continued to walk down the hallway.

  To the right, in a blue room was a weird cloud of smoke that greeted him. He heard a girl cough repeatedly, her booty shorts and her tank top contrasting with a wrench on her hip and a laser on her right hand.

  He sighed as he walked inside.

  "Ariana. I thought Eraz told you not to create explosions in this secret base in one world most populated city?" Duran said, leaning on the wall as the smoke cleared out of th eroom and throughout the hallway.

  "Well fuck Duran, could have knocked." She said she got up from the wooden floor. She sighed. “Plus, he didn’t say that.”

  “Oh?” Duran inquired.

  “He said, to be specific, not to create an explosion in the worlds most populated city, in a secret base a few miles out? Totally fair.” Ariana said.

  Duran rolled his eyes. “Yeah, Yeah. You are lucky. I haven’t seen Eraz in months.”

  "Asshole, what can I help you with?" Ariana growled

  "I need an Airsail Model V out. I was told Eraz told you ahead of time?" Duran inquired.

  "A five man? Who do you plan to take?" Ariana added.

  "D.J and Ariel." Duran admitted. Ariana let out a small sigh.

  "Well, fuck you can take D.J, but not Ariel." She said.

  "Why not?" He inquired

  "Well, she is a Legion Commander now! She leads her a legion now. Heard it was two million strong." She said. Duran shook his head.

  "Well, is there any way I could say. Lie to Eraz and say she is coming with me to lead a takeover of Sosrow?" He said. Ariana scratched her chin for a minute. She pulled out a small canteen from her right pocket, taking a swig, smacking her lips three times.

  “Well, why Sosrow? West is still kind of new.” She muttered. He sighed.

  “Well, I heard about a certain portal.” He said. She choked on her drink, her face turning bright red as she gave out a big loud hacking cough.

  “You are kidding, right?” Ariana coughed.

  “Ariana, you know I don’t kid.” Duran partially lied. He did like to joke, just not around Ariana.

  “It's a fucking portal in the middle of god name nowhere.” Ariana added.

  “Correct.” He relented.

  “And it is one of eight portals that in myth lead you to the green moons above us.” Ariana face turned white.

  “Also correct.” He nodded.

  “And those who have found these portals after years of searching have never come back to this planet.” Ariana ghostly face became nervous as she let out a small laugh of madness.

  “And that is the ringer.” He said, taking a swig. Ariana swung around at him in a complete circle, her hands planted on her sides and her cheeks puffed.

  “You can’t just waltz in, ask to take two leading officers with you to a suicide mission!" Ariana protested.

  “I just did.” He said. Her expression turned cold, her eyes parted, darting from left to right as she leaned against the table. She tapped it three times, quiet for a few seconds. Duran tried to take a swig; then he realized his canteen empty.

  "Fuck it. Only for you." Ariana sighed.

  "Thanks. " Duran said. Ariana growled and grumbled.

  “I will write on paper you took the three to Sosrow on say… a conquest. It might be shaky in the long term, say over six months, but you should be good.” She nodded. Duran sighed

  “I owe you one, when will it be ready?” Duran inquired.

  "There should be one already ready in the north wing of this base. Supposedly is brand new. Comes with a fridge, a pot farm, a
small wine cellar, a kitchen and more. It is the whole nine yards." Ariana said.

  "Well, I ain‘t going to complain. Thank you again." Duran nodded and bowed politely.

  She grinned as she dove under her desk to pull out a foot tall bottle of vodka. He smiled as he opened his canteen. She pulled out a blob of vodka from the bottle, vodka forming a hose as it flowed out of the bottle telepathically. Ariana dropped her fingers slightly as the vodka filled up the canteen. She then put her left palm on her lift, her right palm out, as her gentle face waited patiently.

  He sighed, handed her the canteen as she took a five-second gulp. "You have no clue how hard Water Magic is." Ariana said.

  "Well, if there is anything that involved a liquid, I will always make sure you near me." Duran added as her cheeks turned a little red. She already buzzed.

  "Baby you know it." She said, handing him the canteen as he took a five-second gulp himself. His Holosphere flew out his coat pocket and a green Holosphere flying out from under Ariana's Desk. It read a single notification: First Shots have been fired near Siphor, Battle in the Tyre River has begun. He looked away for a moment as he then slid the announcement to the right.

  "Well, looks like we know the war-plan." She said, her expression was pale, her arms crossed under her breasts as she waddled her feet together. "I trust Eraz could keep causalities to a minimum."

  "Which side?" He asked. She had no response.

  “Which side?” He asked again. She had no response. “This matters, they are still people.”

  "Well, that does not matter." She said.

  "How come?" Duran asked.

  "Because Eraz is a good king." She admitted.

  "What is a good king?" He asked. Ariana looked at him, her glazed eyes set in as she stared down Duran. Duran blinked twice.

  "You are criticizing him." She said finally.

  "I did nothing of the sort, and even if I did, not everyone is guilt free." He responded. He then turned her back to her and walked a few steps forward. He stopped.

  “Sorry.” He said.

  “Just..” She got up, pulling out her Holosphere and writing a note on the hologram as she swiped it right.