The Angkora Warlands

by K Silvermoon

  Rangga saw the Gunship armada moving into position and preparing to exit the Fortress.

  Rangga quickly alerted the other Skytigers. “Use the rockets!”

  The Skytigers lit their rockets and zoomed towards the Flying Fortress at high speed.

  A few Dragonslayer Gunships managed to undock and launched into the air. An aerial dogfight ensued. The smaller and faster SkyTigers weaved and spun around and across the slower Gunships.

  “Be careful! To your starboard!” Rangga shouted.

  The Gunships fired their cannons at the SkyTigers but they were too quick.

  A SkyTiger positioned itself very near to a Gunship. One of the SkyTiger’s Attacker Monks uses his mindpower to bend one of the cannons on the Gunship. The Gunship fired but the cannon exploded inwards, creating one big explosion followed by a series of explosions on the side of the Gunship that moved inwards. One final explosion broke the Gunship into pieces.

  From his Garuda, Jebat threw a few daggers at the cannoneers on the Flying Fortess. A cannoneer was struck and fell thousands of feet to the ground.

  Another Gunship fired, but instead of hitting a SkyTiger, the cannon shot at another Gunship. The cannoneer was confused. He did not realise that the cannon was bent. An Attacker Monk on a SkyTiger smiled nearby.

  The cannoneer could see his comrades jumping off the Gunship. He turned around. Suddenly, another Gunship was moving towards his own Gunship. It was too late to escape, and the other Gunship crashed into the main deck.

  Nearby, three SkyTigers surrounded another Gunship. The Attacker Monks were synchronising their mindpowers on the Gunship. The Gunship was turning slowly upside down. The soldiers onboard tried to hold onto something. Some of them slid down, before hitting a mast and falling off the ship. As the Gunship flipped upside down, more soldiers fell off the ship.

  Uma managed to approach the entrance of the fortress with her Garuda. She prepared for a dive. The cannoneers tried shooting at her. The cannoneers watched in disbelief as she hurled herself off the Garuda, somersaulted backwards, and landed neatly on the ground as her Garuda descended and clawed at the cannoneers.

  One of the cannoneer misfires at the internal wall of the dockyard causing a big fiery explosion. Uma rose slowly, backlit by the wall of flame, hot debris raining into the courtyard.

  The cannoneers grabbed for their rifles as Uma leapt into the air like a lean black cat above them, and unleashed her daggers. She thrust a dagger into one of the cannoneer’s windpipe, kicked his chest, swung around and gave a deadly back kick, breaking the cannoneer’s neck.

  Desperate rifle shots were aimed at her as she landed and rolled. She leapt into the air again towards the three cannoneers, knifing the first cannoneer on his chest, tumbled on the ground and then into the air again, somersaulting before thrusting two daggers onto the other two cannoneers, one on each side.

  More soldiers ran towards Uma armed with rifles and pistols.

  At the edge of the aerial arena, six SkyTigers were surrounding a Gunship. The Attacker Monks were focusing very hard on the Gunship, spinning it like a topspin slowly at first, but gaining momentum. As the spin got into high speed, the Monks sent it on a tangent. The Gunship crashes into three more Gunships as it flew on its new path.

  Back at the Alchemists' dungeon, Chinta woke up screaming, more out of disgust rather than pain. The leeches were sucking deep into her. The Alchemists were now ready to release the nerve worms into her. A nerve worm slithered by the side of the bottle, preparing to leap. The Ninja Assassins watched over her like hawks, guarding the dungeon.

  Outside, on the exterior wall, a SkyTiger flew parallel to the wall approaching the dockyard. Suddenly, there was an explosion. And Uma and a soldier leapt into the air. The soldier fired his double pistols at her. Streams of little fireballs whizzed across Uma as she tried to avoid them.

  Rangga caught a glimpse of the falling Uma, and directed his Garuda to dive. From a distance, the soldiers could see a diving Garuda chasing after a falling soldier and a falling Uma at high speed.

  As Rangga passed the soldier, he sliced him with a dagger across his throat. The soldier continued falling choking, arms flung open, pistols falling in the air.

  Rangga then dived at a higher speed, chasing after Uma who was falling like a rock. He managed to grab Uma by the wrist, and swung her onto his Garuda’s back.

  Rangga and Uma managed to land themselves at the dock, slashing their way in and disbanding the cannoneers and the riflemen. The SkyTigers followed suit, and landed on the take-off station. They then made their way into the dungeons, slashing more Ninja soldiers on the way; Rangga fighting with his sword, Uma with her twin daggers.

  Rangga ordered the Attacker Monks as he ran forward. “Cover us from the back!”

  The Attacker Monks flew and trailed from the back using their mindpowers as a shield for Rangga and Uma. Rows and rows of Shadow soldiers were thrown back onto the walls even before Rangga and Uma reached them.

  Below on ground, a big battle was brewing. As the massive Shadow Kingdom army neared the temple, Arjana and the Resistance human army emerged on Giant Rhinoceroses and Giant Elephants at the entrance of the temple.

  Arjana was on a White Rhino at the front, while the soldiers on Giant Elephants were in the rear. Arjana and the Resistance looked brave and grand. Rom’s elephant was armed with a cannon.

  Arjana commanded, “Fire!” The Resistance unleashed a rain of explosive arrows.

  The front row of the Shadow Army exploded like napalm fire. Arjana and the front soldiers on the Rhinos charged forward.

  “Attack!” The Resistance soldiers roared as they charged forward. There were sounds of clashing swords and shields.

  Rom aimed his cannon at one of the Stone Monsters. He fired and it blasted the Stone Monster into pieces. Rom was surprised at the firepower but enjoyed it anyway. The Giant Elephant army then rammed into the Shadow army slashing their way in and trampling some of the monkey soldiers. The Buffaloes and the Stone Monsters tried to bludgeon the Elephants.

  Rangga and Uma arrived at the dungeon, joined by Jebat seconds later. Twelve Ninja Assassins were waiting for them. Two Alchemists guarded Chinta. The Alchemists were weaponless. Rangga, Uma and Jebat moved as a team. “Guard all directions,” Rangga said.

  The Ninja Assassins were now surrounding them like a pack of wolves. Rangga, Uma and Jebat moved synchronously, almost like a martial arts dance. Attacking, dodging, kicking, daggers and swords swinging in every direction. The Assassins were stunned.

  Rangga shouted to the Attacker Monks, “Lift us up!”

  The Attacker Monks lifted Rangga, Uma and Jebat into the air. They were now kicking and stabbing at the Assassins like a flying machine, zipping across the room. It looked like a martial arts routine they had been practicing.

  The Ninja Assassins threw shurikens and flying guillotines. A few of the Attacker Monks threw themselves into the rain of shurikens and guillotines, sacrificing themselves. Blood sprayed into the air as the formidable flying team slashes their way across the Assassins. Shurikens and flying guillotines get deflected and got lodged in the walls. The Ninja Assassins howled like hyenas as they died.

  Jebat threw his daggers, killing all the Alchemists. He then released Chinta from the chains. “About time,” Chinta said in relief.

  Uma engaged Old Lady Leech. Old Lady Leech threw a ball of leeches onto Uma. Uma sliced it into a thousand pieces. Old Lady Leech tried to dissolve into a stream of leeches again.

  “Not this time,” Uma said. Uma unleashed a couple of her poison snakes on her. Old Lady Leech fell to the ground. Uma managed to throw her into a fire furnace before she could dissolve herself completely.

  “Jebat, Uma, take Chinta to safety!” Rangga said. “I have to look for Karruva.”

  “ I will come with you!” Uma said.

  “No!” Rangga said. “I have to do this alone.”

  Jebat mounted a Garuda, with Chinta behind him. Together with U
ma and the Attacker Monks, they left the Fortress. As they flew, Chinta looked down. A massive battle was erupting below.

  The battlefield trembled violently. There was a sound of thunderous footsteps. Giant footsteps. Something big was coming. The battling soldiers look stunned. They could hear a loud roar echoing through the air. Sweat flowed down their foreheads as the footsteps got nearer. Sculptures and statues began to fall to the ground.

  The Black Naga appeared from behind the coliseum arena. Seven massive slithering heads fanned out in full glory. The nostrils jetting out hot steam, while saliva dripped from its seven mouths. The Black Naga’s eyes were like snake eyes.

  A Resistance soldier ran up to his Captain. “Sir, we have run out of the explosive arrowheads.”

  “Just use whatever you have,” the Captain replied.

  The Resistance soldiers knelt and pulled their bows aiming for the Naga.

  “Shoot the Black Naga down!” Arjana commanded while he charged., swinging his sword, and pointing towards the Black Naga.

  The Resistance released a hailstorm of arrows into the air. Thousands of arrows flew into the air and formed a fountain of deadly projectiles. The Black Naga retaliated, shooting a jet of fire breath into the air, burning the arrows in mid-air. The Black Naga moved towards the soldiers, gave out another fire breath, burning some Resistance soldiers and their elephants.

  Moving forward, the Black Naga's Main Head bit a soldier’s head off, and swung him into the air like a doll, while the other head bit his lower torso. Together, they tore the body apart. A ball of meat and blood fell to the ground and splattered onto the other soldiers.

  A Resistance soldier charged forward with his elephant. The Main Head opened up its jaw like a python. The jaw seemed to be able to extend itself into something bigger than what it can swallow. The extended mouth gulped the soldier and the elephant, and swallowed them whole.

  The Resistance army stood in fear and silence when they saw that. They began retreating.

  The Shadow Army charged forward. Rom felt that he was not killing the Stones fast enough. The Stone Monsters rammed into the Elephants head first. One of the Stone Monster lunged at the fallen Elephant with a stone hammer and swung the stone hammer up into the air, then down on the Elephant head, cracking its skull and ending the Elephant’s life.

  Another Elephant managed to pick itself up. It swung its tusks, picking up one of the Stone Monsters, and threw it into the air. The Stone Monster crashed into a wall. The Elephant then charged at it with full speed, ramming the Stone Monster with its head. The Stone Monster shattered into pieces.

  A Stone Monster slammed Rom’s elephant from the back, crushing its backbone. The Elephant let out a loud cry and collapsed. Rom fell to the ground. The Stone Monster moves towards Rom. Arjana saw from afar, and turned his Rhino around and charged towards the Stone Monster. He rammed it and shattered the Stone Monster into pieces.

  Suddenly, a row of Shadow riflemen appeared at the edge of the battle field. They knelt, took aim and fired. Many Resistance soldiers were hit. Arjana sensed that he was losing the battle. He became worried and wondered if it was now all hopeless.

  But then a battle horn from afar screamed through the air. The Banjaran Apes had arrived. The Banjaran Apes looked menacing and brave in their bone suits of armour. The Chief looked intimidating with a helmet that was made from an elephant skull and had very long giant tusks. He carried a giant axe.

  The Banjaran Apes’ growl turned into a battle roar as they charged into the Shadow Soldiers. A Banjaran Ape swung his axe horizontally, slicing across a row of riflemen. Another Banjaran Ape swung his axe vertically, slicing a Buffalo Soldier into two from top to bottom.

  Jebat and Chinta landed on the ground. They saw Black Naga shooting multiple fireballs at a tall building. The soldiers inside the building screamed and fell off the building. The tall building crashed, sending small stones into the air. “Chinta!” Jebat warned. “Watch out!”

  The Garuda shielded Chinta and Jebat from the array of stones. The small stones bounced off its giant wing. All the fighting was causing Chinta to be distressed. She let out a scream. A blinding white light surrounded her. Jebat watched with unblinking eyes as Chinta transformed into the White Naga. Thousands of soldiers stood in awe as they saw the White Naga appear.

  The White Naga let out a roar, which was followed by lightning in the clouds. The White Naga charged towards the Black Naga.

  The White Naga knocked the Black Naga down and they crashed into layers and layers of walls before sliding and rolling down the hill. Thousands of soldiers moved out of the way and ran for cover as the two giants clashed.

  The Resistance and the Shadow armies continued to battle viciously and violently. Helmets were crushed. Chopped limbs flew into the air. Blood sprayed everywhere.

  The two Nagas continued to battle at the bottom of the city, crashing through the streets and buildings. Many buildings collapsed. Black Naga sprayed a long and big fire at the White Naga and around the buildings. The whole city was now on fire. The White Naga gave out a blue ray of fire which then exploded into a ball of fire when it hit Black Naga. The White Naga charged towards the Black Naga. The seven heads clashed with the other seven heads. Biting and snapping, going for the jugular.

  Arjana was running and jumping from roof to roof, climbing up a minaret. He then prepared himself while waiting for the right moment to jump onto the Black Naga. When he was near enough, Arjana jumped onto the Black Naga, landing on its back.

  The White Naga lunged for the Black Naga’s main head, biting and holding its neck. The Black Naga writhed in pain and roared. The other six heads tried to attack the White Naga’s main head.

  Arjana jumped and thrust his spear into the Black Naga’s heart. A fountain of blood sprayed out from the wound as the Black Naga slumped and crashed into a building, giving out its last roar.

  The White Naga bit into the Black Naga’s neck, crushing it. Tears swelled up in the White Naga’s eyes.

  Sister.

  The Black Naga was finally devoid of life.

  The White Naga gave out a sad and painful roar, causing a minor hurricane through the streets.

  The armies stopped fighting for a moment. Silence. The Shadow Army retreated as White Naga marched forward slowly.

  Inside the Shadow Kingdom, Rangga walked slowly through the corridors. One by one, the Ninjas tried to kill him. Rangga ran through the alley killing all of them. He arrived at an empty hall.

  He sensed a familiar presence. “I know you’re here, my brother.”

  “Ah,” Karruva answered. “I have not heard that voice in a long, long time.”

  A flashback ran through Rangga's mind as he moved forward slowly.

  It was a beautiful sunny day. Flowers blooming at the background. Pollens floated in the air. Little Rangga and Little Karruva playing together as kids at the Royal Garden. Sounds of laughter filled the air. They were running around the garden, clashing wooden swords.

  Little Karruva screamed, “I got you! I got you!” Karruva swung his wooden sword hard, driving Rangga to the ground.

  Rangga tried to defend as much as possible. Karruva hit Rangga’s wooden sword away. Rangga’s sword was thrown into the bush.

  “I win!” Karruva declared, laughing. “I always win!”

  Little Rangga was silent and stared at his elder brother.

  Karruva swung his wooden sword down onto Rangga’s head. Little Rangga used his mindpower and gave Karruva a little invisible thud. Karruva fell backwards onto the ground. Father LightKing, who had been watching from afar, smiled at Rangga. Proud of his little son’s fighting spirit.

  But that was all in the past. Rangga saw Karruva standing in the corner.

  “So, you’ve come to take something away from me again?” Karruva asked.

  He knocked Rangga over with his mindpowers. Karruva burst into laughter. A roaring laughter that made the walls tremble. Karruva levitated into the air slowly. Then he descended
onto Rangga at high speed. Rangga turned around with a dagger and plunged the dagger deep into Karruva’s shoulder.

  Karruva punched Rangga across the face, sending him sailing through the air. He landed, and skid across the floor. He laid a moment, groaning on the floor. Karruva stumbled backwards into the wall. The dagger had sunk so deep that the tip was actually protruding out his back, scraping a gash across the wall as Karruva slid towards the floor.

  Karruva grunted, then reached for the hilt with his hand. He gripped the hilt and snapped the dagger in half. Then he slammed his body against the wall, forcing the half of the broken dagger that was still embedded in him out back through the front of his chest. Karruva rose to his feet.

  Rangga used his mindpower and lifted up a very heavy-looking bronze urn into mid-air, throwing it at high speed towards Karruva. It crashed onto Karruva’s head and threw him to the ground. The floor cracked.

  Karruva rolled the urn away and picked himself up. Karruva's head lolled unnaturally sideways. His neck was broken. And then Karruva swung his head around, somehow righting his neck with a snap of his head.

  They traded blows, a brutal death-match that seemed to defy gravity. Rangga moved in for a round-house punch, but Karruva caught his fist, holding it for a split-second, then bending Rangga's hand at an unnatural angle, snapping his wrist bones. The pain was palpable.

  “Just like old times, isn’t it, little brother?” Karruva said.

  Karruva pummelled Rangga with his fists in an uncontrollable rage. He smashed Rangga against a marble column, cracking it. Karruva forced him to the ground, pinning him there. As Rangga struggled to free himself, Karruva put his face close to Rangga’s face.

  “Give it up, brother,” Rangga said. “It’s all over.”

  “You have taken everything away from me,” Karruva said, tears rolling down his cheeks. “What else is there to give up?”

  Karruva used his mindpower to lift Rangga and throw him against the pillar. Blood dripped from Rangga’s lips.

  “I will not kill you, Brother,” Rangga said, weakly. “But you must give up.”

  “What else is there to live for?” Karruva asked with rage. “The source of my sadness is you, Rangga!”

  Karruva attacked again. Rangga coughed blood.

  “Now, as the King of Angkora, fight me!” Karruva screamed.