Vafis, Brebde system, Alkesew galaxy

Day 148, year 16033 post-Uplift

Not even a few seconds after the sign they took a left at the three-way fork, following the two out of the six guards who were in front. There, they saw Lerta being guarded by the two tall ehdars in red armor. In front of her, a ricnep with wide shoulders seemed to be quite annoyed with her and scolded her. The four Paragons did not say a word as they approached, still guarded. And as they did so, they recognized the voice: it was the one that commanded them to move earlier. As any ricnep his head was small, in a heart shape and he had two eyes that sat narrowly in their sockets and made him appear somewhat suspicious.

As soon as they entered the frame, the ricnep’s eyes darted towards them. Laced with the initial anger he was manifesting towards Lerta, the sight was sweetened as much as he could when he started talking to them, in a much calmer voice.

“We are glad to see some other survivors of the oppressive regimes. What brings you to our small planet?”

His question was loaded and he knew it. Joxal decided to speak first.

“Like we’ve told your protege, we are not from around here.”

“Yes, that much we’ve gathered,” he replied in a colder tone. “But what exactly are you doing here?”

Joxal kept silent, as he did not know exactly what to say. That’s when Ahof intervened with the truth, scratching his head a bit.

“In all honesty, we don’t actually know. We know we’re here for a reason, that’s for sure, but that reason still eludes us.”

The ricnep expression became more annoyed again.

“Oh, how great. Lerta here almost lost her life for nothing substantial. And for four more mouths to feed.”

“Dad, you know that’s not–”

“Oh, but it is,” the ricnep retorted.

That’s when Hiruk tried making a step forward, but as a reaction, the six guards all targeted him. He slowly raised his arms to the level of his head and started speaking.

“Firstly, we mean no harm. Secondly, whatever situation you are in, we can try to help.”

“How?” the ricnep’s voice was that of the ego, not of the self.

Hiruk started explaining.

“Lerta told us a bit about what’s transpiring here. We can try to engage the two factions and try to break off their attack. But first, we would need to clean up the town of these drones.”

The ricnep gave a scoffing smirk.

“With what? Your mambo-jumbo powers? Will you make a large fleet appear out of thin air? No? I didn’t think so.”

That’s when slightly annoyed himself, Hiruk reached a hand out with lightning-fast movements and yanked all of the weapons that were held by the guards or in their holsters. He made a rugged ‘ball’ of the aforementioned weapons, keeping them floating right in front of him.

“That was just me,” he said staring at the ricnep, while the guards were tensing up, ready to lunge at him. “Now, mister Know-it-all… Tell us how we can help and we will help.”

The ricnep was somewhat shocked. He certainly did not expect a Lightbringer to act in such a rash way. However, he tried calming the spirits.

“Gentleman, relax,” he started towards the guards. “If they wanted us any harm, it’s clear that they would have inflicted it faster than we could have had time to blink.”

Then he looked at the Paragons.

“Look, we may have started on the wrong foot. I don’t know if you care for introductions anymore, but I am Xalior Vull, Lerta’s father and the leader of this group.”

“A pleasure,” the unavru said, still holding the weapons ‘hostage’.

“If you really want to help, then it’s indeed a good idea to start with the drones that were left in this town by the Relics of Eternity.”

Hiruk nodded and relaxed a bit. Then, he offered the weapons back to their owners.

“However,” Xalior added, “that will attract the wrath and attention of the Relics and then the Aegis will follow. They are like leeches regarding the other two factions, wherever the first two go, the Aegis has to follow.”

As the guards were looking confusedly at one another, not knowing if they were needed anymore, the leader spoke again.

“But it’s better than leaving things as they are, I think. We have food for the remaining 86 people for a tenday. Then we will need to come out and fight our way through the drones ourselves.”

The silence enveloped the room for a second, with the Paragons pondering the implications of their potential future actions. Eventually, Lozeam broke the silence.

“We shall help as we’ve said. Just… Let’s try to make a plan and see what we can expect from them.”

“Certainly,” Xalior replied almost instantly. “Follow me. We will show you our temporary home.”

*****

They reached the location of what looked like an extremely large secret bunker in less than a minute of walking. There were a few people around, of various races, but most of them were ehdars, meaning this was a colony founded by them. Soon, they found what looked like an operations center, which Xalior explained was also his – and Lerta’s – home. As he dismissed the guards and welcomed them to the upper floor, Lerta wanted to follow, but her father insisted for a moment to remain on the ground floor.

“I brought them here. Don’t you think I deserve to know what will happen next?”

And with that, the ricnep relented, leaving her to join the meeting with the powerful strangers.

“I don’t know what’s customary in your cultures. But do you want to consume anything? Snacks or drinks?”

The four looked at each other for a brief moment, as they were still standing, and replied with their heads shaking in a ‘no’ motion.

“Alright. More for me,” Xalior said with a smile, trying to joke around.

They eventually sat down, on what looked like kitchen chairs brought over by Lerta, and as mister Xalior was fixing himself a drink he started explaining what was transpiring at the moment above the planet, in the night sky. The situation was tricky. It was like Lerta said, the two factions battling in the region for control over as many planets as possible. However, the space battle which commenced a few hours ago, raged on and it was possible they would have to face a change in ‘leadership’ as the Aegis of Justice was beating back the Relics of Eternity in this area. Which could have been a bit better, but it was probably going to be much worse, if they found out the resistance was there.

The Relics of Eternity – one of the three totalitarian regimes that conquered known regions of the Alkesew galaxy – ruled over Vafis for the past half Standard Year, when they got a hold of the subregion known as Fidlaz. They were cruel and exploited the small planet until it bore no more fruit when it came to natural resources, like rare metals and other elements. The initial population of Vafis was around 223000 people at the moment of the invasion. Most died in the work camps around the planet and as of the moment he was speaking, mister Xalior had no idea if there were other survivors.

As he was sitting down, in the blue armchair next to the window, to the Paragons’ right side, the ricnep continued. When it came to the Aegis of Justice, the situation was not much better. It was actually much worse in many aspects. They were led by a corrupted power source known simply as the Godsource, which they believed to be a Divine Spark controlled by the Dark Ones. The Divine Instrument acted on its own, with its subjects transformed into obedient slaves, all becoming a hive mind. Or, in this case, a hive-soul.

“Why are they fighting, though? Is it just for power? Control? Information?” Ahof asked out of the blue.

The ricnep looked at him for a brief moment, his eyes a mixture of wonder and sudden displeasure.

“They – even the third faction, the Lawbringers – are all searching for an artifact of immense power, which they are calling the Spark of Creation.”

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

This information made the Paragons’ eyes widen for more than a moment. It was as if something clicked inside and the path forward was revealed further.

“Do you feel it?” Lozeam asked the other three.

“Feel is far from what I’m experiencing, ” Ahof explained, just as starstruck. “To be is more appropriate I’d say.”

“What is happening?” Lerta asked, just as confused as her father.

In unison, the four turned towards the ricnep and Hiruk spoke, apparently ignoring her.

“We need to know more about this Spark of Creation. What it is, exactly, and if you have any clues to where we can start our search.”

Xalior’s eyebrows arched in a deliberate angry frown.

“Why, so you could become like our oppressors?”

That meant he knew something.

“I don’t think you understand that well. No offense intended,” Lozeam added, looking around a bit. “Our ancestors faced wars at a universe level, wars that killed trillions, in order to survive and bring forward what we know to be as the Ascension.”

Hiruk continued, scratching one of the eyelids of his smaller eyes.

“We are Paragons, trying to do the Creator’s… The One Above All’s will.”

“We are not trying to do any harm to you or your loved ones,” Ahof added.

The ricnep looked at the ground for a moment, then he made a face of pure disgust. If he did not possess enough self-control, he would have thrown the drink their way.

“You’re like them, aren’t you? You surround your actions with pretty and ‘inspiring’ words but when it comes to truly delivering you’re going to step on as many heads as needed to ‘prevail’...”

The silence enveloped the room one more time. “I’ve changed my mind. We don’t need your help. We’ll survive just as fine without you… And your mambo-jumbo powers.”

He then got up, and without saying a word, left them in the nicely decorated room.

The Paragons looked strangely at one another and at Lerta, with Joxal insisting with his gaze for a little longer than desired. What came over mister Xalior? Why the sudden change of attitude?

“I… I don’t know what’s happening…” Lerta tried to make sense of the situation.

“But you have a suspicion,” Joxal eyed her once again. “What is it?”

“I… I’m not sure I should say it…”

“You can trust us,” Joxal explained without blinking.

“I think it’s about my mother… And I think… No. I can’t do it. Sorry.”

Then she got up as well and left, just as the ricnep earlier, without saying anything anymore.

The looks on the faces of the Paragons were that of pure confusion, with one exception. Joxal had a suspicion himself, but he could not be sure. Not until he tested something…

“So what should we do now?” Hiruk inquired to see the opinions of others.

“I say we help them, anyway. Try to gain their trust. Maybe that way he’ll give us some info,” Lozeam suggested

“Yes and no,” Joxal finally intervened.

“What do you mean?” Ahof was the one asking.

“It’s a good idea to help them. I think it’s part of our path. To make sure these people survive and live after the events that are happening between these two warring factions.”

“But…” Lozeam added.

“But her father, mister Xalior Vull, will never give us any information regarding this Spark of Creation. No matter what we do.”

Lozeam sighed.

“I feel it’s the Aliph. The first Aspect of the Will of the Creator,” the azpdeg tried to explain.

“So that’s where that energy was taking us. That’s what I feel, at least,” Ahof continued.

Another moment of silence, another pondering of their limited knowledge.

“I have a theory about what form it took, currently,” Joxal broke the quiet with his calculated voice. “The Aliph, I mean… But to test that theory, we’ll need to gain Lerta’s trust and get rid of the Aegis of Justice and the Relics of Eternity.”

The others looked at him, curiosity present even more so than before in their eyes, and listened as they got up and left the base of operations.

*****

The bunker seemed even larger now that they had gone through it a few times, discussing their plans. The people there looked at them with suspicious eyes, trying to keep their distance from them. The fear they were feeling was somehow amplified by their presence, as the people did not know what to believe and mister Xalior’s distrust was not helping the situation. However, they had to focus. In order to obtain the Aliph, they needed to first understand where to find it. Joxal’s theory was somewhat… extravagant. In the Book of Revelation it was said that the Aspects of the Will of the Creator were stored in people. Joxal assumed that the energy that brought them here was controlled by some force that knew what it was doing and, at the same time, he felt that finding a person that knew something about the Aliph right away was quite suspicious in itself. But, as aforementioned, they needed it. For the Creator, for themselves, for the Ascension.

So they planned. And the plan was simple. Fight and succeed in defeating the fleets above the planet or at least die trying. They were more powerful, indeed, but they had not tested their capabilities in a real combat scenario. How they would fare against well-equipped ships remained to be seen. But they had no reason to linger anymore. So they went to Lerta, after focusing for a moment to find her energy signature. Luckily, she was alone, outside of the buildings, staring at a few pebbles which were currently in the air, being supported by her powers.

“Hey, there,” Joxal was the only one who approached the place where she was sitting.

Lerta looked at him and then at the other three, who were giving her a wide berth.

“I hope I wasn’t too intrusive earlier. I’m sorry if I opened up old wounds. That wasn’t our intention. But you have to understand that this is bigger than all of us.”

The ehdar woman looked him deep in the eye for a moment, then she spoke, calmly.

“I do understand. This Ascension sounds like an event that happens once… ever.”

“So you do understand,” Joxal forced a smirk out of him. “In a sense it’s like that.”

“Talking about larger than life events… Now even our survival feels small in relation to that.”

“You know that’s not true,” Joxal tried to encourage her. “Every person is important for the One Above All.”

“You think so?”

“I do.”

“I don’t know what kind of lives you’ve had where you came from, but you spoke about the horrors of war in the past tense. I assume you haven’t experienced it yourself.”

Joxal was silent for a longer moment than he would have wanted. He knew in what direction this talk was going and he had no good answers for her.

“I haven’t experienced a battle in a full-scale war, no. However, we had to fight Dark Ones just before we were transported here.”

Lerta picked one of the pebbles in her hand, keeping the others afloat for the moment.

“It has been hard you know. Trusting strangers at first glance, after a first meeting. But I feel something about you guys, I feel like you’re going to save us. You’re going to save… Me. So that’s why I want to help you in return.”

Joxal’s reaction was one of understanding, nodding in agreement to what she was saying.

“But first, we need to help these people,” she gestured around her, towards the buildings.

“We wouldn’t have it any other way.”

She smiled. And he smiled too.

“Can you take us outside? Without causing a scene or forcing our way through?”

She dropped the pebbles to the ground and got up. Her reply was accompanied by a playful smile, slightly different from the one from before.

“How did you think I got out earlier? You’ll just have to keep up with me through the ventilation system.”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem.”

“Then follow me.”

*****

After a walk inside one of the larger buildings inside the bunker, Lerta showed them the vents that usually helped her escape when things got too rough in the confinement of the secret facility. As the Paragons of Light were levitating through the large vents, they did not make a sound and simply followed the ehdar woman. They eventually emerged near the edge of the town, through a set of sewers that were out of order and much cleaner than expected. That’s when Lerta stopped and let them take the ‘lead’.

“This is where my journey ends for today,” she said, only half-emerged from the sewer hole. “If I go out again, my father will be furious. But I wish you the best. And may He watch over you,” she said, pointing and looking at the sky.

“And over you,” Joxal smiled again. “And Lerta… Thank you. For everything you’re doing for us.”

“Of course. You’re our only hope, after all. Even if my father is too stubborn to admit it.”

Another moment of silence, through which the wind blew softly.

“Now go show them who you are.”

And with that she disappeared back underground, leaving no trace that something might be off with the metallic lid that covered it.

The night was still surrounding every corner of the streets and without light they had to focus on their inner senses even more. Which was not a problem, as they were trained for tens of years to do so. They extended their powers further and further away from them, continuing to do so until the whole town was enveloped in them. They felt every movement, every sound, every energy signature. And that’s when they began. Establishing what parts of the town each of them would focus on, they separated and levitated through the streets.

As they did so, the first drones were found soon, almost at the same time by the four Paragons. They were made out of some sort of metal alloy having nano-tech imbued in them. That, however, was not going to be a problem for the Paragons. With precise energy strikes or telekinetic attacks each of them took care of the metallic enemies they were facing, the sound of metal screeching against the concrete streets being heard multiple times throughout the town. In a matter of minutes, all 40 drones were turned to something close to dust, a few ‘lucky’ ones still having parts of them intact but being deactivated completely.

Afterward, the Paragons met close to the church where they found Lerta, at the edge of the town.

‘Done,’ Ahof said with a smile as he was approaching the others.

‘Now to play the waiting game…’ Joxal mentioned, looking at the sky.

They knew that their actions would have attracted the attention of the Relics of Eternity. How long until they would send someone to check on them remained to be seen. However, they knew what they had to do. And nothing in the multiverse could have altered their resolve.