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#3
MAY 12 |
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“The Rakkus Gem” Part Three
Mongesi
Interior of Yavesh (Continent of Khand)
Gornig-Ba had taken his fifty Vuldarians and marched through the city of Yavesh, slaughtering and killing the entire way. They knew exactly where to hit the Mongesians to kill them and their aim was usually dead on. Besides, most of the people in the city chose to run away instead of fighting back, which just made them all the easier to pick off. Gornig-Ba was different from many Vuldarians in that respect in that he didn't care about the glory of battle; all that mattered to him was getting the job done. Glory was better left for fools though that was a sentiment he never voiced. He knew the ideas his people operated off of and if he ever wanted to be a Brood Commander then he had to follow by them.
Cruelly looking back at his troops and pointing north to a white spire splattered in various spots with ocean blue, Gornig-Ba said, "The entrance to the Mongesilopis is a Vuldec away. Be wary because I doubt we'll find it unguarded."
One of the soldiers grunted. "These aliens have proven no sport. Why should we be wary of these insects?"
That sparked a laugh from the troops, a laugh that Gornig-Ba wasn't going to tolerate. He covered the distance between him and the soldier with blinding speed, morphing his hand into a large vice he tightened it around the soldier's neck and lifted him into the air. "We NEVER underestimate the enemy! That is how our people fell when battling the Tormocks. Would you have something similar occur here?"
"No sir," the soldier said fearful and choking.
Dropping him to the ground, Gornig-Ba turned back in the direction of the spiral. "Very well then. Move out!"
The soldiers moved away from their scolded comrade leaving him to nurse his wound on his own. Gornig-Ba’s transformed hand had left a bruise that was quickly healing. Due to their malleable natures, Vuldarians healed at a high rate, but their malleability did not make them invulnerable to physical injury. Most of their transformation powers were centered in their arms so other parts of their body were more susceptible to fatal blows. Gornig-Ba had known just what to grab to teach him a lesson.
“I suggest you stop staring at the man with eyes of death Tyrik-Zo,” a fellow Vuldarian said as he helped the soldier to his feet. “It is not wise to challenge a commander on the field of battle.”
Tyrik-Zo spit on the ground in disgust. The spittle sizzled when it made contact with the yellowish concrete. “Gornig-Ba is no Brood Commander and he never will be. None of his matings have produced any daughters.”
“What he lacks in vessels of life, he makes up for with cunning. Make no mistake, Gornig-Ba is not to be underestimated, but you are right in one respect: he will never be Brood Commander.”
“What makes you agree, Elrkt-Qi?”
“He lacks the fire and ferocity to be a Brood Commander. His clever mind is not suited for Vuldarian society and his bucking against this will be his downfall. And if things go the way I think they will, we shall have an opportunity to rid ourselves of him forever.”
It was not unheard of for Vuldarians to kill other Vuldarians, but to speak of it in such a devious manner bothered Tyrik-Zo. He rather stab his hand through Gornig-Ba’s heart chords and be done with it. “You would plot against him?”
The Vuldarian shook his head. “Not plot. Simply maneuver Gornig-Ba’s own vices to destroy him. It is inevitable. I know you see it as I do.”
While not eager to feel Gornig-Ba’s grip around his throat again, Tyrik-Zo knew his Brood Brother’s words to be true. Some links needed to be removed from the chain of command structure and Gornig-Ba was one such link. His way of thinking was an affront to the Vuldarian way of life. If his kind of thought process spread amongst their people, they’d be weak, simmering strategists plotting out courses from behind an unseen veil. The Vuldarians were warriors and every last one of them needed to be as such or purging was completely justified. Besides, this was not out and out treachery…simply elimination through the materials already at hand.
“I am with you, Elrkt-Qi,” Tyrik-Zo said as he was helped to his feet.
The two soldiers quickly caught to the rest of their squad and listened to Gornig-Ba explain what they may soon be up against. “The Mongesians guarding the Crypt of Mongesilopis are not your typical members of the species. They possess certain abilities that put them above their fellows and make them more dangerous. Expect sonic screams, teleportation and abnormal strength.”
The sonic screams were what worried the soldiers the most because Vuldarians had senses that were higher than many of the species they encountered and high-pitched sounds could sometimes be debilitating to them. Gornig-Ba sniffed that fear out of the air like any good commander should. “The sonic screams pose a difficulty but we will face it. A thousand corpses will fall before us before we back down!”
All the soldiers (even Tyrik-Zo and Elkrt-Qi, despite their misgivings) gave a grunt of approval and continued to march steadily behind Gornig-Ba. The fifty Vuldarians were spread out in a triangle formation allowing for the most cover at the back and the ability to quickly retreat if necessary. It was an uncommon formation for Vuldarians as they didn’t even like to contemplate the idea of retreat, but Gornig-Ba was commander and his rule was law.
The desolation of the city of Yavesh didn’t bother any of the soldiers in the slightest. To them it was just a sign of the glory and power of the Vuldarian people. The Mongesians cowering before them were just the beginning; with the Reach guiding their ferocity, the Vuldarians would spread a swath of fear across a cosmos that had forgotten all that they had done for them. The Vuldarians died by the droves protecting younger and less powerful races from those who would subjugate them and not even the slightest grief was shown when they were driven to near extinction. Now that coldness would be repaid in kind.
A soldier next to Gornig-Ba looked out at the city and said slowly, “I find this architecture strange. So many of the buildings here are spherical and don’t reach any sort of height. It seems to lack good sense and use of space.” “Zindro-Ka says the Mongesians of this region believe the sphere to be the ultimate shape, for it is perfectly definable and indefinable, and the sphere is fluid yet constant. If they were not such lower life forms, I would almost consider it admirable,” Gornig-Ba replied.
Tyrik-Zo frowned and exchanged a knowing look with his comrade.
Soon the spotted white spire was clear in front of them and standing guard at a golden horizontal gate were seven Mongesians draped in black cloaks. It almost made them look like giant lampshades because of their massive legs spread evenly around their body in a circle.
Embroidered in the cloaks were sapphires that zigzagged across each one in its own individual ways. But was what most striking were the dozens of blue eyes staring daggers of hate into the approaching Vuldarians.
Tyrik-Zo smiled. “These ones have no fear. Perhaps we have finally found something worth slaughtering.”
“Be silent!” Gornig-Ba ordered. “I know who you are, Cult of Yarus. Step aside and let us take the bounty we’ve come for.”
“That would be insanity of the highest order,” one of the Cult members said with a voice that commanded power and respect.
Another followed in a similar tone. “And we are far from insane.”
“So depart from our world while you still have your lives.”
Gornig-Ba laughed out of irritation. “Are you so foolish as to not see when someone is trying to spare you? Now move aside and you may yet live to see your star rise again.”
“NO! None of this scum shall breathe ever again for defying the power of the Vuldarians.”
All of the troops looked up and saw Zindro-Ka standing on a doarbi. It looked like a floating surfboard with a metal cage around it and guns hanging from the side. There were about thirty other Vuldarians with the Brood Commander all riding doarbi as well. The soldiers on the ground cheered at Zindro-Ka’s proclamation and most felt like that finally a true leader had arrived in their midst. The war tattoos of Zindro-Ka were famous amongst the fourteen Broods.
Only Gornig-Ba cursed his arrival. That overzealous bastard is going to cost lives! If he had allowed me to continue we might already have the Rakkus Gem in our grasp.
Zindro-Ka’s proclamation brought out twenty more cultists from the crypt. Their jeweled black cloaks beamed in the sunlight and reminded Gornig-Ba of the Zlays, ancient demons from his people’s folklore. The Zlays were bright in appearance while still being dark in form. As a broodlot, he was told of their battle against the Kingdom of Grit. The Zlays had been offended by the Lord of Grit’s arrogance and many thousands loss their lives, but eventually the Zlays gave up their demand. It was meant to be a tale of courage, but Gornig-Ba only saw a loss of life. He looked at Zindro-Ka and saw the Lord of Grit with all his unyielding arrogance. It would be the ruin of many Vuldarians today.
“We guard the flame. We shall not see it relit. Our last breath guards this tomb.”
Zindro-Ka sneered. “Then I shall make it yours.”
The cultists all quickly brandished extendable red bo staffs that hummed and buzzed. Storming forward with the great speed Zindro-Ka expected, they leaped into the air and landed in the midst of the Vuldarian troopers. A couple landed right on top of soldiers and their powerful legs ripped through the Vuldarian’s bodies. One cultist immediately went into a handstand upon landing and spun around like a small tornado. His legs batted away soldiers like they were little more than dust mites until a well-placed blast from Gornig-Ba struck the cultist directly in the chest.
The Vuldarian commander had no time to enjoy the victory as he was slapped across the back with a red staff. Gornig-Ba slammed down his jaw to bite back the pain traveling through his body. His arms and legs were useless so he was unable to defend himself from another blow and more blinding pain. Closing his eyes to prepare for the third strike, but it never came as the guns of Zindro-Ka’s vessel destroyed the cultist.
Like an anvil, the Brood Commander’s voice came down from on high. “Rise, Gornig-Ba! There is much more of this scum to slay!”
He refused to say that he couldn’t. “Their staffs must attack the nervous system, Brood Commander.”
Zindro-Ka pointed his group of vessels at the spotted spire. “Take it down! Take it down now! For glory!”
That was when the Mongesian cultists let loose the skill that the Vuldarians feared. Sonic screams ringed out across the city and every Vuldarian covered their ears, but couldn’t stop the blood from flowing.
Gornig-Ba had to take the full force of the blasts because of his immobility. He felt like every part of his body was being ripped apart into small pieces. He knew that the other Vuldarians on the battlefield had to be feeling the same, and the ripping sensation came in wave after painful wave. In-between bouts of insane pain, Gornig-Ba cursed the stupidity of Zindro-Ka. If he had followed his plan, this would be going a lot more smoothly.
Dizzy with pain, it took all of Gornig-Ba’s training to even get to his knees. The sight he saw irritated and dismayed him. The cultists were leaping and bounding through the incapacitated Vuldarian soldiers with expert ease, rendering them even more useless with their synaptic focused staffs. Sonic screams were keeping them from being able to lift even a finger to fight back.
The ground underneath Gornig-Ba began to shake violently but the sonic screams were still too painful for him to try and celebrate. He could only watch in continued agony as the ground broke open and Filaists burst forth from the stone and dirt. A low-pitched screech came from the aliens as the large, orange-plated snakes quickly bit and wrapped around the cultists. Soon they were forced to try and focus their sonic attacks on the Filaists. The waves of pain ceased and Gornig-Ba knew their strategy would prove useless.
Filaists were far less susceptible to sound than their Vuldarian masters. Shaking off the pain of the sonic attack, Gornig-Ba pointed to the spire. Zindro-Ka was completely unconscious so Gornig-Ba would have to lead again. “Move into the spire! Find the Rakkus Gem!”
The Crypt of Mongesilopis was wide open to them thanks to the timely rescue of the Filaists. Gornig-Ba ran with all the speed his legs could provide him. The screams of the cultists as they were ripped apart by the jagged, snake creatures filled him with pleasure. It took a great deal of arrogance to really believe you could stand up to a Vuldarian force and those aliens were paying for it in kind, as would all enemies of the Reach, even the worthy Green Lanterns. Gornig-Ba just hoped the overzealousness of men like Zindro-Ka didn’t put a stop to their resurgence.
Getting to the entrance of the crypt, Gornig-Ba morphed both of his arms into massive hammers and slammed them on the door. The metal caved under his attack and the way to the Rakkus Gem was made wide open. The crypt was dark and smelt like a hundred corpses left to rot, but even such a pungent odor didn’t deter a single Vuldarian. In fact, Gornig-Ba mustered a defiant smile for the crypt. “Tear it apart! Find the gem.”
“Yes, brothers! Do the will of the Reach and bring us glory!”
Gornig-Ba grit his teeth and looked back to see Zindro-Ka leading a squad of revived Vuldarian warriors towards the crypt. Refusing to let that bumbling idiot have the glory of this planet, Gornig-Ba ran headlong into the darkness. His enhanced senses made such dark places seem like they were illuminated with dozens of torches. It wasn’t long before he found a pathway to a lower level, which was lightened by a strange purple. With one powerful leap, Gornig-Ba descended the pathway and stood in the lower level.
The lower level was wider than the entire spire had been above ground. Gornig-Ba surmised that it must have been built before the spire itself was constructed. He scanned the area for any enemies, seeing none he moved towards the source of the purple light. It was only a few yards in front of him so he quickly covered the space. Soon as he did, he looked down on the large crystal emitting purple light. The crystal was longer than it was wide and would have been the crowning jewel of many a primitive world. Gornig-Ba could understand why the cultists would have fought so hard to keep the Rakkus Gem safe.
“But now it’s ours,” Gornig-Ba said as he gripped the jewel with one hand and lifted off its resting place. The light dimmed the moment he did so and the entire level began to shake and rumble.
From underneath the stand that held the gem, four black shadows burst forth. Gornig-Ba felt the pure malevolence pouring from them and might have been ready to attack, but he held the gem.
WHO WAS SO FOOLISH AS TO SET US FREE?
Gornig-Ba sneered. “One who would have your services.”
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To Be Continued...
Next: In Green Lantern Corps #4: The Green Lanterns and Darkstars arrive on Mongesi. But are they too late to help?
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