M’hel and Nunley
Nunley has been quietly following M’hel for hours. Even though he has many questions, everything from his resurrection to this obedience he finds himself trapped in. His rage is boiling over in his mind yet his body follows M’hel. Nunley’s eyes are fixed on the old man’s feet before him, unable to gain any control.
“This is far enough friend.” M’hel says to Nunley. “Gather wood for a large fire.”
“Yes Master.” Nunley hears himself say much to his dismay.
A short time later, M’hel stands before a raging fire.
“It is time for you to step into your true purpose, stand in the fire.”
Nunley suddenly regains his speech. In shock, he speaks out loud “Hell no!”
“My friend, I understand your fear, but remember six hours ago you were dead. Trust me.”
“No!”
“Nunley, you are a blunt object chopping away at the world but when you step back out of the fire you will be the tip of my spear. You will be my Abaddon.”
“What?” He says overcome with fear.
“Walk.”
Nunley loses his ability to speak as he begins stepping toward the fire.
As he does, M’hel begins a rhythmic chanting. Nunley doesn’t understand any of words. The chanting mixed with the heat on his skin causes Nunley to piss himself. Still he walks.
Just steps from the fire, it begins to darken. The flames turn black with an almost anti-glow. The heat is excruciating as Nunley steps into the fire.
As Nunley reaches the center, he screams internally but his face remains expressionless. M’hel chants louder and begins circling the fire. As he does so the fire begins to swirl into the air. A fire column raises hundreds of feet into the air. In the dark of night, the fire is darker. It appears as if the black fire is sucking the moonlight out of the sky, making the entire region darker. The fire acts as an amplifier for M’hel’s voice. His chanting can be heard from miles around. But the darkness conceals his location.
Louder and darker, everyone in the barren region is awoken by the unnatural calling. Children scream in fear. Mothers hold their babies tight; fathers reach for weapons in the dark. A night of great fear is upon them.
Suddenly M’hel steps into the black fire with Nunley. His chanting lowers and the flame begins to lower with it. M’hel unsheathes Kobi’s green blade sword and holds it to the sky. As he does so, all the black fire enters the blade turning it into the same anti-light black as the flames. Over several minutes the process is continues.
Finally, when the fire dies and the smoke clears, M’hel stands in the middle of the ashes; Nunley kneeling at his feet. M’hel is no longer a frail old man bandaged up. He as been transformed into his prime. Long black hair, as black as the evil fire. His eyes burn black with red pupils.
In the sky above them, the effects of the evil fire is evident. The entire moon is black on this night and the stars seem to have disappeared. Every corner of the country can see the powerful display.
In the Capital, standing on the terrace of the Queen’s Tower, the blackened moon catches Roasa’s eyes. Bellumi warriors pause from formation to gaze upon the evil. Witches standing on the top of the Heroes Peak tremble at the display of pure power.
“Rise my spear; my Abaddon.” M’hel says.
Nunley stands. As he does so, he notices that the skin on his arms are darkened pitch black.
“What do you think?” M’hel asks.
“What the Hell?”
“Nunley, I grow tired of your attitude. You are no longer needed. Away with you.” He says as he waves his hand before Nunley’s face.
Instantly Nunley feels himself fall from his own mind. M’hel has pushed him to the brink of consciousness. Something grows in his mind before him.
“Nunley, you are now a passenger. I have created a new consciousness to inhabit your body. I cannot push you completely out so you will be but a whimper in the background of my new creation.” He says with a malevolent grin.
“Now, my Abaddon. Your skin is now reinforced, a blade can no longer penetrate it. Your speed and strength are enhanced to superhuman levels. You have a killer instinct that no simple man can possess. You are my first, but not my last. You exist to be my fist to punch this world into submission. You will help me bring about my new age.”
“Yes Master.” Abaddon says obediently.
Ayepex
“Captain we have been searching for hours, we have combed the forest… He’s gone.” An underling reports to Ayepex.
“I am aware, expand your search. A dead man walking shouldn’t be hard to find.” Ayepex commands.
Three hours after the battle they are still searching. All the Skymen want to give up yet Ayepex keeps them working. Night has fallen but the Skymen’s eyes are still as sharp as in the daylight.
Nunley is a threat and must be found.
For another couple hours, they search with no sign of Nunley. Just as Ayepex is preparing to call off the search, he receives a report of a strange human aimlessly walking through the forest. In hopes of finding Nunley, Ayepex makes his way to the location.
He lands in front of the man a few dozen feet away.
It’s not Nunley.
This man is light skinned, with an average height… for a human. His head is shaved bald, and he has a number engraved into his forehead- 10905. The expressionless gaze upon his face is unsettling.
“I am Ayepex, Captain of the patrol searching these woods for a dangerous man. He wears skins about his chest, has a belt of hair and wears a skull as a helmet. Have you seen anyone like that?” Ayepex asks the mysterious man.
“This drone is designated ten nine oh five; this drone has not seen any person for weeks.”
“Drone? What do you mean?”
“Ten nine oh five, is a part of a collective of minds but the other voices disappeared months ago, designate Ten nine oh five has been alone ever since.”
“Where did you come from? Who are the other voices?”
“Ten nine oh five exists as one voice in the collective of many. The collective serves the Masters.”
“How long have you been walking, searching for this collective?”
“Ten nine oh five has been walking three months, two weeks, three days, seventeen hours, twenty-three minutes, and thirty-eight seconds.”
“Constantly?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t rest?”
“Ten nine oh five does not require rest. The Master’s made the drones to be most efficient.”
“Where are you going?”
“Ten nine oh five does not know, the other voices are missing.”
“10905, I know some people who may be able to help you with your problem. May we take you to them?”
“Ten nine oh five will go with you.”
Ayepex calls the patrol off, as big of a threat as Nunley is, the unsettling speech of 10905 causes greater fear. The entire conversation happened so fast, and at no point did 10905 show any sign of emotion or expression. He just blankly stared forward and calmly answered the questions to the best of his ability.
Ayepex doesn’t know what to think about this “drone” but hopefully the witches know something. Ayepex believes that 10905 must have been created by some sort of magic.
Once they reach the mountain top, Ayepex passes 10905 over to the witch leaders for questioning.
As the witches take 10905 into the forge, Ayepex, Betta and Kobi meet up.
“Nunley is alive. We found his impact point. His blood is everywhere but there are two sets of footprints walking away. The trail ends about a hundred feet away.”
“What? That’s impossible!” Kobi shouts.
“I’m afraid not. I believe the trail was purposefully left to cause fear in our people.”
“Zyno must know. Him killing Nunley was supposed to be his freedom. Should he ever cross his path again, the shock alone would kill him.” Betta says.
Ayepex thinks for a moment before agreeing. “We don’t know where he is though.”
“Yes we do, Katina only knows two places in the world… She took them home to the island.” Betta explains.
“You’re probably right. Betta I want you to fly alone at first light. Tell no one where you are going. Warn him and try to convince him to come home. He may listen to you.” Ayepex directs.
Betta begins to respond but a chanting shout echo’s throughout the land. The night sky darkens, the moon and stars disappear.
The witches exit the forge to see the horror. Terror grips the mountaintop.
Relics of the Old Age 