2 Kingdoms:
Anan’s Awakening
Harry H. Hawkins, III
H3 Enterprises Marietta, Georgia
2 Kingdoms: Anan's Awakening. Copyright 2010 by Harry H. Hawkins, III
Published by H3 Enterprises Marietta, Georgia 30008
Smashwords edition
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Cover design by Roderick L. Dunn
Dedicated to Candace and Harry H.
Hawkins, Jr for giving me the joy of reading and
showing me how to express my creativity.
Special thanks to Candace Hawkins, Carla
DuPont-Huger, and Roderick Dunn for their
assistance in getting the book ready for publishing
Visit http://www.harryhhawkins3.com for character bios and more info on the 2 Kingdom Universe!
Glossary (in order of appearance)
Vaden- a Fallen Anakim that is known for his black sword and his crafty tactics when fighting Anakim. He is currently leading a group of Fallen Anakim in an attack upon the planet Munir.
Gethin-Regent of the small island country Dror.
Nadir- The spiritual Prince of Munir, attempting to hold on to his power in the face of Vaden’s attacks.
Ferozoa- The elite guard of the Regent of Ranis
Alaric- Regent of Ranis, the third largest populated area on Munir
Kaysor- the Rais of the Ranis the military, leader of the Ferozoa. He answers directly to the Regent.
Sculpin- an Anakim of the Messenger Class, currently protecting Rasul
Ancient of Days- A great spiritual being that is responsible for the existence of the Anakim and Gammadim
Gammadim-mankind, creatures of both flesh and spirit
Anakim- Spirits that are loyal to the Ancient of Days; often acting in a protective role for Gammadim
Fallen Anakim- Spirits that have rebelled against the Ancient of Days and are vehemently opposed to Gammadim following their former master.
Rasul- a prophet of sorts, one of the last true followers of the Way, the pattern of life set up by the Ancient of Days
Asha-A Fallen Anakim of the Life Class, one of Vaden’s Seven in responsible for Dror
Ceferino- a Fallen Anakim of the Forces Class, one of Vaden’s Seven, in charge of Zoar
Phyolesion-A Fallen Anakim of the Life Class, one of Vaden’s Seven, responsible for Nira
Zaman- a Fallen Anakim of the Forces Class, one of Vaden’s Seven, in charge of Ketza
Darach- a Fallen Anakim of the Life Class, one of Vaden’s Seven, responsible for Indar
Aydan-A Fallen Anakim of the Forces Class, one of Vaden’s Seven responsible for Elan
Septar- a Fallen Anakim of the Life Class, Vaden’s second in command first among the Seven, responsible for Ranis
Nia-The assistant to Gethin the Regent of Dror. Acts in his stead during any absences.
Anan-Member of the Ranis military who has the gift of ‘sight’. He can ‘see’ and interact with Anakim
Callah- Commander of the Technician Class in the Ranis military currently stationed on the Siva Basidion
Faris- an Anakim of the Life Class, currently one of the Anakim protecting Anan
Zia- an Anakim of the Lights Class, responsible for protecting Anan with Faris
Jalal- The leader of the Siva Basidion, the Durai
Belial- First Commander Warrior Class of the Siva Basidion, Military Liaison to Nira
Gavannon- Regent of Nira, the second largest populated land on Munir
Savas- an Anakim of the Forces Class, one of Nadir’s Captains on Munir
Jaya- Regent of Elan the large island located west of Indar
Dismas- Regent of Zoar, the northernmost continent on Munir
Mattin- Regent of Ketza, the southern neighbor of Dror
Cassian- Regent of Indar the largest populated land on Munir
Braga- An enigmatic Fallen Anakim with mysterious connections to Vaden
***Chapter 1***
Vaden withdrew his sword from Gethin’s back, its black blade glowing, filling the room with its aura. He watched as Gethin fell to his knees and grabbed at his chest. Having achieved his purpose, Vaden reabsorbed the sword into his body.
Gethin coughed and spat blood on the floor, feeling as though he had been stabbed, although there was no one in the room and no holes in his chest. As he slumped to the floor, he wondered if Rasul had been right all along.
“Everyone will think he died of a heart attack after his evening meal” Vaden said addressing the seven others like him in the room. Vaden stood about seven feet tall in his chosen form, with layered clothes that were reminiscent of garb worn by ancient warriors.
“Will Nadir believe that?” one of the seven asked.
“Of course not. He is too clever to be fooled by such measures, but he will be powerless to do anything about it.” Vaden answered.
With his piercing eyes glaring from behind his long black hair communicating his desire for conquest, he commanded their respect.
The door burst open and one of the Ferozoa came running in hearing the thump of Gethin falling.
“Gethin!?” the elite bodyguard hollered.
“Regent Gethin is down!” he exclaimed as he felt for life signs.
“I think he is dead!” he finished.
The other Ferozoa assigned to Gethin came running into the room followed by the Regent’s assistant. Although the room was large, it struggled to hold all of the people that poured in to investigate. Not one among them could see the eight strangers gathered in the room watching.
“Let us finish our business here and move on. Our enemy is sure to be enroute.” Vaden said.
One of the Ferozoa began to take charge of the circus that was unfolding.
“You two, prepare Gethin for transport. You, contact Regent Alaric, he must be notified.” the guard ordered.
“Interrupt him if necessary!” he added.
As the younger Ferozoa carried out his orders Kaysor studied the room. To look at Gethin, his first impulse was that Gethin had been attacked. However there was no sign of entry that someone could have com in from and his second in command saw no one leaving as he entered the room. Alaric would not be pleased. The Ferozoa were on loan to regent Gethin to protect him from escalating dangers. Now Gethin was dead and he had no answers for his Regent.
Nadir could see the big island of Dror, Nereus off in the distance illuminated by the moonlight. If what the messenger told him was accurate, he may already be too late. In a flash Nadir arrived at his destination making a straight line for Gethin’s office. He passed through the outer walls as if they were air and landed where Gethin was attacked. Moments later, the messenger that had summoned him landed next to him.
When Nadir landed he found Vaden and his chosen Seven standing around Gethin’s body. This was not the first time he witnessed a gathering like this.
Nearly twenty years ago Nadir was racing through the forest of Nira with his messenger Sculpin hot on his trail. The messenger had finally escaped the bonds of Vaden and summoned Nadir to stop the plans of the Fallen Anakim. Through trees and brush Nadir flew drawing as much power as he could to reach his destination as fast as possible. He was trying to reach a small settlement of the Ancient’s followers who resided in the untamed forest of Nira in order to keep themselves pure form the influence of the general Niran population. Nadir checked in on them occasionally but usually left that task to one of his subordinates; a mistake he now realized. Months had passed since he was able to discern their request to the Ancient of Days, and he dispatched Sculpin; a reliable and swift Anakim of the Messenger Class to find out what had changed. At worst he thought that the group might have been plagued with doubts or discouragement, but a worse fate awaited him in the clearing up ahead.
He arrived at the campsite of the faithful and stopped dead in his tracks. Standing in the clearing were eight large Fallen Anakim, looking out over what appeared to be a massacre. Seven of them were familiar to Nadir. They were clearly the Fallen Anakim that were trying to usurp power from Nadir and place ‘dims in positions of power that favored their motives more than the Ancient’s. Each one of them was responsible for one of the seven lands of Munir. The one standing in the middle with dark black hair and layered white garments that resembled cloth armor was a new face, but definitely the one in charge.
“Where are the servants of the Ancient, Fallen One?” Nadir bellowed.
“I am not sure where the servants of the Ancient are, but these are my servants here.” The white garbed new comer said pointing to the heaps of bodies on the ground.
“That’s what started it all.” Sculpin said to Nadir pointing to another pile of bodies in the distance.
Nadir walked over to the spot where Sculpin pointed and saw mutilated bodies of followers of an ancient religion that was seen as evil by the followers of the Ancient of Days. The pieces began to come together for Nadir. He turned back to the servants of the Ancient and saw; focusing this time on the Gammadim that were present and still alive. He saw members of the Niran military and a few government officials looming about, still processing the crimes before them.
“The servants that you seek did that!” the leader of the Fallen Anakim shouted.
“I suppose you pushed them in that direction.” Nadir responded.
Sculpin nodded yes to confirm that Nadir’s suspicion was correct.
“What’s your name invader?” Nadir questioned.
“I have been called many names over the years.”
“Vaden is what they call him!” Sculpin shouted out.
“Well Vaden, is there any reason why I shouldn’t have a judge deal with you?”
“Yes. The most simple reason of all; I have not broken any of the Rules here. Every last act they committed was done of their own free will and under their own power. I simply provided the thought and they executed it.”
“I failed them.” Nadir said under his breath.
He was so sure that this one group was strong enough to stand up against the tricks and schemes of their common enemy that he focused on more fragile communities. For years he watched as they cultivated a lifestyle and culture that reflected their beliefs to align with the teachings of the Way; now they were going to be branded as murderers.
“Once their beliefs reached a point where they were willing to separate themselves from society, it was no great task for them to see themselves as different from the rest of Nira. Once they accepted their difference, it was just a small leap to being superior. After that all it took was a few small negative encounters with the ‘evil’ ones you see there to have them acting as judge and executioner all at once. It really was quite amusing to see. In fact, I believe I have you to thank for that, seeing as how you got them to be so removed from the rest of the world.” Vaden said smiling.
Nadir looked at Sculpin who looked down, wishing he had been stronger or faster so that this could have been avoided.
“Soon the whole world will know what took place here Nadir; they will know what to expect from followers of the Ancient, doers of the Way!” Vaden said as he took to the sky taking his Seven with him.
Nadir looked at the bodies of the fallen ‘dims and wept. Innocent to a point, involved in a conflict that they neither could witness nor understand. The followers of the Ancient were driven to the point where they justified murder and acted upon that belief, forcing the Niran military to use violent force to stop them. Unfortunately, it was too late to stop them from slaying the practitioners of Archaechis or to save their lives.
Upon the once peaceful soil of the Niran forest lay the ruined bodies of some of the strongest and most vigilant Gammadim on the planet, along with much of Nadir’s hope for Munir.
In the present Nadir was visibly angered by the presence of Vaden and his chosen.
“Where is Gethin, Vaden? You know you have no right of access here!” Nadir said.
“Good to see you too old friend. As for your Gammadim, his essence is desperately clinging to his shell trying to avoid the inevitable.” Vaden replied.
“My messenger informs me that you and your cohorts stormed in here and claimed Gethin as yours. You have no right to this Gammadim and no business here.”
“I agree with you on one point Nadir, I have no business here now; concerning my right of access I have not gone against the Rules. However, you can keep your self important speech; it is too late for that.”
“Where is Gethin’s guardian? Where is he so that he can give his account?”
“Unfortunately for him he did not believe my claims either and suffered the same fate as your dear Gethin.”
“Nadir looked at his messenger and saw in its eyes that the Fallen Anakim standing before him was telling the truth.
“Go deliver your message my friend.” Nadir said to the messenger.
The much smaller messenger shot off through the ceiling to fulfill his next mission; Anakim of his class were known for their speed. As he did, one of the Seven shot up to follow the messenger, but was caught by Nadir before he could leave the room. Nadir grabbed the Fallen Anakim by its neck and slammed him back down to the office floor, where his counterparts would have been standing if they had not moved to avoid the pair. Slowly he released his grip from around the creature’s neck keeping his gaze fixed on the overly ambitious attacker.
“We will take our leave now, and leave you with your ‘dims.” Vaden said motioning for his seven to follow.
One by one they all left leaving Nadir in Gethin’s office alone.
“You can come out now Gatekeeper! I know that you are the one who gave Vaden access.” Nadir said
A smaller Fallen Anakim came out of hiding and slipped away hoping not to draw any further attention. Nadir wanted to produce his sword and render the Gatekeeper to a spark, although he knew it would do no good. For nearly three decades he and Vaden had been locked in combat over the control of Munir. Slowly and methodically Vaden undermined his seat of power, gaining control over more and more of the planet. Now his attacks and schemes seemed to be escalating, rising to the point of attacking the leaders of the planet directly and in person.
So many of the Gammadim that Nadir needed to counter the workings of Vaden and his Seven were now silenced or dead. Gethin was in heart a believer of the Ancient although his pride kept him from relying upon that belief on far too many occasions. That weakness was what the Fallen Anakim used to gain the spiritual right to attack him physically.
Years ago Nadir would have dispatched messengers to alert the Gammadim that followed the Ancient to the danger looming about and they would have entreated the Ancient, countering Vaden’s plans as they did anytime the sanctity of Munir was in need. Now all he could do was hope that the few Gammadim he placed in strategic places were going to be enough to offer a viable resistance.
Nadir left Gethin’s office flying through the ceiling hovering just above the palace looking out towards the rest of Dror. Memories began to flash in his mind as he thought about the great victory he won almost seven hundred years ago. The creation of the Council of Regents signaled the start of an era of peace for Munir. The Council was a way to keep all of the powers that be in check, assuring stability and peace in most of the world. Ever since Munir had become a spiritual paragon; Vaden was close to destroying that centuries old reality in a few decades.
The only fact that gave Nadir any comfort was that a Gammadim who trusted in the Ancient and followed the Way was like a small flame. If they were put in the right circumstances, their influence would start a fire that could blaze for ages. Nadir strategically placed Gammadim in key spots around Munir hoping that he would be able to help them deliver the planet from Vaden’s influence. All he could do now was hope that they would be able to withstand the trials ahead and stay focused on the task that were assigned to them. Nadir was sure that if he had more time he could prepare the ‘dims’ for their journey.
‘Time is not on my side.’ Nadir thought as he began to work out the possible targets Vaden would strike at next. For now he had done all he could do and waited for his messengers to return with any news of progress or further difficulties. Once he was finished in Dror, he would return to the Malak Basidion on the continent of Ranis where his charge Alaric was Regent.
Alaric stared at the screen in front of him, still in shock over the news he had just received. His head of security Rais Kaysor had just informed him of Gethin’s mysterious collapse. As far as they could tell, he had suffered a heart attack, although the Ferozoa on the scene suspected some type of foul play; of which they could not be certain. They were bringing his body to the Basidion so that it could be examined, an arrangement the two of them worked out earlier.
Alaric sat back in his chair, closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. His head throbbed with pain and he seemed more exhausted than usual. Alaric went over all of the possibilities that he could fathom to explain what had happened to Gethin. He and Gethin, the Regent of the island kingdom to the east of Ranis believed that Regent Gavannon of the southern continent Nira was planning to usurp power from the other Regents. Gavannon was very clever in the art of subterfuge and his actions seemed to be growing more aggressive. At Gethin’s request, Alaric sent some of his elite guard to Nereus, the capital island of Dror to protect against any assassination attempts. On all of Munir there was hardly a more tried and tested military group than the Ferozoa. Many times over they had stopped would be assassins and terrorist before they could complete their task. Alaric wondered who could have gotten past their all seeing eyes.
Although Kaysor, the Rais of the Ferozoa was a little older than Alaric, he was the best at his job. Anyone that had worked with the Rais knew that his reputation as the best came from his exacting thoroughness. Leaving nothing to chance, he examined Gethin’s residence, office and adjacent buildings and all the personnel that resided or worked in any one of the aforementioned buildings. Kaysor even tried to breach his men’s defenses himself to see if there were any weaknesses that could be exploited. No one could get past the defenses that had been set up, and anyone who had a questionable past was reassigned to other facilities for the time being.
Alaric looked at his reflection in the window, which acted more like a mirror at night. He rubbed his face with his hands and noticed how the wrinkles would take shape again as his hand moved past them. He did not remember when he had aged so, there seemed to be a new wrinkle every day; the tension he felt was beginning to take its toll physically and mentally. Now he was going to fight this political war on his own, Gethin his only real ally being dead.
‘Beep beep.’ The screen on Alaric’s desk came alive signaling him that someone was trying to contact him. Alaric came out of his trancelike state and gathered himself for more bad news; which is the only kind he seemed to get these days. When he pushed the button to receive the call, he realized it was Kaysor on the calling end and hoped to hear some form of progress in the investigation.
“Rais Kaysor, what news do you have for me? Have you found out anything that I can take to the Council?” Alaric asked.
“Regent Alaric.” Kaysor began.
“The transport carrying Gethin will arrive there shortly, and his assistant is with them, she wishes to speak to you in person.” He finished.
“What of Gethin’s death?”
“Unfortunately I have nothing further to add to our earlier report; the more I investigate, the more questions I have.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well for instance, all signs point to Gethin having a heart attack, a massive one but the way he landed on the floor and the amount of blood he spat out is reminiscent of something else.”
“Something else like what Kaysor!?” Alaric asked impatiently.
“I hesitate to say, it does not seem logical or even probable; but he looked like people I have seen killed by a blade of some kind. I know he was not stabbed, I watched the surveillance data myself, but when I saw the attack hit, it reminded me of my younger days. The other strange thing is that we examined Gethin to discover if he had any health conditions that could be exploited by his enemies. He was as strong as any of my new recruits, must have been all of this island air.” He said trying to interject a little humor.
“Could he have been poisoned or something of that nature?”
“No sir, no one was in the room with him when he went down. His food was tested and tasted just to make sure before he ate every meal.”
“Maybe this was just an unfortunate tragedy, as weird as it seems.”
“Perhaps. There was one strange occurrence that we will investigate further. There appears to be a figure that appears on the surveillance data for a brief moment, and then disappears. We almost missed it. We are looking for the intruder now in order to question him, and when we do I will let you know. Incidentally, by the way the intruder was dressed, he appears to be of Niran descent, but we cannot be sure.”
“That is very disturbing. Finish your business there and make full report to the other Council members in the morning; leave out the part about the intruder for now.”
“Yes sir. By the way I have given the remaining Ferozoa new orders. A few will be with you at all times for the time being, so expect company.”
“Wait a minute Kaysor…” Alaric began but was too late as Kaysor had already signed off before he could be reprimanded.
There was a knock at the door distracted him long enough for the Rais to disconnect their link, the Ferozoa were known for their impeccable timing. Alaric would not show it but having a guard with him right now did give him a measure of comfort. He finished what he was doing in his office and made his way to the staging area to wait for the transport carrying his old friend.
***Chapter 2***
Rasul could no longer see the island of Nereus and the coast of Ranis was not yet in sight, so he hoped that the navigation system of the Nerosian’s craft was accurate. Rasul wondered why the Spirit of the Ancient instructed him to take this particular course, since hardly anyone traveled by sea anymore unless it was a vessel for fishing or carrying freight.
“I did what you wanted, but Gethin was anything but receptive.” Rasul said addressing the Ancient.
Rasul dipped his head a little as he listened to the response of the Ancient.
“You’re right. I do not know how he received it. I will deliver the message to Alaric, I just hope he receives it better than Gethin did, that’s all.”
There was no response from the Ancient of Days. Rasul looked at the sky and tried to discern how long it would be before sunrise; he was hoping to steal a few hours of sleep but was concerned about getting lost at sea. It would have made him more comfortable to be traveling along a path that someone else might happen upon him if he got lost. After checking the navigation system, Rasul found a comfortable position and stretched out succumbing to his exhaustion. The Nerosian craft was an open vessel designed for seating five passengers at once, but was not ideal for lengthy trips.
As Rasul lay back trying to drift off to sleep, he could not help but think about Gethin. In his travels, Gethin had always seemed to believe in and follow the Ancient, but he had exploded when he herd the message. It seemed to Rasul that he had taken it as a personal attack against him and his authority to rule. Misunderstood again, Rasul left feeling as though he was wasting his time. As he slipped in to sleep Rasul muttered a few words to the Ancient asking that the craft stay on course and afloat.
As Rasul slept, the messenger that Nadir sent finally found him. It had taken the messenger longer than he had anticipated to find Rasul as his small craft was hard to see and he was not using traditional shipping lanes. The Anakim known as Sculpin descended in a circle, checking to make sure no Fallen Anakim were waiting to ambush him. Sculpin landed on the boat and studied Rasul. He had a medium build and tan skin which was darkened by the sun during his travels. Sculpin wondered how difficult it must be for him, to be the last one of his kind on the planet; soon he would awaken another and the two of them would spark a resistance to Vaden and his tainted ideals.
“Wake up.” Sculpin whispered as he moved closer to Rasul.
Rasul stirred but continued to sleep his exhaustion apparent.
“Wake up now!” Sculpin whispered again with a sense of urgency.
Rasul opened his eyes and looked around thinking he had heard something.
“Entreat the Ancient, Gethin is dying!” Sculpin directed.
Rasul looked around again; he thought that maybe he was just dreaming.
“Now, you must do it now!”
Rasul closed his eyes and began to speak, uttering words of healing and recovery and then drifted off to sleep.
His immediate purpose completed, Rasul found a spot next to Rasul and sat down. He hoped that he had made it to Rasul in time because Gethin’s life depended on it. He kept watch on the sleeping Gammadim as prepared himself for the journey ahead; he would be with him until they reached the Malak Basidion. If all went well, the two of them would avoid detection until they reached the safety of the Basidion. One of the benefits to Vaden usurping power all over the planet was that Nadir had the ousted Anakim gather at the Malak Basidion, which was now his last seat of power, his domain. It was a veritable fortress, only allowing approved traffic in or out. Even the Fallen Anakim’s fastest messengers could not slip past the forces amassed at Malak.
Sculpin continuously scanned the skies for any signs of his enemies that may have been lurking nearby. He was sure he could hold his own against another of the Particulars class regardless of the division they belonged to, but the Powers class was another matter altogether. The Lights Division Anakim were some of the most powerful in their class; although encountering one on this mission was highly unlikely. They were known for their strength but not so much their stealth in battles since they would shine brightly in the heat of conflict. This close to Malak, their presence would almost definitely be detected. The other two classes of the Powers Division were more of a real threat to Rasul’s safety. The Forces Class could use the natural surroundings against them; fighting a Fallen One with abilities like that posed a real threat while adrift the ocean. The last class was the Life Class; these Anakim could use Rasul’s own physiology against him. Experience gained from fighting Vaden and his Seven had taught Sculpin to look for the worse situation possible, then to brace for the reality of seeing it come to fruition. If he and Rasul were found, it would probably be more than one Fallen Anakim both stronger than he. Sculpin looked at Rasul, who was now sleeping soundly; unaware that danger was only a breath away.
Vaden had hoped to catch a glimpse of the swift messenger as they left the small palace of Gethin. Unfortunately, Nadir had given his messenger enough time to get out of view. Vaden and his Seven had been following the transport carrying Gethin as soon as it left Nereus. Now they had come as far as they could go reaching to the outer edges of what was left of Nadir’s territory. Without right of access, they could go no further unless they wanted to incur the wrath of the Overseers; direct conflict with Anakim of that Division were best avoided if at all possible. Even now with most of his power base gone, Nadir one of the few Anakim that belonged to the Principalities Class was still a formidable foe, not to be underestimated or provoked.
Vaden stopped and hovered a safe distance from the invisible boundary that separated Nadir’s holding from the rest of the planet. He turned and addressed his Seven chosen Anakim.
“For many years we have toiled to rid this planet of our enemy’s presence, and now this is all that remains.” He said motioning to Malak.
“Soon we will destroy even this last stronghold and claim this as our domain.” He added
Vaden reminded them of their goal although not one among the Seven showed any signs of weariness. They were as committed to reaching the goal as he was.
“Because of our previous victories, the enemy has gathered together to make concentrated efforts at resisting our offensives. From now on we will have to move as a unit, securing our position through our combined strength.”
The Seven nodded in agreement.
“I want you to survey your territories and travel in pairs; make sure all is in place and that there is no ‘dim of the Unamed One, the Ancient in the wrong place. When you are finished return to the Siva Basidion immediately. Septar you stay with me, Asha and Ceferino, you two are the first pair, Phyolesion and Zaman, you are together, and Darach and Aydan you will be the last pair. Now go and do what you do best.”
The three pairs of Fallen Anakim shot off into the sky and raced off heading towards the lands of Munir that they were responsible for. When the other six were out of sight, Septar turned to Vaden.
“Eventually we’re going to have to face Nadir in battle; you have considered that I hope.” Septar said.
“I have. Does that frighten you old friend?”
“Fear does not move me, prudence does.”
“I know you are not used to being caught off guard like that; it must have been unsettling.”
“Nadir is extremely fast; I had barely left the ground to give chase to the messenger when he grabbed me and threw me down. Have you ever faced a principality before?”
“Many times, but never on my own for that is far too risky. Nadir’s speed is impressive, he arrived here even before his messenger, and his strength is ferocious but he cannot stand before the winds of change. If it takes all eight of us, we will bring him down!”
“Even with all eight of us attacking, I am not sure we can reduce Nadir to a spark.”
“When the time comes to face him, we will only need to delay him from joining the battle, not end this span of his existence.”
“So what is our next step?”
“Now that Ranis stands alone, all that is left is to rid Siva of Nadir’s influence; let us go to the Basidion and make the necessary preparations. The sun will be up shortly and the Gammadims will be waking.”
The two of them shot off to the south of the continent making their way to the Siva Basidion where Vaden had secured his own seat of power.
At the Malak Basidion, Nia was wondering what she had gotten herself into. She was shocked when the alarms rang earlier in the evening alerting her and the rest of Gethin’s staff that something was wrong. For many years Nia, Gethin’s assistant prided herself on her ability to remain untainted by the politics of Munir. ‘
Lesser women would not have been able to make it under this pressure’ she told herself on many occasions. Now she was sick to her stomach thinking that there was a possibility of her being involved in whatever happened to Gethin.
Nia looked at Gethin who was barely breathing but still alive by some miracle of sorts. She recalled the news that she received as she left her quarters and made her way to the Regent’s office.
‘Gethin has been attacked’ one of the Ferozoa on loan from Alaric told her in passing. When she heard those words she almost fell to the ground; she maintained her composure long enough to find the one in charge, Kaysor.
After she got more information she was escorted to the Transport that was going to carry Gethin to Ranis. She protested but the order was given before Gethin was attacked and with her limited power as his assistant, there was nothing she could do to stop the relocation. She found Gethin secured in the Transport strapped to a floating emergency bed. He was not breathing and as far as she could tell had no pulse either. Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she looked at him. She did not always agree with Gethin and was coerced into leaking some key information to Gavannon, but she did not think violence or death was going to be the end result of her actions.
Nia quickly wiped the tears away and found a seat across from Gethin. She was going to have to remain strong because until a suitable replacement was found, she was the acting Regent. As the Transport lifted off and started its journey to the Malak Basidion, she tried to make sense of what was going on; was Gavannon behind the attack, and what exactly did Alaric know? Just before they arrived at the Basidion, Gethin wheezed a little startling Nia. She looked at him and he was breathing and seemed to be alive. Nia had never seen a dead body before tonight but she was pretty sure that Gethin was dead when they left Dror, and now he was breathing again, the look of life returning to his flesh.
Now Nia was waiting for Alaric to come into the Medical Facilities on Malak so they could discuss what the next step was. Nia could barley think straight as her head was spinning with questions and fear.
Soon Alaric made his way into the room where Gethin and Nia were waiting. Alaric and Nia, who stood when Alaric entered, made their way to Gethin’s bed studying the recovering Regent.
“I was told he was dead.” Alaric remarked.
“By all accounts he should be.” Nia responded.
“How long has he been like this?”
“Right before we got here he seemed to stir, but he had been ‘dead’ for about thirty minutes.”
“Do you think he had a heart attack?”
“I am not a doctor Alaric, so all I can do is speculate. What I do know is that he was not breathing and had no pulse. On the way here I was preparing remarks to release to the general population.”
“I am not sure what happened to him, but I feel like our common enemies are somehow involved. It may be in everyone’s best interest if everyone thinks he is dead for the moment.”
“Absolutely not! I am not going to be responsible if the Council and the people of Dror elect a new Regent. What would Gethin have to say when he recovers? What would the political implications be of such a thing?”
“You could act as interim Regent until Gethin recovers and is able to return. I can deal with the Council.”
“So then I look like a conspirator in his attack or collapse or whatever happened to him. No!”
“I hate to say it, but Gethin may not recover; his breathing is shallow and his pulse does not seem steady. We need to examine a wide variety of options Nia.”
“Well what else do you have in mind?”
“Any option that involves telling the world that Gethin has survived this episode will likely spur more attempts on his life. Withholding certain details until we have more answers is the best course of action.”
“That sounds like the same option you gave before, meaning there are no options, just your blinded conviction to misguided ideals! Why do you continue to subscribe to this conspiracy theory? Your own elite guards ruled out an attack or assassination attempt. Why do you hold on to it with such vigor?”
“If this turns out to be an unfortunate illness, then our efforts whatever course we decide will be inconsequential. However, if there is some ill will at work, then discretion is our best option.”
“Call your best doctors and have them tend to Gethin. I want him healthy as soon as possible. I will not live a lie for long Regent.” Nia said as she moved towards the exit.
“He already has the best doctors Ranis has to offer. Do not worry; I want the ‘old man’ on his feet was well.” Alaric said as he laid his hand on Gethin’s shoulder.
Nadir watched as Nia a small Gammadim with full features and suntanned skin slightly red from too much exposure walked out of Gethin’s room still trying to accept Alaric’s plan. Nadir was not sure where her loyalties lay, but for now he had his hands full with Gethin’s condition and Alaric.
Alaric was still gazing at Gethin a solid dark skinned ‘dim whose bald head and trimmed facial hair gave him an intimidating look. Nadir knew that Gethin’s appearance differed greatly from his personality; all one had to do was watch him with his family to see the warm side come out.
Nadir could not help but notice how well Alaric and Gethin balanced each other; Alaric’s almond complexion and slim build was in stark contrast to Gethin’s. While Alaric was more cautious, Gethin had an adventurous streak. As Nadir watched them he wanted to use all of his power to free them from the conflict they were in but he knew that was forbidden and in the end it would do them more harm than good. He enjoyed moments like these when he could simply observe the Gammadim. He had always considered himself an observer first and a protector second. He had gotten a chance to see the two ‘dims in front of him grow from small boys to exceptional leaders in their own right.
Nadir’s thoughts were interrupted by the surprise appearance of one of his messengers coming to give a report.
“How did they receive the news? Is their charge still advancing as we had hoped?” Nadir questioned.
“I am not sure; I was not able to deliver my message. There was no way in the Siva Basidion; it’s as heavily guarded by Vaden’s forces as this is with yours.” The messenger reported.
“Did you try to disguise yourself as a ‘dim?”
“Of course; they discovered me before I could enter the gates. If you want the message delivered you may have to do so personally I’m afraid.”
Alaric left Gethin’s side and made his way to the guest quarters where Nia was going to rest for the night. As he approached the door, he thought he heard voices talking.
“Nia?” Alaric asked while knocking on the door.
“Yes Alaric, come in.”
“I thought you had company.” Alaric said looking around.
“No, what can I do for you?”
“I wanted to make sure…”
“That I am onboard with your schemes?”
“I cannot do this without your help.”
“I will not argue with you on that point. You know what I think? I think that you made Gethin as paranoid as you are, dismissing servants and bringing in your own elite guard.”
“Nia, Gethin and I…”
“I was not finished. Gethin trusted you, and he always seemed to be a good judge of character, despite the company he kept at times. So I will trust you too, at least for the time being.”
“Not the most flattering compliment I have ever received, but I will take it nonetheless.”
“That is just as well, seeing as how I am fresh out of compliments tonight.” Nia said gesturing for Alaric to leave.
“Good night Nia.”
“Good night Regent. You better not screw this up.”
***Chapter 3***
The next morning on the Siva Basidion Anan was up early as usual except this morning he skipped his morning jog. He was in a hurry to finish his task so he could prepare for his test; if he passed then he would be welcomed into the Warrior Class of the Ranis military leaving the unpleasant chores of Basidion life to the others in the Servant Class.
Uri, Anan’s roommate had gotten up earlier and had already left to complete his daily routine as well. Anan pushed aside Uri’s clothes that were strewn about as usual as he made his way out of the room. As Anan walked away from the area where most of the living quarters were heading towards the Main Hangar, he thought of all of the chances he had turned down to ascend through the ranks in the past years. Now he would get the chance to rid himself of that regret; to free himself from the past.
The summer sun was welcomed on Anan’s pale skin and the morning chill made him shiver just a little because of his exposed arms and newly cut hair. Even as Anan enjoyed his surroundings, he could not shake a feeling of impending doom. For as long as Anan could remember, he had been plagued with doubt and fear, usually causing him to give up before he even got started on many occasions.
Today for some reason that familiar fear and doubt were not with him although he was anticipating their return at any time giving the sense that something was wrong. As Anan rounded the last brown stone building that appeared more rounded than rectangular, the Main Hangar came into view. It was an impressive view, though oddly shaped with its wide rectangular body coming to an end with a large dome like structure. The longer end was where Anan did most of his work, where the Universal Battlefield Vehicles were stored and repaired; he and the other SCs did the grunt work that no one else wanted to do. Soon he would be spending more time in the dome like part with the others in the Warrior Class flying the UBVs.
“Are you nervous?” a voice asked coming from Anan’s right.
It was Callah one of the lead technicians on Siva, and a large part of the reason Anan had decided to pursue a career in the Ranis Military.
“Good morning!” Anan answered back nonchalantly.
“I know you are. I also know that you are going to do well.” Callah said as Anan came to a stop in front of her.
The sun exposed the brown tint of Callah’s hair as the wind blew a few strands across her face highlighting her cinnamon complexion. Anan could see the goose bumps on her arms and realized that their summer uniforms of black sleeveless shirts and black pants were soon going to be inefficient cover.
“A little chilly this morning.” Anan said.
“If you don’t want to talk about the test just say so Anan.”
“I was just noticing how you got goose bumps when the wind blew.”
“Well maybe you should focus more on your duties and less on me!” Callah said as she began to walk away.
Anan watched as Callah walked off, noticing how her uniform was tight but not too tight, leaving just enough for the imagination.
“We’ll celebrate tonight at the SRC! Maybe we’ll sit with the WC’s!” Callah said as she entered the Hangar on the dome end.
Anan continued until he reached the entrance on the rectangular part of the Hangar. Anan did not notice a large figure slip into the Hangar with him shadowing his steps.
Faris was enjoying a moment of respite, allowing time to gather his strength for the challenges that lay ahead. Although the Fallen Anakim that had been attacking Anan incessantly were nowhere to be seen, Faris was not letting Anan out of his sight, fearing a powerful attack at any time. As the pair made their way through the Hangar, Faris noticed Fallen Anakim lurking everywhere. Adding to his anxiety was the fact that Zia was not back after her rendezvous with Nadir’s messenger. Each moment she was absent complicated his situation.
As Anan made his way to his station, he surveyed the Universal Battlefield Vehicles that were docked for repairs. Some of them had dents and dings from flying too close to trees and outcroppings in the mountains. Others had the tell tale signs of deep sea excursions or asteroid field maneuvers. Anan wondered what type of view he would get when he was on a mission in his own UBV.
“Anan, welcome to the land of the living. I tried to wake you this morning so that you could get an early start, but you just shrugged me off.” A brown skin soldier said with the same close cut uniform as Anan.
Anan broke his gaze and turned to see Uri, his roommate addressing him.
“Well at least I thought you were among the living. Did you skip your morning jog this morning?” Uri continued.
“I wanted to get done as fast as I could today; No time to waste.” Anan answered.
“You know you can’t function outside of your routine.”
“Today seemed like a good day to try.”
“Well I already reactivated the damaged fuel cells and discarded the waste from yesterday.”
“Thanks for the help Uri!”
“You just make sure you pass that test!” Uri said moving off to his next task.
Anan tried to focus on the rest of his daily tasks while attempting to review regulations and specs in his head that may appear on the test as he worked. For hours he muddled away with an unusual sense of urgency. He was focusing so intently that he worked right through his normal lunch break, grabbing small snacks between chores.
In the mountains North of Siva, a bronze skinned warrior leaned against a tree searching the skies. At first glance she looked like any other Basidion inhabitant with a black uniform pants semi fitted and sleeveless shirt with dark brown hair pulled back into a single braid. Upon closer inspection there was an unusual grace and determination that was hard to hide.
Zia was beginning to wonder if the messenger was coming; she had been waiting at the rendezvous spot since yesterday afternoon and a full cycle had nearly passed. The afternoon sun was moving into position where it would be setting in a few hours. Zia was not surprised that a messenger would have a hard time getting into the territory surrounding Siva with Vaden’s forces lingering about, but she was starting to wonder if the meeting was going to take place at all. She looked back at the Basidion and hoped that Faris could maintain in her absence.
Zia tensed as she felt another of her kind approach. She turned to face the direction she felt the Anakim coming from. At first she thought it was the long awaited messenger, but a split second later she knew that the Anakim approaching her was not a servant of the Ancient of Days. Suddenly she realized that another Anakim was approaching from behind her. In a flash two Fallen Anakim were glaring at her.
“Looking for someone?” Vaden asked.
“Good to see you too Vaden. I see you brought your pet with you!” Zia responded as she moved to a more aggressive stance.
“Give me a reason.” Septar said moving closer to Zia.
“Your messenger will not be coming today, or any other day for that matter. He was discovered and dismissed quite some time ago. My Gatekeepers let you linger to make sport of you.” Vaden said with an eerie grin.
“Is that so?” Zia asked.
“You amuse me. The two of you actually believe that you can stop us from influencing Anan. Soon you will see the desperation of your situation and your services will no longer be needed.” Vaden continued.
“I hope I will be close enough to see your face when realize that your perfect plan has crumbled all because of a few faithful followers of the Ancient of Days.”
“If you are close enough to me to see my face when the ‘peace’ breaks, the last thing you will see will be the black of my sword. If you were wise, you would leave Siva and my territory while you have the chance.” Vaden said as he walked off into the forest.
Septar let a wry grin escape his mouth as he walked past Zia, hoping that she would give him cause to attack. When the pair had walked a few paces into the forest, they rose and flew the rest of the way, as easily as if they had been walking.
Zia relaxed a little when she was sure that Vaden and Septar were far away. Septar alone would have been a challenge, but the two of them together would have been more than she could defend against. All of a sudden the truth of the conversation came crashing in and she realized that she was still waiting for a messenger that was not coming.
“Hold on Faris.” Zia whispered as she flew off to find Anan and Faris somewhere on the Siva Basidion.
If worst came to pass, she might have to engage Septar or Vaden anyway. As she raced towards the Basidion, her thoughts centered on what Vaden said about being able to influence Anan. So far she and Faris had been able to keep Anan safe from their tricks, but one moment of weakness would give them the opportunity they needed.
The trees whizzed by as she flew close to the ground which would give her cover if she encountered a Fallen Anakim unexpectedly. The ground sloped forward as she neared the Basidion; soon after the buildings came into view. Zia made a quick adjustment to the path that she was on to account for the time in order to meet Faris and Anan; she had to keep his schedule in mind. Within moments Zia arrived at the Main Hangar and passed through the outer walls. Before she could come out on the other side, she was knocked back outside of the building. Slowly Septar stepped out of the wall, grinning gesturing for Zia to engage him.
Anan completed his entire task list with a little help from some of his friends and was looking for Durai Jalal so he could begin his test. Belial, the First Commander of the Warrior Class usually administered the Test, but Jalal, Durai of the Siva Basidion was the proctor in his absence. Unlike many of the Durai on Ranis, Jalal would be mixed in among the others in the Hangar helping to repair, train or admonish whenever he got the chance.
“Have you seen Durai Jalal?” Anan asked a passerby.
“By the launch pads!” was the reply he received.
Anan headed for the staging area hoping to be able to find Jalal quickly. The incredible amount of noise on the launch pads made verbal communication virtually impossible. As Anan neared the staging area the noise grew and the temperature rose. Everyday Jalal had the WC’s fly drills, alternating the frequency and duration as he saw fit; so he had the techs preparing the next wing of UBV’s. Anan looked around for the Durai.
“Finished already?” a voice cried out from behind Anan placing a hand on his shoulder.
“Durai Jalal! I am finished.” Anan said as he turned to face Jalal.
“I am ready for the test.” He continued.
“I’m sure you are. Let’s go and get you started.” Jalal said as he darted off.
Jalal who was in his forties had more energy and stamina than those on Siva who were half his age. He kept a pace that Anan struggled to keep despite his excitement. Jalal with his muscular build and peppered hair and dark skin looked intimidating, although he was only of an average height. When he was on duty, he had the habit of being very direct and speaking in short phrases which did not dispel the myth of his intimidating nature.
As the two walked, the noise began to fade as they got further away from the Launch pads and made their way to the Durai’s office.
“Here. It’s already prepped. Tomorrow I will take you out in a UBV for the second half of your test.” Jalal said, handing Anan a small electronic pad.
Anan looked down at the pad as Jalal handed it to him. Before he could grasp the fact that he was now in the first part of his exam, Jalal rushed out of the room to complete his own task.
“Here we go.” Anan said aloud talking to no one in particular.
Anan sat down in the nearest chair on the visitor’s side of the Durai’s desk and began to labor with the written exam. He began to realize that no one else understood the importance of this particular moment in his life except him.
Jalal hoped Anan would pass the test so that Anan could become a pilot in the Warrior Class. There was something about the kid that made him believe that he could develop him into something great. In some ways he reminded him of himself many years ago. If Belial was not successful in Nira, they would need all of the good pilots and leaders they could get their hands on.
Outside of the Hangar, Septar and Zia had been standing in a dead lock since Zia was pushed back out of the building.
“As far as I can figure, it only takes one Anakim to be a guardian for a ‘dim.” Septar said.
“Some places are more dangerous than others.” Zia replied.
“I suppose so.”
“There is nothing that you can do to provoke me Septar!”
“Soon I will have the opportunity to see you humbled; your charge’s life in my hands.
“Today is not that day Fallen One!”
“No sadly it is not I’m afraid. However tomorrow looks very promising.”
“How long are we going to stand here and trade verbal blows?”
“Just long enough for them to finish.” Septar said with a smirk.
“Finish what?”
“Ask Anan if you get a chance to talk to him again!”
Vaden stood on the top of the Main Hangar awaiting the arrival of his first team to complete their inspections. If everything was in order, the next order of business would be to deal with Anan’s intrusion. Two points of light became visible in the sky. In a flash Asha and Ceferino came down and landed on the roof in front of Vaden.
“What did you discover on your journey?”
Vaden asked.
“Everything was as it should be.” Asha said.
“There were no surprises in the land of Zoar either.” Ceferino added.
“Very well, begin the Test. Anan will be in the office of the Durai taking his test, with only one protector.” Vaden ordered.
“Which guardian are we going to have to deal with?” Ceferino questioned.
“Faris is with the ‘dim and Zia is otherwise engaged. Vaden replied.
Satisfied the two Anakim dropped into the Hangar and made a straight line for Durai Jalal’s office. Ceferino was the first to enter the office; he landed next to Anan coming between Faris and his charge. Faris seeing the intruder prepared to draw his sword when Asha appeared in front of him.
“Am I going to have to cut through you to get to my charge?” Faris threatened forming his sword from his own essence and the energy around him.
“Without your mentor here you know you have no chance; you shouldn’t make promises that you cannot keep guardian, I may require you pay for them.” Asha replied.
“What right do you have to be here now?”
“We are going to see what this Gammadim is made of, what motivates and discourages him.” Ceferino responded.
“You have tortured him enough Fallen One!”
“It was pleasurable for me before seeing him writhe in pain and buckle under the fear that I induced; now I will put his limits to the test.” Ceferino said as he moved closer to Anan.
Anan stopped filling in his answers, he was gripped with fear. The fear was sudden and left him feeling like he was in danger. Anan looked around and saw no reason for him to feel like he was in danger; so he picked up the pad and tried to focus on the test trying to ignore the fear that was growing in his gut. As Anan continued answering the questions on his test he had the distinct impression that someone was standing next to him. He looked over his shoulder to see if there was anyone standing there but saw nothing. Question after question he answered but could not shake the feeling.
Anan glanced over his shoulder, feeling foolish for looking again, expecting to see nothing as before. However, what he saw made him jump back and nearly come to rest on the desk of the Durai. Crouched down right next to him was the monster from his nightmares. Anan could barely breathe, unable to process what his eyes were seeing. The face was undeniable; it was the same one that he had seen every night since he arrived at the Siva Basidion. The monster looked like a man, but there was something evil about his eyes, glaring from inside its head.
Ceferino stared blankly at Anan. He was unsure if Anan could see him or if he had unintentionally pushed him too far, causing a breakdown. Ceferino moved ever so slightly to see if Anan’s eyes moved with him. As he shifted Anan’s gaze followed him. He turned to look at Asha and saw Faris standing behind her with his sword drawn and blazing.
Faris cut Asha with his blade so fast she barely had a chance to move as to avoid what was the equivalent to a death blow. She realized that Faris had almost reduced her to a spark and was headed towards Ceferino. Ceferino saw Faris and headed towards the door; he realized that the reason the ‘dim had two guardians was the fact that he was a seer.