Xen'tarza
Chapter One

Beneath Lost Paradoxes

— Cycle 81972.163 M.E. —

I

Searching the Cosmos

Deep in outer space, a supernova remnant inhabited a quadrant beyond the usual inky blackness of the void. Interstellar clouds infested the region, swarming around an eerie green glow of radiation. For quite some time, it seemed that all the electrons whirling around the phenomenon couldn’t be any faster. But then an invisible, unstoppable force zoomed through the quadrant faster than magic.

The incredible force reached the center of the supernova remnant, creating a tear in outer space. Lightning struck as an enormous fissure opened. Emerging out of the cosmic chasm, the Marauder flew amid the infestation of ghostly clouds. Gas and dust clung to every wing of the vessel as it flew at an unnatural speed. Slowing down, its neon-blue sensor arrays emitted a scan through the molecular clouds, searching the area.

“Any progress?” Shirakaya asked, rising from her chair.

Just a few meters below where the freelancer stood, Narja sat piloting the vessel. “I’m not quite sure. It seems we successfully averted the Drift Void. But our sensors are not functioning at full capacity yet.”

“That’s probably because of the diffused nebula we’re in,” Yarasuro stated, checking the starmap on his terminal.

“Then we must be bordering the Syichi Photh-Kos Galaxy,” Xorvaj said.

Shirakaya crossed her arms. “It’s true most diffused nebulae are around that galaxy, but we shouldn’t linger here too long unless we know for sure. How about you, Myris? Do you sense any magic?”

“I’m afraid not, fearless leader,” the young oracle answered, cuddling Xeza.

“Damn it,” the captain said with a sigh. “Our destination should be near. Let’s continue exploring the soudarian quadrant.”

Narja accelerated the interstellar battleship, ionized gas clinging to its side wings like phantoms. Despite the haze ahead, Yarasuro relied on the vessel’s superior sensors. Stationed at his terminal, his vertically-slit eyes remained focused on the radar. Only after half an hour did he notice a multitude of dots appear on the map. Before speaking, he waited for the pilot to draw closer. Eventually, his terminal revealed the glowing spots to be a vast asteroid field.

“I’m picking up something big,” Yarasuro said, copying his visuals to the main screen located above the wide windowpane. “According to my radar, we’re approaching a field of planetoids.”

“This has to be it,” Shirakaya said, confidence in her voice. “Narja, get us to the center of those rocks.”

“Aye,” she replied.

Maneuvering the vessel, Narja swerved past the small asteroids with relative ease. Only a few were larger, prompting her to swerve farther away to avoid hitting them. After traversing deeper into the asteroid field, she drew the vessel to a halt, noting that there were too many rocks in close proximity. She thought of using guns to destroy them but feared smaller pieces hitting and possibly damaging the ship.

“Use the twin SGW-97 gravity cannons,” Vokken suggested, acknowledging the pilot’s hesitation.

“Brilliant idea!” Narja said. “Thanks.”

With no time to waste, she activated the battleship’s gravity surge weapon. Marauder’s pincer-shaped cannons, located at the fore of the vessel, widened while gathering tremendous energy. As soon as an ethereal-like wave manifested, the cannons released it at the obstruction ahead.

A wave of gravity surged toward the blockade of asteroids, reaching them within seconds and pushing the enormous rocks away without smashing them into countless pieces. The wave pulsed outward for several kilometers before dissipating. With the path cleared, Narja cheered and accelerated the spacecraft.

“Robo guy ain’t so bad after all,” Myris said.

“An impressive solution,” Rah’tera agreed.

Vokken produced a cybernetic snort. “Everything that I do is beyond impressive. In fact, all of my actions are perfect.”

“Right,” the captain said, rolling her eyes.

Myris’ pupils dilated as she gazed at the drifting rocks. “I’m sensing something totally rad. It’s round here…just kinda fuzzy cos we’re not nearby.” She soon pointed at a hazy strip of planetoids straying from the field. “It’s like a road camouflaged by poison.”

“Or magic?” Vokken posed.

The sìsô whined, snuggling beside Myris.

“Don’t be such a pussy, Xeza,” Dojin said, sneering. “Magic. Traps. Poison. Who gives a shit? My guns are ready to fuck shit up.”

“As are my blades,” Rah’tera said, twirling the handle of a plasma dagger.

“In any case,” Shirakaya began, “it’s clear we have a clue. Narja, part from this region and follow that stripe.”

“You got it, Shira.”

The pilot shifted her throttle, changing Marauder’s direction from noquria to wescaria. It drifted for a moment in the heart of the vast field like a lifeless meteorite before zooming ahead. Although it was a narrow strip, its girth still rivaled that of a planet. Being shrouded by what appeared to be gas didn’t make the flight path easier for Narja, either. Considering her piloting skills, however, she wasn’t intimidated.

At a junction where two other strips of rocks emerged, Narja drew the battlecruiser to a halt. Xeza tilted her head as if perplexed. Yarasuro’s terminal remained ineffective, and Myris’ clairvoyance had reached its zenith for the time being. The pilot grimaced at the intersection of innumerable planetoids, uncertain.

“Fucking choose already!” Dojin snapped.

Narja sulked at his remark.

“Dude, take a chill pill,” Myris commented.

“These pathways...it can only mean one thing,” Shirakaya said. “This is, without a doubt, the Maze of Abaecas.”

“Then we’ve made it,” Xorvaj said.

“Close,” she replied. “We may have finally entered Syichi Photh-Kos, but we still need to locate Vei-Pyirye’s Remnant.”

“There goes another ten hours,” Dojin said gruffly, exiting the bridge.

“Myris?” Shirakaya called out, allowing the renegade to leave without a fuss. “Are you able to sense anything else?”

“It’s weird,” she said, hovering to the fore. “It’s as if a spell is holding me back.”

Shirakaya grimaced, tightening her hands into fists. “We need to replace it. Otherwise, this mission of ours is going to end before it even begins.”

II

Inner Turmoil

Using an X-Phaser near the bridge, Dojin teleported to a corridor in the residential sector. The usual indifferent expression on his face was replaced with one of resentment as he walked toward his cabin. Waving his KLD by a wall panel, the door opened. Stepping inside, Dojin appeared pensive, gazing at the windowpane beside his bed.

“What am I doing here?” he asked himself.

Just then, the window turned into a TC screen and Vokken appeared on it. “If it will help you stay focused with our mission against Koth’tura, I can assist you.”

“Fuck off.”

The AI sneered at him, vanishing from the screen. Once the pane of glass returned to normal, the renegade sat on his bed and continued staring at the drifting asteroids. All he could think about was what had happened to Zadoya. Losing her had manifested a rage within him that kept eating away at what little respect remained in his obnoxious mind.

Dojin hated his existence. He hated most people—aliens and humyns alike. He hated the chaos of life, and he hated this moment; it was a lingering bereavement that wouldn’t disappear from his mind. Ironically, his hatred and utter resentment were what he relied on to keep himself together.

After a few minutes of unbearable silence, someone knocked hard on his door.

“Who the hell is it?” The answer he received was more of a growl. “Why are you even knocking?”

Xorvaj entered the cabin. “It was either that or tear down your door. I guess next time I’ll just smash it.”

The renegade let out an amused snort. “Are they still dumbfounded?”

Xorvaj nodded. “Is that soldier’s death still disturbing you?”

“She has a name,” Dojin said through gritted teeth.

“Had,” Xorvaj retorted, provoking the renegade. “Like my homeworld, she’s dead. It is best to move on.”

“No!” he said, raising his voice. “Never!” Dojin stood up and tried shoving the hunched ghensoth, but he pushed himself backwards instead. He cursed, throwing his nightstand across the room. “I’ll never move on.”

“There must be something we can do to stop this madness.”

Eyebrows twitching, Dojin gawked at him. “Madness? I will show them what madness is. I will replace them. I will tear their throats inside out. I will not rest until they’re gone from this universe.”

“Sounds exhilarating,” Xorvaj said. “Who is them?”

“The hoisters whom he blames for separating him and Zadoya from their love affair,” Vokken intervened, rematerializing on the telecommunications screen.

“Dojin? Love? Impossible,” the ghensoth said, cackling.

Porting his plasma shotgun, Dojin aimed it at his windowpane. “What would a cyber scumbag like you know?”

“It’s only a matter of time before I become the Transdimensional Ethernet itself,” Vokken said. “Reports of heists reach my cybernetic ears quite often. If you can guarantee your loyalty to this mission, I can help you track them down.”

“Tell you what,” Dojin started while charging his gun, “I will refrain from blasting this glass if you can repeat seven words.”

Xorvaj cackled again. Then he took a step back, realizing Dojin wasn’t bluffing.

“Considering that I am an arcane intelligence and not psychic, you’ll have to challenge the oracle with that one.”

“Repeat after me: I am a rotten, shitty ass cockmaster.”

Silence fell for a long moment, broken only when the AI saw the plasma gun at ninety-eight percent.

“I am a rotten, shitty ass cockmaster.”

The Psychomania brutes couldn’t help but laugh.

“Right you are,” Dojin said, holstering his gun. “Now get the fuck off my window and stop disturbing me.”

Vokken mustered a demented grin before dematerializing.

“What a freak.”

“Perhaps,” Xorvaj said. “But his ability to hack the TDE can come in handy if we’re to track down those thugs.”

“I’d rather commit suicide than rely on that piece of shit.”

“To be honest, he’s not far from the likes of you and I.”

“That may be true. Still...”

“Still nothing. You need to move on. What’s that pathetic humyn saying? Time heals wounds?”

“Something like that. But for the last time, I don’t move on, pup.”

“Pup? Pup? Do not ever call me that again.”

“Then don’t tell me what to do, bitch.”

Xorvaj grimaced. “Deal…”

III

Obscure Echoes

The intergalactic battleship advanced esoria as Narja maneuvered above and below gargantuan planetoids, only flying between those that were not too large. Marauder’s velocity increased over time, the pilot gaining confidence in the plot she was coursing. Despite being partially blinded by ionized gases and not able to rely on the sensors due to electromagnetic interferences, she pressed onward.

“Fascinating,” the mutant said, acknowledging the steady flow of a single cloud. “All this time we’ve been in a nebula.”

“I figured we were within the Ar’jeheen Nebula,” Rah’tera said.

Shirakaya crossed her arms. “That would explain why we’re still unable to determine where we are. But that doesn’t explain why our bold pilot decided to take us esoria. Care to explain, Narja?”

“It’s just a hunch.”

The oracle pressed her fingers against the windowpane. “Not a bad one, racer gal. Turn soudaria just a tad, would ya?”

“You sense something?” Shirakaya asked.

“It’s a faint presence, but our destination’s totally there. Between the esorian and soudarian quadrants.”

Narja accelerated, breaking off from the esorian region. At first, it seemed as though nothing surrounded Marauder. Moments later, however, the hazy cloud waned, revealing innumerable asteroids. To the crew’s surprise, one of them gleamed with radiant lights. Shirakaya saw it, her eyes widening.

“Vei-Pyirye’s Remnant!” Shirakaya exclaimed. “That bastard really found it. Full speed ahead, Narja. I want to make this memorable.”

“One elaborate entrance coming up.”

Marauder closed in on the dazzling asteroid. As the ship approached the enormous rock, the crew could see it wasn’t an ordinary planetoid. Embedded within it hung an upside-down pyramid made of votrigon. It drifted like an iridescent citadel trapped in granite—a marvel to Shirakaya and her comrades.

“Quite fascinating,” the sandstalker commented, his entranced eyes fixed on the structure.

In less than a minute, Narja reached Vei-Pyirye’s Remnant and entered a mana shield that enveloped the entire rock. Unconcerned with the multitude of cannons in the vicinity, she landed her battleship in a basin-shaped crater that appeared to be an excavation site. Every cannon on the vast asteroid immediately targeted the intergalactic spacecraft.

“Attention,” announced the militia’s AI in a composed tone, “non-military crafts are not sanctioned here. You have ten seconds to explain your presence or you will be destroyed.”

Just then, the starship’s ramp unsealed. Shirakaya emerged from the entryway with her bodyguard. A dozen soldiers approached the duo, aiming at them with their rifles. The military leader used his visor’s binocular features, zooming in on the freelancer and her mutant knight. Upon seeing them, his eyes widened.

“Hold your fire!” he commanded. “That is Shirakaya of Aarda, former military captain of the Tal’manac Order.”

The soldiers obeyed him, holstering their weapons. Walking forward, Shirakaya and her guard passed the brigade. As they climbed a set of makeshift steps leading to a dome-shaped command center above the crater, the military leader approached them. He removed his helmet, revealing a shaved, dashingly bald head and wrinkled face that didn’t appear as scrawny as his body thanks to his thick white beard.

“Commander Jeyphen?”

“In the flesh,” he said in a less hostile tone. “What brings an excommunicated captain to this region of space?”

Shirakaya looked amused. “I suppose my reputation precedes me.”

“I’m certain everyone in the realm of Ensar knows who you are after what took place at the Temple of Yun’sara during Uyosh’gi’sath. I don’t want to ask again, Shirakaya. State your business.”

Glancing around the construction site, she replied, “I came to steal my brother, Khal’jan of Aarda. Would you be so kind as to direct me to him?”

“You’re as politically incorrect as they say,” the commander said, snorting. “I suppose you’re expecting me to be grateful for your honesty. And maybe I am. But you can’t just take our best archeologist away. He’s been assigned to this research mission and cannot leave until we’ve completed our research.”

“Can you at least tell me where he is?”

The commander sighed. “He’s inside that bizarre structure, which, by the way, is off limits to non-military personnel. I am, however, a reasonable person. I’ll grant you a brief meeting with him as long as you promise not to cause—”

He was interrupted by the scream of a miner.

“Trouble?” Shirakaya asked, raising an eyebrow.

The yelling worker exited a cavern in an upper crag on the site and jumped down. Using his boots’ built-in gravity boosters, he landed safely and then ran toward his commanding officer, a terrified expression written across his pale visage.

“Commander!” he shouted. “Commander Jeyphen! Mardein fell into a trap.” He panted, trying to catch his breath. “I think...I think he’s dead.”

“Calm down, Geirdi,” the commander said firmly. “Explain the situation.”

After taking a few deep breaths, the miner continued, “My colleagues and I managed to dig our way to what we believe is the pyramid’s entrance. As soon as we cleared a path, Mardein and the other archeologists insisted on trying to unlock the door despite Khal’s warning. They kept fiddling with a strange panel until Mardein triggered some kind of trapdoor. I’m certain he fell to his death.”

“Did it ever occur to you that perhaps all your digging caused the ground beneath him to collapse, creating a sinkhole?”

The miner scratched his head. “I guess so. But that’s too much of a coincidence.”

“All right, that’s it,” Commander Jeyphen said, grunting. “Shirakaya, you stay here until I sort this out. Sergeant Haekin and Private Bavad, you’re with me.”

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison, following their commanding officer.

Yarasuro shook his head. “I can’t help feel that we’ve experienced this before. What do you think?”

“I know what you mean,” Shirakaya said. “But this is a bit different. We know where we are, and we’re not surrounded by a legion of machines ruled by a dictator. Still, my brother could be in danger.” She activated her KLD, speaking into it. “Narja, inform Rah’tera and Myris that they’re needed here.”

“Right away.”

The duo waited for their comrades. Once the assassin and oracle joined them, Shirakaya explained the situation. During that time, Xeza had poked her head out of Myris’ pocket, looked around, and hid back inside it again as though afraid.

“Bonkers,” the oracle said.

Rah’tera glimpsed Myris with intrigue and then focused on the upside-down pyramid. “It seems we’ll need to be stealthy if we’re to get inside.”

“I suppose,” Shirakaya responded, focused on the oracle’s jiggling pocket. “By the way, I’m not sure this is a safe place for Xeza.”

Myris pouted, using her divination to teleport the sìsô inside Marauder.

“It’s for her own good,” Shirakaya said. “So, should we be concerned? Are you able to sense any threats?”

“Not yet,” the oracle replied. “It was crazy difficult just trying to replace this place. I’ve gotta say, it’s pretty dope here. Your brother must be fun,”—Her comment made Shirakaya shrug—“I can’t wait to meet him!”

“First we need to replace him,” Yarasuro said.

The assassin snorted behind his gasmask. “Leave it to me. With my cloaking device, I can sneak past all the guards and locate him.”

“Hmmm,” muttered Shirakaya. “Not a bad idea.” She paused, thinking it over. “All right, we’ll stay here and pretend we’re following Commander Jeyphen’s orders while you act as our eyes and ears. Just be careful.”

Rah’tera gave a slight nod, returning to his ship for show. Upon entering, he cloaked himself and disembarked the Marauder again. This time, he strode past the others and made his way toward the manmade cavern. Careful not to make any noise, Rah’tera waited for a patrol squad to walk away before climbing up a crag. Reaching the top, he entered the dry cave and remained in the shadows.

The walls and ground inside were cylindrical, as if someone or something had drilled between them. Since it was an excavation site, this made perfect sense to Rah’tera. The upside-down pyramid that lay ahead somewhere, however, made no sense to him. As he pressed on, military soldiers approached. He stopped and leaned against a wall until they passed him. Once they moved out of the way, he continued forward.

Turning at a corner, Rah’tera allowed the artificial lights embedded along the jagged ceiling to guide his way. The path ahead curved and had several twists. He followed the eerie passage, careful not to make noise with his footsteps or draw attention to himself while advancing between the miners. For a moment, one of them glanced at a rock that moved out of place for what seemed to be no reason. Not seeing anything else out of the ordinary, he simply returned to work.

Carefully releasing his sabaton from the crushed stone, Rah’tera progressed. He soon found himself at an intersection containing two paths. One led up like a ramp while the other plummeted downward into the gloom. The sandstalker chose the latter, descending it as quietly as possible. When he was midway through the tunnel, a military patrol of three appeared, making their way toward him.

With little time to do much else, the assassin jumped and dug his plasma daggers into the rocky ceiling. The trio heard a crunching sound and noticed grains falling from the ceiling as the assassin lifted himself up. They halted, flashing their lights upward. One of the soldiers extended his hand as if to touch the air when he was interrupted by a slight tremor.

“Those damn miners are at it again,” said another soldier in the group.

The other soldier pulled away just before touching Rah’tera’s invisible garb. “I thought the commander told them to stop.”

“Let’s go before they cause these tunnels to collapse,” the third soldier said.

A wicked smirk on his face, Rah’tera watched the trio leave and then released his daggers from the carved ceiling. Returning to the ground, he strode down the path. At its end, he spotted a group of archeologists and soldiers. Sure enough, beyond the group—partially hidden within the wall—stood a sealed entrance to the mysterious structure.

“Please listen to reason, Commander,” Khal’jan said. “We have no idea what lies inside this temple. It could be filled with deadly traps or worse...it could be cursed.”

The commander waved a hand in defiance. “This is not a debate. I will not stand idle while someone from this research division is in danger. Show the sergeant and private that symbol your colleague used in order to trigger the trapdoor.”

Khal’jan grimaced, shaking his head. He approached the panel embedded within the glassy wall and swirled a finger in its sandbox-like console. Strangely, the grains didn’t float away. He formed several curving lines and linked them together; the pictogram resembled a disfigured, stick-shaped star.

Before he could adjust its appearance, a tremor started. Khal’jan and his company held their ground as a trapdoor opened. The sergeant and private immediately activated their jet packs, descending into the pitch-black hole with Khal’jan despite his resistance. The remaining five archeologists gazed down, their mouths agape. Even though they beamed their flashlights below, none of them could see a thing.

“Keep me apprised, soldiers,” the commander said via KLD, examining the eerie symbol from a distance.

“Aye, Commander,” they said in unison, their voices muffled by static.

Silence descended in the tunnel. The commander and archeologists waited for the others to reach the bottom and make contact. Not long after, the trio screamed. Their agonizing voices over the kinetic link device caused their commanding officer to shudder. Even the sandstalker flinched at their abrupt shrieks of torment.

“Sergeant!” the commander called out. “Private! Do you read me?”

“What in the twelve dimensions is down there?” asked one of the five archeologists, his expression filled with intrigue rather than fear.

“Do you think Khal’jan is okay?” asked another.

Rah’tera withdrew, activating his kinetic link. “The commander forced your brother down a hole with two soldiers and all I heard was screaming,” he whispered.

“What?” exclaimed Shirakaya. “Get your ass down there and save Khal!”

The assassin grinned behind his mask. Ending his KLD transmission, he grabbed a SG-43 grenade from his belt and hurled it at the group. In perfect synchronization, they looked down at the ground where it landed, gawking. But before any of them were able to realize that a bomb lay by their feet, it detonated. Dense gas erupted from the explosion, knocking them unconscious. Seeing that the path was clear, Rah’tera uncloaked himself and leapt into the hole.

IV

Surrounded by Death

The depth of the pit took Rah’tera by surprise. Using both of his plasma daggers, he carved them into the flattened walls on either side to halt his descent. Although shockwave boosters would have slowed his fall more efficiently, he preferred to remain in the hole. He gradually lowered himself until he could see the bottom of the pit, using his KLD as a flashlight.

Aiming the device downward, Rah’tera saw a pile of dead bodies that had been torn in half. Taking in the horrid sight, he activated his kinetic link to inform Shirakaya of his replaceings when another quake struck. This time, the walls started caving inward. Rah’tera gasped, having no choice but to release his daggers and drop below.

“Get to the other cornerstone!” Khal’jan yelled, seeing the sandstalker.

Like bolts of lightning, red rays of death materialized from above a sealed entryway. Both beams met and became entangled in midair, moving toward Rah’tera who flipped out of harm’s way in the nick of time. The rays, however, kept following him. With little time to lose, he raised an arm and launched a grappling hook at the votrigon ceiling.

Swinging across the antechamber, Rah’tera brought himself to the same cornerstone that Khal’jan had pointed out a moment ago. As soon as he landed on the stone, it lowered and produced a clicking sound, at which point the beams deactivated. The duo stood across from each other, unresponsive for a few seconds.

“Who the heck are you?”

“The name’s Rah’tera,” he said, breathing deeply through his gasmask. “Your sister is looking for you.”

“My sister? Shira? Here? That’s not possible.”

“Your parents told her you’d been assigned to this excavation site. While hard to believe that Vei-Pyirye’s Remnant has been discovered, it was Shira’s only lead. And now, here we are. Stuck inside and ready to die.”

“Not by a long shot,” Khal’jan said in defiance, standing up. “Where’s my sister?”

Rah’tera pointed above. “The military prevented her from seeing you or getting too close to this site. So, she had me come instead.”

“How did you manage to get through security?”

The sandstalker responded by cloaking himself.

Khal’jan let out a subtle chuckle. “Figures,” he said, observing his surroundings. “I’m only going to say this once. Fancy tech won’t save you. If you wanna stay alive, follow all my instructions.”

“I’ll...try,” the assassin said, amused.

Fixing his eyes on an octagonal panel above the sealed door, Khal’jan asked, “How good is your accuracy?”

“I’d be dead right now if it wasn’t decent.”

“In that case,” Khal’jan continued while pointing upward, “can you throw one of those fallen rocks at the button?”

“You forgot to ask how my reflexes are.”

Before the archeologist could ask him, Rah’tera performed a cartwheel toward the middle of the room. Grabbing a rock, he threw it at the octagonal panel before the reactivated rays could reach him. An electrical noise rang out, and the door clanked open. Rah’tera sprinted ahead, the beams pursuing him.

Seeing the assassin advance, Khal’jan broke into a run too. One of the rays shifted, tailing the archeologist. By sheer luck, it seemed, they both managed to pass through the entryway. Both rays deactivated, no longer sensing any movement. The duo stood still, observing the new area. Before them lay a hall made of votrigon, shimmering with recessed lights embedded in the floor.

“Don’t move.”

Rah’tera listened intently, trying to contact Shirakaya. When his KLD didn’t respond, he grimaced. Examining the corridor, Khal’jan took a step forward. The glossy, tile-like pane he stood on revealed his reflection. Before moving again, the archeologist used his KLD to study the floor. Not receiving any warnings, he stepped onto another panel. Nothing occurred. This time, he observed the walls.

“You’re a little too cautious for my own taste,” Rah’tera said, striding across the hall while maintaining his cloaking device.

“I hope you’re not moving.”

The assassin passed him without a word. Several footsteps later, however, a dull tile that lacked a reflection transformed into a puddle of darkness. Rah’tera’s cloaking device instantly malfunctioned, causing him to gasp as he was sucked into the void trap. Before it could consume the sandstalker’s entire body, Khal’jan caught his hand. It took all the strength he could muster to lift Rah’tera’s upper body.

“Save yourself,” he said, seeing him struggle. “I wouldn’t risk my life to save you, so why should you risk yours for me?”

Khal’jan let out a loud groan. “What kind of nonsense is that? You already risked your life by entering this temple. Now shut up and lift your legs! If you can get at least one leg out of that trap, then you have a chance.”

“I can’t even feel my lower half...”

The archeologist set his environmental suit to maximum power, using its limited supply of energy to give him the extra strength needed to lift Rah’tera out of the void trap. He screamed as if his back had split, then elevated the assassin and dropped him onto an area of the votrigon floor that appeared lustrous.

“By the Eternal Oasis, what was that?”

“One of countless traps,” Khal’jan said, hunching over to relieve his back. “Only step on tiles that are shiny.”

Rah’tera gave a subtle nod, getting to his feet. With vigilance, the duo advanced through the hall. Upon reaching the entryway at the other side, they stopped and fixed their eyes on six panels adorned with calligraphy. This time, the assassin dared not fiddle with anything. Khal’jan, on the other hand, extended his hand toward the middle console.

“You sure about this?”

The archeologist paused. “Not really. But, according to my research, I discerned that midpoints are relevant. That is, of course, if this is the same lost civilization that I’ve been studying.”

Continuing to reach out, Khal’jan erased the swirling lines within the central sand-like console. At that moment, an ice-cold beam from above blasted the duo, its sheer power knocking them to the floor. Though their force fields initially protected them, they malfunctioned by the time the icy ray dissipated.

“Not the same then?”

“I still believe it is,” Khal’jan said, standing up and reexamining the panels. “There’s just another trick to it, that’s all.”

Khal’jan took his time, knowing full well that he only had one more chance without a functioning force field. Porting a DP-823 via KLD, he reviewed his notes on the symbols. After a long moment, he shook his head and regrettably erased the artistic lines in the consoles before him.

“What have you done?” Rah’tera asked angrily.

Just as he grabbed the archeologist, intending to punch him, the doors cracked open from the center and swung forward on either side. Glancing at each other, they entered a dark chamber whose walls caught fire. Moments later, the whole room lit up. Then the entrance behind the pair resealed itself and became enveloped in flames, forcing them to the center of the room. Rah’tera cursed under his breath while the archeologist winced at the inferno.

“Now what?”

Before the archeologist could respond, a wave of flame emerged from his left and formed into a fiery entity. It charged toward Khal’jan who cringed. The archeologist was expecting his demise when Rah’tera brazenly struck the entity with two daggers enchanted with frost. Rime spread throughout the enflamed form, dousing it.

To the duo’s surprise, fire stretched upward to the ceiling. They gazed at it, witnessing wild flame launch itself back down to the floor, forming into two entities. Porting out a pistol, Rah’tera threw it over to his companion and managed to cloak himself again. Without hesitation, Khal’jan aimed the gun at a fiend and shot frost beams at it. Before the other entity attacked, Rah’tera struck it sidelong. Although his cloaking field deactivated and needed to recharge, he still managed to kill the fiend.

“Wave your beam,” Rah’tera said.

Acknowledging the sandstalker’s advice, Khal’jan maneuvered his gun high and low, causing the beam to hit other parts of the creature’s form. Within seconds, it was doused. They rejoined at the center of the chamber, their eyes darting around. Snatching the chance, Khal’jan took a clip from the assassin and reloaded his weapon.

“Thank you.”

Rah’tera didn’t respond; he simply gazed at the northern wall where the flames were growing wilder. Three more entities emerged, this time launching fireballs. Jumping out of harm’s way, Khal’jan managed to evade death. Adrenaline pumping, Rah’tera cloaked himself again and vanished into the shadows while his comrade opened fire. All three entities fixated on the archeologist, summoning more fireballs.

“Rah’tera?” he squeaked.

Uncloaking between two fiends, the assassin struck them. The enchantments on both his daggers, however, quickly waned. As he defeated those entities, the third monstrosity launched a barrage of fireballs at him before Khal’jan had a chance to kill it. Rah’tera ducked from one and rolled away from another, but the third and fourth spheres blasted him against a wall. He let out an agonizing wail, his body aflame.

Wide-eyed, Khal’jan kept his beam steady on the fiend and obliterated it. As the wild flames in the chamber faded, the archeologist ran over to his companion who lay burnt on the floor, smoke rising from his sizzling body. While he searched his kinetic link device in order to replace a healing sedative for Rah’tera, the central floor opened, revealing a spiral staircase leading downward.

“Leave me,” the assassin rasped through his gasmask, barely able to breathe. “Today the flames of Geysarpa escort me to paradise.”

Khal’jan knelt beside him, slack-jawed. “You must be a sandstalker. I know all about the mythos of Geysarpa. No offense, but the only person escorting you out of this cursed pyramid is me.”

The archeologist lifted him over his shoulders. Turning, he faced the staircase and warily approached it. After careful examination, he descended the steps. Reaching the base, he found himself in a cavernous lair with a pit ahead. Beyond the pitch-black abyss lay the other half of the floor where a glowing door stood.

“Unbelievable,” he muttered to himself.

He tried contacting his sister via KLD but couldn’t establish a connection. Despite his extreme frustration, he remained composed and carefully laid the sandstalker against the last step. Taking a few steps forward, Khal’jan observed his surroundings. Though dark, his kinetic link device’s light allowed him to see the pit. Just a few steps away from reaching it, he heard something snap.

Glancing up, Khal’jan saw a crystallized stalactite falling. Gasping, he leapt aside fast. The stalactite landed, shattering in the place he had last stood. Another snap within earshot caused him to run. Countless stalactites started to fall, their destruction echoing throughout the chamber while Khal’jan desperately sprinted out of harm’s way.

The archeologist returned to where he had started. Lifting his comrade, he retraced his steps toward the pit. Nearing the first stalactite that had dropped, he carefully walked around it and soon arrived at the edge of the pit. Raising his gun, he fired several beams below to see if there was an invisible bridge. Nothing obstructed the rays from blasting the lower escarpment opposite him.

“By the eternal Goddess, what must I do to get across?” he asked himself. “Think, Khal. Think.”

After a short time, his eyes widened. Remembering that his environmental suit had G12 gravity modifiers built into his sabatons, he activated them. Leaping off the ground, he soared across the pit. When he landed, a poisonous miasma rose from the abyss. By chance, from the corner of his eye, he saw its greenish form rise before moving onward.

“I guess that’s the price for cheating.”

Disabling his gravity-modifying sabatons, Khal’jan made haste toward the glowing door. Keeping the assassin astride his shoulders weighed him down. Nevertheless, he ran as quickly as he could. When he drew closer to the door, it vanished. Khal’jan stopped, a baffled expression carved on his pale face.

“Another trick...”

Miasma continued to fill the cavernous lair. He checked his surroundings twice but didn’t see anything significant. His face grew paler. Turning, he focused on the pit itself. Even though Khal’jan thought his new theory was crazy, he broke into a run and jumped into the pitch-black abyss.

While falling, he activated his G12 technology. The lower region illuminated by itself, revealing to him a vaulted, triangular-shaped ceiling. Still descending, he noticed an obelisk atop a plinth suspended at the center of the chamber. By a miracle, it seemed to him, he was near the floating platform and landed smoothly atop it.

Once again, the archeologist laid Rah’tera down. He approached the stony obelisk, which was covered in innumerable carvings; they were all a form of calligraphy. Only one part was empty—the center. Observing the markings, he noticed they almost seemed to be connected. With several links missing, however, it made him hesitate.

“Hmmm...what if these markings are so old that some have faded?”

Not having much to lose, the archeologist extended his hand toward the central console and drew interwoven lines swirling in all directions. Once he had finished, it appeared as if the symbol he’d drawn was linked to the others surrounding it. Moments later, the obelisk shook. Then the calligraphy glowed.

Khal’jan took a couple of steps back, stunned by the majestic glow. Illuminating as one whole symbol, the central piece opened. An orange gleaming cube with intricate designs carved all over it was inside. The archeologist stared at it in awe. After a short moment, he approached the primordial relic.

“Can it really be?” he said out loud. “Is this truly the fabled, enchanted Eye of Soth’yugon?”

Although wary, Khal’jan reached out for the artifact and seized it. As he held the relic, it stopped glowing. Yet another tremor struck. This time, the entire chamber shook. Parts of the vaulted, upside-down ceiling cracked, at which point the apex beneath them shattered. Within seconds, both Rah’tera and Khal’jan were sucked out into space.

V

Safeguard

The quake extended throughout all of Vei-Pyirye’s Remnant, causing Marauder to tremble. Like many of the soldiers, miners, and archeologists stationed there, Shirakaya and her entourage lost their balance during the tremor. Several turrets malfunctioned, one of them exploding when the uneven ground cracked open beneath it.

“Holy smokes!” gasped Myris. “This is flippin’ crazy!”

“What should we do?” Yarasuro asked.

“Shira!” called out Narja via kinetic link. “Our sensors are showing two people drifting beneath the asteroid. I think one of them is Rah’tera.”

“What? I’m on my way. Prepare for takeoff.”

Shirakaya signaled the mutant and young oracle to follow her. Meanwhile, the military commander passed the Shadow Mercs without so much as a glance, running toward his crooked command center in a frenzy. Knowing she was free of him, Shirakaya boarded her starship and returned to the bridge.

When the pilot saw Shirakaya and her entourage return, she disembarked from Vei-Pyirye’s Remnant. Flying the battleship soudaria, she reached the upside-down pyramid’s shattered apex and searched for the two life signs on her radar. With little time lost, the crew spotted two figures drifting in space amid countless particles of votrigon.

“That’s my brother!” Shirakaya yelled in a panic, rising from her chair. “Open the docking bay. I’ll get them myself.”

Yarasuro grabbed her arm. “Someone’s two steps ahead of you.”

He gestured toward the windowpane where they saw Dojin in his spacesuit using a jetpack to reach the drifters. Upon seizing both of them, the renegade gave a thumbs-up, at which point Xorvaj launched a pre-stabilized gravity grappling hook whose flukes caught the trio. Shirakaya used a camera to zoom in on the docking bay, watching the ghensoth heave them inside.

The crew cheered with relief. Shirakaya cracked a smile, pleased to see Dojin helping. She promptly made her way to an X-Phaser, teleporting to the docking bay. Upon materializing, Shirakaya sprinted toward her shivering brother. Dojin, meanwhile, injected the sandstalker with an MS-783 medical syringe.

“Let’s hope the adrenaline keeps him alive,” the ghensoth said.

Without further ado, Xorvaj carried the sandstalker toward a pod and transferred to Marauder’s medical wing. In the meantime, Dojin helped the groaning archeologist stand on his own.

“Dojin,” the freelancer called out, “thank you.” She approached her brother and hugged him. “I am so glad you’re safe.”

“I’m confused,” he said, looking haggard. “What’re you doing here, sis?”

“Quite frankly, I have an arcane book that requires your expertise. But can you first tell me...what happened to Rah’tera?”

Khal’jan sat on one of many cargo boxes with a sigh. “He somehow slipped through the security and entered that pyramid where I was ensnared. Together we made our way into its depths when a trap conjured some kind of elemental beings of fire. If it weren’t for him, I’d be dead. But he got wounded before I could finish the last one off.”

“I’m gonna check on him,” Dojin said, leaving.

The freelancer gave a quick nod. “What were you doing in that temple anyway? Surely you had to know there’d be traps.”

“Commander Jeyphen forced me to investigate it despite my warnings. Now he’s paying the price for it.” Glancing at Vei-Pyirye’s Remnant through a porthole, he witnessed the asteroid gradually crumble apart. He then revealed a glowing cube to his sister. “Thank the divine I managed to grab this before all hell broke loose.”

Shirakaya stared at it in awe. “What is that?”

“If my theory is correct, this might be the lost Eye of Soth’yugon. In fables about the ancient Heigon civilization, long before Vei-Pyirye’s destruction, it was described as having immeasurable power. Detecting enchanted artifacts, unsealing hidden gateways to other realms, and possibly even being a key to an ethereal prison for cursed spirits...you name it.”

“Incredible,” she said, a hint of fear in her eyes. “What evidence—”

“Shira,” Narja interjected via KLD, “we have a serious problem. Commander Jeyphen is demanding temporary sanctuary for his platoon and himself. He also knows your brother is here and wishes to speak with him.”

“Damn it,” Khal’jan muttered, porting the cube away.

The freelancer hesitated, cursing under her breath. “Bring them aboard and let them stay in the cafeteria. Anyone who’s injured can be brought to the infirmary. As for the commander, have him escorted to Rah’tera’s room in two minutes’ time.”

“Aye.”

Ending the transmission, Shirakaya and her brother teleported to the medical wing in an X-Phaser capsule. Rematerializing, they exited the pod and made their way to a room where Rah’tera was lying on a bed. Dojin and Xorvaj stood there too. Utterly dismay, Shirakaya stared silently at the crippled sandstalker who struggled to breathe.

“How did you know they were in danger?” she asked the renegade.

“Well, as much as I hate to admit it, cyber dick informed us. He apparently heard Narja sighting them and gave us the coordinates.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

“Yes,” her brother said. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“Rescuing you was easy,” Xorvaj said.

Shirakaya grimaced at the sight of Rah’tera. Thinking back to when she had been stabbed and poisoned during the last rumsira, she remembered that it was he who had ultimately guided the crew to getting an antidote for her. While she held his hand, a multitude of footsteps came within earshot.

In a matter of seconds, Yarasuro stood by the door. “My lady, Commander Jeyphen is here to see your brother.”

At her nod, the commander stepped inside with four soldiers.

“Where is it?” he said wrathfully. Observing the archeologist’s dumbfounded expression, he stomped over until standing right in his face. “Don’t play stupid with me, Khal’jan of Aarda. I know you have whatever it is the others were hoping to replace.”

The archeologist winced, raising his hands in surrender. “I swear by the eternal Goddess there’s nothing.”

“Why do I feel like you’re lying and should be arrested?”

“Commander Jeyphen,” he replied with composure, “I warned you about the pyramid. My colleagues were overly ambitious and excited. I certainly don’t blame them. If it wasn’t for my dreadful experience at the temple of the fifth moon, perhaps I’d have been the same. But the fact is I warned everyone. I knew there would be traps. And now, whatever treasure may have been hidden is lost to us.”

The commander clenched his teeth. He didn’t have to tighten his fists to show that he wanted to punch the archeologist.

“We’re lucky we escaped with our lives,” Khal’jan added, gesturing at the sandstalker.

Commander Jeyphen glanced at the wounded alien with curiosity. “Who the hell is that and what does he have to do with you?”

“That would be my fault,” Shirakaya said. “He had the ability to cloak himself, so I had him sneak inside when trouble started,”—Jeyphen turned to her with fury in his eyes—“I deeply apologize. Truly. I know that I disobeyed a direct order from you, but this is my brother. He’s dear to me. Please understand. I was only trying to protect him.”

“Show me see your KLD’s registered equipment,” Jeyphen demanded of Khal’jan, ignoring what Shirakaya had said. Wasting no time, the archeologist revealed his databank. The commander checked every single item. “Hmmm...”

“With all due respect, sir, I am not a liar.”

Jeyphen glanced at the wounded mercenary again. “My captain entrusted this mission to me. A thorough investigation will commence around these ruins. Despite its destruction, we will uncover any relics that are here. If you’re withholding anything that belongs to us, then know this: You will all be arrested for conspiracy and stealing. Furthermore, this battleship shall be confiscated. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir,” the siblings said in unison.

The commander let out a sigh. “I’m a bit unnerved after what just happened, but I do appreciate your help, Shirakaya. Take your brother if need be.” He turned to leave the room while adding, “One more thing, Khal’jan. If I decide to call upon you, failing to comply will result in excommunication like your sister.”

Dojin couldn’t wipe away his smirk. Once the commander and his soldiers teleported out of the wing, Shirakaya turned her attention back to Rah’tera. She didn’t care about empty threats. At this point, all she cared about was getting her power back, expanding the team, and keeping them alive.

“What happened to the relic?” she inquired.

The archeologist shrugged with a smug expression on his face. “I’m not sure. Maybe there was an unforeseen anomaly that made it transfer over to someone else’s kinetic link device...like yours.”

Xorvaj let out a subtle cackle. “He is definitely your brethren.”

“Very smart, Khal. Now I need you to help me convince our sister to become a permanent member of my crew so she can treat Rah’tera and your colleagues.”

Inner Balance

The infinite stars are your greatest ally. Let their perpetual light soothe your soul like a wellspring of life. Within the everlasting radiance, you shall replace the essence of my boundless warmth. I have given all my children life, and, just as my spirit rejuvenates yours through faith, so too do my angelical stars replenish your corporeal form with energy eternal. Yet, like all forms of existence, balance is essential. Let not their abundant power be abused—for the day may come when my precious stars are hurled into chaos. Discover cosmic equilibrium, and the sanctity of every sun shall remain pure forevermore.

Gathas of Maz’hura 2:17