James Somers - The rise of Lucin

Kale and Emil remained good friends and excellent warriors. Tiet was proud of them both. Kale seemed especially taken with Aija. He had always longed to know more of Elithias, but Tiet hadn't known more to tell him. Having grown up without his own father and training under Orin all those years had been more mechanical than spiritual and Tiet simply didn't have as much knowledge of the scripture as he would have liked. The Logostus had been lost to his people during the war and according to Aija's preaching, the Gunirans had been the ones preserving it.

Tiet had felt relief after committing himself to Elithias through the pajet, but Kale seemed invigorated. The young man was stoked for the fight ahead. It made Tiet proud, but worried him more. What was in store for his son in this war? What would Elithias make of him-a martyr or a conqueror? Either way, he knew Kale would fly full force into it and not look back. That scared him.

When Aija emerged, Grod and Merab stood beside him. All eyes found him. Now, they would see. What did The Eternal One have in store for them?

When he spoke, all ears heard. "I know you all must be anxious to know what's going on and for the crew of the Equinox, why we are here on Draconis. The Lord Elithias has led you here, my King, because judgment is about to fall on the enemies of man. The Mithri that left their first habitation have been in existence for millennia under a curse from the Eternal One."

Everyone remained motionless. Mithri? What was going on? How could this all be happening? Facing the Baruk and the symbyte takeover of Castai-Rex-these were bad enough, but cursed Mithri? How could it get worse from here?

"The Agonotti that have been ravaging this world are in fact that host of rebels, cursed to half physical forms and allowed to prey upon man because of man's unwillingness to turn and believe on Elithias," the prophet said.

It was inconceivable-man being punished on this planet by the Agonotti. Kale was astonished. He could not grasp the fact he had been facing off with Mithrial beings.

"In their cursed state and partial dependence upon physical forms, the Eternal One has made these Mithri vulnerable to attack, and once killed their spirits are reserved for the final judgment," Aija continued. "Now, that the balance of power here has been disrupted, they have run amok and caused this destruction. Elithias will soon end it."

Murmuring filtered among the group now. The news of Elithias' intervention on man's behalf was so welcome to them after the pain they had all endured. They could barely contain shouts of joy.

"There is more, much more." Everyone stilled their excitement to listen. "My King, the takeover on Castai was not merely a symbiotic organism. This was the Wicked One himself, Lucin."

That name brought chills crawling up and down Kale's spine. Lucin's reputation as the enemy of Elithias and man had survived even with the loss of the Logostus to them.

Kale realized that he had been a pawn to the archenemy of the Eternal One.

"Lucin was cursed to exist among men in the form of the symbyte creature. He had been jealous of the creation of man and rebelled against Elithias. The Lord made him to bear existence from within a human host from that point on. Once again, Lucin's power among his hosts has tipped the balance point with his takeover of those on Castai. Elithias has put a hook in his mouth to draw him here and bring an end to his dominance…but not to him, not yet. my King, you must lead an army against the Agonotti."

Now, Tiet had to respond. He looked around at his supposed army-a few left of his crew and family and a group of one hundred adolescents and children. "Aija, this is no army. These are only children and there are thousands of Agonotti-we're hopelessly outnumbered."

Aija gave a stern look that reminded Tiet who was really in control. "The Eternal One will provide you an army, my King. You must trust Him."

Tiet felt scolded and appropriately so. Aija reached a hand for someone standing back behind him. A young boy emerged to join the prophet. It was the boy leader that had held his son captive in the basement level of one of the abandoned buildings back in Sector City.

"Young Jayce has provided me with information concerning a resistance movement underway here on Draconis. He will take you to their leader and you will find your army among them. Elithias will provide, but the battle will not be easily won. Within the Logostus is found the prophecy of the empty hand. The prophecy tells of one who will come to fight against the rebellious host and shall defeat them with no weapon in his hand. He will be the rod of Elithias' judgment. The power of Lucin's hold on your people shall be destroyed and the Agonotti will be carried away and reserved for judgment."

"So you're saying I will be victorious over them?" Tiet asked.

Aija looked at the king. Then his eyes turned to look at Kale. "The rod of Elithias' judgment will be victorious, my King."

This satisfied Tiet, even if Aija still sounded a bit cryptic in his replies

"There is no time for delay," Aija said. "You must get underway to the place that Jayce will lead you." Aija walked down the ramp and through the crowd. Tiet stepped to him, meeting his son and Emil there as well.

"Where are you going?" Tiet asked. "You talk like you're not going with us."

"I can't go with you, my King. The Lord has called me to depart to a place apart in order to intercede for you."

Kale spoke up and said, "But we can't-"

"Master Kale, you must go on without me for now. I will see you again, when it is time. Remember that the arm of the flesh will fail, but when hope seems gone, pray."

The prophet is certainly mysterious, if nothing else, thought Tiet. The promise of victory comforted him. Aija walked on past them. "We'll see you when you return, Aija," Tiet said.

Aija paused, but did not turn. Then he continued on through the children and proceeded to walk beyond the group through the tall grass stalks toward the hills in the distance.

"I can't believe we have to go on without him," Kale said.

"We'll just have to trust Elithias," Tiet said. "Let's get everyone onboard. Like the man said, we don't have time to waste."

Lucin felt the dull roar of the Vorn cruiser's engines throughout the entire ship. He lay on the bed in his quarters, but he could not sleep. His fleet remained twenty four hours away from planet Draconis and his prey. That's where they would be. He knew it. Time was growing short and the prophecy said Draconis would be the place. He had seen the Logostus many times. It was engraved upon his mind. But it would end up differently than the Eternal One intended-at least this time.

He stood and walked over to the large transparisteel view-port at the rear of the compartment. The starscape spread out before him into the distance. The massive transport ships that had been retrieved from old Vorn stockpiles were capable of carrying up to two hundred and fifty thousand people-they were little more than engines and crew carrier pods that could be dropped from orbit and take troops to the surface. They had been used by the Vorn for invasion purposes when sending their armies to Castai many years ago. He had a total of four allowing him to transport the majority of the remaining population as his new symbyte army.

The transports were useless for atmospheric fighting and too heavy to escape gravity under their own power-built, launched, and used in space only. Fortunately, Lucin still had six Vorn warships at his disposal.

He felt restless. This mortal form-this creature he was forced to be made him cringe with disgust. He wasn't meant to be this way. He had been so beautiful-adored by the host of Mithrium and a favorite of the Eternal One. It was an injustice for him to be reduced to this, but Lucin planned to reclaim his former glory and rise above Elithias in adoration upon these mortal worlds.