James Somers - The rise of Lucin

Vock and Teran were drawn into the battle away from their conversation as the first Agonotti lord began to disintegrate upon the battlefield. "Only four of them left," Teran said.

"Yes, only four…" Vock leaned back against the pylon with his arms folded pretending to take interest in the fight. Teran continued to watch and then turned back to Vock. He leaned in toward Vock this time and said, "Alright, what else is there?"

"Mithrium."

"Mithrium? Now, I know you're crazy," Teran said. But Vock's smug look said he wasn't joking in the least.

Oric-tal moved on to the others as the battle for supremacy continued. He took on two opponents at a time as they joined together to overcome him. Rane and Palice exchanged blows with their powerful Agonotti brother. Oric morphed his mace into a whip and snapped it around Rane's arm. With as much force as he could muster, Oric sent him flying into Palice as he charged. They tumbled across the ground trying to recover as Oric pounced on them and dispatched both without mercy.

"Haisn is the only one left with Oric," Teran declared.

"And Haisn will lose," Vock said confidently.

"So why do you seem so happy? You said Oric was a fool."

Vock leaned in again, speaking quietly as he looked on at the two contestants about to square off on the battlefield. "Watch Oric."

Teran watched as Oric-tal huffed and gulped at the air while stalking toward Haisn. His whip morphed into a great battle axe in his hand.

"What about him?"

"He's fighting in a physical form and subject to its infirmities."

Teran studied him again. "He's getting tired."

"Exactly."

The two Agonotti lords, Oric-tal and Haisn, charged at one another. A fierce exchange followed. Haisn struck furiously at Oric, but could not drive him back.

"And-" Teran baited.

"And, he's going to win, but before Oric can proclaim himself the new leader, a challenger is going to come forward according to our right," Vock said.

"And that challenger will be fresh for the fight?"

"Exactly, my friend."

"But can this challenger beat him? Oric is quite fierce."

"What no one seems to realize is that we have been getting stronger, but not in the physical-in the spiritual. I can't explain it, but I have been experimenting. Our former glory, in part, is returning."

Teran looked stunned.

"Now, Teran, do you suppose our brothers would follow such a one that brought them this revelation?"

"Oh, they would indeed."

Oric and Haisn grappled below them on the arena floor. The entire crowd of Agonotti warriors cheered for their respective favorite to come out the winner. Then the two toppled to the ground each struggling to get the dominant position. Oric got it and he used it quickly. He plunged a weapon into his foe and Haisn moved no more.

Oric-tal got up from the ground leaving his Agonotti brother to disintegrate behind him as he presented himself before the crowd as the winner.

"Now is the time." Vock stood to his feet and stepped out from where he and Teran had been sitting. He looked back at Teran. "If you trust me, brother, and still desire the old glory, then back me up when the time seems right."

And with that, he turned and walked down through the cheering crowd of Mithri in their cursed physical forms and proceeded onto the battlefield toward Oric-tal. Oric had not noticed Vock approaching yet.

Oric waved his hands in victory toward the crowd, but the cheering turned to murmuring very quickly with fingers pointing into the arena. He turned to find Vock approaching him from behind-unarmed, but still daring to approach. The council members designated to judge the contest, and representing all of the five groups of Agonotti on the planet, stood as they recognized him. He had reputation and respect among many, but he had never acted so aggressive.

"What are you doing, Vock?" Oric shouted as he turned to point his weapon.

Vock did not speak to him. Instead he addressed the council above them. "I claim the right to challenge!"

Oric's faced burned with fury. "Do you think you can actually win? Turn around now and walk away. I may show leniency toward you when I am Leader."

"I claim the right!" Vock said again to the council.

They looked at one another, considering the request. Oric watched them half hoping they would consent to it. He still thirsted for a kill.

"It is your right!" the head of the council proclaimed at last.

Oric immediately rushed Vock before he could morph any weapons or armament from his form. But when his battle axe found its target, it split only the wind. Oric had charged right through him. Vock reintegrated so fast that he was able to smash his locked fists across Oric's back as he passed.

Oric stood stunned. None of them could do that; at least not that fast. Oric charged his opponent again, swinging as he approached, but Vock pulled away through the air, his feet hovering elegantly just above the ground with a confident grin on his face. He remained just out of reach as Oric ran at him swinging wildly.

"How? How are you doing that?!" Oric shouted as he halted in frustration.

"You aren't worthy to lead this great host, Oric," Vock said as he touched the ground again.

Oric shouted a cry of war as he thought to charge again, but it was cut short. Vock thrust his hands into the air at his Agonotti brother. A force unseen smashed into Oric and yet held it him in his place. With a thought, Vock caused the ground to erupt before his rival. The rock thrust upward and pounded Oric's stunned physical form. He reeled away landing in a heap twenty feet from where it hit him. His eyes remained open, but he didn't move again. Soon Oric-tal's physical form vaporized like those felled by his own hand.

No one spoke. Vock did not wait for the stunned audience to cheer him or the council to proclaim him the victor.

"Brothers, we have been changing in recent days, but we have been very unaware of it! What you have witnessed here today is part of this change. I believe it may be a return to some of our former power and glory!"

A pin could have been heard hitting the old stone comprising the arena floor as he paused. "We are not meant for this," he pleaded as he pulled at his garments. "We are nobler than these physical forms we have been confined to."

A positive reaction swept noticeably through the crowd. "We still have power. We still have some means to get back what we have lost," Vock continued.

His pleading turned almost to accusation. "Is this all you desire? Have you not longed for the power-the glory we once knew before the worlds were?" The reaction gained strength, turning toward resolution, and then to desire unrealized as an evil hope sprouted among the words he spoke.

"Follow me!" he commanded. "I will lead you back to the glory we once knew-glory and power that are already beginning to return to our kind. We just haven't realized it."

The crowd of Agonotti before him erupted into cheers. Now, he could put his plan into action.

The dank atmosphere in the caves almost choked them. Taking a breath seemed like drowning. "Do these people actually live in this environment?" Emil asked.

"It's just this area. We're near hot springs that run through these mountains," Jayce said from up ahead.

His lantern lit the way to guide them. Tiet found it more difficult to maneuver than most. The contorting to move around in the tight spaces rekindled the pain of his injuries. Mirah remained faithfully at his side helping him. Occasionally he had to pause to catch his breath.

Kale looked back at him-watching his father panting for breath. He felt a pang of guilt. He had been the cause of this. Lucin had used Kale to bring his own father to this state.