James Somers - The rise of Lucin

AFTER several hours of waiting inside the Equinox, Mirah heard a beeping alarm on the scanner. She was sitting alone on the bridge while the others gathered supplies to move to another ship when the rebel groups arrived in the valley. Mirah needed rest. She had not gotten any good sleep since before they had fled Kosiva and the exhaustion was catching up with her. Ramah was stable and doing fine, in fact, when Mirah had returned from her dinner to relieve Emil in the Infirmary, she had found the two young people so engrossed in one another's company that she had decided to just leave them alone. Someone had to remain on the bridge monitoring the scanner for activity, so with pillow in hand she had taken a post in one of the bridge flight chairs listening for any new developments.

Mirah tapped the intercom. "Kale, the scanner is picking up what looks like a group of ships heading toward the valley."

"I'm on my way," he replied.

Within moments, Kale and Juli appeared on the bridge. He surveyed the panel and confirmed Mirah's report. "It looks like four or five different groups. Ours is coming from Sector City to the east and the others are approaching from the south and west. Hopefully we'll have a good number of soldiers once all of the groups get together."

"From what you've been telling me," said Mirah, "it still might not be enough."

"This battle won't be won by numbers anyway," said Kale. "Either Elithias will give us the victory or we won't have it at all. I've been studying some of the scrolls that Aija left on board and information back at the base library. This valley is mentioned in one of the prophecies."

"What does it say?" asked Mirah.

"It said a son of man will be an instrument of The Eternal One in that day when the Mithrial sons shall gather to oppose him in the Valley of Sayir…and he shall bring the judgment of Elithias upon them with no weapon in his hand."

"What does it mean?" asked Juli.

"I can only assume it is referring to Father."

"How do you know?" asked Mirah.

"Aija did tell Father that he's supposed to lead these rebels as an army against Lucin and his forces and here we are gathering at Sayir just like the prophecy says. This has to be where and when the battle is going to take place," explained Kale.

"But our people are the only ones out here," said Juli optimistically.

"I'm just going by what the prophecy states will happen-maybe Lucin arrives later."

"How long until your father and the others arrive?" asked Mirah.

"According to the sensors, the different groups will be coming into the valley in about fifteen minutes. We transmitted the coordinates to Father and he said he would be heading this way with Grod and Wynn."

"I hope he will arrive with the others," said Mirah. "I miss him already."

ON the northern plateau above the Valley of Sayir, an army gathered, an army of dark mind and dark purpose. The human soldiers poured from their transport vehicles. Hundreds of the ships scattered across the land like a swarm of insects, unloading their young from their bellies. They moved as one, for one mind controlled them all.

Lucin stood out in the open air. The sun shone upon him, but it did not bring light into his darkness. He held a thin pad in his hand. On its flat display, Lucin watched the live feed coming from his orbiting battle cruisers. Their eyes brought him the location of all of the rebel transport groups as they made their way to the Valley of Sayir, according to the prophecy of the empty hand.

The ancient prophecy might have caused Lucin to fear, but he had abandoned the fear of Elithias long ago, before men walked the paradise of the old world. Now, his power from old was returning, even his fellow Mithri could feel it. The Agonotti were united with him again; his Mithrial brethren. His mind and power were well beyond the Barudii he had tried to capture. Lucin had supposed there was a necessity in having one of them so that he would have the mental stamina to control the great assimilated host he had secured on Castai-Rex. There was simply no need for it now. He was well able to control them all now.

Lucin looked away from his data pad toward the masses assembling behind him. He was mesmerized by the number of them, all at his beckoning-they would willingly die for him. How poetic, he thought, these beings created in His image, serving me; dying for me. This is justice of the grandest sort of irony. His eye turned to Mithrium. You should have allowed me my glory, when it would have cost you much less. Now, they will pay for what was rightfully mine.

A familiar wind crossed the area, bringing a dust that was living and yet, not. From the air, a being formed and began to walk toward Lucin. Vock gave a slight bow, conveying his allegiance and respect as he approached, his garments blowing in the breeze behind him.

"We are ready, my lord," said Vock.

Lucin beamed through the human eyes of his host body. "How many, Vock?"

"All of them, my lord."

A smile parted the human lips Lucin spoke through, revealing the teeth, like a predator that is ready to seize the prey for rending.

"How can He stop us now, my brother?" asked Lucin

"But…what of the prophecy?" asked Vock with a measure of concern in his tone.

Lucin dismissed his words saying, "What of it?" He turned to gaze upon his accomplishment; the army of humans that were readying themselves for conquest, his conquest. "Look, Vock. Look at what I have already been able to do, and where is He? He has not come to stop me-has not forbidden me my due from on high. Perhaps we have been fools all along, tricked into believing we were powerless against Him."

Does he really believe what he is saying? Vock felt more apprehension creeping into his thoughts.

"Do you intend to turn from following me now, Vock?" Lucin asked the question with his back still toward his Mithrial brother.

Vock was surprised by the question; it shocked him back to the now. "Of course not, my lord. I have always been loyal to you and will continue to be. I was merely-"

Lucin cut him off, saying, "Good, then go back to our brothers in the valley. When the transports are all on the ground, attack and spare no one."

Vock acknowledged the command with a nod of submission. He could not dismiss the prophecies with so much ease. In all of his time walking among men in his cursed form as an Agonotti, he had never seen a prophecy fail. Fighting his reservations, he did according to Lucin's will and proceeded back toward the valley where the Agonotti waited to strike. The wind took his form again, leaving Lucin standing on the plateau, still poring over his data sheet.

TIET was enjoying a little quiet time as he, Wynn and Grod made the flight to the Valley of Sayir. The old Barudii fighters were cruising steady and smooth at three times the speed of sound. Tiet thought for sure these old birds could press on even faster if need be. They were well built. The deep hum of the engines was almost soothing after all of the action he had seen in recent days. He might have relaxed enough for a little sleep, but they would soon arrive at Sayir.

The trio of fighters was flying on a heading slightly north of the valley. They would have to come through a stretch of mountains along the way and then across a plateau before coming down into the valley.

Grod's voice broke the silence, coming through the cockpit intercom saying, "Wynn, Tiet, I've been scanning ahead on our flight path and I'm picking up something unusual."

It was certainly like Grod to be working on something while the others were resting.

Tiet shook himself out of his sleepiness. "What is it?"

"I'm transferring the scan coordinates."