Arlaksis
Early Dark Age - Kingship Sariks-Syn, Sol System, Space
RRRUUUUGAH!
Arlaksis jolted awake in his chair, the book on his lap falling to the floor violently. His eyes blinked a few times and darted to the speaker embedded in the ceiling.
Once again, another ear-piercing sound came.
RRUUUUGAH!
His expressions flared underneath his mask as he realized it was time for him to get out of bed, or his chair at the least. As he stood up, stretching his arms, the speaker blared to life with static.
"All Captains report to the Great Hall, immediately!" the announcer ordered. Arlaksis sighed at the intrusion of his sleep, but he was admittedly curious at what could cause such a large assembly so early in the day.
He threw on his golden yellow cloak, and headed to his door. The circular door split open vertically, and he exited into a hallway.
Arlaksis saw the other Captains exiting their quarters, each of them looking just as tired as he was a minute ago. He could only speculate on what might be happening, perhaps Devils have caught up with us? Has war started again?
"Velask. Arlaksis."
He turned around to find Meksin standing there, in his usual demeanor. "Velask. Meksin." The older captain led the way, with Arlaksis deciding to stay close to him on the way. "Do you know why we are gathering?"
"Nama." The older Eliksni answered, shaking his head. "I suspect we have found something, but I do not know what."
"Hmmm."
They followed the other Captains out of the hall and through the rest of the ship until they came upon the Great Hall. Arlaksis was sure something big was going on, judging by the sheer number of Captains among them. I have to get out more.
"I suspect Devils." Arlaksis confided, glancing back at Meksin.
The older Eliksni nodded. "Could be."
"I heard one Baron say that we found the Great Machine." Another Captain said, looking at the pair with energetic eyes. "That it is on a dead world just a stone's throw away."
The Great Machine? Arlaksis and Meksin glanced at each other in realization. "We finally found it?" he asked, hope imbued in his voice.
"Indeed, or so the Barons say." The Captain nodded his head. "We shall see soon enough, though."
Arlaksis had only heard stories of the Great Machine, but he was excited to finally see it for the first time! What marvels he had heard it made for the Eliksni in ages past! "Were you born in Riis, Meksin?"
The older Eliksni nodded his head. "Eia, Arlaksis. I was." he confirmed, his hard eyes temporarily growing softer. "It was beautiful and glorious, Arlaksis. The old stories were more than true." he glanced back at him. "It is a shame you did not see it yourself."
"Perhaps we will again soon." Arlaksis smiled as the pair stood in the Great Hall. There was a stage beyond them, empty, although he could plainly see the Barons on their own elevated platform, away from the Captains.
He wondered what it would be like to stand up higher than the others. Would he be more easily seen by the Kell then?
"Hmph!" Meksin gave the large cluster of Barons a wicked glance. "They have awfully shiny coats, do they not, Arlaksis."
Shiny wouldn't be the right word, but to say the Barons had more glamorous and regal garbs than the Captains did would be correct. Arlaksis did not mind Meksin's insult, though, it was expected of them to do so as the Kell's favorites.
A commotion suddenly broke out towards the empty grand stage itself, and Arlaksis was able to see two Eliksni both throwing all four of their hands in the other's direction. A circle grew around the two, putting Arlaksis and Meksin on the border between the crowd and the clear circle.
The Barons idly watched in amusement
Arlaksis identified the two Eliksni as Tirix and Egyalsis, both of whom were recently promoted to Captain. And here they are… fighting like a pair of dregs…
Tirix, on the left, hit Eygalsis with his upper two arms, near the other Captain's respirators. In response, Eygalsis kicked Tirix's feet out, just one sweep of his legs and the former Vandal was off the floor and prone on the ground. He didn't give Tirix a chance as he mounted him and began punching at the other Eliksni's face.
Arlaksis looked back up at the Barons, and was confused as they seemed to be taking bets on who would win, enjoying the sport. All around, the other Captains were cheering on either Tirix or Eygalsis. No one wanted to stop the fight, even if it could get out of hand.
He looked at Meksin, who watched the fight go on with utter disdain; occasionally, his small blue eyes would flicker over to the Barons, who continued to do nothing but pose.
RRUUUUUGAH!
The two Captains glanced up at the Pilot Servitor embedded in the ceiling. It centered it's beaming gaze on the two in the middle of the circle, and Arlaksis swore he could hear one of the Baron's chuckling to themselves.
Before anyone could really register what was going on, their Kell had chosen that exact moment to enter the room. His steps were calm and controlled, despite the massive size difference between himself and the rest of them.
Craask took a wide scan of the entire room, first going over the Barons, who stood to attention now. Then over the gathered crowd of Captains, passing over Arlaksis himself, until the Kell's gaze landed on Tirix and Eygalsis.
The two Captains were frozen in their mid-combat positions, held there in place by Craask's deafening gaze. Arlaksis would hate to be on the opposite end of that stare. A part of him was wondering just what his Kell would do to them both.
Silence permeated in the air, no one had dared to interrupt it, for fear of Craask doing what he did best; weeding. The Kell only stared at the two young Eliksni, but with what he was trying to convey, Arlaksis did not know. If Craask was displeased, or happy about the entertainment, nobody could tell.
Immediately, the two Captains scurried off the floor, standing to attention as if they were still in the crowd with the others. Craask only kept his dark, beady eyes on them.
More silence in the room. A few minutes had passed, and Arlaksis looked on at the two Eliksni in the center. They were shivering.
Finally, two of Craask's hands came together in one booming clap. The Kell began clapping, and soon after the Barons followed suit, which gave way for the rest of the Captains to clap as well. Arlaksis clapped along with Meksin, keeping his eyes on the other two Captains, who were still shivering.
Until, Craask suddenly stopped, and the clapping died away instantly. All that could be heard was their Kell inhaling quite deeply, and loudly.
"You." Craask's voice boomed, filling the entire hall. He pointed at Eygalsis. "What is your name?"
"E-Eygalsis." The Captain answered hastily.
Craask nodded. "Good work, Egyalsis." He then glanced over to Tirix. "You."
"T-T-Tirix, my Kell!"
The Kell of Kings narrowed his eyes on Tirix. "You allowed your combatant to dominate you? In one simple move, he knocked you from the floor."
Tirix was visibly shaking, all eyes were likely on him.
Craask glanced at his guards. "Take this one and dock him. He is not fit to be a Captain."
The Kell's guard, in their magnificent golden armor made their way to a panicked Tirix, holding his firm on either side. It was easy since they were both larger than the young Captain.
"Take his ether portions and make him a Dreg once more. Place him in the other one's crew." Craask ordered. In only a moment, the Kell's guard had picked up the kicking and screaming Tirix, and had whisked him out of the hall.
Craask glanced slowly back on the crowd of Captains gathered. "Well? Stand to attention."
The circle around Egyalsis had filled immediately, making him virtually disappear. Arlaksis had no doubt that the young Captain was relieved himself.
"You all are gathered here… for a momentous occasion." Craask began, speaking rather slowly. "I have been informed by our Pilot Servitor that we have entered the 'Sol' System. The Great Machine lies at the heart of the system, finally within our grasp once again."
Arlaksis glanced at Meksin, who looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. Light chatter filled the hall amongst the Captains, and even some of the Barons.
"SILENCE!" The Kell of Kings boomed.
Sure enough, nothing could be heard in the great hall.
Craask continued, suddenly calm again. "Additionally, I have also been informed that no other houses have arrived before us. They are likely not far behind us, yet this tardiness on their part presents an opportunity."
It seemed as if everyone leaned in a little bit closer to the Kell on the grand stage. Arlaksis found himself keeping his gaze attentively on his Kell.
"As such, we know that the Devils and the Wolves are barbarians, and Winter are recluses. I have elected to take a much more… sophisticated route."
Slowly, his upper left arm stretched to the Barons on their own stage while keeping his eyes on the Captains. Arlaksis felt cold again, as if his eyes fell directly on him for a moment. "You all will be assigned to one of our Barons. Your superior will give you a destination in this foreign world. You will stay there and report any findings back to your superior as often as you can."
"Stay out of sight, out of mind of any potential predators of this foreign planet. I want to know everything that goes on in every part of this world. When the time comes for us all to reassemble into a military power, you will be called back by your superior." Craask's gaze swept over the crowd again. "Do not engage in combat with the other houses, or anything else unless strictly necessary."
Arlaksis breathed in sharply. A world other than this dusty pit…
"We will reclaim the Great Machine, but first, we must deal with the other houses. They may unite to stop us, so I do not want to leave anything to chance. We will play the long game." Craask said finally, lowering his arm. "Do you understand."
It was more of a statement than a question. Of course, everyone nodded along, even the Barons.
"Good." Craask breathed in deeply again. "Report to your superiors immediately." He turned to walk away, but stopped momentarily, glancing back. "Oh, and good luck." He smiled beneath his mask, then choosing to walk off the stage.
Bray-Dunes, Northern France
It all went by so fast.
He'd been assigned to a Baron, Shivaliks, who had given him coordinates and one word. "Observe."
Now, here he was, standing on top of an old, hollowed out building. Before him, all he could see was a vast grey ocean, crashing against cold sand and jagged rocks.
The ground was covered in snow. Arlaksis found it strange as snow still kept falling from the sky. Where does it come from?
He did not like this building anymore, he decided. They required a position which would keep them obscured, but also which they could easily observe from.
Further along the coast, he could see the bones of a great city. He glanced momentarily back out to the sea, however. He saw nothing on the horizon, only more blue and grey.
Staring at the small white line at the far edge of the sea… it felt momentarily, as if he was watching the great black void pass by outside of the Ketch, like he was back in space.
"Hmmm." He shrugged his fur cloak tighter to his shoulders. It was rather cold, much colder than the Ketch had been. Turning around, he walked back to the skiff, where his crew had set up a temporary camp.
The dregs were chattering in the cold, despite their thick coats, and some of the Vandals tried to pass it off as if they were unmoved by the weather. Arlaksis knew they were stiff underneath their cloaks, though.
"Back in the skiff." Arlaksis ordered, much to the relief of his men. "We will find a better position. One with much more heat, besides."
His crew all beamed back into the skiff quite readily, while he took one last glance around, his eyes finding that thin white line again… What is beyond it?
It promised adventure, that much he knew. But he wasn't about to abandon his mission because of it.
He turned around in a huff, re-entering the skiff, and heading towards the pilot's chair. This was not what he expected.
What did Craask have in mind for them? A spy network? Just to dismantle the other houses? How?
"Observe." The Baron's single order echoed again in his head. Observe what, exactly? As the Devils, Winter, or Wolves claim the Great Machine? What then?
He flew the skiff away from the ruined building, heading towards the city on the coast. Shivaliks did not have a name for it. Whatever creatures had inhabited this world had more languages than one, which didn't make his job any easier.
In a few minutes, they arrived by the corpse of a great city. There were massive skyscrapers toppled over onto lower buildings, covered in dust and snow.
As he glanced at the city through screens, a wild thought had sprung to mind. Is this what Riis looked like after the Whirlwind?
He hadn't been born at that point, but everytime he saw the pain behind Meksin's scrutinizing gaze, he knew the impact it had had on the older Eliksni.
Had the Whirlwind come for this world as well?
Broken, clustered vehicles, along with dilapidated stone and rusted steel gave him all the answers he needed.
He landed on top of a tower, this one with an actual interior, and there was a space on the tower where the large skiff could blend in and hide.
Home… "Hmmm. Could be." He grumbled to himself, rising out of his seat, and turning to his crew.
"What are you waiting for? Set up camp. Now."
He didn't know how much time had passed. It was so much different than the Ketch.
Arlaksis had set up his command station, along with his bunk. He didn't have much to bring with him, except for his covers, table, and his weapons and armor. He glanced over his meager belongings with a satisfied sigh.
The Dregs and the Vandals had set up their own bunks, having scattered throughout the floor they were on. The tower seemed sturdy enough, and if it was going to collapse, he knew he and his crew would have more than enough time to get back to the skiff.
The ceiling was high enough for them to set up a fire, and all of his crew were gathered around it currently, soaking up the warmth. He decided to join them.
The sky had visibly darkened, so much so that the white line on the sea had disappeared, consumed only by black. Just like the Ketch…
As he neared the fire, and felt the heat seep past his armor, into his skin and bones… something caught his eye in the distance.
He neared one of the cracked windows, watching as, across the sea, there was something glowing in the distance.
Almost immediately he knew what it was. Ketch. Did the Kings choose to land there?
He heard his crew one by one come stand beside or behind him, all watching the glow far in the horizon. A growing pit in his stomach gave way to other thoughts, however.
Wolves? Winter? Devils? Craask had said they were not far behind, perhaps this was their entrance.
The sky above the Ketch briefly illuminated, and Arlaksis' eyes widened as he saw dozens more above it.
"Wire rifle." He ordered, holding his hand out to one of the Vandals.
In less than a second the rifle landed in his hand. He took aim and zoomed in the scope as far as it could go. As the sky lit up again, he found what he needed to know.
Turning back to his crew, he handed the rifle back to a gracious Vandal. "Be on guard. We may need to escape."
The rest of the room suddenly glowed with a bright orange light, and Arlaksis snapped back around. He watched on in disbelief.
Far off in the distance, there was now a large cloud reaching high into the sky. They bombed something… no… they destroyed it, whatever it was.
Slowly, each Ketch turned in a different direction, all spreading out from one another until they could not be seen anymore in the dark night.
"The Devils have arrived."