Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.4:

MYSTERIES REVEALED

By: Elektra

PLANET ICE

Zera looked at the large world engine in front of her. If only she could decipher the writing on the walls. She was sure it had to tell a tale.

"I wish I knew what it said..." a voice spoke behind her. Zera turned around to see Pyrus.

"You read my mind," she looked back at the hieroglyphics, "Will we ever find out?"

Pyrus shook his head, "I don't think so. It'll remain one of the Mysteries of our planets,"

***

PLANET SAND

Zuma looked at the hieroglyphics on the World Engines. She sensed that they told a story. A sad, heartbreaking story of a species last hope. A hope that was sent into the distant regions of space with a wish to bring the species back to the glory it once had.

Unfortunately, Zuma also sensed that such a wish was not to be granted.

***

PLANET ICE

The Alliance met to discuss the return of the Beast. What were they to do? How could they defeat such a powerful entity?

"If only we knew it's weaknesses! We used everything we've got, and it still kept on coming! Our weapons were no use," Graveheart began.

"The Worlds need to come together." Zuma said.

Ramset looked at her, "What are you talking about, Sand creature? The Alliance is ALREADY working together..!"

Zuma shook her head, "No. That is not what I meant. What I meant was..." she paused, "It is difficult to explain. It is revealed in the writing on the world engines."

Cryos looked at Zuma, "You can read the hieroglyphics?!" he asked. "Why did you not tell us this before?!"

She shook her head, "It is not that I can read the hieroglyphics, it is that I can SENSE the story. A sad story is written on those walls. But I have not been able to decipher exactly what that story is," Zuma explained. "I just know that the worlds must come together."

Cryos looked at those gathered in front of him, "I suggest that each planet get their best linguists to decipher what is written on the world engines. The answer may be in there. It HAS to be! Perhaps with the knowledge written within those walls, we will know how to finally destroy the Beast!" The other leaders agreed, "And perhaps we will also find out exatly WHO created our world engines as well!"

***

PLANET ROCK

The Rock linguist looked at the marks on the world engine, "This could mean turn away...? Turn against? Betrayal? Yes. Betrayal."

PLANET ICE

"Destruction," The Ice linguist explained, "Something about the destruction of a world..."

PLANET BONE

"Machines attacked," the Bone linguist shook his head, "What machines?? What did they attack?"

PLANET SAND

Zuma looked at the hieroglyphics before her, "My kindred..." she began to the other Sand creatures gathered around her, "There is a way to decipher this... without the need of linguists." She shook her head, "But it will be painful... for all of us!"

***

PLANET ICE

The Alliance sat in the meeting room on Planet Ice. Cryos spoke to them, "I am afraid that our attempts to decipher the writing on the world engines have failed. At most, we have been able to understand a few words here and there... but as for making any sense of it," he shook his head. "I would continue the effort, but we need to plan for the return of the Beast. I am afraid we will never find out the message our ancestors left for us..."

"It was not our ancestors that left the message, King Cryos..." Zuma began.

Cryos looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"The heiroglyphics on the world engines are written in the same language on all planets. Surely our ancestors did not share the same language." Zuma explained.

"Then what are you saying, Zuma?" King Cryos asked.

"What I am saying is that the world engines were created by another species all together. A species that existed long before our planets were created!"

A gasp of disbelief rose up from those assembled, "You are talking crazy, Zuma!" Lady Jade said.

"Come now, Zuma!! Surely you know the Sun people were the first intelligent life!" Ramset insisted.

Femur turned to Pelvus, "Another species, eh? Think there were any hot babes that long ago?"

"FEMUR!" Tekla snapped.

Femur shrugged innocently, "Just wondering!"

Tekla shook her head, "It is an interesting theory, Zuma. But one I am reluctant to believe... unless you know something we do not."

"You haven't been keeping anything from us, have you Zuma?! We need to know." Cryos began.

Everyone started talking at once.

"Guys! Woah! Wait... calm down here! Let Zuma explain!!" Pyrus said, raising his voice above the others. He turned to Zuma, "Do you really think there was another species that existed before WE did, Zuma??" Pyrus asked with a smile. The Fire Prince seemed to be the only one excited about the prospect that another species lived long ago.

"That is my theory, young prince," Zuma replied. She turned to the rest of the alliance, "I have spoken to my kindred. We may have found a way to decipher the WHOLE story... but to do so, you must all gather on Planet Sand. We will try to find out the truth. We will try to find out what happened so very long ago!"

***

PLANET SAND

The Kindred of Planet Sand created a circle around the engines, and held hands. Zuma sat in the middle of the circle. Slowly, she reached out... and touched the hieroglyphics.

The rest of the Alliance watched with baited breath. What mysteries would be revealed?

Suddenly, energy poured forth from every part Zuma's body and created solid beams of energy. The beams came outward from her body, and connected with her kindred.

One kindred spoke, "We, the inhabitants of Earth, have sent out our last hope - the last pieces of our world."

The Alliance gathered on Planet Sand began to see the story take place in their minds. An image of a beautiful blue planet. Humanoid creatures of different skin colour, sharing the same basic traits.

Another kindred spoke, "Each piece has a world engine. The technology used to create these world engines came at a great price, for it is this very technology that destroyed us."

A third, "Use this power in peace, and do not be lead astray by technology. Continue to live as you do now, for it is the will to live that will be your salvation."

A fourth, "We pray that the pieces unite. For only when the pieces of our world unite will the machines be destroyed."

A fifth, "Our story is a sad one, for it was US that had created the means of our own destruction. WE created the machines. They were to be our salvation! To help us."

The Alliance members could see the machines the humans had built. At first, the machines were small. They sat on desks and tables. Soon, however, bigger, more important machines were built.

A sixth kindred spoke, "Soon, though, we found the small machines too slow. Too stupid."

A seventh, "In our quest to out do ourselves, we created artificial intelligence. An intelligence to be slave to our whims,"

The Alliance members began to see bizarre humanoids roaming the planet. Humanoids made simply of wires and metal.

An eighth kindred spoke, "But we soon became slave to THEIR whims. The Artificials grew. They learned. They surpassed their programming. They betrayed us."

The Alliance bore witness to the artificial humanoids striking down their creators.

Finally, Zuma spoke, "We did not realize how much they had grown and learnt until we saw the Monster they had created. A machine the size of our own planet."

Suddenly, the Beast Planet took form in everyone's mind. It began attacking the beautiful blue planet.

Zuma continued, "As we, the final survivors of Planet Earth, write this story, the Monster machine has decided that WE are the ones that are too slow. WE are the ones that are too stupid. The Monster machine has decided that Earth is no longer deserving of life. That its inhabitants are no longer deserving...." Zuma stopped for a moment. She seemed to be in distress.

All the Alliance members began to see what had distressed Zuma so. The Beast planet devouring Earth -- from the Earth species point of view.

"Zuma! Please! You have to continue with the translation!" Cryos pleaded, and tried to block out the horrible images.

Zuma closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She continued, "As our final hope, we have sent out the last pieces of our planet - pieces we named Rock, Fire, Ice, Bone, Tek, Water, Sand, Crystal, and Reptizar. All the pieces must fit into place. Only then will the Monster machine be destroyed."

Suddenly, the energy pouring forth from Zuma disappeared, and all the kindred collapsed.

The images vanished from everyone's mind.

"ZUMA? KINDRED?" Graveheart called out.

Zuma slowly righted herself, "We are fine, Rock man. We are merely just exhausted."

Graveheart nodded, "Good. I'm glad you're all right," then he smiled, "Had me worried there for a moment!"

"Forgive me for getting back to the business at hand..." Cryos interrupted, "But regarding what the Earth people last wrote - All the pieces must fit into place. Only then will the Monster machine be destroyed..."

Graveheart looked at him, "Yes. What about it, Cryos...?"

Cryos looked solemn, "What are we to do if all the pieces no longer exist?"

EPISODE FIVE

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