Ghosts of Lyarra (47 page)

Everyone turned to see who had spoken out, and the J’Karin guard separated their tight formation as a figure emerged from their cocoon. It was a figure unlike any description; donned with armor of crystal, gold and silver. The figure moved with grace and importance; an unseen power radiated from it as it sauntered forward. Everyone was frozen in shock as they laid eyes on a ghost, for the creature coming forward simply could not be; the Queen of Heaven had
returned.

—
Lyarran Vessel Dark Light;
Inbound to Planet Havyiin

Sara was glued to the main view screen, as was everyone else aboard the Dark Light as the coronation ceremony began. Even Axyn had made his way back up to Operations Control to join the new Council in charge of his beloved ship. When he entered, he placed his right arm across his chest and bowed deep in the ultimate sign of respect to Sara, and as a thank you for saving him and his Ifierin’s lives. She could feel his anticipation on what was the final piece of the puzzle, and as it all started, a hush came over the
room.

She knew the basis of what was to happen, though Aen had not let on any details of the final assault on Myril. Her mind raced for possible hiding places that Aen might use, and settled upon the coffin which sat at the feet of Bryx and the Ifierin guard with him. Her companion had no such insight on the events to come; only having the words from Lyxia to trust her to go
on.

But as confident as she was on Aen’s whereabouts, it was little shock to see him emerge from the water behind the ceremony. Chaos had begun with the priest collapsing and dropping the crown as all eyes fell on that mishap was the perfect distraction for Aen to approach. Soon enough however, he was sighted and shots were fired in defence of the high priestess. They did little to slow him and the sharpshooters were reduced to dust in
response.

Aen now stood on the stage and admonished his adversary; Sara listened proudly to the man that used to be her father, tear apart the false icon for all to see and hear. She watched as he tossed his helmet aside and revealing to all who had been behind the reign of terror that had plagued the Empire for the last year or so. She tensed when he admitted to killing the Empress; a confession that drew angry murmurs from the room around
her.

As he picked up the crown, Sara gasped as he was shot in the side by one of the guards who managed to free himself. But Aen simply stood up and let loose an unexpected strike at the guards; Sara’s stomach lurched at the disgusting nature of the pair’s demise. Her breaths were rapid as Myril and Aen argued, only to be interrupted by the Prophets; her anticipation at the conclusion to all this was
high.

Then it happened; a voice called out from behind all of it. It was an angry voice, a familiar voice, and one that the entire Empire knew intimately. Before all the billions of eyes watching this appeared Iana; the true Empress of the Lyarran Empire made her way down the processional aisle in full ceremonial
armor.

“By the Gods.” Whispered Axyn in utter disbelief; his faith in his Council had been rewarded and much
more.

Others wept, some even fell to their knees, but all kept watching as nothing had been settled yet. The secret was out, and now the treachery would be punished as Iana took back what was hers; the Throne of Light was reclaimed by the one who had never truly relinquished it. Sara smiled; soon all of this would come to an end. Despite knowing the end result, she couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that sat deep within her; a feeling that confused and concerned her as it all played
out.

—
Lyarran Throne World Havyiin; Imperial Palace

“
Behold, the Queen of Heaven returns
.” The Prophets announced to all. “
In a time when none other can lead, it is Iana who steps forward to reclaim her
throne
.”

“You’re dead!” shrieked Myril. “This cannot be! He killed you; we all saw
it!”

“I merely killed the poisoned icon you had served forward for the Empire to hate.” Aen replied to her rambling. “I watched as you poised yourself as a friend and confidant to her, only to tear her down behind her back to position yourself as the next in line. I was brought out of hiding to save Iana, and I did it by striking at the lame duck you had set up for your own devices. Your plan was calculated; carefully crafted over eons and finally put into place, yet you failed to look into the simple security measures that the Empress could use to ensure her survival against such
attacks.”

“But I saw her…..” Myril stammered in disbelief; her eyes locked on Iana as she ascended the stairs to join the congregation on stage. “We all saw it
explode.”

“You saw what you needed to see; a distraction as I made off with the real Iana to somewhere safe so we could glean insight on who and what sought to usurp the throne.” Aen smiled. “You saw a clone; one of the first measures put in place and long forgotten about by all. So enthralled by your own ambitions and so distracted by my attacks, you didn’t see the flaws on what should have been perfection that sat right in front of your
eyes.”

“I had thought you my friend, dear Myril.” Iana admonished her foe. “And it pains me so to stand here and see you for what you truly are. All I ask is
why?”

“I am a survivor.” hissed Myril. “And I would ensure this great Empire survived as well. Under my watch, I would rebuild what has crumbled on your watch. You failed to secure the Harbinger as a weapon to defend the Empire, so I made sure that Lyarra’s light would shine for eons to come by other
means.”

“And that was your mistake.” Iana countered. “For Aen is not a weapon to be wielded by any, not even me. He has a mind of his own, and a heart to follow; a creature so rare and unique I am truly honored to call him my friend. It was opinions like yours that caused me to hide him away after I found him, and it is a time like this that rewards that difficult decision. In your arrogance, you sought to control the uncontrollable; you were the one who brought him into this by disturbing his exile and you were the key to your own
undoing.”

“Look around you,” she continued. “Look at the ruins of what you had laboured for as they lie about your feet. A poisoned and evil lair on Thsin is no more and your home along with all your reserves in fire and ash. All that remains of your new era is what you see here; your new heads of state who shall share your fate. All have forfeit their lives in pursuit of this treachery; let them all burn like their
minions.”

Iana nodded to Aen, and in response he motioned with his right hand with a quick sideways wave across his body. In response, his heart flared and let loose a torrent of energy that ignited the cells of the crowd in a wave pushing right to left. Row by row, they glowed bright orange then cooled to figures of ash one after another; leaving Bryx, the J’Karin, the handful of priests and the few Ifierin standing well back of the audience as the only other living beings in the Imperial
gardens.

Aen passed the crown to the Prophets, strode past Iana and straight towards his next and final victim. With both hands, he grabbed Myril by her throat and lifted her high. Throughout all of this, he had felt nothing as he had killed more and more than he ever imagined. But now, this time he felt hatred to this loathsome creature; for all the pain she had caused along with his peace she had robbed from him. Her gasps for air brought pleasure to him; her struggles to survive in the face of certain death amused
him.

Her arms and legs flailed against her attacker, and a well stashed blade was produced and sunk deep in Aen’s neck. Though it did little damage to him, the pain still enraged him and he flung her off the stage and into the still warm ash statues of her former comrades; the impact caused the serene and ghastly scene to collapse into piles of ash and temporarily entombing the fallen
icon.

“Aen.” Iana called to him as he followed his
prey.

“It ends now.” Aen
replied.

Myril crawled out of the ash pile; the stark reality that it was the remains of her followers that covered her made a guttural scream burst forth from her. In vain, she tried to wipe the ash off her; all the while scrambling back away from the approaching Aen. Slowly and carefully, he stalked her; assessing the entire situation to ensure there were no surprises. It was the end of the whole ordeal, and he wasn’t about to make a mistake
now.

“There is nothing left for you.” Aen announced. “The false Goddess has fallen; her Empire crumbled around her. Can you see it? Can you feel it; taste it even? We wade through the wake of your actions; choke on the desolation you orchestrated with your final
breaths.”

Once again, he caught her quite effortlessly and lifted her back to her feet and held her face to face. Slowly he withdrew the blade sunk in his neck, turning it towards her throat. He hesitated as she opened her eyes with one last defiant gaze, and croaked what she knew would be her last
words.

“You have won nothing here.” She whispered to him. “For in the shadows still lies the true master of this all, and even you cannot match his power. Thy kingdom will come and there is nothing you can do to stop
it.”

Aen’s response was to drive the blade home and end the nightmare she had started; despite the warnings of doom that beckoned for more questioning. He felt it cut up through her jaw and into her brain plate before tearing through the nerve center of her body. He felt her body fight the inevitable as it twitched and flinched from the pain and felt Myril’s body go limp with death. But he didn’t feel remorse as he cast her carcass aside; his mind began to churn over the whispers that now haunted
him.

“
Thy kingdom will
come
.”

Those words had come up before; and even then this cryptic warning resonated in his brain. They were the same words that were uttered by Palla in her defiant stand. Once was just the ramblings of an angry and doomed creature, but twice was an omen; a dark tiding at things yet to come. He had known there was more to it all than Myril and her lust for power; he had always known that this battle was only scratching the surface of the true war. For some time they all had known it would not end here, and they knew that without his minions the true master in the shadows would be
exposed.

Aen walked away from the proceedings as others rushed in to celebrate the return of Iana. He watched blindly as ship after ship landed and throngs of citizens piled out to celebrate the end. But Aen knew it was anything but, and that if they thought the battle to reclaim the throne had been hard he shuddered to think of what lurked in the
darkness.

“Caretaker.” He called into his comm line. “I need all you have on the creation of the Empire, and any files that remained from
before.”

“
I don’t understand
.” the AI replied. “
We are victorious; is it not
over
?”

“No.” Aen replied with a sigh. “This is just the
beginning.”

Sixteen
Lyarran Throne World Havyiin; Imperial Palace

In the hours after the death of Myril and the rest of the Guild, Havyiin’s population had exploded past all previous levels. Floods of Paxyn, J’Karin, and other species migrated to the throne world after witnessing a shocking resurrection. Bryx tried hard, with the meager pickings of security, to maintain Iana’s safety, but was failing to keep the Empress separated from the masses. It came as a relief to him when the Dark Light arrived in orbit and Axyn brought his Ifierin to remedy the giant J’Karin’s
woes.

Accompanying Axyn to the surface was Sara, who was more than relieved to be on solid ground after what seemed like a lifetime in space. As much of an honor it was, to be the first human to travel across the galaxy, she would give it all up to be home again. But for now she would enjoy the party; the music and cheers beckoned her as soon as the transport touched down. When the doors opened, it wasn’t the joyous chaos she expected; rather it was more of a controlled and respectful celebration of
victory.

It wasn’t the rowdy parties she remembered from back on Earth; no one was trouncing the well planned gardens of flowers and lying unconscious in the bushes. Where there was open space for paths there were gatherings of beings from different worlds, and in open areas there were larger groups. All were dancing, cheering and smiling as a band unlike any Sara had ever seen played on from the stage intended for a different purpose. All the way to the spaceport there were citizens of the Lyarran Empire, but despite the large numbers it wasn’t hard to move through the
crowd.

Iana and Bryx were not hard to find; the J’Karin had moved her to the steps of the Imperial Palace’s entrance where not only was she more visible to the public, but it was much easier to assess threats from the higher vantage point. The two were quite the contrast; Bryx with his usual scowl as his eyes scanned the crowd and Iana with her glowing smile greeting all who called out to her. Iana had been renewed by this ordeal, and with a new lease on life she was better than
before.

Sara marched on with the Ifierin towards the Empress; eager to aide Bryx in his cries for better protection. She felt the wind catch her hair as it flowed with the breeze; yet another sensation she sorely missed the last while. As they approached, she could see Lyxia off to the left of the Empress with her neck craned and her eyes scanning the crowd. She was looking for the missing piece of the puzzle and the one that Sara hoped to see as well, but Aen was nowhere to be found. Their eyes met, and Lyxia greeted her with a nervous
smile.

“Hail, my dear Sara!” Lyxia called out. “It is good to see you well and
safe.”

“You too.” Sara replied, mounting the steps and the two embraced. “Though I sense it is not me you were searching
for.”

“Have you seen him?” Lyxia asked desperately. “He disappeared before I could get here, and no one has seen him
since.”

“I saw that too, though it was on the video cast.” Sara answered. “And I have not seen him yet, but I am worried. I have seen that troubled look on his face before, and it worries me that he isn’t here with
you.”

The two shared a look, as the words had been said rang too true. Despite the victory and the time of celebration, something had troubled Aen before vanishing. In concert, the women looked at Iana who returned their look with a
smile.

“Aen is not far away.” She said before they could ask. “And though he wishes to be with us, right now he does not wish to be found. He is filled with much turmoil, and until it is settled he cannot join
us.”

“So he is here still?” Lyxia
pleaded.

“I too noticed his absence, and I reached out with my mind to find him.” The Empress continued. “And though he masked his location, he left me with a reminder of what is yet to
come.”

“A reminder?” Sara
inquired.

“That this isn’t over yet.” Iana’s face went serious as she answered, and her eyes showed the weariness she masked so
well.

All of this had worn them all out and it had been such a relief to see it end with the dagger sinking into Myril’s skull. Emotions were raw, patience had been tested, and all of them were in need of a break. But Iana’s message from Aen was the last thing any of them wanted to hear, and silently they knew that though they had won this battle, the outcome of the looming war was still very much in
doubt.

—

It was a party like no other; a somber occasion turned jubilant as the Empress was not only alive but had triumphantly returned to claim her throne from the clutches of those with nefarious intentions. The palatial gardens of Havyiin were more alive in celebration than ever before, and even Iana was reveling in the festivities. A wrong had been righted, and although there were tons of questions to be answered, but those could wait until
morning.

But not everyone was in a celebrating mood; the instrument to the victory was absent and went unnoticed by all. Aen had retreated to the throne room of the Imperial palace, and sat upon the throne with his head in his hands. He was going over the clues that had come up over the past year or so; all the little pointers to who was really behind all of
this.

The whispers of the great void, the panic in the whispers of the Prophets, the foreboding warnings of Palla and the other prisoners before they expired; all of it painted a background to the picture of Myril that he had yet to truly see in clarity. It wasn’t until the priestess’ dying words that Aen had clued in to who was really pulling the strings ; and by then it was too late to stop the dark machine rolling towards
them.

Now he waited; not to hide from the party goers, but to be the first to face the new evil that awaited them. When he shrunk away from the celebration, Aen knew the throne room would be the place to be. If the enemy wasn’t aware of what had happened, it would look to review the day with its patsy Empress after her coronation. There were no guards at the door of the room, and even if there were, he doubted they would stop him as he entered where few have ever set foot
before.

The instant his foot touched the floor inside, it lit up in a dazzling display of the Milky Way galaxy. It stopped him in his tracks; though he had seen a similar display in the Lyarran compound back on Earth, it paled in comparison to the clarity and detail of this one. It had everything down to a minute detail, including nebulas glowing brilliantly in the night. His eyes followed the steady rotation of the stars and quickly found the throne upon the crystalline platform lined by golden stairs. The throne itself was a jewel like none other; a single cut chunk of diamond from the heart of Thsin that was lit from within by an unknown light source. Like the being that sat upon it, this throne had an air of a presence; without knowing what it was you knew it was something
special.

Slowly, Aen mounted the steps that had seen only Iana’s feet until now and ascended upwards towards the seat of power. He felt the echoes of time with each step as the ghosts of eons past were tangible in the silence. Once at the top, Aen did what none other dared to do; what would be punishable by unimaginable torture; he sat on the Throne of Light. Aen felt the weight of what such a place levied upon the one who sat here, and thought back to the promise of the Prophets. At some point the burden and responsibility of the Imperial throne would fall to him
eventually.

He had reviewed all the files Caretaker had found for him, and read them carefully as he waited to make contact with the real enemy. Though fragmented, the ancient texts filled in the blanks of what had been going on behind all the smoke and mirrors of the Guild’s revolution. It worried him; it looked to be more than he could
imagine.

So now he sat with his head in his hands - where he had for some time now - and pondered pretty much everything as he waited. For a long time, Aen toyed with his thoughts before a click of machinery and the sound of motors roused him. As he looked up, three view screens had lowered from the vaulted ceiling above and floated at eye level. After dealing with the puppet for so long, Aen was relieved to finally see the
master.

He watched as they came to life, and he looked back into a throne room somewhere far away. The room was dark, with dim lights lining the walls. In the center of the screen sat a figure in a black robe with silver trim; the face of which was shrouded by the robe’s hood. It sat upon a throne of burnt and twisted metal and bone; its gauntlets resting on alien skulls at the peak of the armrests. At its feet rested two animals the likes of which Aen had never imagined; a cross between a jungle cat with a boar-like head and a back covered in scales with spikes. Black chains curled around the beasts’ necks as they rested on the floor; vaguely aware of the monitors. It was a well set scene designed to intimidate others, but Aen was not the intended recipient; he now had an audience with the orator of all this
madness.

“Ah, the Harbinger lives.” The shrouded figure growled. “And if you are sitting there that must mean than my dear Myril has
failed.”

“It does.” Aen
answered.

“And what is the hero of Earth doing upon the throne?” it asked. “Have you embraced the tales of those treacherous story tellers?” it
laughed.

“I merely was waiting for you.” Aen grinned back. “It was inevitable you would check in with your ward and I wanted to be here to greet
you.”

“And what a pleasant surprise it is, and a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.” Aen could hear the mocking tone in its voice. “And I will do you the honor of extending my offer that was held by Myril to
you.”

“My loyalty and the Empire’s subservience for our
lives?”

“Yes. A sound and strong
deal.”

“No.”

“You won’t even consider it?” it
growled.

“Your offer is flawed.” Aen said coldly. “And it is that flaw that makes it impossible to
accept.”

“Oh, please enlighten me.” It
laughed.

“It was never a sound agreement; at least on your end.” Aen began. “While Myril would have guaranteed you the Imperial allegiance, it would only be a matter of time until she ran out of worlds to sacrifice to you. It may have taken hundreds or thousands of years, but sooner or later you would have come for Lyarra and her children. In a time of war, to hide behind a truce with the enemy is both dangerous and
foolish.”

There was silence, and Aen knew he had thrown an age old plan of deceit back in the face of that which had planned it for so long. It was a bold move; one he hoped would rattle his adversary a bit to buy some
time.

“A thousand years of life is better than an instant death.” It growled. “Even the vaunted Fleet of the Lyarran Empire cannot stand against my army. Any resistance is foolish; it will only delay the
inevitable.”

“Better to die on your feet than on your knees.” Aen smiled. “I was born a human, and we have a hard time bowing to anyone; no matter how bleak the outcome
is.”

“You do not fear me?” it asked. “That is a mistake. I am the nameless darkness, the devourer of worlds, and commander of legions the likes you have never seen. My very voice carries fear into the hearts of the greatest warriors and even the Prophets, quiver in fright at the thought of my presence. You underestimate me Harbinger, and that slight is one you will live to
regret.”

“It is you who underestimates me.” Aen snapped back. “I am not an enemy you should take
lightly.”

“You taunt me!” it sneered. “You are but one, and I command legions in the numbers that will darken the light of the Gods themselves. For all your power that you pride yourself on, it will serve you naught in the days to come. The darkness is coming, and one being alone cannot stop it Harbinger.” It
growled.

“I am one, but so are you.” Aen replied. “And you can drive your forces with fear and anger, but I will give mine hope; and that is more powerful than you can imagine. You went to great lengths to avoid a direct conflict with the Empire, and that tells me this is a war that makes you more than a little
uncomfortable.”

“So it would seem. You know more than you let on; very
impressive.”

“I didn’t wait here just to see your beautiful face,” Aen began. “I waited to size you up. I wanted to see the king that history all but forgot; I wanted to see the king that was left behind to die with his God, Dalanth. The Empire may have dismissed you, but I will not. I will let them know that the one that has tried to undo them is the forgotten King
Am-Na’Ka-ur.”

“A name I have not heard spoken for an eternity; very impressive.” it sneered at him. “I underestimated you greatly, but I will not make that mistake again. I promise that when this is over, I will have taken everything you care about and turn it to ash; I will break you in ways you cannot imagine. You will bow at my feet Harbinger, and your precious Empire will burn around
you.”

Aen stood up and the monitors followed at eye level. His eyes blazed brighter than ever at this threat from the old king, and his reaction drew a look of surprise from his
counterpart.