Sunlord (4 page)

Councillor Orlin nodded slowly. "I will put it to
thought."

The Vizier was anxious. "Please do not be long in
considering. Time is of the essence."

Orlin cast the other a scathing look. The Vizier was
not only going against the sacred Masters, he was hasty; something
the Currach were not by nature. It usually took years for a
decision of such magnitude to be made, and here was this man asking
for a quick answer.

"I will put it to thought," repeated Orlin
slowly.

The Vizier nodded his acceptance. "That is well, my
friend. But we are missing the performance. It is reputed that this
is a admirable play."

The conversation ended, the two Currach turned their
attention to the play below, but could not enjoy the festivities
for the heavy thoughts that lay upon their minds.

Chapter Two

Hunter.

As to moral courage I
have seldom met with the two o'clock in the morning courage: I mean
unprepared courage.

Napoleon Bonaparte, Memoirs.

Capac Fletfod peered through the dense leaves trying
intensely to pierce the gloom. Then suddenly the sound came again,
a slight rustling in the trees and scurry of movement.

Capac signalled to his companion Huso Mshod. Capac
whistled softly; his communication disguised as a bird's chirp. He
moved his hands, signalling to Huso to circle around to the right.
Huso motioned that he understood with a similar hand signal.
Despite his solid burly build Huso moved with panther-like stealth
and suppleness.

The two moved silently through the undergrowth, a
shadow among shadows. These were creatures know as Eloprin, their
large eyes and slightly elongated skulls reflecting those of their
distant cousins, the Currach. Capac wore little to clad his slender
form, a loincloth strapped to his waist by a belt of leather from
which hung a pouch fashioned from the pelt of a small animal. His
face and body streaked with the sap of Redwood to disguise himself
among his surroundings. The long bladed hunter's knife in his right
hand glistened wickedly in the dim light as he advanced, using his
free hand to pull aside vines to allow passage.

Ever since the Sunlords arrival life had been hell
for the hunters. The name "Sunlords" was coined from that very
first day when the invaders had come on chariots straight from the
burning sun. Indeed, the craft they travelled on rode on fire and
the weapons they carried spat great terrible heat. Many Eloprin
believed this strange powerful race to be offspring of the Great
Sun God.

And now Capac was out for revenge.

Capac's quick eyes were unceasing in their activity,
his controlled breathing silent. His heartbeat thumped loudly in
his ears, all senses strained to the utmost as he advanced towards
the noise. He took every step carefully to make sure a twig did not
snap beneath a leathery sole.

Both Eloprin froze in mid-stride as a voice shattered
the jungle stillness. The tongue was alien to Capac, harsh
syllables drawn out into meaningless garble. It was strangely
metallic and hissing with static. The chilling voice cut suddenly
and a rustle of movement erupted from the undergrowth, a Sunlord
appearing apparently oblivious to the Eloprin's presence until he
almost stepped upon him. The Sunlord's yell of surprise rang out as
he dropped the small device he carried.

Capac reacted quickly. His knife flashed in flight -
a split second later it had buried itself into the Sunlord's chest.
The Sunlord spun with the blow and struck the ground face down.

Barely had the Sunlord fallen had another emerged
Capac looked wildly about for weapon as the second Sunlord
advanced, weapon levelled.

This strange device suddenly unleashed fire! Capac's
lightning reflexes saved him from certain death. He buried himself
into the leaf strewn ground just as the trees behind him lost their
bark in a shower of splinters. Huso, still concealed in the forest,
came to his rescue. His hefty axe swung in a wide, fluid arc that
crashed into the side of the Sunlord's head. With a blow that would
have split an ape's skull the Sunlord fell to his knees. Huso did
not relent. Strike after swift strike hailed down. The axe used for
splitting heavy wood was devastating to its victim.

Capac scrambled to his feet, amazed that the Sunlord
still moved. He gasped as he glimpsed silver beneath the bloodless
wounds Huso had inflicted.

Huso stood back, satisfied that his prey had fallen.
Capac watched with dread as the silver creature clawed the ground
and struggled to stand. It slowly drew its hands and knees under
itself and shakily regained its footing. Capac backed up, his eyes
never leaving the apparition before him. Its head was battered into
an egg shape and great chunks of flesh hung from its cheeks,
revealing a silver metallic structure beneath. Nothing could take
such punishment and still stand, but this thing did.

Capac's hands clasped about a branch at his feet. He
swung the crude mace with all the might he could muster, fearing
pumping strength into his veins. The blow connected solidly. The
length of dried wood hit the silver Sunlord across the knees with a
solid crack, pivoting it in the air as its support whipped away.
Sparks flew from wires that gaped from the broken kneecaps as the
Sunlord fell, arms grasping. Before it hit the ground Huso's axe
swung and intercepted its head in mid flight, the Sunlord's head
snapping backwards as it collided with the blunt face of the
axe.

It collapsed like a beast with a broken back, fingers
twitching tenaciously. Strange noises emanated from the pulped
remains.

"Labion...to Mother, nati-" Sudden static cloaked the
rest of its words.

Haunted, Capac spied about for a weapon. His eyes
fell upon a large rock and his hands grasped about it. He strained
to lift it high above his head, then cast it down upon the silver
Sunlord.

A shower of sparks greeted him. The two Eloprin fell
back shielding their eyes from the fountain of light and
electricity that spilled from the Sunlord's skull.

Long seconds passed and nothing moved in the jungle.
Gradually the birds picked up their song and life resumed its
course. Capac at last dared to approach the silver Sunlord, muscles
tight and ready to spring away.

He leapt into the air when a last burst of whining
static came from the Sunlord, like an electronic death rattle. It
silenced with a grinding of gears.

Huso took a step backwards as his mind worried over
the fear that evil spirits were still active in the Sunlord.

"What is it?" he asked of Capac.

Capac shrugged and hunkered down next to the
motionless droid. Its skull had been battered beyond recognition.
Capac grasped Sunlord's brown artificial hair to pull up its head,
exposing its face. Capac almost dropped it again in surprise. The
droid's eyes had fallen from their sockets and black oil wept from
them. Wires still clung to the eyeballs, holding them like dangling
beads. The skin on its scalp had been peeled back to reveal a
silver surface. As Capac watched a final burst of electricity
passed through the android, making its mechanical lips twitch.

Capac dropped the head. He stood and brushed his
hands at his side in revulsion.

"This one seems a normal Sunlord," said Huso as he
examined the body of the first victim. Capac had forgotten about
it, and rushed over to its slumped form. It still bore Capac's
knife in its throat as it stuck awkwardly from bleeding muscle.
Withdrawing his blade, Capac noticed the Sunlord was built of flesh
and bone. Blood ran over the surface of an short barrelled rifle
trapped underneath the corpse.

Huso prodded the gun with the tip of his axe. "Is
this a fire-maker?"

Capac hauled the rifle free and examined its odd
shape. He put the butt of the rifle into his shoulder as he had
seen the silver Sunlord do, but it was made for the Sunlord's hand,
almost twice as big as Capac's, and as a result did not sit right
upon his shoulder. After a few moments puzzled examination he gave
up trying to operate the fire rod. He tied a short length of vine
to both ends and slung it securely over his shoulder.

"Maybe the Elder can figure it out," he commented to
Huso.

Huso nodded, but his attention was elsewhere.

"What are these Sunlord's doing here?"

Capac's brows furrowed. "Let's have a look."

Capac advanced and Huso followed closely. "Careful,"
he whispered.

Capac pulled aside the fronds of a large palm,
revealing a makeshift camp between the trees. An inflexible plastic
dome sheltered a multitude of boxes of equipment and several
flashing machines. Dirt samples in glass containers lay upon a
bench alongside scientific apparatus. In the centre of the small
bench was a box with attached hand-piece. The logo on its grey
metal surface read;

Frontier Research Team: Bio-Fuels Division 14d.

The Eloprin could make nothing of this camp and
quickly lost interest after a cursory examination.

"The sun is setting," observed Huso. "It is time we
were getting back to the tribe."

Capac nodded. "Remember this location for we shall
return if the Elder finds the machines useful." He hefted the rifle
at his side. "Maybe we can use these like the Sunlord did."

Huso picked out a landmark, relating their position
to the peaks of three hilltops. Like a silent wind the hunters left
the clearing and disappeared into the undergrowth as if slipping
into a glove.

The hunters discussed their encounter as they
walked.

"Do you think that the silver Sunlord was speaking to
someone?" asked Huso.

Capac thought hard. "I think those noises we heard
were like speech. I think the Sunlords have the ability to project
their voice to those far away."

"They work strange and powerful magic," muttered
Huso.

Capac glanced sharply up. "But they are not
invincible. They die like normal men."

Huso paused as he skirted a fallen log. Regaining his
fast paced forest walk alongside Capac he continued.

"Yes, they all die like normal men. Except for the
silver Sunlords."

Capac shivered. "I cannot explain them. They are
perhaps the greatest threat to us."

"I will not rest until all Sunlords lie at my feet,"
cursed Huso.

"You have valour and strength my friend, but not
tact. I prefer the strategy of war. We make a good team."

Huso grinned. "The Sunlords we took care of didn't
stand a chance. They are so big and so fatty. They are just no good
in the jungle."

"Then we stand a good chance against them," laughed
Capac.

Huso quickly sobered. "I think they will come now
that we have killed two of their number. They may come in great
force like they did when they destroyed our village."

Capac grunted. "Let them come."

The conversation lulled into silence. The only sounds
as hunters ducked through hanging vines and towering trees was the
gentle rhythm of naked feet slapping the humus. No more words were
spoken on the long trek back to the tribe. Each hunter was content
to mull over their own thoughts, their feet finding their own path
through the trees. They moved with stealth that the city dwelling
Currach would look upon with envy and amazement as they crested
hilly countryside and leapt small streams. The Eloprin moved
lightly from shadow to shadow with deeply embedded hunter's
instincts.

An hour later they at last reached their makeshift
camp. The tribe had relocated itself and a number of temporary
shelters were rigged between the trees. As soon as they came in
view Capac sensed something was wrong. Tension hung in the air, the
voice of many speaking at once shattering the forest stillness.
Exchanging worried glances the two hunters increased their
pace.

Then the camp came into full view. Huso gasped at the
bustle of activity surrounding the group of tents.

"It may be the Sunlords," said Huso as he held his
axe at the ready. They were fast approaching the camp and details
became clear.

It did not seem that the tribe was in mortal danger.
Some children ran from tent to tent, not in fear but excitement.
There was a gathering of villagers around the Elder's hut in the
centre of the clearing and many jostled for a better look.

The returning hunters were greeted by their former
tutor, Lopare. The old grey haired Eloprin had been a hunter twenty
years ago and now taught the old ways to the young.

"Capac, Huso, my sons!" he cried. "Good to see you
back." He gasped as his eye caught on the rifle at Capac's side.
"You carry a fire-spitter!"

"It is dead and in our control," soothed Capac. "But
tell me, old one, what is happening here?"

Lopare grinned toothlessly. "It is one of the Others,
one from the City."

"You mean a Currach?" Capac was dumbfounded. He
remembered the race but the last time one had been seen was many
years ago. At the time the strange Currach had tried to teach the
tribe something he called the Religion. Capac remembered the
Currach had disappeared soon after in the forest, never to be seen
again.

And now the Currach were back. Could it have
something to do with the Sunlords?

Capac made his way to the Elder's hut and made
presence known. As a chief hunter he granted a high standing and
respect.

"I, Capac Fletfod, have returned."

All eyes turned towards him and the babble of voices
stopped. The voice of the Elder emerged from the confines of the
wicker hut constructed of bamboo-like reeds.

"Capac, at last, come forward. I have need of your
council. All others leave now, go to your shelters, your monkey
chatter is a disgrace to the Eloprin race."

The crowd slowly dissolved; the villagers moving
reluctantly but fast enough to avoid incurring the Elder's wraith.
They knew he needed space to think and if he wasn't given it some
heads would roll.