Chapter CCL: Prophecy Abound ~Lich

He did not know how – that would be something to address later – but what Lich did know was that he was no longer on the Spectrum, but lying stomach-down on soft, moist ground. He quickly rolled over and sighed annoyingly at the spot where the teleportation had left him and the stain on his white front. He looked up to see he was in a shady grove in the rainforest, beside a convenient trickling stream. After crawling over to it, he splashed his chest with the water, and then washed his face.

Had the Spear sent him away to here? His hand quickly shot to his right hip and affirmed the Boomerang’s presence. So it was probably not it, considering how he– it had wanted to kill him and take its power. Why was he here then? He had fallen unconscious in the train’s hangar after Eriuch had possessed Ark. He saw just before he succumbed that Ark had fought him off…

“You’re awake,” Ark’s level-toned voice spoke behind him.

Lich turned and saw Ark holding some half-eaten fruit in one hand, the Spear in the other. He looked up at him nervously – what would he do? “What happened?” he dared to ask.

“After you dropped off, I took you to our room, set you up on your bed,” he recounted. “I went looking for help and came across Havering.”

“Ah…yeah, he joined the crew for some reason, I don’t know what, though. Probably because he didn’t have a body.”

“Solidest looking Time Bender I’ve ever seen.”

Lich flinched. They had failed in stopping his revival…no doubt he would be concocting a plan of multiversal domination at that moment.

“Great,” he sighed. “An insane, incredibly powerful time-controlling demon is on the loose and we’re not in the train anymore. We’re on some planet somewhere, because I’m sure Caelum doesn’t have a forest like this, and…”

“I was just getting to that,” Ark interrupted, his voice still cold. “But first, let me tell you that Havering wants the Spear, too. He went after me for betraying him but decided to leave me to my own devices after a while. Eriuch knows this, and while he still wants to kill you, he wants to work with you to protect his own hide first.”

Lich recoiled again. “What game are you playing with me, Ark?” he snarled.

“There is no need for anger,” Ark replied coolly. “The simple fact of the matter is this: you work with us, you survive. Don’t work with us, and he’ll kill you. He decided that it was better for me to tell you than himself, considering how awfully you reacted to him.”

“Us? Us?! I thought you had fought him off!”

“Yet another part I’m getting to. After Havering came by, Eriuch let me sit and sulk for a while by myself. He then presented me with the option of alliance with you because he was sick of inaction. It wasn’t something he particularly wanted to do, but because he’s trapped in the Spear, I’m basically his pair of legs. It was a rather hard bargain between us, but we’ve come up with a win-win. I do my job even more fully, he spares you for a while yet, and he gets his hide saved. But, ‘brother’, do not think that I have forgiven you over the cyborg issue yet, even though I extend this compulsory offer. I’m far from forgiveness, to tell the truth.”

“And what about you? Do you want to work with him?”

“I have to. I’m his Guardian. Anyway,” Ark went on, “soon after we struck a deal, there was a big flash of light, and I found myself in this place. I detected your presence somewhere off in the near-distance, so I came across you here. That was a few hours ago, now.”

“So, why are we still in this place, then, and why are you more amiable towards me?” Lich asked.

“Because, I don’t know where ‘here’ is, to tell the truth, and you’re the only person I know that I’ve found. I like to be alone, not lonely, after all, especially in unknown territory. Here’s definitely not Fa’Diel. But, I have found fruit trees that are quite like ones in the Archipelago on Yamauchi. Whether it’s a quirk of coincidental evolution or some sort of link, or not, I don’t know. But something tells me that this is not Yamauchi.”

Ark presented a piece of the fruit to Lich, who took it and studied it. It looked to be quite similar to the orange-like fruit of the Archipelago, and as he raised it to his nose, it smelt like it too. He pushed it whole into his mouth and began to chew on it, rind and all in the typical Yoshi fashion. Its taste was a little sweeter than what he had been expecting. He swallowed it and answered, “I see what you mean.”

“Let’s get going. We’ll follow the creek there downstream – there’s bound to be some sort of settlement beside it.”

Lich nodded and got to his feet, to find the Spear’s tip pointing into his back.

“Eriuch warns you not to try anything rash,” Ark told him.

“Do you really have to threaten me?” Lich replied, annoyed.

The Spear was removed. “Let’s go. You lead.”

It would not have been a rainforest without rain, and as they walked, it fell in drips and drabs through the thick canopy. Lich thought about Rainstorm, and how he would have liked to be here in it. Where was he? And where were the others?

The question that plagued him most of all was why Ark had suddenly changed tack. Was this an elaborate ruse set up by Eriuch to get him off guard? The Shadow combined with Ark’s intelligence would be more than able to set it up. He patted the Boomerang.

“Uncomfortable?” Ark asked him.

“Well, yes,” Lich replied, still walking.

“So am I. I wish I was back on the train – no, back home, in the lab. What about you?”

“Kippo.”

Lich could hear Ark’s quiet chuckle behind him. “Give me my robotics lab any day.”

Lich stopped and turned. “Don’t you appreciate home anymore?”

Ark looked offended. “Of course I do! It’s just that at Mum and Dad’s I’ve got nowhere for robotics.”

“Our bedroom floor?” Lich reminded him, referring to his robot toys.

Ark pulled his left foot out of his shoe and pointed to some scars. “Not enough room without you stepping around on remote controls.”

Lich rolled his eyes. “You’re sixteenish on Fa’Diel and it was your third Hatchday when it happened. Don’t you think it’s about time you forgave me for that accident?”

“I’m not willing to forgive you for anything right now,” Ark frowned as he spoke levelly.

Lich clicked his tongue and turned his head. “Why do you think I’m happier than you all the time?”

Ark remained silent.

“Never mind,” Lich sighed, and turned back to start walking again, but stopped in mid-step, sensing the Mana shift around him. “Markior’s arrived. Now, give him about ten seconds, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three–“

The recall portal opened beside them and an Archonic Markior stepped through.

“Two–“

Ah, Lich, Ark, he greeted them. It is good to see you again.

“You too, Markior,” Lich replied.

Markior looked at Ark, who squirmed a little. Perhaps I should go into a form more familiar to him.

There was a flash of light and Markior was now in his Yoshian, pupil-less form, Ark visibly a little more comfortable.

“So you were counting down my arrival. I’m honoured.”

Lich smirked before continuing, “I guess you can tell what happened, right?”

“Yes. I sensed Havering and Nictem fighting on a nearby ridge. There was a tremendous amount of power that suddenly combined. The fabric of reality could not cope with it, so it ironed out the wrinkle, so to speak. We’ve arrived here as a result. I did a quick scan of the area here and found you three, but further afield, no-one that I could recognise. Speaking of three, where are they?”

Here, thou foul Xel’Naga creation.

Markior looked at the Spear and his eyes glowed with white fury. “You. You dare mock me?”

He raised a transparent hand, only to have Lich’s own grasping it, or more correctly, clenched inside his wrist.

“His name is Eriuch, and yes, he is a Shado–”

“Not any more –” he is, Markior growled, transforming back into his Archon form.

Ark quickly moved the Ebony Lance behind his back, took a few steps backwards before falling on his knees and bowing his head.

“God of the Mind, our race’s Guardian,” he slipped into automatic prayer.

Makior stopped and recoiled slightly, confused for a moment before saying,

Ark…please do not do that. It seems to be a trait with you von Kippos.

A small smile crept across Lich’s face. After recovering from the nasty fall through Markior’s roof, he woke up in a bed and nearly killed himself trying to do the same action.

Ark nervously stood to his feet, drew a breath and looked at his god in the eye. “I speak to the Guardian of Yoshies as the Guardian of the Ebony Lance. I must protect Eriuch, who is the soul and strength of the Ebony Lance. I swore before the whole of my planet, and the Elemental Shade – the other seven bound to be swearing witness – that I would perform such a task until I died. I have some understanding of the conflicts between the Shadows and the Xel’Naga. If you want to destroy Eriuch, then you must destroy me first. Kill me now, if you so desire.”

“Ark!” Lich called, shocked.

Markior reverted to Yoshian form again. “I see. I understand how much you mean to my good friend Lich, and for his sake, I cannot do it. I would be breaking my own vows. However, Eriuch, be assured that if you do try anything against me or Lich or Ark, I will destroy you. I have the power of Total Grey, that which is neither light nor darkness.”

But how can you? You’ve contradicted yourself.

“As I said, I have the power of Total Grey. Do not make me demonstrate it upon you.”

The Spear was silent.

“I think we have reached a deal,” Markior nodded.

Lich nodded in agreement. “Let’s go. We’re following the stream here, trying to find civilisation…or a lack of.”

“Just wait a moment, I will get a better view,” Markior said, and floated up through the trees.

The other two Yoshies craned their necks as he went.

“Wow, you should see the view from up here!” he cried.

“What is there?” Lich called.
“We are on some sort of escarpment right now, and in the valley, there looks like a village. Hang on…no, it can’t be…”

Markior dropped to the forest floor.

“What?” Lich asked.

Markior shook his head. “Never mind.”

“I-I think we should head down there,” Ark piped up, quietly.

The others nodded. “This way,” Markior pointed.

After a little while the ground became steep, forcing Lich and Ark to zigzag down the slope precariously from tree root to log to rock. Markior simply floated, much to Ark’s chagrin, who had to hold the Spear at the same time.

“Why does it have to be so long,” he muttered to himself. “It’s not as if I can attach it in a belt…”

Lich sprung from a patch of flat earth to a nearby rock, balanced himself on one foot before leaping across to a much larger rock. He turned and looked at Ark, stopped on the ground he was on before.

“You can do it, Ark,” he called.

“No, I can’t,” Ark called back.

“Give it a go.”

“Lich, are you su–“ Markior started.

Ark leapt from his spot and reached the rock, and leaned downhill from the impact of landing. He tumbled over sideways and began to slide down the stony hill.

“Ark!” Lich called.

“Recall!” Markior announced from his position further down, and Ark disappeared into a warphole, then re-appeared beneath the spirit.

“You okay?” Lich asked as he sprung down towards him.

“Yeah,” Ark groaned as he got up, and brushed himself down. “Few scratches, nothing major.”

“Have this anyway,” his brother said, producing a Round Drop.

Ark took it, unfurled its wrapper, and swallowed its contents. Ark ‘did the right thing’ and the wrapper disappeared into his Storage.

“Well, let’s not have that happen any more,” Markior said, and floated down to the bottom of the hill, before recalling Ark down there with him. “You think you can handle the teleport down to here?” he called back at the stranded Lich.

“It’s not been that long since I got out of my own spell, so I shouldn’t push it,” he called back.

Shortly afterwards, he was with the other three, standing in what appeared to be the middle of a trail.

“Seems to be something the locals use,” Lich said, referring to it. He looked along it both ways, before pointing left, where it could be seen rounding a spur. “This part’s going downhill.”

They turned and began to head along it. Having Markior around him made Lich feel complacent as they rounded the spur and bumped into three travellers coming the other way.

They were Yoshies.

The Yoshies were smaller than Lich was, particularly as they were walking in “riding pose”. Their red, blue and green colouration seemed washed out and faded, but this was more than made up for in their colourful body paint, predominantly green. They were holding a rather crude set of weaponry made up of wood and what looked like brittle, weak metal – red and blue held spears while green held a machete as he stood in the lead.

After a quick study of Ark, they paid attention to Lich, who slowly slipped the Boomerang out from his belt and raised it cautiously. Their eyes fell on it as it drew upwards towards the spirit. They did a double-take.

“Markior!” they cried out, followed by their falling prostrate on the ground.

The one in question’s eyes expanded as his mouth fell. Lich looked up to see him and asked, “Wha-what is it?”

“What planet is this?” Markior asked the Yoshies.

The green Yoshi raised his head. “G’lirer, O wise one,” he spoke, before dropping it again.

“G’lirer…” Lich said. “Like…G’lirr.”

“Purgatory,” Ark added in Pandoran.

“Yes…like that…” Markior said, exasperated. “Tell me, what do you know of your arrival on this world?” he asked the Yoshies.

Green raised his head once more. “O wise one, many seasons have passed since our banishment from the homeworld by Recugrian Yoshi as he sought the unification of the Island’s Tribes.”

“Recugrian…” Lich spoke. “You…you speak in the old tongue…and you know of my ancestor?”

There was complete silence. Suddenly, whispers started between the three of them.

“The sign, the sign! The prophecy!”

“He holds the weapon in his hand!”

“With Markior, too!”

Lich took a step back. “You’ve…been expecting…us?”

Ark clutched the Spear tighter. “Please tell us it is good,” he muttered to himself.

“It is written in the Palimpsest, Lord, that thou shouldst grace us with thy presence. ‘Worry not in this dark hour, for lo and behold, an appointed one will descend from the mountains with the great spirit at his side and the Hunter on the other, and he shall reign–‘”

“’–over the tribes, giving them great harvest and bounty for many seasons,’” Lich continued, in awe. “’And with him shall be beasts of great power and a curved blade that shines in the darkness…’”

“The Book of the Prophet Aggli, Chapter Nine, Verses Four and Five,” Ark chimed.

“Indeed it is,” Markior said.

“And over the years,” Ark reasoned, “People would have stopped saying, ‘Recugrian banished those who opposed him to G’lirer’ as the word became corrupted into G’lirr.”

“It all makes sense now,” Markior smiled. “The void that I felt has been filled…I have found the rest of my race. Those who were banished had been cut off from me, but no more.”

Lich stood, swaying slightly. He was going to be a king!

“Lord, we are of the A’gul tribe,” the Green Yoshi told them. “Our homeland is that of the valley near Mount Kappa. When my ancestors arrived here, many seasons ago, they found this valley and settled in it. We were the first tribe to depart the Island – we chose to leave rather than be subjected to thy ancestor’s iron fist. As a result, we are the guardians of the arrival point – it stands on a hill near our village.

“However, we must warn thee that some of the other tribes are hostile towards the A’gul, through their many generations of bitterness. Recugrian was a member of our tribe – our ancestors did not agree with his teachings. That is why they left willingly…unlike the others, he gave us an option. So to have his descendant here, they will surely pose a problem. But thou hast great power, and Markior is at thy side…surely, no harm will come to thee.”

“…So,” Ark started, “if Recugrian was part of the A’gul, does this mean that we are too? I am also a descendant of him.” He rested a hand on Lich’s shoulder. “We are brothers by blood.”

“Thou art A’gul; that is for certain. We must welcome you back into the tribe formally. Come to the village – we will surely all greet you with open arms.”

* * *

“Ohhhh, you absolutely utterly worthless excuse of a brainless lizard!”

The Dark Lich withdrew the clairvoyant link from the Yoshies and fumed.

“Not only is he cousins with a powerful warrior, he has to be a king as well! Why couldn’t you have stopped him?”

He took up his “pacing” back and forth of the cavern. He stopped and slammed a bony fist into his palm.

“If I can’t get you to do it, I may as well do it for myself. Playtime is over, children.”

And with that, he disappeared.