Chapter CCLXVI: A Familiar Time, A Familiar Voice ~Ark

Now that the group was out of the rainforest, the planet’s sun beat down on Lich’s back, its heat amplified into near oppression by the canyon’s walls.

“How, by Drepatos, did that happen?” he asked himself as he knelt in the soil.

“Lord, who were those creatures?” the blue Yoshi asked him.

Lich shook his head. “Some bad people,” he sighed. “The A’gul may have its enemies in the form of other tribes, but…I have my own enemies. I don’t know how many of them there are as I haven’t really met them personally, but there’s a number, and they’re reasonably all alike. Appointing me your king is going to drag all of the A’gul, if not the entirety of the banished tribes, into this battle.”

“That was Malachai, their leader,” Markior added. “I’m not sure if you will understand this, but please listen.”

“We listen to our god,” the red Yoshi spoke, and the three of them bowed their heads and dropped onto their knees in respect.

“Before I do, please, get up. I may be your Guardian, but I am certainly also your friend, so please treat me as one.”

The Yoshies turned and looked at each other, before getting up and standing, with the occasional uncertain glance to their comrades.

“Good. Right now there is a huge battle that is being waged across many worlds. There is a group of demons out there called Twilighters. Malachai, who was here a little while ago, is one of them. He leads a group of these demons that want to revive another very, very powerful demon.”

“He already is, Markior,” Ark spoke.

Markior turned to him. “Pardon?”

“Havering’s been revived. We had a tête-à-tête.”

Markior’s gaseous form quivered with a building rage. Lich got up and quickly turned to him.

“Markior, I know what you’re thinking,” Lich started, “But…”

“I’ll…I’ll…I’ll…”

“…I think it’s better that you stay here with us in case any more Twilighters turn up,” Lich finished. “We have a whole race or three of Yoshies to protect here.”

Markior clenched his fists and settled down, the quivering stopping. “I’m still not happy, Lich.”

Lich nodded sympathetically then turned back to the other Yoshies. “Markior, Ark and I are fighting these Twilighters. There are more fighters like ourselves of many races, but we have become separated from them. There are a few Yoshies among them, such as my cousin Sixtyfourhundred–“

“Pardon?” Ark asked him.

Lich turned. “What, you don’t know?” he asked.

“No, I don’t know what lie you’ve concocted this time,” Ark growled. “Cousin Sixty–”

“Ark, I’m not lying.”

“Yeah, just like that arm of yours.”

“I. Am. Not. Lying,” Lich snarled.

“How can I believe you?”

“Cut it out, you two!” Markior yelled and gestured to the others. “Like little children in front of these people. Ark, yes, Sixtyfourhundred is Lich’s cousin, which would make him your cousin too.”

“How do I know that, though?” Ark asked.

“Would I, Markior, lie to you?”

“I’ve only known you personally for a few days at the very most, so I’m not certain, sorry. How’s about this, then: when we see Sixtyfourhundred again, I get some of his DNA and match it against mine. Then I’ll know. I’m a scientist. Hypotheses have to be tested in the fire of experimentation to see if they’re true or not.”

Markior groaned. “Let’s just get going before I get any angrier.”

Soon the gully led back beneath the canopy. The ground was marshy in places and at one point Lich asked to sit down on a rock to scrape the mud from the bottom of his thongs. The native Yoshies were surprised by this action as they stood with their earth-made shoes.

Ark also took the opportunity to remove the mud from his shoes. Dressed in a green shirt and a pair of black shorts, he looked entirely out of place to the others, especially to the meditating Markior, and even to his brother who was bare to the waist. Ark could feel the humidity increasing as the morning passed, so he opened his shirt and let it hang from his shoulders. The native Yoshies took a step backwards in surprise.

“Thou…thou sheddest thy own skin!” the red Yoshi exclaimed.

Ark looked up and shook his head. “No. This is a shirt and this is a pair of shorts,” he told them. “The humans wear these all the time, and the Yoshies on the Islands have started to wear them too because we thought they looked good.”

Green cocked his head. “Humans?”

Ark remembered that the Mushroom expeditions to the island came after Recugrian’s banishment. The Archipelago was opened to the rest of Yamauchi.

“Humans have two legs and two arms and only come in colours ranging from a very light tanny-peachy colour to a really dark brown, almost grey-black,” he explained. “They have small pointy noses and no spikes on the backs of their heads.”

“No spikes? How do they stop their brains from overheating?” Blue asked.

“They overheat anyway and make the humans do silly things.” Ark answered. “But, sometimes I don’t know which is sillier, the humans themselves or the Yoshies for taking up human things.” He shook his head. “My brother and I grew up with the humans.”

Green thought this over for a moment. “Thou hatchest not in the Islands?”

“No. We hatched a long way away from the Islands on a planet called Fa’Diel. Because of that, I can do magic, as can my brother.”

Green’s eyes sparkled. “Show us some.”

“Okay…”

Ark got to his feet and pushed his sleeves up his arm, a rather futile gesture as they slid back down as he removed his hand. He turned to the side and slowly lowered his forefinger as if it were a pistol. He shut one eye and aimed at a patch of bare earth, and fired a small fireball. Coming into contact with the ground, it formed a miniature explosion, sending tiny clods of earth flying around it with a “plopf…f-f-f-f-f”.

“Ark, what are you doing?” Lich asked as Markior’s eyes snapped open.

“Showing my magic,” Ark said, defensively.

“Thy brother dost impress,” Green nodded.

“You could have sent the forest up in smoke had you missed, you know,” Lich frowned.

“I aimed carefully. And, even if I had, you would have put it out easily.” He spoke aside to the Yoshies, “My brother knows water spells.”

“I suppose that is true,” Markior agreed.

“You know I don’t like to use my magic except for essential purposes, Ark.”

“It would have been essential.”

Lich rolled his eyes. “Only because you made it.”

“Can we stop the bickering, please?” Markior groaned. “Let’s go.”

Ark muttered under his breath.

“And what was that?” Lich asked.

“Nothing of importance,” Ark mumbled.

“I hope not,” Lich said, as he brushed past him and continued down the gully.

Ark took up the rear of the procession once everyone started moving again.

Well, here he was, in yet another situation where he had been cheated of top honours, respect and recognition by his brother. Not by his brother’s own achievements this time, but because some soothsayer, centuries before, had said, “Look at this, there’ll be some Yoshi coming out of the mountains with Markior; better make him your leader otherwise you’ll stuff up the flow of destiny.”

Why couldn’t it have been him for a change? Oh no, couldn’t allow that, could we? Dyl– Lich was the elder one. He had to have the “special attention”, even by the powers-that-be! Oh, sure, sure, there’s some prophecy out there about him, ninth direct descendant of Recugrian and all that gulto. He didn’t have a disaster befall him, he wasn’t isolated from the world, and what did he do? Chopped off his arm and had a cybernetic one put in! At least he didn’t become the servant of Havering, at least he didn’t have the Dark Lich as his master…

Hello, Ark.

There were only two beings who could say that phrase in a tone that made him feel absolutely humiliated. One he had met again a short time ago; the other was a little further back…

Why haven’t you killed him yet? the cold, raspy tones of death filled his mind.

“I have been distracted,” Ark replied, sotto voce.

Distracted… Dark Lich’s voice hung, waiting for the final word.

“…Master.”

Though it is true that I commanded you to approach him out of love, your attempts have done nothing but chase him away.

“What I saw disturbed me, master,” Ark replied. “I did not know how to act.”

You did know how to act! I told you what to do! I ingrained it into your mind for half an hour!

“Yes, master.”

As a result, I am now on this excuse of a planet. And what do I find? That damn puffball is in tow! Not only that, he seems to be treated as a deity by the residents! I am incredibly angry, Ark.

“Yes, master, I have failed you. Please accept my apologies, master.”

Fail? Fail?! You haven’t failed, you’ve failed and destroyed every chance of you succeeding!

“Master, you told me to approach out of love, and that love conflicted with my feelings of hate towards him. I hate him and love him at the same time, master.”

Ark winced as the mental equivalent of a slap to the face struck his mind.

Don’t – you - dare - talk like that to me - again!

“No, master, I won’t.”

For what reasons I do not know, I am prepared to give you one final chance. There is a small pool to the north of the village you are heading for. Take him alone to that pool. I will be waiting there. You may do this tomorrow, but no later than midnight. Fail this, and not only will I kill your brother, but I will usurp control of your body and kill your soul, like I did to Thanatos. Do you understand my agreement?

“Yes, mas–“

I do not think so, sorcerer, Eriuch interjected.

There was silence for a moment.

I see that the Spear has awakened and is on your side, Dark replied. I am surprised by your sudden turn of allegiance. Speak.

Havering wishes to destroy me. I need the brother for now, so that he can defeat Havering. My dark powers have little use against the demon. The brother’s powers of light are a potent weapon. Besides, taking Ark’s body might not be good, considering the Emerald of Loparo around his neck.

The Jewels have arisen? Dark asked.

Ark listened as the conversation continued in his head. He considered it to be quite strange to have voices talking to each other in his mind.

The Mana Sword has not been pulled from its stone, Dark continued. I did not feel it.

“The Council has the Sword, master,” Ark answered, trying to make his mind feel better by participating. “They took the stone it rested in.”

Do you know where any of the other Jewels are, Ark?

“My brother has the Ruby of Erisot.”

Dark’s laughter echoed around Ark’s skull. This is brilliant news. Perhaps something good will come out of this day after all. Ark, you will kill your brother and give the Ruby to me as part of the arrangement.

What about Havering? Eriuch asked.

Your usefulness has passed, Spear. If Havering wishes to destroy you, then he will. By midnight tomorrow, Ark. Look out in front of you.

Ark looked up too late to see the tree rapidly approaching his face. He rubbed his nose and looked ahead to see the others some distance in front of him.

“Hey, wait up!” Ark called and ran down the hill towards them.