In the middle of the circular tomb in front of a brown sarcophagus inscribed with Vultsckrit symbols, the Vulpi Guardian Fariix tensed. Dressed in a burgundy robe, Fariix narrowed his brown eyes set on his scarred face. Fariix wielded a flowery lyre armed with a purple needle sword.
"They're here," Fariix warned.
Six Hualien rebel soldiers in green faced their guns at a wall while the two Vulpi apprentices bent their knees in Kung Fu positions. A glowing glaive carved a circle in the wall, and there was dead silence. The soldiers held their breath as their sweat fogged their helmet visors.
What are they waiting for? Fariix thought.
"Do you feel the blood rushing through your veins?" A hoarse voice echoed through the wall. "Your muscles tightening as your sweat glands erupt through the tiny pores of your cold skin. Your saliva sizzling in your dry mouths as your heart relentlessly pounds. You silently wonder if you could focus with your fluttering eyeballs or fight with your moist hands. Can you feel it?"
Thalamoid… Fariix gulped. Former apprentice of Dr. Jinhai Niang.
The group turned pale, feeling each sensation as the voice spoke. Suddenly, the blue-circled rock burst out of the wall. It flew onto a soldier, killing him. Lightning-speed blue darts surged through the rocky tomb. The thin needle-shaped lasers punctured three soldiers with three shots each in the head.
"It's Xneong! He never misses!" Fariix played his lyre to form sandy shields for the group.
The two soldiers blasted their guns at the hole as Xneong's triple salvos bounced off Fariix's shields. Thalamoid darted out of the opening, spinning her pink tuning fork scythe to deflect the bullets. She had pink lightning-shaped eyes and a gas mask that covered her face. Wearing a dark-hood and cape, her gray segmented midriff was distinguishable from her black-clad chest.
The two apprentices summoned shards of rocks to attack Thalamoid. She faced her scythe at the rocky needles. With her left metal claw, Thalamoid scratched her finger onto the pink tuning fork, making it vibrate a deafening buzz that blasted the projectiles and Fariix's shields away. Fariix's group covered their bleeding ears as Thalamoid slashed her left claw at a soldier's face. She pounced to the other one, hooking her scythe around the victim's neck. The blade rotated, severing the soldier's head from his body. Fariix jumped at the robotic lady, slashing his lyre sword with Thalamoid's scythe.
A black-haired man in a dark suit with a turquoise tie walked in, aiming his triple-barreled rifle at an apprentice with his left turquoise machine eye on the sight. It was Xneong Hoon-Jing, the High Envoy of Korea. The apprentice formed a purple leaf spear in her hand, spinning it through the triple salvos with her spear. Xneong snickered, pointing his rifle behind him. Xneong fired his gun to propel himself at the Vulpi woman. The stock end of his rifle morphed into an electrifying blade. Xneong swiped his rifle glaive onto the Vulpi's spear.
The other Vulpi apprentice helped Fariix parry Thalamoid's deadly scythe with his stone halberd. Fariix slammed his hand on the ground, summoning spiked vines to attack Thalamoid. She jumped onto the rocky walls away from the swinging vines.
Jin Feilong kicked Fariix, interrupting his focus as the vines stopped. Thalamoid leaped at the halberd Vulpi with her rapidly rotating blade, shaving through the Vulpi's halberd and the apprentice in half.
The last apprentice clenched her teeth as she combated against Xneong's rifle glaive. Xneong smiled. The blue cybernetic pupil of his left machine eye rotated, shooting a thin laser to slice her eyes off. Xneong kicked her onto the rocky surface, firing at her head with a single triple salvo shot.
Jin Feilong flew up with her dragon wings, firing metal fingers at Fariix from her claws and feet. Fariix backflipped away from the storm of needles. Jin Feilong hovered towards the guardian with her wings blasting yellow lasers at him. Guardian Fariix's hands formed dense balls of dust that absorbed the beams.
The golden robot lunged at the guardian with her swordtail. Fariix ducked. Jin Feilong then stood on one claw, swiveling her clawed feet and swordtail in Wyvern's Tornado. Guardian Fariix parried against the three limbs with his palm strikes. He landed a fist on Jin Feilong's segmented midriff to push her away. Fanghui walked out of the opening, catching Jin Feilong in his arms.
"Fanghui," Fariix growled, grabbing his lyre. "You will not open Terrhina's Sarcophagus!"
"Guardian Fariix," Fanghui stood beside his three allies. "I heard much about the Earth Guardian who hears the musical energies of each pebble underground. You should be wise enough to surrender peacefully."
"Not a chance, murderer."
"Murderer?" Fanghui snapped. "Ironic coming from the race of people who forced me to watch my family die. The ones who hurt my sister, who I barely saved into a droid body!"
Jin Feilong held Fanghui's hand. Fanghui turned to Jin Feilong to stroke her metallic face that used to be human.
"Your hatred blinds you, Fanghui," Guardian Fariix said. "Your path to the Dhukaos will be your tomb!"
Fariix stroked his fingers onto the strings of his flowery lyre, commanding spiked vines to erupt from the walls with his mystical music. The large vines darted at Fanghui, but they turned into dust when they touched an imaginary barrier that surrounded him.
"What?" Fariix gasped. "How?"
"Surprised?" Fanghui brushed his shoulder. "You Vultau masters have become so dependent on your powers, just like all Vulpi who use them to oppress those without. There will be no cheating in this battle."
Fanghui closed his right fist onto his left palm.
"Qing," Fanghui greeted.
"Qing," Fariix replied, placing his fist and palm together.
Fariix rushed at Fanghui with his needle-tipped lyre. With a single palm strike at the wrist, Fanghui disarmed the Vultau Guardian. He charged at the Supreme Herald with a storm of palm strikes, but Fanghui easily deflected the attacks with one hand. Fariix grabbed Fanghui's arm, aiming a punch to his chest. Fanghui kicked the fist away before crunching his foot on Fariix's leg.
Guardian Fariix winced. The Supreme Herald grabbed Fariix up close with his held arm, slamming his other palm onto his neck. The Vultau guardian choked out blood. He opened his earthy brown eyes to see the blur of Fanghui's two-finger strike. It was the last thing Fariix saw.
***
"Do not think of the past nor the future, but listen to the present. Won't you take the time to listen to the serene flow of the ocean with me?" Master Seniel said to Isrina's group. "For fish do not fear when the current emerges. They are faithful to Makiyu, who provides for all musical life. Won't we be faithful to the one who provides for us as well?"
Master Seniel closed her ocean-colored eyes as she curled her fingers across the strings of her guzheng to play mystical notes that softened everyone's ears. Isrina's group and other wounded soldiers rested on the tattered beds of the SHRIKE's subway base. They felt the music surge through their blood, soothing their weary bodies from their injuries. Their wounds closed as if they were never present. Isrina saw the crystals on her body melt to seal her skin. Nashura and Oreic's wounds were gone.
"Ease your minds from the storm of chaos, and listen closely to the song of the Makiyu," Seniel said. "Appreciate the music that binds all of nature into one."
The group closed their eyes. They allowed the sound of the watery strings to vibrate their ears.
Master Seniel finished her song by elegantly sliding her finger across the liquid strings. The mesmerizing echo rang in everyone's ears. They felt oddly clean. Purified. Seniel morphed the guzheng in a ball of water that shrunk into her hands.
"I… I didn't know there were human Vultau masters," Rahim said.
"Of course, humans can be Vultau masters too, Mr. Murhav!" Seniel smiled.
"Thank you, Master Seniel," Isrina said. "And thank you, Master Psyinen, for saving my little chickadee."
Seniel and Psyinen bowed.
"Glad to see you people are well," Yanshi walked in. "But you all should still rest. The fighting outside is as fierce as ever."
"Where's General Covinski?" Rahim asked. "We need to head to somewhere important."
"He will speak with you shortly. The General wishes to ask you all very important questions after he's finished contacting Master Fermato. That old buzzard is late. And, Dr. Niang, we need to talk."
"What about?" Psyinen asked.
"It's a long story."
Isrina stood up, patting Shien on the head.
"He will be fine," Oreic smiled, walking out with Isrina.
***
Tetsuyin fell asleep on Niode's shoulder.
"Rest easy, my love," Niode kissed Tetsuyin.
He leaned her onto the pillow beside Mivangeline. Both Shien and Mivangeline had their headgears plugged into makeshift outlets off the rocky walls. Lansen waddled about the ground, pecking the dirt particles scattered on the floor of the gritty tunneled room.
"At least we get to rest here," Niode told Rahim.
"Yes, but we keep on running into problem after problem," Rahim replied. "How will we ever get to Choro Emplexion at this rate?"
Naphthien signed to him not to worry. The two walked to Nashura's bed. Their daughter was peacefully asleep, fully healed by Seniel's music. Naphthien pat Nashura's head.
"Niode," Rahim spoke. "You still remember the directions?"
"From our previous location, yes. But it's gonna be tough since we're in a different place."
"Argh, crap," Rahim facepalmed. "Another problem..."
"Unless," Niode thought. "I can ask these SHRIKE men for a map! I could analyze the geography relative to the directions Dorian gave from our previous location."
"Thank goodness. But let's not bother these resting soldiers," Rahim looked at the sleeping men. "We will ask General Covinski when he gets back to us."
***
The four masters led Isrina outside of the tunneled room to the ruined subway. There were cracks on the gray bricked walls and floor tiles while fractured train cars rested on the dirty railways. SHRIKE soldiers mingled with Vulpi survivors as if they were friends. The Vulpi kids were playing with a soldier's German Shepherd.
"What's going on?" Seniel wondered.
"Dr. Niang misused the Vultau Arts," Yanshi told the three masters. "She used hatred to fuel her Avian Form of martial arts against Kyrinna."
"What?" Psyinen exclaimed. "The Niangs have never used the way of the Dhukaos before."
"Dr. Niang," Oreic turned to Isrina. "Is… is this true?"
"Why is that wrong?" Isrina questioned. "The Federation murdered my family. It's only right that I give Fanghui and his cronies a piece of my mind."
"Oh my gosh," Yanshi shook his head. "That's how the Eszkeios talks to you!"
"The path of hate you're walking into will be a thrashing torrent that will consume you," Master Seniel warned. "You not only will suffer but those around you as well."
"Dr. Niang. We just want what's best for you," Psyinen said. "We want you to follow the right path. The way of Makiyu. You know what I'm saying?"
Isrina blinked, unable to understand.
"Excuse me, masters?" Oreic took Isrina by the arm. "I did tell her stories of our battles with the dark forces but I never taught her about the Dhukaos concept. This is my fault. May I please talk to her alone?"
"But why would you not tell her?" Yanshi questioned.
"I never wanted her nor any other friends to feel the burden of knowing how evil people can be. The knowledge of who the Omaunukai are."
"Master Oreic," Seniel said. "I understand how terrifying the Omaunukai are, but the river of truth flows continuously. No matter how hard we hide the unpleasant realities of music, the truth will continue to flow through the waters. You must teach Dr. Niang of the Darkness Beyond Music before the Eszkeios can speak to her."
"Yes, Master Seniel."
The three masters walked away to watch over the Vulpi kids.
"Let's sit," Oreic sat with Isrina on the floor next to a tattered train. "Okay, Dr. Niang. First of all, I am very sorry I never told you about such things earlier."
"What things?"
"So we Vultau refrain from using hate with our Kung Fu. Knowing you for a long time, I know how much you held onto your anger against the Federation. We fight those who do evil, but we show grace and respect with our skills, not abuse them. You get me?"
"I guess so," Isrina shrugged. "But who are the Omaunukai? What is the Eszkeios?"
"These are very dark things, Dr. Niang," Oreic took a deep breath. "Remember when I told you that the Vultau believes in the Archkaos, the musical realm that binds nature and music together? How Makiyu wants us to appreciate our musical selves to love the music of others?"
"It sounds familiar, yes."
"Dhukaos, or the Darkness Beyond Music, is the opposite. The forbidden practice of hatred of oneself to hate others. To covet other's music by hating your musical self. Hate is the very essence of the Omaunukai Klan."
Isrina shuddered. She didn't know there was a dark aspect of the Vultau culture.
"Omaunukai is Vultsckrit for Fallen Angel. They were said to be the most wretched people to ever walk the Earth. By practicing the art of hatred, they devour innocent people, absorbing their musical energies. The Omaunukai Klan had a history of eating Vulpi to drink their blood for ZNA powers."
Blood… Isrina gulped, recalling the three women from her nightmare. Do those women want Shien's blood?
"Now, I already told you Rhu Makiyu Eta is the one and only God the Vultau follow. The Omaunukai follow Sol Eszkeios Epsilon, the demon we know as the Silencer of Music. They aim to awaken the Eszkeios from the Darkness Beyond Music to wipe out all musical life from the face of the Earth."
Isrina leaned her head onto the wall. It was a lot of terrifying information to process. She never thought that hatred was such a serious topic in the Vultau culture.
"This… this is real?" She asked.
"I'm afraid so," Oreic stood with her. "Now do you see why you caught our attention when you used hatred against Kyrinna? I know you're far from the spectrum compared to the Omaunukai, but we want to help you stay on the path of righteousness. You need to control the inner hatred you have been clinging to and learn how to restrain your fighting abilities. Alright?"
"I think I understand..." Isrina nodded. "And Master Oreic, I wanted to tell you earlier, but my nightmare was about the Omaunukai."
"Oh, that dream you mentioned earlier. A dream about the Omaunukai is never a good sign. Can you please tell me about it?"
"I was with Shien, and he warned me that the Eszkeios is coming. Afterward, three women flew around him, saying things about Shien's blood bringing them life and that the Omaunukai will return."
"Three women? What did they look like?"
"One was brown with horned eyes and nose. The other was ice blue with harp hands. The last was a dark Anubis."
Oreic froze.
"What does this mean for my little chickadee?" Isrina worried. "Does this mean the Omaunukai want my son's blood? Is Shien in danger?"
Master Oreic was in deep thought.
"Dr. Niang," He finally said. "The entire Vultau Order including the Grandmaster needs to know about this before it's too late."
"Why?"
"You have no idea how serious this dream is."
"Guys!" A soldier trampled down the stairs. "Is it night time?"
"Yes? Why?" Oreic asked.
"You Vultau know magic thingies right? You gotta see this!"
Isrina and the other Vultau masters followed the soldier up the maze of stairs up to a secret passageway up to a destroyed mall's lobby full of dust and shopping carts. General Covinski and a few other rebels were there, watching through the glass walls.
"You see that?" The soldier pointed outside the glass. "Is this Vultau magic?"
The masters gasped to see the Sun shining in the dark sky. A bloody red pentagram was drawn in the middle of the Sun.
"Is a Vultau master doing this?" Covinski asked.
"No…" Oreic said. "Not Vultau… Omaunukai..."
"There's only one person we know with the power to command the Sun to shine from the natural order," Master Seniel squinted his eyes from the bright Sun.
"Then that means Terrhina's sarcophagus has been opened," Yanshi said. "Does that mean Fariix, my teacher, is dead?"
"Guardian Fariix can't be dead!" Psyinen yelled. "That's impossible!"
"Aaaaarghhhhh…" A hissing voice blasted through the group's eardrums.
The group covered their ears.
"Long have I been cursed…" The voice said. "But now… the covenant of the Eszkeios has begun…"
"It can't be…" Psyinen knelt.
"Terrhina… the Earth Prognosticus…" Yanshi said.
Terrhina's voice scratched inside their ears. A female soldier screamed, curling up in a ball. The screaming of girls echoed from the subway underneath. Psyinen rolled up near a wall, shrieking. Seniel and Isrina moaned in agony, squirming their heads.
"You Vultau… were foolish in thinking you could stop me…" Terrhina hissed in everyone's ears. "You all thought… you could hide your precious women from me… I shall once again roam about the Earth… and I will consume every young girl you hold so dear until I become… the one beautiful woman…"
The group knelt on the ground as the sinister voice slithered through their ear canals.
"Despair, people of flesh and sin… for three of us there are… let the five suns rise… may infants weep… the great pestilence is nigh… for the Omaunukai shall return… there will be no music but silence… there is no Makiyu!"
The hissing stopped. Everyone stood up, massaging their ears.
"Is… is it over?" The curled-up female soldier trembled.
"What's that?" Another soldier pointed at the Sun.
The group saw a mist of dust erupting out of the Sun. The mist morphed into the shape of a woman as it flew towards them. The lady wore a mask with horns extending off her eyes and nose and an earthly brown robe. With her hood surrounded by shiny yellow jewels and an emerald in the middle, her Sun-shaped necklace glowed bright orange-red.
"T… Terrhina?" Oreic recognized the woman.
"She's… real?" Isrina shivered.
"Give me… your women!" Terrhina howled, flying at the group.
Seniel extended her palm, summoning a wall of whirlpooling water that engulfed the spirit. Terrhina disappeared, and the Sun stopped shining. The bright sky reverted to nighttime.
"What… What the hell was that?" Covinski yelled. "What did we just see?"
"Grandmaster Aian was right all along," Yanshi muttered. "The Omaunukai are coming back."