Chapter 9
In the Primose cave, the door of the sarcophagi fell open, and Ibrahim stepped out with smoke oozing out of his singed linen. His face was grim and forbidden in appearance, and his eyes darted around, unable to focus. Then, finally, he recognized Zillah and smiled.
"Rise, Zillah El-zamuni, my faithful interloper and friend"
Zillah rose with her chest huffing in pridefulness, as she realized Ibrahim had come from epiphany! An inspiring theophany just knowing that Elan Vital of the six primogenitors surged through the person standing in front of her.
"Thank you, great Isah," she replied.
"the first primogenitors have done great injustice to Alazend,"
She blinked in surprise.
"I don't understand"
Their eyes met, and Ibrahim sighed in sadness.
"You were all made to believe a lie… Thantys was not a Martian god, but a sentient humanoid created by the six primogenitors"
"What?" she was taken aback.
"Yes, but Thantys changed, and wanted more than what he was created for. He wanted to be like them, he wanted to rule Alazend, he wanted to be a god"
"This doesn't make any sense. Why would they have to create Thantys when they had the Xipetus?"
"The Xipetus had limitations," he shrugged. "They eat, sleep and die like every living organism, but Thantys is hybridized__ the prototype for the perfect man"
He said and unwrapped himself. Zillah colored with shame and looked away quickly.
"This is bad. The Primogenitors single-handedly destroyed our species," she gasped in horror.
Ibrahim dressed himself in the suit of amour in the other side of the place.
"I can't believe my brother and entire family died for nothing! The supreme Oldes are not better than Thantys," she said, frothing at the mouth.
"I am sorry"
She turned her greyish face at Ibrahim, and her eyes widened in amazement. For he looked different in his new suit and Zillah could almost swear she hadn't seen this person her whole life. His face illuminated supernaturally.
"I know what it's like to lose a family and I understand your pain, but I promise to avenge every life that Thantys had taken in multiple folds."
He said assertively, and Zillah became comforted. Then he picked up the sword and brandished it, and the blade blazed.
"Wow, this is good," he said to himself.
"So, do you have a plan?"
"The great Isah always has a plan"
He replied her in a sarcastic tone and picked up the Ark. "you have nothing to worry my damsel" he walked away.
Zillah smiled and followed from behind, totally in love with this regenerated Ibrahim. For a long time, she had this thing about humans, for she considered them far less than the Tiv. But now, their Isah appeared as a human! What an irony? She said to herself.
They slogged through the water and climbed out of the cave, and the moment they entered the aircraft, the chasm snapped shut. Their journey back was quiet. Ibrahim observed the Ark with a thorough precision with a heavy heart. He knew time was of the essence. Thantys might prepare to launch an attack and he feared because he had not the slightest clue on how to defeat him.
"You look worried, my great Isah?"
Their eyes met, and he quickly took them off as if he was scared of Zillah seeing through him.
"We need to hurry. I can feel Thantys very close," he replied sternly.
Why that tone? And why was he feeling so macho when he had no plan? He questioned himself. Maybe it was part of being the great Isah, although he still preferred his old self in his little village. But sadly, those days were over. He shook his head and looked out of the window.
They arrived at the base and disappeared into the obelisk-like building. Once Ibrahim was in his workspace, he busied himself with a new technology implant.
"What do I do?" Zillah asked.
Ibrahim glanced at her in askewness, cogitating.
"Em, Em, get me a crate I can fit into?"
She gave him a questioning eyebrow.
"A crate?"
"I got this," he winked at her.
Zillah nodded and walked out of the room. Doubled back through the elevator and dashed through the gigantic doors of armory. She searched through the database for a crate and different sizes materialized. Then she scanned each for its weight and elasticity and she picked the strongest and hoisted it into the aircraft as instructed. No sooner had she secured the crate in a corner than Ibrahim showed up at the door.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
She nodded. Then he brought out a small sonic device not bigger than the size of a teardrop earring.
"This ultrasonic device has a high frequency that will temporarily disrupt connection of Halycon and the host, giving us enough time to shut down the base"
Zillah shook her head, still fuzzy from where it was all going. But tilted her head so Ibrahim could clip the device to her left ear.
"When I give you the go ahead, press it, okay?"
She nodded. Then he brought out the Ark and screwed the control button clockwise into a reset mode.
"Can I trust you with this?" he asked
"Yes, great Isah," she replied in all sincerity.
"Thank you," he said and handed the Ark to her.
He walked away. Zillah's eyes grew suspicious as she watched what Ibrahim was going to do with the crate. And he turned to her and smiled as if he could read her thoughts.
"A Trojan horse awaits Thantys!" he said, and lowered himself into the box.
Zillah smiled back faintly. The plan looked bleak, yet she loved it. His articulateness riveted her the most. Indeed, the primogenitors lived inside of him. She sat down on the chair and pivoted the flying vehicle, and the wind whirred, bidding them farewell as the aircraft hovered into sky.
* * *
The aircraft was lowered to the ground some five or six feet away from Thantys gridlock base. With immediate effect, the Halycones assembled themselves in a battle formation. Zillah stepped out of the vehicle holding the Ark high above her head, and the Halycones recognized what was in her hand, for only the Ark could exude such a mysterious glint. As she walked towards them, she pulled the crate along.
The Halycones were thrown into a state of confusion, and they had no choice but to stand down, and made a way for Zillah to walk through. Zillah walked unflinchingly into the throne room of Thantys, and immediately Thantys saw the Ark as he removed his mask and stood up.
"What do we have here?" he snarled, and fiery eyes bored into Zillah.
"The Ark," she replied
"I can see__" he eyed her suspiciously. "What is in the box?"
"A gift befitting the almighty Thantys, lord of the undead…"
He seized her neck and lifted her above the ground.
"What do you take me for?"
"My lord, my people do not stand a chance against you, so I have come to offer myself to you," she gasped.
An awful silence settled over the room. He weighed her words to see if they were some deceptive trap. His gaze burned deep into her face, but she remained stoic, neither cowering nor blinking. Then he heaved a sigh not from exhaustion but from his megalomaniacal nature; and opened the lid of the box. Immediately, Ibrahim sprang and thrust his flaming sword into his chest and Thantys staggered. Face frozen in utter horror as slow and painful cauterization took over his body.
"Who are you?" he asked
"I am the great Isah!" he replied.
"Now" he screamed at Zillah.
At once, Zillah pressed the ultrasonic clip-on, on her ear and it made a high sibilant sound. The Halycones lost balance and held their head to silence the noise in their heads. Quickly, Zillah dashed out of the throne room, into the Panopticon before the Halycones could regain their consciousness. She placed the reset Ark into the slot of the chest, and almost at once, the box opened, allowing the greenish energy in the box to magnet the other glowing stone.
As they collided, it disseminated a shock wave which scattered Thantys and his legions of Halycon in different directions. The place shook violently, statues collapsed. Ibrahim ran before he became trapped in the throne room. Ibrahim collided with Zillah, escaping from the Panopticon, and they ran out of the base. In the Open-air, Ibrahim and Zillah watched the mountain explode in a giant mushroom of flames. Suddenly, Zillah became emotional and tears trickled down her cheeks.
"Why are you crying?" he asked in concern.
"I can't believe we actually did it. I can't believe Thantys is gone, and my brother?" she choked up in her tears.
Ibrahim heaved a sigh, overwhelmed with compassion for Zillah.
"General Dillah was a fine soldier, and he died for a good cause"
"And to think that this evil was our own doing totally beats my imagination"
Ibrahim took her hands and squeezed them gently.
"That is why I have come to make things right again in Alazend. Old things have passed away and a bright future awaits us"
His words were a great comfort to her, and she found herself totally relieved.
"Let's go home," he said.
They walked towards their aircraft.
* * *
As the aircraft touched ground in the base, there was a bit of a celebration outside the dome. Tiv; both old and young jubilated for the first time after several eons. They rushed towards Ibrahim and exalted him and put beautiful wreaths around his neck. Hugging him with the most sincerity of hearts for bringing peace to their home. While Zillah stood in the corner, glowing with pride. Up till that moment, she couldn't believe Thantys was finally defeated. Suddenly, Ibrahim beckoned to her and join him in the crowd.
"Don't you ever leave my side," he whispered
"As you wish, great Isah," she smiled
As soon as Zillah finished talking, Ibrahim's countenance hardened, and she wondered what the problem was. She followed his gaze and understood why. Right at the mouth of the monolith, the six supreme Oldes gathered like a gloomy mist over a mountain peak. Ibrahim removed himself from the crowd and Zillah followed him.
"No words are enough to abate the great apology we owe the multitudes for all the deception we advocated except blood, but no more are we going to harbor mystery. Thank you great Isah, and Zillah El-zamuni for this glorious thing you have done. May all the blessing of the Alazend go with you," they chorused.
Then they receded into the monolith. For a while, after the supreme Oldes had disappeared, Ibrahim stood staring into the blank space, thinking about his village and his loving mother. For sure, he was convinced his father was dead. He wondered what had become of his tribe, if they were still alive and his heart ached.
"I have to go back," He said to Zillah
"it's your call great Isah, but please permit me to come with you"
Their eyes met, and he nodded.