lt was way past midnight. The stars were shimmering on the canvas of the sky like diamonds. Raghav was gazing at it. How mesmerising and grandeur the beauty of the night sky. Every night when he had those nasty panic attacks he ran into the forest with his bike, a gift from his uncle on his eighteenth birthday. Panic attacks were terrifying. Everytime Raghav has a dream of that Truck approaching towards him he starts perspiring and panting uncontrollably. A pain starts growing on his chest and after a while the whole chest becomes so heavy, as if someone puts 10 kilograms of weight on his chest. The respiration becomes unbelievably difficult as if someone is clutching his throat with a death grip. But not anymore! That pain must end tonight.
Raghav looked at the pistol in his hands. How beautifully designed the machine was, his uncle's precious Glock 17. He put the gun on his temple and closed his eyes for a moment. His life started flashing in front of him. All those memories of endless sleepless nights, unbearable pain on his chest and death grip on his throat, would end now. Raghav smiled at last. Then his finger touched the coldness of the trigger.
Suddenly, an explosion shaked the whole jungle. Raghav trembled and the pistol dropped from his hands. He could feel his heart beating so fast as if it wanted to come out from the rib cage. A faint tremor was still buzzing in his ears. Raghav turned his head south and a fire caught his eyes. The burning smell of the woods and screaming of different animals were giving the testimony that a wildfire had begun. Then, another explosion shook the ground. Raghav fell down to the ground. This time, He saw the flash. It was not natural and it was abnormally bright. The explosion came with a huge crimson flash. Raghav murmured, "What is happening?"
He stood up and started walking towards the south. Though it was the middle of the night, the fire burning around the woods made it terribly and fatally bright. The burning fume was almost choking him. He kept walking through the fallen and burning trees. It was a mayhem. All around he looked, he found trees burning, animals fleeing for their life and the unfortunate ones lying on the forest floor, writhing in mortal pain while the fire was consuming their bodies. He pressed towards the South east where the burning was less. After walking through the forest for fifteen minutes he reached a place where a glade was opened which wasn't there for an hour ago. The explosion wiped this entire portion of the jungle. There he saw them.
Hiding behind a ridge, Raghav saw two creatures- one of them had fallen to ground and the other was- well, the other was floating in the air. Their bodies were just like humans, more accurately like a man.
The creature who was lying down was bluish in colour and the one who was floating was yellowish. Their bodies were glowing in the dark, as if an aura was coming out from them. That yellow creature had a yellow coloured stone embedded on its chest. He was nearly seven feet tall. He was wearing a yellow robe that was fluttering in the air. He had long hair with a deep yellow glow. Raghav couldn't see its face as he was facing the creature who was lying on the ground, breathing heavily in pain. That Blue creature was somewhat shorter than the Yellow one. He was also wearing a robe, but purple in colour. Instead of a stone he had a purple star-like gem on his chest. His long purple hairs were falling on his face. Even in the dark, Raghav could see his bluish face. He had two eyes, so beautiful as if some divine artist created those eyes with his elegant hands. One of the eyes was critically injured and the other one was deep cherry red. He was injured-mortally injured. Raghav could see the pain in his eyes. He tried to lift his right hand. Within a blink, that yellow creature attacked him and his hand was gone. Raghav was watching the fight with awe. The hand of that yellow creature was turned to a lightsaber-like weapon but rather than a sword it looked more like a fuzzy flame to Raghav. That dismembered hand was the testimony that it could cut things like knives in butter.
Finally the Yellow Creature spoke
"So, this is how it's supposed to end. Isn't it? Skimion Arrenokh,nightingale of Elysia, lying on the ground, writhing in pain. Don't worry, brother. Soon your misery will be over. I, myself, will kill you. But, before that, where is the Sword of Morningstar?"
The blue creature named Skimion groaned but he didn't reply. The yellow creature pointed his palm towards him. A powerful yellow ray came out with a deafening hiss and hit Skimion. He started screaming.
"Relax, brother. You will not die. Tell me, where is the Sword or you wish you would tell me sooner."
Skimion replied, " Rega, you bastard, you will never ever get the sword."
The yellow creature, Rega, stopped the spewing flame. Then he yelled, "What did you just call me ?"
Skimion smiled, "You are a bastard. Don't you know about it? Father never fucked your mother. That whore was getting fucked by every man in the Elysia"
Rega screamed, " That's it. I'm ending your nonsense." His fist was ignited with a crimson fire.
"I'm gonna enjoy it, you cunt !"
Before the flame could hit Skimion, a gun fired and a bullet pierced through Rega's chest. Raghav had noticed a yellow stone curved on his chest. He aimed at the stone and fired. A lucky hunch perhaps, but it worked. The bullet pierced through the yellowstone and Rega fell on the ground. Groaning, he stood and looked at Raghav.
"You filthy creature!" He screamed and pointed his palm towards him. The crimson fire flashed. Raghav closed his eyes.
But before it could hit him, a hand pierced his chest from his back and pulled out the yellowstone. Rega fell down with a groan. Raghav opened his eyes and found Skimion was standing with that yellow stone in his left hand. His left hand was completely covered in a red goop- supposedly blood. Then, he fell on the ground too.
Raghav went running at him. He said, " Are you all right ?"
Skimion was lying back on a rock. He replied, " Do I look all right to you ?"
Raghav replied, " All right, man. At least you can start this conversation with a thank you."
Skimion smiled, " Yes, Thank you. Now you also owe me a thanks too"
Raghav sat beside him. He replied, " Thanks to you too."
He could now see Skimion closely. He was more like a human but nearly 6 and a half feet tall. His hair was purple but his skin was different. It seemed blue but actually it was white. The glow coming out from his skin made it bluish. Raghav was observing him carefully when Skimion said, " Relax, I'm not gonna eat you. But I fear you can eat me after I die. Though it will not be very long."
Raghav made a face and asked, "Why on Earth, will I eat you ?"
Skimion laughed and then clenched his face in pain.
He replied, " I'm not familiar with your planet or your species. Do you eat celestial creatures ?"
Raghav answered with confusion and dismay, "No. We are... We are human. And we eat many things. I suppose Celestials are not among them."
Skimion looked at the sky and remained silent for a long time. He tried to move his hand but excruciating pain ran through his body while doing it. He looked at Raghav who was sitting and was observing him quietly with squinted eyes.
Skimion asked, " You have a name ?"
He replied, " Raghav Chowdhury!"
-" Well, My name is Skimion Arrenokh. That was my half brother Rega Arrenokh- dead half brother, to be precise."
Raghav turned his head to the corpse of Rega. A yellow fume was rising through it.
He turned his eyes with fear and disgust.
-" Why was he after you ?"
Skimion sighed. He again remained silent. Then after a few minutes of silence, he asked.
-"Raghav, why did you put your life on the line to save me ?"
-" That's what we humans are. Humanity teaches us to help people."
-" Helping someone by killing someone. Is this what you are telling me? How do you choose between me and my dead half brother? You do not know anything about me. If it turns out that I, myself, am a terrible person, then what do you do ?"
Raghav didn't reply. He never had given a thought who was right or wrong. After remaining silent for a few moments, he said, " You know what, Skimion? We never know how a decision would yield its outcome. We just take a decision, whatever it is. And the outcome, that depends on our actions. No decision is right or wrong. No decision is good or bad. I think, if your intentions are righteous then all decisions are right. "
-" What happens if your righteousness is right in your perspective and wrong to others ?"
Raghav smiled. He said, "Again. We make a decision with our right intention. But the outcome, that can never be predicted. I, myself, tried to save you by putting my life in line. In return you also threw your life to save me. It could also happen I might die trying. That crimson flame or whatever it is, may vaporise myself while you writhe in pain waiting for your turn. It could also occur that Rega killed you first, then he found me and killed me afterwards. See, Skimion, I can go on and on. But the right decision was, and ofcourse to me, to save you first and then wait for whatever ill that befalls on me."
Skimion smirked.
"Well, whatever it is. I'm still alive and talking to you. Your decision may have given me a few more additional minutes to survive. Within this time, I hardly think any of my friends will come to save me. I have you here. My only foreseeable friend in the upcoming half an hour. So, thank you. At Least when I die I will have Human friend on my side."
Raghav smiled. That very night he decided to end his life. Now, he was befriending a humanoid creature from an unknown world. He asked, "Well, Skimion, your human friend is baffled. And he never saw any flying men on Earth. Can you be able to give me some information about, you know, who you are or what you are."
Skimion sighed.
" I don't have much time left. So I really don't know how much I'm going to cover you up here. It's a long story. My name which you already know is Skimion Arrenokh. I come from a race of Humanoid Celestial Being. I used the term Humanoid because I was baffled by seeing the bodily similarities between humans and our race- Celenors. They call me Skimion, the Morningstar because I use a sword named Sword of the Morningstar."
He paused and raised his left hand in the air and with a bright purple flash, a huge sword appeared out of nowhere. Its hilt was decorated with blue and purple stones and the blade itself was glowing. Instead of a metal blade lo, the blade was just like a fuzzy flame like the one Rega used to cut Skimions hand. Then the sword disappeared again. Skimion looked at Raghav's face, who was watching this magnificent display of power with awe.
Raghav whispered, "wow!"
Skimion smirked, " Yeah I know!"
He continued,
" Celenors live in a World called Elysia or the land of Gods, where twenty different races of Celenors participate in a game of power. Arrenokh is a race which succeeded to take control over Elysia over a millennia ago. One of our ancestors, Azagroth Arrenokh, won the great Angelic Wars and established our dynasty. He was mortally wounded but survived somehow and became our first King. Well, that started a millennia long rule of Arrenokhs over Elysia. Azagroth made a huge fort named Serenia in the middle of Elysia. And he also erected five great walls surrounding our realm. As I have mentioned, he founded our dynasty which is technically still in power.
My father is Eheren Arrenokh, the one of the most powerful Celenor of Elysia. He is King's brother and de facto ruler of our realm. During my grandfather's rule, Celenors turned their backs against the Royal family after suffering through years of harsh oppression. Brutal Civil war began, millions died until my uncle King Xashtin Arrenokh became King. The madness and war stopped, different races of Celenors started living in harmony and peace. Then he became ill and my father Eheren Arrenokh became de facto King of Elysia. No one was happy because of his sudden rise through power. They have plenty of reasons to hate him. Stubborn, egotistical and extremely cruel!
Many Celenors turned their backs against the crown after living under his rule. To overthrow him, they sought help from a Warlock of Helmholtia, Trokk. Warlocks are also Celestials and they have a long list to hate Celenors. These two groups warred against each other from the beginning.
Trokk sent his best Helmholts against the Elysian Army to overthrow the Arrenokhs. Rebels helped them to get past the fifth wall of defence surrounding Elysia. Finally the news reached my father. AND HE DECIDED TO SENT ME".
Skimion paused.
Raghav was listening with utter interest. He asked, " Then ?"
Skimion smiled in pain. After a minute of remaining in silence he spoke,
" He sent me alone. against the entire army of rebel Celenors and warring Helmholts. Since my birth, my father has loathed me. I'm not like other Arrenokhs, bright or yellow. My father hated me.I grew up at his house watching him preferring my half brother Rega over me- his real son while I was just an abomination to him. I never knew who my mother was. No one ever showed me any affection or love. Female Celenors hate me most. They are disgusted by my sight."
Skimion laughed. Then he paused for a moment. Raghav could feel silence and the darkness behind Skimion's gaze.
" Anyways, I slaughtered each of them. I slaughtered every rebel of celestial and Helmholtzs. I murdered them with unimaginable ruthlessness. I slaughtered their family, friends, villages and an entire race of Celenors. "
Raghav whispered, "Damn"
Skimion smiled in pain.
"I was born with unimaginable power, even greater than my father Eheren. I don't know where this came from. But during that war I realised the power I possess was beyond anyone's control. My father knew my abilities very well. That's why he sent me.
But my power threatens him. Since my childhood, I have had to face severe discrimination because of my colour. Arrenokhs hated me because I do not look like them. I was different yet powerful. I defeated an entire army but over use of my power made me bedridden and comatose for at least a year. When I woke up I saw Wizards of Elysia put a Rekenhein seal against my throat".
He stopped and pointed out around his throat. Raghav could see a wave-like pattern on his throat though not so visible.
Skimion continued.
" This seal, I don't know what it is, sealed most of my power. I became almost powerless in comparison to my former self. Although it is a bodily seal yet it was able to seal my powers in an unimaginable scale. When I woke up I also found my other uncle, Levi was dead. Her wife told me everything. He tried to save me from my father. That man killed my mother because he thought she gave birth to a demon. That man poisoned my uncle King Xashtin to get the power. I decided to seek revenge. Soon, I found a group named Arkhans. They were against my father's rule and survived the Great Civil war. I helped them. During the War of the Fifth Wall, Trokk was captured and imprisoned alive. I helped the Arkhans to break him free. With the help of Arkhans, Trokk declared war against Elysia. And this time they were able to hold against the might of the Elysian army. While the main army was busy against Trokk, Arkhans staged a coup against my father. The whole Crownland joined the Arkhans. Soon, another civil war broke out.
But unfortunately Arkhan betrayed me. They sent me against my father and my half brother, Rega. There I found, the Celenors under my commands were appointed to betray me. They used me as a bargaining tool. It is simple. In exchange for my life, they want to make a truce with the crown. Surrounded and betrayed, I only had my Sword of Morningstar to fight against my father's wrath. Those idiots thought that Eheren would agree with them. Instead they were all slaughtered like trolls. I escaped. But Rega was on my trail, chasing me through Elysia. I had no choice to use Translocation and I ended up in your World. But Rega found me. Every time I tried to use my power, that stupid seal prevented me. What a mess."
He sighed.
"Well, now it's all over. Soon, Trokk will be victorious. Or, my father will save the day. I don't know, lying here at the end of my life, I realised I made a huge mistake. Trokk is extremely powerful and his king, Trebeiakk, is unimaginably strong. If they win it will be the end of Celenors. With Rega dead, I don't think father will be able to hold against the Trebeiakk."
Skimion sighed.
A very thin purple fume was already coming out from the stump of his right hand. Raghav asked, "Wait! So is this the end of you and your entire race?"
-" I don't know but I can certainly say that this is the end of me"
- " No! Skimion! Is there anything I can do for you?"
Skimion looked at his left hand. The fumes started coming out from his left hand too. He replied, " You have done enough. There is nothing we can do to now"
The fumes started coming out from most of his body parts.
Raghav asked, " Hold on. Is there no way ?"
Skimion sighed,
-"Nope!"
Raghav said, " Hold on one sec! Then how did Azagroth survive? You mentioned he was mortally wounded during the Angelic wars but survived. How ? "
Skimion replied,
"Yes, during the Angelics war, Azagroth was mortally wounded. They tried to revive Azagroth with a faulty process called Helmlikh Amalgamation, an extremely tough Wizardry and it was banned after Azagroth survived. Using this process he was able to transfer his consciousness to the body of a captured Angel. But, Azagroth had to pay the price because his death was agonising"
The fumes were now coming out from his whole body. Raghav screamed in despair, "Skimion, do you know how to do it ?"
He replied with a smile, " Listen Raghav, there is no such wizardry left in Elysia, which I can't ....."
Before he completed his sentence, Raghav held his hand towards him.
" DO IT."
That had taken Skimion aback.
-"What? What are you saying? Are you out of your mind ?"
-"No. This is the only way to save you. This... Whatever Amalgamation. Do it."
-" On you? Heavens no. And besides You don't understand. You will be dead. All your consciousness will be gone. YOU will be gone."
Raghav pulled out his 9mm revolver and held it in front of him.
-" Skimion, I came here to end my life. I have nothing left to live for. I'm telling you with all the courage my heart can muster, Skimion. This is your only chance. To save Elysia, To save your people. "
-" DON'T BE RIDICULOUS RAGHAV. I CAN'T. Not on a person who saved my life. And besides Azagroth had done it on an Angel, a far more superior creature who could hold the power of a celenor. No one ever tried the Helmlikh on a human. "
Raghav looked straight into his eyes as the fuming increased.
"Look Skimion, I'm telling you to do it to save my friend. "Friend", don't you remember? You called me your friend. I don't know what I can achieve in my little life but if it is the only way to save you, I will do it."
A tear rolled from his eyes. He screamed, "NOW!!"
Skimion looked at the tears. His whole life flashed in front of his eyes within a blink. He murmured, " Forgive me, Raghav. I can't. You are in despair. Go home, now."
Raghav screamed, " Skimion, I have no friends growing up. All throughout my life I tried to help people only to see them leaving me behind. This is the first time someone ever did anything for me. I'm begging you to save my friend's life. Please."
Skimion murmured, "Oh! Damn it!"
-" DO IT, NOW!!"
Skimion cursed and clutched Raghav's hand. A light flashed, and a purple flame started engulfing them. Raghav screamed in pain.
He looked at Skimion's eye for a moment. It was flashing with crimson red. Suddenly his entire life flashed in front of him. All the sleeplessness, nightmares, panic attacks and pain were gone. A profound peace started enveloping him. Then everything went blank. In that darkness, Raghav could see his mother. Just before everything went dark again, Raghav murmured "Maa" for the last time.
Skimion holding his hand could see all the memories of Raghav flashing in front of him. The deadly amalgamation was merging all of the feelings and memories of Raghav with him. Raghav murmured, " Thank you, My friend". Skimion's body started dissipating in air. T
hen everything went dark in front of Skimions eyes too. Raghav's body collapsed on the ground while the last purple fume disappeared in the air