Hiding in the Flames ~ Another unsuccesfull epic by Unimatrix Zero

[Rakoua]

Hiding in the Flames

~Chapter One: The Anteri~


Asthar kneeled down, a fire in front of him. The fire illuminated the cave, burning calmly and evenly. Asthar's face was covered with sweat that was dripping all over the fire to be turned to steam in seconds.
His meditation was cut short by a figure entering the cave. He turned around and took a sword that was right next to him.
«Ah. Seletic, I didn't know it was you...» He said, dropping the sword.
«Hello, Asthar. What are you doing in this cave? Why aren't you back at the celebration in the village? » Seletic asked.
«You know I don't like celebrations, especially after the dark time. The music makes me go crazy. The drums remind me of... Well, you know...» Asthar said.
«Well, the caves should too. You know that the Anteri are trapped inside, and who knows what would happen if they should be released. Be careful... Every now and then one seems to escape. » Seletic stopped as soon as Asthar's face showed fear.
«Just kidding, friend. » He continued. Asthar didn't laugh. The Anteri have taken away his family, his home, and almost his friend... And Seletic used to fear that they have taken his mind too when Asthar seemed very strange to be around with...
Seletic left in silence, and Asthar returned to his meditating. After a moment he started repeating two words.

Antheri Redrenis... Antheri Redrenis...

The fire became stronger and stronger, the flames touching Asthar, but not burning him.

ANTHERI REDRENIS!

A circle appeared on the cave walls. It glowed red, and the glow quickly spread to the rest of the cave. When it faded away, a new space was revealed...And it was full of small, cruel and angry creatures...
The Anteri.

Soon after, the cave collapsed. Asthar was now completely on fire, and he turned into a cloud of smoke like the Anteri. Out of a hole in the cave the smoke escaped and trough the sky it went back to its home...

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[Rakoua]

~Chapter Two: Into the desert~

Two Days later...

Seletic sat down on his chair and looked at the map of the village. He held an energy sword in his right hand, and waited.
"The days of happines and joy are long gone. I should have known. The Anteri wanted revenge." He said, and heard knocking on the door of his home.
"Who is it? Enter!" He said.
A young man entered the room. He closed the door and came closer.
"Nestrey, what are you doing here? Are you here abut Asthar? I told you to stay on guard duty today." Seletic said, and walked to Nestrey.
"I am sorry, but... The seal hasn't been broken... the ones who created it say that it was released..."
Nestrey said, fear in his eyes. This meant someone... Someone who had access to the caves must have released the Anteri... And access can only be granted by Seletic.
"Asthar's body was never found... Do you think..." Seletic said, a tear forming in his eye.
"It isn't important right now. What has been done has been done. If Asthar did betray us, it's not his fault... Must be the Anteri tampering whit his mind. I suggest you rest, as you have been here for two days now and you haven't slept a second." Nestrey said.
Asthar wasn't easy to get along with ever since his tragedy. Seletic was the only one who could calm him down, at least partly...
"If he did release them, he would have went south into the desert... And if he did... Ah, you're right. I may need to rest... Increase the number of desert patrols and prepare for war... Tomorrow we will go into the desert." Seletic said, and retreated to his room. He knew tomorrow was the day when the short period of peace ends...

[Rakoua]

~Chapter Three, Dark Alliance~
A lone Anteri guard patrolled the outside of the Elef an Vetri (Tower of Fire in translation) like he did for the last two days. The Anteri don't sleep. They consume. He left a trail of fire behind him... To bad there wasn't aything to consume here, on the south pole of planet they are on. It was a desert, like the rest of the souther hemisphere, allways turned to the sun. The Anteri liked the heat of this part of the world. But the Anteri guard was bored... If there is only one thing for which the Anteri would go to the dark side of the world, it was to fight...

An ice spear stabbed trough the Anteri which broke like glass on touch of the ice, and the spear was taken by a man in a white outfit under which was a cooling system. But he was out of place, as  his home was on the dark side of the planet, in the endless winter. Why did he come here?
Because darkness does not allways mean evil...
He pointed the spear toward the ground, from which a pillar of ice emerged and he jumped on it. The pillar started to move, leaving an icy trail in the desert sands which melted as soon as it went out of range of his power.

12 hours later...
Seletic took an energy sword and a laser handgun, and carefully placed them onto his hoverbike. He then got onto the hoverbike and went out of the village, five of his best warriors behind him. Everybody was silent, perhaps because they were convinced it was  a suicide mission, to go into the fiery desert... It was rumored that around the Elef an Vetri was molten glass, and that the tower itself was floating in it. Nobody who went there returned... And Seletic was convinced he wouldn't either. A few meters out of the village's shield it was allready unbarably hot. The shields that the hoverbikes had weren't operational yet, as the light wasn't strong enough to power them. They will only be able to activate on the second day of their journey... If there is a second day.

A strong red light appeared on the horizon and started to get closer and closer. Soon, more of them appeared.
Vertanis... Or, in English, a fire whirl.
And there are more... much more...