The Prophesy: Book 4 - Armageddon

 

Yamato and his group were completing the last marks delimiting the extraction zone. The Sahara had been left out, and some contaminated areas in the savannah. The number of occupied Orc nests found in Africa was limited, much to the team's surprise. In all, only six had been found to hold inhabitants still.

"I wonder why only six? That continent should have been able to hold a lot more," said Williams, as the team was completing their survey.

"I think they suffered from climatic change more they we thought," replied Nestor.

"They probably tried to migrate, but with the Mediterranean and the Middle East so radioactive, their possible exit points were limited. They could build ships, but only so many."

"Dunbar's idea isn't that bad. And I would add that migrating hordes probably met other hordes and the collision must have been messy. Consider the ferocity of the Orcs, and their need to compete for a limited food and water supply. These we met were at the edge of the savannah, and were not yet too affected by water and food shortage."

"Before we declare Africa ready for the final porting, I would like to find the other nests, even if they are empty. We saw that Orcs did have artistic qualities, and I think Paschal would appreciate the additional effort. We have a couple of weeks before the onset of the move, we should take that time to do that."

"Sure, Yamato. We know the kind of rock formation they favour for their nests. Send out a legion of Spiders along a line on the southern edge of the tropical forest, with objective of spotting these geological formations. Once we have an inventory, we can focus on the most promising."

"I wonder why they never really colonised the forest?" Nestor wondered.

"Probably because they were sensitive to some diseases only found in that ecosystem."

"You are more then likely on target, Dunbar. Anyway, I'm going to send the new orders to the Spiders. I'll keep a centurie on hand, but the others will be moving south to converge on Cape Good Hope, minus the radioactive sections."

"What if you meet animals?"

"They end up in the Ark. Plants will be sampled, but most will wait for the last stage in two weeks."

"It is sad that the Indian subcontinent was so ravaged. I read it had a wide range of ecosystems before the Cataclysm."

"I know, Williams, and it sucks. But what can we do?" asked Dunbar as he watched Yamato walk to his command Spider and port inside.

***

Ian and his away team had been moving up the Marañón River, exploring each affluent with minutia. The presence of the gods on Earth had spread like wildfire, and now, each tribe waited on their arrival with unmitigated trepidation. The rumours ran wild. As each prisoner had returned to their respective village, they told of people being torched, eaten raw, or chopped to bits. The further a prisoner travelled, the more outlandish the stories grew. The fact that a tattoo burned into the chest of each village chief that received his token convocation added to the credibility of the tall tales. By the time the boys made their way to the next village, they found the entire tribe massed at their arrival point, shakily kneeling face down into the dirt.

"Neat," said Ian, as he saw the backs of the whole populace. "No more fighting to convince people we mean business."

"I guess those beside the group are the detainees waiting for their token?" asked Xianathan.

"Probably. Even if they have been treated better lately, they look a lot worse then the others," commented Raja.

"Ok. Spread out, I have transferred their language to you. We port them to Thebes for processing immediately," decided Ian.

"No questioning of the elders?" wondered Hildegard.

"There's no need. Their story is similar to what we have seen."

"What about the Orcs? We still have not found them."

"Damn, with the Goblins, I forgot about them. We are still in the area where Harp saw them. Let me search their memory."

After a few minutes, Ian came back with his decision.

"Apparently the Orcs are further up the river, past the third fall. They meet occasionally to trade minerals against food not found in higher altitudes, especially tropical fruits."

"Vegetarian Orcs? We have seen everything."

"That should make you happy Raja! Less competition for meat!"

"What I would like to know is which tribe did Harp try to contact in the first place?" questioned Edwin.

"It's not in those we collected so far Edwin. If I remember it was further down the Amazon, if it was in this basin. Let's port them. I want to finish this group right away. Then we take the day to clean up the abandoned villages of any food. How many Dogs did you see?"

"I counted twenty, and they are all in pretty bad shape. I ported them on sight to Thebes," said Hildegard. "We also have three bitches to pick up with their pups. They were not able to move and the Humans left them behind to fend for themselves."

"Go pick them up right away. We'll wait here."

An hour later, Hildegard was back.

"They are all safe in Thebes, undergoing emergency medical care in Canine stasis chambers. They should be out of there within the day. The pups were dehydrated, and the bitches suffered severe malnutrition."

"I'm surprised we met so few Equines."

"Forests are not good for them Xianathan. Just look around you. You cannot easily run in these conditions, and Equines are designed for open spaces," Edwin replied.

"Let's distribute the work. There are ten villages, and five of us that can port. I'll take Colibri with me while I visit two villages. I want everything edible ported to the farms in Thebes. Let's meet here in four hours. I think two hours per village should be enough?"

"Yes, I think so," answered Hildegard.

"But first, get these people in Thebes. On three " said Ian.

***

A week had passed in Africa, and the Yamato expedition was readying itself for the return home.

"So, how many abandoned Orcs nests did the Spiders find?" asked Dunbar.

"They have found some fifty more. Some have been abandoned for years, others much more recently. The number of viable Orcs site was limited."

"Has there been any way to date the initial settlement, and the last occupancy?"

"Yes, Nestor. My officers used the Spiders to dig in the Orcs garbage and count layers. The oldest carbon 14 date is six thousand five hundred years ago, which probably marks the onset of the Orc Project by the Crocodile Priests. We found a hidden laboratory, which seemed to have been in operation around that time. I think the crocodile priests were just realizing then that they needed an alternative to Human females for reproduction, and began designing the Orcs from a restricted set of Humans and primates. Unfortunately, the laboratory was torched, and apparently, the guinea pigs revolted violently. Nothing is left of the documents that must have recorded the genetic manipulations leading to the Orcs. I notified Enron of this laboratory, and he has promised to send one of his collectors on-site to track what happened. The bones found in the ossuary go further back still, some seven thousand years before present. I think the precursors to the crocodile priests were already working on genetic modifications when things blew up, even before the crocodile priests were around in fact. I think the objective changed after the Cataclysm and the mutants noticed they could no longer reproduce."

"Do you have any idea of their initial objective?" asked Dunbar, as he listened on Yamato's report.

"I see only one reason for this: to wage war. They were trying to create the perfect soldier: totally obedient, powerful, fearless, and above all, easy to send out to get killed. It backfired," replied Yamato.

"That would match what we know of the Centaurs. They too were created with war as a goal, again in Africa. I wonder why Africa, and not elsewhere?" asked Williams.

"Probably for reasons of being able to do just about anything without the public becoming aware of it. I doubt that kind of research would have gone unnoticed in advanced societies and passed by without an uproar. When you want to do dirty research, you do it where no one will look too closely," said Nestor. "Once the Cataclysm had occurred, the crocodile priests needed a solid base, clean of radiation fallouts for their guinea-pigs, and it was apparent that the number of highly advanced genetic laboratories that had survived the war were limited, probably one or two at most. The African one was the most convenient, so they used it."

"And Africa offers a rather nice advantage: on one side, it opens to the South Atlantic, on the other side, it opens into the Indian Ocean and beyond, to the Pacific. We may never know from where the Crocodile Priests came, but I would put a lot of gold on the origins being from one or even many countries that had substantial nuclear power and also suffered the most from the War," Dunbar said. "The crocodile priests came to the laboratory, probably found a few rather haggard survivors, killed them or co-opted them and took over the research for their own uses."

"And we now know that Orcs can navigate. They might well have migrated out of Africa shortly after the revolt, using what was left of the Ancients' ships. I doubt all sank overnight. Some must have survived relatively intact. Given the reproduction rates of these cockroaches, a single successful ship hitting the American coast would have sufficed to seed the population the kingdom had to deal with. And given what we know about their nesting habits, North America was a gold mine for them," added Williams.

"Apart from these considerations, Yamato, has there been any more discoveries concerning the Orc culture?"

"First, I have to tell you that many nests seemed to have been raided by other Orcs for food. The greatest enemy of the Orcs were the Orcs themselves. As for their culture, most sites were left intact. It seems Orcs are not greedy of objects but of food. We found numerous sculptures, paintings, frescoes, and mosaics, totally intact. But what we found was indications of genocides of unimaginable proportion. Everyone, man, women, children were butchered for food."

"What did you do with the objects?"

"They are now in store in the Orc Museum, along with what we found in the laboratory, however meagre the reaping was in the place. I think the Royals want to offer the Orcs we rescued a chance to get a feeling of belonging, of their own history."

"Just so you remember, Yamato, you are Prince Yamato, and a royal also," said Dunbar.

"I just don't feel like it."

"We all are in the same boat, but, nonetheless, we are all royals."

"What about architecture?" Nestor asked.

"The principles were relatively the same everywhere, only getting adapted to circumstances."

"So, no new nests in Thebes?"

"No, the one Paschal recreated will suffice for the Orcs we rescued."

"I wonder how much of the tessaracts we occupy?" Williams wondered.

"I have no idea. I'll have to ask Harp. Tessaracts are his domain," replied Yamato.

"It must be minimal if Harp and Paschal believe we can skin the planet clear of its crust."

"Is that what is planned Dunbar? I thought we were focussing on the biosphere?" Williams questioned.

"I think Dunbar was exaggerating. The focus is effectively on the biosphere," Nestor said.

"Anyway, guys, rest. Tomorrow we move back to Thebes, and it will be night there. I'll be glad to be back in my bed, believe me. The hammock in the Spider may be comfortable, but I sorely miss my own mattress."

"Don't we all. Finally, the petty politics of the College! I never thought I would miss that!" said Nestor.

"Ah, the pleasure of chopping some wood for the fireplace! I had taken this as a rest from the axe, but I think I will like the smell of burning maple. I've had enough of the overpowering odour of rotting logs."

"I'm the only one with nothing waiting for me in Thebes. There aren't any more convoys leaving it to travel with goods."

"I can mention the issue to Harp, I'm sure he will find you a caravan to get some ash out of town!"

"You better not dare, Yamato! You better not!"

"What? I heard ash cargos are the big fad this year."

"I wonder why they haven't simply domed the city with magic to keep the ash out?"

"Ask them when you see them, Nestor," said Yamato as he got up to retreat to his tent for the last night.

***

The Amazon expedition made way up the Marañón River and reached the third fall, an impressive eighty-foot drop.

"According to the last tribe, the Orcs are above this fall. They trade at the base of the cliff, because it is too dangerous for Humans to climb up. The trail is on the right side, and winds its way to the cliff face. According to them there is a gong to ring and they will send down a trader," said Ian, more to the benefit of Colibri then the others, who had already read all that information from the minds of the tribe.

"I see, my lord."

"Have you ever met an Orc?" asked Edwin, worried about their young charge's reaction.

"No, my lord."

"They are rather strange-looking creatures. They look like Humans, but with rather long Canines and a very furry body. The Orcs we have met are rather big, adapted for open lands; those we are searching for are much smaller, about the size of the Goblins. In fact, we thought that what Harp had seen were the Goblins, but when Rockhook told us he has been alone roaming only his little forest for quite a while, we concluded it had not been them. Harp saw a group of Orcs fight side by side with Humans and there is a quantitative difference between being one and being many!"

"Let's tie the trimaran to that root system. It is possible to walk through the rocks on the shore to reach the trail," pointed out Ian.

After fixing things so the pirogue would not float away, the group walked up the narrow, almost invisible path. The walk took them two hours, but they finally reached a very small clearing. It showed it had been used over time, with the presence of firewood protected from rainwater, some primitive branch shelters, and the gong. Beside the gong was a big wooden club, whose head showed incrusted rocks.

"That thing must make a lot of noise," said Xianathan as he eyed the gong and the club.

"Yes, and you are going to hit it with enough force to wake up the dead!" said Ian.

"It's my pleasure!"

Xianathan took hold of the mace and gave a mighty swing at the gong, which almost flew off its hinges. The noise was so loud a flock of parrots and paradise birds flew off in all directions.

"If they didn't hear that, they are dead!" said Xianathan, smiling widely.

"A bit harder, my friend, and we would have found the explanation for flying saucers the Ancients so searched for!" Hildegard smirked.

"I thought Rockhook's lens-shaped spaceship explained that?" Ian commented.

After a good laugh, the boys sat down around a fire Edwin had built out of the dry logs, and they began to wait. Sext passed by without any signs of the Orcs, but the boys knew they had to wait patiently. Apparently, the Orcs were nervous around Humans and took extraordinary precautions to insure their safety before making contact.

As the day wore on, the boys rotated watch, listening with magic and bodily senses for the approach of the Orcs. Even Colibri understood the need for a watchful eye, and he did his best to contribute to the watch by memorising everything within sight, every sound and every smell.

The first sign of the approach of an Orc was the gradual quieting of birds, then insects.

"They are coming, my lords. The jungle is quieting down."

"Yes, Colibri, we noticed. They are still up on the cliff face, about twenty feet above us. They are watching us very carefully. I can smell five of them," said Ian.

That the little boy could not only smell, but also count the number of visitors while keeping his back to the cliff added to Colibri's respect for the lords. And they told him one day he could be like that! When, oh when? He was boiling with impatience.

"Colibri, do not insult our guests by looking at them while they continue to watch us, please. Their fear can also be smelled from here," added Raja.

Colibri had almost made a blunder! He was going to look up when Raja had reminded him of basic diplomacy: wait for the first sign to come from those you visit before acknowledging their presence.

The day wore on, and the small party of Atlanteans and their charge kept doing as if they did not know the Orcs were near. After about an hour, the Orc party retreated up the cliff.

"Did we do anything to scare them off?" asked Colibri, when he was informed of this.

"No. They are going back to their nest to do their report. They will be back, hopefully," said Hildegard.

"Could it be that your skin that glitters gold scares them off?"

"I don't think so. Anyway, you are with us, and you seem to be doing ok for a Human, so they probably spent more time watching your interaction with us then anything else. Their eyesight isn't that good, and they probably are thinking that this is metal, not bare scaly gold skin. They will be interested. Curiosity is a characteristic of all life, Colibri, and the more intelligent a life form, the more curious it is. We learned the hard way that the Orcs are intelligent, very intelligent."

"I'll prepare supper, the sun is going down. It should be ready half an hour before vespers," said Edwin. "Would you like to come with me to look for some edible vegetation, Colibri?"

"Sure, but why aren't you creating it from nothing?"

"It will look more natural that way, and foraging for food is something the Orcs understand instinctively, like any life form. The fact that you will be with me to do it will also ease the tension, should we meet some by chance."

"As if chance would play a role in you meeting Orcs, Edwin!" said Xianathan. "Anyway, I'm going to try and fish something out of that pool of water. I wouldn't be surprised if there were some edible ones in it."

"Probably, my lord, but beware of the spindly yellow and black ones⁴⁴ ("Colibri is describing the Oyster Toadfish, native of the Amazon."). They are highly toxic. And do not piss in the water, you will attract the piss-fish⁵⁵ ("The Candiru, or Toothpick fish, is reputed to follow the smell of urine in water and infiltrate the urinary tract."), and it's not fun!"

"Thank you for the warning, Colibri. We never did dispose of our waste in water. It is not a very good way to do it anyway."

"I'll keep the fire running," decided Hildegard.

"And I'll clean up the dugout. It needs a little careening," said Ian.

"And I'll keep watch," completed Raja.

Colibri and Edwin took off in the forest, and began foraging for edible fruits and roots. The acute sense of smell Edwin possessed let him find a number of edible roots, including wild sweet potatoes, and fruits, such as the sugar apples⁶⁶ ("The Anon Squamosa Linn.").

By the time the boys had finished looking for food, Xianathan had caught and emptied six big fish, young paiches, and they were roasting on a spit. Ian made a quick sauce to spread on the fish while they cooked and added some salt and pepper, something that Colibri had yet to discover. Edwin had found some wild lime trees and collected a dozen of the small fruits.

As they were finishing their meals, Raja told everyone to keep talking; he had spotted a group of Orcs climbing down the cliff face in the vesperal light. By the time the Orcs had reached the floor of the descent, the sun was down and darkness had fallen completely. The boys reduced their fire to mere ambers, and kept talking quietly to each other.

"The Orcs are all around us." Ian told Colibri.

"How do you know?"

"Look between my elbow and my body. There is one there. You should see his eyes shine like two yellow spots."

After keeping watch for five minutes, Colibri saw two eyes looking at them from the far branches. Once he had figured out what to look for, it did not take him long to find five more.

"I count six behind you, Ian."

"That's nice; at least they send us an important delegation!"

"You mean there are six time six of them?"

"Yes, thirty-six."

"Are they armed?"

"Come on, Colibri! Would you meet strangers unarmed in these areas?"

"And we are too. My axe is quite visible," said Hildegard. "And Edwin's bow is not discreet either, and neither is Ian's sword. What must bother them is the apparent lack of weapons for Raja, Xianathan and you."

"I don't have any."

"We can remedy to this," said Xianathan. "What kind of weapon would you like to have?"

"A blowgun would be nice."

"The Fairies will like you. It's their favourite weapon!" said Hildegard.

"Here you are," indicated Ian as a blowgun fit for Colibri's size appeared in the grass beside the native. "In that bag is a series of darts, and in that little vessel, you will find Spider poison, much quicker and more toxic then curare. Dip your dart in it just before usage. A single scratch and you could kill yourself. Safety first!"

"What about Raja and Xianathan? I know it is only for their benefit, but they probably wonder. I have an idea! How about a mace for Raja and a pike for Xianathan?"

"That's a good idea. There you are, guys!" replied Ian as the two weapons of war materialised in the tall grass.

"We could have done the creative process ourselves, Ian," said Raja, smiling.

"Ian's a show-off! You should know by now!" replied Xianathan.

"Talking about show-off, I suggest you begin polishing the blades so our observers can see the weapons. Where they are, they will have to step on them to realize they exist," noted Edwin.

So, just to show everyone was armed, Colibri began passing an oily rag inside the blowgun, while Raja polished the nails sticking out of the mace's head and Xianathan used a sharpening stone to make an already razor-sharp pike even sharper. Xianathan even went to the point of dropping a thick leaf on the edge to test its sharpness, clearly revealing to the observers the pike's blade cut quite nicely. Hildegard sharpened his axe, while Ian did the same with his sword; Edwin made music with his bow, apparently testing the string's tension.

An hour later, everyone stopped playing with their war toys, and the Atlanteans began singing. Their voices harmonised perfectly in a variety of canons that left Colibri and, presumably, the Orcs, speechless.

"Let's head to bed. It is compline, and we have another long day tomorrow. Raja and Edwin, you have first watch until matins; Xianathan, Hildegard, you have second watch until lauds; wake Colibri and me, we take watch from lauds until prime."

"Should we maintain the magic field?"

"Yes, definitely."

The boys not on watch retired to the tent, bringing their weapons with them, and quickly cuddled before falling asleep. Raja and Edwin sat back to back in order to cover the entire camp, and chatted quietly about things that had happened and what was left to be done before the Task was completed. They could hear the Orcs move around camp, staying out of sight. The number of falling stars visible in the remarkably clear skies for the Equator surprised them.

"We are viewing the swan's song of this planet," Edwin said, as they eyed yet another impressive show of natural fireworks.

"What do you mean?"

"This is unusual, you know. Usually, there are about one hundred thousand falling stars per night; now, we are seeing several thousand a minute. And it continues during the day, but we only see the biggest and brightest. The days of this planet are numbered. I hope we will succeed in time to rescue its biosphere."

Just then a big bang was heard on the eastern horizon, and a streaking flash of light crossed the entire sky.

"That one was a big piece of rock. I hope the princes are done removing everything from the Moon, it must be getting smallpox, and I doubt there is nothing we can do about it!"

The two watchmen became silent, realizing for the first time in their bones the importance of their mission.

Matins came; Xianathan and Hildegard were woken up. They too took the same position the previous watchmen had held.

"Nothing to signal from the Orcs?" asked Hildegard.

"No. They seem to be sleeping around us, but I would not bet a copper coin on it. Anyway, sleeping with these fireworks overhead must be as difficult for them as it is for us. They aren't blind or deaf," replied Edwin, as Raja moved to take his place in the tent.

"Is that what woke us up somewhat?" said Xianathan. "The only ones that slept through it were Ian and Colibri. I think Colibri would sleep through the End of the World, as long as he is held in Ian's arms."

"I know," snickered Raja, from inside the tent.

"Yes. A big piece of rock, maybe a hundred feet in diameter, skimmed the high atmosphere. It was spectacular."

"Go rest, Edwin. I'm taking command," said Hildegard.

The night continued with some more fireworks to keep Xianathan and Hildegard entertained. By lauds, the eastern horizon was so bright from impacting meteors it created a false dawn and the birds began to chirp and sing, unaware of the real danger this light meant.

Ian and Colibri emerged from the tent, and looked around, surprised.

"Did you let us sleep right through the night?" asked Ian.

"No, it is lauds. What you see is the light produced by a considerable number of meteorites falling on the planet. Things are speeding up dramatically, my lord. We need to do the same."

"I agree. Go sleep. Tomorrow is near. Colibri, how about boiling some water so we can have a hot drink. It may be the Equator, but mornings still seem to be humid and cold."

Colibri rekindled the fire, well aware that Ian did not need his help to boil water, or even fire to do it. He realized that the young god was giving him something to do to occupy his mind, rather then worry about what was happening above their head. He busied himself, not only making coffee, but also a good breakfeast for Ian and himself.

"Do not make too much of it, Colibri. We need to keep our wits about, and a stomach too well fed tends to sleep on the job," warned Ian.

"I'm preparing for all six. We will have guests too, as soon as the sun peeks over the horizon. It would not do to be caught short."

"You expect they will come to us this morning?"

"Yes. It would have been bad manners to come to us in the evening, and considered a declaration of war to do it during the night. The best is to come as the sun rises. It tells us three things: We knew you were there yesterday; we did not attack you during the night; we come in peace."

"And the food?"

"Something like a reply: We knew you were there; we knew how many there are; we have not tried to flee during the night; we welcome you in peace."

"You will do a good diplomat, Colibri. I'll take your advice then."

After a hot coffee, the two watchmen took turns keeping an eye for anything abnormal while the other did some cooking. The first rays of the sun came up, bringing out the others, who joined Ian and Colibri for a sumptuous breakfast.

"Why all the food?" asked Raja, "Not that I have any complaints!"

"We're expecting visitors," replied Colibri after Ian blinked at him. It was not Ian's nature to take credit for the thinking power of others, and he felt Colibri needed the boost as much as anyone else. After a couple of 'oh?' from the others, and another gesture of encouragement, Colibri explained his reasoning, which brought grins from the others. Colibri was really turning into an asset!

Right in the middle of the meal, the first Orc came out of the forest, and became visible. He was indeed the size of Rockhook, with a dark fur on the back and a patch of white fur covering his front. Contrary to the Orcs of North America, it had only a mace and a lance in hand, and wore not a stitch of cloth, much like most inhabitants of the jungle the boys had met so far.

"Do we move?" asked Ian.

"No, my lord. Let him take the first steps. Do not even look toward him."

"I have folded the force field, Ian. It is now barely beyond our current position."

"Ok, Edwin."

The Atlanteans and Colibri ignored the Orc, which stood still for a while before returning in the forest.

"He is fetching the others. He was the sacrifice. Had we attacked or killed him, the others would have known where to stand with us," explained Colibri.

"Diplomacy is as difficult here as it is in the Royal Court!" said Ian.

"Given how you run diplomacy at the Atlantean Court, Ian, I'd say it is harder here!" Xianathan reminded him.

"Have you managed to read the language?" asked Raja.

"I was doing it," replied Edwin, "but he did not stay long enough for a full linguistic dump. I'll complete it as soon as they are back."

It took half an hour for the Orcs to emerge again from the forest. There were eighteen Orcs in all.

"I was expecting more of them?" asked Raja.

"The other half stays hidden until we have established first contact, my lord. They are very careful, and it is normal, given the tribal interactions," said Colibri.

The Orcs made their way closer to the camp, clearly very circumspect in their approach.

"When should we acknowledge their presence?"

"I wish I could talk their language. They clearly recognize me as Human, and I should be the first to face them."

"I've just finished acquiring their language, Colibri. Go lean on Ian while I do the linguistic dump to all of you at the same time," Edwin informed them. "It wouldn't do for the spokesperson of Atlantis to fall face first in the dirt due to mental overload!"

Colibri did as Edwin requested, and indeed, did feel dizzy for a few minutes while the transfer occurred.

"Here, have a glass of orange juice," said Ian. "It will help you recover your energy level and supply your brain with enough sugar to burn."

After another minute, Colibri opened his eyes and noticed the Orc deputation was less then twenty yards from them.

"I think it's time I play my role. What should I say?"

"Invite them to share our meal, and to talk," replied Ian.

Colibri stood up and looked at the advancing Orcs. They came to within ten yards of the camp and stopped. Understanding the need to cover the distance, Colibri walked slowly toward the first Orc. Ian had put a very close force field around the boy, making sure any aggressive behaviour would be thwarted.

"Welcome, I am known as Colibri. Whom should I introduce to my friends?"

"I am Uzul⁷⁷ ("Pronounced Ouzoul.")."

"Please join us and share our meal."

"Colibri stood aside and indicated with a hand that Uzul should step beside him. The Orc stepped forward and Colibri stood beside him, exposing his back to the others as a gesture of trust. The two then began covering the distance to the fire pit, and the other Orcs fell in step behind them. The next steps would be even trickier.

"May I offer you coconut juice to refresh yourselves?" offered Colibri.

"We will gladly accept your offer."

Colibri took a huge bowl and filled it from a coconut, and then drank a sip before offering it to the Orc. It was an indication that the coconut had not been poisoned, and the Orc understood it for what it meant. He took a sip himself, and then offered it back to Colibri, which deposited the bowl between them on the floor.

"May I offer you some mangoes and fried bananas?" Colibri continued, as he then picked a plate of the two fruits.

"We will gladly accept your offer."

Again Colibri sliced the mango in two, extracted the seed, peeled the mangoes halves expertly and took a bite in his half before extending it to the Orc. The Orc took a bite in it and returned the half-eaten mango piece to Colibri. Colibri placed the half eaten piece on a banana leaf along with the still intact pieces of mangoes. He then took a banana, peeled it, sliced it lengthwise in half, and fried both pieces in coconut juice. After a few minutes, he took the two pieces out, placed them on a banana leaf, and cut the halves in small edible pieces, giving the first cuts the time to cool down and become caramelized. He then took one piece and ate it. He offered another piece to the Orc, which delicately picked it off his opened hand and ate it. It must have been the first time the Orc had eaten a banana prepared that way because his eyes opened wide, and he licked his lips in a clear sign of deep satisfaction.

"This is good, really good!" he said.

"I am glad you like this. Let us sit down and share the meal. Would you like your companions to share it with us?"

"Let us share the meal. Yes, my companions would greatly appreciate this meal. Will your companions join us?"

"Yes, if you do not mind?"

"I am agreeable to their presence."

Colibri sat down first, again giving a sign of trust, followed by Uzul. Then the Atlanteans did the same and the Orcs sat on the opposite side of the fire, facing them.

"Do your companion not speak?"

"They do, but like you, I was chosen to handle the exchange of information and establish first contact."

"I understand. You speak for the leader that stays in the back. It makes sense. It is also my role. We share a common destiny, a sacrifice should things turn bad. We may understand each other better then I originally thought."

Receiving a nod from Ian, Colibri began the introductions.

"May I introduce you to Lord God Ian Atlantis, leader of the team?"

The introductory title almost made Ian strangle himself with the coconut milk he was sipping. He realised he had not really done the proper implementation of titles within Colibri's brain, and that the native boy was doing what he thought was best. Completely unaware of the gaffe, Colibri continued, after Ian had acknowledged Uzul's head movement, Colibri continued the introduction.

"To Ian's immediate left is Lord Raja Atlantis, the God of Fire."

Raja, better prepared to the type of introduction Colibri was doing, nonetheless had all the difficulty to hold back a hiccup. He too, acknowledged the nod.

"Immediately beside Lord Raja is Lord Xianathan Atlantis, God of Lightning!"

Colibri had remembered the small demonstration the Unicorn had done of his frontal protuberance, and still associated the magic with lightning.

Xianathan was well prepared by then, and simply nodded after Uzul.

"To Ian's immediate right is Lord Edwin Atlantis, the God of the Forest.

Edwin's ability at climbing and running on trees had left its impression on Colibri, and that showed now. After the standard head movements, Colibri continued.

"And finally, Lord Hildegard Atlantis, the God of the Rocks."

Ian wondered where that came from, until Hildegard reminded him telepathically of the coconuts he had smashed with a single blow of his fist.

«Uzul is being polite, but he doubts the titles, Colibri. Do not react, but I plan to resolve the issue very clearly,» said Raja.

After receiving a blink from Colibri, Raja extended his hand and rekindled the fire. He then added a log to the cinders, and, gripping it by the middle began the task of setting it on fire. At first, the relatively wet log pissed water and steam; then Raja's hand began to appear in a charcoal imprint on the wet log. Finally the log burst into flames, and Raja turned it on itself to repeat the task on the underside, crushing some white-hot coal in the process to get a better grip. The Orcs watched the event with ever-greater shock. Needless to say, when Raja took his hand out of the fire and showed not even the slightest burn, the re-evaluation of the titles given by Colibri was well underway!

"You must be blessed to have such powerful companions, Lord Colibri."

"I am here to serve my lords."

Understanding that it was time to introduce his companions, Uzul turned toward an older Orc, which gave him an approving nod.

"To my right is Azov, the leader of this expedition, and son of the tribal chief."

Receiving the perfunctory nod from Colibri, the Orc spokesperson continued to introduce the others one after the others. Once they had all been introduced, Ian signalled to Colibri it was time to ask some questions.

"We counted twice as many, Uzul, why not invite the others to join us so the introductions are completed fully?"

Azov was a bit surprised by the comment, but then he remembered the title given to Edwin. How could they hope to hide anything from the God of the Forest, when they were walking his domain? Azov lifted his hand and a quick gesture brought the other eighteen Orcs from under cover.

The Orcs were fed profusely, and appreciated everything offered by Colibri, especially the salt, a treasure in these areas.

"It is no wonder the Gods took you with them, Lord Colibri. You make heavenly food!" said Azov as the meal came to a close.

"I learn from them, not the other way around. They are Gods, I am simply Colibri."

"Colibri is being modest," said Ian, surprising the Orcs. "One day, very soon, he will be one of ours."

Colibri blushed from head to foot, much to the amusement of the Atlanteans.

"Colibri, do not be embarrassed; you have had the fortune to visit our home, to meet our Father and talk to him. He has ordered you be treated as one of ours, right in his home. How many steps still do you think separates you from us?"

Ian grabbed Colibri and held him tight, while the boy cried on his chest. Even the Orcs understood the shock this must have been for the Human, and they stayed still, eyeing the outpouring of emotions with compassion. After a few minutes, Ian materialised a tissue, wiped out Colibri's eyes, and told him to clear his nose. The moment the task was done, the tissue vanished.

"Are you ready to continue your duty as spokesperson, Colibri?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Then proceed."

"My lords would like to visit your village, Uzul. They have news of the utmost importance for your tribe, and need to talk to your chief."

"Can you tell us the issue?"

"Yes. But I think Ian is best at explaining the problem."

Azov took over, understanding that rank overrode protocol in these circumstances.

"What is the problem, Lord Ian Atlantis that Gods would deign walk the Earth anew?"

"First, before answering that question, have you seen the show of fire in the sky?"

"Yes, it has been going on for a while, increasing in intensity slowly."

"This fire is the result of a titanic battle, and this world is in the line of fire. It is doomed. Our goal is to make sure as many life forms as possible survive. This is why we are here. Your tribe is next on the rescue list. We are running short on time, as the barrage of fire last night demonstrated. The line of battle is getting closer every day."

"How much time do you have?"

"No more then five moons, maybe six with some luck."

"What will happen to this world?"

It will be crushed. At this very moment, the fist of Death is headed toward this World, and not even the entire power of the Gods can change Destiny. It was written in the stars before we even existed."

"What will happen to us if we go with you?"

"First, you will survive; second, your children's children will become part of the Gods' world, no longer confined to suffer whims you can neither predict or control, but becoming part of us, albeit probably in a different form then what that change will do to Colibri, if only because Colibri is a mere step from the status, whilst you have a long way still to go."

"This is tempting. I take upon myself to break the taboo that has kept us separate from Humans from time immemorial. May your presence protect us from the wrath of my father."

"You need not worry, the Gods protected me from the wrath of my grandfather and Raja reduced him to dust by burning him with the Fire of Heaven," said Colibri.

"So be it. When will you be ready to move with us?"

"Right away," replied Ian. "We leave everything behind, and will pick them up when we leave your village."

"Then follow me. I hope the Human will be able to climb the cliff. I have no doubts you can. Gods can do anything."

"Almost anything. Like anyone, we have rules to abide by. But do not worry about Colibri, I will bring him up."

The Orcs took the Atlanteans to an almost polished cliff face, and they began to climb. Ian and the other Atlanteans just ported to the top, Colibri being taken along in the magic. When the Orcs reached the top, the six envoys met them.

"We never even saw the Human climb up?"

"We flew up," decided to say Ian, not willing to engage into a more complex explanation about ports and other aspects of magic.

The Orcs weren't as dumb as they looked, and understood they were threading on Gods' prerogatives, so they kept their questions to themselves.

"Follow us, the village is a bit off the cliff, along the river."

The village soon appeared. It was set against another cliff face, with a series of sharp spikes slanted outward encircling the front of the village, with a narrow path in zigzag making its entry more difficult.

«According to what I'm finding, this village is called the Fort. It marks the entrance to the Orcs' land, and the chief of the village is called the First Defender of the Land, an important, and hereditary, title. The real nests are inside the cliff behind the Fort, and their entrance is well hidden. The Fort is a lure for invaders who might burn down the village and climb the cliff in the hope of finding more Orcs but finding none, since they would be underfoot,» Ian told everyone, including Colibri.

«Should we let them know we are aware of this?» asked Raja.

«I think we should first meet with Azov's dad and see what happens before unveiling our guns,» said Edwin.

«I agree with Lord Edwin,» commented Colibri.

«So be it, we keep them in the dark as to the extent of our knowledge. But Uzul will probably guess we know. He may be the spokesperson, but he is much sharper then Azov,» decided Ian.

«That's the issue with hereditary leadership in most instances,» commented Xianathan.

«Yes, we are aware of the limitations. This is why Atlantis' laws make for a test of leadership and intellect before taking the mantle of the Heir with the big h. I passed mine during the Ordeal of the Pyramids.»

«Let's focus on the immediate environment. Things are about to become interesting,» noted Xianathan.

Indeed, things were becoming very interesting. Quite a few Orcs, all males, were waiting for them in front of the spikes. As they neared the group, a cluster of five walked slightly ahead of the crowd.

"Who are they?" asked Colibri, even if Ian had fed the information about their status he had gained from reading their mind.

"They are the Elders, the Protectors of the Faith, those upon which fall the burden of upholding the Laws," replied Uzul.

"Ah, those who walk the narrow path of their life while looking at their backside, and are regularly surprised to fall off a cliff."

Colibri's wit brought a smile from Uzul, but a scowl from Azov.

"I would refrain from saying such heresy, Human!" said Azov, shocked at the effrontery of the young boy.

"And I would reconsider what constitutes heresy in the presence of Gods," replied as sharply Colibri, bringing a number of smiles behind Azov's back. Azov had never been liked much by the Orcs, due to his aloofness and stuffy attitude. He was tolerated because of his dad's status, but quite a few feared the day he would take his dad's place in the community. The Gods had pinned him right, and if the Human kept it up, Azov would step over his bounds. They all wished to see it, but apparently, Azov had understood the meaning of the Human's short reply so he kept quiet.

«You have made yourself an enemy, Colibri. He plans to kill you the moment you turn your back on him.»

«I plan to give him that chance right in front of his dad. He is bound to jump at the occasion with all these Orcs around. I don't think he knows what a blowgun is and he has ignored it. I think he sees it as a fragile walking stick. It is loaded already and ready for use at a moment's notice.»

"We have increased your shield, Colibri. But, nonetheless, be careful."

«Ian's comments stand. Little brother, please be careful. The dad and son do not see eye to eye, but on some things, such as the presence of Humans on their lands, they are in complete accord. And the son is a double face. Filial love isn't a dominant characteristic of these two, but I would not put it beyond the old Orc to show a lot of hypocrisy should you kill his son without a very apparent reason to do so.»

«Ok, Lord Edwin, I will make sure he tries the first assault.»