Revenge of Tyrants. Storm of Souls.

[BagaturKhan]

Revenge of Tyrants. Storm of Souls.

author - A.K.Krokhmal aka BagaturKhan



I decided to post the another full story about my universe, which i finished in this year.

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Prologue.

Planet Sunbatarr-3. Star system Archaea.
Territories of the Earth Alliance.
year 2596 AD

- Solomon-Nakhir-Mashai .....
He heard a soft whisper in the midst of all this noise. This elite airbus belonged to the Sunbatarr Lines company and was a means of transportation only for the richest representatives of power. His salon was almost completely filled with people. But mostly there were more bodyguards and stewards than the passengers themselves. Almost all seats were occupied. Here was both Chairman Torian himself and his entire retinue, including the recently arrived ambassador from Earth itself. The airbus was heading straight for the southern lands, where Torian intended to have a joint conversation with the ambassador at his personal residence, which was located in the "sand city" of Savarti. Of course, he could have done this in the airbus itself, but the ambassador intended to give Torian and his retinue some kind of secret, and demanded the conditions for a secret conversation. No internet talks, no summits, no video cameras. It was supposed to be a live conversation without any surveillance and without the presence of any electronics. In addition, the legendary Nel Mauhurai himself, who was now just in Savarti, was going to participate in the conversation. The topic of conversation was something so important that it was not amenable to public disclosure. Even the guards of both figures did not have the right to know a single detail.
- Solomon-Nakhir-Mashai ......
And the voice came again. That's what he was actually called. Solomon had long been part of the bodyguards of Ambassador Zoltan, half-human, half-Kussarian. He was originally from New Palestine, which was colonized during the heyday of the Earth Alliance. Solomon worked for a long time before breaking into the personal guard of the ambassador himself. But from now on, he understood that this could not go on any longer. During the service, he learned a lot. And much of what he realized still haunted him.
Hearing this mysterious whisper, Solomon did not show that he was afraid. But inside he felt the cold coming over him. Suddenly, goosebumps ran through his body.
Solomon did not sit like the others. He just went for a run at the local buffet. The stewards made him coffee in two minutes, and he drank almost two cups. But at that whisper, the chill inside him intensified. Even coffee didn't save him.
Solomon-Nakhir-Mashai walked slowly between the rows of seats. The airbus was at an altitude of more than 10,000 meters. Turbulence has not yet happened, and it was possible not only to walk around the cabin, but even run cross-country.
The guardsman had just walked past the politicians sitting next to each other. Torian and Zoltan were talking about something, but it was not a private conversation, since the guardsmen sitting behind and in front could hear everything. In addition, a young fair-haired stewardess with a proud look was sitting next to Zoltan. She appeared to be no more than 25 years old. Apparently, she was not a simple member of the crew, since she sat next to two famous politicians, as if she had known them all her life. Who she was, the guardsman did not know, and this did not bother him much. However, her purposeful look made Solomon turn a little pale. She smiled at him strangely. Her eyes sparkled with a mysterious yellow fire. But the guard pretended not to notice.
 Solomon turned off his radio for a short while. After all, now nothing threatened either Thorian, or the ambassador, or the stewardess, or any of the guards. At least that's how it was so far...
- Hello kussar .... - a voice was heard from somewhere to the left of Solomon.
The guard glanced to the left and stumbled upon a brazenly sitting mustachioed Neferirikar colonel in a dark overcoat. This was Komyn, from a dwarf-like race of small creatures, and he had recently been appointed protector of the planet. His grenadiers were still considered the best force in the Sanbatarr autonomy. Chairman Thorian had long respected the grenadiers and trusted every member of their circles, and at the same time valued communication with the Neferirikar.
“Sir…” Solomon bowed slightly, and then accelerated.
Communication with Komin did not bring joy to anyone. The colonel was a cruel dwarf, a former executioner in the service of Elfurr, and also had a very bad reputation in the past. But for Thorian, this seemed to be a trifle, since he gladly made Comyn the head of all the grenadier units.
Solomon had never understood Thorian, but that didn't matter to him now.
The guard straightened his blue uniform and walked to his place. But he found that someone had already taken a seat in front of his seat. Perhaps it was one of Thorian's guards, but apparently he was by no means a simple warrior.
Solomon looked angrily at the stranger, but after a moment he felt a strange pain in the temples. And then the terrible cold that had pierced his body just recently intensified.
The seated officer looked at Solomon with his cold blue eyes. His gaze was not at all characteristic of a representative of the human race. He seemed to be looking straight into his soul. The officer was quite young, no more than 30 years old. He was dressed in a blue uniform with gold epaulettes and aiguillettes. His trousers, on the other hand, were red, like the revolutionary flag of ancient Colombia. He had no weapons, but black gloves with metal spikes betrayed a real threat.
“Mr. Marfur-Nirari,” Solomon said in a tremulous voice, bowing low to the officer.
- Solomon-Nakhir-Mashai, - answered the one who was called Marfur-Nirari, not even moving.
“I didn’t know you were here, ma’hatmah,” the guardsman said in surprise, barely realizing who was in front of him now, “I thought you would not personally take part in my operation. Yes, and they can see us and cut through the negotiations. My colleagues are everywhere here.
"I can be anywhere if I wish," came the officer's words. "And don't worry about us being spotted prematurely." All communications are already under my control. Nobody will hear us. And if anyone sees, then for them I'm just a lieutenant of the Blue Guard of the Coalition, accompanying Torian. You have nothing to worry about.
 His voice was rather even and calm, but the coldness inside the guardsman was only beginning to intensify. Solomon trembled visibly.
- Sit down, - said Marfur-Nirari, pointing with his glove to the place next to him, - Per favore.
“Thank you,” Solomon answered and immediately sat down on his seat.
He could not look Marfur-Nirari in the eyes, because his gaze was turned down. The cold within the Guardsman still throbbed. His muscles began to go numb rapidly, but the guardsman tried not to show it.
- Cold ..... - said Marfur-Nirari, - You feel it .....
“Yes, sir,” Nahir-Mashai replied, still not looking at his interlocutor.
- This is temporary .... - the officer continued his speech, - Everyone feels it. It's not scary. This is just a small impact of an ancient force, an exorbitant power that once made the stars go out. She chose you, but you shouldn't be afraid of that. Otherwise, she might hurt you.
“It’s all for the good, as you said,” Solomon finally found the strength to look at his interlocutor, “You said that my today’s operation would bring light into the world.
- Good must win, - answered Marfur-Nirari, - That's what we are trying to achieve. That's why it woke up. That power.... the likes of which you have never met. Probably, all this is difficult for you.... Yes, it takes years, and maybe even centuries, to understand this for someone like you. But you shouldn't doubt your abilities. You must believe in good.
- Good ... true ... because it must triumph, - said the guardsman.
In truth, the fear never left him. On the contrary, it only began to intensify.

- Exactly so, - nodded Marfur-Nirari, - Good side will triumph. And evil .... it must be punished. You and I have been fighting against evil for a long time. Ambassador Zoltan commits crimes every year. He is the main evil force.... The force that we must overcome. Zoltan is slippery and two-faced. Even President Joanna Kilic hates him. But the ambassador is still strong. All the power of the Coalition is behind him. Arms companies.... Secret deals with Nel Production.... But the most important thing is that Zoltan is narcissistic and overconfident. He considers his plan to destroy the culture of the inhabitants of these lands flawless. But the local order has already been formed. And they can't just disappear like Zoltan wants. That is why the ambassador must die. In the name of good.... And you must do it.
“As we spoke, sir,” Solomon said in a more confident voice. - The ambassador must die.
- Here... it will help you to accomplish this feat, my friend. The officer smiled back.
The officer carefully put his hand somewhere under the seat, and then abruptly pulled out a strange object. It looked like a severed brush of the clawed paw of some unknown creature. In addition, the gun was completely black. Solomon tried to see the object, but Marfur-Nirari immediately handed him this tool. The guard took a closer look at this severed clawed paw. And then he discovered that this was not the paw of an alien creature at all, but a real weapon. How Marfur-Nirari smuggled it into the airbus remained a mystery. Although it may not have been so simple. The weapon was red-hot to such an extent that Solomon almost dropped it. But the ambassador's guard understood that he must not show the slightest weakness. Through the burning pain in his palms, Solomon saw this strange weapon and found something that looked like a trigger. Also, one of the "claws" of this item was a rounded shape, which resembled the muzzle of a rifle. This guardsman saw for the first time in his life.
“It will help you,” repeated Marfur-Nirari, looking straight into Solomon's eyes. “The ambassador will not die a simple death. It's not simple at all.....
- I have never seen such a weapon, ma'hatmah, - Nahir-Mashai said, looking at the object in surprise, - This is something beyond reason. How does it work?
“When you shoot it, you will understand,” the officer smiled ominously.
It was a real demonic smile. After all, the eyes of the officer were full of furious fire. Such purposefulness was read in his gaze that Solomon, seeing this, visibly cheered up. Although the cold did not disappear from Solomon's body at all, but still covered all of his insides.
“Now go and administer justice,” Marfur-Nirari rasped in a commanding tone. - Zoltan and Thorian must die. And they must pay for their crimes. Remember, good always wins. Even if it seems that there is no hope for salvation. You will stop this evil and destroy it. In the name of good and for the glory of justice, you will do it. All who serve the Coalition must die....
- I will not disappoint you, my lord, - answered Nahir-Mashai, and immediately rose abruptly from his seat.
The weapon was already gleaming in the guardsman's hand. And the look has changed. Now he was full of determination.
- Glory to the Primordial, - Marfur-Nirari said with a flash of eyes.
“Glory to Chaos,” Solomon replied, bowing.
Then he hurriedly walked in the opposite direction.
The guardsman held the mysterious weapon in his right hand. The fears in his mind had already vanished, allowing determination and courage to take over his entire body. He quickly reached his destination.
Suddenly, the airbus shook violently. Many passengers were worried. Even the guards experienced some mixture of fear and bewilderment. Solomon almost fell over. But he quickly regained his balance, and then something made him look back. A fleeting surprise pierced the guardsman.
There was no one in the place where Marfur-Nirari had been sitting just a minute ago. Where he could have gone was a mystery. There is no trace left of this mysterious person.
- Glory to the Primordial ..... - that ominous and strange whisper was heard again in Solomon's head. - Glory to Chaos.... Glory to the Primordial..... Glory to the Primordial......
The guardsman turned his gaze to the politicians sitting next to him. Chairman Torian was talking quietly to Zoltan and the stewardess while blinking his eyes heavily. The ambassador's face remained calm, and he slightly nodded his head. The stewardess now looked only at the chairman, and something answered him. What exactly these people were talking about, Solomon could not understand, since their voices were very quiet. And Solomon was just a bodyguard. Only the captain of the guard had the right to be privy to these matters, but he was not around. Apparently, he was also ordered only to protect statesmen, but not to interfere in their conversations.
- Hey ... Kussar half-breed, - came the voice of Comin to the right of Solomon, - What are you? What the hell is that in your hand?
But Nakhir-Mashai ignored the colonel's remarks. He came close to the seated politicians.
Thorian immediately noticed this and looked at the guardsman.
- And you, agent, who stood here, did you want something? - the chairman said with a slight grin, looking Solomon in the eyes.
The guardsman shuddered slightly, and shivered from the cold that again seized him. And the mysterious whisper still pierced his mind. Voices were heard from everywhere. It would seem that the entire crew of the airbus, including passengers, uttered these strange words.
- Glory to the Primordial.... Glory to Chaos... - the voices became louder and more furious in the mind of the guard. - You must do this..... Defeat evil.... Defeat evil..... Kill the ambassador.... Kill Zoltan...... Zoltan must die.......
- Excuse me, sir, I need to talk to Mr. Zoltan, - Solomon answered, jerking his head slightly.
- Any problems, agent? - the ambassador asked with some excitement. - And what is it ... in your hands?
“Yes, we have problems,” Solomon suddenly growled at the top of his voice. - You have problems, Mr. Ambassador! You have been found guilty of your crimes! In their cruel crimes before all the people of the galaxy! And I sentence you to death! In the name of the Origin! Today you will die!
After these words, Solomon immediately pointed his mysterious weapon at the envoy, frozen in surprise. Zoltan barely managed to open his mouth when the guardsman pulled the trigger.
 Not even a moment passed before the whole airbus turned into nothing. It shattered into billions of pieces in a matter of moments.

-----

[Jubal]

Is the centre-text alignment intentional? It's cool, but tricky to read in places. I like the cliffhanger opening, anyhow

[BagaturKhan]

Ah, thats my mistake, friend. I will fix that. )) Thanks anyway for reading!

[BagaturKhan]

Unknown sector of outer space.
The ship's name is unknown.
Identification number - unknown.

- Illadim..... Illadim! How is it heard?
- Heard. Good. Partial Awakening. Completed.
- Great, but I accidentally thought that they removed you. The universe is truly merciful. They left you here for me. Of course... They always had a backup plan. Plan C, they said.
- Name it. Yours. Name. For identification.
- My name? My name is too ancient and mysterious. Perhaps it is known only to a few. And those few who know him try to pronounce it in a whisper, as if they are afraid that I will see them and come for their souls. My name is Cha-Arun. Prophet, messiah and shepherd for all unbelieving races. Messenger of the Eternal Light of the Universe Akh-Asura. Lords of Chaos and Order.
- Cha-Arun. Name confirmed.
- Anything else?
- Name it. Your. Password.
- Oh yeah... the password. Of course the password. Password "Abrasax".
- Abrasax. Password confirmed.
- Excellent! Illadim! Now you are ready! You are ready to do good deeds! Your Prophet is calling you!
- I fully. In your. Disposition. Superintelligence "Illadim-Prime". At your service. Prophet. Mistress Ser'Qiraani successfully reprogrammed me. Now I am perfect. I will fulfill. Any. Order.
Oh yes, that's exactly what I was waiting for. You have awakened from your sleep. And soon, we will accomplish great deeds with you. You and I will walk through this universe and destroy everyone who has ever tried to harm it. But first, we must free the worlds from a terrible threat. The ultimate form of evil that is infesting the universe is spreading through it like a virus. Probably, you, my friend, "Illadim", were told about what kind of incredible evil power this is. Disease. Evil. Plague.
- I understand. Yours. The words. Prophet.
- Wonderful! And you and I will become a medicine for the entire infinite universe. We will free her. We will be her healers! And only you and I will be able to cope with the terrible evil force!
- How. To you. Anything. Prophet.
- Activate devices of all ranks and levels.
- Will be done. Prophet.
- Activate rocket launchers.
- Will be done. Prophet.
- Activate the flagship's collective system.
- Will be done. Prophet.
- Activate the nanodrones.
- Will be done. Prophet.
“It will all be over soon, Illadim.” But I have a question....
- I'm listening to. Prophet.
"Who is Ser'Qiraani who awakened me?" You mentioned this name.
- I cannot answer this question. Prophet.
- For what reason, "Illadim"?
- The lady claimed that she would tell you everything herself. She asked to deliver. You are worthy of admiration. As did she.
- I do not understand.
She said that soon you will understand everything.
- Wonderful. In this case, full awakening.
- Activate full awakening.


Tall and uber-armoured, the Kossati named Ser'Qiraani licked her lips in satisfaction. She was well aware that the plan had worked. Everything that was planned was crowned with success. "Illadim" managed to awaken the greatest. He managed to crack not only the "deep sleep" program, but also overwhelm the most complex defenses set up by the Ancients to prevent him from returning back.
Now it's over. For those who have tried to question Ser'Qiraani's superiority. For those who do not heed the voice of reason. Everything is lost for them now.
“Everything seems to be going according to plan,” the Kossatian said with a malevolent grin, “Now they all know real pain.”
With that, she activated the disguise generator built into her armor. In less than a second, she vanished into obscurity.

---

[BagaturKhan]

Hello again, friends!
Maybe in future i`ll finish the full translation of this story (100%). For now have a lot of work with my new business in Europe.
I am living in 2 countries now - Montenegro and Russia. Still hope, that Russia will be changed in future.

About my universe - i have a lot of new elements, races, stories, background things and etc.
So i didn`t forget about my writing work.

Cheers!

[BagaturKhan]

Planet Ibrahim-1.
Ibrahim system. Region of the galaxy M33.
A few days later.

Five majestic creatures, dressed in crimson robes with hoods, leisurely wandered towards a small village that had been built here for a very long time. The population of this planet was mostly peasants, and this greatly facilitated the task of the entities. The five of them walked forward towards an incredibly beautiful panorama spread out in front of them, dotted with various small houses. And it was this settlement that was the goal of the arrivals. Miracles were supposed to happen in it.
  Ahead of the procession was a rather stern-looking man, dressed in a dark monastic robe. In his hand he held a huge staff, the tip of which was crowned with a round magical sphere that shone brighter than the sun itself. The man was bearded and had extremely expressive eyes. His pupils changed their hue to green, and soon disappeared altogether. He surveyed the entire settlement with his magical gaze. It was ideal for handling.
- Well, my brothers, we have arrived, - the voice of the stern leader was heard, - They are ready to accept the True Light. They are ready to cast aside the old faith in order to bow to the new.
- May His name be glorified forever, - the rest of the monks responded, - And may his power over the whole universe reign. Lead us, O great Prophet and Messenger of His.
- Today I, Cha-Arun, - answered the man with a shining rod, - I will lead this people to the True Light. They will come to know the power and incredible power of the True God. The one who laid Light in this universe. The one who will soon dispel the pitch darkness. And this can no longer be avoided!
  The Prophet swung his gleaming staff and struck the ground with all his might. A truly incredible magic lightning immediately arose in the sky, which swiftly fell on the tip of the wand. The envoy's wand lit up with an unbearably bright mysterious glow.
  The procession of preachers took only 20 minutes to reach the settlement. As soon as they entered the village, many residents immediately noticed them. The robes of the newcomers looked too strange. And the witch's wand of the head of the mysterious monks inspired a strange thrill. Its tip shone like a bright star in the night.
The preachers followed at a leisurely pace, looking at all the villagers along the way. Their magical green eyes penetrated not only into the bodies of people, but into their souls. The head of the aliens saw inside them gigantic shining spheres, the color of which constantly shimmered. He saw the whole essence of the people who lived in this settlement. And the villagers froze in a mysterious stupor.
  As soon as the preachers reached the center of the village, they stopped. The Prophet looked at his brothers once more, and then turned his gaze to the dozens of people around them. The inhabitants of the settlement, in a trance, followed the bearers of the Word of the Gods. They just couldn't bring themselves to stop. Soon, the whole village gathered in the central square. The Prophet clearly saw their bewildered looks, full of hundreds of questions. The preachers themselves presented to the locals the greatest of all mysteries in history.
  Suddenly, in front of the people who were standing, a hefty fellow, dressed in rich clothes, came out. He stood out not only for his robes and powerful physique, but also for his noble face. The monks immediately realized that it was the head of the settlement. Around his neck hung an impressive, expensive pendant. In addition, this man held at his belt an equally luxurious dagger, the scabbard of which was made of pure silver. The leader of the villagers looked at the preachers with great distrust and even some fear.
- I am Eoben, - the man said, glaring at the Prophet and his companions, - I am the master provost of this village. I've been the head of the settlement for many years. And I would like to know why you are here. And who are you.
- Good afternoon, Mr. Eoben, - said Cha-Arun, stepping forward a little, - I know your name. And I mourn the death of Hilda Regensson. She had an incredibly kind heart.
  As soon as the ruler of the village heard this name, his eyes filled with tears. His face paled visibly. But most of all, bewilderment overwhelmed the rest of the villagers. They had no idea how the stranger knew this name.

[BagaturKhan]

- Where.... how do you know her...... - the leader of the villagers said in a hoarse voice.
- I know everything, - answered the head of the procession of monks, - I am the Prophet. Soothsayer and herald of the Great. The one who brought light to this universe. One who wishes to enlighten all of you.
- I do not know who this Great One of yours is, - Eoben said, - But I feel that you are clearly here for a reason.
- You will soon find out, - the soothsayer smiled in all his face, - He wants you to bow before his Unquenchable Light. For he wishes to protect you from the threat. A monstrous threat that is about to fall upon you.
- Threats? - heard from all sides puzzled exclamations of people.
These villagers lived on their planet for many centuries and did not even have a clue about what was happening outside. The only threat to them, perhaps, was the band of robbers. But even against them, the inhabitants had a good defense. Many men in the villages were proficient in weapons and could make them on their own. They did not think that there is something more powerful than the robbers. The standard of living on this planet was quite poor, and the continents had long since disappeared, turning into only insignificant islands of land. The population of this distant world was hardly even a hundred thousand people.
- A threat that destroys entire worlds, - said the Prophet, - The threat of eternal evil. Demonic creatures.
Hearing the words of Cha-Arun, the locals fell into even more bewilderment. Their level of incomprehension of the situation increased rapidly.
“Demons are a myth,” Eoben replied, gradually coming to his senses. “A myth from old tales.
“Every myth is partly true,” Cha-Arun said. “It has always been that way.
The radiance at the tip of his wand began to intensify. Almost all the villagers were in awe of such sorcery.
- We have come to save you, - the preacher continued his speech, - Me and my brothers. The Great One wants you to bow before his unquenchable flame! And we will show you its power!
With these words, the Prophet raised his gleaming staff high into the air. From such strong flashes of light that illuminated the tip, many villagers closed their eyes. The most superstitious people even bowed their heads. Even Eoben himself was amazed at such a dazzling glow emanating from the stranger's staff. He had never seen such a thing in his entire life, and every inhabitant of this entire planet could boast of the same. This world was completely ignorant of the concept of magic.
Cha-Arun extended his arm forward and slammed the wand down on the grassy ground with all his might. A flash of light from the staff made the villagers jump to the side. Eoben quickly covered his eyes with his hands, trying not to look at such a mysterious blue glow. However, after a few moments, the glow began to fade, and soon the mysterious aliens could be looked at with wide eyes.
The villagers again allowed themselves to look at the preachers and their mysterious leader. They discovered with fear that the eyes of the Prophet were completely alien. They looked like bright stars shining in the night sky. And what's more, all the other monks' eyes also shone. An incredible magical energy emanated from them, which penetrated the soul of each of the local residents. They felt an incredible warmth deep inside. It began to flare up in them at breakneck speed.
  And then an incredible miracle appeared before their eyes. Behind the monastic procession grew a small green bush. A moment later, he rose with incredible speed right above the heads of the preachers. The plant began to rapidly grow in size. Very soon, its trunk already exceeded all tall buildings in the village. It grew at such a speed that many of the inhabitants almost lost consciousness from amazement at the realization of this. Excited sighs were heard from all sides. Even Eoben himself could not stand such a sight, and froze in a daze. And the plant grew and grew upward, trying to reach the clouds themselves.
- Miracle! Miracle! - the excited voices of the inhabitants were heard from everywhere, - A true miracle!
A few seconds later, an incredibly tall tree appeared before the eyes of the villagers, the leaves of which shimmered with amazingly beautiful flowers. Its trunk was now almost a hundred meters long. The tree truly reached the very clouds. This incredible magical plant has clouded the minds of many onlookers. Residents could not take their eyes off such marvelous beauty. They froze, as if rooted to the spot, and looked at the beautiful and irresistible miracle that appeared before them.
- The great Akh-Asur wants you to bow before him, - the Prophet loudly said, raising his rod even higher, - He showed you a sign. The Greatest Tree of Life that will nourish you for thousands of years! He raised him right before your eyes! It will not only become a source of life for your world, but also provide protection from nightmarish demons that set out to enslave the universe!
- How is it .... possible ..... - Eoben said in a barely audible voice.
This huge leader of the village even moved his lips with difficulty. His gaze was directed to a beautiful tree that grew over the entire settlement. He could not even think that such marvelous and amazing plants exist. He was especially struck by the incredible height of the witch tree.
"Are you willing to reject the faith of the old gods?" - Cha-Aruna exclaimed at the top of his voice, once again looking around at all the villagers, - Do you agree to accept a new religion? Bow before God, who lays Light in the universe! Who gives life to all who believe in him! And do you agree to recognize in me his Prophet and Messiah?! And listen to my speeches, perceiving them as His Law! Akh-Asur is Light! And may His name be hallowed for all ages and all times!
“Yes…… yes…” the head of the village said, beside himself with amazement, “We agree…… We agree……
Having said these words, Eoben fell on his knees before the great Prophet. And after them, the rest of the assembled inhabitants of the settlement fell on their faces. Their heads bowed down obediently. Seeing this miracle, they immediately recognized in the preachers the true messengers of the Creator Himself. Now their faith was truly unshakable. Their hearts fluttered at such a powerful divine power that appeared before them. And the warmth in their souls grew faster and faster.
- Hail Akh-Asur! Our Father! - loudly said the Prophet, - Hallowed be his name! And may his Light not be extinguished!
- Hail Akh-Asur! Our Father! - the villagers repeated in chorus, - May his name be hallowed! And may his Light not be extinguished!
  Cha-Arun approached Eoben at a distance of two paces. As soon as the head of the settlement briefly raised his head, he immediately forced himself to bow it again.
- Thank you all for accepting the faith of the True God, - the preacher said, - You made the right choice. But the Tree of Life is not the only wonder of Akh-Asur.
Hearing those words, the trembling in the souls of the villagers intensified even more. They literally trembled with incredible awe.
No one else will die in this village! - Cha-Arun said, hitting the ground with his rod, - And the dead that left this world will return to you!
After these words, the Prophet looked at Eoben, who bowed before him. The leader of the village lowered his head even lower, and soon she reached the very grass. He froze in a daze and didn't even dare to move.
- I will return Hilda Regensson to you, - the Prophet continued his phrase, bending down slightly, - I will return to you your beloved wife, Eoben. And I will return all the departed for your entire village. From this day on, no one else will leave their body! Not a single soul! For the Great One desires that you do not suffer from the realization of loss! No more death will fall on you! No family will be lost again! From this day on, all your loved ones will be with you! Such is the will of Akh-Asur, the Light-bearing God! And may his name be glorified for all ages and all times!
- And let his name be glorified, - the voices of numb people were heard in response, - For all ages and for all times.

[BagaturKhan]

Griffin Imperium.
The star system of the Griffinids. Territory of the Coalition of the Galaxy.

  Mustafa for the first time in a long time allowed himself to take a couple of hours of rest. The day had been carefree and quiet, and so the stern Coalition commander was not at all present in Castleum. And he was extremely happy with this turn of events. Six days have passed since the defeat of the troops of Admiral 1st Rank Lazitron at Griffin City. He still could not move away from that cosmic storm. Visions and dreams of a massive battle in space still haunted him. Not so long ago, his body did not belong to him at all, but was somewhere far away. During a raid by the Kosattian host, an explosion threw him off the captain's bridge. It almost led to death.
Now, by order of the Grand Master of the Coalition, Mustafa and his companion Lady Isabella Fortunato were to be on the Griffin Imperium and study the wreckage of the Acheronian League. The invaders left a lot of alien weapons and strange devices, which, by order of the High Council of the Coalition, were to be investigated. In addition, the question of traitors from the organization was still open. True, now Mustafa did not care at all about all these technological gadgets of enemies from the League.
  At this moment he was sitting quietly in a luxurious restaurant in Dane. They moved here due to the fact that Griffon City was destroyed, and the capital was temporarily moved to Dane. As Mustafa realized, this city was filled with all kinds of taverns and restaurants. Many of the inhabitants called it the "City of Meals", and this was the true truth. Mustafa wore a tuxedo for the first time in a long time. All this armor, chain mail and uniforms had annoyed him for a long time. Moreover, now he was not going to any military council. He ordered a lot of food and drink, and sat quietly on a gilded chair. He was waiting for his beloved. He was waiting for Isabella Fortunato. And the warrior was a little late, as if on purpose.
- Waiter! - Mustafa immediately shouted, seeing a young man in a frock coat walking, - Waiter!
“Yes, sir,” the restaurant worker immediately responded.
“More red wine,” said the commander.
The boy immediately began to fulfill his duties, while giving the visitor a slight bow. The gray-bearded warrior turned around again towards the empty chair opposite. But now it wasn't empty at all. Next to him stood an incredibly beautiful dark-haired lady, dressed in a luxurious green dress with lace. She seemed to come out of the pages of ancient history, and was a kind of maid of honor at the court of an unknown king. Glancing at the maiden with fierce astonishment, Mustafa recognized her as his beloved.
Yes, it was Isabella Fortunato. She approached quite imperceptibly and even somehow suddenly. In fact, she has changed a lot now. Her hair was dyed blue-black. For a long time, all the warriors of the Coalition knew her as a blond maiden, furious and sometimes unpredictable. But now she seems to be reborn again. Her dark eyes didn't have that warlike gleam. On the contrary, her face was filled with an incredible feeling of love and joy.
From such a sudden amazement, Mustafa got up from the table and stretched himself to his full height.
- Great Elohim, - the commander said admiringly, - You still decided to repaint!
Hearing these words, Isabella frowned for a second, and then smiled dazzlingly.
- You, as always, - the warrior grinned, - I knew that the light color never aroused you.
- You're like Guria from the Gardens of Eden, - Mustafa said in a happy voice, - That's exactly how I imagined them. Dark-haired beautiful creatures whose faces are like those of an angel. And so I met one of them today.
"Grazie," Isabella bowed coquettishly. - Mille grace.
The lovers finally sat down at the table and began to have a sumptuous dinner. They talked about many things today. They remembered all the days and hours spent together with each other. Mustafa felt an incredible lightness and a feeling of strange bliss with every fiber of his soul. He had been in tension for so long that even this short hour almost turned him into a bird of paradise, a flight that was so amazing, quiet and easy. Happiness filled his soul.
And soon he fully realized that he had not experienced such a feeling for a very long time, and maybe even all his life. Mustafa Nazzrim was from the planet Sekhfewi, which now seemed to him a terrible and unimaginable hell. Since childhood, he tried only to survive. The conditions in which he was placed were simply appalling. He endured fierce humiliation and beatings, poverty and hunger. He had very few friends, relatives were not present at all, and enemies appeared every day. Only his old and now deceased friend under the name of Abder rescued him in difficult times. But then Mustafa himself awakened the ability to magic. He still remembered the day he first managed to defeat formidable opponents on the street of his hometown. Evil hooligans mocked him almost constantly and beat him. When they decided to take off his last clothes and pointed knives at the poor boy, it was then that the same boy was reborn into something more powerful and strong. Then for the first time he won the battle and managed to finish off many of them. He saved his life by killing the fanatics on the spot. He tossed them around like rabbits. Then they began to fear him, and the image of the "weak patient" completely left Mustafa. When the police dragged him to the station and falsely accused him of killing innocents, there he met one of the Nargon ambassadors associated with the Coalition. He managed to rescue the boy and soon became his mentor. And then, after many years, Mustafa was already one of the most experienced commanders in the coolest organization in the universe. The first time he felt incredible happiness was when he first saw Isabella on the planet Cavinto. The young daughter of the local warlord ruler liked him at first sight. And now this feeling of happiness and lightness far exceeded what he felt on the day of the first meeting with Isabella. He looked into her eyes with a look full of the purest love.
- I'm so glad they saved us, - the voice of Fortunato was heard, - Many thanks to the Taviev fleet and the Ouroboros.
- What? Mustafa hesitated for a second.
"Didn't you listen to me, you sly bastard?" Isabella said kindly, winking at him with her right eye.
Mustafa realized that he had been looking at her for too long, and especially at her incredibly beautiful diamond necklace.
- Ah ..... I'm sorry, - the commander smiled on his face, - I just looked at you .... And .... admired.
- Oh, that's how .... - the warrior smiled coquettishly, - And what exactly were you looking at?
- On your ... necklace, - Mustafa answered with the same smile. - Yes, exactly on him.
“Or something lower, hahah,” Isabella laughed even more. - I know you.
Loud and cheerful laughter was heard in the restaurant for a long time. At the same time, the waiter finally brought the two lovers a portion of red wine. Taking it from the hands of the worker, the commander mentally noted his slowness. But this little misunderstanding was so insignificant that now he hardly paid attention to it.
Soon Isabella and her companion returned to the beginning of the conversation about the allies.
“I'm so glad they saved us,” Isabella repeated her old phrase.
“But I didn’t expect it myself,” Mustafa answered this, drinking another sip of wine, “We thought that the Griffin was already over. But at this moment, the armada of Taviev arrives. And bam... Everyone is saved. I just don't like these dragons. Never loved. At least kill. I understand that they are on our side, but I don't like their faces!
- Maybe their faces are scary, - the girl smiled, - But they are our saviors. If not for the Draconian Ouroboros fleet, the League armada would strike again. They planned to detonate an atomic charge within the coast. And then one portugaling superwave would blow everything up.
- Yeah... Really good luck, - the commander gasped in surprise, - But the danger has passed!
- Here you have dragon-like ones, - the warrior grinned.
After these words, she also drank a good portion of wine and almost choked.
- Dragon-like, - the grey-bearded warrior repeated the words of his beloved, - But you're right. We should be grateful to them for saving our precious asses with you.
- Not only them, of course, - said Isabella, - I also did something, you old senile.
- Oh, I'm not that old, - Mustafa laughed in response. - I'm still quite young. Tonight you'll find out how young and hot I still am. Just something 53 years, far perishing there! Ha ha ha.....
Ringing laughter again covered the entire restaurant. Happiness and joy filled the hearts of the lovers with renewed vigor. Now they were truly in paradise. After these words, she also drank a good portion of wine and almost choked.
- Dragon-like, - the grey-bearded warrior repeated the words of his beloved, - But you're right. We should be grateful to them for saving our precious asses with you.
- Not only them, of course, - said Isabella, - I also did something, you old senile.
- Oh, I'm not that old, - Mustafa laughed in response. - I'm still quite young. Tonight you'll find out how young and hot I still am. Just something 53 years, far perishing there! Ha ha ha.....
Ringing laughter again covered the entire restaurant. Happiness and joy filled the hearts of the lovers with renewed vigor. Now they were truly in paradise.

[BagaturKhan]

“Nuclear charges,” Theophylact squeezed out in an astonished voice, “Great Uranus, what kind of punishment would fall upon us!” It was lucky that the specialists of "Ouroboros" worked out these reptiles.
  The head of the Griffin government was terrified. He believed that the enemy was going to use standard tactics. And now it turned out that the entire population of the capital was under the threat of total destruction in a matter of seconds. As it turned out, the League's naval commander was not at all as simple as he seemed. He always had backup plans.
  In fact, Admiral Lazitron and his comrade Dvorok Trotskevich arrived on the planet "with surprises." Many residents of the capital saw a huge alien pyramid hovering over the city, and hundreds of aircraft surrounding it. Moreover, these flying objects managed to destroy several military strongholds in the Griffin Imperium. It was lucky that after the destruction of the ship, they quickly self-destructed. As Theophylact knew, the Coalition warriors were able to call for help from outside and defeated the monstrous enemy. That's just someone safely handed over all the coordinates of the League flotilla. And then the special forces of Dvorok Trotskevich set out to penetrate into the depths and detonate a nuclear charge. Everything was complicated by the fact that the ancient supervolcano Oromo was located at a depth. Explode this contraption then, the entire capital would cease to exist. Thousands of people and otherworlders would be under water. And then what? End of everything. It was useless to talk about economic damage, it would have been estimated at quintillions of denarii.
  The Draconid fleet arrived just in time, along with the help of Admiral Ricimerus Taviev, managed to destroy Lazitron's armada in orbit. If the Dragons and Coalition reinforcements had delayed even one hour, then perhaps the Griffin Imperium had already become chronicle texts. In other words, they would only talk about him in legends.
- Yes, exactly, a nuclear charge, - answered Owen Scorcher, standing not far from Theophylact, - Trotskevich's special forces group. That bastard has always been good at sabotage. Remember Sekheb-4. There, he chemical-weaponed at least 10,000 arangutos. For this he was nicknamed the Sekheb executioner. Under its jurisdiction are hundreds of torture centers and testing laboratories.
“But now this is no longer a hindrance,” the voice of the reptilian creature rang out.
This hefty dragon-like alien looked at everyone around with a strange smirk. His long tongue protruded from his mouth, and his yellow eyes seemed to pierce everyone in the room. This being was called Ser'Naveh, the head of the Artandir security who had come with the Draconian fleet. He had only recently arrived on the planet, and was now in charge of its surface defenses. Despite the fact that the creature was dressed in a completely human uniform and behaved friendly, many of those gathered felt some kind of danger.
- Glory to Uranus, - the advisers of the ruler said with some fear, - Glory to all the Gods of Infinity.
- Glory to Lucretia, - the voice of Captain Prada was also heard.
The Tramontian Commander Farinni Prada decided to stay on Griffin a little longer. In this he was supported by his best friend, Sergeant Osvaldo, who felt in his gut that it was necessary to help the inhabitants of the planet recover from the shocks. Of course, they sent a message to Tramontina via telepathic communication, but they did not personally come to their homeland.
“But our conversation is not over,” growled Ser'Naveh.
Everyone, with the exception of Owen and his comrades, experienced some confusion in the presence of a foreigner. For them, this upright dragon was something alien and mysterious. Yes, the advisers and the ruler himself trusted Owen and his brethren, but still, in the presence of otherworlders, they were lost and behaved insecurely. They had a frightening effect on them. Draconids were not well liked in the Griffin Imperium. Local residents have heard enough about the legends about the "serpents-tempters". And the Draconids, after all, were reptiles.
- Yes, gentlemen, - Scorcher said here, looking around at all those gathered, - Not finished.
- Something else? - Theophylact asked in bewilderment, adjusting his blue camisole, - I thought the enemy was defeated.
'I don't think so,' Ser'Naveh said in a growling voice. 'We've got something else here. And we decided to just let you know. I hope you don't panic. Moreover, there are now several of our frigates in orbit around your planet.
  At the mention of protection, many of the assembled councilors visibly perked up. Now they felt more secure. True, the interim head of government did not feel any relief at all. He heard something completely different. He distinctly heard the word of the draconian, who mentioned "something else".
- And what else can fall on our head? asked Theophylact, rubbing his beard.
- Some preachers began to appear in the areas of the Far Worlds, - Owen the Scorcher said here, - Ten days ago, the first ones appeared on planets whose standard of living was extremely low. We didn't pay attention to it. We've been busy helping you. After all, we knew that the troops of the League are not at all dormant and are the greatest of all threats to the Coalition. But something else appeared. Strange magicians began to visit various worlds, preaching an equally strange religion. Where it came from, we do not yet know, we only speculate. But the residents said they worked wonders. And yet, that's the way it is. More recently, five prophets appeared on Beljamonte, who convinced the population to believe in their Light God, which is able to protect them from demons. This god is called Akh-Asur. I am unfamiliar with this name.
- Akh-Asur? - the ruler said in bewilderment, making a thoughtful face, - I have never heard of such a thing .....
- And how do they appear on different worlds? came Sergeant Osvaldo's question.
Captain Prada also nodded, hinting that his question was almost the same. These two Tramontines were the first to notice the strangeness in Owen's words and his description of the unknown magi.
- We don't know, - said Scorcher honestly, - Appear and disappear. And this looks like a mystery. The problem is that many inhabitants of undeveloped planets are beginning to believe them. While Lazitron and Trotskevich were attacking your world, these magicians managed to spread their faith to five planets with a small population. And absolutely all the inhabitants believed them. The draconians are very worried. And very soon this news will reach Elfurr. They are distrustful of all sorts of ... religions.
- Let them come, - the voice of one of the ruler's advisers was heard, - We have our own faith, and we will not accept a new one. Our people will beat them with sticks. We dealt with the damned cultists of the Cult of the Boar, didn't we?!
Among the retinue of Theophylact, whispers were heard. Influential persons of the state clearly did not like the Gentiles. Quite possibly, they even secretly slandered about the religion of their closest allies.
“Sorted out, right,” growled Ser’Naveh, “but people from those very undeveloped planets also had their own faith. And they say that they did not even want to think about any new one. But as soon as these magi came, they immediately bowed before their god.
- And who is this Akh-Asur? - Theophylact asked, - Maybe the legends say about it somewhere?
"Yes, probably," said the Scorcher. - I'll have to look at a couple of ancient scrolls ....
Owen's luminous eyes lit up with a strange gleam. Many advisers have clearly noticed such changes. Even Captain Prada and his faithful friend Osvaldo understood perfectly well that the Burner was lost in thought for the first time in a long time. Something worried him, something greatly worried him, and his inner anxiety began to noticeably intensify.

[BagaturKhan]

Griffin Starspace, the outlying sector of the system, labeled 7-8.
The flagship of the Ouroboros is the Dragon of Eternity.

  The Nordic warrior Balderan, nicknamed the Swordsman, leisurely proceeded to the majestic hall, the walls of which were erected millennia ago. Everything here was made of mysterious foreign minerals. Every candelabra, every ledge in the wall, every tile - everything was not created by people at all. The powerful psi-adept of the Coalition and a native of the northern cold worlds had long been amazed at such unimaginable splendor that reigned in the room. But most of all, Balderan admired the truly gigantic dimensions of the hall and the height of its ceilings. Somewhere high up hung small exquisite chandeliers that burned with bright blue lights. All this spacious and gigantic room has amazed the imagination of visitors for a good thousand years. The Star Palace has always been the pride of the chosen naval commanders of the Draconian civilization. Each of his rooms was beautiful and amazing, and reflected all the unshakable power of this civilization.
- Nordan? Suddenly, a growling voice was heard.
Balderan was so absorbed in watching this incredibly beautiful hall that he almost forgot what he came for. He immediately turned in the direction of the voice.
Looking ahead, the mighty warrior saw a huge dragon-like creature clad in crimson armor. It was none other than Ser'Terazim himself, the mighty and great Super-Admiral of the Ouroboros Fleet.
- Milord, - the Swordsman bowed to the giant, - I just came to you.
- Yes, I know, - answered the alien, approaching Balderan by two steps, - You are talking about the preachers. So right?
Hearing the foreigner's words, the psi-adept shuddered involuntarily. He was greatly disturbed by these mysterious appearances of alien magi. Something in them disturbed Balderan's soul, and he tried to understand what it was.
  According to the spies of the Draconian Empire, these mysterious preachers and missionaries appeared more and more often. As a rule, they chose a planet for themselves, the standard of living of which was not high. These were worlds with a rather undeveloped population, most of which were peasants. However, according to the latest data, preachers appeared on Beljamonte in one of the cities. This planet was large and highly developed, and it also hosted the base of the Coalition. The appearance of the missionaries undoubtedly caused a strange reaction from the patrons of the planet, just like its governments. But for the Draconids and adepts of the psi-special forces of the Coalition, the very movement of preachers was a mystery. They spread their teaching too fast. And the process of their movement between the worlds was simply incomprehensible. Rarely have psionics been able to travel between planets in an instant. There were real legends about them, and as a rule, they were half fake.
"Anything about these wandering monks?" asked Balderan.
Ser'Terazim looked deeply frowning. The swordsman already knew that the answer would not be comforting to him. It is likely that something even more mysterious and obscure happened. There were more and more mysteries.
“Yes, there are,” the dragon-like creature replied, lowering its head, “These preachers arose today ... on Tramontina.
As soon as Balderan heard such an answer, his eyes lit up with an alarming glow. This excited him in no small way.
- Tramontina? - the Swordsman said with amazement, - How? Already today?
'Yes, today,' said Ser'Terazim, 'in the city of Nuevo Berana. Quite large, according to our data. The population is ten million people. Our spies tracked the arrival of these missionaries. They emerged from a bright beam of light, just like Elfurr's psionics. We passed through half the city and went out to the square, and there they began their sermons. They spoke again about this Akh_asura, a strange and unknown god. And you know what's next? You just won't believe it.
- People agreed to accept their faith, regardless of the will of Queen Georgette? - the adept asked with even greater surprise.
Anxiety filled his heart even more.
- Yes, many agreed, - said the leader of the aliens, - They were like in a trance. Followed these missionaries like sheep after a shepherd. Crowded in the square and listened to their sayings. And then something else happened. One of these preachers identified himself as Cha-Arun. He looked like a huge bearded priest, quite a man. And it was he who performed a miracle for them.
The reptilian alien was no less alarmed than his interlocutor. It was clearly seen in his eyes.
- Miracle? - Balderan continued to ask questions, - Is it really something truly incredible?
- Truly unbelievable.... - Ser'Terazim nervously chuckled, - To put it mildly.... He grew a whole tree right on the pavement. I was shown the video data by our spies. I'll show you later. But I have to admit, I'm just confused. In real confusion. I've been serving the Empire and the Coalition for two hundred years, but I've never seen anything like it. Never. Never in my life. For a tree to grow on a stone... This is a real violation of the laws of the universe. Whoever these prophets are, they clearly have extraordinary power. Their sorcery is at the highest level. I have to admit, they amazed me.
  The words he heard only increased Balderan's excitement. He clearly listened to the words of the alien, and he noted that he did not like them. Too bright miracles worked these preachers according to the draconian. Yes, and these Magi were clearly not people. Perhaps they belonged to some more highly developed civilization.
“People are scared right now,” the draconian continued, “especially on Tramontina. A month ago, the troops of the ill-fated Trotskevich showed up there and their attack was hardly repulsed. Many Coalition worlds are now in fear due to surprise attacks. The League shells peaceful planets. Kills civilians. Violates all existing conventions. And this has been going on for quite some time. And Trotskevich... This son of a bitch has been aiming for the Chief of the General Staff for a long time. The dictators of the League encourage all his atrocities. Sabotage, terrorist attacks, rocket attacks... All this is already becoming the norm. And here some unknown sorcerers also appear, who begin to create the unimaginable. Of course, the people in that city believed them. The preachers of Akh-Asura promised to protect these people from the League's aggression. They showed their strength and the people bowed before them.
“Tramontina is under Coalition control,” the Swordsman said here. “The Coalition will no doubt sniff it out, if it hasn't already. And as far as I know, Captain Farinni Prada and his friend Sergeant Osvaldo are also from Tramontina. They are just about to leave Griffin soon. I believe that the appearance of these prophets on Tramontina is clearly not good.
  The dragon-like creature twitched nervously. All this news did not add to his health and strength at all.
'The agents and I have had a good talk,' Ser'Terazim said in an excited tone, 'and we believe that if the enigmatic monks have been to Tramontina, then it is likely that their next target may be the Griffin Imperium.
"They won't be welcome on the Gryphon," said Balderan.
The swordsman knew that the inhabitants of that planet had their own established religion, and they definitely would not exchange it for another. True, emergencies could well arise.
"I don't know," the draconian said with a shrug, "Not long ago, they survived a full-scale invasion by Lazitron." Yes, we stopped it and destroyed the League flotilla. But many residents are still scared. And besides, what prevents the soothsayers from declaring themselves messengers of the local gods?!
This phrase made the Swordsman almost burst into flames.
- Exactly ..... - he said quietly, realizing all the frantic danger, - Nothing interferes. Moreover, only a select few saw us, but not the entire population. The main population is common people and superstitious aliens, especially in rural areas. And in the villages, people are still of the old formation. Show them a couple of tricks with fire and water, and they immediately fall to their knees.
- Here's what, Nordan, - the voice of the leader of the draconians was heard at this, - Go to the surface right now and warn them. These monks do not inspire confidence. There is something not right about them. They call themselves and their Gods bright, but at the same time they talk about them everywhere. As far as I know, in the universe there were moments of the advent of prophets and avatars, but they never called themselves as such. They tend to try not to stand out too much. But I have never heard of such miraculous magic in my life. What I saw on the video shocked me to the core.
Where are these soothsayers now? - the warrior asked. - Evaporated?
"Disappeared, converting the ignorant on Tramontin," Ser'Terazim explained. "They did their job." Now the new faith has spread to the townspeople, and this problem will be solved by the local government. But the next target of the missionaries may very well be the Griffin. Make sure nothing bad happens there. We already have enough worries with the League, and here also these sorcerer monks have come. I feel in my heart that there is something sinister in them and their deity, who calls himself Akh-Asur. They didn't just appear out of the blue. All this happened at the same time as the increasing frequency of League attacks on Coalition outposts. It is likely that all this is some kind of sinister and insane plan. A crazy plan by some notorious bastard, perhaps even from the top leadership of the League. No one can now deny these assumptions.
  The swordsman looked at the draconian thoughtfully, and then looked up. He went deep into his memories, and was surprised to find that he had heard the name somewhere before. Exactly where, he couldn't figure out. His memory seemed to be under the influence of some unknown magic. Even as a perfect being, he could not remember where he heard the name of this deity.
- Well, - Balderan said meekly, - I will go to the Griffin now. If these preachers and messiahs of an unknown god appear in even one of the cities of this planet, I will deal with them.

[BagaturKhan]

Dane.
Palace of the Propraetor.
The current home of the Provisional Government of the Griffin Imperium.


"I remember," Owen the Scorcher finally answered.
Everyone present immediately looked at him with expectation of information. Many of the assembled dignitaries were struck by the strange behavior of the psy-adept.
And he also felt a strange warmth somewhere inside, in the very depths of his soul. This warmth was not at all from the accumulation of excessive witchcraft power. It was a rather mysterious feeling that he had never experienced before. He felt that something very powerful was looking at him right now. For a second, an unknown face of a dragon-like entity, more like a cossatti, appeared before his eyes. Then the face disappeared, and the image of the meeting room again appeared before his eyes. This phenomenon seriously frightened the warrior. Something like this had never happened to him before.
Owen started up sharply. His hands engulfed for a moment the witch's fire, and then he immediately died out. With such a sudden effect, some of the ruler's advisers flinched. Even the seasoned Captain Prada felt that something strange was happening with the Scorcher.
- Do you remember? - the voice of the bewildered Theophylact was heard here. - What exactly?
- I remembered, - overcoming confusion, Owen answered, - Yes, I remembered. The name of that preacher. He calls himself Cha-Arun.
Everyone present looked at the warrior with questioning glances. They wanted an immediate response.
“There was once an ancient cult a very long time ago,” Scorcher said, whose eyes shone even brighter, “In ancient times. Legend of the Nargon Republic. Zarragen, it seems. The inhabitants of this planet have always been in conflict with central Nargon. But then they submitted when the Sheins came to power.
  At the mention of Nargon, Prada perked up noticeably. The Tramontines did not like the Nargonians much, given the political structure present there. As you know, President Shane fancied himself almost a Shah and ruled the country like a tyrant. Queen Georgette, who ruled Tramontina, had a very unpleasant impression of this ruler and his political system.
- The inhabitants of Zarragen told about ancient times, - the warrior continued, - About God, known under the name of Cha-Arun. They said that in ancient times this god allegedly demanded sacrifices. Moreover, he even knew how to communicate with his priests through a kind of telepathic channel. Bulls were sacrificed to him. Thousands of bulls were slaughtered on altars. And also fortune-telling... The Zarraghens guessed by bull's entrails. They smeared themselves with blood and guts, and then they spoke signs. In general, you understand everything.
- I heard about this fairy tale, - Captain Prada responded to this, - Just forgotten ancient myths. It is not known what is true. Maybe none of this even existed. And even if there was, it is long gone. No wonder Shane rots all these cults in prisons. Because of this, they do not even gather literary circles. Everyone is under suspicion.
  However, Osvaldo allowed himself to disagree with his best friend. The sergeant perked up even more than the captain and made a speech.
- And I heard that Cha-Arun was not a god at all, - the Tramontian said here, - We once had a colonel from Zarragena by birth. Half-breed. And he talked about the fact that in his native village they considered Cha-Arun not a god at all, but an angel ... Well, a super-being that represented some other god. However, the colonel was an atheist. He simply wondered why people could trust such myths in this day and age when the galaxy had already been conquered.
- And you were silent that you also heard this name? Prada murmured in disbelief.
Thousands of years have already passed, Ser'Naveh said, frowning noticeably. We will never know what happened then.
The words of the alien were more than true. The sources that tell about Cha-Arun are almost not preserved at all. Many considered him nothing more than a mythical hero or deity.
“Still, I believe that something like this happened,” Owen objected. The Grandmaster sent me and Orpheus Maximus to this planet as members of a delegation. We wanted to get permission to build a military citadel there and met with President Shane there. And so, in one of the villages, of which there are a huge number on the planet, I discovered a strange stele with engraved ancient texts. One of the local soothsayers told me about the possible events of that time immemorial....
- Now we will believe the old women ... - Farinni muttered with displeasure.
Although the captain had seen a lot in his life, he most of all did not want to devote his time to old bikes now. However, his comrade, on the contrary, wanted to hear the whole story of the Scorcher in its entirety. He was clearly interested in the whole mystery.
However, Theophylact and many of his advisers also wanted to know more information.
- This woman told me a slightly different name of that deity, - the commander continued his speech, - She called him Cha-Arun the Herald. She said he was once worshiped on Zarragen. But not only to him. And also his ... owner.
- Which owner?
“To a certain overgod who ruled over Cha-Arun. So, it was this supergod who ordered Cha-Arun to communicate with people. Well, people already, in turn, sacrificed bulls to those. By the way, they planted religion. Those who refused to obey perished. Cha-Arun personally punished those who refused to serve. It is quite possible that it was about some aliens that we do not yet know about. And so they mocked the population of Zarragen.
  Everyone in the room didn't make a single sound. They focused their attention entirely on Owen's words. This story really moved them all. They fell silent like statues and did not even move. Their eyes were extremely thoughtful, and their gazes were directed straight at the psionicist. Most of all, Captain Prada himself was in thought. He tried his best to think over every word he said and analyze it. But the face of Theophylact betrayed some kind of fatigue. Obviously, he had heard enough information for today.
Did they instill faith? Farinni asked here. Did the followers of Cha-Arun instill faith in this god? Did they also call missionaries who visited the villages?
- Yes, that's right, - the Scorcher replied, - They spread it almost everywhere on Zarragen. Only one religion was recognized throughout the planet. And it's very similar to what these preachers are doing. All this is very strange. Yes, and it's not right. We are now at war with the Acheronian League. If what the legends say is true, then you and I are in great danger. We are already engaged in fierce battles with a monstrous enemy. We missed a new misfortune!
Silence again reigned throughout the hall. Everyone present froze again, trying to comprehend the full meaning of Owen's words. A slight revival began only after a full minute of absolute dead silence.
- So... it's all interesting, of course, - Theophylact said to this, the first to break the calm, - But still I didn't hear a single mention of Akh-Asur. Not a single mention, not even a hint or a similar name.
The head of the provisional government was right. Owen never once mentioned the name of the mysterious god whose name was carried by the preachers. But the alien named Ser'Naveh understood that he was doing this for a reason.
- Akh-Asur in translation from a pre-human language known in the universe, "Father of the Gods", - Owen answered this, - Many-faced. So, that old woman also called the owner of Cha-Arun, "Father of the gods." And also versatile.
Hearing this combination of words, everyone present again turned into frozen statues. Most terrified was the draconian himself, under the name of Ser'Naveh. His pupils visibly dilated in his yellow eyes.
Most of all, this answer frightened Theophylact himself. The ruler of the planet has not yet managed to move away from the recent attack of the League, and now his allies are already talking about a new threat. The interim ruler's advisers also started up.
“Akh-Asur Father of the Gods,” Owen repeated once more, “That was his full name. Now I remember him clearly. It seemed to ring in my ears again.
Everyone in the meeting room turned even more pale. The color of their faces literally changed before our eyes.
The Scorcher turned towards Captain Prada. More recently, Farinni resented the discussion of old stories and myths. But now the Tramontian looked more agitated than ever, and on the verge of confusion.
- So you believe the old women, venerable signor, - said the Scorcher, looking at the captain, - Not all tribal soothsayers talk nonsense. On the contrary, in the psi-special forces I was taught to believe every myth and even the most absurd fairy tale. Frederic Kartavin, for example, never missed a single detail from mythology.
- I understand, - Prada dutifully answered this, - There really is something in this.
Now it was Theophylact's turn to speak. The long-bearded ruler had already prepared his words.
- I'll tell you what, nobellisimus, - said the ruler, - Whoever these preachers are, if they appear here, we will drive them out. And I think that even if they want to threaten us with some army, our friends will undoubtedly help us. Although, what kind of army can ordinary wandering monks have.... And if they are psionics, then they are unlikely to stand against our snayads.... What harm can be from these magicians and their false god? No ... And the army? Can they have an army? A maximum of a handful of poor pilgrims with sticks .... But still, if anything, then our friends will cope with them. After all, that's what they call themselves. I hope I'm not mistaken about our venerable allies who saved us from Lazitron a week ago.
  Ser'Naveh immediately looked the aged Theophylact straight in the eye. His gaze was angry.
"Don't doubt us," growled the offworlder. "If the prophets of the false gods come here, we'll kick their asses immediately." And soon they will completely forget the very word "Gryphon". Please don't hesitate. This is how you offend us.

[BagaturKhan]

Far space.
The Nebula, Ser'Qiraani's flagship.

  The Kossathian Ser'Drimurthy charged with all his boundless speed. He was heading straight to the abode of the Prophet himself. His personal meditation cabin was on deck 30, which was quite difficult to get to. Using a high-speed elevator, he ran out into a long corridor, which led him to his cherished goal. This corridor was quite luxurious, and its ceilings were at a height of almost ten meters. The rooms were well lit with bioluminescent lamps. But the Cossattian paid no attention to all this. The main thing now was to reach the Prophet's cabin in time.
  Ship slaves from different races and armored warriors darted everywhere. Ser'Qiraani's guardsmen, in gleaming, polished armor, stalked down the corridor, weapons at the ready. Their energy spears were always ready to find their prey. As a rule, their victims could be annoying slaves or those who disobeyed their orders. As soon as the knights saw the running commander, they immediately stood at attention and froze like statues. But Drimurti did not honor them with his attention either. These warriors were nothing more than shadows to him now. He was in too much of a hurry to reach the Prophet. It was impossible to get through to the messenger of Akh-Asur, as there were no communication devices in the meditation chamber. Only a continuous absolute silence, which even frightened.
  Five minutes later, Ser'Drimurthy reached his assigned target and slowed down. Two Cossatians stood to either side of the giant, painted entrance to the meditation chamber, wands at the ready. They froze, like those knights in shining armor, and did not even move. The tips of their staffs glowed with mysterious alien fires. The faces of the wand-bearers were covered by the masks of their suits.
Ser'Drimurthy instantly removed his long helmet, revealing his scaly head to the monks. His two large green eyes scanned the Prophet's guards and scanned them in their entirety. The guards sensed the commander's gaze, but did not show it.
“I need a great Prophet,” said Ser'Drimurti, bowing, “One who speaks in His Name.
One of the bodyguards immediately perked up and stepped forward. He also looked the warrior straight in the face.
"I am Ser'Nuragi," the guard replied. "The Prophet told me not to let anyone in until the end of the meditation." He is now speaking with the delightful Mistress Ser'Qiraani.
“Then tell him how he will finish the process,” Ser'Nuragi said to this, “Tell him that we have entered the Griffin sector. Interworld jump successfully completed. The planet is already very close. But there are some difficulties.
  Suddenly, behind the guards, there was a sharp creaking of doors. The guards instantly turned their heads back. The giant entrance to the meditation chamber began to open rapidly. Seeing this, the attendants immediately froze in a daze. In less than a few seconds, the painted doors to the Prophet's abode flung open for the Kossatian. All this happened literally in a matter of moments. Obviously, the one who was in the cabin wanted to receive guests.
  Ser'Nuragi lifted his head slightly and immediately twitched. Then he again came to his senses and turned to the side to the commander. He looked at the green-eyed officer with undisguised reverence. His wand shone even more.
- The Prophet wants to see you, - the guard said as if in a trance, bowing his head down, - His All-Holiness asks you to go to the Temple of Meditations.
  Ser'Drimurthy felt, in the depths of his soul, a perceptible relief. At least he does not have to rely on anyone to convey his words. Now he would be able to speak with the messenger of the Irresistible Light in person.
- I am glad of such an outcome, - the commander answered, - the Prophet is always kind and merciful to all representatives of the Kosatti race. And I thank him for allowing me to enter his abode. Hallowed be the name of Akh-Asura, the Bringer of Light! And may his power reign! And may he be with all the true servants who honor him and believe in him!
- Hallowed be the name of Akh-Asura, the Light-bearer! the guards repeated in unison. And may his power reign! And may he be with all the true servants who honor him and believe in him!
The commander looked at Ser'Nuragi with green eyes for another moment, and then turned towards the doors. He hurriedly made his way straight into the giant passage that opened up before him. The guards remained standing meekly. Their heads hung down and they didn't even dare to move. They were too devoted to the True Light.
Entering the Temple of Meditation, the alien found that his room is truly huge. It was a rather spacious square room, the walls of which did not have any images at all. Not a single fresco was applied to them, which looked strange for a temple. All the walls were absolutely white, like pure mountain snow. Only small bluish lamps burned faintly on the ceilings. The floor was also covered with white paint, and there was not even a carpet on it. It was rather cold in the room, and it made the alien's pointed ears ring. All members of his race could not bear such a low temperature too much.
In the center of the majestic room stood a powerful adept, clad in black monastic robes. His face was bearded and rather sullen. The eyes glowed with bright greenish lights. The wand he held in his hands shimmered like night stars. Just one glance of this creature instilled in anyone a truly unthinkable reverence.
As soon as Ser'Drimurthy glanced at the Prophet, he immediately fell to his knees. He immediately covered his face with his hands and bowed his head low. From such a beautiful light emanating from the eyes of the essence, one could simply go blind. Cosatti distinctly felt goosebumps begin to run through his pale body.
“Your All Holiness,” Ser’Drimurti said in a humble voice, without getting up from his knees, “I’m sorry to disturb you. Sorry for showing up at the wrong time.
The Prophet looked at the bowed servant wholly and completely. His gaze was quite peaceful. His face showed neither anger nor joy. He was truly as calm and quiet as the universe of the Gods itself.
- I have already finished negotiations with Ser'Qiraani, - Cha-Arun said to this, - May she live forever, like Akh-Asur!
- And may the name of the True God be hallowed, - the commander repeated the words, - And may his power reign! And may he be with all the true servants who honor him and believe in him!
After saying his prayers, the Kosattian bowed his head even lower, and soon it touched the floor.
- Speak, my son, - the Prophet said peacefully, taking a step forward, - Speak what you wanted to convey to me.
Cha-Arun moved a few more steps closer to his minion. Very soon, he was already standing almost close to the commander who bowed before him. He towered over him, like a great mountain above the city spread out at its foot.
- We have entered the sector of the Griffin, Your All Holiness, - the reptilian growled meekly, - The interworld jump has been successfully completed. And soon we will approach the orbit of the planet..... But.... There are some difficulties.
- I'm listening, - Cha-Arun's voice was heard, - Continue.
The commander felt fear creeping up on him. He was always in awe when dealing with such powerful beings. He knew that in their eyes he was just a microbe, forever deprived of the chance to know the secrets of the entire universe.
'There is a little difficulty....' Ser'Drimurti stammered, 'there's a large Coalition fleet. They have taken up positions near orbit itself and are blocking our path. They haven't spotted us yet, but they will soon. It is unlikely .... they are unlikely to be delighted with our visit. Most likely they will want to resist us. The Coalition does not understand the True Way. In addition, they have long been monitoring the preachers that Irresistible sends to various worlds. They are all heretics and unbelievers. They will never know the True Light that Akh-Asur brings with him.
- How much is a large fleet? - the Prophet exclaimed, - Judging by the indicators, there are not so many of them there. But still they are a hindrance to us. And it needs to be eliminated.
Cha-Arun's voice became more and more agitated. There was a hint of anger in him.
- The Coalition is full of unbelievers, - Cha-Arun continued his speech, - Exactly like half of the entire universe. They block our path and prevent our progress towards the planet. The Griffin population needs our help and protection, but not theirs. And those pro-Elfurrian dogs will lead them to their doom. They won't be able to stand against the demons. And we are the true enemies of the demons and all the creatures of the Outlands. And therefore, I order the use of space-to-space torpedoes against the ships of the Coalition. They will destroy them quickly. And nothing will stand in our way. Akh-Asur loves his children and will not leave them.
- You are ordering the destruction of the Coalition fleet, right? - I heard a clarifying question from the commander.
- Exactly, - answered the Prophet, - Pass "Illadim", let him prepare torpedo bombers for battle. But only the blow must be struck after the attack of the saboteurs. And not before!
- I obey, lord, - the submissive voice of the kosatti was immediately heard.
  As the commander left the Temple of Meditation and the doors slammed behind him, Cha-Arun turned his gaze to his right. All this time, an even more mysterious and mysterious entity was watching the dialogue. She was very close and completely merged with the dazzling white wall. The Prophet clearly looked at her outlines and lowered his head slightly.
“Everything is going just fine, Ser'Qiraani,” he smiled on his whole face, while not raising his eyes upward, “Soon we will take the Griffin "by the breasts."
“Perhaps this will be the best of our victories, Cha-Arun,” a sarcastic female voice rang out in response. - I'm amazing, right?
“Yes, Ser'Kiraani,” the alien said immediately, “You are amazing. Nobody can doubt it

[BagaturKhan]

----
- Oh, President Cedric has arrived for a meeting with the Elfurr delegation, - Owen said here, not taking his eyes off the holo-tablet, - Unexpectedly. Going to negotiate about the recent attacks. There will even be Nel Mauhurai. That arrogant ghoul entrepreneur.
- Cedric? Artadir or what? - Osvaldo said with his mouth full.
He had just finished eating a meat stew sprinkled with bluish Tramontino pepper. And the brave warriors should have had time to "refuel". Otherwise, it would play a cruel joke on their physical strength.
  The innkeeper knew all too well about this, and so he gave the Tramontian and his companion a double portion.
"That's right," the Burner confirmed. - Artandir President. Met with a delegation from the Elfurr Empire.... Yes, the situation is really serious.
- And how is it? Any diversions? Again? Or are these preachers insane?
  This question put Owen in an awkward position. He was already preoccupied with the sudden attacks of the League. There has been news that the enemies have carried out a number of attacks on the government officials of the Coalition. Even the recent attack by pirate clans on the Beljamonte border post was linked to terrorist attacks. The blow struck precisely when the Doge Rossi himself visited the military base. And he, like no one else, was one of the most devoted people to the Coalition. It would be unreasonable to claim randomness.
- There are no sabotage yet, - the Burner answered, - As well as the prophets. More precisely, God forbid. But the sediment remained. In truth, all this nonsense is already rather annoying. You heard what happened on Sanbatar recently, right?
“Yes, those League bastards blew up an airbus,” the sergeant growled menacingly, “And then they hit Alliance military bases and outposts. No shame, no conscience, no honor. All they can do is arrange terrorism. No wonder half the galaxy considers the League a terrorist organization. And they also blame Elfurr for everything... I wonder how the press, controlled by Acheron, explains these attacks? Elfurr attacked their allies?
- What do you think? - Owen noted with the same emotion, - the League always blames either Elfurr or the Coalition for the attacks. Attack on civilian ships? Of course, the Coalition. Shelling of civilians? Targeted strikes on schools, colleges, hospitals? And again the Coalition. The Coalition and Elfurr, in their opinion, do nothing but destroy themselves. And the pure and indestructible Acheronian League is always on guard of peace and tranquility.
- I'm wondering how it will end? came the voice of Osvaldo in reply. - Preachers, sabotage, attacks .... Murders ... When will all this canoe end?
  He had already finished his meal and started on his ginger ale. Owen's food was still on the table. He read the reports with such zeal that he did not really have time to dine.
- How will it end? - Owen exclaimed, without looking at his interlocutor, - This will end, of course, with the demolition of the dictatorial regime that has been established in the Acheronian League. Its complete and unconditional collapse. The collapse of the economy, the collapse of the financial system .... In general, a defeat. But the question is different. How long will this madness continue? All these politicians are always having some kind of debate, instead of organizing a big attack and blowing the hell out of the entire Acheron Council!
- I understand you, - sipping ale, the Tramontian said, - The same thoughts. But they believe that the population of the League may come to their senses, suddenly realize that their "priceless leaders" are mistaken. Or something like that. In the meantime, they will change their minds, another 20 billion will die. And sabotage will undoubtedly continue. But how I would love to be wrong!
- Sabotage will definitely continue, - the Burner agreed, - As long as these idiots are in power, adopting anti-divine and anti-people laws, and unleashing criminal wars, this whole nightmare will definitely not subside.
  Soon the waiter brought the bill to the visitors. Owen did not finish his meal, quickly paid, and was the first to leave the table. His example was followed by Osvaldo, who, however, sent almost everything on the menu to his stomach.
  And now the two warriors were already walking along the big street to the parking lot, where their armored personnel carrier was located.
Along the way, Osvaldo looked at the sights of Dane, marveling at their magnificence. A lot of people and otherworlders passed by the fighters walking along the street. They went by so fast that the Tramontian barely had time to see their faces.
The street itself was completely built up with various buildings. Despite the loud noise of cars, there were also residential buildings. The first two floors of these buildings, as a rule, were occupied by all kinds of shops, including those designed for clothing. In addition, there were other establishments. Here Osvaldo saw a beauty salon where you could put yourself in order, do any hairstyle and cut your hair for a certain amount. The fighters walked so fast that it sometimes seemed to both of them that everything around them was moving at breakneck speed. Here another boutique flashed by, here is some kind of cafe ... here is another restaurant, then again a boutique, then again a hairdresser. And so it went on for three minutes.
Osvaldo no longer spoke to Owen, but only looked around.
- Yes, - finally, the Tramontian said, after a pause of many minutes, - It would be a pity if all this was blown up.
- What are you talking about? - followed the question of the astonished Owen.
- About the city, - answered the sergeant, - If all this is destroyed. It will be a pity.
“They won’t destroy it,” Scorcher said quickly, this time looking into the eyes of his interlocutor, “We will try to prevent this from happening!”

[BagaturKhan]

Returning to Castlelum's "native cell" in the evening, Owen allowed himself to relax. He didn't need any company. Rather, on the contrary, he wanted to be alone more than to sit with someone in a tavern until dawn. The time was already late. And they got up in the psi-special forces of the Coalition no later than 6 in the morning. Owen took no more than four hours to sleep.
  But until that moment, he preferred to spend an hour or forty minutes reading some tomes or analyzing the Internet. Today he chose the latter. Later, however, Owen doubted the correctness of his choice. There was some negative news all the time on the Internet. They were mainly connected with the recent series of terrorist attacks.
  Burner sat down on the sleeping sofa, leaning against a large pillow. In his hands was a holo-tablet. Without thinking twice, he turned on the projector mode. A small shining square appeared in front of him, which reproduced everything that was in the galaxy. There were a lot of channels. On the InterGalaxy Network, you could even find shows that were watched in the Kinos Dominion. But Owen didn't care.
  He turned on the channel "Time of Eternity" with the famous TV reporter Wiglaf Velmuth. This gul'khan was constantly scrolling something very interesting. No wonder his channel was considered the most plausible. As the people said, "Velmut has nothing to hide." They also claimed that he had previously worked in the Kailama police, but Owen was not interested in this moment. He was interested in the contents of the next issue.
  The issue was prepared, as it should be, by the way. The tag said that the video was posted just a couple of hours ago. The title would have been clickbait if it were some low-brow blog of some metrosexual artist. "Galaxy in Peril" The title of Velmuth's new issue read. On the screen saver, the journalist put up an art with a planet falling apart.
- Hello everyone, Velmut is with you, and as always the hottest news in the galaxy, - a rather gloomy voice of the reporter was heard, - Today we will talk about what happened in the past days. And this, as it is impossible, is topical! You couldn't help but notice that the League's outlaws are active again.
Owen watched for at least 20 minutes. Wiglaf talked at length about the recent raids of the Acheronian League. He also touched on the situation with Sanbatar. Burner was interested in a special version of a reporter on the topic of a plane crash. He believed that the League did not destroy prominent Earth politicians simply out of a desire to harm. The author of the channel assumed that the reason was the secret research that the enemy was conducting in the local ocean. He even managed to interview a local resident, an old fisherman who lived in a coastal village. The fisherman immediately spoke of seeing the League ships pulling something out of the ocean, and then they simply disappeared from view.
- And this is already interesting .... - Owen said, carefully listening to the video with the fisherman.
- They did not believe me in the city, - the words of the inhabitant were heard from the side of the holo-screen, - Someone said, I drank a lot. Someone that I have insanity. I am already 93 years old. But I'm telling the truth. I saw a ship fly out of the ocean.... of a mysterious shape. Either a pyramid or a rhombus. And then it just vanished. It's all League. That's all they are, I know for sure. And also .... dreams .... These strange dreams.
“I wonder what kind of dreams,” the Burner involuntarily asked.
  But he realized that he was only communicating with a videotape. Rybak certainly couldn't answer his questions. But Velmut, it seems, was also interested in the topic of dreams, and he decided to ask the old man directly.
- What dreams? - Velmuth seemed to repeat Owen's question, - Is it somehow connected with the League?
- I constantly see her .... - the fisherman answered in a mysterious voice, - the Dragon ....
   The video recording cut off abruptly. For a moment, the holo-screen vanished into thin air. But then he reappeared. Owen almost dropped the tablet from his hands. He has never encountered such failures.
  The image no longer showed the old fisherman. It depicted Wiglaf Velmuth himself, sitting at a table against the background of the banner of Artandir. To his great astonishment, the psionicist discovered that Wiglaf was staring straight at him. Moreover, he looked as if he really saw him on the other side of the galaxy.
- She's getting close, Owen..... She's getting close.....
  The reporter's voice was completely devoid of any emotion. He said it as if at someone's command. The burner was bewildered. He had no idea that this tablet was capable of modifying a video already posted on the network. Or maybe it was something else entirely. Maybe Owen just imagined it all. In reality, this simply could not happen.
  However, that's how it turned out. The burner shook his head. He again saw the holo-screen erupting from a special projector. His tablet was safely in his hands. As it turned out, Owen just fell asleep. And, quite by accident. On the screen, as before, Wiglaf Velmuth was displayed, sitting at a large table against the background of the Artandir flag. The recording was already at the 45th minute. This meant that for 20 minutes Owen had definitely been dreaming.
- Yeah ..... - the Burner said with incomprehension, - I fell asleep after all.
  After that, he decided to turn off the projector, and then turned off the tablet itself. Throwing the device away from him, he turned on his side, and within a minute he was asleep again. This time without any crazy visions.

--

[BagaturKhan]

Dane.
Palace of the Propraetor.
Part of the Coalition HQ

Mustafa jerked sharply, and then opened his eyes. He had just been awakened by a blubber. Isabella Fortunato stood directly in front of him in the gloom, while looking at him with a look full of concern and excitement. The command's face was pale and exuded with violent fear. The grey-bearded warrior of the Coalition started up and looked at his favorite fur and completely.
- What's happened? Mustafa asked in an alarmed tone.
- Molto male, - answered Isabella, turning even more pale, - Mio amore. We have problems.
- What? - the commander almost cried out, - Someone attacked?
- No, the portals are closed, - said the warrior. - We need you downstairs.
This news went through Mustafa like a skating rink. He didn't expect this.
- How ... closed? the grey-bearded warrior yelled in horror. - Yes, it's ..... impossible.
Mustafa instantly jumped up from his head and immediately began to put on a military uniform with the patches of the Coalition of the Galaxy. Isabella was already dressed from head to toe and was just waiting for him. She still could not come to her senses from the news she heard and with great bitterness. This shocked them both.
   Not so long ago, while Isabella and Mustafa were sleeping, one of the fighters of the psi-special forces of the Coalition entered their cell, put on the watch next to the shining ring of the portal to Tramontina. He told them that the shimmering gate had evaporated into oblivion. They closed the way to another planet, as if by a wave of someone's hand. When Isabella reached her destination, she saw that nothing appeared in color beyond the place of the shining ring. The portal room is accessible from the most ordinary room.
   The most difficult news came from those who now found themselves in the ruins of Griffin City. A radiogram came from one commander, in which he announced the closing of the gate to Akhetaten, where the Elfurr portal base was located. It is assumed that the fighters of Mustafa and Isabella, stationed on the Griffin, were found cut off from their command. Moreover, Captain Prada and his faithful friend Osvaldo now could not return home without the help of starships. The patient's direct portals disappeared, and the reason for this was never captured.
   In less than three minutes, Mustafa and Isabella, in full combat attire, turned out to be the same portal where the shining ring had previously been. Now there was nothing there, and the gray-bearded commander gasped in horror at such a sight. Then he looked through the reports from the rest of the soldiers for the same hour and personally looked through the message. When he glanced at the hologram, he turned pale, it looked like a hecatoncheir, and his eyes widened in fright. Even such an experienced team leader as Mustafa was shocked to the limit.
- Urgently gather everyone! - he almost shouted in despair, - Call everyone! Urgently!
It was already early morning in Dane, and the command would have happened to suddenly wake up. Mustafa gave evidence to his subordinates, and then flew out of the control room at breakneck speed. He was heading straight to the monastery of Theophylact himself. In addition, he sent messages to all allied forces, and at the same time sent Isabella to Owen the Scorcher. Fortunato hurried to Owen with all her might.
   Soon she reached the room where the collected items usually accumulated. Entering this spacious room with painted walls and brightly turned on lamps, she found that Owen was not alone. Standing right next to him was Ser'Naveh, the Draconian representative of Artandir's security force. And beside the dragon-like creature towered none other than Balderan the Swordsman. Apparently, this Nordan had recently arrived from Ser'Terazim's ship.
“Praise the Mother Goddess, you are here,” Isabella sighed with relief when she saw two mighty soldiers.
But even their faces reflect great sadness and confusion. The two psi-adepts of the Coalition stared nervously at Isabella. Ser'Naveh, on the other hand, seldom trembled from the strange animal fear that seized him.
- So? - the warrior asked, having seen all those present in the hall, - What about the portals, amiche? Why did they evaporate?
"We don't know ourselves," came Owen the Scorcher's reply.
  The psi-adept was very frightened, and clearly showed it. All of them now felt an unknown fear. They were virtually isolated. The portal network could instantly transfer entire armies to the Griffin. Now, for this, they had to use the flotilla, and this was very problematic.
- How do you not know? Perque? Isabella cried out in horror. “Even you don't know what's wrong?
- It happened quite suddenly, - Balderan the Swordsman said here, - And it is very strange that it happened only after I arrived here. I used a portable teleporter from the Draconids. During. Now he is also numb. If I had hesitated even for a minute, my insides would have teleported instead of me. Something is clearly going on guys.
- And I still feel some incredible power, - Owen's voice was heard, - I feel deep inside.
  The burner twitched nervously. His head was splitting from a terrible piercing pain, the origin of which was not clear.
“And she is coming…” the adept said as if in a trance.
“Also lost contact with the ships in orbit,” came the voice of Ser'Naveh. “None of my kind can contact friends upstairs. The messages just stopped. Perhaps someone is jamming us.
At the same moment, the light bulbs that were burning brightly on the ceiling suddenly went out. It happened so quickly that many of those present did not even have time to realize what was happening. The light simply turned off, as if someone had damaged the generator.
Isabella immediately turned back to where she came from. She left the door open, forgetting to close it. The girl came here along one of the corridors, where there was quite ample lighting. Now, right in front of her eyes, the light that previously burned in the corridor simply went out, plunging the premises into a mysterious and ominous twilight. And then, outraged cries were heard from the corridor.
- What ..... - there were curses of some people, - Give me the light .... Not a single thing is visible ....!
The screams became more and more. Soldiers of the local guard swore especially loudly.
“This already smacks of an invasion,” Balderan the Swordsman remarked here.
Isabella turned back towards the psi-adepts of the Coalition and their companions. Most of all, Ser'Naveh himself was frightened. He barely managed not to growl.
“Something mighty is coming towards us,” said Owen Scorcher in a mysterious voice, whose eyes suddenly began to glow like two dying stars, “I can feel it. It's coming. It's growing... It's growing....
  Electric pulses began to appear on the psionic's body more and more often. His hands shook and writhed, and his head began to rattle for a fraction of a second, as if he were a low-quality hologram. His mouth fell open in a strange astonishment and at the same time a surge of animal fear.
“I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s clearly not good,” said Balderan.
"Dragon... she's close..." came Owen's barely audible whisper.
- What dragon? the Nordan immediately asked, staring in disbelief at his comrade-in-arms.
  He had never seen Owen in such a state before. But the Scorcher looked at him with the same eyes. He had no idea what Balderan was asking.
"I didn't say anything," the psionicist said in bewilderment. You must have heard something.
-