The Vistrel's Mission:Part 1

    "Finally, the key to conquer the Kingdom of Earth, is in our hands."

    Lord Senzaraka spoke these words with immense contempt, as he surveyed the golden burning orb suspended in midair, in front of him.  He sat high on his throne, amidst his courtiers and army chieftains, in the dreaded Black Tower.  He swept his cold eyes across  them and sent a shiver through them, like a ripple. He was pale, skeletal, eyes sunk deep into their sockets, cheek bones protruding high  and an evil smile forever etched upon his face; the very sight of him made him feared and dreaded by his courtiers. His eyes rested on a man, and he beckoned him with a crooked, skeletal finger. The man extricated himself from others, and bowed low before his king.

"You have done well, Vistrel. You shall be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams."   

    The man bowed low, again, and retreated to his position among the courtiers. He looked up with satisfaction at the floating golden orb; for he knew what he had done would change the history of mankind forever. He knew the magnanimity of his great deed to his kingdom-the Kingdom of Heaven.

      Lord Senzaraka looked at the orb, and thoughts about the ancient times swirled about his head. The two great kingdoms-Kingdom of Earth and Kingdom of Heaven, were at war with each other since the ancient times. They were the only lands which sustained life; and the desire to rule both the kingdoms was etched deep in both the races. Battles raged on and on for centuries, until their ancestors grew weary of all the death and devastation. They decided to put an end to this. They pooled in their powers, life sources and sacrificed themselves to make the things, which shall result in the end of the war-the Thorbs. They were two orbs of fire, one in each kingdom which forever ensured the safety of both the races. As long as the orb is present on the high altar, in each kingdom, it is impossible for the other kingdom to conquer it. Their ancestors believed that this would bring about peace and tranquility in both the races.

  "The fools", mused Senzaraka grimly. The Thorbs breaded a new threat. Constant attempts were made to steal the orbs by the rival kingdom. Though they were heavily guarded, both the Kingdoms lived in fear, that someday they would get stolen. And today, is that day. The fiery orb of Earth is stolen and now floats before the Lord of Heaven-Senzaraka.

    Senzaraka looked outside. The Kingdom of Heaven laid in peaceful quiet outside the Black Tower. But tomorrow, this would change, he thought. He decided to wage a war the next day..a war which would result in his supreme authority over both the races.

  He rose from his seat, and spoke clearly to all present:

"Tomorrow, the kingdom of Earth shall fall"

                                                ******************************************
    "I'm hungry"

    Ivar grunted lazily from his seat beside the window. He was a lad of eighteen, with scarlet hair, clear blue eyes and a strong build. He shifted comfortably in the sunlight streaming through the window, and turned towards his brother.

  "I'm hungry", he said again.

    "You're always hungry",chipped Utiah, looking up from his work. He was Ivar's elder brother by five years; he was built along the same lines as his brother though more handsome than him. He was making a sword for the military chief, when his brother disturbed him.

  "No, sometimes I'm sleepy", Ivar said thoughtfully. He was lazier among the two,and spent most of his time idling in the sun, and enjoying the scenery through the window.

"Yeah, and sometimes you are tired, though you never work", laughed Utiah and slapped his brother playfully on the head. Both the brothers lived alone in a small cottage in the outskirts of the main city in their kingdom-the Kingdom of Earth. Their parents passed away in their childhood and now only they cared for each other.

    Ivar smiled, and got up to help his brother. Though they made weapons to the army, for a living, he knew it was only a ruse. He belonged to the most noble and secret family in the kigdom-the Vistrels.Noone knew about their identity: for the Vistrels were the secret weapons of the Kingdom. They were spies, who infiltrated their rival Kingdom,and their sole purpose is to steal the Thorb. They were the direct descendents of the people who made the Thorbs, by sacrificing themselves. The Vistrels had special powers and were the only ones who can touch the orb, or remove the orb from the altar. This made them very important, and they have been serving their kingdom for generations.

    Ivar knew that not a single Vistrel, on both the sides, has ever succeeded in stealing a Thorb. That would result in wars again.and he did'nt want that. He also knew that his brother, who went away for long periods of time sometimes, actually, was doing missions for his Kingdom. He too has to take missions, once his powers as a Vistrel matured, which would take another two years.

  "I'll be in the barn. Call me if you need me", Ivar called out to his brother and left the house. Utiah smiled; he knew that Ivar probably went there to sleep again. He loved  his little brother and always let him have his way. Anyways he has to work hard in another two years.

    Ivar walked outside and felt the cool breeze on his face. He looked around at the lush landscape, auzere sky, and the climbing morning Sun. He loved this place. He slowly made his way to the barn,  next to the house.

  He aimlessly looked about and then, suddenly came to a halt. He saw a streaking meteor in the sky. Even as he watched, another appeared, and then another. Within seconds the entire sky was filled with falling meteors.

  "What in the blazes...",he yelled, but at once the realization hit him: the Kingdom of Heaven  was attacking them!

  This was foolish. They had no chance of winning the war as long as they had the Throb. It powered them immensely in their own land and reduced the power of the enemy. Even as he watched, tall pillars rose from the fortress, far away to his right. They were powered indirectly by the Thorb, and prevented any invasion on the Earth Kingdom.

    Blue jets of light shot out from the pillars and combined to form an intense beam right at the centre of the Kingdom. The beam shot out into the sky and then, at about a mile from the ground, began spreading all over the land. Within seconds, the entire Kingdom was covered in a blue dome of light, emanating like a fountain from the pillars at the centre of the city. It was the ultimate defense and no possible attack could break through the barrier and enter the Kingdom.

"What's all this commotion", Utiah came up behind Ivar, for now there was a rising panic in the Kingdom. His mouth fell open when he saw the falling meteors in the sky.

"What are those?", asked Ivar not breaking his gaze on the skies above.

"They are weapons of mass destruction; simply put, they are huge chunks of fiery rocks, fired at great speeds, destroying almost anything in their path", replied his brother tensedly.

"They can't destroy that blue dome, though?", asked Ivar expectantly. The meteors were now fast approaching and loomed over them, threateningly.

"No, I don't think so", said Utiah. "The dome is powered by the Throb and is very powerful. But I don't think the enemy is foolish enough to attack while we still have the Thorb. I have a very bad feeling about this"

"But why is....", Ivar was cut short as a resounding boom rang across the entire Kingdom. The first of the fiery rocks connected with the dome. For a moment, time slowed, and the dome seemed to be holding; but the very next moment, a large crack appeared and the dome shattered into a million pieces and disappeared.

"NO! The Thorb is stolen! This is terrible! We have to go out there and help the army", Utiah rushed inside the house to collect his sword and weapons.

    Ivar just stood there, unable to comprehend anything, as a meteor struck the fortress tower and blew it to pieces. The second one struck the weaponry house and blasted it to bits. There was panic and confusion everywhere. The army began assembling hurriedly at the fortress' gates.

  Ivar looked at raining meteors above him and his mind reeled. This can't be happening, he thought desperately. He turned around just in time to see a meteor shooting down towards their house. NO! NO! NO! His brother was still in there!

"Utiah", yelled Ivar, dashing towards his house. "Get out of there. Get...."

    There was a blinding flash and he was blasted off his feet. The force of the blast knocked away his senses and the whole world seemed to spin around him. He landed on his back forcefully about thirty feet away from his house. Panting for breath, he laid there motionless for sometime; and then when the realization of what happened hit him, he turned quickly towards his house....or the place where his house used to be, moments ago.

  Nothing remained of the house. Flying debris, rocks and wooden planks covered everything in his sight. He slowly traipsed forward, his heart beating rapidly in his chest, his eyes straining to see through the smoke. He felt a jolt ,on locating his brother crushed under huge chunks of rocks. Utiah's lower body was completely buried beneath the rocks; his face and upper body was covered in blood. Suddenly he twitched, and slowly raised his head. He was alive!

  Ivar felt a momentary wave of relief, as he rushed towards his brother. He tried with all his might to remove the rocks, but they wouldn't budge. He looked at his brother; the sight of the blood made his stomach churn and he felt sick and nauseated.

  "I've...been betrayed. She...did this..she...", Utiah coughed and sputtered.

  "Nothing's going to happen to you", Ivar spoke haltingly, falling to his knees beside his brother. He felt a huge lump in his throat which pained him terribly. "You'll be fine. You'll have to be. Listen to me..."

  "No...you listen....you have to find her...she'll help...she's....she's.....", words  failed Utiah as he coughed and sputtered. Suddenly his eyes bulged; he raised a trembling hand and pointed a finger over Ivar's shoulder.

    Ivar turned to follow his finger and felt a shock; followed immediately with grief. There was a young woman on her knees, a few feet away, her face covered in blood. At the precise moment, Utiah's hand dropped and his body went limp. Ivar clutched his brother tightly, tears rolling down his face. No, he can't be dead.

  Another meteor landed a hundred yards away, spraying dust and debris all over his face. The woman fell unconscious.....or dead...on her back. Ivar didn't know what to do. He was shaking uncontrollably. He looked up and saw more meteors streaking down towards them. It was all over. He would die beside his brother.

  "No", a voice full of resolve seared through his head. "I won't die here. Not like this. Not now."

    With that he jumped to his feet and ran towards the woman. He quickly felt her pulse...it was very faint...but still there. With stupendous effort he lifted her and ran towards the barn. He was surprised that it was still standing. The horses inside were neighing loudly in terror and confusion. He raced towards his horse and propped the limp woman on the saddle.

  " Whoa", he calmed down the horse and jumped onto his back, with the woman in front of him. He pulled on the reins and with a tremendous leap the horse crashed out of the barn. A second later a meteor crashed onto  the barn and blasted it to pieces.

      Ivar didn't look back. He was straining to focus on the way ahead, as the horse galloped away with a speed he never experienced before. The wind tore at his face, dirt stung his eyes, meteors landed all around him.....but it didn't matter to him. He had to survive now. He had to find a cave or something; a safe place, where he can find shelter from the falling rocks. The wind washed away the tears from his face as he clutched the reins tightly, with the woman in front of him, and a strong resolve in his mind.

  The horse raced across the plains as fiery chunks of doom fell from the skies above.............
                        ***********************************************************
  She slowly opened her eyes. There was a thin mist obscuring her sight; she blinked twice, and then her sight cleared. She seemed to be on her back, looking up at a huge cavernous ceiling. A fire was crackling nearby. Where was she? What happened to her?

  Suddenly she remembered everything and got up with a start. She looked around and realized that she was in a huge cave; judging by its rocky walls, it seemed to be bored into a cliff. She saw the fire fueled by wood, crackling away, a few feet away from her; it cast a dim light all around it.

    She got up and looked about. Who brought her here? There seemed to be no one apart from her in that cave. Suddenly she saw a man seated in the shadows; she didn't notice him before, for only a sliver of him  was visible and the rest obscured in the shadows. Even in the shadows, she could see his eyes, a bright blue, as he stared at her.

  "You're.....Ivar, aren’t you?" she asked blandly.

  Ivar was taken aback. After racing across the Kingdom, he had found the cave suiting his purpose. He cleaned the wound on the woman's scalp, and bandaged it with a ragged cloth to stop the bleeding. He had then lit a fire, to give her warmth and settled himself in the rocky depths, brooding over his grief and misery. He had seen the woman wake up; but he didn't reveal himself. He wanted to see her next move. But he never expected to be recognized by a person, whom he never saw  in his life before.

  "I know who you are", she continued, walking towards him. "I know your brother well. Is he alive?"

  Ivar was taken off his guard. Even thinking about his brother pricked at him like a thorn deep in his entrails. Choking on his grief, he looked at her listlessly and shook his head.

  "That's terrible. He was a great man, your brother. We used to work together", she said sitting beside him.

  Ivar looked at her blankly. Looking at him, she realized he deserved an explanation and went on:
  "I'm Menue, a Sorestrel. I assume you've never heard of us before. So let me take you back to the early days when the Thorbs were made. Many people on both sides, Earth side and Heaven side, sacrificed themselves to make the Thorbs. After them their descendents married among themselves to evolve a new race called the Vistrels. They had powers specific to their own kind and were the only ones who can remove the orbs from the altars. But occasionally, a Vistrel married someone from another race. Their descendents were called Sorestrels. They had almost all the abilities of the Vistrels, though they lacked the ability of touching and removing the orbs."

  Ivar sat there listening, the fire reflecting in his glassy eyes. The woman continued:
" My father was a Vistrel, though my mother was not one of them. Sorestrels became helpers of Vistrels in their missions. They helped them in infiltrating into enemy territory and acquired crucial information for them. Each Vistrel has a specific Sorestrel to assist him. I used to be the helper of Utiah, your brother. I helped him in a lot of his missions."

  She paused and remained silent for a long time. His brother's name spurred something inside Ivar and he blurted out finally:

"Why did I not know all this?"

  "You were too young. The powers of a Vistrel  will comletely mature at the age of twenty. At that time the King himself summons the Vistrel, and informs the person everything he or she needs to know. The Vistrels are highly secret weapons of the Kingdom and information is not given out unnecessarily to those not taking part in the missions. You should know that, already."

  Ivar nodded and bent his head low. He heard the woman speaking again.

  "After the age of twenty, the Vistrels  are given special rigorous training to improve their physical and mental strengths. They learn to use their powers to the fullest extent. That's the first time the Vistrels come to know of their other relatives who shall be working alongside them. All the Vistrels are related distantly in some way or the other. Then they take the oath of secrecy and never reveal the identity of other Vistrels, even if it means their death"

    "The Sorestrels also  undergo similar training and come to know of the other Sorestrels and the Vistrels they have to help, in the missions. Each Vistrel selects a Sorestrel, whom he feels will work the best, in his interests. Then the duo of Vistrel and Sorestrel undertake missions independent of other duos for the benefit of their Kingdom"

  Menue paused once again, and gazed into depths of fire. Ivar still had his head bent low, but ears in rapt attention to whatever she spoke.

  "Last night I went to the altar of the Thorb", she said in a serious tone. Ivar looked up, but did not meet her eyes. "The Thorb was still there, but I felt something amiss. I felt that it was a fake, though I did not raise an alarm just because of my suspicions. I wanted to confirm it first with a Vistrel. I rode up  to the house of the nearest Vistrel, though I was not his helper. At their house I received the shock of my life. The whole family was murdered, and their bodies were scattered all around the house. I panicked and rode to another Vistrel's house nearby. Again I was aghast on finding the whole family murdered. I realized then, that a serious betrayal has occurred."

  On hearing the word 'betrayal' Ivar's ears pricked up. His brother mentioned the same thing in his dying moments. "She....did this...she..", he had said. Who was she?

  "That was when I made a terrible mistake", said Menue. "Instead of alerting the army, I first wanted to ensure the safety of your brother. I underestimated the Heaven Kingdom; I didn't think they would attack so soon. I was also not sure about the theft, though the Vistrels' death somehow confirmed that. Most importantly, I wanted to see that...your brother..was safe"

  Ivar looked into her eyes and knew that Menue had a special place in her heart for his brother. He felt it in her eyes. Just moments ago, she concealed it very well though it now became apparent.

  "By that time it was already nearing dawn. I rode on swiftly and reached your house...but a little too late. The attack has already begun by then. As I neared your house, a meteor landed just in front of me and I was blown off my horse. I got hurt in the head and was swaying in and out of consciousness when I reached your house....that is, after it blew away as you know. After that I lost my consciousness, and again woke up here."

    Ivar sat silent for a while, then looked at her out of the corner of his eye. A thin film of tears had developed over her hazel eyes which was not there before. She set up a bold front at first but now is crumpling on hearing about his brother's death. It's also his first time observing her this closely. He didn't observe her closely when he brought her and attended to her. But now he noticed that she had a fair complexion, deep hazel eyes, wavy brown hair and full lips. She had an elegance and faith he felt assuring.

  "So...what about the other Vistrels?", asked Ivar finally.

  "I don't think there's anyone left alive", Menue said, wiping her eyes. "Judging by the bodies in those two houses, they were murdered  some  time ago, by then. The one who betrayed us must have given away the identities of all the Vistrels living in the Kingdom. They must have killed them even before they attacked. I really don't know why your house wasn't attacked. But it doesn't matter now. Utiah is dead, anyway."

  "So, there are no Vistrels left", Ivar blurted out.

  "There is one", she said turning towards him. "You"

  Ivar blinked hard. Yes, he was a Vistrel and seemingly the only one left.

  "Our Thorb is stolen", she said. "We were caught unawares. Most of our Kingdom is destroyed. Our army is in shambles. The whole Kingdom is in disarray. But even now we have one sure way of winning this battle"

  "What?"

    "We have to steal our orb back from them and place it back on the altar", Menue said, even as Ivar gasped. "Our army is powerful and it'll take a long time for the Heaven Kingdom to defeat us completely. Even then rebellion groups may exist. So eventually if we get the orb back, those of us remaining can beat them back with its power"

  Ivar sat openmouthed for a while, then found his words: "You're not making any sense. They must have taken the orb to their Kingdom, and it can be anywhere. It's definitely guarded heavily. Who can go there and get the orb back"

  She stood staring at him from the entrance of the cave. He stared back waiting for an answer and then he understood.

    "No way", he said disbelievingly. "It's  not me. It's impossible. I can't do this"

    "You have to. And you're the only one who can"

    "But I'm just a lad of eighteen.", he said, exasperatedly. "I can't fight. My powers even haven't matured yet. Someone else can do it"

  "There is no someone else", she said sternly. "Don't you understand. This is not about strength or manpower. We can never reach the orb with those. This is about stealth. That is the reason they killed the Vistrels first. They knew that they were the main threat. Vistrels are masters of disguise, cunning, stealth and experts in hand to hand combat. They are the only ones who can steal the orb"

    "Even then, my powers aren't matured", said Ivar. "And I don't have any of those skills".

    "They aren't matured completely. But they are sufficiently developed, though not perfect. I'll find any Sorestrels left and we'll teach you. Yes, we'll teach you all those skills. Don't say you don't have them; it's in your blood. And you are the only one who can touch the orb. No one else can do it"

          Ivar sat there looking at the burning resolve in Menue's eyes. He felt ashamed for not sharing it. She was just a little stronger than him, but was thinking of all she can do, to protect the Kingdom. She's willing to lay down her life for that cause. His brother also wished him to meet her in his dying moments. He knew that she would help his brother. He wanted to save his Kingdom even in his death. He wouldn't want his own brother to back down like a coward now.

      No, he definitely wouldn't want that, thought Ivar as he stood up firmly. He had stopped shaking. He clenched his fists tightly. And I won't back down.

    "I'll do it", he said with a ringing voice.

  Menue smiled, and looked outside. It was already getting dark but she felt a glow inside her, due to the hope he had given her.

  "So, will you accept my help in this mission, like your brother?', she asked, smiling.

  "Yeah", Ivar said, smiling himself." And from now on, this is my mission".
                                **********************************************