Dessix was a tiny dwarf planet on the outermost edge of the Milky Way galaxy. With a radius of a hundred and thirteen miles, it was a planet not very easily found by most conventional equipment. Although it had an incredibly diverse ecosystem for its size, it was covered entirely in swampy jungles. Many wildlife roamed the murky world ranging from small mammals to giant lizards; these animals could mostly be found around the heavy swampy areas in the low valleys.

The Citadel was built on a significant open depression believed to be the location of the mythical legend that brought Thanatos to the planet; there was no other plain similar to it anywhere else on the small world. This plain was surrounded by low hills that resembled the edges of a crater. Izzar had spent most of his life inside the marshy forests around the Citadel within the crater, training and searching for lost relics for his grandfather. Exploring the surrounding areas within the recess around the Citadel was no longer an adventure; he craved to travel beyond and map the rest of the planet.

Aargon and Viha had never seen a planet such as this. The gloomy unending fog in the low-lying areas fascinated them; it never seemed to go away no matter what time of the day it was. Only the high areas standing above the marshlands were clear of thick fog, but even there, the mist was persistent though thin. Moreover, there have been reports of beasts roaming the marshes, large ones that hunted strong prey. Izzar had never encountered one of them before, but he dreamt of meeting one in the wilderness to fight one ever since the news came that one of the monks discovered one roaming close to the fortress.

It was a well-known fact that many other humans had settled areas of the planet long ago; however, many perished at the hands of Thanatos during the construction of the Citadel, and many others managed to escape off-world. Colonies had been established in the South Pole where the jungles were less hostile, but even those were abandoned long before Thanatos’s arrival.

Izzar stared up into the sky and noticed the sun was moving quickly; it had already passed mid-day. Days on Dessix were short, seventeen Earth hours, to be exact. Nights were just as long as days all year round. The year on Dessix was extremely long, lasting one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two Dessixian days or one thousand three hundred and eighteen Earth days. Though the Dessixian year was not observed by the Citadel, times and dates from Earth were kept.

They lost plenty of time; he could not see how they would find a new stone by the break of dusk; they had a few hours left, then time was up. They had to travel deep into the jungle to find new pieces; maybe just retrieving the one’s Thanatos planted would be easier, he thought.

“These jungles are confusing. Do you know where we are going?” Asked Aargon curiously.

Izzar decided it was time for them to stop; it could make it difficult to catch their breath in the thick marshes.

“We must have patients, Aargon. If we rush, we can find ourselves in a lot of trouble.”

“What do you mean?” Asked Aargon curiously, all the while looking at Viha after her strange behavior caught his eye. She was looking intently into the thick undergrowth for something Aargon could not see.

“Is something there?” Asked Izzar curiously.

“We’re being followed.” She said while drawing her sword.

“One thing you should always remember about Dessix….” Said Izzar while lowering her blade with his right hand. “…You will always be followed here.”

Aargon seemed to lose his composure, sweat was already pouring down his face, but the prospect of violence made his hands shake; violence was not something he agreed with.

“We will not have to defend ourselves; we are quite safe. The wildlife does not seem too curious about humans. They never attack if not provoked.” Continued Izzar as he sat down onto a white marble stone.

“Please, sit and rest.” He pointed towards many items within their vicinity. “If you don’t rest, the task will become more difficult, and you will not get back to the Citadel alive.”

Viha decided to remain on her feet; Aargon relaxed a little more and sat down on another rock next to Izzar. The two strangers to Izzar were not used to this kind of environment; every sound kept them on their toes, yet for Izzar, he was used to it. There was no other kind of nature he knew; the surrounding forest allowed him some peace from the rigorous training at the Citadel.

“How long have you been on Dessix?” Asked Aargon out of curiosity.

“I was born and raised here. I have only seen the vast systems in space from holograms during my studies. I’ve never been off-world.”

Aargon was surprised; the Citadel only consisted of celibate monks and one young boy. Who had given birth to him? He knew of cloning under the most elite in the galaxy though he has never met a clone in person. If he was one, Aargon would have had many questions.

“How long have you known Viha?” Izzar’s voice was low; he did not want Viha hearing him asking this to Aargon. Though he did not think Viha’s attention was with them as she was constantly looking deep into the fog-filled marshes surrounding them.

“We’ve only met after we disembarked our transports when we arrived here. She doesn’t talk much.”

Izzar’s interest in her grew; he had never met any female other than his mother before. Though even with his mother, he had not interacted with her before. A particular mystery surrounded her, making him feel uneasy but interested at the same time. Her skin seemed soft to the touch; it was clean with no scar or blemish to behold on any part of her visible body. She was supposed to be the best warrior in her father’s guild; he would have expected some scars on her from her many battles. Aargon was precisely what he expected. Most of the monks, when taking away their customs and traditions, were precisely like him. Tall and not as mysterious as they led on, only serving a single purpose and would not stay quiet in any circumstances.

Izzar dropped his guard; his thoughts wandered back to the Citadel. He could feel something was wrong there. For many years, he studied his grandfather and knew when he was stressed and when he was not. Something profound was bothering Thanatos, but he won’t tell a soul.

Without warning, his thoughts were interrupted by the whistle of a blade approaching the side of his face; hesitation from Viha caused her to stop mere inches from his skin. With pure instinct, the split-second Viha allowed him, he swung around, grabbing her blade with his bare hand and disarmed her within a blink of an eye. Viha’s warrior instinct kicked in, locking arms with Izzar ready to defend herself. For a moment, they smiled at each other. Izzar suddenly felt a feeling inside him he was unfamiliar with, a feeling of warmth and belonging, a comfort unbeknown to him, his guard was dropped once again. Viha attacked with full force, landing a punch in his ribs; there was no time to breathe. With as little effort as possible, he blocked her next incoming blow. He kicked high, aiming for her chest, but she managed to secure his blow effortlessly. He was impressed, so was she. From the side, Aargon tried to draw their attention, but neither wanted the fight to end. Izzar had a thrill at the idea of having a sparring partner his own age who can demonstrate skills close to his own abilities. She did not give him any chance or opening; her defenses were flawless; Izzar knew he would have a difficult time with her.

Each blow, block, and movement felt like it was flowing through and around the two warriors; like water flowing around a rock, they danced to each other in a flurry of skill. They were trained for this; they were one person but two separate vessels; a majestic well-corrugated show had no match to the beauty of the energy flowing between them. Aargon looked on with awe. It took a few moments for the two warriors to finally stop and stare at each other with a smile exchanged between both of them.

“You are better than I thought.” Said Viha, wiping sweat from her forehead.

“I could say the same about you,” Izzar felt happy; he was not familiar with this feeling and tried to suppress it.

“It’s the most fun I’ve had in all my life,” Izzar said as he bowed before her.

“If you call that fun, then I can’t wait to show you some more.” She continued with a smile, bowing before him.

Neither one of them realized Aargon was no longer with them until Viha turned to ask him a question. Izzar and Viha were surprised, hoping he didn’t wander off into the jungles by himself.

“I…” Izzar was lost for words.

He looked around the area for clues but could not find any. Finally, Viha walked around the stone Aargon was sitting on earlier, and between the two rocks, she noticed some kind of extender stick was left behind by him. She picked it up and showed it to Izzar.

“If I know his kind, he would never leave without this thing. So someone must have taken him while we were too distracted to notice him disappearing.”

“Or something…” Added Viha.

Izzar exchanged a nod; it was possible that some wildlife reacted to the perceived aggression between them and saw Aargon as a weak target. Many carnivorous animals were roaming Dessix, but most of them would keep clear from any humans. Various times Izzar thought he was in danger as he would cross paths with some minor predators, but as soon as the animal saw him, they disappeared into the fog again. Predators on Dessix did not have to catch their prey difficultly; therefore, there was no reason for them to attack a being that would defend itself.

Izzar looked around the rocks, it wasn’t easy seeing in the mist and on the moist ground, but there were signs of something nefarious that happened moments ago. Aargon might not have been conscious when he was taken away; there might be some poisonous animal who saw its chance and captured its unsuspecting prey.

“Where could he have gone?” Asked Viha, She tried looking into the thick foggy undergrowth but could not see very far.

“We are not alone,” Izzar noted.

“Yes, I told you this earlier. Who or whatever was following us has taken Aargon.” Viha didn’t sound too worried; it might have been in her DNA not to worry but to take on each challenge with a brave heart, and an open mind was programmed into her being.

“Would this be the wrong time to ask you what happened to Master Thanatos’s eyes?” Viha’s thoughts wandered; Izzar could only wonder why.

“It is the wrong time for that; we need to find Aargon; we absolutely cannot go back to the Citadel without him.”

Viha understood the currentness in his voice. Her encounter with Thanatos earlier that day was terrifying; his threats were enough to scare her. She wouldn’t want to find out what would happen if one of them got lost or, worse, died.

A familiar voice echoed in the fog; Izzar had heard that voice many times before. Tarium. Viha lifted her weapon in defense, Tarium caught her off guard.

“Master Izzar, your friend is in danger. He’s been taken by a Fargesrat. Intelligent creatures.”

“Tarium, where did you come from?” His heart was pounding in his chest; he also did not expect someone to come out of the thick fog speaking to them.

“I was told to follow you on your journey, to bring you a new task. Aargon will not survive long if we don’t act now.”

“I thought Fargesrats were too scared to approach humans?” Izzar finally responded to Tarium’s first question.

“The predators around the citadel have been acting strangely the past few days; we are unsure what is triggering this heightened aggression.” Continued Tarium.

“Can someone tell me what an ‘agargarat’ is?”

Both looked at her simultaneously to explain, but Tarium was a bit too fast for Izzar.

“Fargesrats are Peculiar creatures; that’s what they are. They mostly feed off smaller, weaker animals, though they only feed once every three days no matter how large the portion. They are gentle creatures, scaly with a long snout and sharp teeth protruding from their mouths. Their hide is used in the citadel for linen and coats. There hasn’t been much food around these areas, so I bet this one hasn’t eaten in weeks. We need to find Aargon soon; we have no time to waste. The Master has given you a new task.”

“What is the new task?” Viha was intrigued; something way more eventful must have arisen for Thanatos to assign them a new task.

“How long were you following us?” Izzar added, not caring about what Viha just asked.

As rules dictated, Tarium needed to answer Izzar’s every question without hesitation, unless the answer was deemed too sensitive or forbidden.

“Two hours, my lord. We need to hurry if we are to save Aargon. They usually don’t hunt too far from their burrows.” Tarium seemed to have forgotten Viha’s Question; she was somewhat annoyed by being ignored.

“What about the task?” She annoyedly asked.

“Young Mistress….” Tarium turned to her.

“There are three of you, no more and no less. If one of you is lost, all of you are lost. So all three of you must become as one, act as one, breathe as one, walk as one. There are no exceptions. Without Aargon, there is no new task. I can only give you your new task once all three of you are together again.”

Tarium thought he made himself clear to the young girl, but something did not sit right with her; she couldn’t understand why they had to be together like that.

“A warrior depends on her fellow warriors when she is weak and defeated; when she is strong, she must face her challenges alone. This is the code of Gandron!”

She had no desire to go into the dark fog looking for someone she believed shouldn’t have been there in the first place.

“You are no longer under oath of the Code of Gandron; you are now under the oath of the Epsimus; there is no other code above that.” Tarium was frustrated with her defiance; he knew he had to practice the utmost patients with this newcomer girl.

“I swore a blood oath!”

“Do you even know what a true blood oath entails, young mistress?”

She was confused; she only knew that giving an oath by drawing her own blood and adding it to the warrior’s stone was the single most crucial oath in the galaxy for a warrior. For centuries, the Gandron Warriors Guild had their initiates lay down their swords under the Stone of Champions after cutting their forearm and spilling their blood on it. It was an oath only death could separate them from; they lived by the code and died with it.

“It is the most important oath you can make!” She replied in anger. She did not appreciate the disrespect towards her oath and the traditions of her people.

“To the warrior’s guild…. Yes. But to the servants of the Epsimus, the greatest oath is that of spilling blood. To take the life of another and present it to the Epsimus is a blood oath. It shows your utmost dedication to the order.”

Viha laughed; she thought it was a joke.

“I killed many men.”

“Indeed you have, but when the time comes, you will be asked to kill someone you truly love. I don’t believe all those men and women you killed were anyone you held dearly to your heart?”

She was shocked; it wasn’t possible; they would never send a young person to murder someone they loved. How could they?

“We know there is only one person you love in this entire galaxy.” Tarium continued, wiping any thought that she could fool them.

“But don’t worry young mistress; it will be a good couple of years before you are presented with such a task.”

Tarium turned back to Izzar; there was haste in his eyes; they’ve wasted enough time as it is. They only had a few days to travel to the other side of the world and back before Iphis’s forces arrived. Tarium knew this but did not want to reveal the full extent of the danger they were in. Nevertheless, he was given a task, and he was determined to complete it by any means possible.

Izzar led the way into the foggy undergrowth in the direction Tarium pointed at, it wasn’t obvious, but Izzar noticed some tracks in the mud. It quickly dissolved; they did not have much time before they lost Aargon to the marshy woodlands. It would not be easy for Thanatos to find a replacement for Aargon. He was indeed the best at what he did. Izzar understood this. He had to go save Aargon.

The marshes were getting thicker. The fog around them seemed to get thicker also. They were descending down into a valley where these creatures would usually burrow, Tarium was walking behind Viha, and Izzar was leading the way. He was trained to lead, even when he had no experience doing anything. Luckily for them, Izzar knew the area well; it was still close to the Citadel. If he got lost in these areas, the easiest and effective way was to climb one of the trees where the spiraling tower of the fortress was visible on the horizon at the top.

There was one small problem navigating the marshes. Significant amounts of trees migrated across the lands pushing other smaller trees to the sides, making the landscape almost unrecognizable at times. However, for trained eyes, such as Izzar’s, it was effortless in recognizing the changing landscape. During one of his first expeditions out into the wilderness, he had set markers to find his way back to the Citadel. Unfortunately, as the migration season peaked during those days, his markers had scattered, making it extremely difficult for him to navigate the changed forest. He struggled for three days before finally climbing one of the trees to see where he was. Back then, he learned to find solid permanent features around him to rely on when making his way back to the Citadel.

Viha was growing concerned. They have been searching for the burrow for more than an hour. Indeed Aargon was dead by now; she couldn't understand why they didn’t just start with the new task given to them without him. They had very few rules on Gandron. It all came down to one direction. Kill or be killed. That applied to every aspect of her life, even now as she was walking through this thick marshy forest. They were walking into a trap; she was sure of this. Although mentally she was preparing herself for battle, there were many things she did not know about this strange planet, and there were many things she didn’t want to find out, all of which would help her preparation. Though she was strong, she knew she could not protect herself and Izzar if a large pack of predators attacked them.

Izzar stopped ahead of them, lifting his hand and bending down; he heard something up ahead in the fog. He whispers to Tarium and Viha, “Wait here.” And disappeared into the mist. Crouching, he made his way towards a sound he heard that resembled knawing; after a few more steps, he finally found a tree to hide behind and see what was going on ahead. The sun fell through the trees illuminating the area; there he was. It was Aargon laying in the mud. There was no one near him; he tried to see where the sound was coming from but couldn’t see anything. Slowly he moved forward towards Aargon. One step at a time, he looked around him carefully, ensuring he didn’t get caught off guard as Viha did earlier.

Feeling Aargon’s pulse, he was relieved to know he was still alive. He inspected him a little more and found he might have broken his collar bone; something was out of place, though. The leaves around him were disturbed. But not buy a Fargesrat. A giant mud worm emerged from the thick layer of soggy leaves a few feet away from Izzar. These creatures were giant snake-like worms with a thick coat that stopped the moisture from reaching their skin. When provoked, they were very aggressive, and to Izzar’s dismay, they never wandered alone. Three more mud worms as giant as the last emerged from the soggy leaves surrounding him, ready to attack. Izzar cursed below his breath. The biggest of the mud worms struck first, only to be stopped by Viha’s sword. Izzar regretted not having a weapon; this was not the usual run-of-the-mill expeditions into the wilderness that he’s used to. What seemed like an appendage on the worm’s face was sliced off by Viha and fell lifelessly to the ground. Tarium appeared behind Izzar.

“They knew we were coming to rescue him. They must have killed the Fargesrat that took him.” Tarium displayed apparent worry in his voice.

Viha didn’t waste any time; she sprang forward and attacked the largest mud worm first. In her experience, striking the largest one in a group usually discouraged the smaller ones from attacking. Tarium handed Izzar his retractable dark sword to defend himself; Izzar felt relieved. Next, Tarium and Izzar each chose a mud worm to attack. Viha had her hands full with the larger one; however, she was overwhelmed with the remaining one attacking her from behind. With no one watching her back, she was now fighting for her life. It exhilarated her. Her smile became a grin of pure enjoyment. At least, she thought to herself, if she died today, she would have died fighting a glorious battle.

Izzar realized she was in danger. He drew his sword and thrust it into his mud worm’s belly. It cringed and disappeared under the wet leaves. He ran and blocked the mud worm behind her from attacking with not a single moment to spare. Izzar heard a distant voice calling to him in the fray, he didn’t know who it was, but he had no time to listen now. With every blow, the voice got louder and louder, his frustration grew, and he nearly lost his focus completely. They could not handle all of the mud worms at the same time; they were outnumbered.

Izzar closed his eyes, and the pain and frustration grew in his chest. He did not want to disappoint his grandfather. It was almost too late for that. Finally, the voice in his head said, “Now.” Izzar didn’t know what it meant, but he felt all his frustration and fear release from his body all at once, releasing a solid fury of strange energy out of his body, disintegrating the nearest mud worm to nothing. The wet leaves around him dried out instantaneously and lifted up from the ground, disappearing into thin air. The other three mud worms were too far away from him and were only injured after being hit by the energy wave and slithered away; Tarium and Viha fell to the ground with shock, the power did not seem to affect them at all, Izzar just stood there in confusion not knowing what had just happened. Looking at his hand, he saw purple energy pulsating from it, but with every moment passing, it faded and eventually disappeared.

A rumbling below their feet snapped them out of the trance this sudden outburst of energy from Izzar placed them in.

“We need to go.” Said Tarium, very worried at what they have drawn towards them. Izzar ran to Aargon and threw him over his shoulders. It was time for them to go; there was not a minute to waste. Before leaving the area, Izzar looked over his other shoulder and saw a massive beast’s silhouette in the fog; it was even taller than the tree line above. He felt fear fill his body, hoping the beats had not seen them. The other two were right behind him; they did not look back; their main focus was getting out of there as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, at the Citadel. Thanatos felt it; there was an energy of the Nihil released somewhere on the planet. He did not understand. The only person capable of releasing Nihil energy was himself and no one else.

“Izzar has taken his first steps in understanding The Nihil.” A strong voice echoed in the chamber of crypts.

“It was stronger than before,” Thanatos said, worried.

“The power was his to wield; he has found a way.”

“What have you done?” He asked out loud. The Nivshevus didn’t give any answer, leaving Thanatos alone in the crypt.