Soul Eyes

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Xorphyx warship, dedicated Bone Splitter by the Frayalax population, docked on an uninhabited and scorched planet. Steam billowed from massive geysers and as they exploded, rock and boulders blasted into the earth, leaving giant crevices in the cracked ground. Lava flowed from several active volcanoes and earthquakes shattered the ground into itself. Bone Splitter was not the first Xorphyx ship to land on this coveted planet, nor would it be the last. Several hundred ships of all sizes landed into the protective dome which spanned several hundred miles in diameter, every hour. A circular canyon had been blasted in the center of the dome with a dirt path leading down. Xorphyx filed down the path to the flattened and bare ground below in a practiced and concise formation, their leaders at the head of each group.

Tharun was loaded into a carriage complete with steel bars and a Xorphyx riding a beetle like creature jerked the carriage forward. Tharun was thrown to the floor as the door had just slammed behind him and he had had no time to sit yet.

Familiar sad brown eyes gazed down at him. Ya Ya was alive. She extended a hand and pulled Tharun to a sitting position next to her.

"You're a..."

Ya Ya nodded and returned her eyes to the gloomy horizon marred with thin spire mountains and bruised clouds swirling above them. Flashes of lightning lit up the sky but none landed in the dome.

"Well shit," Tharun pushed his unruly matted hair back. "Do you wanna talk about..."

Ya Ya's glare stopped Tharun's heart and he dropped the subject.

"Do you know what's going on?" Tharun asked, looking around at their surroundings. The Xorphyx were moving in militaristic formation, Berserkers accompanied by their quill hounds who were behaving swell. None of them were making a sound except the patter of their varying number of feet, claws, or hooves hitting the ground. Tharun counted seven Mystics in the wagon. Up ahead, there was another carrying a dozen. And in front of that, with the next Xorphyx crew, a wagon held at least fifteen. The wagons continued, some crews having several full with Mystics. All of them looked how Tharun felt. Devoid of hope or a savior, most eyes had lost their life already, staring blankly ahead, numb to their surroundings. Mystic powers did not work on Xorphyx, they were all doomed.

The poor lighting from above dimmed further as the line descended in its thundering silence, it was as if none of them were even breathing. Torches flared to life down below, casting oddly shaped shadows on the walls of the chamber.

The Xorphyx filed into position. Tharun noticed there was not enough room for all of the Xorphyx that had landed. There had to be other chambers scattered under the protection of the dome.

The general of Bone Splitter and others of his rank and ilk stepped forward from the massive crowd of Xorphyx. They more glided across the ground than walked, stopping a few yards short of one another. There were fifteen of them in total, all differing forms, one of them billowing with black matter from its robes. Tharun knew though, they all shared the disturbing wide, lip-less grin even if all of them had their hoods up, hiding their faces. Behind them, banners on poles twelve foot tall were carried by slaves, the design representing each ship.

No one spoke. No one breathed it seemed. No one moved. Tharun was not sure what was going on at this point, not that he had a clue earlier either. The Xorphyx were completely still and it unsettled Tharun's nerves. What were these creatures waiting for?

The answer, as if hearing his thoughts, came with the start of several war drums, the beat echoing throughout the cavern. Tharun looked up. The path circling the cavern was lined with giants, chained collars around their necks, connecting each other. Tharun would reach one of their waists, maybe. Their calves were as large as his torso. Each one was marked with whipping scars and burns, some wounds still bleeding. Their masters walked amongst them, barking in Xorphyx and lashing with their awful whips.