The Rift

Chapter 1, Part 1

It seemed almost comfortable as it sat on the wooden stake that kept it hovering above ground. The eyes were closed shut, its mouth in sharp contrast, bearing numerous rotten molars and a lifeless tongue. Its sable blue, armored flesh had begun to peel as the suns' rays relentlessly beat down on it, day after day. It seldom had company; not many dared to pass it, for what lied beyond was a testament to its very existence.

It was the unfortunate victim of a vicious war, on the planet Nurn, between two syndicates: The Sworn of Yuraka, and The QoCagot. They were mortal enemies fueled by the bloodlust of revenge that was product of the murder of both clans' leaders, decades before.

The QoCagot elected Vurg, heir to the throne, as their new ruler soon after the death of his father. He was a brave and brutish warrior fit for any task that confronted him; the Yuraks had no one to fear more. He led multiple excursions into the enemy's territory, butchering hundreds and imprisoning many. The ruthless leader successfully turned the long war to the favor of the Blurgs, the sole race of the QoCagot.

Mercenaries, all hailing from planets over the system, came to Nurn in search of profit. The QoCagot attracted many more than their enemy, due to their standing in the war. They paid their hired soldiers heavily and assigned them to various, life threatening missions that a normal grunt could not undergo.

With most of their border outposts lost, The Sworn feared they would soon be utterly destroyed. And so, after months of plotting and training, they attacked The QoCagot, in the dead of night, at their base of operations in the town of Khargo. They managed to catch their enemy off guard, slaughtering many and abducting the Blurg's leader, Vurg, in the process, sending his clan into desperation.

                                                                                         -(:)-

"Cagut labatsu," muttered a Blurg, as he took his fallen comrade's head off the stake that suspended it.

He set it onto the bleak, chalky sand and dug a small grave with the aid of his thick-bladed knife. Once finished, the severed head was taken from the ground and slowly laid into its final resting place. Sand was piled on top of it, rendering it invisible to the world above.

The Blurg got to his feet and sheathed his weapon. Anger gripped every part of his being. He was sick of the Yurak scum that threatened his race. Blood and revenge, that is what he craved most of all; a desire so strong that it demanded obedience. It ruled him and it would see its will done.

He was a part of The QoCagot's retaliation squad, along with two mercenaries: a Human and a Vivite. Their mission was to extract his leader from The Sworn outpost of Zama and ensure the death of the Yurak commander, Ságma, if possible.

Daran was his name. As Vurg's nephew, he was personally affected by the abduction. His leader had practically raised him, for his own father died early in his life during a skirmish with the enemy. Hatred of Yuraks was ingrained in him since birth. He preferred a blade to any stinger or kinetic rifle. He found that it made his kills more personal, more meaningful. The Blurg insisted that he be assigned to the extraction team; he wanted nothing more than to slay Ságma with his own weapon.

He had the same brutish face that all Blurgs were born with: a robust nose, a severe under bite, tusk-like molars, sharply curved bones above small, colorless eyes, and circular holes in place of ears. Hair was not something native to his race, so his head was naturally bald. His skin was the same sable blue as the severed head, with rough, scale-like texture. His body was bulky yet muscular. A blade and bullet resistant vest covered his shoulders and torso. His arms were wide and powerful, ending in large six-fingered hands capable of crushing any Yurak's skull. Dharan sported camouflage trousers and beige boots, which overlapped his stout legs and shielded his large feet. A double-bladed battle-ax, which was a family heirloom, was strapped to the warrior's broad back. He was fully prepared for the battle before him.