LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - THE RENEGADE IMMORTAL - SECTION 22

Zonar was about to take his leave when he just then having picked up Nevetsecnuac’s subsequent thoughts, for a brief spell inquisitively stared at his nephew.

“How very perceptive of you. You are indeed an astute nephew.”

01-ZONAR - IMMORTAL (46)JP

It so happened that ever since the Prime Minister's party where which Nevetsecnuac had encountered the alien Cassar, Samnuk, though this part of his memories had been erased, he still had the enigmatically foreboding, gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach. The unease had stemmed from the fragmented, cryptic, and disjointed images that had oftentimes intruded into his mind's eye, which he had never been able to rightly resolve or decipher. Until just now that is- when from an inadvertent, illogical notion (a thought deviation), it had all come together to make a coherent deduction (sense, conclusion).

Nevetsecnuac had understood then that, once a link had been established between the entity in the amulet (that was an alien rock spirit imprisoned in a watery grave) and the host- it held an eternal and vital importance to, in this case Zonar's, existence. Overall, the amulet and the single creature within was indestructible; and it could always be retrieved. This realization generated within Nevetsecnuac the keen sense of relief and the need to repay at least in some small measure, Zonar’s kindness to him, by communicating this insight to Zonar, before his arch-nemesis Dwengzur, got hold of the amulet.

Before Nevetsecnuac could verbalize his thoughts, however, Zonar knowingly just then had smiled and held up his hand. "There's no need to caution me; however, I do appreciate your bother." He grinned as his hand unwittingly clutched the hidden bulk (at chest level) under his chemise (blouse, top).

 “I have already retrieved it. “ 

What Zonar, pressed for time, had opted at this point not to disclose to Nevetsecnuac however, was the fact that this amulet which held within it a seditious Cassar creature, this one originally called Mokak, had once belonged to his father Zandar (Chandor) Kuntzu.  A rush of historical facts, all the same, intruding into his brain, Zonar pensively looked away:

In primordial times Cassars, species that were innately, by nature supercilious (haughty), odious (vile), and oftentimes ruthless (brutal, savage), had once been the catalyst of the catastrophic dissention (discord) among existing ancient races.

02- A WARRIOR CASSARS

These primordial races, set against one another, the once supreme elite powers warring over several millennia had all consequently one by one had been eradicated (purged and extinguished). After another two millennia the Cassars, result of a long-drawn-out war, fortunately had been finally and utterly (rooted out) defeated by the omnipotent (invincible) Race of Karn. As sole remaining custodians of this world, by consensus of the elders of Karn, they had spared (the few remaining) Cassars from total annihilation only to imprison them, meanwhile allowing the mortal species to have the sole dominion over Earth. Since that time spanning several centuries now race of Karn, had secretly coexisted with men, dwelling in the remotest, highest elevation of the icy peaks- all the while, affording humankind that certain measure of safety, as the few mutated  Cassars - (the resilient ones that had later, due to the conditions of their incarceration had evolved into entirely different form, which Samnuk and Mokak were of) - had been indefinitely imprisoned in the protective water crystal amulets.

03- MUTATED CASSARS ( MOKAK IS ONE, LATER NAMED JEKOR)

 These amulets presently worn only by the elite members of the Karn Race had always been considered a bane to be endured till the end of time; because each Karn from since then had incessantly perceived (was aware of) that specific creature’s every sensation, discernment, impressions, shrewdness, and experiences, most of it abhorrently vile! 

On rare occasions, when an immortal for some reason or other ceased to exist (died), his amulet was then transferred to another suitable candidate. When Mokak became available, the most Ancient one Aegeus had bestowed the amulet containing Mokak to Chandor, at his third birthday’ special ceremony.  And so, Mokak from hence had been Chandor’s ward, till the date of Chandor’s (renegade immortal Zandar Kuntzu’s) untimely demise in the mortal realm.

04-ZANDAR (CHANDOR) KUNTZU - IMMORTAL (2)jp

Cassars had always been endowed (gifted) with supernatural prowess, but Mokak, (later re-named Jekor by Zonar, Zandar Kuntzu’s twin son) being an anomaly, with a split personality, being also a clairvoyant and an adept shape shifter, was an additionally challenging, most troublesome bane that,  Zonar like his father Chandor before him had to,  most of his adult  life, endure. A small consolation, at least Zonar had not been burdened with this menace during his youth; for as toddler Zonar had been secreted away and spent his early childhood years under the diligent care and tutelage of human foster parents, flourishing as a well-loved, robust, brilliant mortal being.  Zonar’s contented existence, however, had abruptly ceased (ended, altered the moment Chandar had died)- as he had been then inexplicably drawn to this, albeit temporarily, liberated alien form.

At distant locale, the Cassar Mokak being quite resourceful, upon the sudden demise of (Zonar’s father) Zandar Kuntzu, had successfully affected its escape from his liquid captivity and thence, was let loose in the mortal realm.

Consequently, Zonar’s mundane human existence from that moment on had had a catastrophic, tumultuous modification: for his prior placid, methodical (organized) mind had incessantly since then warred with his body. Any lesser being had gone utterly insane by such onslaught. Zonar, harangued by the inexorable physical ailments, sporadic pain, perpetual nightmares and physic torment, had been eventually driven to seek out (search for) and uncover the truth about his true lineage and worst still, discover the existence of the imperative (indispensable) birthright bond, the eternal, crucible (tribulation) link with Mokak. This was because Zonar and Zandar, father and son, had shared the same key genes (chromosomes); subsequently, Zonar had been forced to steadfastly hunt (retrieve) Mokak, to enslave him and to regain his prior sanity (control of his brain) and his physical wellbeing.

05-MOKAK AND HIS ALTER EGO

Pursued doggedly by Zonar the adroit Mokak, to avoid capture and to gain substance and therefore be imperceptible to detection, had striven hard to blend, in other words copulate, with a mortal living being. After several unsuccessful tries, where which Mokak’d left behind several charred human remains and a range of mammal corpses, he had eventually attained through the process of elimination, the essential specifics to triumph. Primarily, it had to be an adult female, still virgin, with the rare blood type (AB-). Secondly, the mortal concept of love, the kind of ardor which human couples had often exhibited for one another, had to exist at the time of consensual union; the absence of any of these key ingredients would absolutely doom the procedure (experiment, the modus operandi).

 By quark of fate, while hiding away at the furthest Province of Wenjenkun’s inhospitable, remote mountain, Mokak had encountered Jiense (Princess Teuquob and later still, Prince Nevetsecnuac’s wife) during her flight from danger. (To learn more: peruse, BOOK 2-THE ORDEAL- SECTION 8 or earlier sections).  

After the alien creature’s stealthy scrutiny, finding Jiense a perfectly compatible candidate from then on Mokak, had set his sights onto seducing her and achieving his goal. To disarm Jiense’s fears, he’d right away quickly assumed the appearance of a rather pleasant looking, bold headed, clean shaven young man about her age; then manifesting suddenly before her, Mokak had presented himself to her as one supposedly from an aristocratic family from Kontu that had fallen on hard times and then become a devout Monk who presently, was on a religious pilgrimage.  

 Mokak could have done an irrevocable harm to Jiense (Princess Teuquob) and to his (Zonar’s) nephew, Prince Nevetsecnuac, as well, permanently altered Wenjenkun’s history. Fortunately, and just in time too, Mokak (re-named Jekor ) had been traced, captured, and then duly contained in an amulet which at present, was worn by Zonar.

Zonar grimaced and considering the alternative loath outcome, pensively looked away:

If Dwengzur had obtained Jekor, the genetic markers of the creature within the amulet, if tampered with, would have only resulted in the destruction of the alien creature and that abrupt severing of ties, could have had its own serious repercussions. Even if Dwengzur did not do this but had kept it for a while, for malice, to simply torment him (Zonar) and destabilize him, the outcome still would have been devastating. This narrow escape, hence, peeved Zonar.

Zonar’s thoughts reverting to Nevetsecnuac’s bizarre ordeal with another troublesome Cassar, Samnuk, which happened to be Dwengzur’s ward, Zonar could not resist the temptation (chance) to provoke (antagonize) the haughty Elders of Karn and specifically Dwengzur, addressing him directly:  

“I was there you know, witnessing Samnuk’s defiant acts; I was the innocuous fly at the tip of the nose of one of the spellbound, frozen human participants (guests). I saw it all. I heard it all.” Zonar staring across, at the far corner of the room, had roguishly derided (taunted). Subsequently, he snickered, sensing his goading had generated (produced) rampant venomous thoughts teleported to him, as it had simultaneously thawed a degree of the immortals’ icy blood.

06- SOME ELDERS OF KARN (LOOKING DISPLEASED)

Zonar nevertheless quickly suppressed his present glee (delight); then, he turned his serious but affectionate gaze back on Nevetsecnuac. 

“Yes, one might say you fared well in that terrible altercation. You, a supposed primitive human, have taught them a fine lesson they soon will not forget; furthermore, they will not be so quick to underestimate your kind in future.”

"They… Who are …?" Nevetsecnuac was puzzled.

“The unwarranted and outmoded eavesdroppers….” Zonar disdainfully snorted and looked away, and then turning impatiently added, “Extrapolating your prior concern, let us just say I had a hunch, so I went back for it. After all, it was a keepsake from my father.” 

 “Now I must bid you my fond farewell."  Zonar turned to go but then stayed (halted) his footing and ceased mid-way his mumbled incantation; after a brief consideration, he simply shrugged.

"Oh, why not; I can see no good reason why you should be kept in the dark."

Despite the looming danger Zonar lingered just a little while longer at the spot to bestow on his nephew, Nevetsecnuac, a fine parting gift.

Subsequently, with a wave of his hand, Zonar created a circular opening in the mid-air of the room- a window of sorts. His face temporarily sported a strange, acerbic expression as his disdainful eyes taunted and then threatened the far away foe.

To the utter disquiet of some of the Elders of Karn and concealed fury of Sthetor, Zonar had then invoked, brazenly, the ancient incantation. When he had reached the last part of the incantation, however,

"Do-kume...ke..ki... sooonures do … 

mukenoro qu wuuuos…. Hukoressyonner….”

"Kazuuuummm… “

Zonar had then deliberately added an unknown variation (factor, canto, verse) to it. This would enable, Nevetsecnuac to view the unfolding scene (the live images, the setting and the characters) which had been purposefully obscured (hidden, muddled, concealed) to the snooping (prying) Immortals.  

07-ZONAR - IMMORTAL (37)JP

Zonar next turned with a softer expression to face Nevetsecnuac and, graciously invited him to once more experience and view the mountain cabin of his youth.

The scene presented a typical night-time routine after a hard day’s toil; the occupants of the dwelling having concluded a hearty (nourishing) repast and cleared away the dishes from the table, they had now, before going to bed, few hours' time with which to indulge in their leisure pursuits.  Nevetsecnuac's eyes presently beheld the typical warm and comforting sight in that far away Mountain Cabin, a place that had been for two decades, his home. The rush of countless exciting recollections and loving memories of those times had, all at once then, (with a warm glow) inundated his heart.

08- LORD ASGER THUXUR MARROG ZHON  (162)jp

Through misty eyes Nevetsecnuac now observed how perfectly still Lord Asger Thuxur Marrog Zhon, having aged a little more, was seated in a familiar pose by the fire. How characteristically, in rapped attention he read those old manuscripts, one a night, pausing only periodically, to deliberate on a concern and at the same time inhaled a prolonged (drawn out) intake of smoke from his pipe.

Nevetsecnuac’s eyes had next trailed to his beloved wife Teuquob, seated with composure, in proximity to the warming fire. As beautiful as ever, she was diligently practicing calligraphy at her desk. Her skill had much improved, far surpassing his!

Nevetsecnuac looking over her shoulder unseen and unheard, marveled at her penmanship and the proficiency of the ink strokes as they effortlessly glided on the (paper) parchment. As though sensing his presence, she abruptly stopped, exhaled a deep sigh and then withdrew the string of wound threads he’d long ago after one of their long walks, had given to her when she had casually asked what he had been doing? He had felt nervous during their conversation and so used his hands to focus on something else. He could not believe that after all that time she still held onto it, that she treasured something so trivial and looked at it now with such longing in her pupils.  

09-NEVET'S WIFE TEKOUBJIN  (70  B )JP

He fought the sudden desire rising within him, wanting to embrace her, to stroke her auburn locks; to reach out and tuck the stray loose hair behind her ear. Oh, how he longed to gently caress her cheeks and then ever so reverently kiss the tip of her nose, which always made her smile, kiss her forehead and those luscious lips.

 His soul and heart were now filled with melancholy, for he loved and missed her so terribly; his present existence contrastingly, had been so driven, austere, and devoid of such candor, tenderness, and tranquility. Moreover, he suspected deep down that he would never ever again be with her or with them.

A sorrowful sigh escaped him as his focus (gaze) lastly settled on his beloved, a little bit older, and now not so identical twins. His precious, robust (strong, healthy, and hardy in constitution) boy twin Alric Svein and darling, most precious girl twin Lueling, as they with wonder glint in their eyes observed (studied) everything and all, about them as they played.  

Only the child’s vastly rich imagination could flourish (enabled) and hold such wonders as twins remained deeply absorbed, intensely captivated by some imaginary yet ordinary item (object): perhaps a specter, a crawling bug, a bird, a simply fallen log, a crackling flame, or a discarded, a plainly innocuous toy.  

10- THE TWINS , BOY ALRIC SVEIN AND PRECIOUS GIRL TWIN LUELING.

Nevetsecnuac’s heart was again wrenched with melancholy anticipating the many dangers and hardships that awaited them, even though Lord Asger would do his utmost to shield them from it all.

“You are being way too morbid.” Zonar’s testy, stern words snapped Nevetsecnuac from his ominous reflections.

"You should instead rejoice in your heart that you have such striking and gifted twins, perfectly well behaved too; funny how the boy is the spitting image of you, whereas the little girl now resembles more and more your astonishingly beautiful wife Princes,

Teuquob.” Zonar softening, grinned mischievously as though entertaining a secret; but

                                                                                    

                                                                              ~

 

one he was not willing to divulge, not at this moment in time. “Imagine if Lueling had instead, looked like you.”

Nevetsecnuac remained quite unresponsive to Zonar’s purposeful banter however, as he could not tear his eyes from the scene. He watched as though obsessed, oblivious of the tears filling his eyes.

 The fearful emotions, of trepidation about their prospects, once more welling up in his heart, Nevetsecnuac broke away from the scene by a sheer act of will and turned to ask Zonar if he could enlighten him on their probable futures, but the renegade Immortal had already gone, vanished into thin air, without a sound or a trace some time ago.

 Disappointed, Nevetsecnuac (spun his head back) turned to look again at the scene in mid-air, but the window that beheld his beloveds’ images, too, had also disappeared as if it had never existed. Suddenly the light was gone as well, and pitch darkness once more had blanketed (permeated) the room.

His emotions, meanwhile, erupting akin to the cyclone winds (or, charged akin to lightning bolts); Nevetsecnuac simply collapsed in the chair by the bed and closed his eyes tightly for some time, to beget (tranquility) serenity, in that thought-filled silence.

“Am I crying?”   

Only then had he become aware of the copious number of hot tears streaming down from his cheeks and chin; the cascading flow subsequently, progressively, drenching (soaking) the upper part of his silk night garment (pajamas, clothes).

                                                                                      

                                                                                ~

 

(END OF SECTION 22)

(CONCLUSION OF THE RENEGADE IMMORTAL- STAY TUNED FOR  BOOK 11- THE EVIL PERSONIFIED) 

 

 LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC – THE CAPITAL CHANNING – SECTION 13

 

As Zaur Stugr further jogged his memory, he recalled the clandestine meetings Prince Wenzor had conducted with Zakhertan Yozdek and some other important Minister (within those very premises ) at Sorgun's stately mansion.

 

01- ZAKHERTAN YOZDEDK  (21) JP

 

Once, playing hide and seek with an older playmate, he had accidentally stumbled on the conspiring trio in the garden and would have thought nothing of it save for the great stir it had caused.  He had, consequently, received a stern reprimand from his father and had been subsequently sequestered in his room.

 His unluckier playmate supposedly had been sent away with orders never to return but, years later he had learned that the poor boy had met his untimely demise at the hands of one of Zakhertan’s henchmen.

 

“My father was playing host to those traitors.  But how can that be? I know he was a staunch (steadfast) loyalist of the Sovereign Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir all his life. How could he have been drawn into this conspiracy? When did it happen? Was it by accident or by design? “

 

Zaur Stugr shook his head absolutely refusing to accept those perfidious, unconceivable treasonous notions; then suddenly an idea flashed in his brain, and he conjectured, (hypothesized), “Or was he… perhaps an undercover agent (a spy), working surreptitiously all along for the Emperor Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir and that’s why they so sadistically murdered him?”

 

Zaur bit his lip, surmising now, how these incriminating letters would have solidly backed up, Sorgun's allegations. Here were the plans for an insurrection, the irrefutable proof that would have backed up his father's claim (disclosure) of their treasonous aim to overthrow His Majesty Zuronghan Valamir. Alas, his father had failed because of a despicable betrayer, a trusted friend no less.

 

Zaur Stugr recollected then one of Sanzo Tezcat’s discussions about the sudden, curious disappearance of the Third Prince Wenzor, seemingly at the height of his popularity and influence, soon after that of Sorgun Dufo’s.  In fact, that mystery, too, to present had remained unresolved.

 

Reflecting on what Fradel Rurik Korvald had recounted about Yakkasar’s findings in the pit that night, that there had been another clustered group of skeletons at the far end away from the solitary one that was presumably Sorgun; the accumulated facts all at once suddenly fell into place, forming in Zaur’s mind, most probable hypothesis of sequence of events back then.

02- PRINCE WENZOR  JP

 

“Yes, why not; it certainly stood to reason that one of the ones in that clustered group of skeletons must have been the very Prince Wenzor.”   Zaur Stugr inwardly fumed, grounding his teeth.

Undoubtedly the Prince had outlived his usefulness to Zakhertan Yozdek and, in keeping with the usurper's tenets (credos, stances), had been betrayed.  Another in Zakhertan’s place might have allowed the prince to rule for a time, as a puppet king forced to perform at every pull at the strings, till Zakhertan had firmly consolidated his power.

 This would have spared the country from the ensuing bloodshed and of Civil Wars; but that would have hardly satisfied Zakhertan’s insatiable appetite for carnage and bloodbath now, would it?  Meanwhile, this was more in keeping (more typical) with Zakhertan Yozdek’s perverted, vicious mind, (more akin to his wicked sense) to have two mortal enemies thrown into the same pit to die together.

 

Zaur shook his head (rushed), to block from his mind those horrendous means, instruments of brutal tortures and to purge the ghastly images of the sort, his father Sorgun Dufo must have been subjected to, his ordeal lasting long afterwards, in that pit, at the hands of the Prince Wenzor and his men.

His eyes misted over as he reflected how his father had expired still protecting the secret; meanwhile Zakhertan Yozdek, alive and well, still currently, reigned supreme.

 

That part of the countryside, Zaur Stugr knew, was riddled with such pits, as mass graves, they should frankly be called.  From the evidence gleaned from the few that had come to light, he had learned something of their nature, of the ingenious manner of their construction and the way in which the (trapped individuals) unfortunates therein had met their demise.

 

All these years while his father’s corpse had languished in that akin pit, been gradually reduced to a skeleton, the key long since forgotten, tauntingly, sardonically had remained, locked in Sorgun Dufo’s silent jaw.

A staunchly determined soul preserving a secret forever, eternally locked in the mouth’s cavity!

03- KEY HIDDEN IN MOUTH

 

“But that meant that he couldn’t even cry out in pain!”

 

“The irony!  And now that nothing could be done about it, the key had finally come to light (been discovered).”

 

Suddenly, scathingly, another detail came to his mind (had struck Zaur).

 

“No clothing?”  He whispered.

 

There had been no mention of it in Fradel's account, but he knew the procedure (process, modus operandi) all too well.

Zaur Stugr knew, for instance, that they would have been stripped naked (hence, been exposed to the harsh elements), before being thrown into the pit, to ensure that there would be nothing hidden under cloth, nothing at all that could identify them.  And that way they would be forever lost to posterity, their person (being) would simply vanish into oblivion. History would never recount their heroics, their exploits, or their grievous plight in the end.

 

Zaur Stugr envisioned Zakhertan Yozdek’s cruel face sneering in the end.

He further imagined him saying, "Go ahead, and contemplate your treachery and vengeance all you wish down there.  Curse me with your dying gasps.  See if I care in the least."

Then Zaur heard the usurper's grating, vicious laughter as he signaled his men, soon to die themselves, to pile the planks then the earth back onto the mouths of these entrances to Hell. 

Zaur Stugr shook his head and grimaced sardonically, knowing how useless the information in the box was now.

If only he had trusted Sanzo Tezcat enough back then (at the time) to reveal to his guardian the truth about the box, that it was his father, not mother, who’d given him the box!

 

04- THE BOX

 

 If only Zaur (Kundrick Dufo) had been brave enough to face the consequences!

Bearing in mind Sanzo’s competence (his skill, proficiency, and resourcefulness), knowing what he knew of Sanzo now, especially with the backing of the Brotherhood of Kozurs, Sanzo would have succeeded where his father had failed and so altered the grim course of history.

 

“What use is this information to me now…To anyone else, for that matter?” 

He clenched his fists in rage, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

 

 “The decision he’d made so long ago was irrevocable. Was this the cruel act (hand) of providence (destiny, chance, luck, divine intervention) or simply, his own stupidity; which was it?”  Zaur Stugr’s face burned with suppressed, searing rage. 

 

He imagined all the Gods with caustic, mordant glare, cursing him. He saw his enemies, even the dead ones, all mocking him.

 

Zaur’s fist clenched tight, he pounded on (struck) the hard wall, over and over, creating a big dent in it. Highly incensed (enraged), he remained oblivious to the pain of his hand that had become more and more badly bruised and bloodied with each strike; meanwhile, such intense rage swelled up in his chest that he felt he would just burst.

 

 It took strong willpower for him to finally restrain (contain, subdue) his self-destructive (detrimental, damaging) course.  But then, anon flood (flurry) of angry tears filled his eyes and few escaping over the rim, trickled down his cheek. Vehemently (fervidly) he wiped them quick.

 

He was still so livid (furious) with himself for after all those years of training, his countless daring feats (accomplishments, exploits), his machinations… all that power he presently held with the strong backing of Kozurs, all; in the end it amounted to big, useless nothing! Nothing! Nothing!

05- ZAUR STUGR (SADDENED BY IT ALL)

 

Again, irately, rising from his chair, he paced the room like a caged beast, hands clasped behind him, not trusted to do his bidding.

"What a fool I've been!" he inwardly howled.  "What a great and utter fool!" 

 

At last, resolving to never again be tricked by appearances or his own mistrustful nature, he closed the rooms, left the wing, and stepped out into the cold, frigid morning air.

Fate relenting, lent him to a soft breeze, to caress his face or perhaps, to taunting him further, with yet another cruel trick.

 

 Zaur Stugr left the compound, his urgent footsteps following a snaking path that skirted tall, unkempt hedges that sagged under the burden of dew.

 

 Just then a gust of wind bit at his moistened face, a shiver rippled through him, and his skin turned to gooseflesh all over.

                                                                              ~

 

 

(END OF SECTION 13 – THE FINAL SECTION, OF, THE CAPITAL CHANNING)                                                                          ~