02 Quetzals Flock

QUETZAL'S FLOCK
Krain. Kane doubted if their combined strength could have brought one down, even if
one had strayed close.
Eridos raised his hand and pointed at the star. Kane followed his finger. The
red giant was becoming easier to look at directly. It was old and it glowed like a red
hot coal rather than with the eye-scorching dazzle of a younger star. He had to look
through the Arch to see it. Its rough shape framed it, hovering on the ocean horizon.
The great finger of the flare was curling back, as if it was beckoning something
beyond. They watched in silence, as another flare burst out of the same quadrant. The
surface was coming apart like an erupting boil and its contents were escaping the
gravitational pull at an incredible speed. The new prominence wavered and dropped
back in a curve, for a moment creating the impression of another arch. Beyond it,
something incredibly brilliant started to show through the red haze of escaping gas,
turning it pearl-pink. A slither of hard brilliance slithered into view from behind the
red giant. Kane whispered.
"Zayez!"
"Your Masters won't help you, neither will your gods if you have any - any
more than mine!"
They were united for once, watching the impending disaster, spell-bound.
Eridos murmured.
"It's a pity that we'll never be able to boast of this sight."
Kane glanced at him briefly, there was a slight smile on his Eridos' lips. It was
almost as if he was welcoming the coming of the Dwarf.
"We're witnessing the death of a world. We're seeing something which has
never been seen by human eyes on this planet. Only the Sentinels have seen it - but
not men. It's ironic, my clever Quetzal, that we shall never get the chance to tell
anyone about it. Laugh! It's poetic justice! The mighty Quetzal can't beat the odds!
His fabulous luck has finally run out!"
.....
In the Cave of the Wraiths, sat the one man who had remained to await the
end. He had sent his attendants and the cultivators away, so that they could join the
great movement of Obeid and his Gens when they had passed on their way to the final
confrontation. The Cave was hot, much more so than it had ever been in the past. The
vapour which spurted from the fissures scattered around the floor was now scalding.
He sat in the midst of it and knew that he had little time left for the final act.
The brazier still flared, he had allowed it to remain. It was hardly capable of
driving back the vapours which threatened to engulf his ancient frame. He sat bolt
upright, willing himself to maintain the ten thousand year old carcass for a few
moments longer.
He had fashioned yet another dream/vision, as he had done repeatedly during
the events of the previous hours. He smiled as he realised he had used the
measurement of Kane Ashford. The man within whom Quetzal lived featured in the
vision. Eridos was with him and they both stared into the emerging white glare of the
White Dwarf as it sat on the limb of the Red Giant.
Urartu's face glistened with sweat, he could hardly draw the necessary breath
to sustain the old body. It wasn't only steam which was emerging from the fissures.
Now the deadly, sulphurous fumes which spewed up from the magma bed of the old
volcano, were permeating the steam-filled room.
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