The Rising Sun: Episode 5 Read Online Free Page A

it will be considerably safer. But
even there, nothing at all is certain. And dangers along the way,
both from the Naxim and the Xeni, still persist. But this is a
venture we have to take.”
     
    He scowled, looking from Ion to Dantox. “But
what we need to realise is that even if we get the crystal
destroyed successfully, those ten planets will still be blown off.
And we cannot allow that to happen: we’re now in a position where
we can try and save them. As a result, the journey to the priest
Nalzes will have to be undertaken by one of us. In the meantime,
the remaining two of us will have to take the army of watchmen, and
try and stop the ten bombs going off.”
     
    “I’ll do it.” said Ion, nodding at Mantra.
“I’ll take the crystal to the planet where this priest stays, to
have it destroyed. In the meantime, the two of you go and find
those bombs.”
     
    For the first time since the battle of the
temple, Ion felt a steely sense of purpose like never before. Now
that the caged, helpless feeling he had experienced earlier on was
gone and the time had come for action, he felt his urge to act, to
help the world, livened and ablaze again. He knew that whatever
dangers and threats lay ahead, he would be more than willing to
face them.
     
    Mantra, Dantox and Nano were all looking at
him after he had said it.
     
    Mantra gave a nod. “Good. Very good. Ion will
take the crystal to Nalzes, to have it destroyed.” He turned to
Nano and then to Dantox. “In the meanwhile, myself, Dantox, Nano
and the watchmen will scour the spectrum and do whatever we can to
stop those bombs from going off.”
     
    “So what’s this great tool you were talking
of?” Ion inquired. “Which is supposed to help me in this
journey?”
     
    Mantra smiled. “Nothing more than a
ship.”
     
    Nano turned and nodded at the army of
watchmen, all of whom looked identical to him. The entire army of
thousand or fire moulded soldiers held one hand out, pointing into
the sky. As one, a long orange ribbon shot out of every one of
their arms, streaking into the sky. The orange ribbons touched the
heavenly abyss and began swirling and coiling again, as they had
earlier. A second or two passed mesmerisingly, and the flaming
cords seemed to gain speed rapidly, so that all that was seen of
them was a hazy swish of orange.
     
    And then, as the swirling of the ribbons
slowed down, there was a giant orange mass that had taken shape
amidst them, hanging densely in the middle of the night’s pitch
black expanse.
     
    It slowly descended from the sky, with the
watchmen all gazing at it as it lowered. As if hoisted by an
invisible rope, it lowered slowly, steadily, and thudded to the
ground right ahead of the three Nyon, where the watchmen had carved
a clearing for it.
     
    Flamebird seemed to shimmer with radiance,
its orange skin bright and brilliant. Shaped like a giant orange
falcon, it stood large and magnificent before them. The bird’s
eyes, narrowed and focussed, were fixed over the three Nyon,
waiting for them to board it. Its wings were stretched out on both
sides, elegant and sprawling. It was a medium sized ship, but there
was a quiet power pulsating in its ancient depths. Ion knew it was
woven by the energy of the watchmen.
     
    “A ship, but in no way an ordinary ship.”
said Dantox. “This, Ion, is the fastest and greatest ship ever
made.”
     
    “The planet where the priest resides is known
as Velrox,” Mantra informed Ion. “And it is in the farthest reaches
of the outer spectrum. But in this ship, the journey will take just
over an hour, I estimate.”
     
    “Why can’t Nalzes come here, instead of us
taking the crystal all the way there?” asked Ion. “That way,
wouldn’t it save us all a lot of trouble and risk?”
     
    “We would love for that just as much as you
do,” said Dantox. “But Nalzes has gone into a hermit lifestyle,
severing all ties with the entire world. Though we know the planet
he lives in and the