Muur Chronicles

CHAPTER 3

EPISODE 1:

    Nee Buamada led Linagu through a silky light blue sky and rainy cloud to the Odena, a heavy gigantic Tower which points directly towards their sun. Clouds like this are reminiscent of the Muur, who all somehow have an affinity for beautiful weather creations, leading to the Muur Supreme Council banning unofficial weather reconfigurations without proper official clearance and permission.

“Why can’t we just asport to the building?” Linagu asked his mother, not used to taking long walks when a simple asportation solves everything.

“You are free to try!” she casually stated just as they came by what looks like a small Lake. Linagu took the cue. “We are here!” Nee Buamada finally said. “Good. Because I was getting tensed at my inability to properly feel my powers and connections again” Linagu replied.

“You finally noticed. That you could still feel it at all is a wonder in itself” She said, patting him on the back to adjust backwards. A clear pathway covering the water which led straight to the Tower formed just in front of them, and the mother motioned for him to lead the way, which he did.

They walked across the Lake to the tower’s entrance side by side, together. The door flung open immediately they approached within 2fts, and as they crossed the door, they entered inside and approached the Ibuda, a Muurian vehicle. The moment the vehicle closed, it sent them ascending through the Elder Chamber vinting point, stopping at the uppermost part of the Chamber within seconds. The inner part of the Odena and every other thing within it, as well as the entrance to it from the beginning are programmed to respond to Nee Buamada only at any given time.

They stepped off the Ibuda into what appeared like a well lit room saturated in a camouflage. Linagu looked at the mother in expectation, but Nee Buamada simply walked across the room and sat in one of the seats directly opposite a glass window with access to the Chamber's environments.

“I know you are expecting me to show you things or say something, but that’s not why we are here Añia.” She finally said. Linagu walked across to where her mother sat afterwards. Standing beside her, he could feel her slightly worried. “You look so worried Maa” he quipped.

“You are about to find out about a lot of things Añia, beautiful and ugly things alike as you have not known it before.” Nee Buamada stated.

Linagu didn’t really know what the mother was talking about, but if she is worried, then he has needed to be worried too.

“Your focus should be on the Unerg and your father.” She said, bringing out her Anani which took out the light in the room and lighted it up again just as soon. The room’s camouflage gave way, revealing what seemed like an ancient hall with a lot of repositories in feelings, scrolls and screens. With this, Nee Buamada got up and was about to go when Linagu promptly inquired what next.

“You will figure it out.” She answered.

“Figure it out?” Linagu reiterated.

“Sure. I trust you to do that my son, if not; my bringing you here is a complete waste. Don’t tell me you are getting scared now Añia?” she asked rhetorically, smiling. Linagu smiled too, he always loves it when his mother jokes with him.

“No I’m not” he replied.

“Good, see you when I see you.” She said.

“One last thing Maa, the Muuragi?” he asked.

“What happened to it?” the mother queried back. Linagu showed with his facial and body expressions that he can’t access it.

“Focus on the Unerg and your father.” she said before her Anani lit up, and with it, she asported off the room in a spectacular way. Linagu stood there perplexed but realized the sooner he figures out why her mother brought her to the Elder Chambers, the better.

       He stood in the middle of the room and sized it up, but couldn’t quite make out exactly what he is supposed to be doing or searching for. His mother just mentioned two casual words, one he is familiar with and the other he wasn’t that familiar with.

He went round the big room, picked up some scrolls and glanced through a lot of them. The shady lighted screens barely showed what he didn’t know. After a while, he started walking round the room, observing it once again and saw a large wooden circle affixed to a wall with an unknown inscription. It looked familiar, though he couldn’t remember where he has seen something similar. He wanted to feel the artefact but decided against it on a second thought before being drawn to an orb-like object just a few centimeters away from the wooden circular object.  He fixated his stare on it for a few seconds before moving closer to it and touched it.

A giant hand holding a key structure popped out and he was tempted to take it. However, he decided against it; his mother has shown after all that almost everything in the well spaced 50metre Chamber was a camouflage. He stepped back and following his mother’s cue, tried to use his Anani to reprogram the Artificial Intelligence controlling the main Chamber core unit. Unfortunately, he was disappointed to learn that the place doesn't fall within his jurisdiction.

He again controls his anani, makes certain manipulations with it and adjusted all he felt were top configurations, but nothing. He put his anani back to its hold in his upper clothes, and walked back to the giant hand with the key. On a closer examination, he saw an opening in the key with a tiny thread and a ring on its head. He reached for it immediately and pulled it up. Five giant doorways descended from above the hallway, circling him and blocking him at the same time from making any further movement. He quickly turned around to see a giant diamond crafted mirror made with erabil beside him. He was in this situation when his anani lit up and left it's hold, attaching to the keyhole on the mirror and mashed up with it right in his front. The giant hand gave way, revealing just one path ahead and his anani returned to its hold.

He stood there for a moment before taking an unexpected dashing leap forward, caused by a massive force surge from the mirror. The blue lit door swiftly gave way, revealing the pathway forward which is flanked by pure glowing light trappers. He was swooshed through the door with force, straight ahead in a heavy hurl, not knowing what lay ahead.

The blue lit pathway closed behind him as he passed through until the encircling which was transporting him at a high velocity, vomited him out to a dimly lit room. He couldn't get his balance on time in the rush, and crashed to a wall in one side of the room but was unhurt. As soon as he looked up, he could feel from the surroundings that the place has a lot of Muur history, artifacts, relics and a transparent window showing the Muur’s hidden Unerg; it was three in number.  it was magnificent and such a beauty to behold, weighing about 10kg. His Anani lighted up immediately, acknowledging the source of its energy shielded in the hallowed chambers in which his master now is.

At the center of the room, a huge blue solid structure stood, strongly fixed to the ground. It looked like a huge square cube with a smoothly drilled hole in it's center when viewed from the corner Linagu stood in the room. He didn't know what it was, but it was powered by one of the Unerg. Its top was crafted in such a form to resemble the N sign. At the ground where it was fixed, a lot of interconnected laser lines are seen intersecting each other, and to the left of this huge cube are two smaller ones connected by the same line markings. To the right of the giant cube are two circular bricklike structure also fixed to the ground and connected to the giant cube through the wired lines.

Linagu moved closer to the structure to observe it, but was sent flying back, crashing from a blast he has never seen or assimilated before. He got up immediately and realized he stepped on a line, a wrong line he realized. All of a sudden, a slithery liquid started encircling him, enveloping him within seconds though he managed to maneuver his way and shot himself forward towards the giant structure in order to bypass it. But, he was sent crashing back again. This continued for a while before he decided to manipulate the machine by overriding a safety algorithm he noticed in the Central Server of the gigantic structure;  a mistake. That very act went against the programming of the giant structure, which became angered and shook the hold violently. As he looked on in horror, with his Anani in hand, the structure sent its own Unerg force field which shut him down, forcefully drawing him to the hole in the giant cube.

But, he deflected it by unleashing a powerful spell which sprung up multi-colored powerful bolts that created a round scaly white circle round his two feet’s which were outside the circle, dragging him back and putting up a big shield between him and the whole place. Slowly he floated back to where he previously stood and settled down back on the floor. The whole place regained its bright appearance and composure afterwards except for his anani, which became inoperative as a result of the force field pressures.

     The incident made him realize what he needed to do next, which he promptly decided to do. He stood still; eyes closed and muttered some unknown Muur words, drawing out a lot of his internal energy. Then he opened his eyes and started walking calmly to the cube, but this time, nothing happened. He has realized that he has been forcing it all this while but learnt his errors. The moment he reached the giant cube, two lines lit up and formed a small circle just in front of him. As soon as it did that, his anani lit up and went straight to lap into it to Linagu’s surprise. A thin layered transparent board came out from the giant cube just beside the large drilled circular hole, assimilating and aligning synchronously with the previously formed connection with Linagu’s anani. The board went back in and everywhere went dim.  At the large hole in the circle, a huge whirring sound can be heard with hard vibrations. With the vibrations came a lot of realignments in the room until it stopped and then unexpectedly drew Linagu into a hidden chamber.

The interactions he was exposed to almost sapped all his energy, and he felt weak when he opened his eyes to a view he didn’t actually expect. The whole place was filled with darkness though there is a single red light with a big ring around it. The single red light was covered in a big circle with interconnected and impenetrable linings across it. The place reeked of nothingness but somehow Linagu could feel that he could interact with the place with his mind. He felt this the moment his anani came to his mind and a lot of real memories started rushing up in his mind, memories connected to it. Then he remembered his Ma’s words and spoke out “Kanak!”. The place lit up immediately and dimmed. 

Linagu was immediately drawn violently to the red orb light which did its best to pulsate his body with Unerg violently and uncontrollably as it ran through his body. His body shined brightly as he absorbed it all, while he screamed. Then his body returned to its normal state again once the red light took back the released Unerg. Not everyone can withstand the interaction with Unerg. However, the experiment with Steve was a highly advanced groundbreaking breakthrough for Linagu and Neerudi in terms of its applications and usage.

There's more to being a leader in the Muurland than brute strength. You've got to also have a keen fighting spirit, strategically sound, magically fit, and honest and tested. Linagu has seen his fair share of battles, and there are a bunch of dead Nolnadians, Aferians, Kalgodians, Muurians and some other civilizations who can attest to his might. He has proven repeatedly that he can always come out on top in a contest of pure fighting skill and wit, whether magic is utilized or not. That goes for whether he's surrounded by enemies or whether he's in a one-on-one match, like when he faced off against Bromari, a vicious mad leviathan and brought it to its knees, eventually befriending the sea creature and making it a huge part of Muur Security in Marrialu. His strong will and strength descended from his families, who have always produced great leaders.

He sought more interactions with the Unerg, which revealed all he wanted with no restriction, even things he should never have bothered to know. He knew too that such interactions has its toll on his body, and therefore decided to up his molecular structure to be able to assimilate more energy. That proved difficult though as he tried in vain, but he figured he could take his time later to analyze it better and assimilate same. He rather opted to improve his Anani's processing power instead, and then used it to trap a reusable pure Unerg. Not that there is a non-reusable Unerg anyway. A Unerg is a Unerg; only its uses differ. After upping up all he could accumulate and gaining any useful knowledge he can from his interactions with the Unerg, he decided to go home. He was shot off immediately back to the room with the giant hand from which he previously entered into the inner Unerg Chambers.

The five descended doorways still blocked everywhere, though the giant handle retracted back and the entrance changed. Following the same route he entered alongside his mother, he left the Elder Chambers. Using the Anani's mapping system, he was able to make his way down to the UAA vinting point, and used the Ibuda vehicle to get back to the lake. Immediately he crossed the lake, he tracked his way to the UAA Data Bank outside the Old Garden, East of the Odena main Tower. Immediately he stepped out of the Ibuda vehicle he was riding on, he was surrendered.

    There were about eight of them waiting for him, battle ready and armed with the most dangerous powerfully crafted Anani's and highly sophisticated weapons. He recognized one of the men as Olera, from the Oboku family in Kalialu.

“How did you get in here?” he asked, though not surprised. One of the men wanted to speak but Olera shut him off.

“No one has to be hurt here Lord Linagu, we are just here for your Anani.”

Linagu chuckled.“Here for my anani? Is this some joke?” he asked.

“Does this look like a joke?” Olera asked, with his TLighter Z7 automatic solar gun still pointed at Linagu.

“Who wants my Anani?” he asked.

“Can’t say that” Olera replied.

“You do realize the full implications of your actions right, and you do realize who you are talking to?” Linagu asked, all in an effort to diffuse the situation and probably make them come back to their senses.

“I’m not afraid of you lord Linagu” he replied and fired multiple energy blasts at him in quick succession which Linagu didn’t even bother to deflect as they seemed like an amateurs joke.

“Who put you up to this” Linagu asked, and then speedily drew nearer to him before he could even mutter another blast, masterfully knocking off the gun before Olera could fire again. “Attack him” Olera hollered to his accomplices, but they seemed more terrified now having realized they were sent to attack Lord Linagu.

“By our laws, I’m obligated to either kill you all this instant or bring you before your Queen and Ruler. But I will spare you all if you tell me how you gained access to this place and who sent you.” Linagu stated.

“I cannot do that…I want to tell you my lord, I want to, believe me. I have nothing against you my lord, I don’t even think there is anybody who does. I tried not to listen to him but he was way more powerful…” Olera stated, visibly tensed from realization of what he has done.

“It was a man, with Kenaui accent.” One of the other guys spoke up.

“He came out of the shadows from nowhere while we were doing some Nowere, so angry and vicious. Said we all are busy cozying up to the Buamada’s that no one remembers the injustice meted upon him." He said and then exploded in front of them all before he could finish. Fear registered on the faces of the remaining ones. It was exactly what the strange man has said will happen if they go against him.

Linagu realized what happened, and quickly gestured his hands in a magical wave which enveloped them all, revealing the dark magic which looked like a dark shadow inside them. It has been infused into their body by whoever sent them. It was an advanced Muuragi spell, but something he was most familiar with. He didn’t waste time in drawing them out and destroying them soon afterwards.

“Follow me. We are going to talk when we get back” He commanded. They all followed him and was drawn in with him as he asported them to the Cirquirena. The Notto Wood Beach Park is one of the best go to areas in Marrialu, the Muurdom's capital. It is highlighted by its big pink circular wheel-like rotator fixed to the ground by two metallic holds drilled into its middle which stretched back to the other end of the circle, allowing it to rotate automatically. Flanked by its sides are sparsely constructed houses with Notto woods, a rare species of wood in Muur. Needless to say, a lot of activities go on in the Cirquirena. This makes it a safe haven for all and sundry.

“Who else was with you when this happened?” Linagu asked as they started walking towards the Cirquirena as soon as they came out from the asport links. “It’s only us as far as I could tell. There is no telling who else he met.” Olera replied.

“I do understand there is nothing you could have done even though the Muurian Guard and Muur Supreme Council won’t." He cautioned them.

"But, at least you see why it’s important to continuously learn the protective lessons disbursed every time." He said and told them where to wait for him before he entered into one of the buildings in the ever busy Cirquirena Park.

“Look who we have here today!” Efuma, a barkeeper in one of the buildings alerted upon sighting Linagu. As it’s reminiscent of the people, a lot of them greeted him while some others hailed him. He acknowledged all, saying he came to enjoy with his people. He called Efuma aside and directed him to make arrangements for Olera and his men and keep them safe till he comes back. Though the place Efuma provided was highly secured, he still called in some Amarandubi agents to keep an eye out, so that his mind can be at ease. The threat is growing deeper every day, and he can no longer take it as he used to. Time to put in more measures he figured.

     He asported back to the Buamada’s residence, the Muur Palace and went straight to the Mother’s Quarters. The mother was totally surprised to see him so soon but didn’t quite show it though Linagu could feel it.

“So soon?” she asked rhetorically. He gave a reply with his happy facial expression before rushing up to hug her, and then abruptly left her embrace to tell her of the urgency at hand.“How come almost nobody mentions Zanak?” he asked. The look on Nee Buamada’s face said it all.

“Neerie needs to be here for this!” he said next and signaled the sister to show up immediately through their private communication channel. She asported in immediately she was summoned.

“Am I in trouble again?” she asked as soon as she entered and settled down.

“No, you are not. Not this time” Nee Buamada stated.

“Okay…That’s a first.” She joked.

“This is not time for joke Neerie” Linagu cautioned.

“So why am I here?” she queried.

“Should I or should you go first Ma?” Linagu inquired.

“You go on” Nee Buamada commanded.

“Ever heard of the name Zanak?” Linagu asked.

“No” Neerudi replied.

“Another thing you don’t know at least” Linagu joked, making Neerudi stare at the mother in disapproval of her brothers caricature.

“Ania!” Nee Buamada called out.

“What happened exactly?” Neerudi asked.

“I’m just coming back from the Elder Chambers Neerie!” he stated.

“The Odena?” she asked, stressing it this time.

“Yes!” Linagu answered.

“Only Maa and head of the Legislative Council are permitted by Muur Laws to access it. So what am i missing here?” she asked.

“It’s like I said, that’s where i am coming from” Linagu answered.

“What exactly is going on? Do you both know the implication of this?” Neerudi asked.

“You do remember that I am still here, Neerudi?” Nee Buamada queried.

“I want my anani back” Neerudi fired back immediately.

“Why not?” she asked.

“Okay. You will get it back soon as you finish listening to what your brother is saying.” Nee Buamada ordered.

“You don’t understand Ma, I need it now” she replied.

With the wave of her hand, Neerudi’s anani appeared in her hands and she threw it casually for Neerudi to catch, which she did. She quickly walked up to Linagu and did some configurations with quick successive controls and clicks on her Anani, as if scanning Linagu for something in her mind.

“I’m reading a lot of negative vibrations and a weird connection” she stated.

“It’s expected” Nee Buamada echoed.

“No Ma, this is different.” She replied.

“I know you are very concerned about me Neerie, but right now, this is bigger than me. This is about our people, this is about the very existence of the Muur and Zanak is at the centre of it all somehow.” He finished.

“The problem of Zanak is a very bad one. But that notwithstanding, he deserved the punishment fit for his crimes.” Nee Buamada interjected.

“Everyone is screaming Zanak yet the name is still meaningless to me. Who is Zanak?” Neerie asked to no one in particular.

“You should answer this one Ma” Linagu said and sat down at a corner of the room. Though he was in the room physically, his mind kept being drawn to the Unerg and its essence.

“Zanak was just like your brother though more seasoned and experienced from years of hard fought battles and from keeping the peace for the Muurdom. He was loved and trusted by all with no reservation, myself inclusive. Like your brother, he was a great Head Of Security with access to a lot of mythical and advanced hidden magic, artifacts, Riatech's technology and the now modified magitech of the Muur, Anani. Well, he was, until your father corrupted him.” She stated, making Linagu to smile.

“What’s with the smile?” Neerudi asked.

“Zanak was banished and sent out despite the fact that every evidence against him showed that he wasn’t complicit in his duties!” she concluded.

“That is it?” Neerudi asked as soon as Nee Buamada finished.

“That’s his story.” Nee Buamada replied.

“That’s not enough motivation for the type of danger we are talking about Maa” Neerudi retorted.

“That’s because it’s not. Maa is just being modest with the whole Zanak thing. Our father Bonadi is the actual threat. Its better I show you” Linagu interjected.

“No…tell me. Not going to allow you do that stuff to me Ania.” Neerudi retorted, making him to smile.

“So you are afraid of your beloved brother then?” Linagu asked.

“Joker; Please tell” she replied.

“Be serious Ania!” Nee Buamada commanded in a motherly tone.

"Where is he now?" Neerudi questioned.

"He was last sighted in Kaluari." Nee Buamada replied. "Go on then, Añia!" She ended.

“Father somehow managed to get Zanak to perform the Muur Nri Ngafe. It was part of his plans to gain access to the Elder Chambers through the Muuragi. As you already know, Muurian Ascendance Laws do not allow Muurian Kings access to the Elder Chambers of the Odena. Well, the downside to it though is that, the Muuragi can be used to gain entrance through an advanced spell from the Muuragi. To complete the ritual, he will have to kill any of The Keepers to gain full access to the Odena illegally” Linagu stated, making Neerudi to look at the mother.

“Our father probably couldn’t understand why he is the King but his wife has to be the person to have access to the greatest creation and reservation of our history. It drove him mad, and since Maa was pregnant with us when the rage of his madness peaked, he couldn’t really do anything to her. So, he somehow manipulated Zanak into performing the Muur Nri Ngafe when Maa was at her weakest after giving birth to us. But Zanak realized what he was planning, and was unwilling to kill Maa to complete the ritual because he has been secretly in love with her, even though Maa didn’t know. But, the partial success of the Muur Nri Ngafe despite the incompletion of the ritual had already allowed Zanak gain access to some part of the inner Odena chamber. Our father utilized this knowledge to secretly gain access to the Unerg Chambers and trapped some Unerg in its purest form in his Anani. He had been improving it to perform his most daring experiments and program, and apparently thought he could hold the pure form of Unerg with it. But, it backfired later.