《The Earthians》 Chapter 1: Mulzafar The Earthians A Webnovel by Miko Wu Chapter 1: Mulzafar In the pale-green and misty scenery of the Mulzafar morning, Jandi silently stood on the horizon as if waiting for something. As the loving warmth of the vigorous sun kissed her cheek for an infinitesimal moment, she suddenly leaped into the sky head held high as if she was grasping each strand of air that touched her face. A cold breeze plunged into her nostrils then spread down her spine. It felt like liquid ice slowly occupying every crevice of her body forcing her disciplined soul to shy and shiver like a shame-plant. Still, she appeared at ease as her training would ensure that she was both calm in mind and heart. She lightly tapped the silky air with her right foot to propel herself higher; as she ascended, the wind got cold then even colder at a greater height. Majestically she flew, not like a bird but as the air itself. Her control was peerless and perfect. Only after a slight pause as she reached the zenith of her grand leap that she started to descend violently and gravity like a deprived lover pulled her further down. The warmth slowly left her cheeks and lugubriously moved towards her ears leaving a residue of static uneasiness. The air began to sicken her in the stomach as it turned gauzy and dense. Like a crashing frog, she thumped down on the solid earth. Beneath her, the icy dust quivered and flew outward as if fearing her presence. Despite the minute theatrics, it was silent on this new ground. Around her were mighty trees up against the air-strewn sky though their backs on her like cowards; around these behemoths of ancient were shrouds of vivid blue, mist, and purple morning glories that were faintly blooming towards the youthful sun. Clad in tight and black leather, Jandi was an alien dot in a scenic painting. Imagine a composition of pastel purple inkblots with gentle strokes of white and green and in its center a daunting stranger. Indeed it was a strange scene in a cosmos of serene beauty. The contradiction that dawned on Jandi caused her to smirk, but as she was about to muse further, she heard a bristling noise. At first, she thought that it was an illusion, an after-effect of the usual battle that darkness and light engage at this time of hour, the noise that these bickering siblings make when they are at each other¡¯s throats. However, it was not. Alas, the Earthians were approaching from the north. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.Hurriedly, she leaped slightly southeast and hid behind the bristles of a bushy branch of a giant ancient. She carefully veiled her presence and traced four shadows emerge from the bright and misty shroud. Four Caucasian men in military uniform and Kevlar vests: an aged man with a sidearm and a sheath-like perfectly-pentagonal cane; an angry-looking fellow with a sidearm and a thick short-sword, its scabbard ornate with eastern dragons; and two average men who merely held machine guns and accompanying sidearms. The first man¡¯s face showed cracks of age and scars of experience intensified by the bright light behind him. As if each ridge and wrinkle told a story of his glories and defeats and every shadow and shade told of his prominence. Though for some reason, he also looked kind and wise or rather tired and weary, Jandi could not make the distinction. At last,¡± the old one uttered with a surprisingly shrill voice most similar to that of a Eunuch''s, ¡°the time has come.¡± ¡°Indeed it has.¡± replied the bearer of the short-sword. ¡°At midday, the company¡­¡± As Jandi leaned forward to hear more of their idle chatter, a grain of a minuscule wood-skin fragment of the flaky branch detached silently downwards and cooed by gravity. This small movement was enough for the old one to notice. ¡°Silence! I sense another presence!¡± he barked. Jandi¡¯s heart gasped, jumped upwards, and crashed downwards like a dying toad. She felt gravity pulling every cell of every organ in her body. Her knees shivered, and her pericardium collapsed. She felt weightless and weak. She was found out. ¡°Search the perimeter!¡± shrieked the eunuch. Jandi, through training and instinct, regained her composure and now more cautious, discreetly and slowly like a lizard, moved downwards from the tree. The two heavily armed men then dashed towards every direction as the eunuch and the swordsman stood still paying close attention to the environment. ¡°Stop.¡± the swordsman ordered, and the two minions froze. ¡°Hmm,¡± he continued, ¡°perhaps it was simply a bird or some cretin. No human can veil his or her presence this well, especially with both of us here, General Mathus.¡± ¡°Perhaps you are right lieutenant,¡± the general answered, ¡°perhaps you are right. We have no time to waste, but be alert.¡± As the four men left the scene, Jandi exhaled a sigh of relief. END OF CHAPTER 1 Please visit my website at www.mikowu.com Chapter 2: Sector Zero The Earthians A Webnovel by Miko Wu Chapter 2: Sector Zero ¡°Lady Jandi,¡± the android robotically echoed, ¡°you have a new assignment.¡± ¡°Report,¡± Jandi uttered. ¡°You are to leave for Mulzafar in South Pakistan,¡± it demanded. ¡°Our Intel discovered an Earthian operation in the area. They fear that the Earthians will interfere in Operation Poseidon. Their interference will impede the Council''s plans. You are tasked to spy on them; if they are indeed going to interfere with our Pakistani deal, you must stop them at all cost. End of report. If you have any questions, please inquire.¡± ¡°I have none. You may withdraw Derrick.¡± Jandi eyed the Android as it left the room. The mechanical door swooshed with great vigor then closed as if briefly but desperately gasping for air. Jandi let out a sigh and smirked, ¡°name-tags for robots, huh, that never gets old.¡± Shrugging the distraction, she returned to her meditation in the white and sterile room. It was a custom for Sector Zero, the Council of Eight''s headquarters, as the unknown designers of the institution were madly obsessed with monotonous white and eerie gray colors. Furthermore, all of the text was styled in SimSun font as if nothing else was left to the most boring person in the world to use but utter dullness for design principles. Because of this, Jandi always felt unsure and anxious when being in headquarters and would constantly meditate to keep her calm. She was the total contrast of everything and everyone in Sector Zero or SZ as the androids independently abbreviated. She was born in the streets of Shang Hai¡ªthe marbled and westernized front of the Quasi-Com. She grew up poor and dirty. Her parents were street vendors killed by the Wan-Li-Tan triad. After the loss, she then traveled to the Himalayas where Shang monks held a refuge for those who flee from the grasp of the Quasi-Com. There, she mastered the forces of martial arts under the teachings of the monks. However, when the Quasi-Com found out about the refuge, everything was destroyed into oblivion leaving Jandi the only survivor who left the cold and harsh Himalayan Mountains to seek revenge. And in her struggle to survive, by the twisted hands of fate, Jandi became the eighth and last to awake to the prophecy. Swoosh! Jandi turned around and saw a familiar face. ¡°Shira!¡± Jandi exclaimed, ¡°You have returned, my friend.¡± ¡°Yes Jandi,¡± the prolific and towering historian, in both physical and academic stature, responded, ¡°I¡¯m glad to be back. I hear the Earthians are on the move.¡± ¡°Hardly,¡± Jandi smirked, ¡°they do not even know that we exist. They have no information about what truly is going on. I still do not understand why the First fears their existence.¡± ¡°Lord Wu is a cautious man, Jandi. I have to leave tomorrow with Lilly and Lord Veil to Brussels. It seems that Quasi-Com is planning yet another attack on the EU.¡± ¡°The Quasi-Com is weak. I doubt that they will be able to make much of an advance.¡± ¡°That maybe so, but they are getting more and more aggressive by the day. The Quasi-Com will substantially derail our vision of peace and unity. We must remain vigilant and proactive. Further divisions in this world will be costly to all.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Good bye Jandi.¡± ¡°See you later Shira,¡± Jandi muttered. She then turned back to meditation, she softly closed her eyes, and as her brows clasped each other, she remembered images of her childhood. She crossed the Himalayas towards the northwestern point of India nearing Pakistan blaming herself, thinking that she was a harbinger of doom. Her parents died protecting her, and now the monks¡¯ refuge had been destroyed. She was scared. She did not know where to go in the vast and empty snow terrain. As she struggled through the daunting landscape, it seemed to her as if every shadow reeked of nasal-flushing white flowers that poured cold water into her bloodstream that rushed towards her head. It was comforting yet painful. Soft yet harsh. Then the cold chill of the Himalayas bit every single inch of her body till the warmth eventually left her soul. Her strength wavered with her yielding mind. Pile and pile of cold snow were all that she saw. Still, she walked and walked for days. Suns fell, and moons rose. Mists of clouds and clouds of mists formed and flew and flew and formed. There would be wallowing of shrieks and shrieks of wallowing around her. But she continued, for hunger and desperation overcame her fears. She searched for food but did not find much. She devoured the resilient fauna that survived the crevices of the cold. She ate the life that so desperately tried to survive. Then she searched and searched for anything, but there was nothing. Then suddenly, everywhere was pure white emptiness. As days gone by, her heart became as empty as her stomach. Being in the white and coal-black-creviced void, she turned into an empty shell. She did not know what she was doing; it seemed as if she just walked and walked for no apparent reason. And finally, fatigued and famished, she fell down on the cold snow. Slowly, she turned supine towards the blue sky. She laid still for hours and hours till night replaced day while gravity pulled and sank her deeper and deeper into the snow. Uncontrollable tears streamed from her eyes melting the little frostbites on her cheek. She looked at the stars and screamed in her head as her mouth could not, ¡°Why? Why is this happening to me¡ªof all people, why me?¡± But there was no reply. She was alone. She stared at the sky. She could not be lulled to sleep. The sky unhurriedly moved without her. Stars grew brighter, then fainter, and then a slow brisk yellow-orange stroke enveloped the sky as if an artist meticulously brushed it on. She then saw some birds fly away. The sun rose. She was staring at it with her fragile eyes. Her back felt mushy and cold, her feet paralyzed, and her face tingled in pain as if a thousand needles were poking it. Eventually, the sensations faded, and she felt nothing. Her eyes slowly closed and she could do nothing to keep them open. But before she reached the deepest darkness, despair, and emptiness, before she achieved the peace of death, before the last glimmer of pixie light vanished, a sublime brightness and a loving warmth burst out of nothingness. She was awakening. END OF CHAPTER 2 Please visit my website at www.mikowu.com Chapter 3: Awakening The Earthians A web-novel by Miko Wu Chapter 3: Awakening There was a very dim light that veiled Jandi''s eyes in thin black silk under the morning sun. ¡°Aaaagh,¡± the girl groaned. She felt penetrating pain upon every bone in her body. ¡°Easy, my friend,¡± a voice with endearing kindness said. Jandi sat up, opened her eyes, and in front of the blissful sunlight, she saw an elegant and tidy old man, one whose aura expressed distinction and grace. ¡°My name is Reynard Lee or Rey for short." the immaculate man replied, "some also call me as The Third.¡± ¡°My parents called me Xan Di Qin,¡± she instinctively and immediately responded. "However, since my entrance into the order of the Shang monks, I am now known simply as Jandi." ¡°Your body is exhausted.¡± Ren Li said. ¡°You have been sleeping for five nights.¡± He passed the girl a bowl and said, ¡°Here. I made some Chana Dal. Have some and nourish yourself, child.¡± Jandi gulped down the lentil-abundant soup as fast as she could. Now more aware of her surroundings and with revitalized energy, she subtly noticed that Rey''s eyes appeared to be that of a blind man''s. Still, he seemed to be able to see. In fact, he was moving throughout the room without any issue, and when he looked at her, it was as if he saw more than anyone ever could. But first things first; her throat, no longer dry as a desert, spoke: ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°You are in Mulzafar Jandi. I have trekked through the Himalayas expecting to find you. You were nonresponsive but still alive, and so I brought you to this shelter to heal, rest, and now, nourish.¡± ¡°Mulzafar?¡± without thinking, Jandi interrupted, ¡°Are we still in China?¡± ¡°No,¡± Rey replied, ¡°We are in Pakistan, child. Do not worry. You are safe. You are the Eighth, and I the Third was tasked to find you and lead you to the Council.¡± "I... I don''t know why, but I... I seem to understand." she stuttered. Suddenly, uncontrollable tears of mixed feelings started overflowing from Jandi''s eyes and heart. She did not know what was happening, but she decided just to cry. "You have awakened to the Prophecy, child. There were seven others before you; myself included for I am the Third. Express your story and your feelings verbally. It will help you make some sense of what happened. I will then fill you in for whatever may confuse you." So she started talking and told Rey of her terrifying life, her journeys in the Himalayas, and her struggle to live. Unmoved, he looked at her as she talked. It seemed as if he already knew and that he understood everything. His eyes, though appearing empty, was serenely kind and loving. ¡°Jandi,¡± he spoke, ¡°Even before your awakening, you were strong and resilient. Now fate has favored you and gifted you peerless control of the life force. You will become stronger than anything this realm has ever seen. Go on, continue, tell me of the prophecy. When you saw the sublime light..." "And when I felt the warmth... I... I simply understood. There was no image or sound. There was just knowledge... and understanding. Knowledge of the Eight, of the life force, and of..." Before Jandi could continue, she gasped as she felt immense pain in her stomach; insurmountable fear has swallowed her. "Breathe child," Rey hastily but kindly commanded. "You must breathe, and you must say it. You must fully grasp the prophecy and understand the fear and sorrow it foretells." "Invasion... Death... Extinction," Jandi gasped, then with earnest eyes she looked at Rey and said, "We must prevent it!" "We must and we will, even with our dying breaths." "There are eight gifted by the life force and cursed by the knowledge of the Prophecy," Jandi continued as the pain in her stomach eased. "The First is a man of mystery; even the Prophecy is unsure of his name for he goes by many names. An enigma. But he is the most powerful. He can see further and all." "You are correct. The First is known to us as ''Wu Ming Li,'' a name he has cherished for the past ten years and yes he has many names, but we refer to him as ''Lord Wu'' as a sign of our respect and deference. Indeed he is the most powerful. He meditates, and through it, he can see the past, present, and the many paths of the future. He is the founder of the Council of Eight. Though we are all equals, we hold the First in higher esteem not only because of his superior power but also for he is the planner of many schemes that may provide us great ammunition against the Prophecy." "I see." Jandi nodded. "The rest are clearer. The second is a baron, ennobled by the Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. His name is Lord Kenneth Veil. He is gifted with immense life force, so big that he can create large humanoid astral projections of his life force and use them as puppets." "Yes," added Rey. "He is also the CEO of Veil Telecom, Europe''s largest network and telecommunications provider which makes him quite wealthy and the Council''s primary financial benefactor. Continue." "The Third is you." Jandi smiled as she said this. "You are the master of light." "Indeed I am. Also a retiree from Florida." the old man added, "Legally blind before my awakening, now I can see far more and farther than most." "The Fourth is a man similar to your age. His name is Jeremiah Vanburen. He is the master of darkness." "Yes, and a master chess player. He won many world championships in his prime. He is also a dear friend of mine. Fun fact: we lived in the same retirement home and awakened at the same time, so technically either one of us could be the Third or Fourth, but just imagine the ruckus it caused among the nurses. Hahaha." The man wryly laughed. "The Fifth is Shira Weber. She can wield the weapons of gods." "Yes, she is currently studying history at the Free University of Berlin. She is fascinated by Greek and Roman mythology. She is just a little bit older than you, but because of her intelligence and hard work, she was able to zoom through school and start early at the University." "The Sixth is Katarina Petrov. She can control the weather." "Yes, which is quite fitting as she is a climate scientist." "The Seventh is Lilly Wakowski. She can control gravity." "Yes, and she is also a child, a lot younger than you actually, but very mature in demeanor." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Finally, I am the Eighth and the last." "Yes." "The knowledge and understanding that the Prophecy instilled in me seem a lot clearer now that you have helped me go through it." "I am glad I was of assistance." "But it does not inform me of a plan to face the Prophecy." "That is where we come in Jandi. As I told you earlier, Lord Wu has devised several schemes, yes?" "Yes." "Before I explain to you these schemes, I must ask you this. Now that you have awakened to the Prophecy, now that you have connected to the understanding of the pain and suffering that we will have to face, do you wish to join us of the Council of Eight in our efforts to battle the dire future?" "Uhh..." muttered Jandi. "While I strongly hope that you say yes as we already named ourselves as eight, the final decision is yours." continued Rey. "I will give you time and space to think and to meditate on your decision. Once you join the Council, you will train with myself and the others to harness the gifts we were given for surely they will be useful in many of the battles to come. But our time here in Pakistan has ended. This place is a temporary shelter, and these lands are unkind to us strangers. Tomorrow, I will travel back to headquarters, and I would like to bring you with me. Hopefully, during the journey, you will be able to make your decision. But if you go with me, you must go willingly. I have friends here in Mulzafar who can employ you if you wish to stay and I can come back to retrieve you once you have made your decision. Whatever it is, you will be taken care of and provided for.¡± ¡°Where will you bring me?¡± I asked. ¡°I will bring you to Wales in the United Kingdom. Do you know of it?" "Yes, I have heard of it from western missionaries who visited the Shang temples." *** It was the thirteenth of January of 2013 when Jandi and Rey arrived in Wales. It was unlike anything she has ever seen. There were no insurmountable mountain ranges and no icy peaks. Wales simply gave a natural feeling of rural hospitality. Jandi and Rey then traveled via automobile to Northern Wales in a place called Dolwyddelan Castle. It was a gigantic medieval artifact. It was deserted, or so she thought at first. Deep underneath in an impregnable fortress made of the most robust and most advanced technology the outer world has never seen was the headquarters of the secret Sector Zero. The two newly met comrades traveled deep downward in a tunnel until they reached a wall. Rey then touched the wall, and somehow, it opened. Behind it: a huge circular dome-like open space. It was a large elevator. The elevator started moving downwards for nearly thirty minutes until it thudded and stopped. Then, the walls of the elevator rotated, opening an entrance to the first and top-most level of the twenty levels of the headquarters called Sector Zero. ¡°Welcome back Rey,¡± an Android greeted the pair, ¡°Lord Wu is currently with Mr. Vanburen in Washington for a political purpose. The First suggested that you take charge of Ms. Jandi''s training. Unfortunately, we have to postpone the induction ceremony until all of the Council have gathered. That is, of course, if the young lady has chosen to join our fray." "I have decided," said the girl with immovable certainty, "My place is with the Council as I, and only I, am the Eighth." Reynard smiled upon hearing this declaration, though deep down he knew that this was going to be Jandi''s choice. After all, she has weathered too many storms only to surrender now. ¡°Thank you very much...¡± Rey eyed the name tag of the robot, ¡°Derrick. Are there any other correspondences for me today?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The Robot replied. ¡°Lord Veil would like to have a meeting with you. He wishes to confer your insight in regards the budget for next quarter. That is all.¡± ¡°Very well then, Derrick. Set the meeting at 1900 if it is agreeable with the baron.¡± "Affirmative." Rey then directed the Android to lead Jandi to her quarters and descended to a different level to have a meeting with Lord Veil. Jandi, while walking through the corridor of Level 1, explores enthusiastically in her new environment. ¡°Why is everything so white, Derrick?¡± she asked. ¡°I do not know, little lady.¡± Then, she asked again: ¡°Why is this place so empty? Where¡¯s everyone else? Also, I know that I am little, but I am already twelve years of age.¡± Derrick ignored Jandi''s somewhat-offended declaration about her size and continued, ¡°Level 1 is the welcome center and android facilities. Your permanent quarters will be on Level 8 as all of the quarters of the members of the Council are there. Currently, 100 non-combat androids are operating throughout this facility. 50 staff members of varying expertise in engineering, computer science, healthcare, etc., are also here.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± she muttered, ¡°I see. Where are the members of the Council, other than Lord Wu and Mr. Vanburen?¡± "Rey is currently on his way to Lord Veil on Level 10, the command center. Ms. Weber is in Berlin as she is attending University there. Little Lilly is in a kindergarten near her home in Katowice. Lastly, Ms. Petrov is on a research expedition in Zambia where she is investigating rain patterns and data. They will all be here for your induction in approximately 12 days." Jandi did not understand what or where these places that the Android informed her, so she dismissed them and continued asking questions. "So, do we train together? To hone our gifts?" "Yes, but you will be spending most of your time with the Rey and Lord Veil for their primary concern is the maintenance of this facility and therefore they will be spending most of their time here with you. Of course, you will receive guidance from the First. Pay close attention to it for it will be most illuminating. However, Lord Wu and Mr. Vanburen are the chief executors of the Council''s schemes. Their presence here will vary. The others occupy their regular lives and schedules as well, but they do find time to consistently travel here and train." As Jandi and Derrick moved through the levels, she saw more and more people and androids. All of them were non-combat staff and personnel. Derrick provided such a thorough tour of the whole facility to Jandi that by the time they arrived at her quarters, she was more than ready to rest and sleep. Though Jandi was physically and intellectually weary as there was so much information she had to consume, she was still enthusiastic about her current prospects. She felt safe despite the strange and sterile feel of her new environment. Derrick, Rey, and the staff she has encountered so far made her feel very welcome, and dare she thought it, loved. END OF CHAPTER 3 Please visit my website at www.mikowu.com