Storm of Asurmaan-Ra

Chapter 1: The Ancients Become the Futures 

The frozen desert chills the bones of the expedition. The frozen sweat of the expedition reminds them that no matter how beautiful the sky is, they can die of heat loss at any time. The star-filled sky illuminates their path while the green solar flares guide their intuition as they trek deep into unknown territory at the bottom of the earth. They began the journey passing abandoned research stations, continued past old map markers, and continued closer to the tip of the globe. Through frozen mountains and ice fields, they search for an ancient tomb of myth, legend, and prophet long gone. The wind steals souls as the sky speaks divinations to the souls of weary travelers. The expedition's leader walks with the most vigor, almost sensing the truth and its doorway.

They left their vehicles at station B23A because they ran out of power, and the terrain was too uneven. At 4:50 am, the expedition's leader points towards a mountain base. The rest follow. When they reach a draw in the mountains, they stop. The leader looks at one of the walls in the draw. He begins to feel around the rocky wall and then finds a protruding rock. He slowly feels around it. He pulls down on it after a few moments of inspection. At the same moment, grinding sounds are heard as a rocky doorway opens.

Joy and exuberance fill the cold, frozen draw in the arctic night. Muffled shouts of joy can be heard from miles away as the expedition from the University of Whassa enters the ancient tomb of the prophet. A third of the group is happy to find the tomb because it has been their life’s work, another third is happy because their pay is guaranteed for reaching the hallowed destination, and the last third is happy to reach a place where treasure might be. The first to enter is Dr. Jymon Ulamien, Professor of Ancient Studies and Archaeology. He rubs the doorway and inside walls full of ancient pictographs. The freezing air holds his desire to remove his gloves to feel the engravings. He looks at a large pictograph of the ancient prophet and says,

“I find myself perplexed with you, Asurmaun-Ra. You have done many things and wonders, but you tried to hide it away. In this moment we will see if you can keep it hidden away forever.”

The professor walks around in awe of the final resting place of the ancient prophet. After years of searching and plenty of adventures, the university and its sponsors have finally found the tomb of Asurmaan-Ra. The University of Whassa's archeology department has been pursuing the ancient prophet for four years. Sponsors were close to closing the project. Still, Dr. Ulamien pleaded with the university and the Jupiter Corporation for continued research and searching. Professor Ulamien again speaks to the tomb, 

“The time has come for me to embrace your truth, but one last mystery awaits. Where exactly are you? You are here somewhere, just not in plain sight.” 

They found the chamber of the ancient prophet but his body is the next puzzle to figure out. The large dark chamber is geometrically sound and concise even after millennia of being hidden. Quite a few scattered skeletons from the years of scarce followers making their pilgrimage to see him. Still, they are scattered because, like the current expedition, they don’t know where his body is or where the most sacred chamber sits. In the middle of the room is a block-like structure where mainly skeletons are gathered. On the block lies a cube rusted and frozen. Part of the team inspects it, hoping to uncover a clue of some sort, but it yields nothing but more mystery. Next, the archaeological expedition begins to set up sensors and maps. The professor’s assistants begin to lay out the ancient books and manuscripts they have followed thus far. 

The security detail helps set everything up as well. Artificial lights illuminate a once-dark and old tomb. When the assistants set everything up, the professor began to study again. His most senior assistant, Waquer, finishes directing the others into areas of searching. Each assistant focuses on a wall. Using the books and their holographic tablets to try and decipher the ancient text. The excitement of finding the outer chamber fuels the academics into intense study. When the sun comes up, the academic part of the expedition is running on fumes as they are both cold and tired of the lack of progress.

The mercenary team grumbles about their lack of progress while the Jupiter Corporation representatives look on with agitation.

After about two hours of sunlight, the joy of finding the tomb dwindles into a slow bubbling anger, and the tension of not finding the prophet’s body and riches rises. The professor paces around, trying to find ease. The other assistants try to figure out their piece of the puzzle. As the hours pass by, the head of the security detail looks around and reaches the end of his patience. He makes his way to the professor and says, 

“Doc, I’m no expert on history, but you guys seem to have hit a dead end. We have been here for a while, and still no holy man.” 

The professor looks at him with intensity in his eyes and responds in a constrained manner, 

“Things like this take time. We are closer now than ever before. I will compensate you for your time.” 

Garrison blows smoke in the face of the professor and accepts the offer of more money with a smile. The professor wipes his glasses off politely,

“Thank you, sir.”

Garrison, the head of security, has been slowly but surely getting his way with the professor. The original price of the detail has gone up fourfold over the course of the expedition. Everyone knows Garrison’s experience in mercenary work has taught him how to get all the bang out of someone else’s buck. The professor’s assistant gives a side eye to Garrison as he points out a small detail to the professor. They translate the ancient language back and forth and look for meanings in idioms. Still, they come to a dead end.

Overall frustration builds the tension after a day and a half with the security detail idling and the wall of mystery the scholars have hit. After the second meal of the day, the whole party is exhausted and decides to rest in the chamber for the night. Chairman Dulu pulls Professor Ulamein aside as the expedition settles in, 

“Doctor, you have taken us this far. I have faith you can take us further, but maybe we can return after we recover for a while. It could give you some time to gather your notes from here and devise a plan when you come back—no need to push ourselves when we have made it further than anyone in the modern era. Barely anyone could chart a course to this place. The few who did were probably thought of as cultists and madmen in their time.”

He points at the skeletons.

“We made a big discovery today. The resources were well spent.”

The well-intended speech did not go over so well at first. The professor wished to respond with indignation. After a moment of what seemed like humility, he placed his hand on the shoulder of his faithful supporter throughout the years and nodded his head. 

“Maybe a few weeks off would do the body some good, along with taking some evidence back. We can probably study the writings without the elements bearing down on us. As well as putting some energy back in the tank.”

The chairman responded, 

“We are not as durable as we used to be, my good friend; we are way past our prime and need to regroup.” 

The professor nods in approval. The two shake hands, and the chairman says, 

“I promise no one will touch the site until you return; you have my word and the company’s.” 

“Thanks. I have appreciated your dedication all these years.”

They smile and go to their separate sleeping areas. When everyone is asleep except two from the security detail, the professor arises with amazing dexterity. The two awake, sip coffee, and talk while the professor quietly slips away into one of the least explored caverns. He moves with a vitality not expected from a professor in his 70s. He looks around at the paintings on the walls and pulls out a previously hidden piece of technology. It displays a holographic image of notes and symbols. The professor says, 

“Date 03-09-3572, time 0256. I have located the prophet's tomb but cannot figure out the whereabouts of his body. Yet, I have wondered a prophet with such power how is that death conquered him. Reportedly, he had the power to manipulate reality. How could he face death? Even after being able to raise the dead, he couldn't raise himself. Or teach someone else to raise him?”

The professor shines a light on all the drawings and carvings. When he finds an ancient phrase, ‘Death is only the beginning’. It's in the ancient language of English, but when he sees it, an idea sprouts in his head and grows while he begins to mutter sayings to himself and walks around the room, sharing the light revealing the countless carvings and ancient symbols. The pieces begin to fall into place. When he comes to the last phrase in the ancient language of English, he is convinced that the mystery is solved and is infused with the brightest joy. He looks for a hard tool and then returns to the room he was searching. When he repeats the phrase to himself over and over again, he feels the walls with his bare hands.

He searches on the wall with the most carved pictographs on it. He reads them to himself, repeating, 'Death is only the beginning.’ He slows his movement and eyes. Then he takes out his contacts, revealing all-white eyes. Dr. Ulamien feels around the wall and then feels a lower protruding edge. He reads the symbols around it; they roughly translate, “There is no death for the cycle.”

He presses around the edge and eventually pulls a small notch. That’s when a low grinding is heard. Yet nothing is opened. He continues to feel around and points a device at the same point in the wall, which flashes green. Then he looks at it deeply, blinking many times, and that’s when. Joy overtakes the professor, and he reaches back to hit the wall when interrupted by Dulu.

“Doc, what did you do?”

He turns around smiling,

“I found it.”

He quickly puts his googles back on and continues,

“Behind this wall lies our prize. Give me something.”

He reaches for a gun, and before Garrison can stop him, he bangs it on the wall. At first, only a small dent is made, then, after a third blow, the wall begins to cave. Everyone is awakened by the banging and looks on in amazement. Everyone looks on after the professor as opened a hallway to the hidden chamber. A newfound resilience sweeps the academics, while a skeptical eye exchange happens between the chairman and Garrison. The two look at the university faculty as they walk eagerly into the dark, ancient hallway. Ulamien leads the way with Waquer behind him. The security detail follows the Corp. personnel. When the last mercenary enters he can hear the excitement at the other end. A triumphant cheer resounds as the faculty finds the empty room with a lonely sarcophagus.

As the full expedition makes their way into the chamber, they can look up and see the solar flares in the glass porthole in the ceiling. The stars shine down on the resting prophet. Then, before everyone can take pictures. Dr. Ulamien asks for help to open the sarcophagus. Waquer and a few others use some robotics to try and open using brute force. Dulu asks,

“Aren’t there any bobby traps?”

Ulamien responds,

“No, not for him. He was never much of an angry man. Spent his life trying to escape the pain of killing.”

Dulu looks around, watching to see if any traps fall down. Waquer finds an inscription and says he has trouble reading it. Ulamien moves over and says, without hesitation,

“It says, ‘Don’t wake please.’”

When the heavy, cold stone is removed and falls to the ground, they look in. They see a bearded man in dusty dark blue garb. His flesh is wrinkled and old, but Waquer notes,

“He looks like he died yesterday.”

Dulu pushes past everyone and looks in while covering his face. Then, he sees what the company is after. The wall furthest from them reflects into Dulu’s eyes. When he shines his light on the wall, he sees the offerings, gifts, and treasure trove. He uncovers his face and walks to the wall. Dr. Ulamien watches Dulu walk towards the company's treasure. Dulu’s eyes gloss over while Garrison’s mouth opens, and his cigar drops. The non-academic part of the expedition shone their lights on the wall of ancient treasures.

At the bottom, there is a golden statue of Ganesh. When one starts from the bottom and looks up, they see ancient artifacts galore. There is an Old Imperial set of armor from the 21st century. Besides that, there is a golden robe with dark blue accents. On a stand is an original copy of the Valmud, the prophet’s writings and findings. Dulu gazes at the artifacts, and then when he and Garrison are done lusting over the find, he turns to the doctor and says,

“Thank you, good doctor. You have done well.”

He gives Garrison a nod. Then, the mercenaries seize the faculty. Dulu states,

“By order of the supreme CEO of the Jupiter corporation, we-“

A deep groan is released, vibrating the chamber, and then a disembodied voice asks,

“Who has awakened me from my meditation?”

Dulu responds with no reverence,

“We have orders to understand your secrets.”

A gust of wind flows past everyone and into the body. The half-dead corpse gasps for air and rises up. The expedition is thrown back by both winds and shock. Dulu gets up to say,

“You are now under the protection of the Jupiter corporation and, by order of the Supreme CEO, ordered to come with us.”

The frail ancient corpse begins to laugh as it rises. He reaches his hands on the side to pull himself up. Life and vitality slowly return to the body frozen in decayed stasis. The ancient prophet scans the chamber, looking at everyone, and when he sees Dr. Ulamien, he says,

“You fool the others, but I’m not so easily misled.”

Dulu and some mercenaries move closer to the prophet,

“You are to come with us.”

Asurmaan-Ra looks at him and says,

“I’ll come, only to see his reaction.”

He points at Dr. Ulamien. The professor’s eyes squint harder, and Dulu places handcuffs on Ra. The mercenaries pull his frail corpse out of the sarcophagus as Ra stares at Dr. Ulamien. When Dulu pasts a certain point, he tells Garrison,

“We have what we came for no need to keep witnesses. Kill them.”

Garrison responds,

“As you command.”

His team cocks their guns when Ulamien says,

“Enough, give me the prophet or else.”

Dulu turns and says,

“Or else you’re not in a position to be giving directions, professor.”

Ra grins, seeing how long the hidden truth will stay sheathed. Ulamien shoots Ra a nasty look and then looks back at Dulu and says,

“I think you’ll find I’m not as helpless as you think,”

He grabs the top of his hair and begins to rip the skin off his face. The skin shreds off along with the old man's exterior, and it reveals a man with digital implants along with burning black and white eyes. His skin is seen with translucent undertones. The whole party is amazed at the sight. 

He begins to float in the air and gaze at the group. The chairman looks on with amazement and asks, 

“Who… who are you?”

In a deep voice,

“I am the Qalazir.”

The group is consumed by amazement and confusion. Waquer is frozen in fear and confusion as the two beings in his presence are beyond his comprehension. The Qalazir speaks to the prophet, 

“Can we have our discussion now?” 

The prophet disintegrates the handcuffs and begins to talk, 

“You look familiar. I can't quite tell why, but yes, what is it that you seek? Truth, knowledge, or power?”

 The chairman tries to assert his diminished authority,

“He is property of the Jupt,”

The pull of the Emperor cuts him off,

“Oh… misguided one, you believe you have power here. You have no power here. You are in the presence of larger things. Begone.” 

He flings the chairman away with a hand gesture. Then he looks back at Asurmaan-Ra. 

“I have come for all of it. For you to teach me how to master all of it.” 

The prophet looks around and begins to laugh.  

“You want my truth, power, and knowledge, but you have all you need to fulfill your purpose; what need do you have of me?”

“I don’t have everything yet. I need your power, truth, and knowledge for the final conflict.” 

Asurmaan-Ra again laughs, 

“You need my power? To stop the coming conflict. Haven’t you won all the ones you have come across? Even as you plan more to win and to lose. You have all the power and knowledge you need.” 

The Qalazir gets a little agitated, 

“You know the conflict I am referencing.”

The prophet shakes his head and becomes more serious, 

“Why do you waste time trying to reach beyond your mandated position?”

Garrison tries to assert his power with bullets and grenades, none of which inflict any serious damage on the Qalazir. He looks more annoyed than anything else. He pulls Garrison close with unseen force and snaps his neck. The other mercenaries fire at him, and he lifts them up and chokes them as well. Then, as the chairman wakes up, he pulls him close, 

“It is funny. I actually wanted to spare your life for a moment. But I guess we both need to reveal our true selves in order to fulfill our missions.” 

He snaps his neck with his actual hands. He looks down at the staff that has been with him for four years. He hesitates and looks at Waquer, who has dedicated all his efforts to the Qalazir’s cause and faithfully served him. He sheds a tear turns away, and continues, 

“Give me the knowledge and the power to survive and dominate the coming war.”

Ra smiles but says,

“Now we are speaking frankly, but no.”

The Qalazir asks, 

“Why?”

“You look very familiar, and I can't quite put my mind on it, but I cannot give you my truth, knowledge, and power because you will become worse than They that will come to Conquer. With this information, you will try to fight Uuhn himself.” 

The Qalazir begins to feel anger flow through his veins. 

“I see. You will not share your power with me because you think I will become the very devil himself.”

“You are already him and just don’t know it yet. How many people have you killed over the years?”

“I do not know, but what I did, I did to prepare us for the coming invasion.” 

“Did you know only you could have done that? Humanity needed a savior, and that savior was you?”

“No, they needed discipline. I am not a savior; I am only guiding them so they do not kill themselves or find themselves ill-prepared when the Catal comes.”

“Yet, you did not tell them of the coming threat after all these years so they can prepare? You didn’t even give them a choice to prove you wrong, or any choice for that matter. Why is that?”

“I think you know why because even when you share the truth, they cannot handle it. You should know that most of all. I know we may not be brothers, but we are from the same time I heard of you. What did they do to you when you shared your truth and gave them a choice? They tried to kill you. They betrayed you. So, tell me, should I let my species die because they do not want to listen or just because they deserve the option of choice, even if the ones in power choose destruction brought by their selfishness?”

Ra looks at the Qalazir

“Your species? Look at you. Are you even human anymore?”

The Qalazir says,

“Enough talk. Give me the power and the knowledge.”

“Hahahaha, you think you can bully it out of me-”

The Qalazir punches the Prophet into the ground, releasing a huge shock wave. The prophet gets up slowly, and fullness of vitality returns to him. Ra says,

“You don’t understand what power I have.”

The Qalazir tries to punch again but is frozen in place and lightly pushed away as though he is experiencing weightlessness. When he regains control of his body, he tries to attack again. He comes full force only to land the punch on Asurmaan-Ra, and his hand is completely shattered. The prophet forms his hand back together and tries to speak again, 

“I am not a prophet, I am not a holy man…”

The Qalazir tries to blast him with an energy beam, and the prophet receives it in his hand like a beam of light, causing no harm to his hand. The Qalazir tries to use other means to affect the prophet, but none are effective. Ra finally says,

“I am an entity now.” 

He grabs the Qalazir and increases his size, shattering the chamber and the tomb. As he towers over the chamber in the night, he says, 

“I am not just some item for you to master and move on with your pursuit to become a god. I am my own entity.”

The Qalazir tries to struggle through the tight grip but is unable to wrestle free. As Ra towers over the surrounding frozen landscape, he flings the Qalazir upward into the upper atmosphere. The Qalazir’s body reaches several miles above the speed of sound. He gasps for air, and when he reaches the space between atmosphere and space, he almost doesn’t fall until Ra joins him and hits him back down.