The Rising Sun: Episode 2 by J Hawk Page B

Mantra’s face.
     
    “The ancient brotherhood of Nyon.” he
repeated softly. “First off, son … we aren’t whatever you’ve heard
of us. Not anymore we aren’t. There was a time when the brotherhood
was what it was meant to be … during the days of the empire of
Sirengard. But now,” He shook his head, a heaviness in his voice.
“We’re nothing more than a shadow of our earlier might and prowess:
we have been diminished to a very weakened state, following the
Naxim’s iron hard stand against mystics. As a matter of fact, it’s
rather surprising that we’ve even managed to survive this long.
     
    “Among the scarce mystics found in hiding
today, very few want to serve us. In the current, heated anti
mystic atmosphere we hardly have new initiates joining us But we
need initiates, to carry on our work. To keep our brotherhoood
alive. And as a result, we understand that the situation demands
action from our side. To ensure that we find new members and keep
the Nyon alive … even if it survives as a mere ghost of its former
grandeur.
     
    “And so, over the years, we try to keep tabs
on stray mystics whom we manage to tread upon. And when we do, if
any of these stray mystics that we wander upon believe in the
values and ideals that we do, we try garnering their support. Try
winning them over to our side, to join us.” He stopped for a quiet
sigh. “But it hasn’t been easy, Ion. We are dwindling, and will
soon fade … and now is when our might, the might of the last
remaining fragment of the age of Elderon, is required. Because
there are dark forces like no other waiting to unleash over the
spectrum. To plunge it to chaos forever. Now is the time where the
world needs our help. But we ourselves need help, Ion.
     
    “Some time back, we found a certain stray
mystic. He was a great, shining opportunity, one we’d been yearning
for, for too long now. He was our primary target among the stray
mystics. But we saw that he needed some time before he could answer
our call. We needed to give him some time to grow. And so, we let
him be for the time being, watching as he tended to things that
fell to his prior importance, before tending to ours. But as we
did, he slipped from our watch. Our primary target among the stray
mystics. But fortunately, for it is nothing short of the greatest
fortune that has granted us this, we managed to get a trace on him,
and had him back on our radar just earlier on today. And we’re now
standing before him, explaining ourselves for it.”
     
    Ion had his stare fixed over Mantra many long
seconds after he’d finished. He needed to work through a daze to
digest and absorb what he had just heard. They’ve been watching
me…
     
    “You said you found this certain stray
mystic, who was your primary target,” he said at last. “But you
didn’t really elaborate how . Exactly how did you manage to
find me? Or that I was a mystic?”
     
    Mantra held his eyes for a moment, and the
hint of a smile touched his lips. “Vestra.”
     
    “Who?” asked Ion.
     
    “We’re assuming you remember the person who
saved you from the Zelgron two years back?” asked the maroon haired
man, stepping forward beside Mantra.
     
    Ion’s gaze went far off for a moment, as the
memory caught up with him. And as it did, in a jolt everything
added up to make complete sense.
     
    The girl… He thought. The one who
saved me from the Zelgron…
     
    He looked at Mantra, stunned. “The Nyon … it
was you! You were the mystic crime fighters that she said
she was working for.” The thought that that young woman he had met
had been a member of the Nyon left him momentarily overwhelmed with
shock.
     
    Mantra nodded slowly, his smile growing.
“Yes, Ion. We were the ones who had sent Vestra to where she had
met you. And the mission we had sent her for, was to bring down the
Zelgron warlord, Carcasar.” A quiet darkness crept into his voice.
“It was a point of time when we learnt that Carcasar had