Shattered Sphere

The Saradacathan are perhaps the most vicious of all Ukathi – their small frames deceptively unassuming and their permanently affixed vacant expressions indicating cognitive absence, concealing their uncanny cunning nature. Even in death they remain completely silent, lips sealed flatly and eyes wide open, they show now fear or worry or joy or anger. Most people believe them to be mute as the they have no known language, though rumors have always lingered that they can in fact speak. They are emotionless killers, perfect predators. Even a lone Saradacathan has been known to overtake an entire squad of Lukashi’L Elites, leaving a pile of tongue-less corpses to rot as a monument of victory. Encountering a group Saradacathan on disputed territory is a misfortune few live to regret. No’ten knew this better than anyone. Orphaned in his eleventh year during the winter pilgrimage through the Aspen Plains, he had never forgotten the horror of Saradacathan brutality. He survived then and he survived now. His hands trembled as he lowered his black saber, silver blood running down it’s side, bending around the strange glyphs beveling along the dull end of the blade.

Three Saradacathan bodies laid twisted before him – motionless, lifeless, ever expressionless with large seeping gashes across their necks, spilling silver blood on the snow covered earth. An illumines vapor still poured from his eyes, his skin still rigid and hard as if were a thin leather pulled tightly over chainmail. No’ten’s mind raced faster than his pounding heart. Was he the foretold pestilence of the Ukathi prophecy or the peace bringer of Lukashi’L folklore or did either of these even matter anymore? The world was ending in six days anyway. The black saber had already cleaned itself of the metallic Saradacathan blood. No’ten’s boots would not clean so easily. He sheathed his blade, and turned his back to the fallen opponents, facing eastward towards the Ukathi towers. “Osar’eli, if you still circle this sphere, tell Le’nalia I love her. Tell her I’m sorry.”