The Sons of Destiny: 1 of 3

By Chris Red

The balance of the universe is in peril. On the planet Kokeran, the Karmenytes have just revealed an enigmatic prophecy. Kelmozar, the oldest Guardian, understands that one of them must leave the Karmenyta Forest. If he does not find the Chosen One, the breath of life may be stifled. Quickly. He must summon the Council of Elders and find out who is the Guardian appointed by the Weavers of Destiny.
At the same time, on Terra IV, Leonida Butrika, a former inspector, is investigating the mysterious disappearance of children. Her investigation will force her to leave her cocoon and travel to Animotopia to shoot her main suspect. Temerary, she does not know everything about the deep nature of her enemy, who is a little ... unusual.

Included: The Secret of Karmenyta, the story that gave birth to the Sons of Destiny.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Nov 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386721895

Book preview

To Helen, my wife who has always believed in me.

Chapter 1: Karmenyta

The leaves of the Karmenyta forest rustled through the silence. The birds that inhabited them chirped and helped to provide a peaceful and serene atmosphere to the community of creatures gathered within its heart.

The forest was located on the Kokeran planet, a star hid within the Hydra constellation, and its existence represented nothing but a chimera for billions of souls scattered throughout the universe.

Desert and hostile stretches encircled the woods that had been chosen by the Guardians as a haven of peace. Unless they were selected by the secret forces that governed life. This is to ensure one of the most eminently guarded secrets of the galaxy.

If the Guardians gave the impression of controlling their destiny and deciding their fate, they knew the truth. They had not only come to give birth to a unique village of this kind. A place where different species came together to lead a life away from the torments that plagued most other planets.

Indeed, there were few worlds that were not affected by war, chaos, famine, jealousy or disease. Among so many evils which sanctioned the peoples without distinction of race or appearance.

No, the Guardians were elected. Chosen to protect and ensure the secret of the Karmenytes. The weavers of Destiny. The women who had occupied the Karmenyta forest since the beginning of time. Or more precisely since the seeding of these trees and plants that had gathered around the trunk whose filaments emanated from them.

A tree that grew and branched out as they continued their work.

A monument to which the Guardians had given a name.

Karma.

A nickname that found its root in the forest of Karmenyta. Unless it was the other way around. Nobody knew of it, except for the Karmenytes.

But they did not speak of it. Not in a human language, nor in telepathy or any other dialect in the constellation of Hydra, or in any other constellation.

They communicated among themselves. In their own way. Only a hoarse sound could echo through their vocal cords.

Nevertheless, when the situation required such, they managed to find a way to share the prophecies that they were developing.

Thus, on this unfortunate day, Kelmozar, the oldest of the Guardians was there, observing them in silence, when a leaf was detached from a branch of Karma.

His gaze left the spectacle offered by the three women who did not suffer the agony of old age. He got up and attentively followed the huge purple-colored leaf that hovered above their heads and slowly but surely moved towards the surface of the ground. Its shadow was walking on the ground as it circled and fell.

Kelmozar wondered if the Karmenytes went so far as to influence the path of Karma's leaves, carrying the prophecies. He sometimes struggled to perceive the limits of their gift.

The creature, with a Raccoon-like appearance and short-legged, appealed to his intuition and moved to where she supposed the leaf would land.

Kelmozar leaned on his slightly curved stick with his left hand and took his time to find himself in the right place at the right time.

He tilted his head and looked out for the leaf as it finished its course.

He waited patiently for it to rest on the floor to read the message she wanted to deliver.

The Karmenytes never stopped in their work.

Their eyes were covered with whitish veils. And their perception differed from all that was known in the immensity of the universe. The weavers of Destiny were in a full dimension where time and space were no mystery. They felt the past, the present and the future without distinction. The information came from everywhere. They seemed to be an inexhaustible source.

However, the prophecies they predicted and transmitted directly to the Guardians were not a legion. If they decided to prevent them, it meant that there was a threat to the fragile balance of universal life. Otherwise, they just let them live and decided not to interfere.

Thus, Kelmozar did not waste any time. His eyes deciphered the sacred and unusual writings of a dialect whose use was lost. The language of Akmenyde. A language inherited from a civilization considered as extinct for many millennia but whose practice had spread over many worlds from the planet of Akmenydia.

The Raccoon began to read the contents of the omen in a low voice.

The mothers are suffering. The children are born.

The worlds are dying. The light is flickering out.

The Mothers are crying. The children see the night.

The worlds are shaking. The darkness is rising.

Like everyone. The elected are rejected.

The keeper of destiny. Your prison calls you.

Different from all others. The elected pursue the truth.

The keeper of destiny. The truth escapes you.

Her and him. Or nothing will be.

His eyes widened.

He didn't understand it. He did not grasp the meaning behind the words, but he understood the imminence of an immeasurable disaster.

Above all, it concerned them more than any other prophecy. No Guardian had ever been led out of the Karmenyta Forest after their arrival.

And yet a Guardian was expressly designated by the prophecy. But which?

For the first time in two decades, Kelmozar was to convene the Council of Elders.

Chapter 2: Leonida Butrika

The look of her eyes fixed on her hand, Leonida still felt the same fascination after the mutation that had just taken place. The members of his species inspired doubt and fear. Their difference was often frowned upon.

However, it was a wonder of nature just breathtaking. Being able to juggle the form of two different species. A luxury and a privilege that was becoming rarer in the almost infinite expanse of the Dragon constellation. But also, in the rest of the universe.

Not because the clones had difficulty reproducing or prolonging their life expectancy.

No. In reality, they were tracked and hunted down for centuries. Their ability to change their appearance and camouflage had led to many interplanetary conflicts. Their reputation had deteriorated and their existence itself was not highly regarded.

Thus, most of the survivors hid so as not to suffer the wrath of hatred.

They were perceived as the outcasts of the universe.

Their obligation to curl up on themselves prevented them from finding and reproducing themselves. Although a human clone could mate with a human, the chances of generating a clone were greatly reduced. Thus, their species was on the decline.

That's why Leonida had been careful to keep a close eye out when she had made her metamorphosis. She did not like to transform in a public place.

Yet for the purposes of her inquiry, it was necessary for her to juggle between her human personality and her Tatoulina appearance, a species easily recognizable by the ultra-resistant shell that covered her skin whose color varied according to its genetic code.

Endowed with the features of a woman of an advanced age, but still endowed with many beautiful years in front of her, Leonida stepped onto the steps of the front door and rang the bell.

A hologram sprang from the intercom and spread across a screen where a man's face appeared.

He scrutinized her carefully, thanks to the CCTV device placed in the doorway. The equipment that was subtly confounded with the furniture and that she could identify with her professional experience.

Yes? Who are you? What do you want? growled the man, visibly unwilling to receive unexpected visitors.

Leonida pushed aside a piece of her waterproof jacket that perfectly concealed the curves of her anatomy.

The man's face deformed when he saw the badge that was hanging on her inside pocket.

Good morning, Mr Genk, Inspector Leonida Butrika. I would like to ask you a few questions, if I may.

Yes, of course, inspector, I will let you in. 

The hologram vanished, and a click sounded.

The door was unlocked.

Leonida did not have time to push her that the father opened the door of their home.

Please, come in. 

Mr Genk, named Rachid, cleared the things that were lying on the coffee table and invited her to sit down.

I'm sorry, my wife is away, she's at work. 

Leonida smiled out of courtesy.

It doesn't matter. 

Rachid Genk invited her to sit on the couch and chose an armchair to her right.

He could not hide his apparent nervousness. And he did not even try.

Maybe you would like a snack? he asked, already leaning on the armrests to get up.

Leonida shook her head and invited him to sit still.

I'm coming to see you about the disappearance of your child, Mr Genk. I do understand that evoking this subject must be painful to you, but we have not stopped our investigations.

You have some news? That is to say, it has been almost a year since we feared that his case would of... gone cold 

Gone cold? "Yes, it had been. By the police, at least. Though not by Leonida Butrika, a clone who was investigating on their own.

No, do not believe that your son's file is still one of our priorities, she lied to give credibility to her coverage. Unfortunately, we face many pitfalls in this kind of business. Very few cases of disappearances are resolved. Nevertheless, we might follow a lead.

Are you waiting for my help? asked Rachid Genk.

Yes, she said, pulling out a series of snapshots from one of her jacket pockets. I would like you to look at these photographs and tell me if any of these men appear familiar to you and whether you have passed them or simply met them in the days leading up to Kader's death. 

The father nodded and frowned as the inspector spread the evidence on the coffee table.

When she had finished, he leaned over and observed them one by one.

He grimaced as his gaze shifted from left to right then slid heart sunk and back in the other direction.

Nine photographs. Nine men. Nine suspects.

One guilty.

Yet until then, Leonida had no way of connecting them to these disappearances, which were becoming more and more frequent. On numerous planets.

Finally, when she was not expecting it anymore, Rachid put his finger on the penultimate picture.

Him. I remember him.

Are you sure? she said as she moved closer to see which picture it was.

He took it, examined it closely, and handed it back to her.

Yes, I remember him, I am absolutely sure. My memory never deceives me.

Do you remember when you met him?

Yes, he came to our home. He introduced himself as a real-estate agent. He promised us a dream trip to the planet Exquisia if we bought a product from his catalog.

What kind of products?

A spaceship. An individual shuttle for short-distance trips. A significant investment that did not necessarily meet our needs.

Did you welcome him here for long?

Yes, we offered him to drink, we exchanged trivial discussions. He stayed with us for a good hour. Do you think he... was doing some sort of tracking?

It’s a possibility. Though we cannot confirm it. Remember the timing of your son's disappearance?

Ten days ago, maybe two weeks, no more.

Nothing else to report to me? Looking back now, did any detail seem strange to you?

Rachid thought back and remembered this, seemingly innocuous meeting. He saw nothing to report.

He shook his head.

Okay, I'd like to thank you for your cooperation. We will keep you informed if we have news.

Rachid stared at her, surprised.

That’s all? said his eyes.

Yes, that was all. Leonida got up to leave.

She understood the confusion that shone in the eyes of this man devastated by the loss of his son. But she worked for him and for all the others who disappeared, whatever their age and whatever their species.

This investigation was far from over.

Chapter 3: The Council of Elders

Sitting cross-legged, the eight oldest Guardians meditated on the content of the prophecy that had just been transmitted to them by Kelmozar.

The Raccoon leaned to his right and took with both hands a small wooden bowl filled with water and took the opportunity to quench his thirst. Then he put it down and examined his friends, who all seemed to be deep in thought.

Maya, the Ursidae representative was on his right.

Then there was Altidore, a Tortuga. Then Spot, a Canine. Merikanos, a Rhinocorn. Elysea, a human. Bulkito, a Centaur. And, finally, Malicia, an uncommon creature, a Gorgon.

Each of them came from a planet where his species had grown before the conquest of space allowed them all to be travelled to other countries.

The scales of Malicia's snake-tail of shone and shone inside the tent that sheltered them. His reptilian eyes sparkled as his hair kept moving, reflecting the thought that stirred him.

Your prison calls you. Is that what you said Kelmozar?

Yes.The keeper of destiny. Your prison calls you.

I have an idea! But we must not be deceived.

Tell us what you have in mind. If your idea is unanimous, then we will support it.

We welcomed a human, a few years ago. It came from the planet Aliandor.

Oh yes, Esteban. And where do you come from?

Do you all remember the discomfort that had encouraged him, not to leave this world, but to flee it? He had deserted a home that he did not consider as a hospitable asylum, but rather as a prison.

That's an interesting suggestion. What do you think? he asked the Guardians.

All were more or less circumspect and pondered the hypothesis provided by Malicia.

I remember him very well, it was me who welcomed him. We often exchanged contact afterwards. He had himself confided to me that he felt a prisoner of the world he lived in, corroborated Spot. He came here in search of freedom. It corresponds to the profile established by the prophecy.

More than anyone in our community, Bulkito said.

Kelmozar did not answer, he was still thinking about the idea that he might be another Guardian. The mistake could not be tolerated. Nevertheless, Malicia often saw right. Her instinct rarely deceived her, and her thoughts were sharpened. The Gorgon was aptly named.

But is it really wise to ask him to return to a planet he has voluntarily abandoned? wondered Altidore. Not to mention that we cannot go against free will and the values ​​and principles we cherish. And who, I must remember, embody the cement that keeps us all together.

Aliandor is one of the sites in the galaxy where some vices are the most widespread, Elysea said. Though the prophecy implies that he must find the chosen one. It is not a question for him to return to his life of yesteryear.

The question is not whether the Guardian should go back there, Kelmozar corrected. His prison calls him. The problem is to know to whom the prophecy refers. Then it will be up to them to decide.

A heavy responsibility. A very heavy responsibility, Merikanos murmured. Though if the prophecy chose it. Or, more precisely, if the Karmenytes elected him to carry this burden, then it is because they undoubtedly feel that he can do that. We cannot go against the will of those who protect us as much as we watch over it.

The voice of wisdom has spoken. And no other name comes to mind. Let's vote, thundered Bulkito. Unless someone has another person in mind? 

The voices fell silent and their eyes met.

Good, said Bulkito. So, let those who think that the human Esteban is the Keeper of Destiny, raise your hand! 

He immediately brandished his.

He was soon joined by Malicia, Merikanos, and Elysea.

Kelmozar, Maya, Spot, and Altidore were still hesitant.

The balance of the Universe is at stake, said Kelmozar. It must be taken into account, he warned while he felt the compassion of his friends to urge them to want to protect their friend at any cost.

The Raccoon's leg rose in its turn. Maya copied him. As well as Spot and Altidore after a short moment of hesitation.

There we go. We must remember that we have no time to lose. It is imperative that we summon Esteban. 

Chapter 4: Disappearances

Sitting in the office of her laboratory, Leonida meditated in front of the photograph of the suspect named by the father of Kader Genk, one of the too many children to be kidnapped. Brutally, without warning.

A sudden and violent disappearance for his parents. As was the case in the majority of cases she was studying. The being who was most dear to them in this world, the fruit of their womb, was withdrawn without warning.

Overnight, their lives took an unexpected turn, making it difficult for them not to dive into the ravine.

Leonida did not feel the soul of a mother. Yet she felt an infinite compassion for those children who were taken without the promise of a happy life. The newborns embodied the future. The promise to see the manners evolve. And the hope of breaking the chains that held back the billions of creatures scattered throughout the universe to free their minds.

When she was with the police, she realized that these files were being neglected. In appearance, because they seemed very complicated to solve. The evidence was thin, if not totally absent. The cases were scattered over different worlds, separated by terrible distances. Thus, it was difficult to connect them and establish a procedure, a mobile and profile of those responsible.

It could just as easily be millions of misfits who let their nauseating tendencies express themselves as the work of a single well-organized entity determined to attack the most fragile beings in the universe, children who did not yet have the physical strength to resist an attacker nor the agility of mind to read in the traps that were elaborated by the perverse imagination of their captors.

Yet for Leonida, a pattern was emerging among the web of these disappearances. A character seemed to emerge in the darkness. A man dressed in a black suit and wearing sunglasses. His description was subject in many testimonies. It could not be a coincidence.

After years of investigation, the Duplicator finally hoped to have reduced his list of suspects to one face. At least, she believed him but kept in mind that at with each step forward, she would come back two steps back. It was as if the Machiavellian forces were weaving a canvas that prevented her from moving forward.

Lucid, she knew that she had not finished her work and never forgot that an obstacle could stand in her way. In order to slow her down. Or to cover the lead she'd been working on for months and months. The prospect of returning back to the start haunted her.

He had often been to experience the disappointments of an investigation of this nature. But she could not bring herself to abdicate. In his eyes, the issue was too important. If, for once, she could continue to dig and not hit rock bottom.

Of course, if the investigation moved in the right direction, she would certainly be forced to leave Terra IV, a planet that offered her a relatively peaceful refuge. A land where Duplicators could blend into the mass and not be too worried.

The danger did not worry her too much. The good of it all took precedence over his own personal being.

Leonida re-put the picture on the transparent glass stand of her desk.

She leaned forward and grabbed a glove that was lying beside the stack of documents and her interrogation reports.

With the help of her left hand, she put it in her right hand.

Designed with elastocol, a very adhesive elastic substance, the glove seemed to move itself to stick to Leonida's skin. The material, was extra fine and very sensitive, troubled with the slightest asperities of her epidermis.

Holes allowed her fingers to appear in the open air, just like a part of the back of her hand. A circular opening allowed the skin to breathe.

The glove extended to the tops of the wrist.

Leonida turned her hand, palm facing up to the ceiling, discovering a tactile gray circle that dominated the center of the glove.

With her left hand, she opened a drawer and grabbed a pair of glasses. Without the frame to support them, the glasses were surrounded by an elasto-colored frame had a translucent color which was incredibly thin. Not to mention that they were extremely fragile.

The inspector put her glasses on a few millimeters from her nose. Then she took them off. The skin seemed to magnetize the object. Unless it was the glasses that were attracted to her eyes. And the device stuck to her skin. The glasses merged with his eye organs.

The stratagem was only noticeable if one observed the person very closely, right in their eyes. Or by the frame which formed a subtle recess of the skin all around the eyes, being confused with the nuance of the skin of the possessor. Or more precisely the possessed.

Then Leonida put a finger on the button on the glove of her right hand.

The light suddenly disappeared all around her. She was literally in the dark.

After a few seconds, millions of small lights burst, like stars that were being born. They invaded not only her field of vision but any place where her gaze was likely to be directed.

Server, connection with the internal network of the police. 

In the process, the stars began to scroll as if a spaceship was accelerating to make an inter dimensional leap.

Then the darkness suddenly cleared up. The light gushed from all sides.

A female voice, pre-recorded by the designers of the glove, was heard.

Connection successful, Data Display. 

And the folder icons appeared. In their thousands. Each of them hiding countless subfolders.

Server, connect to the criminal records register. 

The symbols of the documents began to scroll before one was chosen and then opened. And so, on until you reach the desired content.

Leonida possessed in front of her the entirety of all the files gathered on the criminals identified by all the different police jurisdictions of Terra IV over the last five hundred years. This involved both major criminals, serial killers, as well as juvenile offenders. Fraudsters, rapists, minor infractions. Whatever the profiles and the reasons for their indictment, they were all there.

By the strength of her memory, Leonida reopened the portrait of the suspect she wanted to trace.

Server, photographic search. Please see my thoughts.

The voice was heard again.

Search in progress. 

Almost in the wake, a voice rang.

No record found. 

Leonida tightened her fists.

Server, login to the staff register, and restart the last search. 

Chapter 5: Esteban's Choice

A young man was sitting in the heart of the assembly.

The eyes of the Elders stared at him, watching for his reaction.

Esteban had closed his eyes while Kelmozar recited the prophecy. He had not