The Un-Real B13: The Enemies and Champions

By Bafo Nathan Yoti

Seven lives are turned upside down on the night a mysterious meteor crashes into the ocean and brings with it a terror that will force forgotten and lost memories of a universe of imagination to resurface.
Nathan, Andrew, Leigh, Saika, Scott, Serena, Gideon, and Tanya are forced out of the comfort of the world they know and love and into a battle that will open their eyes to the universe of the Un-Real.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514453278

Bafo Nathan Yoti

Writing from childhood fantasies, Bafo Nathan Yoti takes inspiration from the complex fantasy stories of Anime. He best describes himself as a story teller more than a writer and shows this commitment of focusing on telling a story by creating a story that can live on past the existence of the characters it develops.

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Bafo Nathan Yoti.

ISBN:       Softcover     978-1-5144-5328-5

                 eBook          978-1-5144-5327-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 02/04/2016

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Contents

B13: Enemies and Champions

Chapter 1:   Signs

Chapter 2:   Secrets

Chapter 3:   The Black Star Diamonds

Chapter 4:   Silver to Black Hearts

Chapter 5:   The Battle with the Superior

Chapter 6:   The Stolen Necklace

Chapter 7:   Enemies and Champions

Chapter 8:   The Call of Power

Chapter 9:   The Throne

Chapter 10:   In the end—This is the Un-Real

B13

ENEMIES AND CHAMPIONS

‘We call the worlds they inhabit the first worlds, for all the creatures that belong to these worlds have been given the ability of imagination. The imagination is said to be the single greatest power in existence. The human race has been using the power of the imagination to create, but as this race of creatures grows so does the imagination. The imagination used by humans has now reached a level of such greatness that the First Worlds can no longer hold it.

It is said that this error sparked our existence, this error sparked worlds placeless in existence, worlds humans have long called Un-Real. These worlds are our homes; these worlds are where we belong.

This is the Un-Real.’

CHAPTER 1

SIGNS

‘The Un-Real started off as what we now call Symbols. What they were was entities of pure raw power, raw imagination.

The Un-Real was at its early stages and as it formed the Symbols waged war on each other for the right to rule the Un-Real. The eight Symbols separated themselves into two groups, the Ages. The Ages of Light, the Ages of Dark.’

~The First Worlds: Earth~

One dark stormy night when it rained at its worst four children went out to sea, to see truly who was the bravest. Their bravery was soon challenged by a dark storm.

Their little sail boat was tossed and turned by mountain sized waves. Their cries drowned by the echoes of thunder, the darkness of the atmosphere and heavy rain blinding their path back home.

The glittering lights of the city that remained unaware to their despair faded away with their hopes of returning home.

Grouped up together at the corner of the sail boat the children were taken through flash backs by the flashing sky. The unnecessarily long lectures that once seemed nothing more than a verbal spanking now seemed like words of wisdom which they failed to absorb. The hugs and kisses which ruined their chances of ever becoming a part of the cool kids, they longed for them, needed them now.

Mike the youngest of the pack the only one who had admitted his concern about this little adventure was the first one to notice. He broke away from the group and raised his head to the black heavens while the rest of the group rose so that they could all witness this strange phenomenon.

The sky as dark and gloomy as it was had become silent, the blinding flashes replaced by a somewhat calm darkness. The ocean had found tranquillity, but even all of that was not the reason for the hope that had returned.

Look, look! Look! Mike shouted catching the others attention almost immediately.

Mike showed them a faint beam of light piercing through the thick clouds and coming down onto the boat. As if an angel above the horror was pointing down at them calling for its recruits to save the innocence below, to strike fear into the hearts of Mother Nature’s cruellest elements.

The children gathered around the beam of light afraid to disturb its mission none dared to touch it. But its very existence brought warmth that not even the sun could imitate.

Surely this was a sign of a higher existence that looked down at them with pity now offered them a second chance.

The black clouds above began to take on a red glow; another light was above them eating them away. As the black clouds began to fade away a ball of fire emerged, its size almost incomprehensible to the children.

As it descended it brought with it a heat that caused the ocean to steam. The children could feel the heat and as they became aware to the singeing sound of their skin panic rocked the boat, desperate cries echoed through the air.

The sail boat was on fire, the metals holding it together melted away and the cries of the children disappeared long before the perfect ball of fire could touch them.

It crashed into the sea sending a wave of steam rushing into the skies as it hid its existence at the bottom of the ocean.

For merely a brief moment the earth was silent as if it had decided to take the time to watch the mist disappear, to mourn the children’s death.

~The Un-Real: Random moon~

The black heavens of the Un-Real though pungent with the scent of supernatural had nothing that would make it differ from the First Worlds. Distant stars twinkled like normal against the heavy blackness of outer space the silent noise confirming the unreachable frontier of forever.

With a closer look at the inhabitants of the Un-Real’s cosmos traces of brutal wars become visible. Shattered stars, dying worlds and lonely moons travelled the dark pool of space.

One such moon was now recovering from a battle with in it, hooded men in black cloaks stood scattered amongst dead faceless bodies.

These faceless men lay on the dirt of the moon sprayed with their own blood while the hooded men wiped their mouths clean of the same blood.

The faceless dead wore attire fit for warriors of the Amazon. They were hunters and rulers of the jungle but had somehow drifted off into this dull plain.

In the centre of the aftermath was a pure gold chest, the colour of gold untouched by time shined so brightly it would seem to be a star from a distance. The chest had engravings of skulls; at first glance this seemed to be somewhat of a warning.

Only now entering the scene with his scarlet eyes fixed on the gold chest, his pale face fighting off the urge to smile. He raised his hand and ran his long nailed fingers through his bright blonde hair.

Master Scott. One of the hooded men stepped forward.

Scott’s gaze remained on the chest his attention seemed to have been fully taken by it. Yes Ken? He finally answered now standing over the object of his fascination.

Well as you can see we met with very little resistance from the Faceless- Incognitos.

Suddenly Scott’s head shot up and he scanned the dead bodies around him. Why were there so few of them. He looked down at the chest again, this time studying it with a frown. This is a treasure of the Unseen, there surely should have been more to protect it. He said now looking at Ken with suspicious eyes.

We were also concerned. We thought it might have been a trap of some sort, I mean the way we received information about them moving the Red Skull was a bit dodgy and to find them here in small numbers protecting something…

Yeah, yeah get on with it. Scott interrupted returning his attention back to the chest.

Yeah, anyway we questioned one of them; it seems they’re just a small band of the Faceless-Incognitos that had managed to steal the skull from the Great Chamber. They were going to sell it to some random Soul-Eater. Try and guess how much he was willing to pay.

Scott turned to face Ken again with the same stare. How the hell did you manage to talk to the Faceless-Incognitos? They’re faceless, they have no mouths.

Oh, Greg spoke to one of them telepathically. Ken pointed out to one of the hooded men who along with three others marvelled at one of the dead Faceless- Incognitos. But more importantly they were visited by some strange guy who told them when and how they could steal the Red Skull.

Scott knelt down to level with the chest. How is that important to me Ken? Scott replied slightly annoyed.

They were unable to sense what kind of creature he was.

So?

He said he looked like a Soul-Eater.

Frustrated Scott got back onto his feet, sighed and pressed his palm against his forehead so hard that it seemed his paper skin was about to tear. What is wrong with you? He questioned releasing all his frustrations at once.

Uh, I’m not sure what you mean sir? Ken questioned innocently.

Ken, damn it, can you tell me what a Soul-Eater looks like?

The question hit him suddenly. I can’t really say. They all look different.

Exactly, there is no physically distinctive trait amongst the Soul-Eaters.

Yes I was just concerned because the creature who told us about these guys, well we couldn’t sense what he really was. I’m just saying…

Okay Ken, I’m going to ask you to shut up now!

Ken became quite defeated by Scott’s authority he watched as his master marvelled at the chest. Ken was glad he had finally managed to obtain this object.

Finding a way to steal it from the Great Chamber was a puzzle that troubled Scott’s brilliant mind for far too long.

Scott began to fidget with his left pinkie ring something he often did when he became nervous or extremely excited. This time it was excitement that was fuelling this subconscious act. Ken could tell, Scott’s canines protruded out this was a trait with which all vampires shared.

Scott opened the chest; the inside was decorated with a silk black kind of pillow on which rested the Red Skull. It was a skull indeed but unlike any other skull this one had a dried up red colour instead of the normal milk white.

Can you imagine it Ken. Scott spoke his hands hovering over the skull as if shy to touch it.

He pulled his hands back and just stared at the skull for a brief moment leaving Ken hanging.

I’ve already managed to obtain an Immortal. He said pressing his right hand over his left hand wrist. Now I’ll be wearing the Red Skull. I’d like to see those vampire hunters attempt to capture me now.

Scott’s grin turned into a childish smile as he wrapped his hands over the skull.

His moment of joy was cut short when he felt a sudden sharp pain under his ring accompanied by a faint cracking sound.

He pulled his hands away and with grief stared at his now bleeding pinkie; the blood was coming from under the ring.

Scott turned to face the Red Skull again, it had cracked. A small spot on the skull where the ring had made contact cracked.

Scott what happened. Ken questioned.

Scott rose to his feet while shushing Ken; he scanned the scene around him as if he had only entered now.

These guys were they planning on doing the trade with the Soul-Eater here? he asked.

I don’t know, but I seriously doubt it. Everybody knows that the best place to trade something in secret would be within the world of the Soul-Eaters.

But why would they not trade here, why did they make a stop here on their way to the Soul-Eaters?

I don’t know. I know I wouldn’t feel safe trading around here, this moon orbits the planets of the Guardians at this time.

As if ordered to by some super instinct Scott looked up at the black heavens and to his amazement he watched stars disappear in large numbers. It was as if some black sheet had been placed there.

I do not like the feeling I’m getting. He turned to look down at the skull. It is time for us to leave. He said walking away.

~The First Worlds: Earth~

Hours earlier

A storm is coming. Two men stood at the very top of a business complex overlooking the ocean ahead. They wore long white coat that was buttoned up from the neck all the way to the belly button, then the rest of it left open revealing the jeans they wore made out of the same fabric as the coat. One’s collar coloured in grey and the shorter ones remained white.

I feel as if this storm isn’t coming alone. Brandon spoke.

Brandon was slightly shorter than his partner; he had dark brown hair a puffy face that added on to his look of adolescence, on his forehead was a carving of a sun surrounded by four smaller stars carved with less detail.

Joshua looked down at his dwarf partner. Yeah, I’ve been sensing something strange approaching since we entered Earth. That’s why I think I should watch over Tanya for the night. With extremely light brown hair and freckles on his cheeks Joshua despite his appearance stood tall, clearly the dominant mail between the two.

You know the Court will give you 3rd degree, besides I think there’s another Guardian Squad watching this area.

Wait, why would there be a Squad around here anyway?

I don’t know just that Jonathan’s squad has this area. Don’t worry it’s not about Tanya.

I hope not. Joshua said returning his attention back to Tanya.

Tanya was deep in day dream as she lay on the sun bed. Her red hair reflecting sunlight as a ruby gem would. She was well known for her beautiful smile she claimed it to be a weapon to tame wild beasts.

She too had freckles on her cheeks but they were disguised by her bright red hair that seized all the attention.

In her bikini the full extent of her physical beauty became evident; she despised the unnecessary attention she received from the passing youth.

She raised her left pinkie finger to admire her ring. The ring that was a symbol of a friendship she thought she would have never found.

She remembered the time when she had felt lost after she had run away from her home and found herself lost in this strange world. It didn’t take her long to make friends with a beautiful girl named Saika. Immediately they hit it off as if they were meant to meet as if they had been guided to each other by some Un-Real force which she unlike most earth inhabitants truly knew existed.

It hadn’t been long after that that Saika introduced Tanya to her sister and her close circle of friends. Which consisted of: Nathan, Andrew, Scott, Gideon, Leigh her sister, Serena and Saika herself.

Amongst them all Nathan was the only one who was completely normal almost boring in a sense. With nothing special about his character Nathan claimed within the group he stuck out because he was the only one who was black.

Andrew was filthy rich, still to this day Tanya did not understand what he did for a living or what he aspired to do. He seemed to always find the humour within a situation and for some time Tanya had felt an Un-Real aura radiating from him. It was faint and Tanya would have ignored had it not been for what Andrew had claimed to do at his younger age. Andrew had insisted that he could teleport, no one had believed him because when it came time for him to prove himself it would not happen, and then all at once the faint aura of the Un-Real faded away.

Scott was extremely quiet and he had a mysterious attitude about him. He was clearly in love with Saika’s sister Leigh, but feared her at the same time. In fact Scott was actually brought into the group by Leigh. The story about these two meeting up was that Leigh had been extremely drunk one night and was making her way back home all alone when she found herself surrounded by six guys in a dark alley way, all she remembered was someone knocking her down to the ground and when she rose again they were all on the ground and Scott stood amongst them staring at Leigh with an almost demonic glare. It seemed to have been Scott’s stare that had knocked Leigh unconscious for the second time. Leigh then found herself rescued by Scott who had carried her all the way home.

Gideon was the guy that had actually taken Leigh’s heart before Scott. Tanya along with Saika often asked Leigh what she saw within Gideon as they saw him as a useless bum. He lived off of his mother’s monthly income which she willingly sacrificed to him as he was her only child. He wasn’t at all romantic with Leigh ever showed that he and Leigh were together outside of the circle. Nathan and Andrew disapproved of Gideon becoming a part of their inner circle but did not want to start an argument with Leigh.

Leigh was a tom boy in her own class, her rebellious attitude clearly created by the absence of a mother and father figure who had died just as Leigh had entered her adolescence. She preferred the simple things in life and hated it when something unexpected entered her life and interrupted its flow.

Serena was introduced into the group by Andrew as his girlfriend Nathan was the only who had clearly shown his dislike of Serena and often argued with Andrew about her. Saika and Tanya secretly wanted her gone as well but did not have the heart to gang up on Andrew. Serena often argued with Andrew as well as she was a big spender often stealing his credit cards so that she could go spend his money on clothing for herself.

Then there was Saika a beautiful angel face with the heart of gold, Saika seemed to be the mother of the pack. Tanya often wondered to herself if Saika had had made contact with the Un-Real at some point in her life as Tanya sensed a deep scar in Saika’s soul but then quickly understood that it was the death of her mother and father and then sudden the responsibility of having to take care of an adolescent tom boy. Tanya had never seen a more beautiful smile than what she had seen when Nathan finally asked Saika to be his girlfriend it was as if a veil had been placed over her face to disguise her true beauty all this time and Nathan was the only who could have removed the veil.

Suddenly Tanya’s senses urged her to jump onto her feet. She turned away from the ocean to face the streets.

Damn it Joshua. She complained under her teeth.

Oops looks like she saw us. Brandon said as he took a step away from the edge of the building his face starting to blush.

Joshua waved as Tanya shooed him away. Well I guess that’s that. Let’s get going Brandon. Joshua said as he erupted into a cloud of white smoke.

Now as the white smoke Joshua sped into the bright blue sky and disappeared and seemed to merge with it as if he were the sugar being diluted by the blue water.

Brandon waved and erupted into flames and evaporated.

Only now when her senses were relaxed and as she sat down to enjoy the rest of her day did Tanya realize that she was sitting all alone. Seven empty chairs surrounded her.

She could see Leigh and Gideon at the edge of the beach making out. Leigh had something wrapped in her hands. Not far from them were Andrew and Serena they seemed to be arguing. Arguments had become a daily routine for these two. She scanned the rest of the beach for Nathan and Saika but almost jumped out of her seat when she realized that Scott had been sitting beside her the entire time.

Scott! She exclaimed.

Yes Tanya? He replied innocently.

Scott, your sun burnt. She reached down into her bag where she pulled out sun cream.

No please. Scott urged returning his attention to the distant horizon.

Had his skin not been sun burnt Scott’s pale skin colour would have shown and probably stole the attention Tanya was getting, his long nails and bright blonde hair added on to his freakish look.

Are you alright? She asked.

Don’t worry about me. He said as he turned to face in Leigh’s direction.

Okay, are you sure though.

He nodded.

Nathan stood alone kicking the sand into the water he seemed to be the only one who had not jumped into the cold water.

Nathan had neck length dreadlocks and that was probably his most obvious trait. Finally Saika appeared holding a bottle of water; her beauty was not of this world. Everyone marvelled at the site of her, bright blue eyes extremely light skin that intensified it even more, along with her jet black hair Saika was a site for saw eyes. Complimenting her outwardly beauty Saika was known as a kind hearted person who even the cruellest villain would find hard to cheat.

Again Tanya drifted into her thoughts. By the time she realized that Scott was calling her she was so deep in her memories that she had begun laughing. The memories of her home world back in the Silver-Guardian’s World.

Tanya.

What’s wrong Scott? she questioned.

Saika, He said pointing at the distant figure of Nathan as he distanced himself from Saika. She’s crying.

Saika was on her knees watching Nathan as he walked away.

Tanya got up and ran to her best friend’s side aware that no harm had befallen her as her own Un-Real senses would have warned her of approaching danger.

Aw what’s wrong sweetheart. Tanya said as she wrapped her hands around Saika.

He finally said it Tanya. Saika spoke attempting to hold back the tears. I knew it was coming but why does it still hurt.

It’s alright Saika.

No, I’m being unfair aren’t I, I mean he just lost his mother, he needs his space.

She said as she regained her posture.

As Nathan walked alone he struggled to hold back the tears, a habit he could no longer control.

In his heart he knew he loved Saika, he wanted to be with her but he could no longer handle the attention she demanded from him, and ever since his mother’s death he felt a sense of resentment toward her as if he blamed her.

With his head bowed and his eyes tightly shut Nathan could almost hear Saika whimper, as if they were animals and that was the way they called out to each other.

A dark part of him felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that he had finally brought tears to Saika.

He came to a sudden halt when he opened his eyes, his head still lowered to the ground; someone was standing bare feet in front of him.

Nathan raised his head to stare at the person face to face. Boo. It was a mirror reflection of himself that mocked, and as he took the time to react the figure evaporated into thin air chuckling.

Straight after the hallucination Nathan’s heart felt like it was about to explode right out of his chest.

He cried out as loud as he could as he fell onto his knees hugging his chest attempting to hold back the crimpling pain.

Along with the pain there was a distant voice speaking to him, he did not recognize it and was unable to make out what it was saying, but he knew that something or someone was trying to talk to him.

Dude, It was Andrew’s voice but Nathan could not see him, all he could see was pitch darkness he realize that his eyes where tightly shut.

The pain only seemed to intensify without any sign of it calming. It must have reached a point in which he could no longer bare, Blackness.

~~~

As the night dawned signs of the coming storm became evident, cold air drowned the city, natural instinct caused people to retreated into their homes.

Tanya drove her land rover in an almost empty street, her mind hazed with the new knowledge she had gained.

Earlier on in the day after she had comforted Saika and dropped her off Tanya returned to her flat were she picked up a pen and pad. The pad was already scribbled on and many pages had been already torn off.

Her destination was the harbour; she parked her car amongst stacks of containers and as she was ordered too she stepped out of the car and stood in the open.

At this time the harbour was still busy and her presence was sensed by all that were around.

She was sure she had been standing there for at least an hour a spectacle for the tired men but none approached her or even passed a comment.

Finally a man dressed up in a black tuxedo approached, it was clear from a distance that he was shivering out of fear. Tanya did not recognize him nor did she trust him and against all the warnings that her brother had given her she used her Guardian abilities.

There were no physical signs on her to show her transformation but now as a Guardian she was able to sense any Un-Real presence and any none Un-Real eyes that might be watching her and they could see her just as well, but there was nothing.

The guy in the tuxedo was non Un-Real as well, this worried her even more, she was sure the guy she was supposed to meet was some sort of Demon but this guy was nothing more than a human.

Here take this. The guy said as he stretched out an envelope.

Who are you and what is this? Tanya questioned as she looked down at the envelope.

He can’t meet up with you. Just take it, you want information just take the damn thing and read it.

He said as he pressed the envelope into Tanya’s hand and only then did Tanya notice.

The guys Temple vein was abnormally thick, he couldn’t be human but he was. Something in him was Un-Real and it was forced in.

With the envelope now gripped in Tanya’s hand the guy ran off, an unusual sight to see a man dressed in such smart clothing to be running in such a way.

Now on her way home Tanya still had not opened the envelope, she feared something might have been hidden within it; she was unable to sense the energy that was placed within the human until he was in her face. She did not want the same thing to happen with something that could potentially kill her inside the envelope.

She pulled over the side of the road staring at a 7-11 on the other side of the road craving for a pie had become overwhelming and anyway she knew she couldn’t cook so she would order out anyway.

She pushed the door open but found herself blinded by her hair as a gust of wind entered the car. Even though she could not see for that moment what her ears picked up was enough to activate a clear image.

A car passing by had been driving to close to her parked car the result was that the passing car tore off the door from its hinges screeched with it along the side of the road and eventually crashed into a light pole were it became dead still.

The shock wore off quickly and a new sense of fear overwhelmed her.

No one stepped out of the car, no one from anywhere stepped out to see what was going on, it was dead quite.

They had followed her; the envelope was a tracking device. She pressed her back hard against the seat, she had to react.

I call upon the Guardian Joshua. She whispered closing her eyes to allow her senses to guard her.

What’s wrong? Joshua’s voice boomed from the back.

Tanya opened her eyes and using the rear view mirror she saw her brother sitting comfortably in his bright white attire.

Joshua, I think there’s something watching me, but it’s too powerful for me to detect.

Joshua stared at the back of Tanya’s seat silent for at least a minute as he allowed his own superior Guardian abilities to scan the area.

There’s nothing here. He said as he tapped Tanya on her shoulder, she turned. I think you’re being a bit paranoid because of the people you’re dealing with. This is a clear sign that you need to stop this crusade of yours.

I’m sorry Joshua. And no I can’t stop you won’t believe the kind of things I’ve discovered about the Ultimate Force and his death.

The Ultimate Force is dead; he was and will always be an enemy of the Guardians. Did you ever think for once that this intelligence you’re getting from these dodgy characters mainly being fugitives that are hiding from the Guardians is false? Don’t you think they were allies of the Force?

The Force does not have any allies of the Un-Real.

Tanya.

Just hear me out. After the Guardians killed the Ultimate Force what did they do with his weapons?

I don’t know.

I’m not talking about just any weapon I’m talking about the Iziky Zandre, the blades of life and death.

I know what the Iziky Zandre is. Maybe the Guardians still have them.

Then please do me a favour and found out.

Are you alright?