Anur Khufos (Short Story)

Anur Khufos is a short story created by B1littlehero.

Story
This story begins on the day of Raset, on the third week of the Anur Calendar year 1313. My name is Sesostris. I am a former scribe for King Kamahan. Our species is composed of a paper-like tissue that we find on plants and other animals of our world. There are many different types of it, as I know from my studies. I use the Kehoman subspecies for writing. The Ituset subspecies is used for clothing and bedding.

However, our planet is not valued for the many varieties of carbon-based tissue. We are notable for our huge supplies of Corrodium, a dangerous mutating mineral. We Thep Khuftans have long since evolved an immunity to Corrodium, as have all other species of the Anur belt. Yet it became a very important part of my later adventures.

It was on that day of Raset that the Ectonurites descended from the skies above our world. Their withering, tired bodies floated around, tails whipping. The distant sun seemed to draw out a strange reign on their descent. They recoiled and quickly continued to the ground. I counted more than one hundred of the phantom-like creatures.

Our system is of many planets, but Anur Phaetos is a cage. A never-ending, invisible expanse that is both a world and a void. It engulfs our system. It made our sun the only light to look at. The only star in this dimension. Why has it not been put out? Story tells that the Ectonurites not only dislike the sunlight, but it can kill them without their protective skin. Our planet is the only place in our system where the sun exists. The other planets are blocked out by the mysterious forces of Phaetos. That is one of the reasons we Thep Khuftans see our sun as a blessing, even though it is so incredibly distant that every noon feels like twilight.

As twilight did approach, more Ectonurites were arriving. When the ominous clouds parted, I could see a rupture. A rift in the power of space and time, a vortex that penetrated the invisible expanses of Anur Phaetos. Through it, I could barely see a terrible world where time meant nothing. I briefly reflected on the fact that we were so far away from any other galaxy that many outsiders believe we are part of an alternate dimension, but we are not. We are surrounded by an alternate dimension, one that physically prevents us from leaving the system. And now that dimension was, as many dismissive jesters say, coming out to play.

The sun was gone, and the portal closed. The final Ectonurites had emerged. They did not resemble the others. Their protective skin was grayish-black. One among them was wearing none at all. His skull was bent upside-down. Tentacles began at his chest and ended floating eerily in the air. I knew this one was the High Ecto-Lord.

I stood there, my feet on the sandy, rocky ground looking up at the Ectonurite-infested skies. My hand had long since lost hold of my Kehoman, and it flew off into the wind. Many others had emerged from huts to see what was happening. The starless sky stood ominously.

“Greetings, Anur Khufos,” said the High Ecto-Lord. One thousand Thep Khuftans silenced to listen. “My name is Z’Skayr. I am the High Ecto-Lord of Anur Phaetos. I have come here to subject you into the Ectonurite Domain. Surrender or die.”

A fellow emerged from the top of the pyramid far to my left.

“I am King Kamahan,” he said. I held my breath. I prayed that he knew what he was doing. “Anur Khufos accepts your terms.”

I breathed. I knew what would happen if he had resisted. He would have fallen like the Ormerowons before him. This day had been coming for a long time.

The Ectonurites had once ruled us 1000 years ago, but they simply stopped being interested. For once it seemed the Anur belt was peaceful. The Lobonans continued the endless hunt they so love on Luna Lobo, climbing over rocks and rushing between trees on a moon where day does not exist. The Transylians continued their devious contraptions on their world, hidden away in laboratories testing terrible weapons. We Thep Khuftans continued our tradition – preparing for the afterlife.

Until Z’Skayr was born. The heir truly intended a brutal uprising. He slew his father to gain his throne, and instantly began to take over the planets in our system. We heard tell of the Ormerowons, zombie-like organisms of our system, refusing (or more like ignoring) subject to Z’Skayr’s rule. After 30 days of ignorance, the High Ecto-Lord lost his temper. Without relent, Z’Skayr assaulted Anur Ormerow. The only survivors fled on a hopeless, 3000-year cruise, hoping to gain food on a planet called Earth. Anur Transyl and Anur Vladat subjected without argument. We knew the Ectonurites would come for us next.

“Thank you, King Kamahan,” he said, “Now I will take my offer.”

The King lowered his head and said, “Yes, Lord Z’Skayr.”

Offer? I knew nothing of this.

<p class="MsoNormal">Without warning, a black Ectonurite grabbed the strongest-looking mummy in the group and carried him off. The poor Thep Khuftan struggled, but he was carried into another world forever.

<p class="MsoNormal">“King Kamahan,” I whispered.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Sesostris,” he said.

<p class="MsoNormal">“What is this offer?” I said.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Z’Skayr demands a member from each species. I do not know why,” he responded sadly.

<p class="MsoNormal">I sighed and looked up as the Ectonurites began to spread. They tore down buildings and pyramids and began to construct a command post for the planet, as they had done with the others.

<p class="MsoNormal">All was lost.