"Now I am going to go speak with Khan.", Ender says to his beloved, Hella. Hella then says to him, "Do what you must. I will remain here and handle any unwanted guess of Oliver's side, that enter my end of the Under-Lair."
Ender nods and gives Hella a hug and kiss before leaving out of her icy castle, into the grounds of frozen intruders. He heads all the way to his side of the Under-Lair where its warmer and fire burns brightly. Ender enters his castle and is met by his right hand, Meiphysto. Meiphysto says to Ender, "Hey, I have been working on that project you told me to do. Would you like to see the results?"
"Indeed I would like to see the results.", Ender responds. "Excellent, come hither.", Meiphysto says and leads Ender into his work room. As they enter the room, there are fossilized animal body parts sitting on shelves, and cages full of abominable creatures; two of theses abominable creatures, sit chained to a surgical table. The two chained creatures have fur all over their bodies, the arms and legs similar to that of beings like Ender and Meiphysto themselves, flat and sharp teeth in their mouths, and rounded mouths and small head with protruding eyebrows. Ender looks at the creatures in disgust and says, "Ew, what are these? They look nothing like me and you."
"I understand you wanted me to make beings such as you and I, to compete with Oliver, but unfortunately we do not have body parts of any beings like me and you. However, I did combine the brains of some animals to make two brains that function similar to ours, but they still have their animal like instincts in mind. They also have thicker bones to withstand physical attacks.", Meiphysto explains. "Can any of them speak?", Ender asks. "Unfortunately their physical structures of their mouths makes it difficult for them to form complex words, but you can still teach them through physical body communication.", Meiphysto answers. Ender sighs and says, "Well prepare them for release onto the surface. I got another task that I will need your help with again."
Meiphysto nods and puts the two creatures in cages and grabs a basket cage containing a snake. They both head up to the surface of Cor from the deep cave in the side of a mountain, where the Under-Lair lies. Ender says to Meiphysto, "Okay, now release the.....", he pauses as he looks at the two abominable creatures mating within their cage. "My apologies Ender, I forgot to mention that part of their brains was made from the brains of highly sexually active animals. I thought that might be useful in getting them to reproduce a little faster.", Meiphysto explains the unfortunate circumstance. "Indeed that is useful, just a little unexpected is all. Now open their cage and let them run wild.", Ender says. Meiphysto opens their cage and they immediately stop what they were doing and run out of their cage, far into the forest. "Well now that they're off, I need you to transfer my conscious into a snake so I can make my way to where the garden where Oliver's newly bred followers lie.", Ender says. Meiphysto comments, "You know that's going to be a long journey from here, especially as a snake, don't you?"
"Indeed I do Meiphysto. Its a long enough journey for you to train those creatures into an army and lead them in the direction of the garden, once there is enough of them.", Ender says. "Very well then, but might I ask, what makes you want to travel to the garden again, knowing that Oliver has warned them of you?", Meiphysto asks. "I have received word from one of our hidden eyes, that Agalhoff and Diana have a son who seems to be very questionable about his environment. They named him Khan, a nice young lad they have created, but he is open to doubt because of his questioning nature, that leaves room for me to disrupt Oliver's teachings that Agalhoff and Diana most likely fed him; well, Agalhoff mostly in this case. Diana still has some doubts in her mind from the last time I visited.", Ender explained. "Agh, well I have no doubt you will disrupt Oliver's teachings. Its a shame that Diana and Agalhoff were used to pave the way for Oliver's ridiculous ideal world.", Meiphysto says. Ender sighs and says, "Well from what I hear, they chose to do it."
"Do you think they really made the choice to partake in Oliver's plans?", Meiphysto asks. "I don't see much reason to believe they didn't, considering that they did nothing when Oliver decided to cut me out of the Arch Squad; and when me, you, Hella, and the others rebelled against Oliver, they fought along side him.", Ender mentions angrily. Meiphysto sighs, "Indeed they have, but I don't think that their falling out with you as a good friend, started there Ender."
"It didn't, it started when they killed a good cousin of mine. Even if he let the Authority of Cor take me away and I was mad at him for it, I never wished death upon him for doing so. I understand that he really couldn't do anything, he was powerless stop them, just like I too was powerless to stop them.", Ender says. "Sounds to me like you forgave him for his betrayal.", Meiphysto comments. "I did, now I have enough understanding to know why he did.", Ender says. "Well that being said Ender, do you think that maybe there is an understanding that you're lacking as to why your friend's would go against your wishes and kill your cousin, and that your lacking of this understanding may be keeping you from forgiving them for their wrongdoing?", Meiphysto asks. "Maybe so, but there is no time to ponder on that now, we have work to do.", Ender responded. "Very well then.", Meiphysto says and then uses his powers to remove Ender's conscious from his body, and place it into the snake's brain. Ender slithers away, while Meiphysto grabs his body and takes it back to the Under-Lair.
Ender slithers on for years until he reaches a watch station where a dish satellite is set-up. Ender enters the watch station and approaches the beings inside. Ender then says, "Hello Amei and Esmo."
Amei and Esmo look and see Ender on the table. Esmo says, "You had us worried that we have been compromised. Can't be sneaking up on us like that."
"Well have your guards up next time, because this isn't the first time I have done this and if I can do it, you know who else can do it. Understood?", Ender says sternly. "Yes Sir.", Esmo and Amei both say. "Now what intel do you have for me on Khan?", Ender asks. Amei answers, "Well it seems someone has gave Oliver the tip that you may be arriving to talk with Khan, and this was mentioned to Agalhoff by Khan's brother, Steff, during an argument over their sister Kalimah for secretly mating with both of them and having their babies."
"Oh yuck! Of course incest would be something they resort to, just to repopulate.", Ender comments. "Oh that's not even the half of it. After that tip being mentioned, Agalhoff had a talk with Oliver about his son Khan, and Oliver confirmed that you were coming to talk with his son. Now Agalhoff has distrust Khan since that news, and Khan desperately wants his father's approval again.", Esmo mentioned. "Oh, well just when I thought my slip up in not noticing who may have been watching me talk with Meiphysto, had ruined my plans, it actually just made it a little more easier. Reach out to Meiphysto and ask him if he is leading those creatures down this way yet.", Ender says. "Well actually Meiphysto had sent a message in advance, stating that the creatures have bred more of their kind in large numbers and he trained them. He's leading them down in this direction now.", Amei says. "Wonderful! Meiphysto always a step ahead. What would I do without him? I shall travel onward to the garden. I'm sure Oliver has received word of their presence by now and warned his devoted followers.", Ender says. Amei asks, "What will you do once you get there?"
"I will tell Khan how he can win his father's approval back by giving him a plan, using a fire barrier to handle the battle that will soon come their way.", Ender explains and then gets ready to leave, but stops when he notices an owl sitting on a beam in the ceiling. "Have any of you noticed this owl before?", Ender asks. Esmo and Amei turn to look in the direction he is looking. Esmo says, "No we haven't."
"Crap! We've been compromised, kill it!", Ender commands. The owl starts to fly around. Amei tries to knock it down using the air, but ends up blowing a hole through the ceiling. The owl escapes through the hole and flies away. Ender then says, "Well that's just great. Now you guys need to relocate. Dismantle the satellite and find another location while I travel the rest of the way to the garden."
"Yes sir Ender!", Esmo and Amei both say. Ender then slithers the rest of the way to the garden, and after days go by he finally reaches the garden. He sees Khan talking with his brother, Steff, with a group of men standing at attention. Ender listens in closely to their conversation; "What brings you Steff, at a time where I am training my fighters for the battle?", Khan asks. Steff responds, "Father has sent me to tell that you have to give your fighters a breather so they can replenish their energy for the actual battle."
Khan says to Steff, "Very well then.", and then turns to his fighters, "Take a breather with the rest of the fighters, and restore your energy for the battle."
Khan says to Steff, "Very well then.", and then turns to his fighters, "Take a breather with the rest of the fighters, and restore your energy for the battle."
The men leave off and Khan stays behind and continues to train. A young man turns around from the group of men and says to Khan, "Are you coming father?"
"I'll be there in a little, Phabio. Don't worry yourself about me. Continue on with the other fighters.", Khan demands. Phabio says, "Yes father."
"Ah, so that's his son, interesting.", Ender says to himself, while watching Phabio leave off with the men. Ender then hears Steff say to Khan, "You should rest too brother. I'm pretty sure you don't want to be tired while battling and get yourself killed."
"I will continue on training Steff. I will never get tired. I need to be at my best for this battle.", Khan states. "Why do you feel the need to be at your best? Its not like you will be anymore prepared for the battle than anybody else.", Steff says arrogantly. Khan walks up to his brother and strongly says, "Listen Steff. I need to be at my best for this battle, to make my father trust me again, because ever since you've told him that the Supreme looked at me when he said don't trust the snake, my father looks at me in shame and distrust. Now, leave me to my training."
Steff tenses up and says, "You won't gain his trust back by continuing to train and tire yourself out before the battle like an idiot."
Steff tenses up and says, "You won't gain his trust back by continuing to train and tire yourself out before the battle like an idiot."
"Like I said before, I will continue to train, and I won't get tired. Now, I'll say to you again Steff, leave me to my training.", Khan says angrily. "If you want to fight me right now brother, we can do so.", Steff responds back angrily. "Please, like I would fight you now while we got a battle already coming. I'll fight you when its over.", Khan states. Steff nods his head and leaves as Khan continues on training. "Ah, a verbal brotherly quarrel to confirm my intel.", Ender says to himself and slithers his way up to Khan and talks with him. Khan responds negatively realizing its Ender and tries to kill him with his spear. Ender begs Khan to hear him out, but Khan insists are not letting him speak because of the trouble he has brought upon his family tribe. Ender quickly says to him, "That was not my intentions when I created those beings. I was just trying to create beings like you and the others but it did not turn out well. I ended up creating beings that act more on instinct rather then intellect. They were supposed to be my new generation of beings, and my plans with them was to populate a region, while you and the other beings apart of Oliver's new generation, populate this region. That way I can have influence over part of Cor just like Oliver."
"You want influence over part of Cor to keep me and the others who are for Oliver from populating the entire planet. I also believe that you were planning to make your beings worship you, which would of conflicted with us beings who are for the Supreme. There was bound to be a physical conflict, if not now, then later on in the future. You can not fool me Ender.", Khan says angrily while getting ready to stab Ender with his spear. "Wait! I can tell you how to defeat them, but only if you spare my life.", Ender mentions. "We can take them on without your help.", Khan states. "Indeed you can, but without my help, you will all sacrifice a great number of your kind than you would with my help. I assume you can use the idea sense you want to make your father trust you again.", Ender says in a hurry. Khan hearing that calms down and demands to know what reason Ender has for trusting him. Ender explains that he is obligated to help fix a problem he caused. Khan agrees but traps Ender stating that he will never get the chance to do it again because he will personally turn him over to Oliver himself. Ender says, "Wait! What about the deal of me telling you how to defeat the beings I created in exchange for sparing me?"
"Oh I am sparing you. I'm sparing you your life like you asked. You will tell me how to defeat those beings or I will kill you like I already was about to earlier. Basically, I am accepting your deal, but in my own way. Get it?", Khan firmly states. "Got it.", Ender responds sadly. Khan smiles and says, "Good. Now I suggest you start talking. We don't have long before this battle starts."
Ender explains to him the plan and Khan sets the basket he trapped Ender in on the ground. Khan leaves off to go battle, while Ender sits in the basket. Meiphysto coming from behind a tree, says, "Well seems like that didn't go as expected."
"Meiphysto! Man am I glad to see you. Get me out of this thing will ya.", Ender says excitingly. "Will do.", Meiphysto says while transferring his conscious to a bird so he can fly. Meiphysto then says, "Let's get going, those creatures will be here soon."
They both fly all the way back to the new watch station that Amei and Esmo had set-up, a little more further from the garden this time, up the river. "That was a risky trip.", Ender exclaims. "Nope! Oliver's servants would be too busy watching over that battle to make sure his little social project stays in operation, to worry about us.", Meiphysto explains. "That's true. Let's watch in on that battle.", Ender says. They both enter the watch station and watch the events of the battle unfold. Khan and his men have already took action in started the fire barrier, and the unexpected wind blows it towards the garden, engulfing it in flames. Ender says, "What in world? Where did that random gust of wind come from?"
"Probably just a coincidence.", Esmo responds. "I highly doubt that.", Ender states. They continue watching on seeing that the fire was put out, and that Steff's son, Lellius has been burnt to death by the fire. Khan mentions that he got the idea from Ender, and Steff then starts to fight Khan. They see Khan knock his brother, Steff, down a cliff, killing him. Agalhoff catches up and sees his son Steff, dead. Ender watching this, says, "That's right Agalhoff, look at what Oliver has brought upon your family, a brotherly quarrel that ended with the death of one of your sons. I hope you feel like you made the right choice."
"That's if he even remembers.", Meiphysto mentions. Ender agrees and they continue to watch. Agalhoff had called on Oliver for assistance. Oliver talks with them, and Ender listens closely to Oliver talking with Khan. Oliver gives Khan an overbearing punishment, and Khan begs for a lesser punishment from Oliver if he presents Ender the snake, to him. Ender laughs as he watches, for his conscious no longer lies within the snakes mind. Khan presents the snake to Oliver and demand it to speak but it doesn't after a few more attempts. "Quick, help me send a message to Oliver, Meiphysto!", Ender says in a hurry. Meiphysto helps send Ender's telepathic message stating, "Of course that's not me. I had my consciousness transferred out of the snake while everyone else was fighting against the creatures I made. I will never let myself be caught by you, Oliver. You're not going to get rid of me that easy. The war is destined to happened between me and you."
"Oh please! I make my own destiny, Ender. So long as I live, the war won't happen anytime soon.", Oliver states. "We will see Oliver. We will see.", Ender states while Meisphysto ends the telepathic transfer. Meiphysto then says, "He will send people in this direction immediately. I felt him tracing the radio-waves. We need to go now!"
Ender, Esmo, and Amei agree and they all leave out to the Under-Lair. Ender says to Esmo and Amei, "I need you guys to stay behind and hide somewhere so that you can make sure they don't find our satellite and take it."
Esmo and Amei both agree and split off to go hide. Ender and Meiphysto make their way back to the Under-Lair by flying. They lay low in Ender's castle for some days until Esmo and Amei end up coming back with terrible news. Esmo tells Ender that they have lost their only satellite to some of the Arch Squad members while encountering one of the people from Agalhoff's family tribe, traveling NorthWest, along the river. Ender immediately knew that they were heading to the other areas with very good vegetation and told Esmo and Amei to go cause a rain storm in the area. Esmo and Amei left to proceed on with the mission. Ender tells Meiphysto to help him pay one last visit to the garden area to see how things are going there. They fly to the garden during the night to avoid being seen, and hide in some trees distant from the garden. Meiphysto transfers his conscious into a snake again, and Ender slithers his way up into a tree where Khan happened to be sitting near. Ender talks with Khan, but Khan is only interested in killing Ender for he blames him for his punishment and the increased tension with his brother that lead to him killing Steff in a fight. Ender takes up responsibility for giving Khan that planned but made note that Oliver had something to do with the wind that caused the fire to go out of control. Khan was unsatisfied by that response of Ender blaming Oliver for the wind. Ender stated that he knows they praise Oliver as an all good and knowing great one, but he is not what he seems. Khan made note that all Oliver ever did was help them while Ender disrupted things by convincing his mother to eat the fruit they were not supposed to eat, causing confrontation between his parents, and giving him a plan that went out of control causing him to receive the punishment of a lifetime that his men and son, also have to bear.
Ender mentioned that he was not the one that caused Khan's father to have distrust in him like Oliver did, by bringing up the idea that Khan will eventually talk to Ender, during his visit to their tribe, and it getting released during Khan's argument with Steff over Kalimah. Khan agrees but also mentions that Oliver was right that he would talk with Ender eventually, as they did before the war. Ender states that he is not dismissing some of the problems he has caused Khan's family, he also states that the problems he caused were on the outside, while Oliver caused the mental struggles within his family. Ender then goes into detail about how Oliver has influenced a negative mindset into his father and brother causing problems between his parents, and problems between him and his father and brother. Also how he is under his brother, Aquailis, watch. Khan asked Ender how does he know all of that, and Ender said that he had some people spying on them the whole time. Khan was very unsatisfied with that answer, and tried to throw a rock at Ender, but Ender escapes to another tree. Ender then sees Khan's younger brother, Aquailis, whip Khan in the face and steps on his chest.
Ender slithers off, saying to himself, "Khan may be angry with me, but the abuse he is receiving just may be useful to my plans of disrupting Oliver's ideal world project, once and for all. Just you wait Oliver, I'm not finished with Khan just yet."