569 - (FREE BOOK) Vunak of Antares: "Uprising"

Vunak of Antares by James LaFond and Jeth Randolph concludes!

Aug 13, 2025

A Casting Darts Publishing Original

A novel in 18 chapters written by James LaFond & Jeth Randolph

Thank you!

Vunak of Antares concludes, we hope that readers have enjoyed the book as much as we did putting it all together for you.

Jeth dedicates this final chapter to James LaFond. Thanks Brother.

Martial arts maestro Paul Vunak leads “The Dirty Dozen you always wanted” against an opposing team lead by non other than Bruce Lee!

Vunak leads the survivors through the Arena portal to a new world only to find that as always, the game is fixed!

(Click Here - Previous chapters)

(Click here for “Crimson Dawn” - Epilogue part one by James LaFond)

“Uprising”: Vunak of Antares: Epilogue Part Two

Evening: Sirius 3

Driven by the warm winds, the huge clouds moved across the the sky sending the light chasing across the plains as if trying to keep up with the huge shadows cast from above.

The large bird circled in the thermal, watching the two small figures below illuminated briefly by a column of light that broke through the clouds in the sky as it moved towards evening. They rolled, leaped and tumbled before standing and circling, and the bird tucked it’s wings slightly to drop in altitude and better observe this potential meal.

The men below him were too large to tackle directly, so it would circle and wait for what it expected to be the kill, and then fly down for whatever scraps were left by the victor.

Vunak and Lee paused from their practice to rest and stand silently looking out from the high plateau that had been chosen as their training space. Below them, the vast plains stretched almost as far as the eye could see. Huge areas of grassland bathed in reds and violet from the alien sky.

In the distance, just possible to make out as a dark shadow against the horizon, the foreboding sight of the mountain, atop which the construction of Araahk Alpha’s palace and throne could be seen nearing completion.

Brushing the dust from his clothing as he walked towards Vu, Lee stated; “Paul, this idea of passing the guard…”

“Yeah, it’s at the core of Br…”

“Yes, I understand but what if you are fighting a larger opponent? Controlling? MMMnnnn….To enter back in and continue is not logical and risky when you could exit and attack from a more dominant position like standing.”

He paused and took another sip from his canteen. “I like that RAT idea that you showed me though, excellent. Cutting away not adding, just excellent. Not bad for an old man haha!”

Vu snorted his water from his nose and the two laughed.

Lee looked at Vu from the side of his eye with a slight smile at the sight of the restored youthful vitality and vigour displayed by his training partner . “I see you took that Antarian youth elixir that Figg stole from the arena, but you’re still older than me!”

“Hey respect your elders Bruce!” Vu retorted with a wagging finger.

Lee waived him off with a smile, “Yeah, yeah...old man!”

The two laughed aware of the figure of the English corner man approaching against the darkening sky as night drew in. The man now assigned the role of scribe notified VU that the men had assembled at camp for the council of war.

The three left the training area and made their way through the camp towards the assembled men of Blue Team who had formed a seated circle around the now roaring log fire.

Their faces seemed to move and change with the flames that united them. The trials of the arena had bonded them as a group, tied to each other through blood, sacrifice, and the flashing of steel. There were no longer individuals present, only the group. Whoever or whatever would fight with one of them, would fight with all.

Vu took his place in the circle and began.

Men, it’s clear we’ve been shafted” he pointed towards the distant mountain before continuing; “That fuckin’ bug over there thinks he’s gonna pick up where he left off at the top of the pyramid with us at the bottom as entertainment. He’s got more games planned for the longest day of the year and we’re supposed to carry on fighting, dying and just goin’ along with it.

“Fuck that!” Yelled the huge figure of Johnson, his eye patch shifting upwards as he raged. The other men joined in a chorus of anger. Burton gestured and the noise subsided for Vu to continue.

“Well, we all spent out lives on Earth as slaves to The Lie, all while they fed upon us. On Antares it was just more of the same. Now we’re here , I’ll be fucked if I’m gonna dance to that tune anymore! We’re gonna be the barbarians that we were always meant to be!”

There was cheering and a heaviness hung in the air that all could feel.

“Araahk’s power relies on keeping us and those five races divided and dependent on his rule for survival. Same old, tired story right? That’s his weakness now as I see it, by uniting we can attack that weakness.”

He gestured to Burton who stood across from him, his dark eyes flickering against the fire.

“I’ve been talking to Rich and he’s got a handle on the languages here as well as the seeming trust of our bug ‘Lord’ as a go-between. We plan to make contact with the five races and train them in guerrilla tactics as well as combat techniques. Men from blue team will form knowledge groups for various combative attributes – strategy, spying, soldiering, and so on.

Rich you’ve got an in with the bug over there. Hell, you got into Mecca as a white man, fooled every hajji that you came across, and lived to tell the tale! Plus you British are, sorry...were, the best liars on Earth!”

The English corner man to his left agreed, “Fuckin’ eh! Still are mate!”

“They didn’t design our flag with a double cross for nothing!” Figg snorted.

There was much laughter, especially from Shaka, who nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

Vunak continued; “We will secure tentative alliances, planting the idea of rebellion. Propose a unified front, promising to fight alongside the races in the tyrant’s arena, but turn the battle against Araahk. We’ll train representatives from each race in coordinated combat tactics, based again on their unique attributes. The Tournament will serve as a cover for our rebellion.” He spoke across to Burton; “Rich, how much time do we have until the longest day?”

“Well Mr Vunak… gentlemen. By my tentative calculations based upon what seems to be a twenty four hour day but a two hundred and fifty seven day year, approximately two months”.

There was murmuring among the men at this length of time.

Burton continued to the circle of men; “I’ve already made contacts within each of the races, and I believe, as does Mr Vunak, that we have time to accomplish this.”

Thompson stood forward and spoke in a calm, measured tone; “This is doable. Back in the joint I had that Manson running his girls who brought weapons in in their underwear right under the guards’ noses. That place was high security too. If we could do it there, we can easily set up communication lines that won’t get detected here. Let me work on it”.

Vunak nodded, “Good man Michael. Scribe! Makes sure that every word is recorded!” At the dark edge of the circle, the Englishman scribbled furiously on the outstretched scroll with a feather quill in the flickering light.

The plan was agreed and at this, the men lined up, using their knives cut their right hands, flexing their fists to bring the blood freely out, and then each man took his turn to walk that line shaking hands with each of his brothers, with solemn eyes and respect as the blood pact was made.

Each man then walked to the English scribe, and placed their bloody thumb on the scroll as a record of their oath.

Later, Vu was stood on the edge of the plateau with Lee as the men sang, drank and ate the evening meal of freshly killed game that Wetzel had brought back from the hunt.

The two looked over at the mountain across in the far distance, now glowing eerily from the countless torches of slaves who worked ceaselessly though the night on Araahk Alpha’s seat of power.

Vu looked at it darkly, imagining the coming battle that would take him down across the plains and to that very summit to face their new tyrant.

Lee spoke, “You know Paul, now our lives have true purpose. Whatever comes we can live as men… warriors”.

The two men stood silent and then Vu looked at the survivors of Blue Team laughing together around the fire, and turned to his teacher, now brother, and said;

“Ya know what Bruce? Maybe death ain’t so bad after all?

The One In One Journal

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