Eyes closed, Princess Crujectra concentrates on the unconscious Dru until…
“There,” Crujectra says to Dru’s husband and opens her eyes, “Dru will awaken in amoment, Lardy. I’m…not sure for how long. I-I’m so sorry.” She touches Lardy gently on his shoulder and leaves the room. He barely reacts, his gaze intent on his wife.
“A-Anthony?” Dru says weakly as her eyes open.
“Yes, Dru,” he whispers, “I’m here, my love.” And he takes her hand.
“Honey, I’m so sorry…”
“Don’t be, baby…ev-everything’s gonna be fine,” he assures her, fighting back tears.
“I want you to know that…I love you with everything I am, but…please don’t let l-losing me destroy all you’ve fought to get back--don’t let it consume y-your heart.”
“Dru, please don’t talk like that…there’s still hope.”
“Anthony…I felt what you and Cobalt and Crujectra tried to do, and I’m grateful. But…there’s nothing else left to do.”
“No, Dru…I won’t accept that--there’s got to be hope!”
“There is hope, honey…but not the way you think. Look…the contact the three of you made helped me see what’s going on…”
“Great! Then we can--!”
“No, Anthony…listen. As Crujectra found out, there’s a malevolent presence inside me that’s been masked by a spell…I’m not sure how. Anthony, if it kills me, the presence will take my place using my body and soul as a sacrifice…”
“No! I won’t let that happen, Dru! I‘ll--!”
“There’s only one way to stop that, Anthony…”
“Tell me! I’ll make it happen!”
“Anthony…to prevent the presence from taking my place and to allow my soul to move on…you’ve got to kill me…before it does.”
“Wha-?! No, Dru, that’s crazy--I couldn’t--!”
“Anthony, you’ve got to! If you don’t, some horrific evil will be unleashed on the universe…and my soul will be destroyed…”
“I don’t accept that! There has to be another way--!”
“Th-there is, my love. I-if you can’t kill me…g-get someone else to. It-it’s the only way, honey.”
“I-I can’t…”
She caresses his face and says, “I-I’m starting to l-lose consciousness. But I…I know you’ll do what’s right…I..love you…so much…”
And Dru’s hand falls limp as she loses consciousness.
“Dru! Please wake up--the-there must be another way…” And hot tears burn his eyes as he watches her breathe shallowly. “G-got to be another…way…”
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
An hour after he departed, Romaltus returns to find his nephew Cobalt Kid still there.
“Ah, you’re still here, Cobaltus…” Romaltus says, looking a little frazzled and taken off-guard.
“Didn’t really have much choice, there, unc…your place doesn’t have any doors!”
“Yes…doors…I’d almost forgotten about those. They are hardly necessary to mages.”
“Well,” Cobalt presses, “ were you able to help Dru?”
The older man looks a bit uncertain for a moment, but then replies, “no, nephew, I’m afraid not. I…spoke to her doctors about my thought’s on Dru’s condition as it related to what you said about possession. But I’m afraid there is nothing that can prevent her death.”
“Damn!” Cobalt yells and slams his fist hard against the nearby stone wall. Then, he winces in pain--he’s broken his hand.
“I understand your frustration, young one, but no one can save everybody all the time…not even yourself.”
His face turning red, Cobalt yells, “I can’t save anybody--not even my best friend’s wife! And now, that…that thing inside Dru has taken all my powers!”
“Oh, I doubt that, nephew. Most likely it simply suppressed them…” And he walks over to Cobalt, who is rubbing his injured hand. “Give me your hand.”
Cobalt extends the injured hand, though the pain radiating through it is excruciating. But the moment his uncle puts his two hands on Cobalt’s, the pain starts to subside. Moreover, Cobalt feels his own power activate almost instantly, working with Romaltus‘s power. Within seconds his hand is completely healed.
Withdrawing his hand, Cobalt reaches out and feels his magnetic field restored around him. Just like that, all of his power is back.
“Thank you, unc--now I can go back and try again with Dru!”
Shaking his head, Romaltus reminds him, “nephew, I told you that nothing can save her.”
“With all due respect, unc…I have to try! Giving up is just not in my nature, especially when my best friend’s involved!”
Romaltus smiles indulgently at him, “very well, nephew. I will help you on your way.”
And with a wave of his hand, Romaltus provides his nephew with the quickest means to get where he needs to be, and Cobalt disappears.
A shellshocked husband sits next to his dying wife’s hospital bed and stares at something he holds in his hands. He’s been staring at the object for quiet some time.
Looking up, he notes that her breathing is becoming more and more shallow. Touching her forehead with the back of his left hand, he knows her fever has risen even further than it had the last time he checked. Measuring her life force with his power, he confirms what he already knows.
It’s almost time. Dru’s life will expire in a matter of minutes. The question is not if she will die, it is when and by what means.
Anthony raises his right hand and looks at the object and sees his reflection in it. It’s a dagger. He retrieved it from their quarters…what they’d jokingly referred to as their “love nest” up until two days ago.
Was it really such a short time ago that they had their whole lives ahead of them? That they’d broached the subject of starting a family? Just four days ago?
Now, he’s sitting here next to his wife trying to get up the nerve to honor her final wish. To take her life before some invading entity consumes her body and soul in order regain its lost power and wreak untold evil upon the cosmos.
When did his life become the punch line for the biggest, most sadistic cosmic joke ever told?
It takes all the effort he can muster to shake himself out of this miasma. It’s time now to honor his wife the only way he can before it‘s too late.
He stands up, gives her a gentle, unreciprocated kiss on her lips and whispers, “I love you so much, Dru…I do this as the only way I have left to honor that love…” He raises the dagger and wraps both hands around its hilt, preparing to strike a fatal blow into her heart. He closes his eyes, gathers his will and starts to bring the dagger down--
“Lardy! What the hell are you doing?! Are you crazy?!?!” the just-arrived Cobalt screams and uses his magnetism to force the dagger from his friend’s hands.
Anthony scowls and boils over with a thousand emotions. “Butt out, Des--it’s what she wanted!” And he blasts Cobalt clear through the wall. Frantically, Anthony looks around for the dagger. “Where is it, dammit? I-I don’t know if I can bear to smother her or use the Lard Force to--oh god!” The panic begins to swell within him when, suddenly, he spots the dagger. He grabs it and rushes over to her bed to finish what he started.
“D-don’t do it, Lardy!” Cobalt yells as he staggers back into the room.
Holding the dagger over her, Anthony looks back at Cobalt over his shoulder. “Don’t stop me, Des…this is what she told me to do when Jeckie revived her. If I don’t, she’ll be--”
“Give me another chance to try my power…I can--”
But Cobalt stops talking as he notices Dru is suddenly glowing brightly.
Anthony looks back toward her and is surprised to see her eyes open. Taken aback, he’s frozen in his spot as she whispers, “oh, gods, no…it’s--it’s him…” Then her head slumps to the side and her eyes are left open, lifeless.
“NO!” Anthony cries.
But suddenly the glow expands and violently knocks Cobalt and Anthony to the floor, stunning them.
Dru’s body rises from the bed and is engulfed in an eldritch, magenta flame which burns so bright that the two witnesses have to shield their eyes. Moments later, the flame subsides, and Dru is no longer there. In her place is a man with long, white hair and a matching flowing beard. He wears a winged helmet on his head and is garbed in a magenta tunic and green leggings.
He opens his eyes. They radiate malevolence and power.
His voice booms as he speaks, “I have feasted on the body and soul of my first-born! At long last--I am free! Let the cosmos, once again, tremble before the might of--
MORDRU!!!”
And in the next moment, the Healing Center is reduced to rubble with Cobalt and Anthony still inside…
End ACT TWO
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
On the dark side of a moon orbiting a gas giant in a desolate solar system, ten mages face down one whose might may overshadow all of theirs combined.
The one, Mordru, is momentarily stunned as his ten opponents have cast a spell bringing them all to this remote stage for their last stand. The spell was designed to use Mordu’s own power to charge the teleportation. That, and the nature of the location itself, have weakened him.
“Yes!” cries one master mage who appears to be in command here.. “The spell has worked and all is as I’ve foreseen! Sh’al--ready the sarcophagus! The other six of you who drew the lots, join her--surround it, and start the incantation! We have very little time!”
Sha’l uses a spell to create a deep hole in the ground beneath her. She lowers both herself and the coffin into the hole, then opens it. The other six speak a spell, and their bodies become incorporeal. They coalesce into a purple mist that becomes infused with the object.
The master mage‘s face becomes pale as he watches them give themselves to defeat this great evil. He gathers himself and yells to the remaining two, “Come, apprentices--we must insure their sacrifice was not in vain!”
As Mordru begins to regain his composure, the three converge on him and inundate him with eldritch bolts of magic.
“That’s it!” he urges them. “Push him toward the sarcophagus!”
“No!“ Mordru screams. He fights them as hard as he can, but in his weakened state, he is soon overwhelmed. As he is pushed down the hole and into the sarcophagus, he gives the female apprentice an angry glance. Sh’al closes the sarcophagus shut right after he falls in, then takes out a sword and impales herself. As her life blood spills onto it, the sarcophagus glows.
“D-Do it,” Sh’al says as the life drains from her.
With heavy hearts the three remaining mages oblige her and use a spell to bury her and this new prison of Mordru’s deep under the moon’s stagnant soil. As Sh‘al dies, Mordru’s body is suddenly reduced to ashes inside his prison. But his consciousness survives and will be trapped, perhaps forever.
“A-and that’s it,” the master mage says. “So much sacrifice…” And he faints.
“Master!” the male apprentice cries and attempts to revive the older man. The female apprentice helps as well.
Abruptly, he awakens. “I…I’ve had a vision of the future--a map of the next twenty years!”
“What is it, master?” the female asks.
“We…we will honor those who sacrificed themselves today, young ones. Zerox will from now on be governed by a Council of Seven, representing those who died today. You two and I will be three of that body. But only the three of us will know the rest of what I have to tell you tonight…”
And the two apprentices listen with their rapt attention…
In their private chateau Queen Projectra of Orando (also a member of Zerox’s Council of Seven) and her consort Val Armorr share a private moment. They’ve just finished a workout consisting of Val’s own amalgam of yoga.
“Oh, Val, our stay on Zerox has been so peaceful. I daresay that I don’t look forward to returning to Orando.”
“But all is not well here, Jeckie,” Val interjects. “Councilor Dru's in dire straits from what I hear. And the circumstances around her ailment are very disturbing.”
“Yes, Val, you are right. It certainly feels as if she was targeted. And what of your student? As her husband, this is bound to be a trying time for him.”
“Definitely. I fear this will test Anthony’s progress to the breaking point. He’s come a long way, but I don’t know that he can bear her loss if she doesn’t pull through. Also, if she dies, what will this mean to the Counsel?”
“I am not sure…we’ve not met since the crisis began. Romaltus has been overseeing her care. Arella has been off world for months now. If Arun has had any visions about her fate or the nature of the threat, he’s not informed us. Danyul is apparently en route from Psyonia. And Zataka has been busy with some things on Earth. Obviously, if she dies, as callous as this sounds, we will need to find another replacement.”
“Another wild card…”
“Val, that’s oversimplifying it!”
“Well, Jeckie, the Counsel essentially has five traditional seats--one representative each from the five major worlds that historically produce the greatest sorcerors: Zerox, Orando, Naltor, Psyonia and Earth. The other two seats are wild cards, the best representatives not from the traditional worlds--currently Romaltus and Dru…”
“And that’s how it’s been, Val, since seven sorcerors, including my grandfather, willingly gave their lives twenty years ago to save the galaxy from…Mordru…” And Projectra’s eyes glaze over and become distant.
“Jeckie?” Val says, trying to shake her out of the apparent trance she’s in. “Jeckie! Are you all right?!”
She blinks and snaps out of it. “Oh, Val…he’s back--I’m getting flashes from other mages all over the place!”
“Who’s back?”
Before she can answer, the entire island begins to shake. Indeed all of Zerox is trembling.
And Val’s question is answered as a voice is heard reverberating throughout the planet announcing his rebirth:
“MORDRU!”
“Mordru?” Val repeats in disbelief after their home stops shaking. “But how?”
“How is not important, Val…Zerox, and the universe, face the deadliest dark mage ever to exist! I must marshal our forces and do everything we can to stop him.”
“I…know, Jeckie,” her husband answers and takes her hands. He then kisses his wife tenderly. “I’ll do what I can to help. Maybe I can get to Anthony and send for some LMB help.”
“Be careful, my love…” she says as they embrace.
“You, too.”
And Queen Projectra flies off into the maelstrom.
Val takes a moment to pray to whatever forces he believes in, then sets off.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Dark Oval Territory, just their side of the border to the United Planets’ Epsilon Sector
Harold Ryan Wyandotte, an alternate Earth’s evil version of Lard Lad, stands on the bridge of his flagship. Having used his powers of mental domination to control its Queen, Wyandotte rules the Hive, a world of insect like creatures that comprises one fifth of the Dark Oval’s member powers.
“Yes!” Wyandotte proclaims, examining an encrypted message he just received. “Our plan has come to fruition! Mordru is loosed on Zerox and wreaking havok!”
He turns and smiles at the other three sentients who accompany him on the bridge, who represent two of the other fifths of the Dark Oval‘s elite powers: Kalla Hrykos (formerly Hryl) newly established ruler of Hrykosia. Evil Emperor Pyngwyn, a parallel universe duplicate of the LMB’s own Rockhopper Lad who rules the dimensionally-displaced Earth-4 which though presumed destroyed by the LMB, has secretly been installed as a replacement for the former Oval power Black Sun . And Blaine Fey, the Pyngwyn’s husband and second-in-command.
Of the four known Oval powers, only the Dominators are unrepresented. Six months ago, it was this quartet that unearthed Mordu's sarcophogus.
“Indeed, Wyandotte,” the Pyngwyn replies. “All these months of preparation are about to pay off!”
“I can hardly believe the true nature of the sarcophagus went undetected on a world full of mages,” Kalla adds.
“Oh, we had some high-placed help, dear lady,” Blaine laughs.
And on cue, another person joins them on the bridge.
Recognizing her, Kalla gasps. “Oh my! That’s--!”
And the newcomer, a gray-haired woman, middle-aged in appearance, completes Kalla‘s thought. “Yes, I am Arella, a member of Zerox’s own Council of Seven. I helped make your plan possible.”
“A traitor to the Council of Seven?” Kalla probes.
“That would depend on your point of view,” laughs Arella.
“You have much to learn about the true scope of this plan, Kalla,” Blaine explains.
“Yes,” says Wyandotte, “ you will learn all soon enough. To this point it has been necessary to leave you out of the loop as it involves...the Dark Oval’s secret fifth power!”
Kalla’s heart beats fast at that last statement. The identity of the fifth power has been kept a secret to all citizens of the Oval to the point where most believed it to be a myth. “Please,” she says eagerly, “tell me more!”
“Momentarily,” Wyandotte chides her and turns to his tactical display, “but first thing’s first!” Pressing his communications control, he says, “Wyandotte to Dark Oval fleet: commence the operation!”
And at once, the fleet crosses the border into the United Planets’ Epsilon Sector and heads for Zerox. An audacious act of war.
“Oh, this is an historic day, my love!” Blaine exorts to his husband.
“Indeed!” the Pyngwyn replies.
“The vaunted Sorcerer’s World will be helpless to deflect this attack from without and within!” Wyandotte adds.
And all five laugh as those anticipating certain victory can.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Within an hour of Mordru’s rebirth, the Sorcerer’s World is consumed in a conflagration of chaos. Using his unmatched power, Mordru is concentrating on disrupting the planet’s environment in every way possible. Earthquakes rock several continents. Volcanoes erupt that had long been dormant or even non-existent prior to this day. In some zones gravity itself has gone haywire. Hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis--every disaster imaginable awakes and pounds Zerox and its citizens.
Amid all the chaos, Queen Projectra organizes as many mages as she can muster to challenge Mordru. At one point she finds Curator Zhiz of the Magical Artifacts Division. She enlists his help in researching the spells that were used twenty years ago to fell Mordru. She hopes that such a desperate, costly measure will prove unnecessary, but she has to have this ultimate option available as a backup.
Soon she rallies many of Zerox’s citizens to challenge Mordru head-on while she gathers an elite force for a more organized assault. She tries hard not to think of this first wave as cannon fodder, but deep down, she knows it’s true and a necessary aspect of her strategy. She prays to her Orandan gods that most will survive, or at least, die without pain. She knows neither scenario is likely.
The first engagement occurs high in Zerox’s atmosphere where Mordru is directing his environmental assault. Twenty young mages, the cream of this year’s senior class of Zerox’s Academy of the Mystic Arts, charge head-on into battle with him with all the bravado that comes with their youth.
Within minutes, each and every one of them fall miles to the ground below, but not before they are slowly consumed by a mystical fire that burns them from the inside out.
Projectra mourns them quietly as she plots with the elite mages she’s gathered. But she knows they are but the first casualties in a war that none of them may live to tell about.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Val Armorr makes his way through the rubble that was Zerox’s medical center. He has just found two bodies. He recognizes them as two of this facility’s foremost healers, Halfus and Drollux.
Examining them, Val muses, “that’s odd…these two healers show signs of having been dead hours before Mordru awoke…”
But before he can explore this mystery further, Val hears moaning coming from beneath some nearby rubble. Val begins moving debris from that area until he uncovers: “Cobalt Kid!”
“Ungh…yeah. I appreciate you digging me out…could hardly use my magnetism to free myself. Too…out of it. Right after Mordru rose, he…blew up the place…”
“Is Anthony…your LMB’s Lard Lad…nearby?”
“Crap! Lardy!” And Cobalt’s head clears up all at once as he tries to feel his friend‘s presence through their empathic bond. “There!” he exclaims and magnetically lifts a section of rubble up. The two rush to the site and find their friend wedged into the rubble in such a way as to actually have been shielded in a protective canopy.
“Lardy!” Cobalt yells. But his friend is unresponsive, his eyes staring at nothing.
“He’s catatonic,” Val assesses.
Cobalt hangs his head, “I guess the trauma of seeing his wife die and then being consumed by the rebirth of evil incarnate was too much for him. Hell, it’s almost too much for me…” And then his eyes flash to the sky. Feeling her presence before actually seeing her, Cobalt feels some degree of relief as he greets, “Crujectra! Thank goodness you’re okay!” He feels a little guilty saying that as he looks toward his catatonic friend.
“Cobie!” she shouts. “We’ve got to help the mages fight Mordru! The losses they’re taking…”
“I can imagine, hon.” He turns to Val and says, “take care of him…please.”
“He is my student and friend...I think I can help him,” Val responds.
“We’ve never met, but I’ve a feeling you can,” Cobalt says then turns to his soul mate. “C’mon, hon! Maybe we can find Romaltus and the other Councilors!”
As they fly off, Crujectra says, “I wish we’d time to call in some LMB backup.”
As she says that, a signal comes from his wrist. He checks it, smiles slightly and says, “way ahead of you, babe.”
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Rockhopper Lad and Dedman are first to arrive and await the others accompanying them on this mission to come out of warp drive.
“I’ve just signaled, Cobalt, Deds,” Rocky radios to his friend’s starship. “He should know we’re here now.”
“Good,” replies the LMB’s current deputy leader, “it looks like we’re here in the knick of time. Sensors show that Zerox is in turmoil!”
“Any idea what the source is?” Rocky asks. “I’m not seeing any of the warships we were speculating might be here.”
Dedman closes his eyes and concentrates. “Rocky, all I know for sure is that there’s a tremendous death toll…countless souls are crossing over...violently.”
“Oh, no! I’ve got to hail Cobalt and find out what we face!” Then Rocky’s face darkens. “Are our guys okay?”
Already ahead of Rocky‘s request, Dedman concentrates. “Crujectra and Cobie are still among the living…Lardy--he’s alive, but I don’t think he’s doing too well…”
“And Dru?”
“She’s…gone,” Dedman says with some effort.
“Oh…poor Lardy--they-they were so happy…” Rocky manages. His thoughts turn to his loss of his own true love, Earth-4’s Blaine Fey. “Lardy must be devastated…”
Suddenly, the proximity alert goes off and the two note that their allies have arrived.
“All right, Rocky…they’re all here and accounted for,” Dedman assesses, checking his tactical screen, “all LMBers…or more specifically, LFDers! Hmmm, there’s no response from Cobie, so we’ll all just have to--”
But he’s interrupted again by the shipboard computer’s proximity alert.
“Grife! We’ve got bogeys!” Dedman yells.
“It’s a Dark Oval invasion force--about 200 warships!” Rocky shouts, then turns quiet and looks toward the onscreen image of the ranking member of this mission.
Dedman meets Rocky’s eye and orders over his comm array, “Alright, LMBers--we’ve gotta stop that invasion force! All those designated this mission‘s ‘Heavy Hitters’ exit your cruisers and engage using Defense Strategy Alpha! Those remaining form a defensive grid around Zerox with your ships--we’re not letting any of those warships through!”
And at once, all the LMBers do as they’re told and prepare to fight this deadly onslaught with all they have.
“You made the right call, Dedman,” Rocky smiles slightly and places his hand to the viewscreen.
“I hope so, Rocky,” he replies and reciprocates with his own hand. “Send out a distress call to the LMB, the U.P., the Space Knights Templar…anyone who’s in range.”
“Aye, sir,” Rocky acknowledges, “for now, the assembled might of the Legion of Former Deputies will have to hold the line!”
Dedman whispers to himself, “Cobie, I sure hope you and those sorcerers have some tricks up your sleeves…”
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Cobalt and Crujectra have just finished searching fruitlessly for any sign of his uncle when…
“You two…LMBers! Have you found my fellows?”
Crujectra squints at the new arrival and says, “Projectra? Is that you?”
“Yes, cousin--it is I! It’s been awhile. I only wish we’d renewed our acquaintance under different circumstances.”
Cousin? Cobalt asks his soul mate telepathically.
Figure of speech, Cobie. Projectra's the Queen of Orando, and and our royal families are acquainted. And with the similiarity of our names, it's kind of a joke between me and her.
Oh, he telepaths back, then says aloud to the newcomer, “it’s good to meet you, Majesty. Crujectra has told me all about you.” He bows and Crujectra gives him a little mental kick for his half-fib.
“Charmed,” Projectra responds curtly, wishing to get to the urgent matters at hand. “Have you seen Romaltus…or Arun?”
“No cousin, you’re the first Counselor we’ve found.”
“Damn! I need their power and input! I’ve gathered as many surviving elite mages as I could muster, but I need those two to assure I can recreate the spell properly that vanquished Mordru twenty years ago!”
“There’s been no sign of them, Majesty,” Cobalt informs her.
“Mordru may have gotten to them already,” Crujectra offers grimly.
“We may have to assume this,” Projectra concludes. “I will have to proceed without them. With that in mind, I must ask if the two of you can assist me with my plan.”
The assembled might of the Legion of Former Deputies (Shady, Crusader, Dev-Em, Beagle Boy, Faraway Lad, Pov, Omega Man, Freekinos, Eryk Davis Ester, He Who Wanders, Outdoor Miner, Ultra Matt and Kent Shakespeare--along with Rockhopper Lad and current deputy Dedman) face seemingly overwhelming odds against an invading armada. Of all their membership, only Grey Birdboy, Harbinger and Stoopid Cat are not in attendance. Grey and Harbinger have both been on extended leave and Stoopid Cat has been held hostage at Slim‘s in the midst of a standoff with the LMB for awhile. Even under these desperate circumstances, Rockhopper Lad’s heart swells with pride at the LFD’s efforts. He only hopes the two LFDers planetside, along with Spellbinder, are holding up.
Rocky studies his tactical display: Crusader, Dev-Em, Pov, Omega Man, He Who Wanders, the Boy with Ultra Powers and EDE’s luck lord are all fighting in open space as Dedman’s designated “Heavy Hitters”, while the others, including EDE himself, fight along inside some prototype star fighters designed by LMB scientist Doctor One. There are 16 star fighters in all, the 8 left unoccupied by the Heavy Hitters being operated by electronic Smart Pilot programs. These prototypes are noteworthy for their speed and their extraordinary (for their size) firepower and force shield strength. Doc had been developing them since the war with the Khanate was imminent.
While the other Heavy Hitters use their physical abilities to disable the attacking warships, Crusader, Omega Man and EDE’s Luck Lord execute their duty (as designated by their power coding in Defensive Strategy Alpha) to construct a telekinetic/magical force shield to repel those that get past the physical attacks. The third and final line of Zerox’s defense is with the LMBers in the starships, who disable any warships that get past the physical assaults and force barrier.
After blasting the nacelles of a stray Dark Oval warship, Rocky checks his tactical display. “Oh my,” he reports to Dedman, “our strategy is working quite well, so far! That was only the fifth vessel to get past the second line so far. I must say, Doctor One’s prototypes are performing very well!”
“Right on, Rocky!” exhorts EDE in response from his starship. “The Smart Pilots are working like a charm, too--you were the first sentient pilot to shoot one down!”
“We’ll be back and drinking some port in no time,” Faraway jokes. “And let’s not forget that I’m the double threat, here--while I man my starship, I’m also helping the lads in the front line by teleporting some of their ships… ‘faraway’!”
“You?” EDE scoffs. “I’ve got the luck lord out there!”
“Boys!” Shady derides.
“Ahem,” Miner interjects, “face front, LMBers. In case you haven’t notice, ten more just slipped past the barrier!”
And all sixteen fighters converge on the interlopers and soon take them out.
Soon, however, at the second line, the defenders are showing signs of wearing out.
Telepathically, Crusader tells the other two, “I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up with my TK--the strain is tremendous!”
“Yeah,” Omega Man adds, “my mystical nads are nearly spent!”
EDE’s luck lord sighs, “don’t worry, your inexhaustible magical genie-like friend is here!” And he sends a little luck their way to replenish their power reserves.
And on the front line, the Heavy Hitters are taking a beating.
“Dev-Em’s down!” Ultra Matt shouts.
“Kent--Help Dev!” Pov says to the LMB field medic.
“Alright--cover me, Wanderer,” Kent yells to He Who Wanders. HWW obliges and clears Kent a path to Dev.
Assessing Dev quickly, Kent says, “he’s okay…just stunned. Far, do you read me?”
“Way ahead of you, mate,” replies Faraway Lad and he teleports Dev to Freekinos’s starship to recover.
“Got him,” Freekinos says upon reception.
From his ship, Beagz transmits, “I got one, guys…but not before he disabled my shields!”
“Roger that, Beagz,” responds Dedman, “Far, get Beagz to one of the Smart Pilot ships, STAT!”
“Done,” replies Faraway and just in time...Beagz's former ship is incinerated a moment later by another rogue.
“Whew!” Beagz exclaims as he disables the rogue from his new home.
“Rocky--any news about reinforcements?” Dedman asks.
Looking at his monitors, Rocky replies, “Cramer’s gathering up what reinforcements she can, but…oh…”
Bracing himself, Dedman asks, “what is it, Rocky?”
“Just got a report from the U.P…Naltor and Orando are under assault from the Dark Oval, too…what U.P., Knights Templar and S.P. help we were hoping for are being redirected there. With the Khanate War already occupying them, we can’t expect any military backup for…a week…LMB backup is at least a day away. And…oh…my…”
“What…what is it, sweetie?” Shady presses over her commlink.
Rockhopper Lad gulps, “more bogey blips just appeared on tactical…two...hundred more….”
“Where is she?” Mordru screams as he rips apart the museum of the Magical Artifacts Division. “I sense her hand in this!”
Suddenly, an object that had been brushed aside in Mordru’s search sparkles. The next moment, the object, a garment common in ancient Earth stage performance tradition for a trick involving rabbits, has a wearer.
The man wearing a tuxedo with his rumpled top hat quickly assesses the situation and incants, “Luynad! M’i ereh! Kcol ni no em!”
The next moment, a man dressed in a maroon cloak appears next to the first. They are two members of the Council of Seven. The first man is Zataka Zatara of Earth, the latest in a long family line of "Homo Magi" who speak their incantations backwards. The second is Danyul of Psyonia, a wizard particularly skilled in elemental manipulation. Though normally isolationist by custom, the mage portion of Psyonia's population has begrudgingly maintained a representative on the Council.
The two quickly assess the situation as they are momentarily unnoticed by Mordru in his rampage.
“It is as I feared from the portents of the oracle,” Danyul laments.
“Should we try to take him by surprise?”
“No, Zataka, I think we need to find the other Councilors and--”
But Danyul can’t finish. Mordru has noticed them and binds them with eldritch chains before they can react.
“I sense great power in the two of you! Perhaps you can tell me before you die...where is she? Where is my traitorous bitch of a wife? Where is Mala?”
The two exchange a confused look before Zataka incants, “sniahc raeppasid!” and the two are freed once more.
Mordru laughs. “A reverse incantator--HA! How quaint! I know just how to fix you: kaeps ylreporp!”
At the same time, Zataka says, “Urdrom tsrub…into...flames? What?!? I-I can’t--!”
“--can’t speak backward?” Mordru taunts. "I'd say that's a crippling weakness, eh?" And their earsache with his booming, mocking laughter.
“Behind me, Zataka,” Danyul orders, “I’ll take care of him!” And water from the surrounding ocean rises and becomes a huge fist hurtling down toward the dark mage.
“An elemental sorcerer, eh?” Mordru observes. “Perhaps you haven’t heard that’s where my greatest skill lies?”
Mordru gestures and wrests control of the fist from Danyul and sends it hurtling back toward the pair. Danyul concentrates on taking back control of it but staggers into Zataka as his considerable control proves inferior to Mordru‘s.
“You are but moths compared to Mordru!” laughs the dark mage as he suspends the watery fists above the Councilors. “See what happens when moths fly too close...to the flame!”
And with another gesture, the fist super-heats into a deadly cloud of steam and descends on Zataka and Danyul. They scream as the steam burns the flesh off their bones.
And just like that, Mordru disposes of two of the galaxy’s premier mages.
“That was mildly entertaining,” Mordru sighs, then his mood darkens. “WHERE IS MALA?!?!?" his voice booms. "BY THE STONE OF AMETHYST, I’LL TEAR THIS ENTIRE PLANET APART IF MY WIFE ISN’T DELIVERED TO ME!!!!!”
And in his terrible fury, Mordru obliterates Zerox's Isle of Wisdom and all the poor souls with it who had still survived on the island up until that moment.
Val Armorr has been helping the surviving healers set up a makeshift triage tent across from the rubble of the Healing Center. He helped recover all the survivors from that facility’s destruction and has helped administrate all the incoming casualties in the ongoing fight against Mordru.
Now, given a momentary breather between waves of patient arrival, Val takes a moment to check on his student.
“I’ve awakened him from his catatonia, Val,” the medic attending former LMBer Lard Lad tells him, “but he’s still quite despondent.”
Val nods and goes to his friend‘s bedside. “Anthony, my friend,” he says, ”things are not going so well, I fear. I haven’t heard from my dear Projectra since she went off to try to….”
“I...can’t believe she’s gone,” interrupts Anthony hoarsely.
“You’ve lost much, my friend. But there are still those who love you.”
Anthony starts as if remembering something he‘d totally forgotten, “Cobalt! Crujectra! Where are they?”
“They’ve gone off to fight Mordru, Anthony, as have Projectra and so many others.”
“Mordru!” Anthony screams aand sits up suddenly. "He did this to her--my...my wife...his own daughter! I‘m going to ki--”
“No, Anthony--you can’t do that! Remember all the progress you’ve made! Dru wouldn’t want you to--!”
“I failed her, Val! She asked me to kill her before that animal could consume her soul! I failed, and now there’s absolutely nothing left of her! I‘m going to destroy him!!!”
“You’re in no shape to--!”
“What do you expect me to do?!?!" Anthony screams into Val's face. "Nothing?! What would you do if he killed Jeckie--meditate with him?!”
“Calm down, Anthony…look, I don’t know what I’d do if I were in your place. I...hope I don't have to find out...” And he pauses for a moment and looks him straight in the eyes. “Jeckie once told me that if someone killed me…she would break his or her neck. But that’s not my way. I use my skills to best my opponent if combat is necessary, but killing isn’t the way, for me…nor for you. You’ve killed before, Anthony…you know I’m right.”
Anthony closes his eyes. They reopen with tears. “I know, sensei. But I also know I can’t just lie here while my friends get killed. I-I can’t lose them, too…I’ve got to help...any way I can.”
“Then, go, Anthony…and if you see my wife, give her my love. I’m needed here.”
“I will sensei,” Anthony replies. “I only hope 'Lard Lad' can make a difference..” And with a soft pop, Lard Lad vanishes.
Left alone, Val turns his thoughts to another matter. “There’s something rotten here", he whispers. "Dru’s death…Halfus and Drollux’s bodies…Mordru…the Dark Oval invading…I’ve got to get to the bottom of this. And I’ve a sick suspicion where I should start looking…”
And Val strides off, each step rife with purpose.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
“Where is she?!!?” demands Mordru to no one in particular. “Where is my wife, Mala? Tell me, or I will destroy this island as well!!!
“I don’t know what you’re talking about or whom you seek, Beardru…but the hat’s just a fabulous fashion statement!” comes a feminine voice from above.
“Who dares?!?!?“ he screams and whirls around to see the twosome of LMBers Cobalt Kid and Spellbinder, the latter of which taunted him a moment earlier.
“We’re LMBers, purple-tights", Cobalt adds. "We weren’t around during your heyday, but you’re about to learn you can’t throw your weight around with us in the picture!”
“LMB?” Mordru laughs. “Only two of you? If you’re this dimension’s Legion such as I have faced in another of my aspects, I am sorely unimpressed! They would routinely send twenty or more against me! HA! I shall make short work of you two!”
“There are many more of us, ugly,” Cobalt taunts back, “but the two of us will more than suffice!”
Mordru’s reply is an angry blast of magical force which Cobalt and Spellbinder manage to dodge relatively easily because of the wizard’s sloppy rage.
The two LMBers respond with a combined TK and magnetic field that pushes Mordru back. Mordru conjures a spell that disperses the shield’s force, but they create a new one.
“Aaarggh!” Mordru screams. “Stupid little fire ants! I’ll squash you like the drones you are!”
He lashes out angrily again, but the two somehow use his force to strengthen their field.
“What?! That‘s impossible!” he shouts. “Unless…”
Mordru calms down and stops fighting the field and searches with his mind’s eye, until..
“Ah-HA! I found you!” He snaps a finger and someone gasps.
“Projectra!” cries Spellbinder, as her 'cousin', previously unseen by Mordru, collapses to the ground. Projectra had been cloaking herself and altering Mordru's perceptions with her power.
Mordru turns his attention back to the LMBers and makes a swatting motion. The two go tumbing off through the distance. Then, he approaches Projectra.
Noting the castle symbol on her cloak, Mordru chides, “how dare you, child of Orando!” Then, he gestures around and nine suddenly-unconcealed mages, (including Curator Zhiz) collapse, dead. They had committed all their energies to a specific task, and their defenses were down. “Did you think Mordru could be defeated the same way twice?” With another gesture, a portal becomes momentarily visible, then collapses. “You sought to teleport me to one of the 'Dark Worlds', perhaps even the same one I was defeated on twenty years earlier, where my power is lessened…and then perform the same spell your forebears did? PATHETIC! Did you think it would work again? HA! The combined might of you and these other nine was much less than the seven who sacrificed themselves and the three who lived…including my traitorous, unfaithful wife! Where is she, child of Orando? I know she lives! And what of her lover and the Seer? Tell me before I destroy you, as I did your grandfather!”
Weakly Projectra answers, “you m-must be demented, Mordru. Y-your wife was not one of the Three…she has never set foot on Zerox! Th-the female who helped defeat you was not her, but our own esteemed Counselor Ar--” She stops suddenly as her eyes widen at some unknown realization. She wonders if that could be why--
Mordru senses her hesitation and pulls the thought from her mind. “So that’s it!” he screams and focuses his senses outward. “I’m coming for you--!”
But he’s knocked back as Cobalt and Spellbinder have returned and assault him with a powerful force blast.
“So the ants are back!” and he hurls a host of powerful bolts their way. It takes all their concentraion to shield themselves from them. But it’s too much for them, and they fall to the ground, stunned.
“And now, ants--BURN!”
But as he prepares to kill them in a fiery conflagration, Mordru suddenly feels an all-encompassing darkness surrounding him. “No!“ he cries. “I’m…I’m buried again! I c-can’t breathe! I…” But then he pauses, “ah, good one, Projectra!” And he disperses her illusion. “Your grandfather tried that one! Tell him that Mordru says ‘hello‘ when you meet him in Hell!”
And before she can react, Projectra is felled by a dark energy bolt from Mordru. She collapses and feels her heart give out. She manages one last whisper: "Val..." and falls dead.
“No!” Cobalt yells, realizing their friend is gone. “I’ll get you, Mordru…with the iron in your blood!”
And he uses his magnetism to do just that. And Mordru screams, feeling as if his insides are imploding. Crujectra shields her lover as best she can, knowing Mordru will retaliate.
And retaliate Mordru does. Though unable to direct a spell, he instead fires random, but powerful, blasts in all directions. Unfortunately, they hit their mark, and the LMBers both sprawl to the ground, conscious but barely able to move.
“I underestimated you two, Legionnaires--I’ll honor you now with a funeral pyre!”
I fire rises around the two--but it’s immediately extinguished!
“What?!?” Mordru yells.
“Hi,” a voice says to Mordru’s left, “you've already killed my wife. I’m not letting you kill my friends, too!”
“Who are you, dead man?”
“No, I think Dedman’s up in orbit,” the new player mocks as his eyes and fists blaze with purple energy. “Me? I’m Lard Lad, and I’m taking you down!”
“’Lard Lad’?” Mordru repeats. “You are a Lard Knight, then?”
“Yes, I am,” Lard Lad answers, his fists clenched.
“How quaint! I used to pick off Lard Knights for sport when I was a boy! This should be fu-!”
But before he can finish his jest, Mordru is face to face with his new opponent, who has just teleported right in front of him. With a grin, Lard Lad promptly head-butts the startled mage, stunning him momentarily. Lard Lad uses the opportunity to grab each of Mordru’s arms just above the elbows.
Mordru quickly recovers and grabs hold of Lard Lad’s arms in turn. “You want a Clench, eh? Very brave for a minor magician such as a Lard Knight! Very well!”
And the two rise up into the air, Lard Lad aglow with his purple Lard Force, Mordru with his signature violet manifestation. From a distance the energy signatures are indistinguishable.
On the ground, Cobalt and Crujectra rise gingerly from where they’d been stunned.
“Oh my God!” Cobalt exclaims. “Lardy’s up there with Mordru! I‘ve got to--” But Cobalt falls down as his knees give out.
“N-neither of us are good for anything right now, Cobie,” Crujectra says. “Lardy may be Zerox’s last hope.”
“He’s powerful, honey, but I don’t know if he’s that powerful--don’t understand why Romaltus isn’t here fighting…”
“He…he may already have fallen, Cobie…”
His tacit response is to look up to the battle waging above.
“Not bad, little Lard Knight!” mocks Mordru. “You’re holding out longer than I imagined, but I can feel you weakening!”
Teeth clinched, Lardy yells, “you took her life--and her soul! She was your daughter--my WIFE!”
“Oh, that,” he laughs. “Both of my daughters were huge disappointments--Mordra, always following her mother’s ways. And dear Whordru…she worshipped me as a child, always wanted to be just like me! She could’ve been great, but she proved too soft...fell for a pathetic weakling like you! HA! In the end she got what she had wanted as a child…I took her place--and she literally became me! Though I found her soul…lacking.”
“You’ll pay for that, Mordru!” Lard Lad screams and his purple glow erupts and takes Mordru off balance with its fury.
Mordru is momentarily rattled, but recovers quckly. “Only a fool lets his enemy unbalance him! That was a powerful wave, but you’ll only exhaust your power stores that much quicker!”
“Mordru,” Lardy says with a smile, “don’t you know that the Lard Force is inexhaustible?”
And Lardy’s fists tighten on Mordru’s arms and the impression from his fingers burns into Mordru’s skin.
“That hurt, you flea!” Mordru screams, then responds with a huge flare of his own. Lardy’s arms burn with Mordru’s fire, and Lardy feels it cascading through him. As it flares through Lardy, all pigment is drained from his eyes and hair. Mordru’s power washes over and through him--it's burning him inside and out.
“Aaaarrrggghh!” Lardy screams. The pain is unbearable. He feels his grip begin to loosen and his Lard Force begin to extinguish.
Before Lardy can regroup, the pain completely overwhelms him…
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