Lard Lad finds himself surrounded in complete nothingness. He can see and hear absolutely nothing. In fact, he’s unsure he’s anywhere at all. He’s not even sure he has a body. He wonders if this is how he’ll spend the rest of eternity.
And he’s thinking this may be an apt punishment for all his sins.
He ponders this for--what? Seconds? Hours? Years? Eons?--when he’s suddenly sure he’s no longer alone.
“Hello, Anthony,” the foreign presence says. And at once, the nothingness wraps around a familiar female figure like a dress. He recognizes her immediately, and he suddenly becomes aware of his heart pounding, though a few moments ago, he wasn‘t aware he still had one.
“Mordra,” he whispers.
“Yes and no,” she corrects. “We’ve met many times since you came to Zerox and began studying with your sensei. I’m your dark side…your yin. You’ve attempted and failed many times to unite me with your yang, and you failed every time. This, Anthony, is your last chance to take my hand.” And she extends her hand to him.
He hesitates. “Am…am I dead?”
“That is to be decided by whether or not you take my hand.”
“If…if I take your hand, I live?”
“I didn’t say that, Anthony,” Mordra replies. “You are at the edge of life and death, right now. If you accept me now, you will be whole. If you don’t, the darkness will forever rule your ch‘i.”
“That…that just doesn’t make sense!” he shouts to her. “If I take your hand, I’m giving myself over to you! How could that possibly help?”
“Have you learned nothing from your sensei? Everyone has darkness within themselves! No one is totally good or totally evil, Anthony…all beings have both sides. Balance is the key! If both are accepted and allowed to co-exist, you will be whole. Denying one or the other is what leads us on a path of self-destruction!”
“I…I understand the concept, but…look at you--you’re everything I hate about…”
“…yourself?” she finishes. “It’s yourself you hate more than anything, Anthony…you know it’s true.” And her form morphs into his mirror image. “Can you accept…you?”
He begins to move toward himself, but pauses.
“I’ll be whole if I accept you? Then, I can go back and save my friends?”
“No, Lardy,” the image says. “If you take my hand, you’ll die…and your friends probably will, as well.”
“What?!? But you said--!”
“I said you would be whole. I never said you’d live.”
“That--that’s insane! You’re saying I’ll be whole, but I’ll die?! And I’d be dooming Des and Crujectra?!”
“Yes.”
“And if I don’t, I’ll return…and have another shot at defeating Mordru and saving my friends?”
“…yes.”
“Then, the choice is clear! I choose to go ba--!”
“Wait!” his doppelganger interrupts. “It’s not so simple! What do you think your sensei would want you to do? What about Dru?”
“They’d want me to fight and save my friends!”
“Would they?” the other said. “Do you know what it would take to defeat Mordru?”
“More power, I guess. I can--”
“And where do you think that power would come from?”
“Well, the Lard Force, of course. I--”
“And,” his image presses, “when you’ve pushed your power to such heights before, what did you learn about yourself? It consumed you! It overwhelmed you so much that you had to retire from being Lard Lad! And that dark place is exactly where you will have to return in order to vanquish Mordru! It‘s the only way you can do it!”
“No…I don’t have to…”
“Yes, you do! And you’ll never be able to attain the balance that’s within your grasp right now if you do that!”
“But if I don’t, I’ll die! And so will Cobalt, Crujectra and who knows how many others!!”
“How many will you kill when you become the Destroyer?” It morphs back into Mordra as those words are uttered. “Your friends in the LMB have met every single challenge they’ve ever faced. Trust them to defeat Mordru! They will mourn your loss and that of the others…but let them fight on in your memory! Don’t shame them by becoming something even worse than what they now face!”
He stares at her silently as she morphs back into his mirror image.
As Rockhopper Lad checks his tactical display, his worse fears are confirmed. The LFD are losing. Though there’s been no loss of life so far, they are down to only seven of their formerly sixteen starships. Crusader and Omega Man have had to back off from the second wave due to exhaustion, leaving only EDE’s luck lord maintaining a weakening shield and only Kent, Ultra Matt and Pov remain active on the front lines as all the others had to retreat due to injury.
“We can’t hold up much longer,” Dedman confides to Rocky over a private link.
“I know,” Rocky agrees, “but we’ve got to fight to the last, if necessary. More lives than ours are at stake.”
“No word from Cobie and the others?”
“Nothing, Deds. Have you--?”
“--felt any of them pass? Hard to say--Lardy is…I just dunno. I choose to believe they’re still fighting.”
“Me, too,” Rocky agrees. “We sure could use the cavalry right about now…wait! I’m receiving a message from the Oval--there’s been a…cease fire!”
“A cease fire?” Dedman repeats. And he looks at his display. “Sure enough--they’re standing down! But why? They’ve got the upper hand!”
As he reads the rest of the streaming message, Rocky learns the answer.
And his jaw drops.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
“NOOOO!” Cobalt yells as he watches his best friend go limp in Mordru’s grasp and then fall lifeless to the ground. Shakily, he stands and shouts to Mordru, “you b-bastard! You'll--you'll pay f-for that..!”
Crujectra gingerly rises next to her man and cries the tears he is physically unable to cry.
“Yes, Legionnaire. Your friend is dead. He fought valiantly but was, in the end, no match for Mordru! Mourn not, however…for you are about to join him! But you and your friend have harmed me--you‘ll suffer a bit more before you pass!”
He makes a casual gesture, and intense pain buffets the two as they fall to the ground writhing in agony.
“Oh, yes!” Mordru laughs. “Now, that is much better! I think, yes…I think I’ll toy with you two a while longer! Perhaps--”
“Not so fast, old man!”
Cobalt weakly lifts his head and whispers, “Lardy?” And as his eyes confirm what he'd heard, Cobalt smiles. He has a good feeling about this!
Mordru turns around. “You,” he says in disbelief.
Lard Lad says, “was that all you got, Santa?” and laughs.
Lardy’s laughter enrages Mordru, and he lets loose a fireball at him that mirrors his terrible fury.
Lard Lad simply teleports behind Mordru and taps him on the shoulder. As Mordru turns, Lardy taunts, “‘Only a fool lets his enemy unbalance him’, ya know? Heard that somewhere…” And then, Lardy clocks him with a vicious right cross.
Mordru falls to the ground, wipes his bloodied nose and looks up at his foe’s mocking grin. “You…dare engage Mordru physically! Mordru is above such affronter--” But Mordru is interrupted by a kick in the face.
“Oh, I dare,” Lardy says and kicks Mordru again, this time in the crotch. As Mordu doubles over, Lardy says, “you had that coming, you sadistic, evil creep!” and kicks him there again.
Now on his knees, Mordru shakily raises his hands to cast a spell, but Lardy grabs his upper arms and lifts them both into the air. They are in the Clench once more.
"We have some unfinished business, Morry!" Lardy laughs before revving up his power--the fiercest volley yet, by a longshot-- and directing it at Mordru. Mordru finds himself bludgeoned mercilessly by it.
"H-how is this possible?" Mordru screams. "I h-had you defeated...dead--I felt it! And now...you're more p-powerful! H-how?"
"Well, ugly...you made the mistake so many have made--you underestimated the fat guy!" Then, Lardy howls with laughter and buffets Mordru with a blast three times as painful as the last.
As Mordru screams louder than ever, one that is felt across Zerox, Lardy tightens his focus and maintains concentration on his opponent. He becomes eerily calm as Mordru writhes in pain and fights back like a wolf with its leg in a trap with all the random, unfocused power he can muster.
Lardy feels Mordru's counterattack start to get through his defenses. But he retains his focus and closes his eyes. In Lardy's mind he sees Mordru’s energy and his own as two conflicting patterns. He focuses on his pattern and alters and reinforces it. As his alterations take shape, he sees the foreign energy bounce off his and redirect the other way.
Opening his eyes and grinning, Lardy taunts, “I call this one ‘the Reflecto’, geezer!”
Mordru screams in pain with tenfold volume of the prior one. In response many nearby buildings crumble and the seas around the Isle start chopping violently. Crujectra and Cobalt barely muster a combined TK/magnetic shield over themselves for protection.
Mordru knows he's losing and tries to refocus his energies on escaping the Clench. But Lardy’s got a hold on Mordru’s energy and continues to pummel him with it.
“NOOOOO!” Mordru screams as he feels all that he is begin to become unraveled. “I-I won’t be…” Mad with pain, he tries turning his power completely off to prevent it being redirected against him...but he’s fallen into Lardy’s trap--this is exactly what the LMBer wanted him to do. Grinning triumphantly, Lardy redirects his power to consume his opponent.
And Mordru experiences the sick, indescribably painful sensation of his skin beginning to melt. He looks on in horror as his arms are reduced to their bone where Lardy is grasping them with a death grip.
Mordru’s eyes return to those of his opponent. His gaze is met fully, and what he sees is frightening. Mordru has never been afraid of another sentient being in his life. But here, in his final moment…Mordru knows fear.
"Destroyer..." Mordru mouths.
In the next instant, Mordru's eyes pop and melt along with the rest of the tissue on his skull. And an instant later, Mordru is no more than a small pile of ashes on the ground below.
Lardy lowers to the ground and smiles and admires his handiwork. He can hardly believe the thoroughness of his victory. Why...he can beat anybody now that--
Then, before his amazed eyes, he sees something ethereal emerge from the ashes. As he prepares for the worst, Lardy is taken aback as he realizes the image is female and very familiar.
“Dru?” Lardy manages.
The ghost rises up silently into the air. At first, she is overjoyed to be free and lovingly meets her husband’s gaze. But in his eyes, she sees something unfamiliar…and recoils. Seemingly afraid to look back again, ethereal tears start to stream from the ghostly eyes…then Dru’s spirit turns away, rises…and disappears.
Lard Lad understands all too well what she saw and hangs his head. And he thinks of the fateful choice he made to save his friends. He wonders if it truly was the right one.
But a short moment later, he is joined by Cobalt and Crujectra who know only that their friend has won the day, and the three embrace.
“You…you guys, alright?” Lardy asks shakily.
Cobalt gasps, “Lardy, that was amazing! For a second there, I thought you were a goner! I--” But then his eyes are drawn to his friend’s face. “Your hair, Lardy…it‘s turned white…and your eyes…”
But just then, Cobalt sees a group of sentients walking up to them, a familiar man taking the lead.
“It’s over,” says the man, who they recognize as Cobalt’s uncle…the long unseen Councilor Romaltus.
An hour later, the three LMBers are moved to the same hill where, earlier, Val Armorr had trained his student. Now, an amphitheatre is there, having newly been conjured.
Sitting shakily near the front, Lard Lad, Cobalt Kid and Spellbinder are recovering from their experience, not knowing what is going on. Spellbinder lets Lardy borrow a mirror. His eyes are now completely white with no visible corneas or pupils. And his hair…also white as snow, now...
He lowers the mirror and looks at Mordru’s handprints burnt into his forearms. He knows they’ll always be there. And Dru…
But as Lardy begins to contemplate his loss, they are joined by Rockhopper Lad and Dedman. But before they can even speak, they are approached by Councilor Romaltus and a female about the same age as the former.
“Uncle! What is going on? What’s this all about?” Cobalt asks him.
“Cobaltus, this is my wife, my fellow Councilor Arella. She returned from being offworld right as Mordru awoke.”
“It’s so good to meet, you,” she says smiling. “Your uncle is so proud of you!”
“Thanks, ma’am,” Cobalt replies hurriedly. “But, uncle, why are we here?”
But before his uncle can reply four figures have beamed down in the center of the amphitheatre.
“What?” Cobalt says recognizing them immediately. “What are they doing here?”
Lardy sees two all-too familiar faces. “Wyandotte? Kalla Hryl?” he gasps in disbelief. And some purple energy colors his eyes.
Rocky is even more shocked as he recognizes, “Evil Emperor Pyngwyn!” And Rocky's heart jumps a little before realizing that this is the evil Earth-1 version of his own lost love who is, ironically, with Rocky's own evil double. “And…Blaine Fey…wh-what are they doing here with the Dark Oval delegation? ”
Cobalt hears that and says, “Dark Oval delegation? Rocky, what is this about?”
“Cobie, we were fighting off a Dark Oval invasion force in orbit. We were losing, actually--that's why we never got down here to help you out! Then we got word of a cease fire being called…because Zerox, Orando and Naltor are…well, they’re surrendering to the Dark Oval! We…we were asked to come down and…witness it for the U.P.”
“Surrendering?” Cobalt yells angrily. “But Romaltus--Mordru’s been destroyed!”
Bowing his head, Romaltus nods and explains, “yes, nephew. Mordru’s been destroyed...but Zerox has been left decimated in his wake. Half our population is dead. We haven’t the strength to resist the Dark Oval’s forces.”
“But where have you been?”
“Arella, Arun and I engaged Mordru right after he emerged, and we were nearly killed! Once we recovered somewhat, we responded to calls for negotiation from the four Oval dignitaries that you’ve just noted. When we assessed our losses and noted the overwhelming invasion force lying in wait, we voted to surrender under our authority as the surviving Council…all of the other four are dead. Naltor and Orando had already surrendered by that time.”
“But--”
“We do this to save lives, Cobaltus," Romaltus explains earnestly, knowing this doesn't sit well with his nephew. "The Oval will annex all of Epsilon Sector but will allow us to govern under their banner. And all LMBers will be allowed to leave in peace. Those are the terms.”
“This is unacceptable, uncle! I can’t allow you to--”
“You have no say in this, Cobaltus!”
“But Uncle--don’t you see? Their attacks and Mordru’s re-emergence--this is no damned coincidence! We can’t--”
“What do you propose, nephew?” Romaltus admonishes as tears stream down the older man’s cheeks. “My adopted world has been decimated, its population halved overnight! We are in no shape to fight!” Then, Romaltus wipes his eyes, and his voice softens. “However, if you want to stay and help with the transition…help me through this…I would be honored to have my nephew by my side.”
Cobalt thinks for a moment. There’s a part of him that wants to stay with his only surviving relative. But he looks around him, and his heart warms at the faces who comprise his adopted family. Placing a hand on his uncle‘s shoulder, he says softly, “no, uncle. My place is ever with the LMB. But I will always be available for you and ready to help when the time is right…for your liberation.”
Romaltus smiles, “I’m sure you will be…I’m sure you will be...”
The two exchange a hug. Then, Romaltus excuses himself, and he, Arella and Arun Nal join the Oval dignitaries in the center of the amphitheatre to sign the document outlining the terms of their surrender.
The LMBers assembled stare disbelievingly as the proceedings conclude. And as all of them head back for Legion World, Rockhopper Lad wonders how the two believed to be responsible for Earth-4’s destruction have come to be among the Dark Oval‘s elite.
posted
Cobalt Kid's personal cruiser, en route to Legion World
Having set his course in and satisfied himself that the Dark Oval is keeping its word about letting them leave unharmed, Cobalt silently exits the cockpit. No words or telepathy are needed for Crujectra to know his intent. Cobalt just nods to her and goes to join their passenger in the cruiser's lounge.
Seeing his friend sitting there, Cobalt can't help but think about a similar scene in a similar situation over a year ago, after he and Lardy had fled Hrykosia...after the last time Lardy had killed.
"How you holdin' up, man?" Cobalt asks, sitting across from his friend.
Lardy jumps slightly as if woken from a dream. "Hunh--what?"
"I was just wondering how you're doing."
"Oh," Lardy says, contemplating his answer, "as well as can be expected, I guess."
"Yeah...Lardy, I'm so sorry about Dru. I--"
"It's okay, man," interrupts Lardy, "it's...you did the best you could. Don't...don't worry about it."
"Lardy, you've just lost your wife! I'm your best friend--I've got to worry about you! It's--it's my job, y'know?"
Lardy smiles slightly and looks at him with those now featureless eyes. "Yeah, I know. Back on Zerox, Mordru had me dead to rights. But I knew your lives were on the line..." Then his eyes lock with Cobalt's. "...and I wasn't gonna let him get you. So I...I came back."
"I'm glad you did, pal." And the two exchange a quick hug.
As they break Cobalt asks his friend, "where do you want us to take you, Lardy?"
The answer comes quickly. "Back to Legion World with you."
Cobalt can't suppress a smile. "We'll be glad to have you back!" Then he adds, "for how long?"
"For as long as it'll have me, Des. I...renounced my citizenship...do you think...?"
"Not a problem, Lardy! When you left, I covered that with the Founders. They never formerly accepted your withdrawal, and no papers were filed!"
"That's a relief at least," Lardy says with a small smile. Then he frowns. "But the LMB..."
"You want to rejoin?"
Lardy nods.
"I think we can swing that one, too."
"But...Mordru...I.."
"That definitely qualified as necessary force, Lardy. Anything less, and he would've wiped out Zerox. I was there and will testify to that..." They lock eyes again. "With no reservations! And..." He broadcasts his thoughts to the cockpit for a moment. "...Crujeckie will, too..." And he receives another thought and smiles proudly, "...wholeheartedly!"
"But if they also take into account what happened on Hrykosia--"
"Look, Lardy...you and I both know what happened there--but you were formally cleared long before you left Legion World, so they can't and won't do that. And, personally, I know you've come a long way since Hrykosia, man."
Lardy says nothing in response. His mind dwells back to the inner battle he fought...and lost. And he just stares.
"You'll be among friends, Lardy. That's the best place you can be after...what you've been through. So don't sweat the details--leave that to me! Meanwhile...get some rest, okay?"
"Okay," Lardy replies and lies down as Cobalt dims the lights and returns to the cockpit.
But Lard Lad's white, featureless eyes remain open for the duration of the trip. And all those eyes see before them...is a dark abyss.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Epsilon Sector, Wyandotte’s Dark Oval Flagship
Hours after the surrender was finalized, the Dark Oval elite host a cocktail party for their new subjects.
“I’d say it went off without a hitch, eh, Wyandotte?” Blaine Fey says.
“I’d be inclined to agree, Fey,” agrees Wyandotte. “But we certainly were ably assisted by our allies...”
“Yes,” Arun Nal speaks up, “the vision I had twenty years ago has finally nearly become complete…the vision I shared with two former apprentice mages in the wake of our battle with Mordru.”
“It was a grand vision, Arun…one Mala here and I were pleased to share,” Romaltus adds, raising his glass.
“Who knew that my mad ex-husband Mordru and my disappointment of a daughter would figure to be so useful in the long run? Well, Arun did, I guess” chuckles the woman known as Arella. “I fled from Mordru thirty years ago and changed my name, so I could go to the Sorcerer’s World and learn the mystic arts. They would never have accepted me had they known I was Mordru’s wife!”
“But you’ve been my wife since we defeated Mordru two decades ago and helped found the Dark Oval in the name of our God,” Romaltus says and wraps his free arm around her.
Kalla interjects, “I couldn’t believe it when Wyandotte told me you three had been the silent fifth power in the Dark Oval all this time!”
“Yes, we founded it, actually...at the behest of Him, the God of the Dark Oval. It was decided--destined, to be more accurate--in the beginning that we would stay secret and develop followers on the Sorcerer’s World while gaining a foothold into the emerging United Planets. By the time our long term plan involving Arun’s predictions about Mordru and Dru came to pass, we would be in a position to rejoin the Oval with Zerox, Orlando and Naltor in tow,” Mala explains. "And armed in the process with valuable inside knowledge of the power that would provide the Oval's greatest opposition."
“And Mordru unwittingly took care of virtually all of our potential opposition among Zerox’s mages and allowed us to consolidate our power,” adds Arun Nal, “while we and our followers laid low. Mala in particular had to take an extended leave before Dru’s election to the Council. Dru never met ‘Arella‘, nor had any inkling that her long-missing mother had ever been to the Sorcerer’s World.”
“And I had to tidy up a few details,” Romulus explains. “I had to arrange for Mordru’s sarcophagus to be imported without suspicion…and to personally weave a sophisticated masking spell to hide the nature of said sarcophogus and, in turn, of Dru’s malady…and to kill healers Halfus and Drollux when Spellbinder informed them of her findings about Dru’s possession.”
“Why not kill those LMBers? We had them at our mercy!” Kalla asks.
Romulus speaks up. “I had no desire to kill my nephew. What I worked toward all these years, I did for the glory of the Oval and our God. In time I hope he will learn everything and see that our way is the right one. Slaughtering he and his friends would be contrary to that. We may, some day, have to destroy him and his Legion, but I would much rather convert them some day...if possible.”
“And,” Wyandotte adds, “perception is everything. The United Planets and the LMB feel they were dealt a serious blow by the Dark Oval--crushing their spirits is key! Perhaps, if they knew of the conspiracy behind it, their anger would unite them instead--a demoralized enemy is much preferable to one galvanized by their perceived righteousness!”
“Well put!” EEP agrees.
“But releasing Mordru was a dangerous gambit,” Kalla presses. “He was extremely powerful--this could all have backfired!”
“Not when you’re as great a precog as Arun Nal,” Mala laughs. “Among so many key events he foresaw, he knew every single detail of what just transpired, including how Mordru would fall to Lard Lad…after the damage had been done, of course!”
“Yes,” Arun says grimly, “including what must happen now.”
Romaltus stiffens, “what are you talking about, master?”
“Don’t toy with me, Romaltus,” Arun rebukes, “I know that you are about to kill me…with the blessing of our peers in this room.” And he looks toward Wyandotte, Kalla, EEP and Blaine. “I foresaw that twenty years ago as well.”
“And…and you went along with it?” Mala says with a hint of panic in her voice.
“I go along with nothing, Mala. Fate is my religion, my very reason for being…I can no more go against it than a flower can reject the nourishment of sunlight. All is occuring as it should. Do what you must.”
Mala is unnerved, but Romaltus’s resolve is undeterred. “Then you know it is nothing personal, Arun. The God of the Dark Oval demands you as a sacrifice to sanctify this day and to close the circle.”
“Quite,” Arun nods.
Romaltus gestures toward Wyandotte, and Wyandotte provides him with a sword. “And so it shall be!” Romaltus proclaims and penetrates Arun’s heart.
Arun falls. Softly, inaudibly, Arun whispers with his last breath what he always knew would be his last words: “enjoy it…while it lasts….”
Then, the six remaining elite of the Dark Oval fill their glasses with Arun’s blood and drain them.
Finishing the blood and refilling with Zerox’s finest wine, Wyandotte smiles and offers a final toast. “To smoke and mirrors!”
“Eh?” EEP pauses before sipping. “What kind of toast is that?”
Knowingly, Romaltus drinks and explains, “Eudyptes…in ancient Earth custom, performers devoid of any actual magical talent would perform tricks and sleights of hand to fool their audiences into thinking they were working actual magic. But it was all about deception and misdirection…colloquially and somewhat accurately said to have been accomplished using ’smoke and mirrors’.”
Blaine Fey particularly appreciates this. “Yes, indeed. It’s that brand of magic that truly bore fruit for us today! To smoke and mirrors!”
And all six repeat: “smoke and mirrors!“ and drink deeply.
Well, it's been over a month since the U.P. lost Epsilon Sector in the Mordru incident. So far the Dark Oval has been content with just solidifying its control over the sector without taking any further aggressive action. But the whole affair and my questions about what really happened still often keep me awake at night.
Politically, it's been really trying for the United Planets. Here they are in the midst of war with the Khanate of Sol Invictus, when the Oval pulls a quick surgical strike and yanks a significant part of the U.P. right from under its eyes. And there is talk of other U.P. members seceding from that union and possibly seeking the Oval's protection instead. Hopefully, they'll stop short of that step and come to their senses.
The best thing that could happen at this point is for the U.P. to make some headway into the current standoff with the KSI. If the U.P. can either defeat them or sign a peace treaty with them, the fear of being squeezed between two aggressive rival super-powers would be alleviated and stop the secession talk.
I'm not optimistic about that happening. But I do know that progress on the KSI is far more likely than with the D.O. They're holding all the cards right now, for sure, as the U.P. and Khanate are expending massive resources in their struggle.
At this point the LMB and Legion World are still mostly neutral. Though we are aligned with the United Planets, we are still mostly offering ancillary support. But the Space Knights are more directly helping U.P. military efforts, and of course, that means my own feet are wet in this as I'm one of their leaders. But the time is coming very soon when the LMB will have to take more of a direct role to restore peace.
Meanwhile, Lardy's return to Legion World and the LMB has been even more overwhelmingly postively impactful than I ever dreamed! Never, EVER have I seen Lardy more effective in battle and more relevant to us on so many levels...not even back when he was our original leader!
I mean, all of Lardy's issues from the past that affected his performance are just...gone! The drinking and whoring are wiped out completely. He's extremely efficient in the field, to the point where sending others with him on missions is almost overkill. He's returned to the Security Office and mentoring many junior officers. He teaches at the LMB Academy. You name it--he's the first to volunteer.
I'm sure a lot of it is him throwing himself into his job to get over what happened to Dru, so he doesn't have to dwell on it. I've certainly done that in the past, and he's excelling at it!
Honestly, there's no outward reason for me to be concerned. The only thing that does concern me is that I'm no longer getting anything from our empathic bond that came from me having part of his soul. I haven't felt anything since he fought Mordru. Anything at all. It's gone. Poof! Vanished.
Crujectra thinks--and she's probably right--that all that magic Mordru threw at Lardy (and at me) might have either masked or even severed our connection. And it definitely makes sense. She says that part of his soul is definitely still there despite the disappearance of that side-effect. She can sense it. But the empathic side effects are somehow disgarded, probably for the reasons she believes.
But part of me wonders if maybe...maybe I'm not picking up on anything because...well, maybe Lardy isn't feeling anything anymore. That's my worry. But again, Crujeckie's probably right. However, like any good friend would do, I'll keep an eye on him. Be there for him, y'know?
Anyhow, I saw Rockhopper Lad today. He's now convinced that Rockhopper Lass's absence is somehow connected to Evil Emperor Pyngwyn's emergence as a Dark Oval bigwig. There's very little evidence to support that, but I've learned to trust Rocky's instincts. I've set up an appointment tomorrow for us with Matlock and Lardy for us to discuss our options.
And Romaltus...it's him that keeps me up at night most of all. He's my only known surviving blood relative, and now...now he's a subject of the Dark Oval.
Or is he? My uncle struck me as a singularly intelligent man in the brief time we had. What if he--
No, I won't entertain those thoughts overly much at this time. He was good to me, and I've no solid reason to distrust him. We'll cross that bridge if it ever gets built, I guess.
Meanwhile, hopefully some good things will be in the offing...or I may never balance this sleep deficit I've amassed!
As Pov always reminds me when I get too morbid: "Just remember, Cobie--when everything seems darkest, always remember you've got that massive hottie of a soulmate waiting for you at home!"
He's certainly right! Maybe I should get that tatooed somewhere....
Castle Hrykos, Hrykosian District, Dark Oval space
In the suite formerly occupied in succession by her half-brothers Damyen and Collus Hrykos, Kalla Hrykos relaxes in an ornate bathing pool. She is taking her first day off since seizing power from Collus, capped by this lavish bubble bath. In her hands is a glass of Hrykosia's finest vintage wine available.
She has accomplished much in the five months since she took over. Hrykosia is more united and racially integrated than ever before. Any who have absolutely refused to let go of the old hierarchy have been either deported, imprisoned or killed. Yes, no female in Hrykosia's storied history has ever accomplished as much as she has, nor any male in such a short time.
But even here, in the throes of luxurious celebration after such accomplishment, she finds herself unfulfilled. Deep down, she'd trade all she's achieved to be with her beloved Huldnaf again. All the change she's brought about in the end is cold comfort when she has no one to celebrate it with. Indeed, it is lonely at the top.
After a while, she's drunk enough wine that her head is swimming slightly, enough to cause her to doze off a little. In her dream Huldnaf is with her in the pool celebrating her victory. He kisses her and says--
"Hello, Kalla."
Woken from her dreaming state by a very real voice, Kalla is startled and nearly chokes on some of her bath water as her head submerges momentarily. She grabs the edge of the pool, gasps for air and clumsily wipes her eyes of soap bubbles, looking for the source of the voice. At first all she sees are two, small purple lights shining brightly a few feet away. Wiping her eyes again, she realizes the purple lights are actually glowing eyes. Very familiar eyes.
"By the Blessed Void--Lard Lad!" she yells, and her hands start to glow white.
"Easy, Kalla...stand down. I'm here to talk," the LMBer responds.
"Liar!" she screams. "You're here to kill me! But you'll find my power more than--"
His laughter interrupts her.
"You DARE!" she yells as she stands up and fires a fierce solid-light blast his way. But he parries it with only a slight gesture.
"Easy, Kalla," he says soothingly as his eyes move up and down her now-exposed frame, "do you really think you can take down the dude who destroyed Mordru? If I wanted to, I could already have killed you...you're powerful, but you're no Mordru. So...are you ready to listen?"
Unsure of herself and still feeling tipsy, she nods. Then, suddenly aware of her exposed state, she sits back down and lets the bubbles restore her modesty.
"Aw," he chuckles, "you didn't have to do that on my account!"
She remains silent and simply stares at the man's disturbingly altered appearance. Especially those white eyes.
"Anyhow," he continues and approaches the pool, "recent...developments...have made it clear to me that I've been going about things the wrong way..."
Reaching the edge, he sits at the side directly opposite her, removes his boots and dangles his bare feet in the water. "Oooh...warm!" he says with a chuckle.
"What do you mean?" she asks, watching his feet kick slightly beneath the surface.
"Well," he says thoughtfully, "maybe if one needs to effect some positive change in the galaxy...well, maybe the rules of how to go about it need to be...bent."
"Bent?" she prods and looks at his face again. Though he looks fearsome, he's also still quite handsome. The beard, the physique...he's really not that unlike Huldnaf in appearance. Well, Lard Lad's skin isn't blue and scaly and he lacks antennae on his head, but...well, maybe he really doesn't look much like Huldnaf at all. But she does find him attractive. Is it just the wine? Or the loneliness?
All this flashes in her mind in an instant, and she has to force herself to focus on his answer.
"Yes, Kalla. I'd like to help you...and in return help myself! It would be our little secret..."
"Help me? I'm firmly in command here on Hrykosia! I--"
"--you are a pawn, Kalla! You're too smart not to realize that on some level! Wyandotte and the Emperor Pyngwyn used you to eliminate Collus and to solidify their dominant role in the Oval!"
"That's insane! I'm firmly in control here!"
"Here, perhaps...for now. I mean, do you really think you're that high in the pecking order? When they get powerful enough that they don't need you anymore, you'll see how highly you rank!"
"Get out of here, dammit!"
"Fine," he says, "throw away your only chance!" And he stands up, turns his back to her and disappears with a pop of Lard Force. Kalla fires a light blast after him that arrives a moment too late.
"Damn him!" she screams in frustration. A moment later she calms and stares at the boots left behind. "Grife," she says to herself, "maybe I should have--"
"Should have what? Heard me out?" says his disembodied voice. And in the next instant he appears right next to her in the pool.
"Wha--?" she says, feeling startled and...something else.
"Thought I'd gone did ya?" and he puts his arm over her shoulder. "I saw the way you looked at me," he says lifting his eyebrows at her. Then, their eyes lock. and he continues, "y'know...there could be...other benefits to the arrangement. See, I've learned a little about love recently. It's nice while it lasts, but it exposes you...leaves you vulnerable. I'd certainly be game for something more...primal, y'know...without all that crappy baggage."
She barely hears the actual words as a million different thoughts and feelings fire through her synapses at once. She's confused, but of one thing, she is certain: these feelings are her own--Hrykosians have a natural immunity to every conceivable form of mental manipulation.
This is the man whom many in her faith believe is their messiah. Their 'Destroyer'. She doesn't know if she believes that, but it makes this moment that much more exciting...and she's been so lonely...
And in the next moment she knows she needs him. She definitely needs an ally to protect her interests from the other Oval elite, for sure. But beyond that...she needs him. Now.
The next instant she locks into an embrace with him. A desperate, hungry embrace.
And in that instant, an unholy alliance is born, one rife with many disturbing implications and fearful repercussions for the future.
Val Armorr has lost track of the number of days and nights he's been here. He finds that he actually doesn't really care that much. After all, his inner peace has been shattered in a way it hasn't been in a long, long time.
His Jeckie's dead. He knows it. He knew it before his captors taunted him with it. He knew it the second it happened.
He had departed from the ruins of Zerox's Healing Center after helping his friend Anthony deal with his own wife's death. He'd shared all his pretentious Zen wisdom with his student, and then Val had followed a hunch he had about a conspiracy within the Council of Seven.
He knew of a special bunker the Council had for situations as desperate as Mordru's attack and went there. Sure enough, Councilors Nal, Romaltus and Arella were there. They were communicating via closed vidlink with a man highly placed within the Dark Oval's elite rulers that U.P. intelligence had identified as 'Wyandotte', along with another male, this one of the Pyngwyny race, whom Val didn't recognize. The nature of their dialogue clearly implicated a conspiracy between the Oval and those Councilors present and confirmed Val's worst suspicions. All of their plans were clearly coming together.
Val knew that he had to warn Jeckie about this before it was too late. He proceeded to exit the bunker unnoticed when suddenly...
...Val felt Jeckie die...
...and he collapsed.
The Councilors were roused by the noise this caused, and they quickly apprehended him. By that point, Val didn't really care, to be honest. His world had caved in on him.
The next thing he knew, Val was here. On a very cold world in solitary confinement.
Occasionally, the Pyngwyny male he remembered from the vidlink in the bunker would come to the cell and gloat at him or taunt him. But Val didn't pay him much mind. What more could this so-called 'Emperor Pyngwyn' do to him now that the light of his world had been extinguished? Absolutely nothing.
Some times, Val was vaguely aware of voices in the background...those, he presumed, of other prisoners. But he payed them little mind. They were probably all as damned as he, after all.
But on this day something is changed, different. The tones are altered...hopeful? And just as his interest starts to tweak ever-so slightly, he hears a petite female voice call from outside his door.
"Mister...Armorr?" the voice says tentatively.
Something about the voice strikes him. What is it about the voice? It doesn't belong to anybody he knows. Perhaps it's the...innocence in it?
"Yes," he answers after a long pause.
"Some friends and I are here to rescue you and the other prisoners!"
The next moment, the cell door glows, freezes...then shatters.
And a young Pyngwyny female steps through the exposed doorway.
"Hi, my name is Adelie. I'm known as Rockhopper Lass!"
In her eyes Val sees a heroism that sparks something inside him. A smile crosses his lips. Then he concentrates, flexes and his shackles break.
"Rockhopper Lass, eh?" he smiles as he stands tall for the first time in a long time. "I guess you can call me 'Karate Kid' then, young lady! Now what say we get the hell out of this godforsaken craphole?"
"No problem!" Adelie grins.
He follows her out, and they join several others in their exodus from hellish inprisonment.
And suddenly there is a glimmer of hope in the air on the ice planet formerly known...as Earth-4.
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