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A space opera story about war, empires, mysteries and a galactic chase |
Book Title: The Galactic Choir Chapter 1: Dark chambers. Life seems worthless when all you can do is stumble around the events of your own story like a passive insignicant character. But by choosing to continue on your path, you master every step you take, and by choosing where you will go from there, you become the protagonist of your own epic, by simply having the power to choose your adventure. ~~~~ A young man found himself chained to a stone wall, his body riddled with wounds. Blood leisurely dripped onto the floor from the gashes in his flesh as he hung from his arms. The youth’s head drooped down in exhaustion, with eyes so swollen they could barely open. But if there was one thing he could see, was his own life dripping away. His toes barely touched the floor beneath him which at least in all his misery seemed like a good thing, since the ground was infested by his own urine and fesses. The young man had not seen daylight in weeks, and he could barely remember how he got there. His existence seemed like nothing but one bleak misery. And in that moment of pain, and desperation, he decided for the first time in his life, or at least from what he could remember of his life, that he wanted to die. The universe was nothing but agony, and he didn’t want any more of it. Suddenly the faint sound of footsteps echoed in the shadows. The young man’s spirits lifted for a split second, maybe he was finally going to die. For weeks they had him chained here and tortured him. He couldn’t feel his arms anymore, and he had lost so much blood, but still he wouldn’t die, though that which is holy knew how much he wanted to. The footsteps echoed closer until the young man could sense the figure directly in front of him. The blue brightness of a light crystal illuminated the darkness. This was unusual, since they usually tortured him in the dark. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, the young man felt a pang of curiosity among all the pain and misery. Slowly and painfully he raised his head to face his visitor. The young man could not make out anything from the light; its brightness ruthlessly blinded him, it felt like a sharp stab in his eyes by a hot poker. But this pain hardly bothered him now. Was this a new form of torture? If yes, then it was far less affective then their usual techniques, why didn’t they just gauge his eyes out? That seemed more like their style. “Hello” echoed a tentative voice. It vibrated through the holding cell with a spectrum of emotions the young man had nearly forgotten. Nervousness, pity and even a tad bit of warmth. “Raiden?” It said again “that’s your name isn’t it?” The figure stopped, apparently waiting for a response that never came. “My name is Scholar Hyoqu, I am an academic, recent graduate of Solarie-Phi University, have you heard of it?” The young man simply held his gaze into the blue light for a while, trying to make sense of the words. He had the vague sense that maybe some time ago he would have understood this funny person, and even have been glad for this strange visit, seeing it as a harbinger of hope. But now, bleeding and defeated and suspended over his own filth, the words seemed like gibberish. “It’s a wonderful place” the voice continued in an attempt to sound cheerful or light. “it’s quite a prestigious learning center in Solarie cosmic territory, there I gained my diploma and became in expert in law and criminal affairs. I also received the title of Red Mind Expert, dealing with the criminally insane.” Hyoqu stopped for a minute to let that sink in. The miserable young man began to understand bits and pieces of information, and even feel the familiarity of Hyoqu’s presence. A long time ago, in what seemed like another life, the young man had also been an ambitious academic. “I was contracted by the Honor Guard recently to specifically deal with you, they seemed worried that their usual tactics don’t have any effect, everyone is quite surprised with your fortitude. And with each passing day more and more of the higher ups seem interested in your story, I heard that The Prince-Legate Kinau himself was intrigued. And please, Raiden, don’t worry about pain any more, I just filed a request to oversee your transition to more accommodate quarters, you will leave this holding cell behind and return to the surface. It took quite some string pulling for me to accomplish that, I can’t remember how many times I had to explain that if you weren’t brought to better conditions, you would probably become irreversibly insane and incoherent, making the precious bit of information the Honor Guard desires so ardently forever lost in the chaos of your mind. ” Scholar Hyoqu placed a hand on the young man’s forehead and felt the feverish heat. “I need you to say something to me. Anything that displays coherence and the ability to transmit linear thinking through you oral faculties…” Young and tormented Raiden broke into a fit of laughter. When he was done, the young man spat a large gob of saliva at the Scholar’s feet. In turn, Hyoqu timidly flinched. “Excuse me,” the frightful academic squeaked. “I recently left the collegiate environment and am inexperienced in the field. I need you to say anything to me that makes sense so I can evaluate your state of mind. Remember, only if you display coherence will you be moved to the surface, if I judge your mind to be irreversibly broken, then there is nothing I can do and you will live the rest of your days here. And I don’t think they will be many. ” The young man stayed silent, his addled mind examined the words in silence. In the darkness, Raiden considered his future. “Please say something” Urged the Scholar. “This is your chance to leave this hellhole. For the love of Infinite don’t let it pass.” The young man raised his head even higher, mustering strength from places unknown, and narrowed his eyes to where he could see the silhouette of hyoqu’s perfectly round head. His eyes were already improving at an impossible rate and he could tell that the shy academic wasn’t human, but a member of some alien species. Hyoqu shifted his weight in excitement, waiting for the sign that his career would start with an amazing feet and that his future was bright. “Curse you.” The young man hissed and spat yet again, this time at Hyoqu’s face. “You piece of filth.” Hyoqu cringed and wiped the spit from his face. He almost gave himself to panic, but somehow managed to rein in his terror. “This isn’t exactly a sign of coherence, please try again.” The Scholar squawked. “Coherence? You’d make me laugh if I wasn’t dead inside. There is nothing coherent about you, a man of a foreign species who became an academic in human universities just to visit a torture cell. You’re out of place.” “I am certainly glad you seem capable of recognizing speech and language and respond with a limited amount of lucidity.” “Please shut up. I think I prefer the torture.” “It wasn’t torture.” Hyoqu mumbled. “It was a medical procedure, but if you want torture it’s in my power to requisition it.” “Empty threats, my other worldly tormentor. You made it quite clear to me, that the royal family wants to know what’s in my head, and also that your academic career depends on my complacency.” “Quite an eloquent madman aren’t you?” Hyoqu sounded genuinely surprised. “Even after three weeks of being operated on in complete darkness.” “I feel better already.” Raiden attempted to smile through broken teeth. But his swollen eyes and inflamed gum made him grotesque. “I can see that.” “…But I do accept your offer of shelter.” Raiden muttered. His head drooped down in defeat. It was obvious that the pain and agony were getting to him in ways he hated to admit. “If it’s all the same to you Hyoqu, please get me out of here, I’ll try to play along with your treatment, if I can.” A chill of pleasure ran through the alien’s spine. The inhuman creature grew aware that he had just witnessed what he had come so far to accomplish. His mission was almost complete, and for that he grinned in the darkness. Those large alien tombstone teeth reflected more light against Raiden’s swollen eyes, making him squint evermore. “I am glad to finally see some humility on that ugly human face.” Hyoqu twisted the top lid of the crystalline light orb he held in his hands and a sharp high frequency sound burst within the chamber and echoed in Raiden’s ears like sheer agony. “However, I must confess that I lied. I am no academic and I certainly never spent my life among humans. I am an assassin of sorts and I’m only here to extract your brain to harvest all those precious entities thriving in your mind.” Raiden suddenly felt the shock of this revelation shake him to the core of his being, yet he couldn’t move. The agonizing frequency of sound paralyzed his entire physical being, and even hi mind was becoming increasingly frozen. “HHRRGNN!” Was all Raiden’s mouth could enunciate as he struggled against the esoteric sound effect that overcame him. “I needed to make sure you were lucid since that’s the only way the extraction works.” The Alien told him. “Your peculiar condition has turned you into one of the most valuable beings in the known cosmos. My own masters are quite eager to have you as is everyone else. All I need is your brain and bits of your spine, then we will be on our way.” “HRNGNN!” Raiden replied in a grunt of agony. “This process will be worse than anything else you ever experienced. I want you to know that though you’ll be living in the loosest definition of the word, by all intents and purposes you’ll very much be dead in about forty seconds.” Chapter 2: Royal Pain Those with friends in high places find themselves stooping to low chasms. To sustain the authority of what is righteous the strongest sacrifice their comfort and pleasures. ~~~~ In the void of space, surrounded by the twinkling of infinitely distant stars and the swirling psychedelic colors of the Kinau Omega Nebulae, a massive Ether-Vessel materialized within the H II region of the Sagittarius Constellation. It slowly drifted across the vacuum, leisurely heading to the Royal Solaire Celestial Monastery. From the comfortable confines of the Vessel’s observation deck, Prince-Legate Kinau himself observed the Growing form of the Celestial Monastery as it was close enough to be seen by the Prince’s super human eyes through several thousand meters of dark emptiness. The Celestial Monastery was in fact just a fancy name for a space station, one that was the size of a massive city and inhabited exclusively by celibate monks working in isolation. The Prince-Legate was a man of straight forward thoughts, but now even he entertained poetic feelings towards that enormous feat of human engineering that floated confidently in deep space. It was a flowery construction of intersecting structures, where at its center, stood a mass of buildings organized like a large village with a dome of indestructible see through glass protecting it from the hostility of the galaxy. “I see you’re getting the dreamy look in those creepy eyes again.” A melodious woman’s voice resonated From Kinau’s Phoneport. “Is it the appreciation for the ancient construction of our ancestors or simply vanity at floating in a Nebula named after you?” Kinau chuckled as his strange eyes peered into the screen on his wrist where the face of his beautiful relative smiled back at him. Her skin was the same right color of blood red, and her long braided hair was just as eerily white, but her eyes were the common blue. “Excuse me for not being stoic all the time, Olivia.” The Prince replied. “Though if you must know, Raiden is the principle occupant of my thoughts.” “Of course!” Olivia giggled girlishly through the sound system. “He’s your mission.” “And an aberration.” “And your friend.” Olivia spoke quietly, suddenly solemn. “Was he?” The Prince-Legate raised his white bushy eyebrows in surprise. “That must have been why I had so many memories erased, so that any bond with this freak would keep me from the duty to my people.” “That’s not something to joke about, Kinau.” Olivia’s voice broke slightly, though it could have been cosmic interference to the Phoneport transmission. “I wasn’t joking, my dear Cousin-Aunt.” The young man’s voice spoke seriously. “I visited the Mental Cleansing facilities before leaving The Prime World. I have been wondering why ever since.” “Oh God, Kinau!” Olivia hissed in disgust. “That’s cold even for you!” “Is it?” The Prince-Legate glared into the shining face of Olivia over his wrist. “No… I guess not.” The woman sighed. “I guess I projected some of my humanity into your coldhearted soul again. And will you please stop staring at me like that? Those Irises are scary! I don’t want to see my own face reflected back at me when I look into another person’s eyes.” “Was there something you wanted to tell when you called?” “Yes.” Olivia replied, timidly averting her eyes from the screen. “I wanted to warn you about a problem with Scholar Hyoqu. You know, that alien academic who is an insanity expert? He was found dead in the Third World.” Kinau’s frown deepened. “Dead?” “Yeah, he was murdered. They discovered that his brilliant brain had spontaneously collapsed within his skull.” “Thank you, Cousin-Aunt.” The Prince replied hastily. “Now is the time to conclude our chat. Blessings to you and goodbye.” “Alright.” Olivia spoke with a slight hint of concern. “El Immanu be with you on your mission.” “Likewise.” And with that, Kinau turned his Phoneport off and hurried to the console that hung right beside wide impenetrable window of the observation Deck. With a push of a button he was connected to the Vessel’s Bridge where the husky voice of the captain greeted him. “My Prince?” “Captain Solkos, prepare my Induction Capsule immediately as well as twenty men from my company. We’ll have to be launched to that Monastery as soon as possible.” “Anything else?” “Yes, send a message to the Grand Abbot. Tell him that the creature that probably calls himself Hyoqu is an imposter and that the medical chambers of the monastery should be sealed shut at once.” “It seems like another would be simple mission will become unexpectedly memorable, my Prince.” “With me they usually are.” +++ The Prince-Legate and his loyal troop of twenty Royal Spacers were hurled to the Celestial Monastery at high velocity. Before them a wide gate of solid steel opened like the jaws of a beast and they slipped within the station in an instant. Prince Kinau and the men were covered in total darkness as the lights of the stars were blocked from view and they entered the centuries old system of tunnels. The hardened warriors quietly waited for twenty minutes, until the Induction Capsule finally jolted to a halt. A moment later the walls of the tunnel groaned and whined in shrilly metallic manner as they unwrapped themselves around the astronomic vehicle. A bright light flashed over Kinau’s eyes that would have blinded a genetically inferior man. He and his men hustled from the Capsule the moment it opened, and as one force they entered the massive majestic halls of the Monastery. Their heavy metallic boots rang the rhythm of the march over the pale marble floors, and along the walls long flowing banners of dark fabric displayed the symbols of the Omega Prima Order of Monks. As the Prince-Legate readied his heart for a fight he was painfully aware that he walked on holy ground. They were an imposing sight, the warrior Prince in glistening golden armor and silky purple cape with his massive artificially grown giant troops sauntering behind him in the thick living metal that had been fused onto their skin when they were children. They explored the halls alone for a tense moment, until they reached an opening the led them to the village under the massive dome. It was incredible for Kinau to Stand under that curved glass ceiling where the lights and colors of the galaxy clearly shone through. The Kinau Omega Nebulae with all its glorious colors cast a kaleidoscopic light over everything in sight. Kinau’s blood red skin and bright white hair were tinged in different hues under the cosmic colors, but most impressively was how the Nebulae from beyond the glass dome were flawlessly reflected from the Prince’s eyes. Due to his royal blood, the Prince-Legate was a man with a unique set of Irises around his deep pupils. They were perfect mirrors, as if his eyes were made of glass and silver. As the universe casted its light upon the prince, his clear eyes returned most of the light back. And in that moment those eerie reflective Irises caught sight of a simple monk making his way through the bridge that majestically stood over the chasm between the Prince and the monastic village. “My Noble Prince!” The Monk called, while his robes fluttered around him in his hurry. “We have done all that you requested! The other brothers even locked themselves inside in case of violence. What is happening, your majesty?” “An assassin posing as Scholar Hyoqu has infiltrated these holy walls.” The Prince explained “and I bet there a more of them hiding in the shadows.” As the monk finally left the bridge and reached the presence of his royal master, the small bearded man gave a quick bow and with a ceremonial flourish of his wrinkly hands he gestured for the prince and his loyal genetic monstrosities to follow him. “I will take you to the medical chambers immediately.” “Thank you, good brother.” The Prince-Legate replied. The small monk led the tall royal warrior who in turn led the giant soldiers behind him. Together they navigated the grand halls of the Monastery until reaching a firmly shut metal gate that opened at the slightest touch from the monk. From beyond that point the grand hallways of marble floors and flowing banners were replaced with sterilized titanium corridors with blinking consoles bolted on the walls. Immediately Kinau’s ears picked up the unmistakable sound of an extremely unpleasant high pitched noise that sent vague feelings of pain across his brain. His superior body and the distance from the source of that sound was the only reason why he wasn’t agonizing on the floor like the kindly monk who collapsed the moment the titanium gate opened. “It’s a Petrifrequency!” The Prince exclaimed. “One of you return this monk to the Hermiatrium Village under the dome. The rest of you follow me and put on your helmets! Things are about to get bloody!” “Gloria!” The giant soldiers screamed in a frenzied battle cry and it echoed within the corridors like thunder. A second later they stormed through the open titanium gate behind their leader. Kinau Hastily pressed a discreet button on his gauntlet as he followed the agonizing sound. Elaborate golden leaves suddenly wrapped themselves around his head and fashioned themselves into a helmet that covered his face entirely. The agony ceased in that moment, for the negative effects of the frequency could not pass the metal headdress though the Prince could still hear the sound and follow it to its source. They reached the final gate in a matter of moments. By the way the sound blared annoyingly it was obvious that this was their destination. Kinau leaned his helmeted head on the titanium flap, desperate to hear any evidence that his mission was still alive and not yet harvested. To his utmost gratification, he did. “This process will be worse than anything else you ever experienced.” Spoke the words of what could only be the assassin through the Sonic Sensor in Kinau’s helmet. “I want you to know that though you’ll be living in the loosest definition of the word, by all intents and purposes you’ll very much be dead in about forty seconds.” “Dear God he’s still alive!” The Prince-Legate yelled gleefully “Men, destroy this gate!” Two of the overwhelming genetic monstrosities rammed their sheer mass of muscle and metal onto the titanium sheet and it crumbled immediately, revealing the darkened chamber on the other side. The emaciated and bleeding body of a horribly wounded young man was chained over the far wall while a tall alien with long sinewy limbs and massive round head, held a glowing crystal in his long fingers as he stood before the youthful prisoner. “Men!” Kinau Bellowed desperately “Shoot that ugly bastard before he harms the captive! Don’t give that creature time to melt our brains!” Too late, Prince Kinau fell to his knees as he felt The Alien’s grasp pull on his mind. The pain was excruciating. To his shame, the Prince felt tears flood from his eyes as he feared that he would not survive. Chapter 3: Running from the Past The measure of a man is not simply how much he can withstand, but how much he can accomplish while enduring his worst nightmare. ~~~~ Prince Kinau felt the pure agony coursing through his being as he struggled to at least remain on his knees lest he writhe on the floor like a maggot. The Soldiers behind him mostly collapsed all around, their massive bulk and strength was useless against such a psychic attack. The royal warrior raised his gauntleted hands at the tall blue alien as if trying to reach him, but that long creepy mouth smiled grotesquely as if that was an expression that was self-taught. As the alien leisurely approached, Kinau could here its prying voice fluttering within his tormented mind. I don’t normally smile, such human customs are useless to me. But for your death, prince, I shall. BANG! The thunderous sound rang from the shot of an Ambarifle, the powerful projectile weapons carried by the Prince’s loyal giant soldiers. And soon, on the blue Alien’s ample head, a large hole buried itself through the otherworldly skull, and the tall body of the creature fell onto the metallic ground immediately. Dead. The pain in Kinau’s brain ceased and the prince swiftly rose to his feet, extremely grateful that his face was entirely covered by golden metal and no one could see the tears of anguish pooling in his mirror eyes. He turned to where the shot came from and saw the only soldier left standing still clutching his Ambarifle like a baby. Through the glass visor on the heroic soldier’s helmet, Kinau could see by those large and green puppy eyes that he was young and inexperienced, but also spirited. When the rookie noticed his prince regarding him he suddenly dropped to his knees. Even in this submissive position the hulking warrior towered over his royal master. “Rise to your feet trooper” Kinau told him, and he obeyed. “What’s your name?” “Magnau”. The young soldier replied awkwardly, those large green eyes gazing admiringly at his Prince. “How did you withstand the pain, rookie?” Asked the royal man “Even the best find it hard to endure the agony of a collapsing brain.” “I didn’t feel anything your majesty.” “Hmm” Kinau hummed in surprise. “Your immune to telepathy then. Rare, but not unheard of. I’m glad providence had you with us. The rest of you men get to your feet! It shouldn’t be taking you this long.” With grunts of apologies, the weary soldiers obliged and a wave of twenty colossal men clad in metal began to rise. Meanwhile, chained on the far wall, was the wounded and bloody body of who could only be Raiden. His swollen eyes jostled as they squinted at the Prince covered in golden plates of armor. “Kinau? Is that you?” Asked the meek voice of the chained captive. “I can’t see your face in that gaudy thing.” “It’s Prince-Legate to you scum!” Roared young Magnau. With a nod of approval to the trooper, the Prince took long elegant steps to his prize, the purple cape flowing behind him. “You are now under the authority of the Solaire Imperial Tract!” Kinau declared loudly “you will be taken to the Third World and there you will be used or studied for the benefit of the True Humanity.” To the royal man’s utter surprise, the bleeding captive broke into a fit of laughter. The chains rattled under the shaking of his cackling. “Do you not recognize me buddy? Is it my swollen face? Or do you have an even bigger stick up your royal a-” BANG! Another thunderous shot was fired from Magnau’s Ambarifle. This time the super-charged projectile hit the wall a few inches from Raiden’s head, searing bits of his greasily sleek black hair. The young man screamed in pain as his damaged ears rang painfully. “Good God, man!” The snarky captive shouted. “You fanatic maniac! Did I blaspheme against the crown? Or were you spurned from a Neanderthal’s STD? They may have told you that you were built for the safety of the True Humanity! You may even have been indoctrinated into believing that you are the epitome of the human condition! But you’re just a deluded loser pumped up on drugs! The Lot of you!” “It’s best not to anger a young Star Knight.” The prince told him “they are not in full control of their hormones yet.” “I’ve had my own problems with control.” Raiden muttered under his breath. “So I’ve been told.” The Prince replied. “That’s why I’m here. Whatever happened to you has made you valuable and dangerous. If you are not to be used then you are to be contained. The True Humanity cannot risk anything else. I am aware that this might seem unjust and I give you my sympathies, but I must keep my duty.” “I know you’ve always been pompous and uptight.” Raiden let loose a chuckle. “But it seems like you’re trying a little too hard to act as if you don’t know me.” “I don’t know you.” Kinau’s voice was steely and sincere, but Raiden wished he could see his old friend’s face to get a reading under that golden mask. “Oh, right.” Raiden grinned. “Because of the wanted criminal I’ve become? Because I’m not that little boy that played ‘storm the fort’ with you anymore?” “No.” It was Kinau’s turn to laugh. “Because I erased my memories of anything to do with you.” Raiden’s puffy eyes widened, revealing his blue irises more clearly. “Damn, Kinau. Was I worth so little to you? Was I just a toy provided by your father?” “I wouldn’t remember.” The Prince’s chuckle grew louder. “You cold hearted wretch!” Raiden roared so fiercely that his bloody saliva splattered all over Kinau’s pristine golden mask. The Troopers behind the Prince-Legate rushed to act on his behalf, but with a dismissive wave of his hand they stopped in their tracks. “If you indeed knew me so intimately as you suggest, then you would have known that I would never allow anything to soften me before my purpose as defender of my people and their faith.” “It’s Ironic that the supposed ‘defender of humanity’ will not allow himself to be human.” Raiden spat at the Legate’s glistening boots. “I’m feeling so much spite against you my old friend. Did they tell you what happens when I start to feel such negativity? It’s been a while since these monks gave me their ‘treatment’ and I can already sense it stirring within me.” Kinau, staggered back as he realized the full meaning of Raiden’s words, “Men, stun him now!” Raiden grinned grotesquely, his white teeth tinged with his own blood. “Too late.” Within the clutches of his chains the young wounded captive convulsed uncontrollably. The Troopers raised their weapons but a shadow cast over them and they could no longer see. The chamber was already dark, but now some mysterious black fog blocked what light emanated through the broken titanium flap of the entrance. And if they couldn’t see they would not fire their weapons, for even when set to stun an Ambarifle could be deadly if hit on the wrong part of a body, and that was a distinct possibility with the way the prisoner disturbingly tossed about as if dying by asphyxiation. The advanced sensors in the Prince-Legate’s helmet suddenly picked on a strange surge of energy and sudden movements. In the total pitch blackness of the chamber something acutely aberrational was happening, and in the darkness Raiden choked out a bitter laughter. “Kinau, my old friend.” The captive coughed “I want you to meet my new friend. Its name is…” Spite Echoed the word in Kinau’s mind, and his sensors suddenly caught a unique signature of a new living being that spontaneously appeared as if from nowhere. He had been warned by the Sages of the Prime World that something like this might happened, though he had never entirely understood it. And still in that moment he did not comprehend. Get out of my way! The telepathic voice commanded, and suddenly to his left one of his men screamed as his armor suddenly burst into flame. Immediately afterwords two more men were blasted asunder. “My Star Knights!” Kinau yelled commandingly. “Whatever’s in here is trying to escape, don’t allow it!” But his orders were no use. The troopers fired their weapons but in dark they couldn’t see, and the technology in there visors only gave vague clues. The mysterious assailant that suddenly appeared was illusive and incorporeal, Kinau had the distinct impression that it floated in the air like phantom. An opening! Goodbye fools! The prince felt something wisp right beside him and flow through the crumbled gate and pour out into the corridor. As the hateful presence left the dim light inexplicably returned and Kinau was grateful to see that Raiden was still hanging limply from his chains, whatever that thing was it clearly didn’t care about him. In a second, Kinau stood over Raiden with his gauntleted hand curled into a fist. “What was that thing? What did you do?” “Didn’t they tell you my Prince?” The captive’s swollen and bloody lips stretched into a humorless smile. “My inner demons manifest themselves into real physical entities. Whatever happened to me in those ancient ruins gave me the curse of having my abstract thoughts become real. And it’s a real pain in the gobber.” “You freakish abomination!” Kinau hurled his mighty fist at Raiden who cringed reflexively at the incoming blow. But when he opened his eyes Raiden saw that the prince had smashed his chains to dust with a punch. “You’re coming with me.” “If you say so, your majesty.” The bleeding prisoner hissed. “The rest of you hunt that thing down!” The Prince-Legate ordered his men “you will not rest until it’s killed!” “As you will, Royal Master!” The troopers shouted as one, before shuffling off into the corridors. “How do you know their guns will kill it?” Raiden asked as he struggled to his feet. “I don’t.” Kinau answered while tearing the purple silk cape from his back “But that thing was dodging their shots, I know it. It wouldn’t do that if it couldn’t be harmed.” The Prince threw the torn purple fabric over the naked of the bloody prisoner who wrapped it around himself like a toga. With a hand on the nape of Raiden’s bruised neck, Kinau shoved him around like a limp mule. The young man did his best to not slip to his knees as he staggered through the sterilized titanium passages with a cold golden hand at the back of his neck. Time flew and before they knew it the odd pair reached the massive dome of the Celestial Monastery where all the collars of space shone through the glass. The village beyond the chasm was still barren of monks as they remained hidden in their personal prayer chambers as was the Prince’s orders. With Raiden’s neck in Kinau’s harsh grip they hurried on the edge of this great expanse, illuminated by the colors of the Nebulae. Along the way the young captive grew considerably restless, he kept turning his blue eyes at the domed ceiling as if waiting for it to collapse on him. “I assume you came her via a Royal Battleship?” Raiden muttered “Has it docked yet?” “No.” Kinau rumbled “I was forced to launch me and a handful of men ahead.” Raiden gasped in utter horror. “Then we’re doomed! They’re about to crash into us!” A mass of metal grew in size as it approached the monastery from cold space. It cast a shadow over Kinau and Raiden as the mysterious Ether-Craft barreled directly above the glass dome. In a split second it collided against the ancient ceiling and the cosmic vessel broke through the fortified glass like a meteor through an atmosphere. The roaring sound of the air being sucked into the hostile vacuum of space was so deafening that Raiden couldn’t even hear his own terrified thoughts as he rose from the ground and was about to fly into the dead of space. At the last minute, Kinau got over his astonishment and yanked the prisoner back to the ground by the scruff of his improvised toga. The Prince kept himself grounded by the magnets in his boots, and through this advantage he lumbered as quick as he could, pulling Raiden behind him like a floating balloon. The invading vessel hummed and burst sharp electric sounds that reverberated through the remaining air of the station. “This is the Brotherhood of Fortune!” A robotic voice declared from the Star Ship. “Give us the Raiden boy, or this facility will be destroyed!” “Don’t abandon me.” Raiden Wheezed, his voice barely audible in Hinau’s auditory systems. “I won’t.” Kinau replied. After a tense moment of wobbling about in the edge of the expansive hollow, the Prince arrived at a narrow corridor and he tossed Raiden into it. Kinau hurried in after his hostage and with a slight touch to a small console, a titanium flap slid shut behind him, cutting them off from the monastic village and its crumbling dome ceiling. “They’re after me.” Raiden panted and gasped on the sleek floor. “The whole galaxy is after you.” Kinau retorted. With heavy breathing Raiden shook his head. “There is a man leading this charge of mercenaries, an alien man I fear more than the whole universe. You mustn’t let him have me.” “Who is he?” “Snyde the Cosmic Swordsman.” Raiden twisted his own mouth at the dreadful name. “Whoever he is he won’t have you.” The Prince-Legate promised. “You belong to the people of the Imperial Tract.” In that moment the titanium gate behind them shook and rung at the rhythm of desperate strikes. Kinau knew the mercenaries and their mysterious leader would breach it soon, so he hastily seized Raiden one more by the back of the neck and dragged the youth with him down the constricting hall. “Do you have a weapon for me?” Raiden pleaded. “Normally I wouldn’t need one but I’m weak at the moment.” “I’m the only weapon you’ll need.” Kinau hissed. He raised his free hand and the golden plates of his gauntlet neatly slid away from his long and slender blood red fingers and blue sparks of energy sparked around them. “My Prince!” A gruff voice suddenly erupted from the Phoneport in Kinau’s wrist. “This is Magnau, we shot the smoke creature and it blew into dust. I think we killed it your highness!” “Yeah they killed it.” Raiden sighed. “They become dust when they die. Like the rest of us eh? Dust to dust.” “Hurry yourselves to my position.” Kinau commanded “I’m under attack.” With Magnau’s swift reply of acknowledgement the Phoneport became silent. That was the instant where the titanium gate several meters behind them blew into a million pieces and warriors clad in black Astro-Suits crawled into the corridor carrying Blazers. They fired their weapons and thin projectiles rocketed by Raiden’s head at the speed of sound. Kinau quickly realized that these mercenaries were here to kill his prize, not capture it. In response, the Prince sent a blast of sizzling energy that flowed through his fingers and radiated at the enemy. It caught a mercenary squarely on the chest and the soldier of fortune immediately evaporated into nothing. The hostile warriors shot at the Prince, but with a wave of his hand a mist of his powerful energy vaporized the enemy bullets. In the confusion Raiden managed to slip from Kinau’s grasp, and before the Prince realized it, the young fugitive sprinted down the maze of corridors. All hell suddenly broke loose as the Royal warrior and the mercenaries suddenly ran side by side after the half-naked youth clothed in a ragged toga. They shouted threats and Kinau vaporized those who tried to fire shots while chasing his query through the space station. Raiden made it into a wide chamber at the very edge of this ancient floating monastery, where an array of small circular openings lined along the walls. They were narrow entrances to Life Capsules that could launch a person safely into space during an emergency, and they were Raiden’s only chance of escape. He threw himself into one of the openings and desperately crawled to the tiny cockpit. A cold hand seized Raiden’s ankle and he felt himself being heaved back by Kinau’s deadly hand. The fugitive, howled like a wounded animal. “You always were kind of clingy Kinau!” Raiden roared “Before you filled yourself with a pompous sense of duty!” “I cling to my sense of duty.” The Prince replied, while pulling Raiden from the Life Capsule like a sack of food. “Get used to failing your duty then!” Raiden yelled as a blast of white energy erupted from his right hand and collided painfully against Kinau’s armored chest, causing the Prince-Legate to be thrown back under the force. “You abandoned me, you snob! So I abandon you. Say high to Snyde for me.” With those words, Raiden pulled a lever from the Capsule’s cockpit and it shut the flap behind it and launched into the cold universe. The young escapee breathed heavily as he watched the stars race around him through the wide pane of glass. For now, he was free. |