#interstellar isaac is so silly

[fuzzystarofficial-blog]

Isaac Comett: Act II - Interstellar Warrior, Prologue

Still haven’t read Act I? Get it on Amazon here!

Earth Time ??? (Estimated Late Winter/Early Spring, 2004)

Aboard Luxury Class Cruiser The Gintare, in the Northern Stellar Region

Experience Recounted by a Service Fullon, Retold by Knighthood Leader Caz,

Later Retold by Isaac Comett

“It reeks in here.” said Monolla as she entered the packed lounge. The scent of expensive cologne and utter fear slapped her expressionless face. “Doesn’t it, Vlivo?”

The tall masked man stood silent save for his two red eye lenses as they adjusted their focus. He took in the purple and blue drapery that hung like vines in a jungle. He and his partner pushed aside the annoying fabric, making for the center of the room; a violet couch, a table with the choicest of fruit and pastries, and a swarm of nervous attendees. Around the circular quarters, beyond the walls of bright silk, men and women in long gray striped robes stood at attention, double bladed staves in hand and hoods over their eyes, ready to follow through on the whims of their liege.

“You have some nerve, entering my domain unannounced.” said the ruler. He didn’t appear to be older than his late thirties, despite his long silver and purple hair. Regardless of his agitated tone, he didn’t bother moving from his warm spot in between two makeup-coated women.

“We don’t have any time to play your silly pretend games, Ausger. We’re here on official business and to offer our protective services.” said Monolla. Her voice was just as neutral as her all black hair, sunglasses and high-collared coat.

The Count’s mouth curved up on one side, exposing a lone fang. “Firstly, you shall address me as Count Ausger, and second, I am in no need of further protection.” He motioned with his hand. The guards at attention left their posts by the windows in unison. They pointed the tips of their staves at the two intruders. “As you can see I have plenty of that, and where these might fail I have my own hired, trustworthy guard. One intelligent enough to know how to address their superior.”

The duo was unfazed. “Or perhaps just too cowardly to tell his boss how pathetic he is.”

Ausger’s smirk turned into a snarl. With his gloved hand he formed a fist. Instantly the hooded guards stepped forward. A wall of blades closed in.

“Tell whoever sent you, should you still be able to speak, to mind their manners.”

Monolla smiled, but her voice stayed the same. “I don’t think Illius would take too kindly to that.”

As soon as the name Illius left her mouth, the guards stayed their blades quicker than Ausger could toss his female companions to the floor.

“Halt! Sunshi!” he ordered.

“I thought that would get your attention.” she said.

Ausger stood and walked forward, stepping on the hand of one of his damsels. She recoiled and sucked on her broken nail, but he didn’t stop to apologize.

“What is the nature of the message you bring?”

“Urgent.” said Monolla. “We have been sent by Overlord Illius himself to inform you of a recent…event, in the West.”

“Out with it then.”

“It would appear that his grace and loyal ally of our Overlord, Captain Straum of the Nova Nemesis Guild, has been defeated in battle.”

She paused as the entire room, including the silent guards, gasped and murmured among themselves.

“His ship sent out a final transmission of imminent destruction approximately thirty Western-Cycle days ago. Surviving Fullon of his crew are en route to give a full report of the event to the Overlord himself.”

All eyes were on Count Ausger. He looked at the red, plush carpet beneath his gold plated boots with his equally vibrant cream-on-white eyes. His nearby attendants leaned close, some even biting their nails, waiting for a reaction.

“Haha!” he released. The laughter continued even as he took a swig from his tall goblet. Red juice trailed down the corners of his mouth, but he wiped it away with his sleeve. Instantly, an old man hobbled to his side and dabbed his stained arm with fresh towels.

“Please, don’t take the news of your close ally’s passing so hard.” said Monolla.

“May the old man rest in pieces.” said Ausger. “Did the Shard Knights finally catch on to his Forbidden Gear, or did a mutiny finally break out? Ah, I bet it was the latter! He never did take my advice to keep the leashes tight around his dogs.”

Monolla stepped away from Vlivo. The room echoed with the fall of her heavy, metal soled boots. She folded her arms behind her back as she watched the stars stream across the deserted landscape outside the window. “Half accurate, Count. It was indeed a Shard Knight. By the details received so far, it was likely Templar-Level Knight Chenzo who was present, but…”

“But?” asked Ausger.

“He wasn’t alone. He had other Memorite users with him. Ones not of the Knighthood.” she said.

“A warrior like Sir Chenzo teaming up with vagabond users rather than arresting them? He must have been desperate!” he said with a chuckle. The others laughed on cue.

“Not vagabonds. Children.”

“Children? Children beat the mighty Straum?” said Ausger. His laughter grew more intense. He fell back on his couch and patted the cushions next to him. His companions retook their seats.

“Earth Children. It’s unconfirmed, but there is also speculation that one of them is Uforian.”

The laughter ceased.

“A boy possessed multiple Mind Gears and successfully broke Straum’s defenses in hand to hand combat, and delivered the deciding blow.”

The two females yelped as they again did a face plant into the rug. Instantly Ausger drew the relic that never, nor physically could, leave his side. He was bound to it, after all.

Attendants trampled each other as they ran for cover from Ausger’s crystalline blade. Monolla looked to Vlivo. A quick calculation through his mechanical eyes told him the forthcoming outburst would be of no threat to either of them.

The blade lit up, and in a flurry of light and a flash “Of Covet”, a massive snout appeared. From out of the sword, the blurry image of a scaly beast’s head charged forth, barely missing Vlivo. It closed its massive jaws against the steel doors in the back of the room before it disappeared. No one dared turn toward the wreckage, or had the stomach to view the remains of those too slow to get out of the way.

“Your reports are wrong, vile assassin!” spat Ausger. “There are only three Uforians in existence; Our liege, Templar Caz, and myself.”

Monolla brushed dust from her shoulder. “Again, they are unconfirmed reports. We must wait until the Fullon are questioned.”

Ausger stood with his sword in hand. The glowing blade pulsed several times before it returned to its translucent self. No one of his company dared move or breath until he sheathed it.

“Very well then. You did your due diligence. Leave at once, knaves.” he said.

Monolla walked towards him, one eyebrow raised. “You still refuse our service? Regardless of how you view it, the Knighthood has strength in its ranks that no one, not even Illius knew about. It is for your own safety that you-”

Before she could finish her sentence, a raggedy figure stopped her advance. Only one eye was visible through his black hair, but it possessed enough firmness for her to respect the power of the face it belonged to.

Ausger smiled. “Your presumptuousness is wearisome. As you can see, I have dealt mercifully with you. My truly skilled retainer could have taken your life the moment you entered, but it was on my order that he stayed in shadow.”

Monolla looked the wiry combination of orange and red rags up and down, from the point of his red hat to the ends of his mummy-wrapped feet. With a nod towards Vlivo, they silently left the room.

Once the elevator down the hall descended, Ausger fell back in his seat. He grabbed his cup and drank the rest of the soothing liquid in it before he slammed it on the table.

“And that is how it is done. Taking notes, Sir Nerro?”

A quiet, smooth voice came from behind his brown scarf. “Indeed, my leige. But aren’t you concerned about this new threat? Monolla and Vlivo would have been excellent additions to your personal guard.”

“I do not need my half brother’s spare mutts to accompany me. That she-devil former Knight and her silent, uncouthly dressed scoundrel have no place on my vessel.” he said. His fingers tapped the hilt of his sword. “I will not be so insulted by such worms.”

Ausger stepped towards the window to watch the visitor’s ship fly off into the nebula. Nerro followed, all the while observing his employer’s attendants. Not one of them had moved since the duo had left.

“This is the opening I have been waiting for. The old man failed, and now it’s my turn to show the galaxy who is truly worthy of the title Overlord.” Ausger turned to Nerro. A fiendish smile was plastered on his face. His narrow, elegant eyes were traded for wide, vein-filled ones, overflowing with madness. “I will squash this ruckus with my boot! Nerro, I will bring the Knighthood and everyone else to their knees! No, their bodies will lay flat before my very presence!”

A flash, as bright and quick as lightning filled the room. By the doorway, the words “Of Tranquility” and “Of Loyalty” appeared, then flooded the entire room. Neon colored, ghostly figures of red and blue flew around them like a tornado; afterimages of the mercenaries that played out events that had happened many minutes ago. Monolla’s swung her katana and Vlivo had drawn his twin blasters. Once they had faded, everyone in the room, from hooded guard to servant, fell motionless to the floor.

Nerro and Ausger looked around at the slashed curtains and flaming garments of the fallen. His one surviving servant looked at him with his lone eye. The Count’s face returned to normal as he cleared his throat and blushed.

“Clever! Clever!” he shouted to no one. “Nerro, send someone to clean this mess, will you? Oh, and fetch me a new beverage. Something a little stronger.”