Strange Quark and Arx stepped out of the shuttle and looked around. Each grew worried by the lack of attention their arrival stirred. Nova insisted they arrive without cloaking the shuttles, so the people of the nation knew help had arrived and it would draw out their enemy that much faster.
Arx said, “For a nation that was just overthrown, there is a serious lack of battle damage. Everything looks so clean and nice.”
“I don’t like it.” Quark said, “Not the lack of damage. That’s fine, but we should have some kind of reception. I’m not even sensing anyone hiding in trees or behind buildings. No ambushes, nothing.”
Agent Justin stepped out next, with Krystal Fae and EB behind him. He had a small device in his hands. “The palace is that way.”
Krystal Fae walked up to Quark. “I’m glad to help, but it looks like I won’t be of service.”
“I doubt this’ll be easy. Let’s get to the palace and find out what the heck’s going on.”
EB bounced around. “This place is pretty, like, so colorful. I like it. Now, where’s a World Corps goon so I can smash an exploding egg in his face?” He materialized an egg in his paw.
“You’ll get your chance. Hold still, I’m going to zap us into the palace.” Quark looked around and then snapped his fingers. They all vanished and then reappeared in the same place.
EB looked around like he was about to fight, then paused. “Hey, we’re didn’t move. What gives?”
“I don’t know. Something blocked my transport.” Quark tried again and had the same results.
Krystal Fae held her head. “Okay, that’s enough. You’re gonna give me a massive headache.”
Justin leaned over and held back vomiting. “Yeah, please don’t do that again.”
“Looks like we’re on foot.” Arx marched onward.
Once they reached the palace, after a long walk, they found the outside just as dead as the city.
Justin said, “I don’t like this. No welcoming party.”
Krystal added, “It’s like they don’t even care to protect their new acquisition.”
Quark charged ahead, walking inside the palace. They went through several doors, down a long hall, and then opened the last door to the main throne room.
It was pitch black in the throne room. Krystal Fae reached up to conjure a ball of light, but an unknown source blew it out.
“I seriously don’t like this.” EB said, hiding behind Quark’s leg.
Music echoed around them, as though a symphony had now taken over the room. The dark, haunting melody of a waltz cried out. While it played, little candles appeared in the darkness. They moved toward the group, lightly bouncing. The more candles, the more light, and now the silhouettes of dark dressed individuals appeared. Women in elaborate gowns and black bird like masks. Men were in dark tuxedos with devil like masks.
A woman sung to the waltz, her voice dark and threateningly vicious. There was a joy in her words, like she was about to feast upon their very souls.
a song
a dance
a twirl
a chance
Let your mind be taken
let your soul reawaken
Be mine forever more
a song
a dance
a waltz
a trance
Let your heart now sink
Let your body shrink
as you die upon my floor
A song
a dance
this is your last chance
to be a glamorous child
a song
a dance
no words
just a glance
let the world fade away
night into day
your very last breath
will bring to you death....
There was a great blue explosion of energy, and it thrust everyone out of this nightmare. They had been dancing in the middle of the room with what they thought were other members of this party. Instead, they stood midst all these finely dressed people, each aiming one of their AMA weapons at them.
Strange Quark, who had broken through this insidious spell, was now half a giant blue duck, from his waist down. He had his hands out and was in a state of near-panic.
The dark lady sat upon the throne, a smile on her black lips. “Oh, how very clever. You, blue one, have the power to transcend dimensions. How wonderful.”
“That was quacking nuts.” Quark stated and then stood up, still half a duck. “Enough. I don’t know who or what you are, but that is over. And don’t think your weapons are threatening us. We’re immune to the power of those weapons.”
“How very rude of me.” She rose to her feet with all the grace of a queen. “My name is Lady Echidna. You should fear not the weapons, but me.” Without a glimmer of trepidation in her face, she strode toward them.
Krystal Fae stepped up. “Beware, she is magical.”
“Ah, what do we have here? Some little creature who touches magic.”
Krystal formed a ball of energy in her hand. “I do more than touch it.”
“Darling, you have no idea the true depth and breadth of magic.” Lady Echidna blew as though she were snuffing a matchstick, and the energy in Krystal’s hand simply evaporated.
Quark remained stern, even though he was still sporting the hindquarters of a waterfowl. “What’s going on here? Why are you controlling the World Corps soldiers? Why did you take over this nation? And do you have any connection to the Shadow Krampus?”
She laughed at him in a dismissive tone. Turning, she swept back to her throne and graced it again. “So many questions. But you aren’t ready for answers. What I know, what I am, what I have done, what I will do, all are brilliant questions. But you aren’t worthy to ask them and are certainly unworthy to receive an answer from the likes of me.”
EB hopped up with an enormous egg in his paws, “Why... why do I know you? You feel so familiar?”
“The Easter Bunny. How precious. Too bad I couldn’t bewitch you. It would be so much fun to have that kind of power among my followers.”
Justin prepped his gun. “She’s not going to give us answers. We shouldn’t waste our time.” Taking a stand before Quark, Justin said, “You’re under arrest for the unlawful...un….the…where am I?” he swayed and began to smile like an idiot.
“I feel funny.” EB held his head as he dropped his egg.
Lady Echidna opened up her arms. “Worship me!”
Everyone went groggy and fell to their knees.
“No...I won’t...” Krystal struggled the most, refraining from being taken.
Quark was overcome for a moment, even smiling at her as though she were the most beautiful thing in the universe. Then, he turned entirely into a duck and said, “What...you’re not getting away with this!” He flashed back into his normal self and sent out another wave of energy. All the others broke free from her spell, but he was focusing to maintain this. His blue energy contended against a strange force that acted like a great wind in the room.
Lady Echidna stood up and said, “My, my, you are strong. I can’t have that. Tell Nova to send his finest to strike me down. They won’t win. But I will entertain him and he knows it. Only Nova will I deal with...tell him...his wife is waiting for his return.”
With that, a blinding flash of black energy struck them. Everyone felt as though they were being flung across the city. In moments, each landed with a hard crash on a metal surface, crashing into tables and chairs. They were back on the BADGE spacestation.
Krystal sat up, looking around in a state of confusion. “Did she say she was Nova’s wife?”
0 Comments