Saturday was hectic. I apologize for the missed posts... From now on, I'm also going to be posting serial parts on Thursdays to finish Book II.
Part LXI: The Face of the Emperor
Date: Yippah 16th, 114 A.U.
Jroldin had just smashed his axe into the door, breaking it in pieces, when everything seemed to happen at once. Zarien gave a yell and began shooting his gun as Jroldin tried to see what was happening. Brother Tomas’ gun was a roaring as Jroldin did everything he could to block the bullets coming toward him. Everything seemed to move differently—the bullets moved slower—his arms almost had a mind of his own as they moved upwards and down to block the bullets as Jroldin moved into the room, along with Zarien and Brother Tomas. There were multiple elves lying dead on the floor with others behind book cases. A short elf with overlooming black wings was making for the doorway along with some female elf.
Cortna. Zarien’s mouth dropped open as all of his feelings flew toward his head. Cortna was but feet away. With the Emperor. With a roar, Zarien ran forward, shooting at any of the remaining guards. He heard Brother Tomas yell something behind him, but Zarien didn’t care. Darting around the bend, he moved to again catch sight of the fleeing Emperor, and Cortna, running behind him. Zarien pointed his gun. And he fired.
With super-natural quickness that wasn’t right for an elf, Jaigran spun around, bringing up a corsha spear to block the attack. His lips moved into a snarl and he pointed a golden finger at him as Zarien took note of the golden gloves that went around the Emperor’s hands. They looked like the kind that the orcs used to work their magic. But Jaigran wasn’t an orc. He couldn’t use magic.
Crackling lightning spun out of Jaigran’s hand, a dance of fire interplaying with the electricity, and surged toward him. Too late, Zarien moved to the side. But, at the last moment, the electricity moved, spinning into fragments as a golden corsha axe moved out in front of him, nearly lopping his head off, as the electricity buzzed around the corsha, slowly dissipating.
Zarien stood back up to stand with Jroldin and pointed his gun at the Emperor, and at Cortna who had moved to the side, not wanting to be in the fight. Cortna looked different, as if she had something that just didn’t make sense. It didn’t even look like she recognized him! Zarien’s gaze hardened as he turned back to the Emperor.
“You’re fools!” Jaigran yelled. “Fools to try and come here! Who are you, that you think you can outface me?”
“I am Zarien,” Zarien replied curtly. “Zarien… of the Xavier Team.” A look of shock played across Jaigran’s face as he realized whom Zarien was claiming to be.
“And I am Jroldin,” Jroldin added on. “The Priest-King of the Xavier Team.”
But the Emperor had already gotten over his shock. Ignoring Jroldin’s proclamation, Jaigran leapt toward them, swinging his spear around to impale Zarien. Stepping out, Jroldin brought up his axe, blocking the blow as he moved to the right; Zarien moving to the left and shooting at the Emperor. A snap of the fingers and a shock of lightning afterwards, and the bullet was gone. Jroldin stepped back as Zarien did the same, both of them preparing for the Emperor’s next assault.
But it never came. Leaping to the side, a fire ball spun forth from Jaigran’s hands, consuming the door next to him in a large explosion. As flames flew forth, dry sparks landing on some of the books, Jaigran made for the door way. Zarien looked as Cortna gave a cry and ran toward the flaming books, using her satchel to try to put the fire out.
“Come on!” Jroldin yelled, and ran out the door after the Emperor. Zarien started, and then paused, spinning around as he ran over toward Cortna.
Cortna had just managed to barely keep the flames from eating up the books as Zarien moved beside her, putting out the last flame. He turned to look at Cortna and Cortna looked at him, a hint of fear in her eyes, and a look of confusion.
“Cortna!” Zarien said, drawing her close to him as his feelings overcame him, bending down to kiss her. “I-I don’t know what to say.”
Cortna flinched, stepped back from his embrace, and then stared at him. “I…” she began. “I’m not Cortna.”
“What are you talking about?” Zarien asked, confused. “You are-”
“I am Cortna’s twin sister, Sereth.”
Where was Zarien?! Jroldin looked around, but, to his dismay, could not see Zarien as he continued to try to chase the Emperor. But the Emperor was too quick for him. Beating the air with his wings, the Emperor flew beyond him, using his wings to move faster than him, as Jroldin began to grasp the hopelessness of his cause. Where was Zarien?
Emperor Jaigran paused as he neared the window, looking outside before quickly backing up, looking around to make sure that the idiot dwarf hadn’t found him. Outside there raged a calamatious battle, fighting going on everywhere as the elven airships were coming in to quell the rebellious orcs that were ransacking their camp. He pushed his communicator to speak to his aide, but nothing lit up. He pushed a few more times before angrily slamming it to the floor. It wasn’t working. And without that communication, there was no telling how safe it was for him to venture forth into the midst of the battlefield.
He looked from side to side to make sure that no intruders were coming and then paused. Why was he afraid of this Xavier team? Why didn’t he go and make mincemeat out of their men? They weren’t anything to be afraid of. Jaigran pursed his lips. The fools, to think themselves the real Xavier Team. It mattered not that the dwarf had golden corsha weapons. He would merely kill the dwarf and then take his weapons for his own. Jaigran unfurled his wings. And then he flew toward the corridor.
Part LXI: The Face of the Emperor
Date: Yippah 16th, 114 A.U.
Jroldin had just smashed his axe into the door, breaking it in pieces, when everything seemed to happen at once. Zarien gave a yell and began shooting his gun as Jroldin tried to see what was happening. Brother Tomas’ gun was a roaring as Jroldin did everything he could to block the bullets coming toward him. Everything seemed to move differently—the bullets moved slower—his arms almost had a mind of his own as they moved upwards and down to block the bullets as Jroldin moved into the room, along with Zarien and Brother Tomas. There were multiple elves lying dead on the floor with others behind book cases. A short elf with overlooming black wings was making for the doorway along with some female elf.
Cortna. Zarien’s mouth dropped open as all of his feelings flew toward his head. Cortna was but feet away. With the Emperor. With a roar, Zarien ran forward, shooting at any of the remaining guards. He heard Brother Tomas yell something behind him, but Zarien didn’t care. Darting around the bend, he moved to again catch sight of the fleeing Emperor, and Cortna, running behind him. Zarien pointed his gun. And he fired.
With super-natural quickness that wasn’t right for an elf, Jaigran spun around, bringing up a corsha spear to block the attack. His lips moved into a snarl and he pointed a golden finger at him as Zarien took note of the golden gloves that went around the Emperor’s hands. They looked like the kind that the orcs used to work their magic. But Jaigran wasn’t an orc. He couldn’t use magic.
Crackling lightning spun out of Jaigran’s hand, a dance of fire interplaying with the electricity, and surged toward him. Too late, Zarien moved to the side. But, at the last moment, the electricity moved, spinning into fragments as a golden corsha axe moved out in front of him, nearly lopping his head off, as the electricity buzzed around the corsha, slowly dissipating.
Zarien stood back up to stand with Jroldin and pointed his gun at the Emperor, and at Cortna who had moved to the side, not wanting to be in the fight. Cortna looked different, as if she had something that just didn’t make sense. It didn’t even look like she recognized him! Zarien’s gaze hardened as he turned back to the Emperor.
“You’re fools!” Jaigran yelled. “Fools to try and come here! Who are you, that you think you can outface me?”
“I am Zarien,” Zarien replied curtly. “Zarien… of the Xavier Team.” A look of shock played across Jaigran’s face as he realized whom Zarien was claiming to be.
“And I am Jroldin,” Jroldin added on. “The Priest-King of the Xavier Team.”
But the Emperor had already gotten over his shock. Ignoring Jroldin’s proclamation, Jaigran leapt toward them, swinging his spear around to impale Zarien. Stepping out, Jroldin brought up his axe, blocking the blow as he moved to the right; Zarien moving to the left and shooting at the Emperor. A snap of the fingers and a shock of lightning afterwards, and the bullet was gone. Jroldin stepped back as Zarien did the same, both of them preparing for the Emperor’s next assault.
But it never came. Leaping to the side, a fire ball spun forth from Jaigran’s hands, consuming the door next to him in a large explosion. As flames flew forth, dry sparks landing on some of the books, Jaigran made for the door way. Zarien looked as Cortna gave a cry and ran toward the flaming books, using her satchel to try to put the fire out.
“Come on!” Jroldin yelled, and ran out the door after the Emperor. Zarien started, and then paused, spinning around as he ran over toward Cortna.
Cortna had just managed to barely keep the flames from eating up the books as Zarien moved beside her, putting out the last flame. He turned to look at Cortna and Cortna looked at him, a hint of fear in her eyes, and a look of confusion.
“Cortna!” Zarien said, drawing her close to him as his feelings overcame him, bending down to kiss her. “I-I don’t know what to say.”
Cortna flinched, stepped back from his embrace, and then stared at him. “I…” she began. “I’m not Cortna.”
“What are you talking about?” Zarien asked, confused. “You are-”
“I am Cortna’s twin sister, Sereth.”
Where was Zarien?! Jroldin looked around, but, to his dismay, could not see Zarien as he continued to try to chase the Emperor. But the Emperor was too quick for him. Beating the air with his wings, the Emperor flew beyond him, using his wings to move faster than him, as Jroldin began to grasp the hopelessness of his cause. Where was Zarien?
Emperor Jaigran paused as he neared the window, looking outside before quickly backing up, looking around to make sure that the idiot dwarf hadn’t found him. Outside there raged a calamatious battle, fighting going on everywhere as the elven airships were coming in to quell the rebellious orcs that were ransacking their camp. He pushed his communicator to speak to his aide, but nothing lit up. He pushed a few more times before angrily slamming it to the floor. It wasn’t working. And without that communication, there was no telling how safe it was for him to venture forth into the midst of the battlefield.
He looked from side to side to make sure that no intruders were coming and then paused. Why was he afraid of this Xavier team? Why didn’t he go and make mincemeat out of their men? They weren’t anything to be afraid of. Jaigran pursed his lips. The fools, to think themselves the real Xavier Team. It mattered not that the dwarf had golden corsha weapons. He would merely kill the dwarf and then take his weapons for his own. Jaigran unfurled his wings. And then he flew toward the corridor.
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