The Power Array Saga - Season Two - Part VII

Part VII – Consequences of Action

“The general public doesn’t know this yet but we think the murder of Corporeal Maxin and Sergeant Gunop are related to the Mage Monolith Massacre,” said Sergeant Hoplow. His pointy sun elven ears slightly drooped and the white hair of his goatee swayed whenever he spoke. He stood in a morgue surrounded by police officers that had known, worked with, and even been saved in combat by, the two deceased officers.

“The wounds at both crime scenes match up,” Sergeant Hoplow whispered to the major. The sergeant had ebon skin, hazel eyes, and close-cropped white hair which was balding slightly on the top of his head. He wore dark blue trousers and a button-up shirt with a black tie. His badge was pinned to his chest, just above the shirt pocket. Underneath the shirt he wore a bullet-proof, carbon-composite-aramid vest. Sown onto his shirt’s short sleeve were three golden stripes.

               “Do we know who’s responsible?” asked Major Rufap. “Whoever it is must have had help. There’s no way one man could’ve taken down so many elite magic users.” Major Rufap had thick, plush pink lips on her dark chocolate complexioned face and dark green eyes. She wore her pinkish beige hair short, it barely reaching her neck. On her shoulder, a golden lotus leaf badge was sewn into her dark blue shirt.

               “So far, according to the forensic team, they think the perpetrator is one man with a sword,” replied Sergeant Hoplow.

               The other police officers in the room whispered amongst themselves in disbelief. Their acute elven hearing was able to pick up every word their comrades spoke. Several individuals started betting on how many perpetrators could have overtook two of the best trained officers on the force along with some of the most powerful magicians residing in the Mage Monolith.

               “You know I can’t believe that Serg,” said Major Rufap with a shake of her head. “Not until I see it. There’s no way one person could’ve done all this, especially with just a sword, that’s impossible.”

               “Nothing’s impossible,” said Commissioner Steelskin entering the morgue. The tall sun elf had rippling muscles and walked with his back straight, chest puffed out; a commanding presence in any room. The commissioner wore a black beret with the golden lotus sown in the front. Circling around the golden lotus was a matching golden wreath. He had unblinking, steely black eyes and a thick gray beard and mustache, thin lips and a pointed, hooked nose that resembled a bird’s beak. He wore a black suit and tie with a white shirt underneath. On the suit jacket above each breast were splatterings of pins and medals along with a row of medals running from neck to shoulder.

The other elves in the room stepped aside to clear a path.

Stopping in front of the two gray metallic slabs, Commissioner Steelskin briefly peered under the thick, white blanket that covered his subordinate’s faces. After replacing the white sheet, he took a deep breath and turned around to stare at almost his entire police precinct that had come to pay their respects to their fallen comrades.

“Men, we may have a serial killer in our capital city of Aver,” said Commissioner Steelskin. “I’ve stood as a protector for the citizens of the United Elven Kingdom for nearly my entire adult life. I will not let these murders go unanswered. We’ll devote every ounce of energy and elf power that we have into discovering who did this. Now let’s get started on putting this bastard behind bars. I want boots on the ground talking to people, reviewing surveillance cameras, and checking every flight, train and rental car purchase made within the last week.”

“But sir, that could take… weeks, if not months,” said Sergeant Hoplow.

“Well then, since you were the first to complain, that’ll be your assignment. So I suggest you get started,” responded Commissioner Steelskin. “Major Rufap, since he’s under your command, you’ll be reporting directly to me. I expect a full report on my desk first thing in the morning on what progress you’ve made in locating our killer.”

“Sir, yes sir,” said Major Rufap through clenched teeth with a stiff salute as she eyed Sergeant Hoplow.

The commissioner stormed from the room, hard-souled boots clicking on the white tiled floor.

Once the commissioner was gone, Major Rufap repeatedly punched Sergeant Hoplow in the shoulder.

“Ouch, stop it,” complained Sergeant Hoplow as he ran to the other side of the room.

“You just had to say something didn’t you,” said Major Rufap.

“If I would’ve known he was going to say that then I would have kept my mouth shut,” Sergeant Hoplow responded.

“From now on just keep your mouth shut permanently,” said Major Rufap. “You’re not to speak unless spoken to. Now get outta here and get to work. Also, see if you can get a couple of your fellow officers to help you out. Whoever did this must have left behind some type of clue. I want a team to go and inspect the Mage Monolith again and check it with a fine-tooth comb. Another team will go to Jump Street and talk to any witnesses that might have seen what happened that day. Whoever did this, we’re gonna catch that bastard. We have the eyes of the entire civilian population of the UEK watching us and waiting for answers. The last thing we need is for sun elves to start panicking because they think their streets are unsafe. I’m going to go find out what type of martial arts styles could possibly be skilled enough to kill people this effectively.”

“Ummm, mam, sir,” said Sergeant Hoplow tentatively.

“I thought I told you not to speak until spoken to Hoplow,” said Major Rufap angrily.

“But I know the answer to your question,” replied Sergeant Hoplow.

Major Rufap stared at the elf with a skeptical eyebrow raised.

“The most deadly martial arts style on planet Threa is the rietsu,” said Sergeant Hoplow. “But there’s only one man that knew how to perform it.”

“Well get on it damnit,” Major Rufap said. “Where is he? Who is he?”

“He’s dead major,” said Sergeant Hoplow.

“Well thanks for nothing but wasting my time,” said Major Rufap.

“But, he taught only two students,” said Sergeant Hoplow. “One is a criminal known as the Butterfly Samurai and no one knows of her whereabouts.”

“And the other?” asked Major Rufap.

“Rumor has it,” said Sergeant Hoplow, “that the other person is the son of the human chancellor and the illegitimate son of the elven princess. They say that his name is Momotaru.”

New Short Story: Rebirth of a Legend - Chpt One

Rebirth of a Legend

Chapter One – Fresh Princess of Eioda

“Sayge!” yelled her mother. “Wake up! You’re going to be late for school.” She walked back into the kitchen with a roll of her piercing blue eyes and a shake of her brown hair.

               Already fully clothed, and staring at the ceiling with eyes that matched her mother’s, Sayge Elliot lay in bed. She ran a hand through her swept-back, pixie cut, white hair. Would skipping school even matter? It was not like any of the stuff they were learning was worth remembering in the long run. Sayge knew that her fellow humans were like grass in the wind, twisting this way and that, some picking up and leaving and others perishing where they stood.

It was at that moment in her early morning despair, the words of her mother came unbidden to her mind. Perhaps life was making the best of a tricky situation. She rolled out of bed, crept down the stairs, passed her mother. She made it out of the door with the skill of a ninja.

               Charlotte noticed too late. She ran out of the kitchen, looking left and right down the hallway as the front door closed. “Why do I even bother making breakfast?”

               Several hovercrafts were parked in front of the four-story house. Sayge jumped inside the two-door hovercraft designed like a luxury convertible. The vehicle rose several meters into the air on the blue flames of ion propulsion jets. She let go of the steering wheel which automatically engaged the autopilot. The internal GPS carried Sayge to the high school where it swooped down out of the sky and took its place in a line headed into the garage at the bottom of the building. After parking, she climbed into the elevator which would sky rocket her back into the clouds, to the upper floors where the classes were held. It gave the students a view of the skyscrapers blanketing the city of Consonance. Some classrooms even looked down upon the clouds, but those were for the upper classmen. Sayge was a freshman, a fresh face in an unfamiliar place. She looked down at her wristwatch. Tapping on it a few times brought up her schedule in a holographic, digital image.

               “So you got Griffin for first period too eh,” said a coarse, unfamiliar voice over Sayge’s shoulder.

               She turned her head with a flick of her white hair. With a skeptical expression and a raised eyebrow she stared at the young man.

               “I’m Lancellis Ryon,” said the young man with a bright smile and dark-red hair. His pale skin was sprinkled with freckles which ran down his nose. “I’m taking Griffin for first period also. You must be pretty advanced.”

               “Looks like people are sizing up the competition already,” said a voice from the corner.

               Sayge, Lancellis, and the remaining three heads in the glass elevator turned to look. Tight curls of black hair fell past the girl’s shoulders. Her arms were folded over her chest. She was engulfed in a fiery shadow that obscured the entire corner yet gave off no heat. Her forest green eyes were hard to make out as she lifted her head. A wicked grin spread across her caramel face.

               “And who might you be?” asked Lancellis.

               “You’ll find out…” said the lady engulfed in shadows. “When it’s time.”

The darkness surrounding the young woman grew immense as if it drank up the rays of light like a black hole. It was as if a black wall of fire had been constructed in the elevator.

               Lancellis approached. His hand trembled slightly. Only centimeters away from his fingers, the wall of black fire vanished.

               “Whoa,” said an amazed young man with a pimple covered face. He wore a blue, short sleeve, collared shirt with tan khakis.

               “What was that technique?” asked another young man with the shadow of a goatee. He had long blond hair falling to his back in a ponytail and wore black sweat pants and a grey hoodie.

               “It’s called a globe of darkness,” said Sayge. “Although, I’ve never seen it used that way before.”

               “What do you mean?” asked Lancellis.

               “No one has been able to teleport out of a globe of darkness,” replied Sayge. “Not for over a decade. Plus she seems to have combined it with some sort of fire elemental ability. I only know one person in the history of the planet Threa that could use the shadow fire technique.”

               “So what does that mean?” asked Lancellis.

               “If you don’t know then I can’t tell you,” said Sayge.

               “What’s with you!” asked a frustrated Lancellis. “You think you’re better than me or something. We’re both freshman and if you haven’t learned yet, you’re going to need allies.”

               Sayge responded with a roll of her blue eyes and a shrug as she turned to face the sunshine.

               “Normal people like us need allies,” said one young man. “Not her.”

               “Why not?” asked Lancellis. “What’s so special about her?”

               “According to the history books, only one other person has had hair like that. The legendary warrior, Alexander ‘Winter’ Elliot. She must be his granddaughter. That would make her the daughter of the man that stopped The Battle for the End of the World almost fifteen years ago,” said the pimple faced young man. Reaching into the pocket on his blue collared shirt, he pulled out his black, square rimmed glasses. “The Winter’s Legacy, Thame ‘Snow’ Elliot.”

               Gasps escaped the mouths of the remaining students in the elevator. 

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Read the full story on Inkitt

 

http://www.inkitt.com/stories/38982

Winter's Legacy by Andre Alan - Chapter One Exclusive

Chapter One – The New Addition

Thame Elliot stood rigid, feet planted firm on large black tiles.  He breathed slow and relaxed.  He wore brown cargo pants and a dark green, short sleeve collared shirt underneath a black leather jacket.  Brown eyes simmered behind dark shades with an intense, razor sharp focus.  

Stretching from floor to ceiling was ten centimeter thick, fiber filigree bullet proof glass that protected him on either side.  He riddled off consecutive shots from the latest toy developed by Valant Corporation, the las-bow.  At Thame’s waist hung several cartridges, containing cylindrical shells five millimeters long.  When activated by pressing the small circular button located at the back end of the shell and placed against the bow string, the cartridge sprung to life with a long, blue laser in the shape of an arrow.  Las-bow technology was the latest invention from the weapons manufacturing division of Valant Corporation; intelligent, heat seeking and laser accurate tracking projectiles that were not available to the international market, yet.

Small, circular bulls eye targets slid back and forth across the range in multiple rows, varying in distance and height.  Thame raised the bow and arrow to his cheek, pulling back on the string, feeling the taut pressure in his muscles, breathing in pain.  The laser cast a pea-sized dot on the target.  Thame followed the moving target until a confirmation beep sounded in his ear signaling that the las-bow had locked onto the target.  He let fly the laser arrow which streaked toward the moving bull’s eye.  Nano-bots inside the cylindrical shell curved the arrow’s trajectory automatically due to its internal GPS navigation and homing capability toward the metallic bull’s eye, locking on and colliding, detonating with a small explosion on contact.  Another blue laser arrow soared in from Thame’s right and caught a bull’s eye in the center and exploded.

               “These new weapons from V.C. are incredible,” said Cyrus with a wide smile.  He pulled another shell from the spring loaded cartridge strapped to his waist.  Wearing the metallic grey exo-suit with helmet concealed in the collar along with gloves that were retracted; each could be deployed in a matter of mili-seconds should danger arise.  He had striking, deep blue eyes and brown hair tipped with blue that stood straight into the air like porcupine quills.  “They say if you use these in live combat the laser arrow will carve through anything in front of it until it reaches an object that the laser can’t penetrate and then the ordinates in the shell will detonate; can’t wait until we can use these things in combat against the Orcs.”

               The exo-suit was also developed by Valant Corporation and distributed to the Eioda Nation States military.  Valant Co was unmatched by any other human corporation when it came to weapon manufacturing and although the exo-suit could be considered defensive armor, it was also a weapon.  The sleek, skin tight armor was practically indestructible and made with a variety of precious metals and plastics that gave it unmatched maneuverability. 

               “Lately you’ve seemed a tad bit battle hungry Cy,” said Thame notching another laser shell.  “Everything okay?  Anything you want to talk about?”

               “We’ve been sitting around and doing nothing.  It’s been months since the wedding,” replied Cyrus.  “We need to get a move on--”

               “Get a move on what?  Starting the next world war? ” interrupted Charlotte leaning against the door frame of the sound proof shooting gallery.  Her blue streaked brown hair loosely hung past her shoulders.  Despite being nine months pregnant, she still moved with the stealth of a Felidae jungle cat stalking prey.  Wobbling over to stand next to her twin brother and husband with a hand resting on her watermelon sized stomach, Charlotte gave Thame a peck on the lips.  She smelled of fresh linen and dressed comfortably in baggy sweatpants and a long white t-shirt.

               Glaring at his twin sister through blue eyes narrowed in a slit of frustration, Cyrus shook his mop of spiky brown hair.  “There is so much more to accomplish if we’re going to make this world a better place,” replied Cyrus.  He could not help but look down at his unborn niece or nephew as he spoke.

               “Starting a war is more likely than not the only thing you can hope to accomplish by--” Charlotte tried to say before being interrupted.

               “We’re already at war!” said Cyrus through clenched teeth.

               “In that case it is all the more reason for you to let me hold that new las-bow,” said Charlotte changing the subject with a sly smile while reaching for the weapon and missing.  She stared up at Cyrus with round saucer like eyes, pleading and innocent, identical deep, pools of blue.

               “No way.  Look at your belly.  You’re on the verge of bursting.  Remember the doctor said no strenuous activity,” said Thame positioning himself between his brother-in-law and the mother of his unborn child.

               “Ha, that’s not strenuous,” said Charlotte.  “It’s regular exercise.  Now toss it over so I can try.  I like to blow up stuff too you know.”  She reached for the weapon trying to stretch her arms around Thame playfully.  That is until she let out a grunt and bent over, face screwed up into a grimace of pain.

               “Are you okay?” asked Thame tossing aside the new bow.  He supported the bulk of his wife and unborn child in his arms.  He tried to ease his wife out of the gun range.

Cyrus hovered on the other side of his sister, watching carefully with concern etched on his olive complexioned face.

               “I think I just burst,” said Charlotte, concern in her deep blue orbs.

               The two young men looked down with eyes wide at the spreading pool of clear fluid expanding across the concrete.

               “Gross,” said Cyrus with a look of disgust.  “Don’t tell me this stuff was just inside you.”  His lips twisted in a snarl as he looked at the bottom of his exo-suit boots.  “That’s nasty Char.”

               He was silenced with a surprisingly powerful punch to the chest by Charlotte.  “Don’t just stand there, get me to a hospital!” shouted Charlotte, fist balled up, ready to deliver another blow.

               Thame scooped up his wife in both arms and carried her out of the room.

               “I can still walk you know,” said Charlotte.

               “No, no, no, sweetheart,” said Thame on the verge of being frantic.  “I’m not taking any chances. Cyrus!  Call the shuttle!”  He shouted to his stunned brother-in-law who was in the corner wiping down the souls of his exo-suit covered feet.

               Cyrus made no move to respond at first.  Ultimately with a huff, he resigned to his role as an administrative assistant to his twin sister’s first birth.  He slumped his shoulders and tapped a series of buttons on the exo-suit forearm panel.  He spoke nonchalantly into the speaker, contacting the Landry family driver who was on twenty four-seven stand by alert.

               Thame and Charlotte exited the indoor range and stepped onto the well-manicured lawn of the Landry estate.  The hover-shuttle came to a rest a meter away from the mansion.  Scuttling to the awaiting shuttle with Charlotte holding on tightly, Thame tried to keep her head from bobbling too violently while in his arms.  The hover shuttle with remote controlled doors slid to the side to offer a wide entrance while floating several dozen centimeters off the grass on blue ion propulsions flames.  Thrusting themselves into the hover-craft before it could come to a complete stop.  Thame strapped Charlotte into her seat with a seven point harness that required major adjustments due to her large stomach.

               Cyrus sprinted from the range and leapt to collide with the bottom step of the hover shuttle as it lifted off.  “Little help,” he said straining to pull himself aboard.  The automatic sliding doors repeatedly bounced off his elbows, trying to close.

               Thame pulled Cyrus aboard the ship.  An agony filled shriek ripped through the shuttle cabin that had plush black leather seats.  The hover shuttles interior was five meters in height and ten meters in width for ample area to stretch out.  Thame was by Charlotte’s side instantly.  He took her hand within his and instantly regretted that decision.  She squeezed his hand with a monstrous strength never before displayed that could crush a bear, thought Thame.  Clenching his teeth to avoid screaming out, he found himself down on one knee from the pain.  He tried to pull his hand away before the bones were crushed to dust but his wife held tight.

               Cyrus looked at the couple interlocked together, each grimacing in pain.  He smiled to himself and let out a slight chuckle that was hidden behind his hand.  Pressing a button on the door panel console, a round table rose from the center of the hover shuttle.  In a chilled compartment built into the metallic, round center table leg, Cyrus pulled out a glass bottle of brown liquor and poured himself a generous helping while chuckling at the expense of his sister and brother-in-law.