The Power Array Saga - Season Four - Part XXII

Part XXII – The Void and the Teamwork 

The soldiers of High Garden Clearing poured from the watch towers of the city. The city’s stone walls seemed to swell. Support soldiers took their post on the ramparts, their lasguns converted into assault rifles and sniper rifles. Shoulder mounted grenade launchers were hoisted into position. Squads of troops lined up outside with shields and lasgun assault rifles at the ready.

                An eerie and grating voice boomed from the dimly lit Ura Forest. Hundreds of red eyes glowed from its deep shadows.

                “Bring forth the humans that trespassed into our domain,” said the voice of the Ura leader. “If you deliver these humans to us then we will spare this city.”

                Everyone inside of the hotel suite ran outside. They pushed their way past the civilians that were running for cover. Once outside the high stone walls of the city they skidded to a halt.

                Kya turned to Momotaru and asked, “What would you have us do my liege?”

                “Don’t call me that,” said Momotaru. “Just because we’re facing a crisis right now doesn’t mean that I’ve forgiven all of you for betraying me.”

                “I promise you that we did not betray you my liege,” said Kya with a bow. “Yes, at first we were hired by your father to keep an eye on you, but after traveling the country with you we each decided to forsake our previous bonds and follow you truly. I promise you, my liege, that we are yours to command and that we stand ready at your disposal.”

                “Enough talk,” said Monel pushing past her sister. “Let’s just destroy these wretched demons once and for all.”

                The voice of the Ura leader erupted again. “You have five minutes to decide or my demons will storm through and drink the blood of every man, woman, and child in this pathetic city.”

                Momotaru stepped forward. His father, Takeshi, tried to hold him back with a firm hand on his son’s shoulder. Momotaru shrugged it off and turned to glare at his father. He casually strolled past the troops who looked back to the mayor for a clue on what they should do. After a nod from Mayor Warren, the troops stood aside. Momotaru stood several dozen meters away from the Ura leader who had long black hair, red glowing eyes and was shirtless, showing his pale grey skin.

                “And who might you be human?” asked the Ura leader.

                “I’m the man that you’re looking for,” said Momotaru. “Leave the rest of these people out of this. Battle me one on one.”

                The Ura threw his head back with raucous laughter. “And why would I do that? I could just have my demons tear you limb from limb right now.”

                “Either you face me one on one or else I will destroy every last demon here,” said Momotaru.

                “You’re a delusional little human aren’t you,” said the Ura leader with a laugh. The demon raised his hand above his head and ordered his demons to attack with a wave.

                A snarl came from the seething red eyes and the creatures rushed forward.

                Momotaru unsheathed his pitch black straight blade sword and dashed towards the Ura leader. But before he could get close, several Ura sprang in front of their leader, who fell back with a devious smile on his face. Momotaru let out a growl as two Ura slashed at him with their long nails, slob flying from their snarling, sharp teeth. He easily blocked the attacks. With several swings of his sword he struck down the demons yet more took their place.

                In an instant, his team of assassin sisters were by his side. The battle raged all around the wide plains of High Garden Clearing. Everywhere, blue and green lasers seared through the undead flesh of the demons.

                “Coward!” screamed Momotaru as he struck down more of the demon fodder. “I’ll have your head as a trophy on my wall!”

                Iris Longwing, known as the Butterfly Samurai, strolled through the chaos of battle as if she were the prom queen gliding through a crowded dance floor. In the blink of an eye, she was beside Momotaru. She did not bother to unsheathe the sword that was strapped across her back. Her Acro eyes were flaring. Any Ura that got close, locked eyes with her, instantly dropped to the ground where they would writhe in agony and foam at the mouth until death took them.

                “If you really want that creature’s head,” said Iris seductively into Momotaru’s ear. “Then I can get it for you… but you’ll owe me, obviously.” She let out a slight giggle and jumped back as an Ura charged forward.

                Before the blood sucking demon could get close, Monel sprang away from the diamond formation that her sisters specialized in. The other three assassin sisters formed a triangle and continued fighting.

                Monel stepped between Iris and Momotaru.

                “I’ll be the one to claim that demon’s head my liege,” said Monel with a brief bow. Without waiting for a response, she spun around and dove towards the Ura leader.

                Iris let out a low growl and sprinted after her new rival.

               

The Power Array Saga - Season Four - Part XXI

Part XXI – The Void and The Job

A pounding on the suite’s front door jarred Momotaru awake. He arose from the sofa in the hotel’s living room. His mind rifled through the list of names that might be responsible for the banging. Before he could reach the front door, he heard the click and beep of a key card swiping. The small light on the door changed from red to green and the anger on Momotaru’s face dissipated as he heard the announcement from outside the room.

                “The Mayor of High Garden Clearing, Sir Pengar Warren the Third, has requested an audience.”

                To Momotaru’s surprise, the mayor was not the first person to walk inside of the room. Several soldiers rushed in, lasguns drawn and pointed directly at him. He dared not move. They were wearing dark visors. One searched him from head to toe. The other four kept their weapons targeted on Momotaru. Red dots lingered on every one of his vital areas.

                After the guards were certain that Momotaru held no weapons, one turned around and nodded to the mayor while the other guards continued into the hotel suite.

                Momotaru yelled out, “Looks like we have some important company!”

                The mayor walked down the hallway and stopped a few meters in front of Momotaru. “That was a good idea,” said the mayor with a smile showing through his thick grey beard. “We wouldn’t want any misunderstandings between my men and your little gang of fighting girls now… would we.”

                Momotaru bristled silently at the smile plastered across the mayor’s chubby little face. His cheeks were bright pink. The smell of liquor wafted from his tongue, despite the fact that it was barely past the crack of dawn.

                Kya was the first to appear in the living room. She ran towards the hallway. “What’s happening Lord Momotaru?”

                “It seems like the mayor is paying us a visit,” Momotaru replied with a forced smile. “Just as we discussed last night.”

                “So you were expecting me then?” asked Mayor Warren.

                “I wouldn’t say that.” Momotaru walked into the living and took a seat. “Let’s just say that I like to try and plan for every possible eventuality.”

                “Well then, let us see if you have planned for this eventuality,” said Mayor Warren. He took a seat at the bar stool that connected the living room to the kitchen. He nodded to one of his assistants who disappeared out of the room and around the corner. The assistant returned with someone that Momotaru had not seen for a long time; his father Takeshi Hakizimana. The two men eyed each other nervously but remained silent as the elder Hakizimana took a seat next to Mayor Warren.

                One of the mayor’s attendants rifled through the cabinets and brought out a clear plastic cup. Another attendant pulled a small bottle of liquor from the mini-bar. The mayor was soon sipping at his beverage, ice softly clinking.

                In moments, the rest of Momotaru’s assassin sisters left their rooms and scattered around the living room and kitchen with scowls on their faces. Even Iris Longwing and Arif Zahur were forced to leave the master bedroom, having taken seats next to the mayor.

                Momotaru eyed them cautiously.

                “Since you’ve met my associates,” said Mayor Warren with a sweeping hand gesture that took in his two old friends. “I hope that you have had enough time to consider the offer that has been presented to you.”

                It was obvious that Momotaru had not prepared for this. Although he held his shock from showing on his face, everyone in the room could tell that the atmosphere had shifted. The assassin sisters tensed as they shifted their weight from one foot to another. The guards tightened their grip on their weapons.

                Before Momotaru could parse his lips to respond, Iris leaned forward and hurriedly spoke into the uncomfortable silence. “Actually, I’m glad that you brought that up Pengar. I haven’t had a chance to give him the proposal. Things got a little… heated last night but I’m sure that once he hears this wonderful offer he’ll have no choice but to agree.”

                “Fine,” said the mayor, not bothering to hide his frustration. “How would you like a job working for me?”

                “Let me take a guess,” said Momotaru facing his father with narrowed eyes and a furrowed brow. “This is all your doing isn’t it old man? You’ve been keeping an eye on me from the moment I left your luxurious prison.”

                The elder Hakizimana laughed. “How exactly do you think that I’ve been able to keep tabs on you?”

                Momotaru froze. A scowl crawled its way onto his face. He looked around the room. His gaze fell on his group of female assassins. When he looked to the leader of the sisters, Kya, she could not meet his eyes and lowered her head. Before he could question her, the blaring sirens and klaxons from speakers that surrounded the city erupted with a deafening sound. A warning quickly followed the alert.

                “We are under attack. This is not a drill. High Garden Clearing is under attack.”

                Everyone in the room jumped to attention.

                Momotaru was the only one who did not fully understand what that meant.

                “The Ura are attacking us… again,” said Mayor Warren. “This is the job that I wanted to hire you for… so what do you say?”

The Power Array Saga - Season Three - Part XX

Part XX – A Smile and a Gleam

A young and pretty hostess showed Momotaru and his group to their suite. She swiped a key card in front of the door and it opened. As the team stepped through into the luxurious suite she handed the card to him. The suite’s front door led into a hallway with a bathroom to the left and a walk-in closet to the right. The hallway gave way to an expansive open area with a kitchen to the left and a living room area straight ahead. At the back of the living room was another hallway that led to the three bedrooms.

                Chyntel, awake from her ordeal, strolled into the living room, staring around with wonder and amazement in her hazel eyes. Her twin sister, Cynia, was close on her heels as she marveled at the size of the hotel room that had been gifted to them by the High Garden Clearing mayor.

                “What I can’t figure out,” said Monel, “is why the mayor would give us this expensive room for free.”

                “If I had to guess,” said Momotaru, “it would be to curry favor with my father.”

                “Well if we can continue to get perks like this,” said Cynia with a bright smile, “then we made the right choice in following you.”

                “I hate people who play politics,” said Momotaru with a frown. “This is something that I had to deal with on a daily basis while growing up in the United Elven Kingdom. It’s why I became a nomad. Sitting here in the lap of luxury is not my definition of living life to the fullest… I would rather be out in nature with the wind to my back and the sun on my face.”

                “Yeah, we noticed,” said Cynia with a roll of her eyes.

                “Cynia stop it,” Kya scolded her younger sister. She turned to face Momotaru. “We thank you for your hospitality, my liege.” She gave a deep bow.

                “Nonsense,” said Momotaru with a smile. He gently reached out and cupped Kya’s chin in his hand. He raised her head until their eyes met. “From the little bit of fighting that I’ve seen from you young ladies so far, it is I who should be thanking you. With all of you by my side I will finally be able to unroll my master plan.”

                “And what master plan is that?” asked Kya with a curious eyebrow raised.

                Momotaru laughed slightly. “Don’t worry about that right now,” he said. “We all need some rest after the night that we’ve had. I’m sure that the mayor will come calling on us before long.”

                “Don’t you think that he will demand some sort of reimbursement for giving us this room?” said Monel. She stood in the kitchen and guzzled down a glass of tap water.

                “I’m sure that he will,” said Momotaru. “He just doesn’t understand who he’s dealing with… the sun elves are master politicians and I’ve learned from the best. I’m sure that we will walk away from this without owing him anything.”

                “And what if you’re wrong,” said Monel approaching Momotaru with fire in her bright blue eyes. “What if we end up having to do this man’s dirty work? Our father worked hard so that we would be under no man’s thumb. I will refuse if we’re demanded to do the bidding of this lecherous mayor.”

                “Monel!” shouted Kya as she grabbed her sister by the shoulder and spun her around. “Watch your mouth. You will do as our liege lord commands us… that’s the oath that we’ve sworn. That attitude is what got us here in the first place. This is our lot in life so you had better hurry and accept it. It’s time to grow up.”

                “Shove off, Kya,” said Monel glaring at her sister. “You forget your place… me and you are the same age. You can’t boss me around like you do the twins. I’m your equal in every way.”

                “Except where it counts,” Kya fired back.

                Monel let out a growl before she lunged for the throat of her sister. Momotaru was between the two women in an instant. He held Monel back by pinning her arms to her sides in a bear hug. Monel swiveled and slithered loose as if her body had no bones. She slipped past him and darted towards her sister. Momotaru was forced to use one of his special techniques. With a three fingered pinch to Monel’s neck, the woman lost all her energy and nearly collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Momotaru caught her before she smashed her face on the brown carpet.

                “I apologize for my sister,” said Kya with a deep bow.

                Momotaru slung Monel over his shoulder as if she were a bag of grain. “No need to apologize,” said Momotaru. “I’ll keep an eye on her until she cools down. Let’s all try to get some sleep in the meantime.”

                Several hours later Monel awoke. She lay on the king-size bed inside of the master room. Momotaru sat in a chair on the other side of the room watching her with a blank expression.

                “What happened?” asked Monel as she grabbed her head. “Where am I?”

                “Relax,” said Momotaru. “When you went after your sister I had to incapacitate you.”

                “You presumptuous arse hole,” said Monel with a scowl as she rose from the bed. “How dare you interrupt a discussion between me and my sisters.”

                “You two were on the verge of killing each other,” said Momotaru. “And besides, you work for me now… I can’t have you two constantly going at it.”

                Monel stalked closer.

                Momotaru remained seated. He stared expressionless. Bands of light streaked across the darkened room from the blinds.

                “You have no idea what it’s like,” said Monel. She stood in front of Momotaru. Shades of light and shadow fell across her lithe form. Her face was covered in darkness but Momotaru could still make out a frown. She looked as if she might say more but instead chose to shake her head and stroll away.

                Momotaru stood. “You’re right,” he said. “I shouldn’t have interfered. But whatever issues you two had in the past, you’ll need to put them aside. You work for me now. I need a cohesive unit if we’re to launch on assault on the sun elves’ sun-sky island.”

                Monel looked at him askew. “That’s what your ultimate plan is. To get all of us killed.”

                “If you all learn to work together,” said Momoratu. He approached her, grasping both of her shoulders in a tight grip. “If you all work as a unit with one mind… from what I saw in the Ura Forest, the four of you working in coordination is powerful tool.” He smiled brightly as he spoke. The fire in his eyes as he pictured the future was contagious. In moments that fire had spread to Monel and, just for a moment, she could see his vision for the future as well.

                When they both pulled their eyes away from their inner ponderings, their eyes connected. Momotaru looked deep into Monel’s pools of blue. He wondered if he were caught up and trapped in one of her ocular illusions but ultimately did not care. He leaned in, closed his eyes and could feel her breath on his lips.

                Yet, even in a moment of total bliss, Momotaru’s warrior senses would not allow him to fully succumb to emotional pleasure. He sensed a presence approaching. His eyes sprung open. The window on the other side of the room crashed inwards. Momotaru spun around and caught a glimpse of someone slipping into the hotel room and diving behind a plush cranberry reclining chair. Momotaru let out a growl as he turned towards the intruder. His eyes began swirling like a hurricane as the white of his iris mixed with the blackness from the Void.

                “My, my, my,” said a familiar voice with a giggle.

                Momotaru stopped in his tracks and let the Void seep away. “What’re you doing here Butterlfy… have you flown so far from home only to land in the lion’s den?”

                “Looks like I’ve interrupted something,” said Iris - Butterfly Samurai - Longwing. She let out another mocking laugh.

                “I’m only going to ask you one more time before I strike you down… what are you doing here?”

                The sound of breaking glass from the open window caught Momotaru’s attention. He lost the will to fight when he saw Arif Zahur creep through the window. He was surprised to see that Arif actually resembled a young woman. She wore a lose fitting yellow sundress and her dark purplish blue hair fell to her shoulders in a bob-cut.

                “Now do you get it?” said Iris. She rose from behind the chair. “Your mother sent me to find you… so if you must blame someone for interrupting your booty call then blame her.” She laughed as she stared at Monel.

                Monel’s temper flared like a firecracker. She tried to dive towards Iris but Momotaru held out a hand which held her back.

                “Don’t bother getting upset,” said Momotaru. “She’s just jealous.”

                Next it was Iris’ turn to growl in anger. “Like I said,” Iris strolled casually towards Momotaru, “your mother sent me.”

                “Get to the point already,” said Momotaru.

                “She wants you to come back,” said Iris. She stood less than a meter in front of her old friend.

                Monel eyed her cautiously.

                “There’s no way I can come back,” said Momotaru. “And she knows it.”

                “There may not be a way for you to get back… legally,” said Iris with a devilish smirk.

                “I would be a fugitive in my own land,” said Momotaru. He turned to look out the window of the hotel. A city expanse divided by large stone walls spread out before him. A city and a vast land beyond that he may never get a chance to explore should he take his mother up on her offer and return home.

                “So what say you?” asked Iris.

                “And what would she have me do?” said Momotaru. He continued to stare out of the window with his hands clasped behind his back.

                “What else… but to take your rightful place as heir to the throne,” said Iris with fire burning in her Acro eyes that swirled and flashed every color of the rainbow.

                The Void within Momotaru activated automatically, his eyes quickly turning into pools as dark as black ink. The Void within him sparked to life as a defensive response to her Acro eyes. They alone could absorb the mind altering rays that emanated from her special eye ability.

                Monel almost activated her own ocular powers and jumped between the two of them but Momotaru held out his arm to block her path. Momotaru looked away with a cold smile.

                “It’s quite alright, Monel,” said Momotaru. “She knows full well that her abilities have no effect on me… but she knew that I wouldn’t be expecting my mother to turn against the sun elf elite.”

                “Does this mean that I’ll get to see your home sooner rather than later,” said Monel as her fingers delicately caressed Momotaru’s chin.

                Iris bristled, unnoticed.

                “Very soon perhaps,” Momotaru replied with a smile and a gleam in his dark eyes.