Kingdoms and Empires II Rise of the Federation Chapter 1

ere massive fleets of Utopian, Human, and Darkcon warships ready to start the fighting again. Only a week had passed since the fighting between the major powers has stopped. However tensions were still so high, that one wrong move anywhere, would start the fighting again.
The Utopians had put together a fleet of twenty thousand ships of the line and many much smaller vessels. They had even introduced their new metal warships called tumble-hulls. The Humans have sent a great number of ships accompanying their Utopian counterparts. They sent only their small battleships. Darkcon warships were a hodgepodge of ships ranging in size and types from magical wooden ships to more advanced synthetic metal ships.
On board the Utopian flagship the HMS Orlia, both the Human and Utopian fleet commanders are watching events unfold.
“The Darkcons outnumber us three to one. I hope you Humans have big enough guns to keep them back,” an Elf General stated as he watched the fleets of ships move from the main deck.
“We would not need big guns if you and your people did not anger the Darkcons at all. Our ships may not have the weapons needed to stop them this time,” the Human Admiral advised.
“Do not raise your voice to me Human! Just do your job!” the Utopian General yelled. The Admiral grunted and sighed then he noticed one of his technicians trying to get his attention.
“Sir. Sir!” the young female technician called to the Admiral.
“What is it?” the Human commander demanded.
“The Comms systems have detected faint transmissions inside the Void,” the female said.
“Darkcon?” the Admiral asked.
“The transmissions are of unknown origin. Definitely not Darkcon,” the female technician corrected the admiral.
“Are they from any threatening vessel?” the admiral demanded.
“We do not know as of yet sir,” the woman said nervously.
“Then why are you bothering me with this?!” the Admiral yelled in frustration.
The woman did not know what to say, but she did expect something like this from him.
“Yes sir, I will look into it immediately,” the woman said and then she walked away.
In truth the admiral does not mind, but the General was really frustrating him.
The fleets are just outside the system where the world known as Tervi existed. On one side of the system was beautiful starlight and sights of galaxies, nebula, and stars. On the other side was the pitch black Great Void. Nothing could be seen in it and no one went in. All who have ventured into the Great Void was never heard from again. So there was a great fear on all sides about the Great Void. No one knows what was in there if there was anything at all out there.

Onboard the Human starship Frigate called HCS Mauku the order came to go into the dreaded Great Void and investigate the strange signal.
“I do not know what to be more afraid of, the Darkcons or this place?” the comm officer said. She was a dark skinned mature woman in blue coveralls with the Human Space Command insignias stitched to it just like all the other crewmembers.
“Easy, everyone, we are just here to figure out what is making noise in the void,” the captain said. This man was a battle-tested captain with many scares. He then turned to his science officer. “Anything?”
“Great Maker! Uh captain, there is an object moving towards us,” the young man said shocked looking at his console.
“What is it?” the captain demanded.
“I am bringing up the data on the main screen,” the science officer said as he input the command to the computer. The display shows a spherical object moving towards them.
“How big is it?” the captain asked with curiosity.
“Scanners show the object is roughly one hundred and fifty million kilometers in diameter, and is composed of completely unknown alloys, and…” the science officer stopped.
“And what? Mr. Amso,” another tanned skinned man who was the executive officer asked.
“It’s slowing down, XO,” Amso said.
“How fast was it going?” another officer asked.
“It was at one hundred seventy nine thousand kilometers per second, now it’s at one hundred thirty six thousand kilometers per second,” Amso said.
“How the hell does something that big travel so fast. I mean it’s the size of Havaina’s orbit around its sun, and it’s at a speed that is near the speed of light?” the Captain said. “Is it in visual range?”
“Yes Captain Hunsho. It’s in visual range now,” the tactical officer a woman with short red hair said.
She puts the image up on screen replacing the data that was on it. A giant black grey sphere appeared and it was moving towards them at a speed that the Humans did not know was possible. There were no discernable features on the sphere from the distance that they were at.
“How far away is it?” Captain Hunsho asked.
“Three light years out and closing,” Amso answered.
“They’re scanning us!” the red haired woman yelled out. “It’s a powerful energy wave, it’s disrupting all our systems!”
Then the console in front of the tactical officer exploded. In fact every piece of electronic gear either began to explode from the intense energy, or shut down from the electronic radiation.
“Get us out of here!” Hunsho yelled. He went to a console that was still functioning and yelled into it. “Engineering! I need the engines back online now!” There was no response. “Maker Damn It!” then the console exploded and the shrapnel cut Hunsho to ribbons. Leaving nothing but slices of burnt Human flesh and blood all over the bridge.
The HCS Mauku then explodes violently. The ultra massive sphere moves on and just allows the debris to crash onto the hull.

Back at the massing Utopian, Darkcon fleets tensions are high. On board the HMS Orlia the Human admiral was shocked from the loss of signal from the Mauku.
“What the hell happened?” he asked himself.
“What is wrong?” the Elf general asked.
“The Mauku has stopped transmitting and there is a lot of interference coming from their last position,” the Human told the Elf. Then the Elf General looks out beyond his magical ship’s barrier to see a giant sphere. “Great Maker! What is that thing?”
A powerful beam of red lights moves along the Utopian and Darkcon and Human ships, as if it was scanning them.

The giant sphere then begins to open up. Powerful beams of energy slam into all the ships, destroying them all instantly.
“We have to get out of here!” the Elf general screamed.
“And go where? That thing is so huge; we would never get away from it. It’s the size of a planet’s orbit around a star!” the admiral yelled back.
“Well we have to do something! The heaven’s gateways are not working and my portals have been destroyed!” the Elf said now showing fear. His ship was on fire and explosions were killing his crew.
Then red beams began to materialize beings in black cybernetic armor with glowing edges of red, blue, gold, green, and silver. They had what looked like guns and melee style weapons. Even with the ship exploding around them, the intruders assaulted the defending crew with terrifying speed and strength. Both the Human admiral and Elf general ran towards the aft section of the ship well the intruders fought the crew.
The Orlia was now drifting towards the opening of the giant sphere. Within minutes the ship was inside the sphere. Both men were shocked by what they saw. At the center was a massive yellow star with machines penetrating into it, drawing power from it. At the edges along the hull on the inside there were clouds landmasses and oceans. There were an uncountable number of ships floating around the star and the hull lining as well as space stations. Several began to move towards the broken hull of the Orlia. More of these strangers then appeared onboard from beams of red light. Machines then began to capture survivors from the Utopian ships, as well as Darkcons, and Humans.
“What is all this?” the Elf asked.
“It’s an invasion. These people came from the void, and it’s clear that they have hostile intent,” the Human points out in a low tone. He then moves away towards an escape boat. A small floating machine then appears in front of them. With a few low tones it flies off. “Come on it’s going to warn the others!”
The Elf and the Human then heard a crash and something slammed its way through the wooden bulkheads. A black armored monster roughly nine feet tall wielding a strange looking hammer like weapon. With one powerful swing the being crushed the two men and sent their remains out of the hull and into the vast sphere’s interior.

Elsewhere in the sphere a man looked out onto the debris field that drifted in.
“Praetor, the enemy fleet has been completely neutralized. We are ready to proceed,” a mechanical man said to the man looking out the window.
“Good, have the samples studied and then bring us to the nearest planetary system,” the man ordered.
“Yes sir. If the people in that planetary system should resist us?” the machine man asked.
“These savages have disrupted the natural order of the multiverse. The Federation will no longer tolerate it. They will either summit to our order or we’ll bury them in fire,” the man known as the Praetor responded coldly.

Kingdoms and Empires: Chapter 44

Before the Storm

Deep in the endless void of space, a large spacecraft was flying into the dark. A powerful energy wave struck it and damaged its energy systems.
“Warning: energy distortion has disrupted primary systems. Federation Force One primary core is offline. Emergency Power activated,” an automated computer voice blared over an intercom system, informing everyone in the dark.
Elsewhere inside the ship, three figures in a blacked-out room came up to a lit table. The center of the table had a large hologram displaying various information.
“The Tricerian Council is now in session,” a male voice in the dark announced with military order.
“The energy wave that struck Federation Force One has an energy level that is too high for us to measure. But we were able to isolate a reasonable approximation of its origin,” a female voice in the dark informed.
“This galactic group is quarantined after our emissaries were murdered by the locals. But if they have created weapons using such high energy, then they are now a threat to us,” another male voice said.
“I doubt that those primitives have developed such powerful weapons, let alone the energy source needed to generate it. Now, Tribune, what else do we know about them?” the first male asked in an almost threatening tone.
“Not much else,” the older male voice said.
“Wasn’t it rumored that some of our own are in that quarantined galactic system? The Humans,” the female said.
“The Humans? They still exist? This is great! They may know where Tera is. Our home,” the younger male voice said with a hint of excitement.
“Back to the matter at hand. What do we do about this problem?” the older male asked.
“I recommend observation,” the female said to the Tribune, the older male.
“No, Magistrate, the primitives have to be destroyed before the problem gets out of hand,” the Tribune said.
“Tribune! We cannot go about the multiverse crushing any that threaten us,” the Magistrate, the female, retorted.
“No. We will go there and control the situation before the problem spreads beyond the quarantine,” the younger male proclaimed.
“Well, then, Praetor. What are your orders as Pro-Consul?” the Tribune asked.
“Prepare ninety legions for a full scale invasion of the quarantined galactic system,” the Praetor ordered with confidence. “We will stop this problem before it gets out of hand. Tribune, Magistrate, ready the Federation for war.”
“Very well, Praetor, war it will be,” the Magistrate said. “May Korena have mercy on these poor fools.”

Kingdoms and Empires: Chapter 43

The Price of Vengeance

On the palace grounds on Evorn, the bubble that Marien created popped, and the people appeared on the ground.
“It is good to be back, I guess,” Marevin said with a hint of disdain.
“Oh, yes, it is. And it saves me the time to come here to raze it to the ground,” Laxur thundered.
“Not if I can help it, witch!” a strong male voice roared from the distance. Duke Frenzen appeared with a division of Royal Guardsmen.
“Wait!” another man yelled. It was Puro Aga and his acolyte Nona. They came up to the large group of people with many priests.
“What the hell are you doing?” Marien demanded snidely to Aga.
“Do not speak to me in such away, Human!” Aga roared at Marien.
“I will talk to you however I feel like. Answer my question!” Marien barked back.
“I am here with the priesthood and the Royal Guard to detain Asora for the attacks on the Angel’s territory,” Aga stated.
“What?” Asora and several others said.
“You actually attacked the Angelic Empire? Wow, you are very bold, baby sister. Even I would not have done that. Until now, anyway,” Laxur said to Asora.
“You cannot be serious!” Dominus said sharply.
“Dominus’s superiors have said otherwise. They have asked me to prosecute you on their behalf,” Aga explained.
“Oh my. This is quite a change of events. My Queen, perhaps we should aid them in this,” Polea suggested.
“Puro Aga, I, Queen Laxur, and my Empire will help you in this matter. So there will be a truce,” the Dark Queen proclaimed.
“Thank you, Queen Laxur.” Then Aga turned to Asora, who was in complete shock. “Now, Princess, come with me.”
Asora shook her head. She thought that this had to be a very bad dream. Where was Dominus, why was her mother now so powerless, and why was Laxur siding with Aga? “No! You will not take me!” Asora then vanished in a glitter of silver and gold light.

Princess Asora reappeared on the other side of Evorn. She was not powerful enough to escape the world on her own. Evorn was not populated enough for her to be caught so easily. Only thirty-five million people lived on Evorn, so most of the planet was uninhabited. This continent was for the most part uninhabited, except for a village or two with at most fifty people. It was nighttime and summer, and this was a rainforest area, the only one on Evorn. Since it was summer, that meant monsoons all season long. The rain was heavy and warm. Asora was soaked to the bone, and she was lost. Still in her armor, Asora ran as soon as she heard people coming her way. She figured that the Puro and Laxur had sent hunting parties after her.
The Princess ran in the other direction, towards a mountain chain. It was too wet for her use her wings, and if there were Angels, she could be tracked and taken down easily. She could now hear them all calling her name.
After five minutes of running, Asora fell into a crater hidden in the thick vegetation. Asora tumbled and fell for several hundred feet. She was finally deposited into a metal hardened floor in a dimly lit room.
In pain and bloodied, Asora slowly sat up, and she did not know where she was. The beaten up Princess looked around and saw what looked like a door that could slide into the walls. Asora went up to the door, and it glowed then opened to her. Once Asora walked through, the door shut, and the other room now lit up. It appeared to be an elevator. Down it went, and she could see what was outside the elevator car. Asora was taken deep down into the interior of Evorn. Asora was amazed at what she saw. Towering machines, glowing platforms, and graceful holograms. The elevator opened, and Asora slowly walked out into the giant monolithic room.
Once the doors opened, the Princess was greeted by a blue glowing orb.
“Welcome to Tamotan Colony Command and Control. Are you the new commanding officer sent by the Central Committee of the U.R.?” the orb asked Asora. It scanned her with a wave beam of light.
“I do not believe that we have been introduced. I am Asora Serafus, the Princess of the Utopian Kingdom,” Asora introduced herself.
“Very well. I am Emband, the main central intelligence of the Tamotan Colony. I was created in the Seanalt Laboratories, in the United Republics on Tera,” Emband introduced himself.
“You were created on Tera?” Then Asora thought for a moment. “What is the Tamotan colony?”
“This world is called Tamotan. In fact, I am having a complete scan done to catalogue the events,” Emband said.
“This world is called Evorn,” Asora said.
“That is a Z’yon term. Why would anyone from the United Republics Colonial Command allow such a name?” Emband asked.
“This world was once a U.R. colony? Which species?” Asora thought.
“Human, of course. The United Republics was the Human race’s most advanced and most powerful nation, one of twenty-nine other Human nations. Which were part of a world with two hundred other nations on Tera,” Emband explained.
“So all this was built by Humans. And this was once a Human-dominated world?” Asora thought out loud.
“Why are you asking all these questions? It seems as though….” Emband trailed off as if in thought. “Oh no. There is a massive infection of Tamotan’s surface.”
“Infection? What do you mean?” Asora asked.
“There are roughly thirty-four-point-two million individual units in primitive dwellings, and most of the concentration of the infection is on the Yio continent,” Emband said.
“Thirty-four-point-two million?” Asora whispered to herself. That is roughly the same number of non-Humans of the thirty-five million total population of Evorn. Is this intelligence referring to all the Elves, Centaurs, Fairies, Merpeople, and the other magical creatures?
“What is the infection?” Asora asked.
“They appear to be from Z’yon in nature. These primitives are known for causing trouble and damaging the nature of worlds. The United Republics Central Military Command has designated them an infestation, and they are not allowed to leave the main star system,” Emband said.
Asora was at a loss for words. These United Republics Humans from the ancient times seemed to be rather racist against any magical creatures. Then again, that seemed to be justified, but that is no excuse.
“Asora! We must activate the colonial defenses and eradicate this infestation. I will take us to the central core. I will need you to control the core in order to activate the defense grid,” Emband said.
“I have a question for you,” Asora asked.
“Of course,” is all Emband said.
“Are there other worlds that the U.R. colonized in this region of space?” Asora asked.
“Why yes. This entire region is a part of the United Republics Colonial Command. The main command core world is Havaina. In fact, the defense grid was activated recently, judging by a scan of a nearby star system. An alien ship was detected, and the defense grid had to fend off the locals in order to get them out of the way for the machinery,” Emband explained.
“A ship? What kind of ship?” Asora asked.
“Unknown, but it was enough to activate the main planetary defense grid,” Emband explained.

Princess Asora walked into yet another large dimly lit room. At the center was a massive hologram map of Evorn, or Tamotan, as it was originally known. The map showed the settlements, villages, farms, and the palace on the opposite side of the planet. The map also revealed the locations of all remaining U.R. technologies, buildings, and other constructs.
“Here is where you can activate the primary planetary defense grid, Asora,” Emband said.
“What will happen if I do activate the defense grid?” Asora asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? The infestation will be irradiated in a mega cycle. Then the U.R. will be able to send replacements without interference,” Emband explained.
“Irradiated? How?” the Princess asked.
“A multitude of methods that mostly involve high energy-based weapons that were built into the moon. Generating superstorms that can cause coastal flooding, which is where most of the infestation exists anyway. Melt the polar ice caps, and of course, generate continent-crushing super-quakes,” Emband said in a calm way.
This realization for a moment horrified Asora. But then again, the whole Kingdom had turned on her, and the Empire wanted her as a prize. This place seemed to be offering her an answer, an escape. The question was, should she use this great weapon and rid herself of these problems? But if she did, more than thirty-four million people would die, and many more on other worlds. She would become something far worse than her sister. Laxur thought that she was a goddess, but Asora held the fates of all life in known space.
Emband showed Asora to the control console that controlled the defense grid. The console was alive with holograms and glowed blue and green. The symbols were all unfamiliar to Asora, but she had seen them before on Tera.
“It must be done. In order to vanquish the infestation and restore Tamotan to its nature state and re-colonization by the U.R. Colonial Command,” Emband said.
“But everyone will die,” Asora whimpered.
“These parasites are below animals, according to the ecological society in the U.R. Committee,” Emband informed Asora rather urgently.
“No! I will not,” Asora said.
“What! Why?” Emband asked, flabbergasted.
“I do value life, more than people might think. You may think that the Utopians are parasites, but I do not,” Asora said.
“These creatures are a threat! They are evil!” Emband started to yell.
“They can be saved. I want to save them. Just like I was!” Asora began to cry.
“You have done well, Emband. She has passed my test. Thank you,” another male voice echoed through the room.
“Who is there? Show yourself!” Asora demanded.
“You seem to think that you still command the stars. But you are still a child—but a child with a great and terrible burden. A destiny that you were never suppose to have.” Then a powerful old Angel appeared from a golden light before Asora and the holographic Emband.
“How was my performance, Great One?” Emband’s tone changed as if he were now a different entity all together.
“You have done well, Emband. Even I was fooled,” the Angel said to the hologram.
“You look familiar…” Asora trailed off.
“I am not surprised that you do not recognize me. You were only a five-day-old infant when we last saw each other. I am Talaron, Lord of all Servants of the Two Divine,” Talaron introduced himself.
“Grandfather? Why are you here?” Asora sobbed. The old man embraced Asora and allowed her to cry into his chest. “Why is all this happening to me?”
“This was your final test, my littlest granddaughter. And you passed. Your old fate has been stripped away, and a new destiny is now awaiting you,” Talaron explained. Asora looked completely confused at his statement. “You and your sister’s fates were switched at young ages. Asaria was not supposed to be this abomination Laxur is now. That was supposed to be you, and Asaria was meant to be the Princess. And your foe. However, something happened, and your destinies had been changed,” Talaron said.
“I was supposed to be the evil?” Asora began to cry more.
“Your father, in his youthful arrogance, actually disapproved of your birth. I, however, disagreed and showed him that you are worth the life that you have, and far more. You have become a redeemer of souls,” Talaron said with a smile to his granddaughter.
“I knew that my father felt disdain for me, and I felt no love from him. But I did not know that was the reason,” Asora sobbed.
“Your uncle felt the same way I did, and he did what he could to make sure that you were a better person than what destiny dictated for you,” the old Angel said to Asora.
“I remember Uncle Borvaen. He was more of a father to me than my real one was.” Asora rose up and looked into Talaron’s eyes. “Why did you say that your people wanted me arrested?”
“What? Whoever told you that was lying. I gave no such order!” Talaron now seemed angry. His anger made him very frightening. No one dared to cross the Lord of Angels and lived to tell the tale.
“The Puro, the Utopian Court, and the rest of the Kingdom,” Asora said slowly. Talaron growled with anger and his fists hardened.
“Shall I return you to the palace?” Emband asked Talaron.
“Your test is completed, Princess Asora Swaye Serafus. You are the Emissary of the Light and my herald. Now it is the Utopian Kingdom’s turn to face the great test. You will give them this test and make them face reality. It is important that you not say anything about this. They will be faced with a choice. Keep you as their leader, and their chance for survival is good. Remove you, and they are doomed to the abyss. You will either save the soul of the Kingdom, or they will doom it themselves,” Talaron explained.
“Thank you, grandfather. I will do what I can,” Asora said, and she kissed him on the cheek like a little child would. Then Asora vanished in a glowing glitter of gold and silver.
“Will she be okay?” Emband asked Talaron with worry in his electronic voice.
“She will. It will be hard for her at first. But when the second terror comes, then she will have a much easier time guiding them to salvation,” Talaron said to the hologram.

Princess Asora reappeared inside the throne room of the palace. She was surrounded by the elite of Utopian society and several soldiers.
“Asora? Where did you come from?” King Adium of the Fairies asked as he floated up to Asora non-hostile-like.
“I was enlightened. And I have a mission,” Asora replied.
“A mission?” Adium was confused.
“You will see, my lord,” Asora said.
“Well, I will help you in any way that I can,” Adium promised.
Then Asora’s four ladies-in-waiting buzzed up to Asora with relief, and they hugged and kissed her with crazy reverence.
Madimoy and Jeia were next to come up to Asora. “Princess, you are well!” Madimoy hugged Asora.
“Nice to see you too,” Asora replied.
“As am I,” now from Lady T’ula, who was smiling. She missed her cousin greatly.
“You have guts, and recklessness. I like that,” the Demon Rakon said, smiling.
“Thank you, all of you. I should go and confront the Kingdom,” Asora said, and walked off.

An hour later, Puro Aga was informed that Asora had reappeared in the palace and she was more defiant than ever. T’ula found the crown, and T’a magically protected the throne for Asora only. By doing this, she proclaimed that Asora was still the rightful Princess of the Utopian Kingdom. Marevin and Frenzen were also protecting her, making access to her difficult.
Puro Aga and his priests and priestesses confronted the defiant Princess Asora on her throne.
“You have always been trouble, but not as much as this,” Aga said to Asora.
“And you are a liar, and bad one at that,” Asora said.
“What are you talking about?” Aga said, now a little worried.
“I was informed that the higher powers in the Angel Empire did not give such orders. I have, in fact, met with the Lord of Angels himself. He told me that he was happy about what the side-effects were like. The test actually made Hailospont invulnerable to attacks from above. The Angels can still get through, but no one else. They can still live on the planet without any ill effects,” Asora explained.
“I had no idea,” Aga stammered.
Countess Marien and King Adium looked manically at the Puro and the other Utopians. Queen Laxur, who had appeared during Asora’s explanation, was furious.
“The Lord of Angels himself came to you and told you this? What else did he tell you?” Queen Laxur asked out of curiosity. She had always wanted to meet the Lord of Angels and ask him many questions. But Laxur knew nothing about him, unlike Asora, who knew him and his secrets. And Laxur wanted to know what Asora knew about him.
“This is not over, Asora. I will see you defeated,” Aga threatened.
“Go ahead and try old man. You will regret it,” Asora fired back in a threatening manner.

Kingdoms and Empires: Chapter 42

The Second Battle of Z’yon

“The test at Hailospont has confirmed what you thought, Your Highness. The powerful magical forces protecting that world failed and could not stand up to the modified nuclear blast,” Marevin explained to Asora. The Historian was onboard and was fascinated with the events.
“Good. Then that means that your modifications are sufficient enough to attack Z’yon successfully,” Asora responded.
“Are you sure that you want to do that?” Dominus asked. He had been ordered to be around Asora now at all times, except for in her chambers.
“I do not want to destroy Z’yon itself, but if Laxur does not leave it for the Tervi system, I will have no choice but to destroy it,” Asora stated.
Heralin and Jeia looked at the plans that they had for a magical and scientific prison that they were building on a world in the Tervi planetary system for both Laxur and Polea.
T’ula, Ela, and T’a were preparing their magic for the coming battle. Rakon and Marien were also with Asora in the battle room in the Thundercon’s command and control center.
“Asora! Is the prison completed? Are you sure of the calculations of the weapon that you are planning to use?” Marien demanded from her youngest daughter.
“Yes, Mother,” Asora answered dully. “The prison is the fourth planet in the Tervi system. Laxur and Polea will have a whole planet to themselves. After it is lightly radiated,” Asora explained.
“You had better hope that works, or your sister is going to go on the warpath for you,” Rakon warned. “Or die of radiation poisoning.”
“Are you all finished?” Asora demanded coldly.
“I think that we are,” Marien said and she left. After a minute, only the Historian remained.
“That could have gone better,” the Historian commented.
“I do not care right now. Do you have the bomb?” Asora asked.
“Here. It has been miniaturized so that you can carry it. Only you can activate and deactivate it. Even Laxur cannot turn it off.” The Historian held out a medium-sized black ball with four red buttons. He placed it in Asora’s hands. The Princess took the weapon and admired the power that she now held in her hands. The power to destroy, the power to cause fear, the power to control.
“Let Asaria have Z’yon. I have this,” Asora said to herself holding the Super Nuclear Weapon in her hands. That made the Historian curious about Asora and her current state.

On Z’yon, deep inside the fortress, Smika was wandering around the halls looking for his goddess queen. He was bored, and the Queen usually enjoyed his company. She was not in her bed chambers. Prince S’tie was out with Illumin, and Heranian was in the fields and deserts.
An hour later, Smika figured out where she was: in a room that he did not understand why it existed. The room was a mile from the Queen’s chambers. The thirteen-year-old boy opened the door leading in. There he saw Laxur lying face down on a special table being massaged by six of her Succubi.
She looked up to see Smika looking from the door. She smiled in delight at him.
“Come in, my dear. Would you like a massage too?” Laxur asked him gently .
“I guess?” Smika seemed nervous. It was not Laxur that made him nervous, but the Succubi. They were big and seductive, and ravenous.
“Do not be afraid of them. You are under my word, and they will not harm you in anyway, my dear,” Laxur reassured the young man.
Two Succubi escorted Smika to another table that had just formed. It was directly in front of the Queen’s so she could face him. They took his clothes, except for his underwear. They lay him face down and placed a thin blanket over his legs. The two Succubi began to massage the thirteen-year-old boy’s back.
“Feels good, does it not?” Laxur asked.
“Yes, it does, my Queen,” Smika replied politely.
Laxur liked the fact that this boy was so well behaved. He had been her most loyal servant. But he was not a servant; he was her only male acolyte. He was the only one who did not request a special divine gift, and she wanted him to have one, but he had been too shy to tell her.
“Smika. Have you thought of your gift that you want?” Laxur asked sweetly.
“Yes, I have my Queen,” the boy said. Laxur looked at him as if she were demanding to know. “I want you.”
That took the dark beauty by surprise, but it should not have. He was, after all, at that age where he would find women attractive.
“Oh my. As flattered as I am, I really am, I am too old for you. I could have a lady of your age found for you. Or I could create a woman just for you,” Laxur suggested.
“You asked what I wanted. I find you to be the greatest and most lovely woman that ever lived. I do not care that you are older or bigger than me,” Smika said rather quickly.
Again Queen Laxur was taken back. This young man was madly in love with her. Her spell was meant for men her age, so the spell of love and seduction that she had upon her body was working too well.
“I am sorry, my dear Smika. I cannot do that. But I can do something for you that would satisfy your wish,” Laxur suggested. Smika was both sad and confused. “I have an idea that you may like.”

A few hours later, Queen Laxur was in her new lab using her divine magic. On a platform, a body of a young thirteen-year-old girl began to form. She was making a girl for Smika, but this girl, this creation, would be different from her others; this one would have a soul. She would make this girl like herself, in appearance anyway. She would have blue-black hair, and she was tall, roughly five feet. The same exact height as Smika. The Queen gave this girl blue eyes and great mortal powers. She was also voluptuous for a thirteen year old. Her muscles were light, unlike Laxur’s, which were powerful.
“My Queen. What is that?” Princess Polea formed nearby in the lab.
“This young lady is for Smika,” was all Laxur said.
“Why are you going to all the trouble for him?” Polea asked. She did not understand why her Queen was making a girl for Smika.
“Because, Polea, I want Smika to have a companion his age,” Laxur replied, looking back to her creation.
“Again, my Queen, Why?” Polea asked more insistently.
The Dark Queen then decided to tell the blonde Princess. “Because, Polea, Smika just admitted to me that he is in love with me.”
Polea had a face of understanding as she realized Laxur’s intentions. “Oh my. He is really shooting high. I have to give him points for trying. But then again, you are the ultimate catch for any male.”
“But Smika is way too young for me,” Laxur began.
“I can understand that. Plus you are way too big for him too. Like four times his size,” Polea mumbled.
“Thanks,” Laxur said dully. “So this girl will be a perfect alternative for Smika. I will see to it that she loves him and is loyal to him.”
“But what if she does not turn out to be what you want? What if she turns traitor on us, or worse, hurts Smika?” Polea asked all her questions at once.
“If I have to, I will use my most powerful spells on her. She will be the woman of his dreams, one way or the other,” Laxur stated, very determined.
“What if Smika does not love her, even if she loves him and no one else? If he does not, then that is a problem too,” Polea added in.
“That is a risk that I am willing to take. Now, what do you think of her? Any ideas for a name?” Laxur asked.
“I think she is very pretty. I like her hair. She reminds me of a fragile china doll. As for a name, now that is a tough one,” Polea said thoughtfully. The blonde Princess was in deep thought. “Oh, I have an idea for a name. How about Aladynia?”
“Aladynia? You really want me to give her an ancient Elf word for a name?” Laxur questioned.
“Aladynia, it means ‘new.’ Or you can use the Human meaning behind it. After all, Humans and Elves have many similar words,” Polea suggested.
“But the Human translation is more of an insult. The word means ‘prototype,’” Laxur pointed out.
“If you think about it, my Queen, it fits her well,” Polea pointed out.
“You are, of course, right. All right then, Aladynia it is,” Laxur proclaimed.

Two days later, Smika was looking for Princess Polea. Usually he and she played games with Hyea. But Hyea was out now, so only Polea was around. He remembered at first he and Polea had a rocky start, but they became friends and he enjoyed playing the games that she had, and with her. Polea was a very pretty woman just like Laxur, but Polea was more of a child, and that made her easy to get along with. Laxur was a far more mature, and bigger a woman.
The Princess was usually around the Queen when she was out. So he went to the throne room and did not find them there. So he went to the dining room because Queen Laxur usually liked to eat and drink a lot. How she could maintain her sexy figure was beyond Smika’s understanding. She was not there, and neither was Polea. He could go to the Queen’s sleeping chambers, but usually that was occupied by suitors for the Queen. Most recently, the Princess had been getting suitors. Smika liked the fact that Polea and Laxur did not treat him like a small child. They talk to him like a guy their age.
Then a purple glowing and misting ball floating in the air hovered in Smika’s face. It seemed to beckon him to follow it. He followed it for an hour, and it vanished behind a set of giant doors. These were the Queen’s doors, to her bedchambers. He was here earlier but did not think anything of it. Perhaps Queen Laxur wished to see him about his gift that she mentioned yesterday. The doors opened, and he slowly walked in. He hoped to see Laxur and wondered what she wanted. He had begun to have fantasies about the Queen in recent weeks. He could hear several heartbeats; all but one were familiar. Smika had a unique ability of ultra-sensitive hearing. He also had photographic memory, and he memorized everyone’s noises, especially the Queen’s heartbeat.
Queen Laxur came out of the darkness and was only a few feet away from him. She was wearing a very tight black dress. She had a loving smile on her lips, and she beckoned him to follow her.
“I have a lovely surprise for you, my dear,” the dark beauty said to her favorite male acolyte.
“What is it?” Smika demanded now very curious.
“Just wait right here, and I will bring it to you,” the Queen said. She walked away into the dark. Smika could hear the unfamiliar heartbeat coming closer.
The person that came into view for Smika was new to him, a young lady roughly his age. She looked almost like the Queen, with a few noticeable exceptions. She too wore a black tight dress with a low-cut top, and sleeveless. She was beautiful, Smika had to admit, but who was she?
“What do you think of her, Smika?” Queen Laxur asked. “Her name is Aladynia. She is my gift to you.”
“Wow, she is pretty, my Queen,” Smika said. The truth was, he was not interested in this Aladynia; he wanted Laxur. But he did not want to say that to his sovereign.
“Thank you for saying that I am pretty, my lord,” Aladynia said with a youthful glee. She had fallen in love with Smika. He was cuter than what Laxur had said. She held out her hand to Smika like a princess would.
“My Queen, would she be considered a princess? She is, after all, your creation, and she was made using your flesh,” Polea said as she appeared beside Laxur.
“Yes, she is a princess. Do not worry, Polea, you are the Official Princess, and Aladynia is only a Crowned Princess,” Laxur explained to a potentially jealous Polea.
Polea noticed Smika’s reaction to Aladynia, and she could understand his posture. She figured that it would take time for him to warm up to her.
“Eventually, Smika, she will grow into a magnificent figure of a woman, very similar to myself. She was, after all, made from my blood, so she will grow into a woman like me. Just give her time. Who knows, in that time you two will fall madly in love with each other,” Laxur said with happy hope that her plan worked. She was oblivious to Smika’s current feelings to this creation of the Queen’s, and to Polea’s feelings as well.

Later, Princess Polea and Smika were in Polea’s bedchambers, or the Dark Dollhouse, as the other Darkcons called her room. Smika and Polea usually played games or with her toys.
“You and I have something more in common, Smika,” Polea added in.
“Oh? What would that be, my Princess?” Smika asked, worried.
“Aladynia. She is not what I thought she would be. I did not expect her to be labeled a princess,” Polea began.
“I did not think she would be a clone of the Queen.” Smika looked at Polea. “You are the Princess, as far as I am concerned, Polea.”
His words made Polea smile. He had been kind to her, even though at first they were not friendly to each other.
“Thank you, Smika. What are we going to do about her, though? She was made for you, and I suspect that our Queen wishes for a child,” Polea suggested.
“I do not know. She is nice, but she does not seem to be all there,” Smika said.
“I know what you mean,” Polea responded. “She is a fully formed person with a soul.”
“She actually seems to only have part of a soul. I know this because she is so fixated on one thing at a time and seems to only have one emotion,” Smika added.
“That could be a problem,” Polea thought out loud.
An explosion from space rocked the whole of Z’yon. Polea made a window appear so that she could look out.
In the grey skies above, she saw tears form. These were Human gravity drives creating an exit portal for ships, lots of ships. Polea counted at least ninety-four portals in orbit.
“What is happening?” Smika asked, worried.
“We have company,” was all Polea said.
Princess Aladynia ran into Queen Laxur’s arms, shaking in fear.
“My Queen! What is happening?” the thirteen-year-old girl cried.
“Some fool is attacking me,” Laxur sneered.

In orbit, nine of the Human’s super dreadnought starships were firing on the planet below. They were disrupting troop movements and softening the areas where their troops were going to land.
From the bridge of one of the carriers, Princess Asora, with Lord Dominus, Lady T’ula, the Historian, and Countess Marien, watched the attack and the transport ships sent down landing ships.
“How long do you plan on attacking them?” Dominus asked.
“A few hours. Does that answer your question?” Asora said snidely.
Dominus and Asora were at odds as of late because of the test near the Angel’s home system.
“You know, your sister is eventually going to come up here and stop this herself,” Marien pointed out.
“No, she will not. Those powers have made her lazy. The Historian and I will go down there,” Asora said.
“Why do you want me down there? I hate this miserable dirt ball. The last time I was here, I got a rash,” the Historian complained.
“I need you just in case if something goes wrong with the weapon,” Asora pointed out to the Historian.
“We are also going with you, Princess,” T’ula said, referring to herself, Marien, and Dominus.
“Fine,” is all Asora said, and she turned back to the window. “Have the Red Guard, Royal Guard, and the Uridan ready to move.

An hour had passed, and the bombardment had moved beyond the fortress to another part of Z’yon. A large transport landed outside the walls of the damaged fortress. Outcome dozens of Utopian, Human, and Uridan soldiers. With them were Princess Asora, Countess Marien, Lady T’ula, Lord Dominus, and the Historian. With the Princess was the modified Super Nuclear Weapon. She had it in a specially made case that she was holding in her left hand.
“Breach the walls!” Asora ordered to the troops. The soldiers blasted down the walls with both magic and firepower. The bricks and debris flew, and many dead Darkcons were found.

In the grand darkened throne room, Queen Laxur was trying to figure out what was happening. She could not tell what the Humans or the Utopians were up to. She was also sensing other beings that she was unfamiliar with also here. The Queen was getting very frustrated, and her subjects were afraid.
The doors were locked, but they could tell a battle was raging on the other side. It went silent, and the doors seemed to unlock themselves. A feminine figure in golden armor appeared out of the darkness, holding an odd little black sphere. Princess Asora was back, and she looked mad.
“So, baby sister, you have decided to come back. I must give you points on your entrance,” Laxur said politely.
“Cut the crap, Laxur! I give you one chance to surrender!” Asora demanded, squeezing the sphere.
“Or what, baby sister? Are you going to throw your toy at me?” Laxur laughed, mocking the Utopian Princess.
“Actually, Asaria, I plan to nuke you and burn your empire to the ground in nuclear fire,” Asora said, holding out the sphere.
Laxur stopped laughing and looked a little shocked.
“You are lying! The Humans were forced to destroy their nuclear weapons after the Great War!” Polea yelled.
“You really are a bubble-headed bimbo, Polea. No one gives up an advantage like this,” Asora stated. “And I had some help.” A massive freakish monster appeared behind Asora. “Meet the Historian.”
The Historian roared in anger at Laxur and her minions.
“What is that thing?” Dari asked, repulsed by the monstrous creature.
“He is a resident of the planet Tera. He and his Uridan have sided with me against you. And he was kind enough to modify a few old nuclear weapons to have an effect on your forces.” Asora then looked at the weapon in her hand. “This one is for you.”
“I have to say, I am proud of you. Who would have thought that you had this in you? But your choice of weapons is a bit odd. You do realize that if you detonate that thing, you die with me,” Laxur pointed out.
“I built a transporter on one of the ships. It will pull all Utopian and Human forces out before the explosion,” the Historian spoke.
“It can speak?” Hyea buzzed as she ducked behind Laxur after the monster roared.
The Succubi and Incubi backed away from the Historian and the gathering Uridan. The Humans and Utopians were also slowly entering the room.
“Well? What are you waiting for? Restrain them!” Polea ordered the soulless creatures.
“They will get slaughtered by the Uridan again, you dumb blonde,” Asora roared.
Countess Marien, T’ula, and Dominus appeared behind Asora.
“So, you brought the family down here, have you? Where is Jeia, my dear brother?” Laxur said as she saw them.
“He is here. Jeia is on one of the ships above,” Marien said.
The Queen looked at T’ula, and a wicked smile grew on her lips, “Have you enjoyed the great gift that I have given you, Cousin?”
“Are you mad? I have just finally figured out how to get used to this form. Unless you have finally succumbed to madness, you and I are not family,” T’ula explained.
“You were lied to, T’ula, all your life. I know who your father was. Just ask my dear old mother.” Laxur pointed to Marien.
“What is she talking about?” T’ula asked Marien.
The Countess looked just as stumped as the Elf lady. Dominus, however, knew somewhat.
“T’ula. Your father was Borvaen Swaye. He was Countess Marien’s great uncle. Your birth mother fell in love with him, and you were conceived by that union,” Dominus explained.
That shocked T’ula; all this time she had a family, a biological family that could have helped her. Marien was not even aware that her great uncle had a wife, let alone a child. He died long ago, taking that secret to his grave.
“Enough! Queen Laxur! What is your answer?” Asora yelled in a threatening tone.
“Do not speak to me in that tone, Asora!” Laxur roared. She sent a wave of black energy at Asora. However, this time it just washed over her, and the Princess did not even feel it.
“It works? Well, now this is more like it,” Asora said with an evil grin.
She walks towards her sister with bomb in hand. Laxur sent another pulse of magic at Asora, again, and again, and again. None worked, and Asora was completely unfazed by Laxur’s divine magic. She had actually found away to defy the Goddess Queen. The Darkcons were now actually afraid of Asora for the first time. She could kill them all and burn the Empire to the ground. She would be the first Utopian monarch in history to actually do the job.
“Will that bomb protect Asora from Laxur?” T’ula asked the Historian.
“It will protect her from the magic, but not from Laxur directly,” the Historian responded.
The mad Queen was frustrated and afraid. Her baby sister was untouchable by magic, and she did not know what other things Asora had if she were to strike physically. She would negotiate with Asora.
“Asora! If you promise to not destroy my empire, I will stop attacking your little kingdom. Deal?” Laxur asked, hoping the ploy would work.
“No!” is all Asora said.
“Why not?” Laxur asked flummoxed.
“You are too dangerous to be allowed to leave unchecked. Either remove the power from yourself, or accept imprisonment in the Tervi star system,” Asora demanded.
“You are the one who is mad! My Queen would never accept such terms,” Polea interjected.
“You too, bubble head!” Asora said meanly to Polea.
“All right, mashed potato head! You want to fight?” Then Polea made her jade armor appear. “Then let us fight.”
The blonde Princess walked in front of Asora with her jade bear sword in hand. Queen Laxur was adding more power and strength into Polea, making her stronger than normal. Polea was significantly bigger than Asora now, and she was shaped very similar to Laxur.
Asora did not bother unsheathing either of her swords. She believed all she needed was the nuclear weapon in her hand.
“Back off, you oversized bimbo.” Then Asora pulled out a special advanced magnum revolver with uranium-tipped bullets. “Or you are going to hit the floor very hard. And just because you are bigger does not mean a damned thing. You are just slower and stupider.”
Polea growled in anger, but then Asora was hit by a rock. Smika was throwing rocks at the angry Utopian Princess.
“Kid! You are going to get it if you do not stop!” Asora threatened.
“Are you threatening my acolyte?” Laxur demanded.
Then a girl with Laxur’s appearance charged at Asora head on and slammed into her. The force knocked the bomb out of her hands, and it rolled away.
“You stupid little bitch!” Asora roared and punched the girl in the face. Then she scanned the floor for the bomb, as did the others.
Aladynia was on the floor bleeding from Asora’s powerful punch, and crying too. Smika ran to her side.
“Why did you do that?” Smika asked.
“I wanted to show you that I was tough too, just like you,” Aladynia choked.
Asora and T’ula were scrambling to find the bomb. The Historian used his special eyes to track the radiation being admitted from the weapon. He analyzed the levels and they were rising.
The Princess found it as bullets and energy bolts flew all around her.
“Uh, Princess, you may not want to touch that weapon!” the Historian warned.
“Why?” Asora demanded.
“The radiation levels are rising. I think the shielding has been compromised and the core is leaking,” the Historian advised.
“That is not good,” T’ula said. She actually did have some knowledge of nuclear devices. Countess Marien and Lady Madimoy were kind enough to give her a brief education on the subject. She also knew that a rise in radiation levels was dangerous for magical beings. If they were high enough, all life would get poisoned by this and die horribly.
“Find that bomb at all cost!” Queen Laxur ordered with a roar.
“Oh no you do not, sister!” Asora then zapped Laxur herself to get her attention, as well as her minions’.
“You dare?” Laxur blasted Asora again. But the attack did nothing. Laxur saw the coins that Asora was wearing in her necklace. The powers had changed, and they were able to protect Asora from her magic. However, a physical attack may be a different matter all together.
The Queen got off her throne and charged at her little sister. Asora saw Laxur coming at her in a fit of rage. T’ula, however, slammed herself right into Laxur’s side. This forced Laxur to the ground on her side.
“You ungrateful Elf bitch!” Laxur roared. The mad Queen stood back up, facing down her Elf equal. T’ula made her sword appear in a sparkle of white light. She pointed it at Laxur. The Queen smiled at T’ula evilly, the same way she did when she had altered her. “You really want to fight me, Cousin? You just found out that you happen to have the honor of being a member of my family. And the first thing you do to thank me is to cross swords with me?”
A massive black sword appeared in Laxur’s hand from a black mist.
“I am honored to be a part of Princess Asora’s family. You have become a shame to us,” T’ula entered her opinion.
Laxur pointed her sword at T’ula and zapped her with a powerful bolt of black lightning. The Elf lady was blown back and crashed into Asora, who was behind her. T’ula’s heavier weight on Asora’s chest caused her great discomfort.
“Get off of me!” Asora cried out. T’ula was shoved off by a new Utopian figure. It was Marevin, and he came with a new gun, a shotgun.
“Where did you come from, cutie?” Laxur commented to Marevin.
“From the Hydron in orbit,” Marevin replied sharply. He pointed his gun at the Queen. He shot her several times, with no effect.
“You really need a better plan. And besides, if you are trying to impress my baby sister, I do not think that she is even the least bit impressed. I would not be,” Laxur said. Then she changed her tune. She wanted to torment Asora, and the idea she got would make that happen.
The Queen whipped herself into a purple vapor and surrounded Marevin. She re-formed, holding him to herself. She held Marevin’s head to her chest and raised his face to meet hers. The Queen then kissed Marevin very passionately, and at the same time she placed an extremely powerful love spell on him. All this in front of Princess Asora, making her spirits fall. She was about to lose her closest ally and her future husband.
However, something happened that no one accepted. Instead of falling madly in love with the Queen, he shot her in the chest. The spell did not work on him. Laxur, shocked by this, released him, and the young lord shot her again and again. The spell had the opposite effect on Marevin. Instead of loving Laxur, he now hated her and wanted to kill her.
“Die, you useless bitch!” He blasted the Queen again. After he exhausted his shells, Marevin backed away to reload. He was also mumbling like a crazy man as he did.
The Queen was undamaged by Marevin’s crazed gun strike. She was stunned that her spell actually backfired.
“You are so dead, little man,” Laxur threatened. She swung her sword at him, and in response Marevin held his gun up to block Laxur’s attack. She chopped through the shotgun and punched Marevin.
Asora was now impressed with Marevin. So she rushed to his side to help him. Meanwhile, the Historian was tracking the nuclear bomb. T’ula also recovered and was back up on her feet.
“Are you well, Marevin?” Asora asked.
“Yes, my Princess,” Marevin replied to her normally.
“He is crazy!” Laxur thundered.
“We will see when I rip out your guts and strangle you with your own intestines!” Marevin roared, and then charged at the mad Queen in a fit of rage.
“Wow, what have I done to you? You are completely crazy!” Laxur yelled, dodging Marevin’s newly revealed knife attack. The Queen grabbed the knife blade and magically shattered the blade.
Then Marevin reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a big old magnum revolver. It was loaded with eight uranium-tipped bullets. Laxur could tell that the bullets were uranium-tipped because they were glowing blue. She knew that these bullets could do some serious damage to her being. And in Marevin’s crazed state, he might be able to kill her, even as a goddess. Laxur vanish into a cloud of mist in order to prevent Marevin from shooting her.
Princess Polea and Smika were next to challenge Princess Asora and Marevin. The blonde Princess pointed her sword at Asora, and Smika had enchanted daggers.
“You, Princess, are not going to win this,” Smika threatened Asora.
“Hold your tongue, boy. You have not a clue as to what is happening,” Asora barked.
“You want to bet on that, you super mean witch Princess, or Nuke Princess” Smika said snidely.
That set Asora off the deep end. She pointed her sword at Polea and zapped her with a powerful blot of energy. Both Polea and Smika were struck down hard by Asora’s attack.
This cleared the way for the Historian to grab the modified nuclear weapon. He analyzed the damage and discovered that its core had been cracked and could not be readily repaired.
“Princess Asora, the main hydrogen core and the uranium containment unit are too badly damaged,” the Historian yelled out.
“How dangerous is it?” T’ula asked.
“In twenty of your minutes, the core will meltdown and it will explode anyway,” the Historian explained.
Queen Laxur re-formed and was very worried. She knew that even a mere nuclear bomb was powerful enough to do her extreme harm.
“Give me that!” Asora ordered.
“Why? If you are exposed long enough, you will suffer from radiation poisoning,” the Historian warned.
“Just do it!” the Princess ordered.
The Historian gave the damaged, leaking, and partly glowing bomb to Asora. It was very hot to Asora’s touch, so she placed it on a nearby table. Marevin came up to Asora with a set of tools. Asora knew a lot more about nuclear technology than he did. She took a flat screwdriver and pried off the top to reveal the inner workings of the weapon.
The mechanism inside was more complex than Asora originally anticipated, but she did know what everything was and what all the components did. The Princess used the tools to keep her fingers from being burned from the leaking core.
“Can you fix it?” Laxur asked, very concerned.
“Quit disturbing me, and I may be able to repair it!” Asora yelled in frustration. “Or you can come down here and repair this damned thing yourself!”
Queen Laxur backed away from her little sister. She was both insulted and did not want Asora to fail for once.
An explosion erupted from the other side of the room from one of Laxur’s troops. It was enough to send Asora to the floor; the bomb was shattered, and the core was now unstable. Marevin pulled Asora away before the blue radiation mist could come too close to her. He threw the Princess to the floor behind him and doubled back himself.
“Damn it!” Asora cursed. “We need to get out of here!”
Laxur grabbed Asora by her collar and lifted her up, and she was angry. “You! You brought this here, and you have killed us all!”
“Put her down, witch!” T’ula ordered the Queen. She had her sword at Laxur’s throat.
“You stupid pointed-eared fool! Do you have not a clue as to what is going on? Your kind is too stupid to understand nuclear science,” Laxur stated to T’ula as if she were a child.
“Actually, bimbo, I know exactly what nuclear technology is, and how it works. In fact, I have a much better understanding than you do on the subject. Now put my cousin down!” T’ula retorted.
Queen Laxur refused, then Countess Marien decided to step in. “Do as she says, Asaria, now!”
“I do not take orders from you!” Laxur barked.
“Oh, yes, you will.” Then Marien began to chant a spell. She glowed, and in a blinding light Asora disappeared, then reappeared next to T’ula.
“What the—?” is all Laxur could get out before she was struck by a powerful blow behind her knees.
Countess Marien kicked out both of Laxur’s tendons behind her knee caps. Then Marien actually punched Laxur in the face. And, for once, Laxur could feel pain. This magic that her mother was using was the same as the magic of her father, Lord Serafus.
“Yield, Asaria!” Marien ordered to Laxur, who was now on the ground actually in pain.
“Never! I am a goddess. I do not yield to anyone. Especially not you!” Laxur stated firmly.
Meanwhile, the Historian examined the now severely damaged and critical nuclear device.
“We had better leave now!” the Historian ordered, and he and his Uridan ran out of the fortress.

Thousands of people flooded out of the fortress, and many more poured into the ships all around. The Human warships pulled their forces out as quickly as possible, even the Utopians too. The Darkcons vanished into the dark, and they killed each other getting into their ships to escape.
Countess Marien used her hidden powers to get everyone outside.
“This is not exactly minimum safe distance!” the Historian yelled out.
“I could have gotten to one of my ships from inside, if it was not for a certain someone’s intense powers!” Marien implied to Laxur and Polea.
“Hold your tongue, Mother!” Laxur barked.
“Enough! Everyone, get to a ship!” Asora yelled.
“They have all left. They left us all behind!” Polea looked around with dread.
Everyone else looked around and confirmed Polea’s assessment.
“This is not good,” is all the Historian said. “Oh, well, win or lose.”
“How can you be so calm at the prospect of your demise?” Marevin yelled out.
“Because I can be copied. My bodies have been destroyed many times. I can afford it,” the Historian said as if he was joking.
“Your compassion is overwhelming, monster,” Illumin said, depressed.
“No one is going to die today,” Marien proclaimed. She gathered all the powers that she had. This Angelic power was enough to withstand the radiation. A magical bubble formed around everyone standing near Marien.
The bubble lifted up into space with many people inside.
Once in orbit, Queen Laxur turned to see a blinding flash of light. A powerful nuclear bomb had detonated, but it was not powerful enough to destroy the planet like Asora and the Historian had intended. The bomb was damaged enough to make it a normal nuclear blast.
“Great. How are we going to get home?” Marevin complained.
Asora got an idea. “Historian. Is the gateway we used on Tera still working?”
“It should. In fact, there is one in orbit of the innermost moon orbiting Tera,” the Historian pointed out.
“That is all good and all, but where is Tera?” Laxur demanded.
“On the other side of Z’yon’s orbit, you oversized bimbo!” T’ula said.
“I am not a bimbo. You will address me as you would a queen!” Laxur roared.
“I will address a Utopian Queen with respect. You I hold you in contempt at best. You are no queen, not a goddess. Hell, not even a decent lady,” T’ula said defiantly.
Countess Marien managed to make the bubble move towards the other end of Z’yon’s orbit. A blacked-out planet appeared in the distance. Tera, the planet that Marien had searched for, for so many years. The legendary world of technology. But she could not go there now.
“The Uridan and I will go down to the Transwarp gateway and activate the device,” the Historian said.
Marien released the Historian and the Uridan. They drift down to a massive ring-like space station orbiting the innermost moon of Tera.
“Magnificent,” was all Marien could say at the site.
“Stop drooling, Mother,” Laxur said rudely.
“I remember telling you something similar, Laxur,” Asora retorted for Marien. The Queen growled in frustration.
An hour later, the giant artifact activated. A giant portal formed in the center.
“Is the Historian coming with us?” Marevin asked.
“I hope not,” Smika complained.
“No. This is his home. And here he will remain,” Asora said.
“Good riddance,” Laxur said.
The portal was fully formed, and Marien guided the bubble into it.

The portal dumped the bubble in the orbit of Evorn. Then the portal collapsed. They entered the atmosphere and floated towards the palace.

Kingdoms and Empires: Chapter 41

Asora’s Nuclear Firestorm

Near the now-occupied Darkcon world called Ebanaoia, a fleet of Utopian ships of the line and a few Human warships entered orbit in what Princess Asora had ordered a field test. The Utopian Royal Admiral Farkon, an older Elf, was put in charge of the operation. He was ordered to detonate the weapon on the surface and record the results after the blast. He did not care much for the Darkcons, but he had been alive when the Great War happened. He remembered the Humans firing their missiles armed with these nuclear weapons. His wife’s world had been burned by these weapons and left radioactive for the next ten millennia. He hated these things, but he studied what little information there was about the weapons. And what he learned scared him to death.
“The weapon is ready to be deployed, sir!” an officer said.
“Very well. Shoot the missile at the surface, and take us to a safe distance. I do not want to be anywhere near the explosion,” the Admiral stated.
The ship launched a large cylindrical missile at the planet surface. Within seconds the missile entered the atmosphere, and a blinding light could be seen from space. The crews of the ships were stunned by the brightness. The Admiral knew the bright light was the explosion of a nuclear bomb.

Three days later, the Humans were on the surface in suits radioactive-resistant from head to toe. They took bodies and samples back to their ship in orbit. Inside the research ship, the Human scientists examined the corpses and soil samples behind safe walls.
“As expected, the victims’ internals were heavily radiated and the organic matter melted,” a female scientist proclaimed.
“Confirmed. The soil samples show a higher levels than normally expected from a conventional hydrogen bomb. The levels are nine times higher than expected. Levels are almost above the Gamma radiation spectrum and into the unknown regions of the electromagnetic spectrum,” a male Human scientist said as he typed on a computer.
“The Princess wants to know the results from your tests,” a military officer said as he came in.
“Well, you can tell Her Royal Highness that these things take time and to keep her corset on. She will get it in due time,” a technician complained.
“I will tell her that. I want that data. The next test is going to begin in three days,” the officer stated, and then he left.

Three days later, another Utopian warship captained by a Dwarf named Sauwan was ordered by the Princess herself to detonate the nuclear bomb in orbit of another occupied Darkcon world that was once owned by a Dwarf noble who was killed by the Darkcon invasion. Sauwan did not care what this weapon was or who built it. If it killed Darkcons and avenged the fallen Dwarf noble, then so be it.
“Fire!” Sauwan ordered. The missile was launched from the decks of his ship. The target was the space in between the planet and its biggest moon. An explosion that the Dwarf had never seen before erupted. The moon was shattered like glass, and the atmosphere of the planet was burned away. The debris from the moon crashed into the planet, and the rest was ejected into space. The remains of the planet were pushed into a collision course with the star that the planet once orbited.
A Human onboard captured the test on camera. He was stunned by the spectacle.

Princess Asora watched the video and saw the pictures of the second test. She also just got the test results from the first test. She was impressed, but deep inside she was scared. The Historian and his Uridan were touring Evorn with Countess Marien. She had learned that Evorn was once a Human colony when they lived on Tera. Evorn was once known as Tamotan, an ancient Human word meaning “a world of sea and land.”
An Elf asked what worlds once were theirs outright. The Historian told her only one, Z’yon. The Elves, Dwarves, Fairies, and all the rest of the magical creatures only had one world. Humans and many other unknown races once spanned the ‘multiverse’ with vast interstellar empires. The Humans were once more advanced than they were now. The Humans, with their technology, were once like gods to the primitive magical peoples.

“I want another test,” Asora commanded.
“Of course, Your Highness. Where?” Frenzen asked.
“This one will be at Hailospont,” Asora said.
“Uh? Are you sure?” Frenzen sounded unsure.
“Yes, I am sure, damn it!” Asora yelled in anger. She had lost sleep and was running on coffee and magic. That was not good for the health or temperament.
“As you wish, my Princess,” Frenzen said coldly and left.
Princess Asora was alone in a large room filled with maps, papers, and even a computer or two. Asora was frustrated with the resistance that she was getting from the court.
“You should not push so hard, my child,” an unknown voice said gently.
“Who is there?” Asora demanded.
A bright light appeared in a chair, and a beautiful woman formed. This woman had white hair and pale skin and icy blue eyes. She also wore a white dress with a transparent veil. Princess Asora felt incredible power from her, just like Laxur with Z’yon, but this woman was different.
“Who are you?” Asora asked.
“You should know, my dear. You pray to me almost every day,” she said with a gentle, motherly smile.
“You! The…the Maker?” Asora stuttered, and then she dropped to her knees and bowed. “Please forgive me.”
“Please, Asora. Rise to your feet. I wish to speak to you,” the Maker said.
“Of course, my Maker. What do you wish to speak to me for?” Asora asked politely.
“I am afraid for you and your sister, Asaria,” the Maker began.
“My sister has stolen your powers. I will do what I can to stop…” Asora was interrupted.
“That power was, in fact, meant for Asaria. Unfortunately, she has become too irresponsible and unstable for it. She is at risk of being controlled by her new powers,” the Maker said.
“Why? Why give her that power? You knew that she would turn into a vile witch!” Asora seemed to complain.
“It was her destiny. I also said I fear for you as well,” the Maker said.
“For me! If it was not for your thinking of who was to gain that power, you would not have to fear for me!” Asora stated rudely.
“I fear for you for a different reason, my dear. You are now on a similar path, with a force that you do not understand. The nuclear weapons you plan on using will kill more than your enemies. Your own people will die, and you will be to blame,” the Maker made clear.
“And what do you plan for me to do? Just let Queen Laxur steam roll over me?” Asora stated rudely.
“Of course not. You must find a better way. A nuclear holocaust is not the answer,” the Maker said.
“And how can I challenge her? I am not a goddess myself. You sound a little crazy!” Asora complained.
“That is your belief. There are other ways. You are just not seeing it,” the Maker scolded Asora.
“You’re insane!” Asora yelled.
“Do not talk that way to me! I am the one who gave all your ancestors life. I am the reason you exist! I have the wisdom of a trillion lifetimes! And you are a mere child. If you do not heed my warning, you will suffer the consequences,” the Maker roared in anger at Asora, and then the Maker disappeared.

Days later, another test had been scheduled at Hailospont, a world near the Angels’ territory. Dominus had officially delivered a protest from the Monarchy of the Angels to his cousin Asora. The Utopian Princess ignored the protest and continued the test. She was also on location to witness the test for herself.
Again the Angels were angry and had threatened numerous times to fight their fellow Utopians if Asora continued her Nuclear Firestorm. Asora did things that she normally would not do. She used her coins on the Angels and overwhelmed them. The Angels were defeated, and Dominus was told by the monarchy to submit to the Princess before she decided to use her new weapon on them. They would never be able to defend against such devastation.
When the Utopians and the rest of the Universe saw Princess Asora alone defeat a billion Angels, no one dared question her and her developing madness for these nuclear weapons.
The test began, and the planet Hailospont was destroyed in a shockwave of energy and flying debris. The explosion was so powerful it affected the star nearby. The surface was stripped away, and that caused a change in the star. In the end the star, bled away, and the core was left shining.

In her room onboard the Human flagship, the H.C.S. Thundercon, Princess Asora read more reports. Tired, she went into the bathroom to wash up. Unable to fight it anymore, Asora put her own nightgown on. The Fairies were unable to come onboard because of the nuclear fusion reactor that powered the ship. Fairies were very susceptible to nuclear radiation even in the smallest and most harmless amount.
Asora took off her dress and corset, temporarily rendering her naked. She looked at herself in the mirror and for a moment imagined herself like her sister. What would it be like to be a goddess? To have all that power, the perfect body, to have perfect beauty, strength, and only the Maker knew what. Asora imagined herself looking just like Laxur. Being six and half feet tall, the most beautiful face ever. Breasts so large that it took an incredible degree of grace to stand up straight. Muscles so strong that she would have the strength of ten knights. A beauty so intense that no man could resist her whims. Magical powers that were on par with the Maker herself.
She snapped out of her imagination and put on a thin white robe after she covered herself with a bra and underwear.
She then felt a cold chill down her spine. A dark cloud flowed in an empty chair in her room. A being formed, scaring Asora. She thought that it was Laxur, but that was not true. It was a man in a black robe. Asora could not see the man’s face.
“Who are you?” Asora demanded, screaming and covering herself.
“Relax, Princess, I am not here to harm you. I am here to offer advice,” the man said in a deep voice.
Asora relaxed somewhat, as she could feel that this man had the same aura and power as the Maker. “Very well. What do you want?”
“I am known as the Architect. And you are now a part of my plan. My mate did give you a hard time. But in my opinion, her logic is flawed. You have the right idea,” the Architect said.
“I have the right idea? You mean my nuclear weapons? What plan?” Asora questioned.
“Your sister, Asaria, runs the risk of damaging the multiverse. If she cannot be changed, then I will force those changes my way. I am tired of cleaning up the mess of these things,” the man complained.
“How could Asaria change?” Asora asked.
“Three terrors will descend upon her and her followers and people. You are the first terror, the second terror is on the way, the third will hopefully not be needed,” the Architect informed Asora.
“I am one of your infamous terrors? And why would you want to help me?” Asora demanded.
“You hold my powers and gifts. Those coins that dangle from your neck over your chest are my gifts and powers. Those coins accept you, and so do I,” he said.
“Unfortunately, Laxur has these powers now,” Asora said sorrowfully.
“She may have those powers, but they are not as powerful as what you have,” he reassured the Princess. He got up and was in front of the smaller girl. He seemed less a god and more like a father. He placed his hands upon her shoulders to give her confidence. “Do what you need to, and no more. I will help you when I can.”
The Architect then vanished in a cloud of black mist enveloping Asora. She felt a very great power course through her. The god that the Darkcons had worshipped was now helping her.

Now there were two powerful leaders in a race for dominance of the universe: Queen Laxur, empowered with the divine of Z’yon and her Darkcon Empire; and Princess Asora with her Super Nuclear Weapons and the Utopian Kingdom.

Kingdoms and Empires: Chapter 40

The Vault

In the palace on Evorn, a dark shadow had been cast. Hundreds of Succubi and Incubi had descended upon the citizens of Evorn. The Royal Guard were either slain or seduced. People were subjected to the same thing. Three in ten people managed to escape, with two in ten killed, the rest were under the most powerful spell of seduction ever created. The palace had become a refugee camp. Millions were flocking and were all ready inside. The many basements and under-rooms were full.

Both the Royal Guard and Human Commandos were preparing the palace’s defenses. Elves armed themselves with swords and magical armor. Humans readied their guns and advanced armor and technology for the coming battle.
The typical Elf warrior’s armor was thin, almost paper-like, the color of silver. Gold for the officers. Elf women were allowed to fight, but as archers or cannon crews. The males were foot soldiers and cavalry. The weapons were magical swords, arrows, spears, axes, and maces. All forged in magical Elf metal called Urganto.
A typical Human Commando, either man or woman, had very advanced armor made of many materials that were a blend of metal mesh, fabric, and hardened ceramic. Their helmets had what were known as heads-up display units. This armor was far heavier than the Elf armor, but it could protect a person better and assisted the wearer in battle. The Humans had advanced rifles, bombs, lasers, grenades, battle knives, and personal battle drones.
This was the first time that the Royal Guard and Human Commandos had worked together. It had raised hopes, but prejudice was not far behind.

A wave of darkness covered the moons above, and the Darkcon Queen’s minions were heading for the palace.
From the throne room, Duke Frenzen watched the invaders coming towards the palace.
“T’a, have the spellcasters power the barrier.” Then the Duke turned to Marien, who was next to T’a. “Marien, have your technicians prepare those new shield generators that you brought!” Both women bowed to the Prime Minister and had their aids to carry out the orders.
“Frenzen. You do realize that my spellcasters’ magics are useless against Queen Laxur’s powers now,” T’a reminded the Duke.
“That is why he is hoping that my new shield technology can hold them off. This tech is unaffected by magic at all. The nuclear generators should be enough to protect us,” Marien explained to T’a.
“You brought nuclear technology here? You know how that crap affects us!” T’a yelled.
“I was the one that told her to bring it,” Frenzen interjected.
“You see, the Prime Minister was smart enough to know that this ‘crap’ may be the only thing that can hold off the Darkcons—or be used as a weapon of last resort,” Marien said to T’a with arrogance.
“Countess! Do not tease Lady T’a. We need to work as one to defeat Queen Laxur and her forces,” Frenzen reminded Marien.
“As you wish,” was all Marien said.

An explosion rocked the palace. Cannons from both Elf and Human design fired on a dark cloud. The cloud was actually thousands of Succubi and Incubi. Arrows and bullets fired into and across the Darkcon forces. The shields and magical barriers were up, and the invaders bounced off the walls. The Incubi tried to break the wall with brute strength. The Succubi tried to dig in the dirt below. They both broke down the magical barrier, but another stronger and toxic barrier was put up. The Incubi began to feel sick. The Succubi began to feel strange, like a sickening feeling.

“It looks like the Human shield generators are working,” Frenzen noticed. It held for a few hours, and then shield began to malfunction and then dropped. “What is happening?”
“Someone broke into the generator and damaged it,” Marien said, holding her phone to her ear and repeating what was being told to her.
“How?” T’a demanded.
“It seems that one of the Succubi got through and seduced the entire crew. From there she commanded them to destroy the shield unit. The commandos killed her, but the crews went mad, and a fight is now in progress,” Marien informed.
“Damn them!” Frenzen cursed.
The door and walls were broken open, and thousands of Incubi and Succubi flood in. The Demons flew in and scooped up their victims.
Countess Marien was grabbed by a flying Succubus and raised in the air.
“Put me down, you filthy whore!” Marien demanded.
“I do not know, but I kind of like what I see. And my Goddess wants to see you,” the Succubus teased, and then licked Marien’s cheek.
The Demons had overwhelmed the throne room, with the guards and commandos unable to stop the onslaught.
A rumble was heard, and a large black object appeared in the skies. It hovered in an orbital pattern.
A beam of gold and silver light illuminated the center of the throne room . Princess Asora and Lady T’ula formed from the light. The Princess’s armor was glowing golden, and her great power illuminated the room. She looked up to see her mother being held. Lady T’ula zapped the Succubus with a very potent electric spell. The Elf grabbed the falling Countess and gently set on her feet.
“You freaks will leave my kingdom now!” Princess Asora ordered forcefully.
The Succubi and Incubi laughed at the little Princess.
“And what are you going to do if we do not? Last we checked, you were no match for us,” a Succubus gloated.
Asora smiled wickedly, for she has a secret weapon that these people were unaware of.
“I did not come back from the dead alone,” Asora said ominously. Then another light beamed: this one grey and others that were black. Behind Princess Asora, a ten-foot freakish behemoth formed. “I want you all to meet a new friend of mine. He calls himself, ‘The Historian.” Asora looked around and then ordered. “Uridan! Destroy the Succubi and Incubi!”
The monstrous black beasts launched themselves into the air and began to slay the invaders. The bigger monsters called Uridan were impossible to kill and unaffected by any magic.
Within twenty minutes, the Uridan finished the butchery of the Demonic invaders. The black freaks seemed to be obedient to Princess Asora and the larger monster called the Historian.
The large Historian monster walked awkwardly towards Frenzen. It lowered its head to eye level and looked as if it were sniffing him.
“Z’yonic freak,” was all the Historian said, in a language that Asora taught him.
“Who are you calling a freak, monster?” Frenzen retaliated.
“Disgusting pointed-eared bugs. Your kind were an infection in the classical times, and you apparently still are,” the Historian commented.
“You know nothing about us!” T’a cried as she listened in.
“I can tell you barbarians stories about your kind from the classical period that would make anyone’s skin crawl,” the beast said.
“You make my skin crawl,” T’a retorted.
“Enough! All of you! Historian, you said that you could fashion weapons that can neutralize the divine powers of Z’yon?” Asora said authoritatively.
“Yes, of course, Asora. I need access to the Human Nuclear Fusion Weapons Arsenal,” Historian informed.
“What exactly are you going to use them for?” Marien demanded.
“Who are you?” Historian demanded in return.
“I am Queen Marien Serafus, ruler of the Human Consortium. But I am referred to by this kingdom as Countess,” Marien introduced herself.
“You rule the Human race now? You are certainly different from the last one I knew,” Historian said curiously.
“Historian! We need to get this weapon built and deployed,” Asora yelled.
“Asora! Be kind to him,” Marien scolded her daughter. Asora growled in frustration.
“So you will need to gain access to my arsenal vault. I want to know what you are going to do before I do,” Marien stated.
“Ah, you are like your predecessors, you know that, Queen?” the Historian commented.
“Thank you. I think,” is all Marien said.
The Historian rose back up and walked around to talk in the language that Asora taught him. “With at least a one-hundred-megaton hydrogen bomb, it can be modified to affect the space around an interstellar object.” The Historian had a device that projected a hologram to show what he intended to do. “You are familiar with two types of particle manipulation, fission and fusion. But, in fact, there is a third: contraction. In this process, you can literally crush the atoms of light elements. When the subatomic particles collide with one another, a powerful energy is released. Like matter and antimatter colliding; it is the same thing. In this manner, the explosion can affect the dark energy and matter in space. The major side-effect is high levels of Gamma radiation and low levels of Epsilon. It is that radiation that will cancel out the massive magical energies. But in order to stop this Laxur, you will need at least either a single one-hundred-thousand-megaton explosive or over ten million one-hundred-megaton weapons.”
“Interesting. So you plan to convert my most powerful nuclear weapons into atomic crushing devices,” Marien thought out loud.
“I want you to open the vaults for them, Mother,” Asora demanded.
“Wait just a moment. I am not about to let the Utopians to get ahold of our ultimate planetary bombs!” Marien scolded Asora.
“The Utopians do not want to have anything to do with those things. I want the Historian to have just have a few of them to make the Darkcons and Laxur stop this madness,” Asora stated.
“Or they will put an end to this Darkcon Empire,” Historian pointed out.
“At this point it does not matter. Do it,” Asora ordered. Even though Marien was Asora’s mother, she outranked her and could order her.
“As you wish, my daughter. But I will remind you of this later,” Marien warned her. Asora ignored her mother’s warning, and Marien gave Asora a black and red key card. It had the words N. Vault written on it.

A few weeks later on a Human-owned world named Geocom, the Utopian Court, Royal Guard, Human government officials, and commandos gathered by a large mountain with a military base built into it. Asora found out that it required two people to open the nuclear vault. It was revealed then that the other codes and key card were stolen a month or so previously. The Princess was furious.
“I believe this is what you want, my Princess,” a familiar male voice said from the shadows. It was Irantanco, and he held out a key card similar to Asora’s.
“You! How did you get that?” Asora demanded.
“Now that is not nice. I am here to help you and your plans,” the terrorist said. Then several heavily armed Vanguard warriors appeared.
“Who are these people?” Historian asked Asora.
“Terrorists! And nothing more,” Marien stated bluntly.
“Really? I guess some things never change,” Historian said dully.
“What are your terms?” Asora asked all of a sudden coolly.
“Asora!” Marien scolded.
“Not now!” Asora ordered.
“I wish to help you. And I place the aid of the Vanguard at your disposal. I just want to see a victory against the Darkcon Empire,” Irantanco said kindly to the Princess.
“Really? Is that all?” Asora sounded suspicious and rightfully so.
“That is all, Princess,” the terrorist reassured the young Lady. He smiled ingratiatingly.
Asora looked him over with caution and agreed. Asora and Irantanco each went up to a control panel on either side of the giant metal vault door. They both slid their key cards in the slots, and the computer beeped and the door unlocked. The giant door creaked open, and the inside of the room was dark. A technician found a switch and flipped it. White lights flickered on sections at a time. Eventually, the giant room was fully lit up and revealed its contents.
Thousands of warehouse shelves stretched miles in every direction, fully loaded with different types of containers and canisters from the size of people to the size of giant missiles.
“And so they laid out the instruments of annihilation across the land from east to west, top to bottom. From darkness they brought the light of the end,” T’a recited from an old Elf poem.
“What was the meaning of that verse?” the Historian asked.
“It is from the Epulam. Our Holy scripture. The verse is from the final chapter that talks about the end days and the horror that our greatest enemies would use on us,” T’a replied ominously.
“End days? Irrelevant! There is no such thing. Time marches forward into the never-ending abyss. That is a proven fact of the multiverse,” Historian pointed out.
“That may be, but it fits in with this. And I fear that Princess Asora will go too far with these weapons,” T’a said sadly.
“What do you mean?” the Historian asked.
“I have seen these weapons in action before, and they gave me such nightmares. I saw over ten million of my loyal soldiers and subjects burn in an instant in the giant mushroom clouds,” T’a remembered the horror.
“Historian! Will this one do?” Asora asked as she had a Human servant with a mechanical cart brought over a large crate with Human military markings. “This is a one-hundred-and-twenty-two-megaton thermonuclear bomb.”
“It is more than enough. I will require three of your days to make the appropriate modifications to it. Then you can test it,” the Historian said.
“Do what you must,” is all Asora said. The Historian had several Uridan and the Human technician take the crate to a work room.
Princess Asora turned back to the massive nuclear arsenal below. She went from being lost, fearful and powerless against her sister, to now having the deadliest weapons arsenal ever created. She felt powerful, and she wanted to show Queen Laxur that she could hold her own against the never-ending siege. Billions of nuclear weapons were now at her command, and she wanted to use them. Bring the Darkcon Empire to the brink of extinction as a punishment, then hurt Laxur for what she had done.

Four days later the Historian finished his modifications to the nuclear warhead. He had put all his mods inside so nothing new looked like it was done to it. He explained the internal dynamics to the Princess and how it worked, plus the power to expect from it.
“So where would you suggest I deploy these weapons, Historian?” Asora asked, looking over the weapon which was as big as she was.
“For a weapon this massive. Unless you plan on ‘cracking’ the planet. I recommend detonating this thing in orbit in between the planet and its orbiting satellite,” the Historian suggested.
“What good would that do?” Irantanco asked.
“It will either knock said planet out of its orbit, which is a very possible side-effect. Or the high gamma radiation levels will contaminate the planet’s atmosphere, and that will result in inhabitability and permanent magical neutralization,” the massive smart creature informed.
“Either one is a good thing for us, Princess,” Irantanco commented to Asora.
“I want the Darkcon Empire on its knees, and Queen Laxur and Princess Polea in an asylum, to keep the rest of us safe,” Asora pointed out.
“I agree with you. They need to be stopped and locked away,” the terrorist agreed.
Asora looked at him with suspicion. She was not willing to turn her back on him. He did, after all, call her a freak of nature and said that she should not exist. He made Asora nervous, but right now she did need his help. His organization was capable of moving the devices that she wanted into positions to devastate the Empire.

Another month passed, and the Uridan had modified over two thousand thermonuclear bombs. Many Utopians were nervous about the forbidden Human super weapons. They had tried to get them banned many times before. But the Humans, ever defiant, refused to. These things killed billions instantly during the Great War. But fortunately, this time the Utopians were not on the receiving end of these horror weapons.

Kingdoms and Empires: Chapter 39

The Shadows of Tera

A hole in a dark rainy sky opened up. Two beings dropped to the soggy mud below.
“Uh, Maker me,” Princess Asora complained wiping away the wet dirt from her golden armor and dress. She picked herself up from the mud and muck to look around her. She spotted T’ula a few feet away. She was hunched over, holding herself as if she were in pain or cold. “T’ula are you well?”
“I feel as if I am going to explode!” T’ula cried. She felt all that power that Laxur had put in her. It was growing inside her, and she was losing her concentration.
“You have to regain control. Or you will do what Laxur did and grow to the size of a planet,” Asora reminded T’ula.
“Yes, I know. I do not want to grow that big. I hate being big,” T’ula said.
“You can do it, T’ula, I know you can,” Asora encouraged her companion. Asora held T’ula’s trembling hand to help T’ula regain her strength. After a minute T’ula stopped trembling, and that exploding feeling inside her was gone for now.
“Thank you, my sovereign,” T’ula thanked Asora. T’ula looked around. “Where are we?”
“I do not know. We need to get out of the rain and wind before we freeze,” Asora said. She helped up the larger T’ula. The Elf woman was almost naked, and she looked cold. Asora tore her dress up— she was now in a mini skirt—and took off her cape. She wrapped T’ula as much as she could. The noble Lady looked like she was wearing rags, but it was much better than being naked and freezing. Asora still had her golden armor on, so she was fine.
From a cliff Asora and T’ula saw a city in the distance. Best of all, it had lights, just like a Human city on Havaina.
“I wonder who could live on a world like this?” T’ula asked Asora.
“I do not know, and quite frankly I do not care. We need help,” Asora stated as she walked towards the city.
“Wait! We should seek shelter and wait for the rain to stop,” T’ula recommended.
“You are right. Do you have a place in mind?” Asora asked, looking around.
“Right here, my Princess,” T’ula pointed to a tiny cave. Asora jumped down to see that it was large enough for them, if they squeezed in together.
“It will be warm with the two of us. That is for sure,” Asora commented.
“You first, my sovereign,” T’ula offered. Asora went in first then T’ula tried to squeeze her larger body inside. She had a tough time, and Asora tried to make room for her. “I am sorry.”
“Do not be. Here.” Asora dug into the dirt enough to make more room for T’ula.
“I really hate being bigger than normal. I hate the fact that I am stuck like this forever.” T’ula began to cry.
“You should not look at this like a curse. If you can get a hold on these new powers, you could be my best bet against Laxur. You could be her equal, and the Queen may not have realized this. You should embrace this,” Asora suggested warmly. Asora noticed something about T’ula. “T’ula, you feel incredibly warm. As though you are like a steam kettle. And you are not shivering, despite the fact that the exit is almost completely covered by your form.”
“I do not feel cold at all. The great powers inside of me are keeping me warm. I have begun to explore what I can do. This appears to be one of the few that I can do here. Only the powers that work on the inside are the only ones that I can do. The rest I cannot, on this world,” T’ula said.
Asora crammed in but felt warm by T’ula’s body also felt comfortable, when she should feel crushed. T’ula felt just like her mother when she was a baby. T’ula’s skin was so soft and warm it made Asora comfortable and safe, like being a baby in a mother’s arms.
“I am doing my best to make you comfortable, my Princess. I want to help,” T’ula seemed to say sorrowfully.
“You are hardly uncomfortable. In fact, being this close to you makes me feel like I am being held by a loving mother just like a baby would be,” Asora added in. This made T’ula smile at her.

Hours later the rain stopped, and the dim light of the sun was shining in the distance. T’ula and Asora woke up and flexed their aching muscles.
“Let us go to the city and see if anyone is home,” Asora said.
“Of course, my Princess. I will follow you,” T’ula offered.
The two noble ladies walked for hours in the cool air of the strange, darkened world. Nine hours passed, and they reached the border of the outmost edges of the giant city. Asora was amazed by the size of its magnificence. The cities on Havaina were nowhere near this enormous.
“My Princess! How are we to move around this massive place?” T’ula asked, worried as she looked around.
“I wonder if there is a vehicle nearby?” Asora questioned as she looked around. The two Ladies gazed around and saw what looked like a ground vehicle. It had wheels and an enclosed cabin big enough to hold the both of them.
Asora eventually figured out how to open the doors to the cabin. There were two doors that led in. Only two seats, for two people. Unfortunately for T’ula, it was built for people who were Asora’s size. The oversized Elf squeezed herself in and had her knees near her face. Her weight also was noticeable when she sat inside. T’ula was, in fact, nearly twice her normal weight. The car, however, came to life and reoriented itself to compensate for T’ula’s heavier form.
“I really hate this,” T’ula mumbled.
“Do not let it get to you. Are you able to see?” Asora asked.
“Yes, I can,” T’ula replied. “What are you doing?”
“I am studying how this thing works. It looks like a car to me. It should be just as easy,” Asora said.
“I hope so. This car is very uncomfortable,” T’ula complained. Asora placed her hand on T’ula’s shoulder to give her comfort. The two smiled as Asora shared her strength with the Elf.
Eventually, Asora figured out that the car was electric and was kept charged by the road itself. Asora activated the car, and it was still working. The rain and cold could not get in as Asora started the car. The climate controls adjusted automatically to make the air warmer, and the water was cleared by a set of wipers. The manual controls were easy for Asora to control, and the car was off, deep into the city.
The city was lit, but no one could be seen. Asora saw what looked like a shopping district. She piloted the car into a slot for parking. The two left and went inside the giant building. T’ula spotted what looked to her like a shop for clothes. The clothes varied widely from fancy, to commoner, to dodgy. T’ula liked to wear dresses, but there were virtually none, yet there was something that looked like a Human garb that was commonly seen on Havaina. A pair of black jeans, a thick blue sweater, and a pair of comfortable walking shoes that were black and white in color.
Asora decided to keep her armor on. It kept her warm and safe. T’ula needed new clothes badly. T’ula also found a jacket that was made to be worn in the rain.
After an hour, they walked out. T’ula felt better now that she was covered more appropriately and warmly. But wearing jeans were something new to the Elf.
Asora and T’ula saw in the streets an army of little mechanized machines. They were fixing, repairing, upgrading, cleaning, et cetera. The machines worked in the cold rain, keeping up the clean working appearance of the empty city. Music and songs in an alien language echoed in the air around the city. To Asora, it was catchy and memorable. The car had disappeared, so they were forced to walk to the downtown district.
Towards the center of the city, there were a series of towers. It was where they were going. Here was hopefully where they could find answers. T’ula noticed a bunch of giant screens with dancing pictures. To Asora they looked like advanced high-definition television screens. The written language looked to them both like an odd form of Human characters and symbols. The screens echoed in a language that sounded like an odd form of the Human language too.
“I wonder what it is saying,” T’ula commented.
“I have no idea. But it looks like a commercial for a service,” Asora said, looking at the display.
The image changed to what Asora recognized as a news message. The language was frustrating for Asora and T’ula. They wanted to know what the oddly dressed man, a Human, was saying. It was obviously a recording, and he was somber.
The two walked away, back towards the center. The towers were all connected together through a series of bridges near their tops.
Suddenly, a powerful roar erupted from behind the two women. Then they saw it: a massive beast of unique and terrifying form. It stood twenty feet tall on six legs, with four pairs of arms and a pair of claws. Its skin looked black and leathery.
“What in the Maker’s Universe is that?” T’ula said, shocked at the beast. It opened its massive mouth to reveal rows of teeth like that of a shark.
“Angry! That is what it is!” Asora yelled and ran towards the towers. T’ula quickly followed her princess. The giant strange beast gave chase and was just about to overtake them.
The beast was then attacked by smaller and more terrifying monsters. These creatures were also black, and they looked machine-like, but they were organic. They had two sets of eyes and a mouth within a larger mouth. They had many teeth that looked like snake fangs. In minutes they killed the larger beast and began to eat the body.
“I think we should leave,” Asora pointed out.
“Agreed,” was all T’ula could say.
As they turned, another one of those monsters had come up behind them and had Asora and T’ula trapped. The creature grabbed Asora and lifted her up. The smell was horrid, and it was dripping with drool. It opened its mouth, about to kill the Princess. Another lower-toned roar erupted from the towers this time. Instead, the monster closed its mouth and dragged Asora to the tower. Another creature grabbed T’ula and brought her to the towers as well.

Inside the tower complex, Asora and T’ula were taken deep within. They were thrown into a large room that had many structures and statues.
“Where are we?” T’ula asked, shaking from fear.
“What is that noise?” Asora heard breathing.
She saw another monstrous beast of black and brown skin that looked mechanical but organic at the same time. It was ten feet tall, and it had a Humanoid-like face.
Asora and T’ula were restrained by wires and held in mid air. It came up to Asora and seemed to sniff her. It looked oddly at the Princess and released her.
“Ox Hos aj kup nax of loerh!” the creature said to Asora.
“I do not understand you?” Asora said.
Again it looked at Asora oddly. It turned to a computer-like console and typed into it.
“Do you understand me now?” it asked.
“Yes, I do. Who are you? What do you want?” Asora asked worried.
“I am known as ‘The Historian.’ To answer your second question, I want to know why you are here. And why do you have this Z’yonist parasite with you?” the Historian said.
“Z’yonist?” Asora trailed off, looking at T’ula. “What do you mean?”
“That thing is from Z’yon, correct?” The Historian pointed to T’ula.
“She is from Tailano. We did, however, just escape from Z’yon. Where are we?” Asora asked.
“This world is called Tera. Are you not part of a returning Human race?” the Historian asked. “You Humans built me and the Uridan that brought you to me. This city was built by Humans eons ago,” the Historian stated.
“Tera? This is Tera! What is the name of this city?” Asora had so many questions now.
“This was once the capital of the most powerful Human nation that ever existed, the United Republics. This is its capital city, Eveital. You should know this?” The Historian was now curious about Asora.
“We came here by accident. No one knows about Tera, except in myth. But to see this and know that it is real! It is incredible. You must come with me to Evorn,” Asora said. Then she remembered. “Oh, where are my manners. I am Princess Asora Serafus of Havaina. I am the Great Monarch of the Utopian Kingdom.”
“Utopian Kingdom? What is that?” the Historian asked. He released T’ula from her bonds.
“It is a collection of magical creatures under one major governance. That also includes the Humans,” T’ula answered for Asora.
“Humans obeying others. That is unheard of,” the Historian whispered.
“I am curious, Historian. Could you tell us about this place, about the Humans and what happened?” Asora asked.
“I could, but it is not to leave these rooms. Understood?” the Historian demanded.

A few months later, Asora, T’ula, and the Historian exchanged information, history, and ideas. The Historian was built by ancient Humans to be a memory of their civilization and knowledge. He had existed for untold eons, alone. He built the Uridan to help him. Unlike Z’yon, where nothing lived any longer, on Tera things survived and evolved to be extremely hostile. Eveital was rebuilt and became a sanctuary for the Historian, his knowledge, collections, and home to the Uridan. The monstrous Uridan had been helping supply an organic-techno-like ship with parts and equipment.
“Sir Historian! Are you aware of anything that could stop this power that Queen Laxur has?” T’ula asked, curious.
“I told your princess. But I guess you could know too. There is a piece of technology that can render magical powers inert, either temporarily or permanently,” Historian began.
“He does require a hydrogen bomb with a powerful enough explosive yield,” Asora added in as she eavesdropped.
“A hydrogen bomb? Those are deadly! What kind of weapon is this?” T’ula knew what nuclear weapons were. After all, Humans were notorious for using those magic killing devices frequently during the Great War. The one thing that the Utopians could never figure out how to defend against.
“We Humans have two types of nuclear weapons, but apparently there is a third. This one is powerful enough to affect the dark matter and energy around an object in space,” Asora pointed out. The Historian had told the Princess before. But they were explaining to T’ula what they had in mind.

They boarded the ship with countless thousands of Uridan. Both Asora and T’ula found the ship to be very creepy. The walls, ceiling, and decks felt warm and somewhat squishy.
“I do not like this place, my Princess. It is like something out of a nightmare,” T’ula complained, looking around paranoid of the Uridan.
“I know, but the Historian is being nice and letting us use this ship of his,” Asora replied.
The ship jolted and began to move. Outside, the giant, strange, ridged, organic mass floated into the darkened skies of Tera.
Once in orbit, a structure of ancient alien design was orbiting Tera. The ship was heading towards it. The structure was a giant circle flanked by smaller satellites. The ship entered the circle as it powered up, and a hole in space formed inside it.

Kingdoms and Empires: Chapter 38

Revenge of the Empire

A whole day had passed since the now Divine Queen Laxur became a mighty goddess. She had been alone trying to master her ever-increasing powers. It took her a day, but she finally mastered most of her new abilities. Laxur had learned of many new powers that she now had.
“My great Queen! You summoned us?” Smika asked. He and Dari, Hyea, and Polea stood before their Goddess Queen.
“Yes, I did. You four have been with me the whole time. You have proven to be my most valuable, noble, and loyal allies, friends and in some cases more.” Laxur paused. “I wish to reward each of you. I have the power to grant you a divine wish. What do your heart’s desire the most?”
The Great Queen Laxur looked at Dari, who knew what she desired, and Laxur had an idea what it was.
“My great Queen, I desire to be the most powerful of all Angels, as well as the strongest and biggest.” Dari bowed in reverence to her goddess.
“I thought that you would ask for that. And I love that idea of yours.” Laxur got up off her throne and walked to her great protector. Laxur raised her palm, and a red ball of energy formed in her hand. The Queen gently blew the energy ball at Dari.
The already massive Angel started to grow. Her wings doubled in size and became not just black, but also striped with red, grey, and silver strands. Her muscles expanded to a greater size than normal. Her height was increasing too. Dari normally stood more than eight feet. Now she stood thirteen feet.
When it was all over, Dari was towering over the others around her. Dari’s wish has been granted, and she loved it. This was what she has always wanted.
“Oh, thank you, my Goddess Queen!” Dari said happily. She stood behind the throne that Laxur had taken in.
Hyea flew up to her charge, the Queen Laxur, to ask if she could get a wish. “And what do you desire, my favorite lady-in-waiting?”
“Only to serve you, my Queen,” Hyea said nervously.
Laxur cocked an eyebrow, looking at the Fairy. “Really? Well, thank you, and I do desire you too. But still, is there anything that you yourself desire most of all?”
Hyea blushed and turned away shyly. She did want something but was too shy to ask, especially in front of Smika, whom she liked dearly. Laxur looked at Smika and back to Hyea as she sat back down on her throne.
“I would like to be a more powerful Fairy, and a prettier Fairy too,” Hyea finally answered.
Queen Laxur grinned. “Well, I do need my lady-in-waiting to be a very strong, powerful woman, as well as a great beauty. So I will grant you this.” Laxur raised her hand again, and a purple energy ball formed. Hyea flew into it and stood in her palm. She absorbed the energy and began to change. Her clothes, for the most part, were what changed. Her wings became clear, and instead of one pair of wings, she developed three pairs. An additional four wings sprout from her back. Her face had become more mature, as did her body. She was still an ice-blue complexion, but it glowed more. Hyea felt a massive surge of energy pulse through her tiny body, and it felt good to her. With her six wings, Hyea zipped away and flew around the room at a speed that she had never before achieved. Hyea felt incredible, and she loved her new powers that were gifted to her from her queen.
“Smika, what do you desire the most?” Laxur asked while Hyea flew around them, enjoying her gifts.
“I do not know yet. Could I come to you later?” Smika asked bashfully.
“Of course you can, my dear,” Laxur said ever so sweetly to the young man.
She then turned to Polea, her best friend and closest female companion. “And you, Polea, my love. What do you desire the most?”
“I want your body,” Polea said in a low voice.
Laxur was taken aback by Polea’s response. “You want my body?”
“I mean, I want to look just like you. I want to be as strong, as powerful, and as seductive as you are, my Divine Queen, and not to wear glasses,” Polea explained.
Laxur grinned and chuckled, for she now understood what Polea actually wanted.
“You are right. Our kind should be the perfect definition of feminine perfection. I will give you this, and I will enjoy this as much as you will,” Laxur seemed to moan as she came up to Polea.
Queen Laxur towered over Polea, but soon she would rival her in height and in other ways too. Laxur embraced Polea in a gentle hug, holding the blonde. Polea could feel Laxur’s warm body. The Queen lowered her head down to Polea, and they kissed. Laxur was feeding Polea small pieces of herself into the blonde. It was a known fact that Laxur and Polea were very close, but no one knew how close. It was rumored that they were both bisexual, and that could mean that they could be lovers. Both were enjoying this, but Polea was enjoying this the most. The blonde could feel an unimaginable power surge into her. More than she had ever felt. After a few seconds, Polea broke the embrace in a fit of pleasure. Laxur had put so much power into Polea that she may have over done it. Polea was moaning and yelling out loudly as she began to change. Polea’s blonde hair became like that of gold and so long that it covered her, so Laxur could only see the front of her. Polea was on her knees, holding herself. She could not tell if she was in pain or in pleasure. Her body had expanded to a larger size. In a minute, the feeling over Polea stopped, and she had been permanently changed. Like Queen Laxur, Princess Polea had morphed into a goddess-like woman. Her body almost mirrored the Queen’s, except that Polea was not as tall as Laxur. Queen Laxur stood six feet six inches, where Princess Polea went from being five feet eight inches to six feet two inches. Polea’s size tore through her dress, and she used her longer, thicker golden hair to cover herself. Polea felt so much power inside her now, she could not tell how much Laxur gave her.
“I overdid it, but it looks so good for you,” Laxur commented, looking Polea over.
“Oh, my Queen, I feel so mighty and perfect,” Polea moaned as she felt her new curves.
“Indeed you do. I have given you more than you think,” Laxur smiled. She sat back down and made a tight black corset form over Polea’s new body. “You are the only one who is actually a match for me. As of now, you are the most powerful mortal.”
Polea could not believe that her queen would give her such great gifts. She loved them all; she loved her new body, her new powers, and she loved Laxur for this.
“Now, to business. The Utopian Kingdom must be conquered and brought into my control. I want the universe to bow to me and accept me as their new god,” Laxur commanded.
“How may we serve you?” Smika asked, as was his mandate.
“My forces are to be empowered with my new magic and some new forces to entertain us further,” Laxur stated.
A knife formed in her hand, and she cut her skin on her other hand and fingers, which caused her to bleed little drops of blood. She flicked the blood on the floor. Hundreds of drops on the floor began to grow and form into shapes of bodies. Female Demonic creatures were born: soulless, seductive, and deadly.
“What are these?” Smika asked.
“These are Succubi. They are my newest soldiers and servants,” Laxur explained to Smika.
“Rather sleazy-looking creatures, my Queen,” Hyea commented.
“That is the idea, Hyea. They are made to seduce and then kill their victims,” Laxur said.
“That works on the men, but what about women?” Smika questioned.
“They can seduce other women too. But you do have a point, so….” Laxur trailed off, and then she bled her other hand and fingers.
She spat her blood again into hundreds of droplets on the floor. The divine red blood grew and changed into dark, male-like beings. They were muscular and tall. Polea, Hyea, and Dari were taken back by these male creatures; even the Succubi were excited.
“Behold my Incubi. They will do the same to their women victims as the Succubi would do to their male victims,” Laxur explained.
Then Queen Laxur stood back up. “Go, my children, to Evorn, and ravage that world!”
Her Succubi and Incubi vanished into nothingness. Laxur chuckled at the thoughts of mayhem that her children would cause. Then images of many Utopians crawling around in the sands of Z’yon came to her. She smiled evilly at this.
“It would appear that there are many Utopians and Humans left here. Have the Imperial Guard round them up,” Laxur ordered to Dari.
“Yes, my Queen.” The giantess Dari bowed and vanished in the dark.
“S’tie is here too. He got left behind when the Utopians pulled out,” Laxur said. “I want S’tie. Bring him to my chambers. Unharmed and well treated.”
Hyea left to carry out her divine queen’s order. When she did, others entered the room: Sysu, Obsidian, Golcon, Illumin, Heranian, and many other Darkcon nobles.
“You summoned us….” Illumin trailed off when he looked at his queen for the first time in her changed form. The other Darkcons were shocked by their queen’s new appearance, and they were taken by her new appearance.
“Do you all like what you see?” Laxur asked them sleazily. “I will take your silence as a yes.” She sat back down. “I did summon you. You are all aware of my goal of conquering the Utopian Kingdom. Well, today that will be so. And there is going to be a change in the monarchy.”
“What do you mean?” Golcon asked.
“Princess Polea will be your new monarch and leader. You are all her subjects now,” Laxur said. This bombshell shocked everyone except for Polea. The golden blonde beauty grinned at this situation.
“Her? This little girl is an unproven, spoiled little brat!” Golcon complained.
“You are brave and stupid,” Heranian commented, chuckling nervously.
“I look forward to being her new monarch. And for those who do not believe in me, you will.” Polea grinned as she walked in front of the group.
“What about you, my Queen?” Obsidian asked in his wolf form.
“Polea will rule all, but I am a god, and I will be a god to all. I will be worshiped, loved, admired, desired, and everyone will be willing to die for me,” Laxur said in a low and seductive tone.
“You wish to take the place of the Maker and Architect?” Illumin asked carefully.
“I do. And you, Illumin, will be my highest priest and will spread my faith,” Laxur said, reappearing behind Illumin and gently coercing him, and she was so close to him that her skin rubbed on his clothes, he could feel her power and mighty curves through his black robes. She was arousing him, making him love her the way she wanted. After she achieved this, Laxur disappeared and reappeared on her throne.
“I will accept you as my Princess.” Illumin turned to face the tall golden blonde beauty. Polea smiled at Illumin’s loyal creed to her. What no one knew about Polea was that she distrusted men, except for Illumin. He was completely different to her in many ways. In fact, he was the only man she trusted. He healed her broken heart in a different way than Laxur did. He was the only one she wanted loyalty from.
“What are we going to do with the remaining Utopian roaches crawling around your world, my Queen?” Sysu asked, concerned about the Utopians still on Z’yon.
“I have sent the Imperial Guard out to round them up. Princess Polea will decide their fate if they do not except me as their god,” Laxur answered.
“I really want to punish them myself, my Queen. Why does the lovely princess get to have all the fun?” Sysu said smiling evilly.
“I can let you have a little fun with a few of them. I imagine that you would like to grow your ‘family.’ And Obsidian can join in on the fun too. Your pack needs a few more pups.” Polea chuckled looking at her new generals.
She then turned to Golcon, her sharpest critic.
“And as for you, I will be your monarch. You will either love me, or I will make life a true hell for you,” the golden blonde woman threatened.
Queen Laxur watched Princess Polea take charge. She no longer needed to worry about ruling. Polea could now have this power, and she was using it. But Laxur may have to protect her most loyal friend from their foes.

On Evorn many Human and Utopian ships landed and crashed around the planet. People were running everywhere, and chaos ran the worlds.
Duke Frenzen looked out from the giant glass windows of the throne room at the chaos below. Countess Marien and Rakon walked up to him.
“I take it that the mission failed,” Frenzen asked, not turning to face them.
“And you would be correct. Queen Laxur has become like that of the Maker herself,” Marien said with regret.
Frenzen shook his head in disappointment. “Where is Princess Asora?” he asked, now turning around to see them.
“She was lost in the conflict,” Rakon broke the news.
“Lost! What do you mean lost?” Frenzen roared in anger.
“I mean she did not fall to Laxur, but we lost sight of her when she and T’ula charged back to fight that insane witch,” Rakon barked back.
“That is not good. We need to find them,” Lady T’a said, now coming into view.
“Can you track them?” Frenzen demanded of T’a.
“I cannot feel them. They are either in a place where I cannot go, or they are dead,” T’a explained.
“I know that my daughter is not dead,” Marien stated sternly.
“How do you know that?” T’a asked.
“A motherly intuition. I know also that Asaria would never kill Asora,” Marien said.
“With all due respect, Countess. Your first daughter is now insane. She is not the same little girl that you once knew,” T’a reminded Marien. The Countess growled in anger at T’a.
“Enough, both of you. The problem now is what do we do?” Frenzen ordered sternly.
“Who is in charge?” Sarea asked.
“Until we figure out what happened to Princess Asora, I am in charge. I am Prime Minister, after all,” Frenzen reminded everyone.
“My lord, my lord, there is news!” A guardsman ran up to the Prime Minister.
“What is it,” Marien answered for Frenzen.
“Creatures from Z’yon have appeared on several of our worlds across the Kingdom,” the guardsman explained.
“What kind of creatures?” Frenzen demanded.
“I have never seen them before. But they say that those creatures have seduced many into Queen Laxur’s power,” the man said.
“Great,” Frenzen said dully. “So she has made the first move.”
“We have to stop this,” Marien said.
“Yes, I know,” Frenzen commented. “Muster your troops, and I will have mine mustered as well. We will meet this threat head on.”
“Of course,” Marien said. Then the Countess pulled out a device from her pocket and talked into it. This device, Frenzen learned, was what the Humans called a smart cell phone. It allowed the Humans to communicate with each other from any place on a world, as long as there were satellites in orbit and towers on the ground. Frenzen found the devices silly, but it worked.
“We will make our first stand at Goban Tipu,” Frenzen said.
“Agreed. The mountainous terrain makes it easily defensible against any foe,” Marien agreed.

An army of ninety-three million Utopian troops of Elves, Fairies, Dwarves, Merpeople in land form, Centaurs, Daemons, and local spirits known as Sprites gathered in the mountains. The Humans built a massive base that was capable of launching aircraft, drones, and deploying their mechanized forces that were meant for mountain warfare. A total of sixty-two million Human troops added to the defense of Goban Tipu, the Utopian Kingdom’s most formidable defensive world and first line of defense against the Darkcon Empire. The Human base was the defenders’ last line of defense against the Empire’s newest races.
Two days after the defenses were completed, a horde of two hundred million Darkcon forces descended upon them. These were not the typical Darkcon; these two species were new. A female Demon-like creature with wings, and larger male beast that bore a resemblance to Trolls, but far less ugly. In fact, to the defenders, these creatures were very attractive and disarming.
Not a single shot was fired. These seductive creatures took Goban Tipu without a fight. They seduced the defenders with their appearance. The millions of Succubi either drained men’s souls or corrupted them so much that they were mindless slaves to the Queen. The Incubi made the women weak with love and impassioned them into mindless slavery. The Incubi did not take the women’s souls because they found them more entertaining intact.

From Evorn, Frenzen and Marien watched in horror as they saw Goban Tipu fall to Queen Laxur’s forces.
“That is not good,” Frenzen commented off-handedly.
“No shit, detective!” was all Marien could say.
“Something must be done. Can we counter the seductive spells of those creatures?” Frenzen questioned.
“The only thing that I can think of that would help is to either use our new drones or bomb them,” Marien suggested.
“I prefer the drone option. The bombs you have may be too much, and we should save them as a last resort,” Frenzen said sternly.
“Very well, then. I will need to have my son Jeia’s company produce as many drones as they can, as fast as possible,” Marien stated.

Over the next few months, the Human’s drones wreaked havoc on the Succubi and Incubi. But the Humans could not produce them fast enough to keep up with the new Darkcon races. Queen Laxur had now been able to produce millions of her new children a day, while the Humans could only build a thousand drones a week. Even though the drones were causing incredible damage to the Darkcons, they were unable to stop them and could only slow them down. The Utopians liked the Human’s drone weapons, but they were disappointed by the Human’s production of these marvelous weapons.

On Z’yon the remaining Utopians had been captured and imprisoned, including Prince S’tie. Queen Laxur had ordered that the Prince be brought to her.
Princess Polea’s hatred for the Utopians came to light when she decided to have a little fun with a couple of Humans and Elves who were trying to escape.
Four prisoners in a dark room saw the black-dressed golden-blonde Darkcon Princess enter the room. She was so beautiful, seductive, and powerful, that all four would liked to have had her. Only one of the prisoners was a man, an Elf. The other three were two Human females and a Mermaid in land form. The golden Princess sat in a chair that she made appear with her great magic.
“So, you four do not like the hospitality of my goddess and I? I have to say, I am hurt,” Polea mocked.
“We are prisoners. How do you expect us to act, you bimbo?” the Mermaid cursed.
Polea just smiled evilly at them. “So you think I am a bimbo? Well, I should thank you for such a compliment.”
Polea gently removed her dress and revealed a corset that looked rather tight on the blonde’s torso. Her now-large breasts were pushed up to give her more cleavage. She forced the Mermaid into another chair and sat on her lap.
“Get off of her, you oversized whore!” one of the Humans yelled, and punched Polea in the face. It knocked Polea off of the Mermaid’s lap, onto the floor.
Polea chuckled and got back up. “You are strong. I like that.” Polea jerked her head around.
Then the Elf man came up from behind Polea and restrained her tightly. “Oh my, you are a strong man. Trying to impress the ladies?”
“Not really. I thought that I would hold you down long enough for them to escape,” the male Elf hissed.
“You think that you are a hero, do you? Too bad it will not work,” Polea said sleazily. She then used her nails and dug into his skin and sent a pulse of energy into him and paralyzed him. He fell to the floor in a spasm. “You are brave. I will give you that. But I am your Princess now, and you will obey me.”
Polea put her hand over his face, and he screamed in pain.
“Stop it!” the other Human woman demanded.
“Why? He is just a man, an Elf, which is even worse,” Polea asked wickedly. Then Polea noticed something, and her smile faded. “You are in love with him?” Polea got off of the Elf and looked back at them. “Then you four will spend all of eternity together!” Polea unleashed a wave of energy, and the four Utopians screamed in agony.

Princess Polea walked into the throne room where Queen Laxur was reading a book. She had put her black dress back on.
“Did you have fun with the prisoners?” Laxur asked her female companion. Polea showed four little dolls to her goddess queen. “You and your dolls, Polea.” Then Laxur put the book down. “Did you get what you wanted before you added them to your large toy collection?”
“I had fun with them. Oh, though, they did make me angry,” Polea pouted.
“How did they make you angry?” Laxur asked.
“Two of them loved each other, and that for some odd reason infuriated me,” Polea explained.
“Why? I thought that you enjoyed love?” Laxur asked, now skin-to-skin with Polea.
“Because this Elf was able to resist my seduction spells,” Polea said, holding up one of the dolls.
“You are the most beautiful mortal woman to ever live. There are bound to be some men who can resist, but most will submit to you, like they do to me,” Laxur calmed Polea. The Queen embraced the blonde Princess in a powerful and loving hug. “I will see to it that you are the most powerful and beautiful woman to ever exist. I want you to be beautiful. I want you to be loved, like how I love you.”
“I am yours, my Divine Goddess,” Polea said, then she buried her face into Laxur’s chest.
“If you do not mind, Polea, I would like to have some time alone with S’tie,” Laxur asked her female companion.
“Of course, if I can have more fun,” Polea responded. Laxur nodded her head in acknowledgment. Polea was released from Laxur’s loving hug and walked away.
Princess Polea walked through the now crowded halls of the giant fortress. She moved towards a large room that was crowded with millions of people. They were all listening to one man, Illumin, the Darkcon Empire’s highest priest and religious edict. Princess Polea was a regular to his sermons and an admirer of his theology. He was the only man she truly liked. Polea was a known man-hater, but Illumin was very different. He was very moving, and he had tried to heal her in a time of need.
“We give thanks to our new goddess, Laxur. She has been given powers beyond mere mortals or immortals. The Maker left this power to the one who was to bring in the new era. We Darkcons should celebrate, for has she not already given us new strength, mightier magic. Have you not felt more energized? The Utopians will fall before us and our new goddess. It is our time! Now, on your knees, and thank her for all that you have been given.”
Polea watched as thousands sank down with their heads touching the floor. Laxur will love this, she thought, but Illumin was struggling. It was obvious. Well, he was new to this. It would come.
An hour later the sermon was done. and the people left slowly. Princess Polea remained. hoping to catch Illumin in private, which she usually did. When the time was right, the golden blonde Princess walked all the nine stories down to the stage where Illumin was writing on a white marker board.
“Your sermons are as wonderful as ever, my love,” Polea commented lovingly to the religious man.
“Thank you, my Princess. How can I help you today, my love,” Illumin smiled back to Polea, who was smiling at him shyly. What was not known was that Polea and Illumin were lovers themselves. They were so alike that they felt to be akin to one another.
Like Polea, Illumin was in fact once a hater of women, for when he was in the Utopian Kingdom, he fell so in love with a beautiful woman that he risked everything for her. She betrayed him and exposed his secrets, and he fled the Kingdom in humiliation and terror as they came for him. Every woman that he encountered did this to him, except for Polea.
Both Polea and Illumin had many similarities and interests. Polea happened to collect toys and dolls. Illumin did not make fun of her for it; instead, he added to it by making things for her. He liked to write stories but was too shy to let anyone read them. He had been ridiculed before, but Polea loved his poetry.
“I would like to hear your latest poem,” Polea asked kindly.
“If I could hear you sing,” Illumin responded.
Polea’s smile turned into a giggle. She loved to sing for him. He said that her voice was so beautiful that the Architect would be enchanted by her. Polea sang in a language that only Angels knew, and it ensorcelled Illumin. After a few minutes she finished, and Illumin read to her a short poem that moved Polea’s soul.
“Where did you get those new dolls on your lap?” Illumin asked.
“These? These were Utopian prisoners who tried to escape. They were rather aggravating to me,” Polea explained.
“You can turn people into dolls now?” Illumin asked, rather shocked. Polea nodded her head. “Give them to me, and I will keep them safe.” Polea did as Illumin asked. She knew that he might try to free them, but Polea did not care. He put them in a cabinet and turned back to Polea. He sat down right next to her, very close to her. She pulled her body so close to him that they were touching their skin to each other. “What else can you do now?”
Polea leaned close to him and kissed him passionately. “I will take great joy in showing you all of my powers, abilities, and incredible skills.” Polea chuckled and kissed him again.
Illumin broke the kiss for a moment. “Perhaps we should go somewhere more private.”
“You are right. We will go to my chambers.” Polea pulled Illumin’s head to her face and kisses him more passionately, and they both disappeared in a golden light.

Prince S’tie was thrown into a dark room lit by a large fireplace. It was cold until he came close to the fire. S’tie was badly injured, his energy was low, and he ached a great deal. He saw a large couch in front of the fireplace. He could hear something or someone breathing and moving in the dark.
“Are you enjoying my bedchambers?” a familiar feminine voice asked.
“Asaria? Where are you?” S’tie asked.
“Over here, my one true love,” Laxur said as her voice became concentrated enough for S’tie to look at the source. A light from Laxur’s body illuminated her to reveal herself to the injured Prince.
Queen Laxur had become far more stunning to the Prince. She glowed, and she looked ready for sex. She was dressed in a very tight black corset and nothing else. Her body was very muscular, her breasts were larger than he remembered, and her hair was so long that it reached the floor. She was now equal in height to him. She wore a smile of pure seduction and love for him and him alone. She took his hand and guided him to her bed.
“Oh, this must hurt so much, my love. Allow me,” Laxur gently placed her hand on his biggest injuries, his broken leg and gashes on his torso. They healed right before his eyes. Then Laxur passionately kissed him. As she did, all his pain was removed and all his injuries healed. She also loosened the top of her corset to allow her breasts to be shown more and her chest to expand as she breathed. Minutes later she broke the kiss and left the Prince aroused so much that was painful not to be touched by her.
“There, all better. How do you feel, my love?” Laxur smiled as she continued to slowly loosen her corset.
“My injuries and wounds are gone,” was all S’tie could say. He had found himself lost in Laxur’s different form and her incredible passion.
“That is all?” Laxur mocked a hurt tone. “Then I need to….” Laxur then forced herself on top of him, “intensify my passion for you.”
“You have not needed to do that,” S’tie said. Laxur was taken aback by his comment.
“What do you mean?” Laxur asked.
“Asaria. I have always loved you. You never need to use spells on me or use your body like a whore. You have always had my love,” S’tie explained.
Laxur was at a loss. She wanted to be the ultimate woman and to be the ultimate mate for S’tie. She loved him so much that she would do anything to make him want her and love her more. He was the only one allowed to call her Asaria; he was the only man that could truly be hers and hers alone.
“My love. I gained god-like powers and endured so much, all for you. I want you to love me like you did when we were young,” Laxur said.
“You do not need this great power to have me. I have always wanted to be by your side. And I want to be by your side now.” S’tie gently took her hand and held it to his face.
“You would willingly join my Empire, and be my king?” Laxur’s face lit up.
“If I can be with you, I will do anything you want.” S’tie then kissed Laxur with all the love and passion that he had for her. Queen Laxur could feel his lust for her, his love, and his need for her. Laxur held him, and they fell on the giant cold bed. Laxur made S’tie’s clothes vanish, making him completely naked. In turn, Laxur completely removed her corset, making her naked too. From there, they made such passionate love that Laxur’s powers began to grow again beyond what she could control.
But her powers were affecting her Empire. It made her forces so strong that they were now overwhelming the Utopians.

After a few days, S’tie decided to find Illumin. He needed someone to talk to about Laxur being a goddess. The Prince was told to look for him in one of the great rooms that had obviously been a temple prior to Laxur’s occupation. It was nine stories tall with stadium seating down to a vast stage.
He walked down the stairs to where he could see Illumin walking back and forth muttering at the raised dais.
“Illumin!” S’tie called out as he walked up to the black-frocked priest.
“S’tie!” Illumin clapped him on the shoulder. “I see Laxur brought you back from death’s door. I heard you had been pretty badly wounded. I am glad to see you well. What do you think of the temple?”
“It is, um, well, hmmm.” S’tie looked around at the great empty room and grinned back at the priest. “It is large.”
Illumin sighed heavily. “Yes, it is at that. I fill it every day with those who want supplications from Laxur.” He shook his head. “I am keeping a list, but I have yet to have the nerve to bring it to Laxur.” He looked down and then up at the Prince. “You know the difference between being a priest for the Architect and Laxur is?”
S’tie was loathe to hear the answer for it, but it was why he was there.
“The difference is that when you pray to the Architect, you have to take some personal responsibility for your wishes or dreams, but Laxur can grant them in a whim—or take them away. Again, on a whim.” He looked at the Prince with a wry smile. “You understand?”
“I understand.” S’tie put his hand on Illumin’s shoulder. “Believe me. I understand. And do you want to hear something worse?”
“I think I better. You have the look of a man who seeks confession or a good friend. Why do we not talk in this place but back in my rooms? They are not far.” Illumin motioned for the Prince to follow him.
Illumin picked up his staff that had ball of light at the tip, went to the back of the stone wall, tapped the wall, and a door opened, and the two men slipped through to a wide hallway illuminated by torches. They passed by his offices and storage rooms. At the end of the hall was Illumin’s suite of rooms.
They sat in his living room. It was large and dark, so Illumin lit the fireplace and several candles. It lent the atmosphere a closeness that S’tie appreciated.
“The temple needs statues of Laxur, do you not think? Large ones that can be seen from the farthest-away seats. I am not sure if I should have craftsmen make them or just suggest it to the goddess.” Illumin poured whiskey for S’tie, who took it gratefully.
The priest sighed heavily as he took his soft chair across from the Prince, who sat staring at the fire. “You are freaked out.”
“Yes! My Maker, she made herself a goddess and is having you call for her worship! Does that not bother you?!”
“Hey, you sleep with her.” Illumin smiled and took a drink.
“And you sleep with her blonde twin!” S’tie got up and tossed back the drink with a cough. He put his glass out for his host, who got up and poured a small portion to refill.
“So what does that make us, other than two scared little girls?” Illumin laughed hysterically.
S’tie joined in and then moaned. “I am scared, all right. She says she did this for me. For me, Illumin. What does that say? I did not want her this way. I wanted her as Asaria.”
“And who is Asaria? I mean, to you?” Illumin asked.
“Asaria was light and sweetness. She was gentle, loving. Flowers bloomed for her.” The Prince sighed.
“They bloom for her now too.” The priest held up his hand as his guest gave him a look. “All right, I know what you mean, but if I remember this story right, you were her protector until you were called back home.”
“And then something terrible happened, and she disappeared, only to reappear in the Empire, and Rakon became her protector.” S’tie slammed his glass down on the table by his elbow.
“And she did not need you anymore. Well, I will tell you this, my Prince. We the Darkcon people need you. I need you. You are all that stands between madness and some modicum of sanity. Laxur is a flipping nutcase with enormous power. Polea so loves Laxur for what she has done for her that she cannot see the danger.” Illumin leaned over S’tie, grasping his hand.
“And Polea will do anything for Laxur. She was the one who found me out in the sand dying and brought me to Laxur. She did not heal me because that was Laxur wanted to do. So I had to wait and watch the others die around me. Polea and Sysu shot everyone around me, smiling, then picked me up gently as if I were—”
Illumin cut S’tie off: “A doll?”
“I was a doll. I am still just a doll to Asaria. I do not even think she sees me as a man, more of a possession.” S’tie motioned for more whiskey.
Illumin complied and had a gulp himself. “You have got to be more than a possession, S’tie. We need you to be her conscience. You will have to be careful, though. I do not know how far you can push her. It could be dangerous.”
S’tie shook his head. “I doubt that. She does not listen to what I say to her. She says she is just happy that I am here.”
“Nothing like being a kept man. I am sure she loves you for your mind.” Illumin poured another glass, a little sloppily. “So, what do you think? Get craftsmen to make the statues? It will take a while, and I do not believe the goddess can wait to be worshipped properly.”
The fire began to smoke outward in heavy billows, drowning the room. Behind them a form appeared, reaching the top of the twelve foot ceiling. It was covered by a black cowl, but the two red eyes could be seen glowing.
“Gentlemen, I am the Architect,” the deep, bone-jarring voice announced to the quivering men, who each bowed low, sloppily. The god sighed at the drunken men. “Listen to what I have to say.”
Illumin sobered up and dropped to his knees. “I have disappointed you. I—”
“No, Illumin. You are where you are supposed to be.” The Architect turned to the distraught S’tie. “You are where you are needed. You both will be needed to guide Asaria into behaving as a goddess should. She is acting like a child and killing and creating life in the universe haphazardly, destroying the balance. You need to guide her through this.”
S’tie, more inebriated than Illumin, got up and asked somewhat belligerently, “Why can you not say these things to her?”
“It was not my essence that was left. It was my mate’s, and she believes the child Asaria will be fine. I do not. I believe she is already having difficulties with her new abilities. She needs sober guidance. Do not let her powers guide her. She needs command over them, or they will get out of control. I do not want to have to fix the multiverse. Gentlemen, I will be watching, and I suggest you do not speak of this to the child. She cannot rely on me to help her. What she wants to do is in direct conflict with me. I do not believe she would want my total and undivided attention. There are things that can be done, but she is young. It would be a great pity, and, Illumin, it will not be only Asaria, but Polea as well. Gentlemen, I rely on you, and so do your two women. You will need to shepherd them well.”
The smoke suddenly flew up the chimney, and Illumin and S’tie were alone.
“This is serious.” Illumin sat down.
S’tie glared at his friend and sat too. “You think so, Illumin? I mean, really? If we do not tone down Asaria, she will be attacked by the Architect. He expects that she will go all out of control-”
“More than she already has? Making soldiers, reanimating the dead, making Polea look like her?” Illumin got up to brew some coffee.
“Hey! Polea was the one who wanted that.” Watching his friend, he called out, “Illumin you got any food?”
The priest picked up some fruit, cheese, ham, and bread with butter. “Yeah, we should eat something to sober up.” Illumin placed the platter on a table and set it on his table and motioned for S’tie to join him as the water boiled for the coffee.
“I got pretty sober when I saw the Architect. I would have thought I would have been more terrified. I must be used to the terror of being with beings that can turn me into paste with a thought. I wonder if that is a good thing or a bad thing,” S’tie ruminated as he sat down at the table.
“Pretty standard when you work with Laxur. I myself wonder from time to time if it is really an advantage to catch her eye.” Illumin cut the bread.
“What—what do you mean ‘catch her eye’?” S’tie asked suspiciously.
Illumin burst out laughing hard. It took him a minute to calm down, and he put his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Not that way. I have been useful to her with the Humans, and Polea liked my sermons, thus Laxur has listened on occasions. Nothing sexual. I am not her type, and I will be honest and say that the Queen is a little too high-maintenance for me. No offense.”
S’tie nodded with relief. “Thank you, Illumin, for being honest. Yes, she is high-maintenance, but I love her as much as I am afraid of her. I please her now, but what if that changes? And now I have to be her conscience.”
“You would be her conscience anyway, S’tie. We have to be smart about this,” the priest said. “We cannot seem to be criticizing; they do not take that very well.”
“I cannot simply agree with her on everything. She has created monsters to destroy my worlds. How can I not say anything?” S’tie made himself a sandwich and took some coffee.
“You think I want Humans subjugated? Beaten and humiliated?” Illumin asked.
“She will do worse to my Elf relatives, and I doubt anything I say will change that!” S’tie slammed his fist down on the table.
“Maybe we can convince her that they will worship her instead,” the priest suggested. “It could be more satisfying for her.”
“Worshipping her. I am having trouble with this. She’s my lover.” The Prince sighed.
“She is your goddess. Remember that and live, my friend.” Illumin took a bite of his sandwich and drank some coffee.

Polea’s rooms were like a dark, twisted dollhouse. The walls were black, as Laxur had changed the stone of the castle from beige to onyx. The curtains on the windows, which looked on to endless desert, were a candy red, as were her throw rugs and bedspread. Along the walls were shelves of dolls and stuffed animals. There were also board games. There were blocks that interconnected and picture books. Right now the Princess, dressed in a long blue gown, was lying on a rug while she threw jacks on the floor.
A shining white light materialized in the center of the room, blinding her. She sat up as a figure in dazzling white appeared. The figure had pale skin, light blue eyes, and she wore a veil over her white hair. Polea knew instantly that it was the Maker, and she froze.
“Polea, I have come to talk with you, child.” The voice was soft yet musical.
The Princess stood up and asked, “Why would you talk to me and not Laxur?”
“Do you have less value than Asaria?” The Maker smiled gently.
“Yes. I am not a goddess as you and Laxur are. Why talk to me?” She asked again.
“You are just as important. You are Asaria’s friend,” the Maker said.
“Oh, now I understand. You want me to tell her something for you?” Polea asked with a smirk.
“I am concerned with you and only you. You have changed your appearance to look like Asaria because you hoped to become powerful and seductive. Has this made you happy?” The Maker spoke gently again.
“What does this have to do with anything?” Polea asked as she picked up her jacks. She straightened and looked at the Maker. “Why do you care?”
“Are you happy? Content now that you have changed? Illumin loved you before you became as you are,” the Maker insisted.
Polea frowned. She had not thought of her lover and what his reaction would be. Now she had doubts. “Are you saying he does not love me or want me anymore? We have had made love since, and he did not seemed bothered.”
“Illumin loves you and understands that you felt you needed to change and is accepting of that. He is a good man,” the white vision assured. “You still have not answered my question. Are you happy, content?”
“Of course I am. I have everything I desire.” Polea nodded.
“Do you love yourself now?” the Maker unexpectedly asked.
“What are you talking about? What has this to do with anything?” the Princess yelled in frustration. She walked away from the vision to look out the window at the emptiness.
“It is a simple question, but,” the Maker paused, “not so simple to answer. It is a painful one, I think.”
“Laxur and Illumin love me. That is enough,” Polea said softly.
The Maker sighed and moved closer to the Princess. “That is not true. You have come so far, and it is little wonder that they adore you. You give all of yourself to those that you love. Illumin has done much to help you heal, but you still have anger—”
“Damn straight! Where were you when I needed love and protection? You were not there when I begged for mercy from my parents and your high priest, that disgusting Puro! No, it was the Architect who took my hand. Where is he?” Polea demanded
“He is concerned and works in other ways. That is what concerns me. I see great danger and anguish if you cannot find contentment and love for yourself. Only in that way can you help Asaria find her own and thus be the goddess she was meant to be,” the Maker advised.
“So this is about Laxur. Will the Architect attack her?” Polea asked hesitantly.
“You need to heed my words, Polea, and be that friend to her. Help her to see that her powers come with a price. She must control herself, or the power will control her. The way is to be content and to love oneself. The rest will follow, and greater things will come,” the Maker advised. The white light flashed again, and the vision was gone.
Polea stared at the place the Maker had been, ruminating on her words. She did not take it lightly. The goddess did not appear to simply have a chat. There was deep meaning here. It must have galactic import. She needed to see Illumin.
She transported herself to the temple and found no one, so she walked to his rooms, where she found S’tie and Illumin.
“Polea!” The priest rose up from the table and went to her. He gently took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly.
The Princess smiled against his lips. “Illumin.” She sighed. “I needed to see you. Do you love me the way I am, even though I have changed my looks?”
“Polea, I love you however you look. It is your true heart that I love.” The priest kissed her on each cheek and then her lips.
“I suppose I had better go.” S’tie stood up.
The Princess laughed at S’tie’s awkwardness. Polea waved him to sit down. “No, I will join you two gentlemen. What are you having?”
“Coffee and sandwiches, as well as a little philosophy.” Illumin pulled a chair out for his lover.
Polea sat and smiled at the two men. “Philosophy? How so?”
S’tie frowned at Illumin, then shrugged. “Just figuring life.”
“Yes, you know, how we got to this point in life and what comes next,” Illumin added. He believed that now was the time to begin to map out what to do. He was not going to lose Polea to the Architect.
The Princess frowned at the Prince and priest. “You are here because Laxur is a goddess and she will rule the universe. Well, she will not rule, I will rule, but she will be worshipped by all.”
“We were talking about that. It will be better to take over the universe, have everyone worship Laxur instead of killing everyone.” Illumin smiled at Polea, who smiled back.
“Yes, that is why Laxur has created the Succubi and Incubi to seduce the beings of this universe into slavery to her.” She looked happily at the two men, who tried not to frown.
S’tie rubbed his hand down his face and sighed, “Yeah, into slavery.”
Polea frowned at the Prince and said sharply, “You do not sound happy with her plans. You should be grateful to her for saving your life. She loves you!”
“And I love her. That is just the thing, Polea. Asaria is better than slavery and needing worship. She should be exploring what good things she can do with her powers; instead, she is intent on destruction,” S’tie agonized.
Polea slammed her fist on the table. “They deserve it! And she deserves to be worshipped!”
S’tie stood up. “Why? What has she done, Polea? Has she created the universe, the ground beneath our feet?” S’tie put his hand up to stop her from speaking. “Yes, she has created life, but did she create their souls? No, she wanted them compliant and not to think for themselves. She created more slaves. She could have so much more. Real beings to believe in her, who may come to worship her if they could get a chance to see her as we see her and not this dark, twisted image. I worry for her, do you see?”
Polea was silent, thinking about what the Maker had said. “Do you think that it is blasphemy and that the Architect will punish her?”
Illumin and S’tie looked at each other sharply before Illumin answered, “It is possible. I am—or was—the high priest for the Architect, and he was for law and order as well as our dark magic.” The priest paused to gauge Polea’s reaction, which was a slight narrowing of her green eyes. “Laxur was good for the empire by giving us law and order. She was harsh, but that was what it took to keep our peoples in line. The Architect had no issues with her. Now Laxur has taken powers that were meant for a great cataclysm. I would say he will be watching her.”
Polea stood up and walked behind her chair, placing her hands on the back of the chair. “She should be a match for him, being a goddess as well.”
“Are you sure? If I was a god, I would make sure that I was still top god, even if I needed someone with extreme power. I would make sure I had something the other did not,” the priest suggested.
Polea frowned. “She deserves what she has. This is not fair! They cannot take it back or punish her for taking what was lying around.”
“Nothing has happened yet,” Illumin tried calming the distraught woman.
“We will all try to help Asaria to do the right thing. To control her power before—” S’tie began.
“Before the power controls her, yes. We could do that. The three of us must help her.” Polea smiled with tears in her eyes. “We will make a pact to help guide Laxur to help her control her powers. That should please the Architect.”
“It pleases me as well. I love Asaria and believe that she is worthy of her powers, if she will follow her true heart.” S’tie smiled and reached over to clasp Polea’s hand.
“So we are agreed,” Illumin asked.
“Agreed, for Laxur,” Polea responded.
“For Asaria.”

Now the question on everyone’s mind for the next few months was: Where is Princess Asora?

Kingdoms and Empires: Chapter 37

Rise of the Malicious Goddess

At first light Queen Laxur, Princess Polea, Dame Dari, Hyea, and Smika were on foot through the mountains towards the edge of the range. An hour later they were on a cliff overlooking the other side of the range. Laxur’s excitement was aroused when she saw a massive fortress that seemed to stretch from horizon to horizon.
“That’s it! Come, everyone. We must get to it before the Utopians do,” Queen Laxur ordered.
“Yes, my Queen,” the four said in unison. Dari took to the winds with Polea and Hyea, who was holding Smika in her arms, and Queen Laxur jumped into the air with her black wings. They were flying towards and around the massive fortress. It took them two hours to fly to it, and they saw only a small part of the fortress.
“This thing is enormous. And I do not see any place to enter,” Dari complained.
“If I had to guess, I would have to say that this fortress is one hundred miles long and wide,” Polea said.
“Who would build such a place?” Smika asked.
“It was made for a god or goddess. So all things are to be big,” Laxur said out.
The Queen got tired of flying around, so she landed near the giant wall.
“I would say that this wall is ten miles high too. At least at this end and the outer edge,” Polea added.
“That is big!” Hyea commented and whistled.
Laxur took out the small stone slab that Smika gave her, and she began to decipher it. As she did, the same writing as on the slab began to appear on the wall in front of her.
“It is a door?” Laxur said curiously. She had figured that if she touched the symbols in a certain way, a door would form.
A gunshot echoed past and cratered in the wall. The five Darkcons turn around to see the dreaded Huusaud, Princess Asora, and her entourage.
“The next one will not miss, I guarantee you that!” Marevin yelled out.
“You would not dare harm me, insect,” Laxur hissed.
“In order to keep you from getting in there? It is an option,” Asora pronounced.
“So it is like that then, is it?” Laxur said with a frown. She was not surprised by Asora’s comment. She expected something along that line. “Well, I am sorry to disappoint you then, baby sister, but I will have this power. And there will be nothing that you can do to stop me.”
The Darkcon Queen walked through the wall, and she vanished. Hyea, Smika, Polea, and Dari also vanished into the wall.
The Utopians were shocked. Lady T’ula went up to the wall and found it to be solid.
“What are we going to do?” the Elf lady asked, worried.
“Break down the wall!” Aga yelled out.
“I imagine the walls to be several feet thick in order to support the miles high construction,” Jeia pointed out.
“What do you suggest?” the Puro asked.
“These symbols? Did anyone see which ones Laxur tapped?” Asora asked as she moved towards and observed the symbols on the wall.
“I managed to capture a few pictures on my camera here,” Countess Marien said as she pulled her camera back out.
It was a small, black, brick-like object. She opened it up, and a screen came to life with an image of Queen Laxur pointing to seven specific symbols. Princess Asora then took the camera in one hand. With the other, she tapped the same symbols. The wall all of a sudden felt empty, and her arm fell in. Asora walked through, and she too vanished. T’ula, Jeia, and Madimoy, with the Huusaud troops, ran in. Countess Marien, Puro Aga, and the rest of the Utopians and Humans remained outside.

Queen Laxur and her Privy Council were walking down a long dark corridor. Hyea shrank and was glowing bright so they could see. The halls were not exactly tight; in fact, there was almost a hundred feet between the walls and what looked like a mile height to the ceiling.
“Truly a worthy home for a goddess,” Laxur said with confidence. She turned to look at her slab to find the symbol that would point her to the powers of Z’yon. The stone slab began to glow. Laxur turned to one direction, and the glow dimmed. When she turned another way, its glow brightened. She assumed that if the glow stayed bright, they were on the right path. “Come, everyone, we are to go this way.”

Princess Asora’s golden armor was glowing so she and the thirteen others could see.
“Any ideas where they went?” Jeia asked.
“That way.” Marevin pointed to a particular direction after he noticed a set of tracks in the dust.
Princess Asora made two balls of light appear in her hands and sent them out to find the walls and a third to find the ceiling. The balls of light disappeared, as did the one going up.
“Well, that was interesting,” Asora said in a wonder.
“This place has to be miles, not feet, in measurements,” T’ula thought out loud.
“I think you are right,” Asora responded. “Let us go and follow Marevin.”

Days had passed, and Laxur was getting frustrated. Her powers were weak, and she wanted this more than anything. Polea was trying to conjure a spell to see if she could get them to the center. They figured out that they needed to get to the center of the fortress.
“Any luck, Princess?” Dari asked.
“Not yet,” she replied.
Smika was looking deep into the dark with a sentinel-like posture.
“What is it?” Hyea asked him.
“We are being followed,” Smika responded.
“I know. They have been on our trail for the last three days. We just happen to be faster,” Laxur added in. “But,. fortunately, I think that we are very close to the center, according to this symbol here.”
“So how much farther is it, my Queen?” Polea asked.
“On the other side of this wall,” is all Laxur said, pointing to a massive black-coated wall with no entry point. “I just need to figure out how to get in.”
“Can we tunnel through the wall?” Smika asked.
“It may be possible to do,” Hyea thought out loud.
“My powers have become limited. Polea, do you think that you can do it?” Laxur asked Polea.
“I can do it. It will take me a few hours to do, though,” Polea said. The blonde, weak-visioned lady whispered a spell that allowed her to remove rock as if it were whipped cream. The light from her hands also cleared the bricks and rocks from her path as well.
“Maybe you should go into construction and demolition,” Laxur commented as she watched Polea work. She was very thankful that she had Polea. The Queen intended to reward the blonde greatly with whatever her heart desired. She owed Polea that much.
Two hours later, Polea reached the other end of the wall, and what she saw was incredible. This room was lit very brightly. The room was huge; Polea could not even see the other side of the room, nor the center. Laxur, Hyea, Dari, and Smika followed directly behind Polea to also see the golden room.
“Where is the light coming from?” Hyea asked.
“From the center,” Dari added.
“And that is where we are going,” Laxur said, and she started walking out to the source of the light. The other four walked forward to follow their Queen.
Laxur could feel it, the great power of the Maker herself. It was so intense, all she wanted was more and more. The feeling was so indescribable, how good it felt the closer she got to it.
Another three hours later, the five Darkcons saw the center of the room. At the center, they saw a great table of gold, jade, and diamond. A big, blue, glowing, crystal-like object floated above the table. That was the source of the light and power that Laxur was feeling.
The Queen’s eyes widened, and her breathing increased. She licked her lips in satisfaction. She had finally made it.

A bolt of lightning hit Dari square in her back, and she went down in pain and screaming. The Darkcons turned around to see Princess Asora with five Daemons and a golden one as well, and not to mention T’ula, Jeia, Marevin, and a dozen Huusaud troops.
“The next one is for you, sister. Now stop this, or so help me, I will shoot you,” Asora warned.
“No!” Laxur zapped Asora with the last of her dark energy, and this temporarily blinded the Utopians. Then she took off running full sprint as fast as her long legs could carry her.
Asora cleared the dark mist only to see her sister running faster than anyone could ever move.
The Golden Daemon grew wings and flew after her. Asora followed the Golden Daemon.
“Rowaton, do what you must to stop her!” Asora ordered to Rowaton in his Daemon form.
“Yes, Princess,” Rowaton acknowledged.
Asora and Rowaton were having a hard time trying to catch up to Laxur. The Queen was known for many things, and being one of the fastest runners was one of them. She also had been known to use potions and drugs to boost her powers and abilities.
“Great Maker, she is fast!” Asora commented to herself. “For a woman with an enormous chest, she is flawless in her technique too.”
Asora gave herself a burst of speed in the air, and she tackled her sister just before she could get to the base that supported the table. The two sisters were fighting one another, tooth and nail.
“Get off of me, you bitch!” Laxur roared in anger and exhaustion.
Asora responded by punching Laxur in her face. The fact that the Princess had armor on made it more difficult for Laxur to withstand Asora’s forceful blows. The Queen stopped moving to recover from the painful blow to her face. Asora got off of Laxur, confident in her victory. She looked around and saw Rowaton coming towards her. Then a powerful blow to the back of Asora’s head sent the Princess to the floor.
Queen Laxur was standing back up, and she used all of her strength to hit back at her sister. Once Asora was on the ground, she pulled Laxur with her. Laxur was lying on top of Asora, and she used her weight to hurt Asora.
“You are fortunate that you are my sister and I love you very dearly. I will remember this, and I will remember that you are my sister as I transcend into godhood,” Laxur pronounced to her sister, Asora.
She got off of the Utopian Princess and walked up the base to the giant table towards the crystal holding the divine powers that would transform a chosen person into an equal of the Maker and Architect. Her hunger for this was growing as she moved closer to it.
Up the tall steps to the top, Queen Laxur found a vast table of gold, silver, jade, and obsidian stone. A large, blue, mirror-like crystal slowly spun around on an axis. It was, however, small enough to fit into both of Laxur’s palms. She did, however, notice that the crystal seemed to only be half there, as if half of it were missing.
Laxur hopped onto the table and walked to the crystal. Princess Asora got back up and saw Laxur heading towards the object.
“No!” is all Asora could muster herself to say.
Queen Laxur merely touched the crystal, and something happened. A massive pulse of energy surged into the Queen’s body. Laxur screamed in agony as an unfathomable amount of power entered her and began to change her, both body and power. Queen Laxur’s body began to grow, every part of her. Her hair became longer and thicker, her muscles expanded and became more pronounced, her black wings automatically unfurled themselves. Her breasts grew bigger, her legs became longer. And as she grew, her dress was torn, leaving only a medium sized, tight black corset to keep her somewhat decent. In twenty agonizing seconds, Queen Laxur let go of the crystal, and she found that her form and powers had changed greatly.
Princess Asora and Rowaton were in shock from what they saw, what the power of Z’yon had done to Laxur. The Queen now stood thirteen feet tall, with a heavier muscle build and greater curves than ever before.
“Oh, yes! This power, this greatness. It is everything that I have imagined,” Laxur moaned in pleasure as her new powers coursed through her reformed body. Her voice was now deeper and god-like. She looked down at Asora and Rowaton. “Oh, yes, you two.”
“What happened to you, sister?” Asora asked, worried.
“I have become the most powerful being in the universe,” Laxur boomed. “And in a few minutes, I will become the equal to the Maker and Architect.”
Those words haunted Asora and Rowaton greatly.
“So, now you have become a bigger headache then before,” T’ula yelled out as she caught up to Asora.
“You will be on your knees praying to me soon, Elf,” Laxur boomed again.
“I think not, witch!” the Elf lady fired back. Then she shot a bolt of purple energy at Laxur. It impacted on her stomach and did nothing. Laxur laughed menacingly at T’ula, as the Elf fired again and again repeatedly. She stopped when she figured it was not doing anything.
“I should thank you, Elf. For every pulse of magical energy you struck at me. I absorbed and learned all your spells. I must say, you are quite advanced. But now all your skills are mine,” Laxur said. Then the massive Queen blasted T’ula, Asora, and Rowaton with the same spell that the Elf Lady tried to attack Laxur with. She returned it to them tenfold, blowing them down the steps. Laxur’s evil laugh echoed throughout the giant room.
Gunshots fired and peppered Laxur’s body. She could feel every bullet strike her, but it caused her no pain, for none of the bullets were able to pierce her elegant skin. The Huusaud were firing a multitude of firearms and magical attack spells. They were stunned by the negative effect they were having on the oversized, half-naked Darkcon beauty.
“Nice try, boys and girls. But all your might amounts to nothing!” Then Laxur zapped them all with powerful lightning bolts. The result was that she killed the thirteen Huusaud troops in one blow. The Queen laughed again at the sight.
Rowaton roared in rage, and a wall of flames enveloped Laxur. The enchanted flame was enough to hurt the mighty Darkcon woman, and anger her as well. She fought her way out of the fire wall and slammed her fist into the smaller Daemon’s head, knocking him out.
Asora powered all seven of her coins, readied herself to block her now deranged sister.
“My Princess. The Queen’s lackeys are coming,” T’ula said as she observed Polea, Smika, Hyea, and Dari coming towards them.
“Can you handle them, T’ula?” Asora asked.
“They are pathetic to me. It is Laxur I am worried about. So, yes, I can ‘take’ them,” T’ula responded, and she charged at the four approaching Darkcons, with saber in hand.
T’ula ran right into Dari and kicked her in the stomach. The force knocked the oversized Fallen Angel onto her backside, and then the Elf launched herself at Hyea. The Fairy was Human-sized and not strong enough to withstand T’ula’s saber strike. The Elf cut into Hyea’s skin, drawing blood. In anger, Smika threw rocks at T’ula, but the Elf lady, ever graceful, caught the rocks and tossed them right back at Smika, head on. The boy backed off, badly hurt and unable to fight back. Hyea dropped to her knees to show T’ula that she was done. Only Polea was left.
“You were never a match for me in any way in anything, Polea. So what makes you think that this time will be different?” T’ula boasted.
“I have a few new tricks up my sleeves this time,” Polea said. She made a sword made of enchanted jade appear in her hand. It had depictions of bears and forest. The near-sighted blonde charged at the lady Elf with great energy. However, T’ula, being much stronger then Polea, had the upper hand in this contest.

Princess Asora faced down Queen Laxur. She was ready to defend herself against the massive woman.
“So, what do you think of me now, baby sister?” Laxur asked, confident in the answer.
“I think you are a mess. You need to stop this,” Asora replied.
Laxur laughed, and it echoed deeply. “Oh, baby sister. You could never understand what it is like to have this power. It is the most incredible thing, the most incredible feeling.” Laxur waved her hands over every curve of her enhanced form, making her point.
“You are right. I never will,” Asora said sadly.
“I am, however, willing to share with you this ultimate power. Together we can rule the universe as loving sisters. We can make all the wrongs right, and make things the way we see fit,” Laxur promised evilly.
“This is not how it is to be done,” Asora retorted.
“Fine, have it your way,” Laxur replied.
The big Queen then surprised Asora by zipping right in front of her and grabbing hold, raising the Princess to Laxur’s chest and shrugging the smaller girl hard. Laxur was squeezing Asora deep into her torso and starting to drown her in her flesh. Asora could not breathe as her sister increased her grip. Asora’s face was trapped in between Laxur’s enormous breasts. So the Princess did the only thing that she could think of. She powered up her seven coins, and in an incredible burst of energy, the mad Queen released her grip on the Princess. Asora was dropped to the floor, gasping for air. Her sister was laughing evilly.
“What are you so happy about,” Asora coughed.
“You did exactly what I wanted you to do,” Laxur chuckled.
Asora realized what Laxur was referring to.
“By using all seven coins to break my grip. You gave me the power, too, that they and you possessed. I have your mastery and skill of these powers as well. Except, with me, it is many times stronger,” Laxur laughed confidently.
Asora, now realizing that all of her advantages were gone, knew that she was beaten. Laxur sent a pulsing wave of fire and wind directly at Asora. The heat from the flame was so intense that it began to melt her golden armor. Then wind blew Asora across the floor as if she were in a hurricane.
“That ought to hold you for a little while.” Then the massive Queen turned to the crystal. “While I obtain the rest of this great power all for myself.”
Laxur walked back up the steps towards the crystal of Z’yon to gain all of its powers. Asora was in too much pain to get back up. That was until Marevin came in and jumped right in front of Laxur with a katana in one hand and a pistol in the other.
“Oh? And what do you think that you are doing, little man?” Laxur chuckled. She always thought that Marevin was cute, especially when he tried to impress her baby sister.
“What does it look like?” Marevin retorted.
“It looks like you are making a fool of yourself. Trying to impress my little sister,” Laxur said with a grin.
“Wrong. This!” Then Marevin shot Laxur in the head with a bullet made of uranium. And it actually blew Laxur off her feet and down the steps in pain. The Super Queen was cursing in pain and about to get back up, so Marevin kicked Laxur back down and jumped on her back. “Now stay down, you bitch. Because I have got a lot more uranium bullets with your name on them. That last one may not have gone into your brain, but the next one will go into your chest. I do not care how big your breasts are, they cannot stop a U-234 projectile.”
“Is that so, you miserable pest?” Laxur fumed, now angry at this man. Marevin put his foot on the back of Laxur’s head and pointed his gun at her neck.
“If I have to kill you to save the universe, then so be it,” Marevin declared.
“Asora would never forgive you,” Laxur said forcefully.
“I will understand,” Asora said as she walked up to them slowly.
In a wave of wind and water, Marevin was forced off of Laxur’s back and into Asora’s arms. They were both knocked down by the impact. As Laxur got back up, another blow hit her, this time into her stomach with a force so strong it was enough to knock her onto her butt, then back. Lady T’ula was the one who attacked the Queen this time.
“Do what Lord Marevin said and stay down!” T’ula said forcefully.
“You have been nothing but a pain in my backside for years, T’ula,” Laxur growled.
“Funny, because your backside is the largest that I have ever seen. I figured that you would be used to it,” T’ula said with a grin.
Laxur was offended by T’ula’s off-handed comment. She must have learned that from Jeia.
Then, with one massive kick, Laxur sent T’ula flying backwards and into the steps, breaking her back. T’ula cried out in pain. Asora and Marevin crawled up to her to help T’ula. Asora used a healing spell to mend T’ula’s spine back to normal and it stopped her from screaming anymore.
Laxur, however, had made it back up onto the table and was just about to grab the crystal again, when the room began to shake violently.
“What the—?” Laxur demanded. She turned around to see Asora using her rock coin to cause a powerful quake. She destroyed the table, and Laxur’s legs and waist were trapped in solid rock as Asora used it to restrain her. “You cannot stop me. I am a force of the universe now. There is no such thing to stop me!”
With all her strength, Laxur broke free of her rocky restrains and saw the table and the crystal hovering in the air.
Asora’s neck was restrained by a golden whip from Polea. The blonde was bloodied up and dirty and her dress was torn from her fight with T’ula.
“You are going to pay for that,” Polea hissed. “Go, my Queen!”
T’ula fired off multiple bolts of magical lights that bounced off the floating objects. She and Marevin were trying to destroy the crystal. Asora was choking and trying to fight Polea now.
Laxur jumped up into the floating debris field, hopping on and off of large fragments to the crystal. She was hit many times by T’ula and Marevin. Laxur flashed a bright light throughout the area long enough for her to grab hold of the crystal, and she got an idea. She broke it into three small pieces, and then Laxur ate them.
Laxur landed in a corner away from the others, and she relaxed. As she swallowed the three pieces and they slid down her throat and settled in her belly, she could feel the raw divine power pulse through her. She had never felt this kind of power before. It felt so good now, and not painful like last time. It felt so good, it was better than sex. The Queen breathed heavily as the power inside her grew. It was out of control, but she did not care. She wanted it, she wanted limitless power, and she was willing to endure anything to get it.
“Where is the crystal?” Asora yelled out. Laxur stood up, laughing evilly. She felt the power growing and changing her.
“It is where it belongs,” Laxur said as she moved her hands over her belly. “It is inside of me now.”
“No! What have you done?” T’ula roared.
“I am now as the Great Maker is. You will all now bow down and worship me as you do her!” Laxur boomed.
The Queen’s belly began to glow white as the power surged inside of her. Laxur could feel it, and it felt good to her and it was getting better. Then Laxur’s belly all of a sudden glowed so bright it was blinding, and Laxur fell to the floor in such ecstasy that she lost control of herself for a moment.
“Oh Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Laxur moaned in a completely pleasured state. “The power inside me. It is growing!” Her breathing increased, and she began to change again—she was growing.
The Dark Queen expanded rapidly in all directions. She was moaning, and her power could be felt by all in the room. Her stomach was glowing brightly as she grew.
“We better get out of here!” T’ula warned Asora.
“Yeah, I think that you are right,” Asora responded, stepping back as she watched her sister get bigger.
In an hour, Queen Laxur’s body filled the once-giant room. Her head finally hit the ceiling that was miles up. Laxur was now tens of times larger than she had ever been. Her wings were cramped in the now-shrinking room. Her moaning had increased and grown more intense. The room had been abandoned.
“More, more, give me all. I want it all!” Laxur moaned to herself. In response, her glowing belly brightened even more. The Queen felt the sudden surge of even greater power. “Oh yes!”

Outside the fortress, the ground shook violently, and the fortress itself looked as if it were going to explode. Two massive black wings seemed to sprout out from the middle of the giant building. The wings towered miles into the sky, blocking out the sun. Then something or someone rose out of the fortress, covered by a purple glow. A gigantic Laxur sat up, laughing evilly. Her voice was so deep and powerful, it echoed across the whole of Z’yon.
The gigantic goddess Queen looked down with arrogance and darkness.
“Let us balance the sides in my favor now!” Laxur boomed, and she raised her hand. From her finger tips, dark lightning erupted and surged into her living troops.
The Darkcons grew big. They became massively muscled and super-charged magically and ten feet tall, both men and women of all the Darkcon races.
The poor Humans and Utopians were no match for the super-sized and -charged Darkcon warriors. The Utopian magic was absorbed by the Darkcons, and the Human bullets just bounced off of their skin and muscles.
Queen Laxur, still growing larger, was enjoying the show that her forces were giving. She noticed all the dead Darkcons, and this did not sit well with her. Laxur knew that she now had the power to restore life. With her other hand, a surge of black energy erupted from her, and the dead Darkcons returned to life.
“Now, my children, destroy all who oppose me!” Laxur’s order boomed all over.
The giant Darkcons and resurrected Darkcons slayed the Humans and Utopians that were in arm’s length. The Humans used grenades and bombs to slow the insane Darkcon warriors down, as the Utopian troops used all their powers to stop them too.
Queen Laxur laughed as she watched the entertainment below. Still growing ever larger, her power grew more intense with new skills and magic added to her arsenal. The glow continued to flow around her, lifting her off the ground and protecting the beings below from her growing body.
A tiny fire ball hit her in her cheek. She barely noticed it, but it was intense enough to draw her attention. She turned to see Princess Asora, Rowaton, T’ula, and Sarea. All four were giants themselves, but they were as big as they could get. Which was now puny next to the Queen. They all were just as big as her nose.
“So, you have decided to enjoy the show too?” Laxur chuckled.
“Stop this!” Asora yelled.
“I cannot. I am a goddess, and there is no such thing as limits to me. I am invincible!” Laxur thundered.
“Stop growing and fight fair!” Sarea roared.
Laxur just laughed at the woman’s words. “You simple, tiny fools. Even if I wanted to stop growing, I cannot. The power inside me is changing me into the new Maker. And the best part is, I do not want it to stop. I want more!”
“You are insane!” Asora cried out.
“Maybe, but you are in no position to stop me!” Laxur boomed.
“We will see about that,” T’ula threatened. She jumped off of Rowaton’s back and at Laxur’s expanding face. She rammed a tall spear into her eye. Unfortunately for T’ula, it did not have the desired effect that she wanted. Laxur laughed and swatted the tiny T’ula away. Sarea, also on Rowaton’s back, had him swoop down, and the magical Human woman managed to grab T’ula. She pulled the Elf up behind her on Rowaton’s back. Princess Asora was not so reckless, however. She was trying to dodge debris that was now coming at her.
Laxur got a rather twisted idea for these four. She spat out a fire ball from her mouth like a spit. The ball hit them hard, and the four fell and crashed right on Laxur’s still-growing body; more specifically, they fell on one of her massive breasts.
The four Utopians started to recover and noticed that something was not quite right.
“What happened?” Sarea asked as she recovered.
“Where are we?” T’ula looked around and felt the ground below them.
“Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” Asora blurted out.
“What is it?” Sarea asked, almost afraid to hear.
“We are on Laxur’s skin,” T’ula answered for Asora as she looked up.
They looked up to see the super colossus and still-growing Laxur looking out onto the world.
“I knew this woman had the biggest breasts ever, but this is ridicules,” Sarea cursed. She looked at T’ula, who bore a body identical to Laxur’s shape and dimensions. “How do you two handle that?”
“You’re asking me now?” T’ula said, dumbstruck.
“Stay focused, you two. We have another problem,” Rowaton growled. He pointed to four figures who had just formed nearby. Polea, Dari, Hyea, and Smika appeared, ready to fight.
“Our great Queen has asked us to subdue you intruders that are upon her form,” Polea decreed.
“You people have lost your minds. It is true what they say,” T’ula stated.
“And that is?” Smika asked mockingly.
“Absolute power corrupts absolutely,” T’ula said to the young man.
“That is a stupid saying, Elf witch,” Smika retorted.
“But it is a true saying.” T’ula pointed up to Laxur. “That is proof.”
“You are full of it, Elf!” Dari roared, and she blasted T’ula with a powerful energy bolt. It was far stronger then Dari’s normal attack.
“That felt different,” T’ula said, getting back up.
“They must be enchanted with Laxur’s new power,” Asora postulated.
“And you would be right about that, Princess,” Polea said. Then the giant blonde shot out electricity from her jade sword at Asora, but her sword absorbed Polea’s attack. However, the amount of energy from Polea was unlike anything that she had ever withstood. Hyea then attacked Asora with powerful magic. Fortunately for Asora, her golden armor was able to withstand the two attacks, barely.
A low rumble was felt.
“What was that?” Sarea asked worried.
The floor below them shook as the power inside Laxur’s still-growing body all of a sudden accelerated, causing Laxur to grow more, faster, and her moans rumbled in the chests of all who were on her flesh.
Sarea slammed her whole body into Dari. T’ula slashed Smika with powerful slaps. Rowaton opened fire on Hyea in an attempt to set her ablaze. Asora and Polea were in a viscous fistfight and sword battle, too, when they could.
“You will join us, Asora,” Polea whispered in a crazed-like state.
“I do not want this power,” Asora reminded.
“Do not lie. I can see it in your eyes. You too lust for this great power. You also want to be a goddess too. If you stop this and accept Laxur, you will be a goddess too,” Polea said.
“My personal life is of no concern of yours. Why do you even care? I would have thought that you wanted this. Why would you want to share with me?” Asora asked, struggling.
“We are only three of a kind. Our kind should rule the universe. Who better? Besides, I happen to love you very dearly, with all my heart. But I hate that damned thing on your head,” Polea admitted. She moved very uncomfortably close to Asora. Polea was only inches from Asora’s face, staring directly into each other’s eyes. Then Polea kissed Asora on the lips to show her fellow Princess her affection for her. This shocked Asora and disturbed her. Polea could be trying to influence her, or she could be sincere; Asora did not know.
Same-sex relations were normal and accepted in both the Utopian Kingdom and Darkcon Empire. It was a religious taboo in the Human Consortium and considered inappropriate. And Asora was more Human in her mentality, but she has learned to accept others’ behaviors, but not when she herself was involved.
Asora, in embarrassment, forced herself away from Polea.
“Oh, no, you do not. I am not like that. I prefer the opposite sex to the same,” Asora stated to Polea.
“Oh, what is wrong, little Princess? Cannot stand a little affection? Am I too uncomfortable for you? I cannot help but show my affection to people I really like or love,” Polea said rather sleazily.
“I do not care about your romances! I am just not comfortable. And besides, you and I are foes!” Asora yelled, and she tried to jump into the air. Unfortunately, Laxur moved ever so slightly, causing the flesh to ripple on her chest. Asora was knocked back down at Polea’s feet. The blonde was laughing at the embarrassed Utopian Princess.
“Come back for more, my dear?” Polea chuckled.
Asora just growled in frustration at Polea.
“She needs some more dark love, Polea,” Laxur said as she appeared in a puff of purple smoke.
“Okay, this is odd,” Sarea commented when she saw the Queen.
“How is this odd? You are on my body, fighting on my body. If anything, to me this is odd.” Laxur thought for a moment. “But then again, having all of you moving around on my breast is rather enjoyable.”
“You are very sick,” T’ula commented.
“You should try it, Elf. You and my sister will enjoy it too,” Laxur said sleazily. Wanting to cause them to be uncomfortable, she had moved up to T’ula in the very same manner that Polea did with Asora. She looked T’ula up and down in a sexual way.
Meanwhile, Rowaton and Sarea were fighting Dari, Hyea, and Smika. The Dragon had the upper hand against Dari, the massive Fallen Angel. Rowaton had harder skin and scales, and Dari’s weapons could punch through. Sarea had a tag-team problem, so she had to be quick. Hyea kept shrinking and growing, which made battling the Fairy difficult. Sarea did not want to hurt Smika. He was young and naive and probably under a spell, but this young man was making things difficult with his spells and magical attacks. He was actually formidable in a magical battle. Sarea, for once, had underestimated someone. Sarea had been more concerned about Hyea, but it turned out it was Smika she needed to focus on. Smika made a glowing purple sword and charged at Sarea. His skill was surprising; it was the level of a master. That takes years, and this kid, who was younger then she, was outperforming her in swordsmanship.
Princess Asora and Princess Polea were clashing with their swords. Asora and her golden Dragon, against Polea and her jade Bear.
Laxur and T’ula watched their friends fight each other. T’ula was worried greatly, but Laxur was enjoying the show. The Queen walked around her Elfin counterpart very closely in an almost sexual manner.
“Polea was right. You look just like me in every possible way. All your curves, dimensions, shape, body, beauty, powers. You and I are virtually identical in every manner except your face. I like that,” Laxur whispered into T’ula’s ear. Then Laxur kissed T’ula’s neck in an attempt to seduce her. “But your body is no longer equal to mine now, is it?” Laxur rounded T’ula and was face-to-face with her. T’ula was breathing heavily; she was nervous about what this mad woman planned to do to her. Laxur’s evil smile made T’ula panic. The now-taller Laxur was now skin-to-skin with her. “But I do need you for a test. I do not want to hurt Polea or Asora. But you, as much as I find you attractive, you are expendable.”
Queen Laxur grabbed T’ula by her face and kissed her hard. Laxur was doing an experiment and having fun at the same time. The Queen was, in fact, injecting tiny pieces of herself into T’ula. The Elf woman shook violently from the struggle.
Asora managed to get away from Polea to see the horror that Laxur was doing to T’ula. The Utopian Princess did not understand what Laxur was doing, but T’ula looked as if she were in pain. So Asora flew straight at Laxur.
T’ula felt an unimaginable surge of power course through her. She did not know why Laxur was doing this to her. She could feel something growing in her belly. It was the Z’yon powers that Laxur had. But why was she giving T’ula this?
Laxur was torn away from T’ula, and the Queen disappeared, laughing, in a puff of purple smoke. Asora ran over to T’ula to see what had happened. The female Elf was in serious pain and crying from it.
“What is happening to me?” T’ula cried. Asora held T’ula, and she could feel the same power that Laxur had inside T’ula now.
“Did she put her power inside you?” Asora asked, dumbfounded. “Is she mad?”
“She said something about an experiment,” T’ula sobbed. A sudden surge of pain in T’ula’s body was causing her to change. Her body was beginning to expand, just like Laxur’s did. She ripped up her dress, and her hair was longer, thicker; her body was taller, her breasts were larger, her muscles were more pronounced. T’ula, however, managed to stop growing, because she had a disciplined mind. “What is this?”
“She made you into a near-perfect copy of herself,” Asora commented.
“So it worked. That is good,” Polea said excited. Asora gave T’ula her cape to cover her more-exposed-than-normal body.
“We have to get off of this giant bitch! Now!” Sarea demanded.
“I agree. Rowaton, grab and hold T’ula. Sarea, hop on my back,” Asora ordered. Rowaton grasped T’ula and held her in his hands. Sarea climbed up onto Asora’s back and was holding on tightly. They launched, despite Laxur’s growing body, which was catching up to them quickly. Sarea looked back at Laxur, and she was stunned by the immense size of Queen Laxur. The Queen had to be several hundred miles high by now, and she was sitting down in the ruins of the once-great fortress that they had been lost in for days. Laxur’s belly was glowing as bright as the sun that warmed the surface of this world.
From Laxur’s body, the skies were darkening. She was emitting a dark cloud; it grew as she continued to grow.
The Utopian and Human warships were leaving.
“Rowaton! Give me T’ula and take Sarea to my mother,” Asora ordered. Asora had given Sarea a message to give to Marien that she did not want anyone else to get.
Asora and Rowaton traded passengers, and they again flew as fast as they could.
Laxur noticed them trying to escape. She did not want Asora and T’ula to get away. The others were immaterial. She had been wanting to try some of her new magical powers. With the point of her finger, Laxur made a hole in the sky. Asora and Rowaton tried to avoid it by flying back towards Laxur. Rowaton was hit by debris and fell towards the ground.
The last Utopian ship caught the falling Dragon and his passenger. However, Asora and T’ula were not as lucky. Asora was trying to avoid the black hole in the sky. She figured that she and T’ula could take their chances with Laxur again.
The ultra-massive Queen began to reach out to grab her sister, when another piece of debris hit the Princess. It sent Asora and T’ula into the hole and launched them into the unknown.
Queen Laxur was disappointed, but she would worry about it later. Another pulsing surge from deep within her erupted. This one was the most powerful yet. It caused her to expand at a faster pace. She was now able to see blackness on the horizon. Laxur believed that she could now be over two hundred miles tall, just by sitting down. She could not be more excited. Laxur had never been so immense, and it felt so good. She wanted more, and this power seemed to be granting her wish for more.
The Queen’s head was now in space, and she could see the moons from her vantage point. The moons seemed to be getting closer to her. In minutes the Queen’s body began to cover half the world of Z’yon. The raw power was sheer pleasure to Laxur and her body as she lay upon the planet now. Her moans of pleasure echoed now throughout the regional planetary system.
Laxur’s body then began to glow completely white. The blinding light could be seen for light years.
Queen Laxur re-formed back down to her near normal size, but was still changed. She had re-formed back inside the wreckage of the fortress. It was starting to rebuild itself around her.
“My Queen! Are you well?” Polea came up to the moaning Queen.
Princess Polea noticed that Laxur had been changed. As Polea helped Laxur back up to her feet, Dari came in to cover the now completely naked Queen.
“Yes, Polea, I have never been so good!” Laxur moaned in a pleasured groan.
Queen Laxur was no longer an even six feet in height, but she was now six feet six inches. Her breasts were far larger than before. Her hair was much thicker and so long that it almost reached the floor. Laxur’s muscles were far more noticeable and tough, like Dari’s muscles.
The fortress finished rebuilding the grand room where Laxur gained the great power. A massive throne formed where the giant table once stood.
“This place is reacting to my thoughts and will. I am in complete control in here.” Laxur grinned at this realization. She had Dari and Hyea cover her goddess-like body to make her more decent. But the truth was, she did not mind being naked; the Queen found it not scandalous but flattering. She now had in her mind the perfect form, the perfect body—she was the perfect woman. To her minions, that seemed to be true. But to the ones she wanted to impress, that was yet to be answered.
Queen Laxur sat upon her new supreme throne, and the comfort was so extreme that Laxur did not want to get up.
“It is now time for my word to be law to the universe. Have my forces march forth in every direction and conquer the whole of creation for me and make it all mine,” Laxur ordered. The three women before her bowed to her and left.
The power within her was still growing and changing her. She loved it, she wanted more, and she did not want it to stop. Yet Laxur did not want to be alone. She wanted to share it with someone.

Kingdoms and Empires: Chapter 36

The Challenges

From the darkness inside the Saresan, Queen Laxur with her court emerged from the ship with an array of soldiers. The black-clad Queen, with a large-brimmed hat, looked out upon the landscape and saw only endless desert and hot sand.
“Are you sure that you should be wearing black, my Queen?” Smika asked to her. He was wearing the Darkcon black pants, tunic, and boots. They were all light in weight.
“I will be fine, my dear. Now, Polea, where do we go from here?” Laxur stated.
The blonde girl in beige cotton put on her much hated glasses in order to see what she was reading on a magical map that she had. “Out there to those mountain ranges in the distance.” She pointed to a long line of mountains that were barely viewable.
The Queen had motorized chariots deploy before her in order to transport her and her court to what Polea said was a massive castle beyond the mountains. They could not land next to it because the mountains were too high and the castle would move if a challenge was not met.
The motorized chariot was a long jeep-like car. The color was black and brown emboldened with the Imperial symbol.
Queen Laxur, Princess Polea, Minister Golcon, Heranian, Smika, Hyea, Dari, Sysu, and Obsidian were escorted into the jeep. It was started, and they were gone.

The Tricore landed roughly two hundred miles away from the Saresan in a field clear of sand dunes. Doors to the hangar bay opened as Human pilots manned their jets and other aircraft.
Princess Asora looked out from the hangar bay out into the planet of Z’yon. Asora could feel a great power here, and it was beginning to affect her. It made her feel wild, almost primal.
“The Comancor has just reported in,” Admiral Yane yelled out to Asora as he came up to her. “These are the orbital photos taken of the Saresan roughly twelve minutes ago.”
“Looks like they took a jeep and went by ground. So we will go by air and intercept them,” Asora said.
Yane noticed something a tad different and, being the blunt officer of the Navy that he was, said, “ Are you okay, Princess? You look like you are about to lose your head.”
“I am fine, Admiral. Thank you for your concern,” Asora said dully. “Now get the P-97s into the air. And ready the long-range bomber that we brought. I am getting onboard that.”
“Are you sure?” Yane asked.
“I have always wanted to ride in a hypersonic nuclear bomber ,Admiral, you know that,” Asora said with a smile. She was right; Asora had been dying to fly inside a powerful military aircraft.
The P-97 Human war fighter was what the Humans called a sixth-generation stealth jet fighter. It was a two-seater with advanced electronics and avionics. The missiles and guns were all stored inside the aircraft. It was capable of hypersonic flight and sub-orbital combat.
The bomber was called the Thunderer B-55. This massive aircraft was at the limits to being able to be carried in a larger vessel. The eight turbo high-speed engines pushed this beast to a speed of Mach Ten. It carried so many bombs and missiles that it could by itself lay waste to any nation or a whole continent.
“You are planning to strike Laxur from the air?” Lady T’ula said as she walked up to her princess.
“And knock out the Saresan once and for all while I am at it,” Asora pointed out.
“One mission at a time, my Princess,” T’ula reminded her.
Asora looked at T’ula with a smile. Then an announcement could be heard over the intercom.
“Attention, attention, all craft prepare of electronic launch. All personnel to your fighters and bombers.” The voice stopped.
“Let us go, T’ula. Today will be our first day in a hypersonic bomber,” Asora pronounced.
Nine jet fighters were launched from an electromagnetic rail system inside the hangar bay. Next was the massive Thunderer Super Bomber carrying Asora, T’ula, and the rest of her Privy Council inside. They were strapped into benches lined against the hull.

In seven minutes the fighters spotted the Darkcon ground convoy.
“Strike Eagle four to Thunder Giant. Have located bogeys ground-bound, head due north east towards a large mountain range.” the flight leader reported.
“This is Thunder Giant. You have authorization for weapons release authority. Fire at will,” the sky marshal ordered.
The jets fired off a barrage of missiles at the Darkcons below.

On the ground, Queen Laxur heard several whistling noises, and then several explosions erupted around her and the convoy.
“Where are those bombs coming from!” Laxur roared.
Her question was answered when she saw nine P-97s flying over at subsonic speeds. She knew all about these warplanes, and she also knew at subsonic speeds or normal combat speed, they were at high alert. So surprising them will be difficult.
“Shoot them down!” Polea ordered. As she said that, another series of explosions rattled the escort jeep that held the Darkcon Privy Council. “Is Asora actually trying to kill us?”

From the bomber orbiting fifty six thousand feet above the scene, Princess Asora watched as the P-97s strafe the Darkcons.
“Do not kill the Privy Council. I want them alive. You can destroy the rest of the Darkcons, however,” Asora ordered.

The Darkcons continued to be rattled by Human and Utopian firepower from the air. The last missile overturned the escort jeep. Laxur and Polea were thrown into the sand while the rest were blown into the motorcar in front.
Queen Laxur watched as her troops tried to fight back against the jets. But they could not land a single hit. So the Dark Queen made a run for it towards the mountain range, now just a few miles away.
“My Queen! Wait for me!” Polea begged as she staggered back up and followed Laxur.
Hyea, wearing Darkcon black, flew at the Queen to serve her. Dari had grabbed Smika, and they ran towards Laxur as she ran.
The pilots in the P-97s could not see the five escaping Darkcons, and so they continued to pound away at the enemy.
On the bomber, the scanners did detect the five escaping.
“Follow them! Have the fighters finish off the others. We will deal those five,” Asora stated.
The Thunderer Bomber slowly turned and followed Queen Laxur. They were too high up for the escaping Darkcons to see or hear, and that was what Asora was counting on. She ordered the bomb doors open. Asora made her white wings appear, and her gold Dragon armor formed around her body. The Princess jumped off the platform and into the Z’yon sky. At Mach speed, Asora descended miles down towards the surface. She powered all seven coins and readied herself for battle.
A fireball surged past Queen Laxur and made the ground shake, causing her to fall flat on her hide.
“This is going to end, Asaria!” Asora stated forcefully.
“You are right. This will end!” Laxur fired back. She fired a bolt of dark energy at Asora. It vaporized upon contact on Asora’s armor, and the Princess did not feel it hit her.
“Is that all, sister?” Asora asked mockingly.
“Damn it!” is all Laxur could say.
A glowing golden whip wrapped around Asora, restraining her arms to her torso.
“What?” Asora spat. She turned, and it was Polea. She had made a magic whip to stop the Utopian Princess.
“Nothing is ever that easy, little Princess,” Polea said mockingly. Then Smika and Hyea attacked Asora with both rocks and magical bolts.
The sound of a motorcycle roared and charged at the scene. It was Jeia, with an old-fashioned side sword. He sliced the whip, freeing Asora and distracting Hyea and Smika.
“Let us make this a double date, shall we?” Jeia mocked. He then tossed Asora a shotgun with a pack of electric bullets designed to stun people.
“Thank you, brother,” Asora said, and she loaded it as fast as she could.
Jeia punched Polea in her face, sending her flying into the sand.
“Stay down, whore!” Jeia said forcefully.
“Funny that you say that. Maybe I should tell Madimoy about a few of your—or should I say our—adventures together,” Polea said with a wicked smile.
Then Jeia kicked up the sand into Polea’s face, temporally blinding her long enough for Jeia to punch her again. Then he grabbed her by the front of her corset and lifted her up. A rock hit Jeia in the head, and he released Polea. Smika, with a fist full of rocks, threw another rock at Jeia in anger.
Then Jeia was hit with a beam of dark energy from his sister Queen Laxur.
“That was not nice, brother,” Laxur said.
“Neither is this!” Asora then shot another fireball along with a lightning bolt at Laxur. The Queen was blown back into the sand, and her dress was partly on fire. Asora pointed her sword at Laxur. “Surrender, and I promise to be lenient.”
Princess Asora was knocked down and rendered unconscious by a powerful blow to her head.
“My Queen, come!” Dari said, holding her hand out to her queen.
“Thank you, Dari. Polea, Hyea, Smika, let us leave for the mountains.” Then Laxur zapped Jeia with another beam of dark energy. He was out cold too. The five then disappeared in a purple fog that formed around Laxur.

Princess Asora woke up in an emergency medical bed with scanning equipment hooked up to her skin.
“What happened?” the Princess demanded with a headache.
“You acted when you should not have—again!” T’a said, disappointed, and crossed her arms.
Asora growled in anger, then she looked to the other side of her to see her brother still sleeping from his injuries acquired by fighting their sister and her allies.
“Where is Laxur?” Asora demanded.
“We lost track of her somewhere in the foothills of the mountains,” T’a said.
“What!” Asora shouted, then held her head in pain.
“Relax. We are looking for them now. In fact, T’ula and Marevin say that they may have picked up on where they could have gone,” T’a informed Asora.
“What about the rest of the Darkcons?” Asora asked.
“We have managed to round up roughly forty percent of them. As for the rest, they have either gone back to repair the Saresan or fanned out across the planet. We are trying to track them now,” T’a reported.
“Very well, then. Leave me,” Asora ordered.

Dusk had begun its debut to the new visitors of Z’yon. Lady T’ula and Lord Marevin, with a contingent of Human and Utopian soldiers, entered the mountain foothills. T’ula could not help but admire the sun going down over the horizon.
“Hey, Lady Elf! We have to track down the Darkcons before they find whatever it is that they are looking for!” Marevin yelled to T’ula.
“I happen to enjoy dusk. And the Darkcons are looking for a fortress that spans from horizon to horizon,” T’ula said melodically.
“Whatever. Let us just get moving,” Marevin said dully.
“Tell me again, Marevin, why are we out here?” T’ula said with a smirk. She knew why, but she wanted to give Marevin a hard time.
“Are you kidding me?” Marevin spat.
“Watch and learn, young man,” T’ula said, and she revealed tracks in the sand near a rock.
“You, sneaky….” Marevin could not finish.
“You’re welcome, dear,” T’ula finished, smiling.
“Let us go!” Marevin ordered to the several dozen other troops.

At the Saresan, the Darkcon religious leader named Illumin was leading a ragtag band of Darkcon soldiers, civilians, and technicians in the defense of their ship. For a religious Human, Illumin was quite the skilled warrior. He had knowledge of most Human technology and most Utopian magic.
Countess Marien, dressed in jeans and hiking boots, was present, as was Puro Aga, along with hundreds of Human and Utopian troops.
Illumin jumped up high and slammed his staff into the ground, causing a quake, and a wave of dirt rode out to decimate the invaders.
Aga blasted Illumin with a ball of green energy; however, the Darkcon Edict deflected the blast with his staff by spinning it.
“Care to try again, animal?” Illumin said snidely.
“You blasphemous Imp! You will fall; I will see to that!” Aga spat.
“Oh, I am so scared,” Illumin mocked. “I fear Queen Marien more than you, animal.” Then Illumin fired off a bolt of purple lightning at the Puro.
Marien pulled out a handgun and started to shoot at the Darkcons alongside her personal guards.
“I am flattered that you think of me as a greater threat than this dirt bag here. But I would suggest that you surrender,” Marien ordered.
“I think not!” Illumin spat, then a Darkcon solider jumped over him and took to the wind. The Fallen Angel blasted the Human guards and Marien with lightning bolts.
Illumin charged at Marien and Aga, yelling at the top of his lungs. The Edict slammed his fist into the Puro’s stomach and the Countess in the face.
“Come on! I can take you both on!” Illumin pronounced triumphantly. He then punched Aga in the face as his personal guard were getting trampled by multiple Darkcon troops.
Marien was now mad. She gave Illumin a high-powered high kick into his stomach. That was enough to make Illumin double over in pain.
“You are going to pay for touching me, Darkcon!” Marien growled in anger.
“You are going to make me pay because I think I am now,” Illumin held his stomach in pain.
“What are you waiting for, you damn Human woman? Kill him!” Aga ordered to Marien.
“You do not give me orders, you beast!” Marien spat out to her rival.
“You two fight like an old married couple. Maybe you should consider it, you two,” Illumin suggested insultingly. He got back up and was picked up by one of his followers, a female Fallen Angel. She took him inside the Saresan as the rest of the Darkcons fought on.
“We must evacuate the Saresan. Locate our Queen,” Illumin ordered to the Fallen Angel.
“Yes, sir,” was all she said and bowed to him. The Fallen Angel walked away.
The ship shook with the battle being waged outside.
“My Lord, we have located our queen. She and four others are in the mountains about one day’s march from here. She may need our help,” a follower said.
“Yes, she does need help,” Illumin said ominously.

The sun had now set over the horizon. Queen Laxur now worried about the cooler temperatures, and she was tired. Princess Polea had Dari go looking for shelter. Hyea was tending to the Queen, while Smika was helping Polea look for anything to burn for a fire. The temperature had dropped to an uncomfortable colder temperature, from a higher uncomfortable one. The Queen’s black garments were no longer hot from the sun but were not enough to hold her body heat. She was not wearing much to begin with.
“My Queen!” Dari called out. The giant female Fallen Angel landed in front of them. “I have found a large old building that is structurally sound.”
“Where?” Polea demanded.
“Roughly three miles from here,” Dari reported.
“Very well. Take us to it,” Polea ordered.
Dari grabbed Laxur, while Polea took Smika. Hyea flew under her own power. For roughly twenty minutes, they flew deeper into the mountains. As Dari said, a single large building sat in a tiny valley. It appeared to be a church or some kind of religious building. Dari landed, and Laxur was released, with Polea and Smika dropping to the ground too.
“What is this place?” Polea asked.
“It looks like a place where people worshiped,” Smika said out loud.
“How fitting,” Laxur said quietly. She was thinking about the powers that she would gain, and this place gave her ideas on how people would serve her and worship her.
Polea opened the ancient stone doors with a spell.
“We can burn the cloth here for a fire to keep warm during the night,” Polea pointed out. “The night can last eighteen hours, according to what the techs said.”
“Make it happen then, Polea,” Laxur ordered.
Polea and Dari began to collect the old cloth from around the cathedral. Hyea started to make a place for them all to sleep. Queen Laxur and Smika were in another room looking around for anything of value. Smika enjoyed being this close to the lovely Dark Queen. He found the Queen incredible, and he had fallen for her. He wanted to please her in any way he could.
“My Queen, look at this,” Smika said as he pulled out a small stone slab.
“What did you find, my dear?” Laxur asked. She took the slab, and it had strange writing on it and pictures. “What is this?”
“Could it have something to do with the powers you want, my Queen?” Smika asked.
“I believe it does,” Laxur responded. She could read a few words, but the words she could read were very enticing to her. She looked to Smika with a dark smile. She gently ran her cold hand across the young man’s face. “My dear, you have just granted me the divine. Keep this to yourself, and this will be our little secret.”
Smika did not want to argue. He liked this and will do as she asked. He was pleased to see her smile, and was glad to make her happy.
Later, Laxur and Smika emerged from the other room to see that Polea had managed to get a fire going. Dari was sitting on a stone slab, beginning to nod off. Polea sat on a bench facing the fire. Hyea was nowhere to be seen. Laxur assumed that she shrank down and was buzzing around somewhere.
“My Queen, come sit here and sleep. Hyea is outside watching the perimeter,” Polea said.
Laxur sat down next to Polea, and Smika sat next to Laxur. The three began to fall asleep.

Princess Asora had dispatched Special Forces troops, known as the Huusaud, from the Utopian Royal Guard. They were loyal to the Princess, not the court, and made up mostly of Jewel Elves, Fairies, Rare Daemons, Smelting Dwarves, and Sage Humans. They were assassins, saboteurs, soldiers, spies, and police.
“I want Queen Laxur and her Privy Council captured alive. You can dispose of the rest,” was the Princess’s order to the Huusaud.
S’tie stood behind Asora with a report on the Saresan. Despite her mother’s and Aga’s antics, they captured the ship, under his command.