by Jesse Wilson
“Oh, so you're broken beyond repair and were turned into a killing machine, great,” Tayne said to himself and got ready for a fight. The metal woman took a clumsy swing with its left, exposed metal fist. “No,” Tayne said, stepped out of the way and watched the machine fall to the ground. “Help me,” it said again as it began to struggle to get back up. Tayne saw something on the back of its metal skull that didn't belong. He put his foot on her back, pressed her to the ground with ease.
Tayne bent over and pulled the red chip off of her metal skull, her body went limp. Tayne stood back up and investigated it. “Second rate remote control device,” he said, knowing what it was but that was about it. The machine did nothing for a second, then it jerked to life.
“What happened, where am I?” she asked and Tayne took his foot off her back. “That's what I am trying to figure out,” he replied to her as she pulled herself out of the mud. “I appear to be damaged,” she said to mostly herself and looked down and continued. “I am sorry for my appearance,” she said and Tayne didn't care one way or another.
“Don't sweat it you're fine. What's the last thing you remember?” he said still inspecting the red controller chip. “I was testing the shield to make sure it worked, we do it once a month. This is my routine, I am number twenty three. This is what I do,” she said trying to wipe the mud off as much as she could and trying to look presentable.
“Well I have some bad news. At some point after you did that you were attacked by a Pyrehorn and someone used you to let it in. Everyone you know has been, well, vaporized, I'm sorry,” he said and she bowed her burned, half metal head in sadness. Tayne didn't think too many machines felt that many emotions or anything really.
“I was the utility bot, they called me Unie. I fixed things. I made sure everything was running,” she said and trailed off. “How did you exist down here, you're, um a machine,” Tayne said as he put the red chip down and put it in his pocket. “I'm enchanted to resist the water, any other stupid questions or will you tell where I can find a place to repair myself?” she asked and Tayne shook his head.
“I don't know, unless you have a repair bay in town we only have the ship, and no one gets on the ship without clearance. Let's go see Rex and see what we can do for you,” he said and the two of them began walk towards the center of Naber when his radio came to life with the grim details of Drask's find.
“Well damn, that sucks. We better go see the unspeakable scene of tragic horror, sounds like fun, right?” Tayne said and the machine just looked at him. “No, it does not,” Unie replied to him and the two began to walk towards the bar.
Nymie didn't go too far from the teleportation site and there on a long wall of some building. She had no idea what it was for but all along the grey walls were black markings in the shape of people with their hands up of varying heights, obviously some of them were children.
“Creepy sight isn't it?” someone in a hazmat suit asked as they walked up to her. “I'll never get used to it, I've just never seen so many in one place like this before,” she said not taking her eyes off of the scene. “I don't think too many have, not since the old days anyway,” he said and Nymie remembered reading about the Southern Kingdom's problems before the unicorn hunters were an official thing. Reports of entire towns being blasted into ashes overnight were surprisingly common and horrific.
“Well, we need to find out how this happened. I mean, it makes no sense that one of them would be all the way under the ocean like this,” she replied and the person in the suit nodded. “We can't figure it out either, nor can we figure out how it even got here. The attack started on the eastern side of town and the thing quickly incinerated anyone who tried to escape, but then there is this wall. It's as if they all stood here waiting to die. Normal people don't do that. Someone had to be holding them here. Have you ever heard of someone controlling a unicorn before? We think someone found a way to do it,” they said to her and Nymie was confused about all of this and had never even thought that was possible.
“If someone found a way to control a unicorn they are literally playing with fire. I'm sure that a thing like that doesn't appreciate being on a leash, I know I sure don't like it,” she said quietly. “What was that?” he asked quickly. She caught what she said and shook her head. “Nothing, nothing, show me where this attack started,” she said and changed the subject.
It was about then the details if the Dwarf's find came over her radio. Nymie wanted to see the origin of the attack but figured this was more important.
“Hey, why are you all in these getups anyway? There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with this place besides the lack of people,” she said looking around. “Initial scans reported a large amount of radiation when we got here, that and all the ash in the air,” he said and started to walk away.
“Oh, well we didn't detect anything like that. The ship would have warned us about that before we came down here,” she said, but when she looked around saw that she was alone. “Right then, I'm gonna go this way,” she continued to say and walked towards the bar, she could see the sign from where she was.
“Figures Drask would find the remains at a bar and make her way there first thing. I'll be sure to not mention that when I get there,” she said to herself as walked in that direction.
Chapter 7
The four of them met up at the door of the bar and Drask was there to meet them in a chair she pulled out from the inside. “You guys can go in, I don't need to see that again,” she said to them and took another drink out of her black bottle. “It's ritualistic and I don't know what it means,” she added and shook her head. “There are a number of cults that worship the beast and, hey, who is that?” Nymie asked as she noticed the burned machine woman behind Tayne.
“Utility bot, she was being controlled by some red chip thing on her head. I, like the total amazing hero I am, saved her,” he said with a blank stare.
“Right,” she replied and Rex decided to take the lead.
“Alright, we will deal with the robot girl later. see what this is all about for now. Tayne, you're with me the rest of you stay out here and watch for, well, anything weird,” Rex said and Nymie looked around. “I see all kinds of weird things, when do we start warning people?” she asked and Rex rolled his eyes. “Aggressive, okay, anything aggressive or a rampaging, burning unicorn,” Rex said and couldn't believe he had to clarify that. Nymie just smiled. “I'm just messing with you, get inside already,” she replied and turned her eyes back to the empty village, waiting for anything horrible.
“If it's a magic thing, shouldn't I come with, too?” Evie asked and Rex just shrugged. “It's a small space, you're right outside if we need you, be ready,” Rex replied to her and nodded to Tayne.
Tayne and Rex walked into the bar and moved towards the back. “I knew Elroxians liked their places simple but this is nearly primitive,” Rex said. “Yeah, it might be a thousand years old. It doesn't look like much but these people build things to last.
They entered the dish room and saw nothing.
“Uh, what the hell is going on,” Rex said as immediately he looked around, and the place was clean, well as a dish room could be expected to be. “No, look there near the wall,” Tayne pointed and there was a piece of black glass there on the floor.
“Two options. The dead thing got up and walked out, or something took the body out and she didn't notice either way who or whatever caused this attack is still out here. It's screwing with us,” Rex said and walked over, picked up the glass piece. It was just a typical piece of a bottle. Tayne looked up, expecting to see something horrible there looking back at him on the ceiling.
There was nothing there and he was relieved only slightly.
“Well, I guess we better go tell her that there wasn't anyone in there, but she's not insane. If she saw something I believe her,” Rex said with a sigh. “Did you see that bottle in her hand? She's drinking already and we don't know what that stuff is. She could be seeing things. There migh
t not be anything here or ever was,” Tayne said and Rex nodded.
“True, but we need to assume everything right now. I've never seen anything like she described,” Rex said, trying to think of what it might have meant. “I'll have Evie to take a look around, too and Drask can scan the place to see if there is anything in there,” Rex replied to him taking one last look around the place but seeing nothing out of the ordinary.
Anyway, let's get out of here, this place is giving me the creeps,” Tayne said and couldn't explain why it was.
The two of them walked out of the bar and back to the others who was waiting for the news. “The place is empty, no body, not even any blood in the room. All we found was this one, tiny piece of glass,” Rex held it up for everyone to see. Evie was about to talk, so was Boz when Drask erupted in frustration.
“Son of a squorb, no, that's not what I saw, that's not possible. I saw the whole scene. That's impossible,” Drask said and tried to take another swig of the bottle when a metal hand wrapped around her wrist. “I do not know what you are drinking, but this can't be good for you in a situation like this,” she said to her and quickly took the bottle away from her, smashing it to the ground.
Drask stood up and grabbed the machine by the throat. “I'll take you apart if you touch me again, robot,” she said and was strong enough to escape the machines grasp but just barely. After she was free she rubbed her wrist and pushed herself away from the machine.
In the chaos, none of them saw the figure walking toward them.
“Unie is right, you know. One shouldn't drink on the job. That is just so wrong,” a voice said to them that was unsettling and broken.
The group's troubles came to an end as they turned to face the stranger. He was an Elroxian that held long, black daggers in his hands and its stomach was melted together. Its eyes were gone and its scales were gray.
“What the hell are you supposed to be?” Rex asked, he really didn't care what it was. “I am the messenger, I see you got my message. I am pleased you got it. I was thinking that no one would. That would have made me, sad,” the thing said, but the mouth and the words were delayed. The mouth kept moving after the words had finished.
Evie stepped forward, narrowed her eyes. “This is a poorly put together glass golem, or in other words just a puppet,” she said but never broke eye contact with the thing. “Well then let's break it,” Drask said and started to lift her weapon up.
“Who is the puppet master?” Tayne demanded to know and stepped forward, “What do you want from us?” he finished asked the thing. It tilted his head to the side as the question was asked and smiled.
“I needed you all here, in one place so I could, take care of the biggest threats I had to raising the Black Unicorn. The gods have returned, the true magic is back in place. The time is right to unleash the beast, I just don't need you getting in the way,” it replied to them in a slow, deliberate fashion. The group was getting ready for anything. It obviously intended to kill them.
“Well that answers half the question, I guess,” Rex said when suddenly there was a gunshot from down the road and the puppet was struck in the head from the right side, tiny shards of black glass sprayed into the mud but it didn't fall down. “That's the monster that did this, bring it down men,” Moreno yelled and a small group of people with high powered rifles started shooting the thing. The five of them backed off at once to avoid any glass that might be coming their way.
Before the crew could do anything about it the poorly made golem was on the ground, nothing more than a lifeless suit of skin with black glass spilling out of the new wounds.
“Well thanks for saving us but, you know. I don't think that was needed. What was needed, was more information,” Rex yelled to Moreno and the chief just shrugged in response.
“This thing was what made the attack happen, so I took care of it, problem solved,” he replied. “No, you moron, that wasn't a person at all, it was a golem and–” Drask was cut off by a great orange light coming from down the opposite side of the street from the others. “Oh, well would you look at that,” Drask said and shielded her eyes.
“I guess someone didn't like us breaking their toys, no chance the thing appears on its own just after mister glass here was broken,” Nymie said to them.
“What? no one brings a unicorn anywhere,” Rex replied as he drew his weapon. “Looks like the rules are changing. Someone figured out how to play a whole new game and now we need to learn what they are. Right now, we should take care of this little problem before we get fried,” she replied as the burning thing took its first step towards them.
Despite being so far away they could all feel the heat that was coming off of it.
“Is that the monster who did this?” Moreno yelled out to the team. “No, that's the pizza delivery service's new gimmick that is going announce their arrival, what in the hell do you think man, what else would it be?” Rex yelled back but couldn't take his eyes off of it.
The beast, as terrifying as they usually were, this one was moving as if it were a machine. Every step was calculated, mechanical and forced. It escaped no one who could see it. “Okay so a unicorn is being controlled. This should make the job much easier,” Evie said as she shielded her eyes from the intense firelight.
The flaming orange horn suddenly glowed bright blue and a stream of blue flame shot down the street. “Move,” Rex yelled. Moreno got out of the way but five of his team didn't move quick enough. They were instantly incinerated, all that was left were their smoking feet as ashes floated down the street leaving the smell of melted plastic and charred flesh behind.
“Yeah, that would explain all the things, but it doesn't answer any of the questions,” Nymie said as she watched the people evaporate before her eyes. “Great, let's not be the next ones to die, does that sound like a good plan to you?” Drask said as the monster turned its attention on to them.
“Perfect,” Rex replied as they all scattered in different directions from the front of the bar. The beast fired again and the bar exploded on impact sending bright blue and white fire in all directions.
Chapter 8
Boz, still waiting for a tech specialist looked to his left just in time to see a high explosion of blue and white flames. “There are only a few things alive that makes fire like that,” Boz said to himself. He looked around and saw the other people shuffling in their plastic suits from the explosion as fast as they could go.
“So, I guess that means I don't get my tech support,” he said with a sigh and picked up his communicator. “I'm not entirely sure what is going on over there but I am going to assume the unicorn has returned. So, I am going to shut the shield off. Get your Aquarian star ready,” Boz said into it and waited for a response, he didn't get one. For all he knew they were all killed in that one blast and he was next. Pyre horns were not known for their overwhelming sense of mercy or compassion.
“Well, with no tech support I am going to have to improvise,” he said to himself and looked up at the tower. He narrowed his golden eyes and unsheathed his electric blade. “Here goes nothing,” he said and thrust his blade into the computer monitor in front of him. The tower immediately began to overcharge, bright yellow sparks flew from the top of it in all directions.
“This may not have my best decision,” he said to himself as the tower caught fire and the shield began to flicker out of existence above him sending streams of ocean water down in various places.
Rex was running from the fire horse when suddenly right in front of him a torrent of water fell down and he stopped before running into it. He turned around and had the unfortunate luck of having the monster be mere feet behind him. It was blinding being this close and the heat was worse.
He aimed his blaster and fired at the thing. The purple beam struck the flaming horse in the shoulder but it didn't slow its methodical march towards him.
“I should be dead by now. Any normal unicorn would have fried me. So, I know you must still be seeing this. You want m
e to be afraid, well I'm not going to be afraid of you or your pet, so bring it on,” he yelled at the thing, and whoever was controlling it.
The horn started to burn blue once more and those dead orange eyes stared at him. Rex swallowed, but stood his ground. Rex knew that the horn was at its weakest just after it fired and timing was everything.
Suddenly another torrent of water crashed down on the both of them.
Rex was surprised and fell to his knees under the weight of the water. The flaming unicorn, on the other hand, began to scream in agony. Whatever force was controlling it seemed to break. The thing leapt back in pain as its flames burned low, revealing its charred, black skin and the red energy below it. Rex winced at seeing it and the intense steam it created burned his eyes.
The pyre horn, the vicious beast immediately realized where it was. It ran from Rex, looking for a way out of its situation, to escape the watery hell it had somehow found itself in. Rex watched as the beast ran left and right in a wild panic. With a final buzzing sound, the shield faded away and tons of water came crashing down. Rex widened his eyes and ran towards a building and dived inside.
That much water coming down at once would have shattered every bone in his body with a direct impact. The water hit the ground and instantly flooded the building. The pressure and current swept him off his feet and slammed him into the far wall. The sharp coral dug into his back but there were no serious injuries. He could only hope the others were okay.
Rex took a deep breath thanks to his charm and swam back outside. The creature of fire lay there on the ocean floor, it's ash colored skin twitching and cracks of dim red fire underneath it. It was letting out a low, agonizing cry. The commander felt sorry for the creature, in the end it was just as much a victim as all the people it killed, this time. He swam to it and landed by its head. He grabbed the charred black horn and snapped it off with surprising ease. The unicorn grunted in pain. “If you see me again, remember that I could have just left you here to suffer forever and I didn't,” he said, then Rex didn't hesitate to stab the beast in the side. In seconds the beast's body crumbled into ash.
