The Black Knight Box Set

by Christian J Gilliland

  "Well, I mean," Ema'as admitted.

  "Oh," Graham looked insulted, "So you think I'm some kind of nasty little pervert who goes around and just slurps on whatever I can get? You think I go on the hunt looking for anything remotely phallic and then just fill whatever hole is available?"

  "No!" Ema'as' eyes grew wide, and she shook her head violently.

  "Then mean what you say, bitch!" Graham grabbed her chin and turned it toward him, "Look at me, honey. Look at me!"

  Tears formed in Ema'as eyes and she trembled as she stared into Graham's eyes. She knew it was a trap; she knew he was just setting her up.

  "Are you looking? Do I have your attention?" His eyes were wide, and his expression was stern. Ema'as nodded, and Graham sighed and then burst into laughter.

  "I'm your fucking king now, baby girl." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in, "I've been looking for someone like you. I swear, I'm going to turn you into the baddest bitch this world has ever seen. Do you hear me, you better fucking hear me because if you don't then tell me."

  "I hear you." Ema'as gasped, relieved at what he was saying, "Yes, I hear you."

  "Good," Graham pulled back and looked Ema'as square in the eyes, "Because from now on, you are fucking Princess Ema'as of Canrom. I've been looking to fill that role for-fucking-ever, and you are just… the perfect little morsel. Me and you, we're going to rule this bitch together, and you're going to love every. Fucking. Minute. Do you hear me?"

  "I do," Ema'as smiled and began laughing, "Yeah, I hear you."

  "Good bitch," he said, stroking her hair, "Now tell me what just happened."

  "I…" It felt like a geyser of joy had burst inside of her. She smiled and nodded her head, "I am a fucking Vampre Princess."

  "Bingo bitch," Graham flashed his teeth again and kissed her on her forehead, "Now go change those panties, I sense a little moisture."

  Ema'as and Graham giggled together, and she rushed forward and hugged him. It was over; she was free. She did not have to worry about anyone harming her again, for she had attained something that she never knew existed. She had gained the favor of a king, and the title of Princess in a matter of a day's time.

  "Seriously," Graham said as he pulled back, "Get the fuck out," he cocked his head and waved at her, "We'll have a party or some shit later. Bye bitch."

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Rubaan XII

  24th of Ramlia - 346AG

  04:00 - Canrom/Kamlot Border

  Rubaan opened his eyes. He did not know where he was or how he had gotten there, but everything, his emotions, his body… it all felt somehow heavier than usual. He looked ahead of him and saw that he was standing in a long, dark candle-lit hallway. The walls were lined with peeling red paper and glass crunched beneath his boots.

  "Hello?" He called out, hoping for an answer. He received none, and as he stepped again, he heard the sound of something shuffling come from further down the hallway.

  He remembered something. He recalled falling but upward, a blinding white light, a female with black hair… he shook his tired head and tried to make sense of it all. What had happened, how had he gotten there? He closed his eyes tight and tried to think.

  "I know you are in here!" A voice terrifyingly sang from the opposite end of the hall. He heard what sounded like metal dragging against concrete and opened his eyes once again, "I can smell you!"

  What was going on? Who was in there with him? In truth, he did not want to find out. He turned to run but with each step he took his boots degraded piece by piece until they simply fell off, leaving him with only his bare feet. The glass on the floor dug into his soles and drew blood. He groaned at the sudden pain and turned around to find that nobody was behind him. The scraping sound had stopped, and he was alone.

  He heaved a sigh of relief, and as he slowly spun back around, he suddenly felt the feeling of icy fingers wrapping around his throat. His eyes grew wide, and he opened to his mouth to scream, but the grasp tightened, and he found himself unable to breathe. Long black fingernails dug into the sides of his neck, and in the candlelight, he could make out the purple skin of his attacker.

  Black horns surrounded by a mane of dark red hair sprouted from her forehead. She wore dark armor that glistened even in the dim light, and her pointed razor-sharp teeth sparkled as she smiled.

  "I am sorry baby," She hissed as his head drew closer to her mouth, "I forgot to let you scream." Her grip on his throat loosened and he did precisely that. As he wailed in horror at the demoness before him, she smiled devilishly and her jaw unhinged. Her hand once again squeezed at his throat, and she quickly snapped her teeth down onto his neck and tore his head away from his body.

  As she crunched his skull in her mouth, he for a moment was able to remember it all. He had died on the rooftop with Crinnan and Eon. He was no longer a part of the mortal plane of Duraan. Rubaan was in the Hells, and his new life was only beginning.

  You have died.

  ***

  "Hey buddy, come on," Kavin reached back and slapped Rubaan on the side of the head, "We're at the border, we're taking a piss break. Get off my back; you've been drooling on me long enough." Rubaan sat up and cleared his throat. It was still dark outside, but the stars looked brighter. Igo illuminated the sand below him, and as he got off the moth, he reached his arms up toward the sky and stretched.

  "How much longer?" a groggy Rubaan asked, "You said we're at the border?"

  "Yup," Kavin replied. He turned away from Rubaan and unzipped his pants, "Three, maybe four more hours directly west."

  "So we are almost there." Rubaan sighed and unzipped his pants to pee. As he relieved himself, he looked up at the stars and sighed. He thought about how things were getting increasingly complicated, about how everything was looking so grim… at least in his eyes.

  "So how many times have you made this journey?" Rubaan asked Kavin, "I mean, from Base 21 to Base 11?" He received no response. He thought that odd considering the fact that Kavin was so polite. He finished peeing and zipped up his pants.

  "Kavin?" He called out. He turned around just in time to watch Pancho drag a blade across the Centurion Captain's throat. Rubaan gasped as Kavin's body fell to the ground and Pancho turned to him.

  "W... what have you done?" Rubaan squealed, "Why did you do that!"

  "Orders," Pancho replied with a grin. The Lycaani took a step forward, and Rubaan drew his sword.

  "Stay back!" Rubaan warned. He knew he could never hold his own against the Centurion and as Pancho took another step, he lowered his head and laughed menacingly.

  "Now what do you think you are going to do with that?" Pancho sneered as he stepped forward. He waved his blade, and Rubaan winced.

  "Why would you kill him?" He demanded, "Tell me what is going on!"

  "Somebody paid me more," Pancho shrugged, "Prince Lazarus to be exact. I fed him the location of Base 21, of his beloved Sarasin. He knows all the entrances; he knows your father is inside. And now I am going to bring him the bulk of Base 11's army."

  Rubaan scowled and shook his head in disbelief, "Why? Why would you betray Black Knight? All those who you loved, who you fought alongside for so many years?"

  "Spare me," Pancho rolled his eyes as he scratched the back of his neck with the blunt side of the knife, "You think this world is fair Lord Jamiso? That it's all so black and white? Give me a break. Black Knight is weakening. Its leadership has gone soft; its soldiers have no idea what they fight for anymore. For every one person who joins our ranks, Govia recruits ten. We can't win; there's just no way." Pancho shrugged and took another step closer.

  "Prince Lazarus promised me a lucrative position in the Govian army," he admitted, "Good pay, time off... my own house in Cidroska. Not that it's any of your business. Anyway, back to it."

  Pancho lurched forward, and Rubaan swung his weapon. The Lycaani Centurion easily evaded his attack and sliced Rubaan's wrist with his knife. Rubaan groaned in pain, but before he could react, Pancho s
pun and planted the knife hilt deep into the side of Rubaan's neck and quickly pulled it back out.

  The sword fell from Rubaan's hand and landed softly on the sand beneath him. He reached up and grabbed the gash in his neck, and his blood gushed out over his hand. He knew that there was nothing he could do and as he staggered in place for a moment, he stared up at the Centurion before him.

  "Fall down." Pancho grinned slightly as he reached out and gave Rubaan's chest a light push. Rubaan fell backward, and his back landed on the sand. As he stared at the sky above him, he realized he had met his end. He would never again see his wife; he would not watch his boy grow.

  Pancho knelt and fished the communicator out of Rubaan's pocket. He flipped it open, broke it in half, and tossed the pieces aside.

  "Go ahead and die now," he turned around and walked toward his moth.

  Rubaan gasped as he welled up with emotion and blood trailed down his severed throat. As he coughed the blood back up, he heard the sound of Pancho driving away. He was alone, and he was nearly dead.

  A wave of calm came over him as he stared up at the stars above. He squeezed his wound to try and prolong his end. At that point, all he wanted to do was to listen to the waves, to look up at the stars. He wanted to take in every last drop of what being alive was like.

  The stars twinkled above him, and the water crashed against the shore. His breathing slowed, and his bleeding was less severe as he had nearly bled out. His mind raced to recall every second of his life, to try and live it all one more time. As darkness began to encircle his vision however, he felt a gentle icy sensation in his spine. He prepared for the worst; he knew what was happening… that Eon was coming to him, that he was about to lose control over his body. He grimaced and clenched his fists as he tried to fight it but ultimately lost, and suddenly heard a voice.

  "Hello son," the voice gently greeted, "I should say, you and your brother seem to be incapable of staying out of mortal danger as of recent."

  The darkness began to subside, Rubaan could feel a tingle in his neck and pulse was strengthening. What was going on? It had felt like Eon had retaken hold of him but, it was not Eon.

  "Worry, not," Sage's voice continued, "I have watched you and your brother since you were born. Tracked you, I checked in three times a day every day to make certain you live. You see, son, while I knew it was best for you that I remain unknown, I never lacked love."

  Rubaan gasped and sat up. The bleeding had ceased, and he reached up and felt a line of scar tissue where the wound had been only moments before. He marveled at what had just happened; he was barely able to find his words.

  "You are..." he panted as he gazed in wonder out at the churning ocean ahead of him. He knew who it was; it was the person that his mother and father had told him about back at Base 21, "You are Sajinious?"

  "The one and only," Sage replied within Rubaan's mind. Rubaan grabbed his sword and pushed himself up off the sand. He closed his eyes and took a deep, grateful breath of the salty air. As he gently exhaled, he spoke.

  "You are my..."

  "Father, yes," Sage calmly interrupted. His voice sounded too familiar to Rubaan, it was like his own, "And you are my son. I should say, it is... a wonderful feeling to finally meet you, dear boy."

  "How are you here?" Rubaan asked. He assumed that Sage had gotten to him the same way that Eon had, "How did you know to... find me?"

  "When you and your brother were born I created a system of protocols that alert me if your lives are in danger," Sage explained, "They are programs that constantly run within my NaNe, and since I at the moment am only NaNe, I was able to transport here in time to save you."

  "You saved Crinnan, didn't you?" Rubaan asked, "It was you; you brought him back from the Hells to us?"

  "I did," Sage replied, "I did because you two are special. Not prophecy level or anything extraordinary like that, but, to me you are important. You know what I mean. I should say, you are a father just like I am. You know how strong the desire is that your children live. It is instinct; it is part of who we are."

  "Yeah," Sage was not wrong. Rubaan thought to Roc and everything he would do for the boy, "So what do we do now?"

  "My son, you live," Sage warmly answered, "I cannot remain in this domain much longer for I must be off to the Hells. The other you needs rescuing."

  "The real me," Rubaan scoffed. He was dismayed by the memory that the other him existed but saddened by the news of his passing. He knew that if the other him needed to be rescued from the Hells, that Crinnan and Century had succeeded in defeating Eon. While the thought that was all a major relief, Rubaan still lamented the damage that Eon had left behind, "The true me..."

  "None of that now," Sage scolded, "Rubaan, though you were cloned by Eon, you are still my son. Never doubt your importance, never doubt that you can do... anything. You live, you breathe..." Sage was silent for a moment as if he were contemplating something and then his voice returned.

  "Within you, I can activate something... special," Sage said proudly, "Right now I have access to your entire personal NaNe network. My son, I am going to make you strong. I am going to make certain you can survive on your own. I know you have ridden the coattails of your brother your whole life, that you have never really excelled at fighting. That will be so no longer. You have a responsibility to protect yourself, your wife, and most importantly my grandson."

  Rubaan suddenly felt a wave of vertigo come over him and he fell to a knee. For a moment, his head felt like it was in a vice. His entire body throbbed, and he howled with pain. When it ended, he gasped and quickly snatched his hand out and planted it in the sand to keep from falling over.

  "What happened?" Rubaan asked while the vertigo had left him, something new was inside, "What did you..."

  "You are among the undying now, son," Sage explained, "I have activated your stasis. You will not grow old; you will remain as healthy as you are right now forever. Also, I installed a few introductory programs into your NaNe. You will learn to use these skills over time; you will learn to phase and to harness light."

  Rubaan sat up and noticed something strange about his hands. He looked down at his right hand and saw that each of his fingertips was glowing with a brilliant bright light. It was terrifying but intriguing.

  "M... magic?" Rubaan gasped, "I can use... magic now?"

  "Science, son," Sage corrected him, "The very technology that I created so long ago. Learn it, use it to protect those you love, and never stop loving them son. You truly have the most beautiful heart, do not think it weakness. That love; that compassion and loyalty to those you love... My beautiful boy, it will make you stronger than you could ever imagine."

  "I'm afraid," Rubaan admitted. He was certain of it, the responsibility of power, the threat of losing his life had become all too real for him, "Are you sure I can do... any of this?"

  "I am, Rubaan," Sage replied, "I should say that you are, after all, my own blood. That should be enough confidence for anybody..."

  Rubaan silently nodded his head in affirmation of Sage's words. He had never seen it in himself, the ability to be powerful. He knew he needed to change; to discover the confidence to become the powerful person that Sage told him he could be.

  "We will meet again. I promise. For now, though I must go and I do not know when I will return. Rubaan, my son, know that despite my absence I have always loved you."

  The cold feeling in Rubaan's spine faded away as Sage left him. He was alone on the beach with only the stars and his thoughts for company. He closed his eyes and tried to take in all that had just happened. From the murder to his near death, to the strange communication with his mysterious father, it was so much for him to process.

  All his life Rubaan had tried to be a good person. He had tried to please everyone he cared for, tried to be the rock that his loved ones could lean on for support. He realized that while his love for them was no less, it was time for him to focus on himself to grow stronger.

  Things were
happening. The world was shifting, and the ones Rubaan loved were being put in danger at an alarming rate. He could not be left behind; he would not let his weakness cost someone their life. He had to learn the power that Sajinious had given him. He had to grow strong so that he could protect this family.

  His eyes returned to the glowing magic on his fingertips. No, not the magic. The science, the technology as Sage had explained it. He waved his hand around for a moment and observed how the light left little trails as it moved. It reminded him of playing with sparklers as a kid, and he tried to move his hand fast enough to write his name with the light trail.

  "That's stupid," he told himself, "Be serious."

  Curiously, he jerked his hand outward and watched as the five little lights snapped like a whip. That was kind of cool. He also observed that when the lights touched, they combined into one. He closed his fingers together and brought his thumb upward so that all the little lights formed into one bigger one.

  "I wonder..."

  Slowly, he curled his fingers up and formed his hand into a fist. The light crept across his skin and seemed to encompass his hand. He threw his fist forward like a punch, and a bolt of the light shot out and crashed into the sand sending grains in all directions.

  "There we go," he smiled and did it again.

  "Ok. I can make little whips and shoot energy beams," Rubaan hummed and nodded his head, "Good enough." He turned around and started walking toward his moth. He knew he needed to spend more time learning more about his new powers, but also he needed to get to Base 11 before Pancho.

  On his way to the moth, Rubaan stopped at Kavin's corpse and knelt. He sighed mournfully at the sight of his fallen comrade. Kavin was one of the best Knights in Base 21, and he was a good person. Rubaan looked at his lifeless mustachioed face and shook his head in disgust.

  He had not deserved to die like that. That much was certain. Pancho had to pay for the betrayal, and Rubaan felt compelled to make sure that Kavin got his justice, that the entire Base 21 got their justice.