Meet the Antagonists 1: Aquillion
In a darkened conference room, a number of hooded and robed figures sat around a table. One stood and pulled his hood back, revealing a horribly scarred human male face. The scarring was on the left side of his face, and it pulled his mouth into a twisted rictus grin on one side, and a number of scar-lines lanced through his eye, which was milky white and unmoving on that side.
"I stand and request recognition." He intoned solemnly.
One figure nodded, saying, "I recognize you, Albert the Smiling, Master Third Degree of Necromancy amongst your most notable achievements. We cede the floor to you."
The Necromancer nodded and started pacing around the circle at a calculated gait. He punctuated his steps with speech. "As we all well know, the time of the Prophecy of Thirteen is almost at hand. We will need to send a representative to record and influence events. We all well know the great contention this issue brings us, which is why it has not been broached to Finality until now. I have a proposal that will settle this matter." A quiet, almost sullen muttering began amongst the other dark figures.
"I know you all expect me to recommend myself for this mission. I assure you I am most capable, and have only the best interests of our Federation at heart..." A dry chuckle from one figure was all the joke rated. "But I do not stand this day to recommend myself."
The other figures, for the most part, stiffened or started muttering between themselves. A few kept quiet, patiently waiting for Albert.
"I stand this day to recommend Aquillion, Master First Degree of Energy Manipulation."
Silence greeted him. Finally, another figure stood. "I stand and request recognition."
"I recognize you, Aquillion, of notables well known." Said Albert, the still-functional half of his face as neutral his tone.
Aquillion pulled back his hood, revealing a green skinned Skrell with a serene manner about him. "I would accept this duty." He said this quietly, and then sat back down, pulling his hood back up.
Albert looked around the room. "Does anyone wish to object?"
A long silence filled the void after this question, as many of the assembled thought about their political capital and whether objecting would provide some gain for them. One by one, they all came to the same conclusion, and quietly shook their heads.
Albert looked at Aquillion, "Very well. You are our representative now, Grandmaster Aquillion. You will find transport to the target with a freighter in nearby Nanotrasen space. We will arrange for you to board this freighter. The rest of the mission is down to you."
Aquillion stood and nodded deeply, almost bowing. He spoke, "Permission to retrieve an item from the Master of Armaments?"
A quick glance around the circle, then, "Granted. Use the relics well."
---
Aquillion stood on a ritual pentagram, surrounded by five Novice wizards and a Master of Teleportation, seventh degree. He held in one hand the Staff of Greater Animation, and his long black robe had been replaced with a more utilitarian green and gold vestment akin to a fancifully designed jumpsuit. The Master of Teleportation glanced at him momentarily and said, "Now, Aquillion. This is a exceptional range teleport, so there are a few things to remember. One, you might not make it. Two, do not touch anything in Bluespace. Three, when you arrive, there will be a bit of backlash. You will be protected from it, for the most part, but I cannot guarantee there will not be subsidiary damage." He gestured for the Novices to begin.
Aquillion tucked the staff in tight to his body and tried to keep his profile small. After a moment of chanting and waving which looked rather ridiculous, there was a ripping sound, and Aquillion was... Elsewhere.
A common misnomer was to call this other-place Bluespace. Light works differently in 'bluespace', and human (or humanoid alien) eyes cannot properly receive light in bluespace, and so the trademark bluish tint to everything.
Aquillion waited, looking around. He was in a vast, blue void with floating spheroids and shadows that flitted and floated oddly. One shadow flitted close to Aquillion, spiraling around him and regarding him, almost as if it were a living creature.
A massive presence bulged beneath the surface of reality in bluespace, where such things are thin and subject to the whims of the imagination. A great, impossible monster pressed into Aquillion's mind, and he immediately tried to set up mental defenses against this intrusion.
It pressed, and Aquillion felt as if he was going to explode bodily into gore and gibs. Suddenly, he was on the deck of a starship, surrounded by confused engineers.
And then the backlash hit.
Suddenly the room was empty of intact engineers and functioning equipment, but it found itself with a surplus of shattered human remains and destroyed communications gear. Aquillion had arrived in the main Telecommunications compartment, and had accidentally destroyed it. He shrugged, not particularly caring if the enemy called for reinforcements. All would proceed as laid out in prophecy.
He strode forward confidently, and waved his hand at the doors. They slid open and Aquillion paused at a map of the freighter to get his bearings. Telecommunications was unmarked, presumably to prevent people like him from doing exactly what he was doing, but he quickly figured out his location and the layout of the ship.
A crewman came around a corner and spotted the Skrell wizard studying the map. He quietly crept over to an intercom and tuned it to a secure channel, then whispered into it, turning off the speaker. After a moment, he quietly withdrew back into the confines of the ship.
Within moments, a Security team arrived at Aquillion's location. They surrounded him with tasers and batons drawn. One shouted, "GET DOWN ON THE GROUND NOW!"
Aquillion looked around and said, "Take me to your leader."
One Security officer couldn't suppress a chuckle, and Aquillion nodded gratefully at him. "For laughing, you live." The laconic Skrell said simply. Without a gesture, an EMP of remarkably focused and precise size enveloped the entire Security team, and not an inch more. Fingers pulled triggers and batons were jabbed into Aquillion's abdomen somewhat roughly.
Tasers kept silent, their usual bellicose buzzing noticeably absent. The batons merely irritated the wizard, who waved his hand. A number of spheres exactly equal to the number of Security officers appeared and hovered motionless in the air.
Aquillion waved his hand again and vanished, his form melting into blue dust that billowed into a cloud. The cloud quickly dissipated, leaving behind the Security team and the spheres. Suddenly the spheres flared a bright red, all but one, and slammed into the officers. The aim was perfect and uniform, hitting all of them directly in the throat, vaporizing their entire neck and neatly decapitating them.
The single orb that remained was blue, and it hung in the air over the spared officer. He looked around in horror at the bodies, then back up at the orb.
It hung motionless in the air.
He ran.
---
Aquillion came out of his Ethereal jaunt on the Bridge of the ship, within inches of the Captain. He laid his hand gently on the man's shoulder and whispered, "
Ei nath."
Suddenly the chair was empty. Aquillion looked around the room, and several crew suddenly noticed his presence. They turned to look at him and the suddenly empty command throne.
An momentary pause became an awkward silence.
Aquillion finally said, "So... Are you going to attack me... Or...?"
One man shrugged, "Well, that guy was a dickhead anyways. If we attack, will you kill us?"
"Yes." Aquillion said it quietly but with a firm tone. The man who had spoken up quietly got out of his seat.
"In that case then, I'm going to leave. They can stay and fight you, but I'm not doing this. I've heard of the Wizard Federation. You can have the ship." He shook his head and walked to the door.
Aquillion smiled blandly, his all-black eyes making the gesture seem soulless. "Anyone else?"
One by one, the crew quietly got up and walked out of the Bridge. As the final one left, Aquillion sealed the door with a gesture, a wall of invisible force springing up.
Then he reached into his satchel and pulled out a small black book that was well worn with use...
---
Those plot points I mentioned? Getting slowly closer.
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Topic: The Lillian Helsbrecht Story (Read 28634 times)