"When I first saw them they were as large as a man's chest, now they are shrinking. How?' The gashes from before, yet severe but her body seems to be... repairing itself somehow. This daunted on me until I saw her badge illuminate. It was glowing brightly, I then looked at her unconscious body and saw that her wounds were in sync with the badge! Somehow or another, I am beginning to learn more about this human.
"Normal Badgettes cannot heal this quickly... could they?
EIGHTEEN
"SHE WAS HEALING sire, faster than any Badgette I read from the ancient scriptures. Her olive brown skin sewed back to new, it was as if the gashes were never there! Remarkable.
"King Mungfalme, my once true lord and liege of my soul, Samantha is a broken spirit in need to be repaired. Pieces of her were scattered like a fallen glass vase, she was still traumatized from that ordeal from that damn admiral…or for what would happen if I had not stepped in on time.
"Her breathing quickened, her shivering mocked a bare man in the Arctic. Tears streamed from her, flowing down on her olive brown cheeks like a slow-moving river. King Mungfalme, great and ruler of us all, all throughout this trip, this voyage in this vast sea, I began to…feel. They say that tears can say a million words and all of my life…even as a boy I thought it was just folly. But now…I can see.
"My arms slowly wrapped around her waist and pulled her into my chest as she cried sorrowful tears; her tears poured on my scales. Her fear climbed up to skin like a parasite. What is this feeling, my lord? I do not feel as bold as you made me. My loyalty to you I'm afraid was starting to shatter. And no it is not because of Samantha, it was through excessive miles away from your presence. Do not punish me since it is not my fault I swear to you. If you want to blame something, blame freedom.
"Never have I felt sadness and anger for a human – especially for a Badgette. You might fear that this may be an outsider illness infecting me, but the only fever I have is humanity. And sadly there is no cure but death. When your joke of an admiral forced himself on her I felt your rage, sire. A siege of warring states apocalyptically clashed inside my mind. My rage was inhuman. My rage…my anger – I-I-I lost it! I have ignored your wishes, My Lord…and strangely I didn't care. You must forgive me sire. You truly must! This human was no ordinary human…nor was she an ordinary Badgette. Sire…what was she?
"I slowly pulled her away from my chest and thumb-wiped her tears away from her cheeks, 'You will never have to fret again, Samantha,' I said to her, 'He will not harm you once more nor will anyone else. This is a philosophy I will follow until I draw my last breath.' Samantha's eyes never left mine.
"'Are…are you my father?' she asked from out of nowhere with a soft, terrified tone in her voice. I furrowed; King Mungfalme, why would she ask me if I was her father. We look incredibly different. I was born with your flesh and blood, born to a superior race you created sire…but Samantha? – she's human or for what it looks.
"Why would she look at me as a guardian, better yet a father? – no wait since that now I am on this subject, who is her father? I am not human but I do care for her. Why?
"Suddenly, a servant of mine opened the door. It was a shocker that none of your higher-ups came in for a visit.
"'The Earl and the Captain have requested to see you on the Front Deck,' the servant told me.
"That swine? What does he want? I sighed growing annoyed just by hearing that rodent's name. Ever since the day I met that monster he was nothing but a pretentious ass. My hatred for him is visible to see with in my words.
"You jailed me for something he has done. He is not loyal to you My Lord. He may play the victim to you, but to me, he is nothing but the excrement shot from the barrel of an anus. His antics had burned small towns and plundered villages all for his entertainment. OUR people suffered because of this creature! He is not a true Neoman. He claims that humans are the animals to our society but look at him, he has become the very thing he hated.
"I do not understand why monsters such as he are at a higher authority. He has flat out murdered several hundreds of our people! – including my own son.
"And every time I dream, I wanted to drink some ice-cold water…with his skull being the glass cup! I told my servant with a hint of hatred…
"'You tell that…'
"'I know you have a strong distaste for him, General Yalen,' he continued, 'but you have to. His orders.'
"'I thought it was a request,' I began.
"'Well…'
"'Well then if it is a request then that means I have the right to decline it,' I told him.
"'True, but he says that if you won't come, you will be demoted and be charged for having her,' he pointed to Samantha who froze in fear, 'As a guest.'
"'He's lying!' I snapped forcing Samantha to jerk, 'This in turn inflicted fear upon my servant. How much of a monster have I become? Samantha sank down to the floor. I caught her and pulled her back up, my glare was still locked at my own servant, 'I have you know that I, General Yalen do not partake on disobeying the orders of my lawful king! Breaking his word would mean that I would be pissing on the graves of Mungfalme's lineage. It is a disgrace to even rebel against his rule! You tell that immature…' I stopped seeing my servant freeze in fear from my sudden rant against the Earl's blasphemy. Just when I thought it was just a fixation of my imaginary, my king, your abomination walked into my presence with his trademarking, pretentious scowl.
"'Immature what, General?' the Earl appeared from the shadows pushing my servant to the side walking in a formal strut into my quarters.
"'Sir.'
"'A big man with a woman's courage,' he said with a small chuckle, 'If you any respect for me or for the entire kingdom, I advise you to sever your mouth and shove it in a treasure chest. You may be a General, but I can still ruin you. I have the authority to have your head hung on my wall as a trophy,' he threatened as he prepared to leave, only for him to get into my face, 'And oh, if I find out that you are harboring a slave, your organs will be sold in a Hand-Craft Vendor. Do I make myself clear?'
"'Burn in…'
"'Do…I…make…myself…clear?' he repeated this time in a soft threatening tone in his voice.
"I exhaled deeply, 'Yes sir,' I mumbled.
"'Good, don't be late for the King's Birthday. You do not want to disappoint him,' the Earl said.
"'Yes sir,' I mumbled. The Earl left my quarters along with my servant.
"'King Mungfalme's party is damned with him alive,' I cursed your name, 'I can't leave you're here,' I said to Samantha, 'Not alo…'
"Samantha stood frozen like a huge chunk of ice. She was heated no doubt; however, like something out of folklore my liege she was glowing. Her eyes became ivory white, her aura, while thin made her look as if she had a black outline from a character in a portrait. Samantha's hands – no what she was holding on her left hand was the badge I thought I held dear! A stream of white energy was curling up along her arm, spreading through her body like a pool of spilt milk. Just when I thought that she was going to blow, she calmed when I hugged her. All the energy she produced had ceased, the curling white aura dissipated back inside the "I" of the badge.
"What was strange was that she was quite apathetic of what was going on with her…or I was wondering if she noticed it?
…
"The night was the night of your birth, my king; I wish the best for you from your dear slaves. It had been hours repairing Samantha's dress and her green makeup. The work was excruciating, but it was worth it. Much to my curiosity, Samantha tightened her grip on her badge much like how your armies with their guns and blades of war, seeing all these bastards disgracing the day of your birth by the very things you do in a private setting with all of your loyal high hierarchs. Such nerves.
"What drew my interest was that after confronting a certain admiral, I remember a fair white stream of energy curling up in her body much like rapid running water. Despite of me being a few feet away from her at the doorway, I could still feel the
intense heat coming off from her. Though she was not ablaze she was still hot enough to burn down half of the ship. A thin black aura surrounded her, making her look like a drawing of a skilled painter. Once she was calm, the room went back to normal temperature, and the energy that flowed from her receded back to the badge. If given the chance, this Badgette could unleash a power far greater than the bombs that shook the world that fateful day.
"This begs the question: what makes this Alpha so important to you, sire? We already have one right here! For all the rumors I have heard about, if it's true that you have a horde of imprisoned Badgettes why not use them for your armies? Clearly they are more powerful and more disciplined. They can please your warmongering philosophies for world domination! So why use them instead of your old armies?
"We walked up the steps from the second level of the ship to the Main Deck to see your high elite – your best men partake in primitive entertainment such as a normal game of drunken fisticuffs, gluttony, and chalkboard music. Your high elite sir! I applaud you!
"Samantha tightened her grip around my arm out of fear for these people. I say I do not blame her. Look at all your trained men partaking in such rich activities, the activities to which the Earl tolerates...disorder! Why they are so well-trained and disciplined that that umpteen-thousand imaginary countries would love to have them in their armies from a local vendor!
"'Mind these mindless zombies, Samantha,' I reassured, 'they only feed on vandalism and ignorance.'
"'I-i-ignorance?' Samantha stuttered.
"'Yes, these men here are here to collect some worthless treasure for our king,' I said to her, 'They are after…'
"'The Badge of Alpha,' a new voice intercepted. I turned around and saw my trusted friend, Captain Zirith of the North, 'The Badge of Alpha is one of the most powerful badges in the Asamarun Talismans, next to the Betas and the Deltas. You of all people should know that,' he crossed his arms with a cocky smile on his face.
"'You forgot Zeta,' I said.
"'They do not exist. It'd only a myth. Since when did you become a conspiracy theorist?' he asked.
"'Since my curiosity took the best of me,' I said, 'And I like to think of myself as a theorist, but as an observer.'
"'Ah, a prophet then?'
"'No,' I giggled, 'But more as a fairy who excrement rainbows to feed to our king,' we both laughed.
"'Ah I see,' Zirith concluded until his eyes caught the sight of my companion. Part of me sire hope that Zirith does not look past the green makeup and betray me. It would be disastrous for both of us if that was the case.
"Samantha does not have our scales or our tales, our thinly lips and oval heads, our green-yellow eyes and our webbed feet, and finally, the fans on our back and our forked tongues. She was human.
"'Looky here,' Zirith began, 'Who is this lovely lady?'
"To much of my surprise, he bought it. I let out a relieved sigh and chuckled, 'Her?' I began, 'Oh you wouldn't want her. She's too foreign.' Samantha furrowed at me.
"'That explains the full lips and her tall stature,' he said, 'Mind telling me her name?'
"'Well…'
"'Oh wait rephrase that,' Zirith interjected turning to Samantha, 'Mind telling me your name?' he asked flirtatiously.
"Samantha did not say a word to him. She was too scared to speak. He asked again and she still didn't answer. Sweat formed and slithered down from her pores letting out abnormal heat from her body to slowly slide from an invisible force.
"'Are you okay? Hello?'
I knew if this persists, Samantha would snap.
"'Samantha!' I intercepted, 'getting Zirith's attention away from Samantha, 'Her name is Samantha.'
"'Samantha?' Zirith said getting out of his terrifying daze of her, 'What a nice name. Care if I…' he extended his arm to reach hers until she swiftly moved to the back.
"'Father,' she said with a freight.
"'No that won't be necessary,' I said, 'Have you found a table for us?'
"'Of course Yalen. Follow me,' he said leading us to a table while avoiding the miniscule chaos in the foreground.
"'Four Neomen in thick black cloaks were rolling four giant eggs to the edge of the ship. For what I could remember, the Sorcerer had informed us about these Supersaurs and how it could help us achieve victory by sniffing out and taking out your enemies – thus rewarding you with your badge sire.
"'What the hell?' Zirith asked looking at the Cloaks pushing the giant eggs off board, 'What the hell is that?'
"'Oh. Those are Supersaurs eggs,' I answered, 'They are Tyrannosauruses genetically engineered to locate the Alpha badge.'
"'They are what?'
"You heard right. I wish I can tell you more but me doing that will cause you to have cardiovascular arrest…twice.'
"'Oh thank you for not telling me anything but the basics. Yeah that won't cause no problems at all,' Zirith and I laughed.
"'By the way, who in their right frame of mind would genetically engineer a fierce predator?' Zirith asked.
"'The Sorcerer,' I answered.
"'The quack?' Zerith asked back.
"I shrugged, 'Yeah. More like a quack.'
"'So the quack finally outdid himself? Wow I am shocked!' Zirith laughed making Samantha to laugh with him.
"'Looks like your comedy made Samantha to laugh,' I said.
"'Well how about that,' he said.
"Amused by Zirith's sarcasm towards the Sorcerer, Samantha stood there right beside me, her hand tightening my own, not by fear or intimidation but rather by curiosity. Her head slightly leaned to the right when her eyes caught a glimpse of the last giant egg rolling over to the edge before the Cloaks tip it to the sea. Trapped in hypnosis, she released me and started to walk over to the area where the eggs were being tipped. My eyes were on my friend, distracted in our conversation about the Sorcerer until I felt a draft around my palms. I turned around to see Samantha leaning on the rails of the ship seeing the giant eggs float further north. I was about to walk over to her, but Zirith pulled me back having found an available table.
"'What about?'
"'Your woman will be alright,' he reassured, 'Besides we won't be far. She'll be able to sense us for like a mile away.'
"'She can do that?' I asked in shock.
"'You're kidding me right?' he asked back with a furrowed look, 'You know I was joking right?'
"My eyes bulged and chuckled, 'Of course. Sorry, sometimes my nerves would be so bad that my memories short circuit,' I said nervously.
"Zirith sighed and let out a small hmph, 'Never mind.'
…
"Zirith led me to the table leaving poor Samantha alone at the edge watching the giant eggs float in the darkened sea in the blackness of the night – while being watched by a certain cancerous tumor to all of our kind…the one you appointed as the Earl.
"Lurking in the shadows was a faint figure wearing the same black cloak like all the others working for the Sorcerer but without the white vertical rectangle on the center of its chest? He was invisible to our crew…at least to most of us. His dark green eyes were tidally locked onto Samantha.
"When the eggs disappeared in the blackness of the sea, Samantha turned around and saw that I was not in sight anywhere. She was beginning to panic, looking at every corner of the Main Deck until the same cloaked figure wrapped his arm around her neck and slapped his massive hand on his mouth. He dragged her to the Captain's Quarter's with her crying, trying to fight her way from the man's grip.
…
"I was oblivious that night, King Mungfalme – and so I will be in my dying day. Zirith and I were having our typical mundane moments with the rest of the crew, taking in strong drinks and encouraging violent fisticuffs, mostly Zirith because of his fascination for your men's stupidity. It was just another day for me, so much so that I completely forgot about the human – until…
"BOOM!
"Flying out from the Captain's Quarters with a slew of wooden debris was the cloaked figure
immediately unmasked when he splashed his entire body against the wall. His cloak was ripped to shreds, clawed on no doubt. He slid from the bowl-shaped crater on the wall. We were all speechless. The Earl did not share a bit of emotion by what just happened. He stood there by the railing of the steering station with a stern look.
"Since his cloak was ripped to shreds it gave us a good glimpse on who the figure was.
"It was the Admiral!
"Despite my hatred for this guy it was too horrifying to watch. His face looked melted, peppered with gash wounds and smashed bones, almost making his face look like a fault line; his torso was indescribably beyond repair: his ribs, I can count at least five, pierced through his skin. It was as if they were forcibly pulled from his chest with tremendous force. His right leg was dangling around the socket, the only body part that was left unscathed was his left leg, and his right arm. The rest looked like as if he rose up from the grave after being decomposed for over a century. Dear lord, King Mungfalme, this kind of savagery was just…it was just unheard of.
"Suddenly we heard a guttural growl from the Captain's Quarters – and from out of nowhere, we saw the savagely severed Captain's head thrown to the floor. His eyes were plucked leaving two dark black holes exposing what looks like that half of his head had been obliterated…and it was!
"The Earl almost threw up in his mouth, but all in all, he was apathetic.
"Get back! Everyone get back!' the Admiral shouted, somehow having the strength to get back up. Sword drawn to fight whatever monster did this mess.
Finally we finally caught glimpse of the monster. A large hairy beast splashed out from the quarters, obliterating the doorway with tons of wooden debris coming our way. Its eyes were fiery white, it had the white, vertical rectangle on its chest also glowing fiery white with a black aura or fire engulfing its body. It smashed the support beam at a naïve Neoman, his remains splashed everywhere as the beam dug inside the second level of the ship shaking it.
"'Atez,' the Earl whispered to himself. He looked at the beats with complete fascination and suspicion. You had to pick him, my lord.
The Son of Alpha (The Legend of the Sky-Titans Book 1) Page 12