The Tragedy of a World, a People, and a Child's Toy: Part 2

[Apium]

I came across this while searching through some old documents on my computer. I meant for this to be a three part story. Parts one and two would be written as short stories, while part three would be actively roleplayed by me as Kalice, and Lexx as himself. I posted part one quite some time ago, I guess I forgot to post part two. I know the storyline is no longer relevant, but since I wrote it I guess I'll post it anyways.

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“Shall I set the charges?” the reply came whispered and harsh, “No fool, has it escaped you where we now stand?” Answering her own question she continued, “A city, an Imperial compound no less.”

With a sigh the apparent leader turned to the one named Sha’lua, “Slice the door terminal, and Shada put away the explosives.”

“There will be no need for that,” with a pause if recalling a distant memory the voice added, “Sha’lua.” The leader turned speaking while she pivoted, “Ahh Shelke, so you have indeed decided to grace us with your presence.”

The first speaker noticeably cringed at the second word; Shelke. “How long has it been when a Mistryl is uncomfortable at the sound of her true name, a name of honor?” Seeing “Shelke” had no intention to respond, the leader continued, “Hmm we shall dispense with the formalities then.”

Sensing no reaction from Kalice the leader said, with a passion befitting of a loyalist fanatic, “The Eleven of the Mistryl have ordered your arrest in the name of the people of Emberlene. The charges brought against you are high treason and murder of the utmost degree. I also have a long list of crimes that will put you under subjugation from local authorities. Please lay your weapons down. You will be treated with the respect becoming of any Mistryl until the day you are judged and sentenced by the Eleven.”

Kalice drew her pistol. “I can’t do that. Delores, you know I can’t do that.” Delores letting emotion join with her words, “I was afraid it was going to come to this. You will die honorably, Shelke. May you find peace in the afterlife”

Turning to her two lackeys, Delores commanded “Drop your blasters, we shall abide by the rules of a traditional Mistryl duel.”

Once Kalice’s blaster had landed silently on the desert sand, all three Mistryl persecutors dropped their respective blasters in front of the still locked mall door.

Sha’lua and Shada looked at their leader and then each other. Shada bowed out, “After you Sha’lua.”

With that Sha’lua spun on her heel and charged Kalice, with a much distraught Shada in tow.

Sha’lua aimed a punch at the exposed pressure point under Kalice’s arm. Kalice easily dodged and followed through with a blow to Sha’lua’s head. Sha’lua reeled and fell to the sand unconscious.

Seeing her partner’s folly, Shada pulled a long slender dagger from her boot, dropping into a defensive stance. With a chuckle Kalice taunted, “So you are going to make this difficult?”

Kalice juked left, pushing off of her right foot and then back to the left, approaching Shada as she did.

Shada fainted to the same pressure point that was Sha’lua’s folly. Kalice shifted to defend the stab, in doing so Kalice left a gap in her defenses. Sha’lua’s real stab looked to exploit the gap. Kalice side-stepped the lunge and used her left hand to push Sha’lua’s head forward, so her neck came to rest just before the curved tip of Kalice’s right bracer. Pausing only for a moment, she pressed the trigger to release the blade from the bracer. Sha’lua’s eyes showed white as the blade protruded from the rear of her neck, blood spewing from her mouth as she fell to the ground.

In the next second a multitude of events occurred. First Kalice noticed her blaster and Sha’lua’s dagger all within her reach. As Kalice kicked up the dagger into her left hand and the blaster into her right, Delores was reaching for her own dropped blaster. Delores found the blaster and fired, in the meantime Kalice had noticed the now ambulatory Shada. Kalice spun hurling the dagger with her left hand, just as Delores’ blaster bolt flew over her shoulder. Seeing the dagger lodged firmly in the neck of Shada, Kalice continued her spin, finishing when her blaster was trained on Delores. Kalice fired, Delores fell as the air was permeated with the smell of burnt flesh.

Kalice slowly approached Delores, her blaster still trained on the Mistryl warrior. Delores spoke as Kalice knelt next to her burnt body. “Why Shelke? You were a true Mistryl, the best.” She paused as the pain became too great, overcoming it Delores continued, “No matter, the Eleven will have your soul. No Empire can protect you.”

“I need no Empire” Kalice declared as she plunged the dagger into Delores’ chest, cutting off her final breath.

Kalice rose, just as the first rays of dawn spilled over the surrounding mountain peaks. She turned and walked south, leaving her Oasis in the desert behind.