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The Bridge
Evabon did not need spaceships like other races, instead they used what they called a "bridge" but other races of the universe debated if such a name was appropriate. A bridge stemmed from the oscillations of the brain and allowed the Evabon to travel interstellar distances quickly by creating an apparent bridge between two points through which people could travel. If Zarkon had not taken precautions against bridges, the Evabon could have ended this war long ago.
As Gard waited for Llud to arrive in the hall, he fiddled with a bridge control in his right hand. He opened and closed bridges to various places. To different worlds, annexed and not did Gard open a bridge. The last world he opened to was Evabonia. For a long time did he stare at the elaborate buildings and intricate spires of its capital Wilusa.
Gard knew what homesickness was. For what he had done he and his grandsons had been banished. It was not his fault. The killing of his opponent had been an accident. It was only supposed to go to first blood.
Due to the banishment of him and his grandsons with him, Llud had lost his position of Champion of Wilusa and an arranged marriage between Balor and Brigid, the granddaughter of Zuvowang the Champion, had been cancelled. Llud had lost his position Balor had lost his future bride and Gard? What had he lost? His home, his place in society, his friends, he had lost everything. If he could capture the paladins, if his plan could work, if his assassination plan for Zarkon could truly work then he would have regained everything.
Closing the bridge, Gard looked down to the polished floor of his hall. Success was all he wanted for this plan.
As Llud entered the hall, he paused to see his grandfather just standing there staring at the floor. "Grandfather?"
Gard looked up. He saw that Llud had his sword just as he had his axe and a dagger in a sheath on his belt. "Are you ready?"
"I have doubts about this." Said Llud. "Never have we ever used a bridge to get to a place we've never been to or seen."
"I do not care." Gard opened a new bridge and it showed the Castle of Lions, a place that some would have called a myth by then. The other end of the bridge reached an empty room, the perfect place. "Now, are you coming?"
"Should we not get additional—"
"We are all we need." Stated Gard and with that he entered the bridge to the Castle of Lions.
To an Evabon, an Altea castle was just something made to be grander than one of their halls or fortresses. Gard had half a mind to send this place into a sun or a black hole before leaving. He merely saw it as an Altean way to lord over other races. Llud however was completely amazed by it.
"The things they could teach us…" muttered Llud.
"Stay focused." Whispered Gard. "We start with their princess Allura."
"Why?" asked Llud. "Why not the lead paladin?"
"I am not interested in a fight." Stated Gard. "We take her, then we get the paladins."
Llud sighed. "Alright then, why did we not just take the bridge to her room?"
Gard stood there in silence. A few seconds passed until Gard finally spoke. "Right." He opened a new bridge to the princess' bedchamber then he and Llud walked through it. Once there, Gard looked to the sleeping princess in her bed. His mind raced back to the days of his far off youth, when he had climbed into the bedchamber of a girl he had been infatuated with yet had never seen, having only heard of her. This was far different however.
Handing his axe to his Llud, Gard silently drew his dagger and placed his hand over the mouth of Allura and pointed the dagger at her, having it three inches from her face. Allura woke up with a fright and her eyes were filled with fright as she saw just what the hand over her mouth belonged to. An Evabon, just as strong as an Altean while at the same time having superhuman durability! Due to Evabonia being a gravity-heavy planet, an Evabon could withstand far more punishment than any other species in the known universe.
"Princess Allura, at last we meet." Gard smiled. "You and your paladins are going to help me kill Zarkon."
Llud could only stare at Allura's eyes. Gard would not resort to kidnapping or threatening women under normal circumstances. Allura was frightened and Gard's homesickness was driving him to desperation.
"We will not hurt you." Assured Llud. "Just come with us."
