Loonatics: United

The Wrath of Tenebrous

Episode 130: Heart of Stone

The lights were off, the only source that illuminated the dark room were the dim red lights under the water of the hot tub, were Alfons was sitting, looking at the front, with a straight face, an empty glass of whisky on the backside, with a crack on it. The hot water calmed his body, but his mind was agitated. "Every living being is mine by right." He smirked falsely. "Who gave me that right? Myself, of course." He nodded at his own statement. "Power." Alfons took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "Dominion." He raised his repaired hand, glaring at the drops sliding through his fur. "It's all I got." Alfons clenched his fist. "It's everything I need." He got thoughtful for a moment, slowly lowering his hand, getting it back in the water. "All I want, yes." He chuckled. "Who wouldn't want this?" Alfons glared into the ceiling and rested his head on the backside, crossing his arms, letting out a long sigh. "In the final battle, the heroes will die, one by one, until all that's left of them are memories."

Ace was sitting on the floor, resting his back against a house, the mop by his side, he was recovering his breath. Kufai approached him. "Get up, bunny. We have more work to do."

Ace sighed. "Now what?"

"You'll see, come on." Kufai offered him his hand, Ace took it with hesitation and got onto his feet with his help.

"More nurkey crap?" Ace inquired with annoyance.

"No, this is something different." Kufai gestured away. "Follow me."

Ace was very confused and upset. "I appreciate your hospitality, your help and all of that, but…why do I have to do all of this? Is it a way to pay you or something?"

"Absolutely not." Kufai replied.

"Then why am I doing this?!" Ace exclaimed, his voice echoed all over the place.

Kufai stopped his steps and turned, looking directly into Ace's eyes. "You can walk away and go if you want." He said with a straight tone. "I won't stop you." He crossed his arms, maintaining his gaze on Ace's look.

"Well, okay, I'm gonna leave now." Ace took a step back.

"Okay." Kufai pretended disinterest.

"Okay." Ace turned and began to walk away, with hesitant and short steps, constantly glaring at Kufai, who stood there with his arms crossed. Ace stopped walking, unsure of why a part of him wanted to stay. He glared down, staring at a rock over the grass, locking his gaze on it. Ace looked at Kufai over his shoulder, with a face of doubt.

"Weren't you leaving?" Kufai spoke firmly.

"I…" Ace sighed and walked back towards Kufai. "Just promise me we won't be cleaning…nurkey stuff."

Kufai looked into his eyes for a moment, with a cold stare. He then smirked and chuckled briefly. "I promise."

"Rai!" A male panther exclaimed with complaint, groaning over a couch, in a small living room, the metallic walls and floor were very corroded, the floor was pure concrete. "Is the…" He gasped, rubbing his wounded chest, the panther's torso was covered with bandages. "…soup ready?!"

"Not if you keep hurrying me!" A female voice warned from the kitchen, which was right behind the living room.

The panther sighed and adopted a sitting position, gasping by the pain. "Dang." He tried to flex his arms for a second but his muscles were very sore. "Argh." The panther rubbed his arm. Suddenly, someone knocked the door. "Rai!"

"I'm coming!" A female leopard exited the kitchen, she had long, brown hair and wore a gray dress. The leopard glared at the panther with annoyance. "You're such a hassle when you're like that!" Rai walked towards the door.

"Hey, the whole harvest would've been devoured if it wasn't for me!" The panther chuckled then groaned briefly. "Besides, aren't you happy that I'm always here with you?"

"Not too much." Rai joked, shaking her head while opening the door.

"Rai, hello. May we come in?" Kufai requested with a smile.

"Sure, my king! Uhm, who's your friend?" Rai raised an eyebrow while looking at Ace.

"Oh, I'm Ace." He extended his hand. "Ace Bunny."

"It's a pleasure." Rai shook his hand.

"How's Rondar?" Kufai inquired.

"Doing better." Rai stepped aside to let them in, gesturing at the living room.

Ace glared around, finding out the house was smaller than the one he and the others were staying in, noticing a pair of spears hanging on the wall, arranged to shape an 'X'. He stopped his steps for a second, studying the spears, Ace then continued walking. Kufai approached the panther amicably. "Ron!" Kufai hugged him carefully.

"Hey!" Rondar hugged him back, groaning a bit. "Kufai, how's it going?"

"All well, thank God." Kufai broke the hug. "What about you, my friend?"

Rondar sighed. "You got the answer to that already. Those zugbulls…horrible creatures." He shook his head.

Kufai chuckled. "Cheer up, Ron, you saved the harvest, the whole village is in debt with you."

"Did you hear him, honey?" Rondar spoke out loud.

"No, I'm cooking." Rai replied from the kitchen.

"Oh, that lady." Rondar chuckled while shaking his head.

"She's a good woman, Ron. You just really know how to drive people crazy." Kufai said.

Rondar laughed. "Yeah, I'm very good at it, right?"

Kufai chuckled. "Indeed." He placed a hand on Ace's shoulder. "Ace, this is Rondar, my best friend in the world. Rondar, Ace Bunny, one of our guests."

"Oh, hey." Rondar shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, boy."

Ace smirked slightly. "Same."

"How's that foot, has it gotten any better?" Kufai inquired.

"Meh, so-so, the pain is still there." Rondar said. "Damn zugbulls."

Kufai nodded. "Okay, let me get some water." He walked away from them.

There was a long silence between Ace and Rondar. Ace's glare was locked on the spears. "Where are those from?" Ace asked.

"Yzeria." The panther said. "Pretty, aren't they?"

Ace nodded, studying the black and gold design of the weapons. "Yes." He glared down with intrigue. "And familiar."

Rondar raised an eyebrow. "Have you seen those kind of weapons before? They're pretty rare, only Yzerians like me can own them…at least rightfully."

"Well…I've seen a sword." Ace looked at him. "It looked like your spears."

"Swords…yeah, we used them as well, not as much as the spears but, they came in handy, not gonna lie." Rondar said. "Actually…there is one special sword for our people. The King Sword, we call it. It is a sacred relic." He glared away, staying silent for a moment. "The legend says it can control the minds of others." Rondar chuckled. "Fairy tales, I guess."

Ace widened his gaze. "What?"

"Oh, it's just superstition." Rondar shook his head. "A sword that controls others." He chuckled. "Bonkers."

Ace stood silent for a moment. "But it's true. I've seen it." He nodded. "A man got that sword."

Rondar raised an eyebrow. "What you say?"

"Dozens of planets are falling right now thanks to that sword." Ace looked away while shaking his head. "I had never seen anything like that."

Rondar got deeply intrigued. "The King Sword…all the stories were true, then."

Ace nodded, with his gaze lost on the floor. "Yes." He shook his head. "I had the chance to stop him." He was clenching his fists. "But he's stronger than me. And…I don't think I can beat him."

Rondar stared at him with a straight face. "Then be stronger. Train yourself, focus." He nodded. "Make him wish he had never crossed paths with you." Ace stood silent. "Hey." Rondar expressed loudly, making Ace look at him. "It is the only way, boy." He gestured away. "Kufai is the greatest warrior I've ever seen. Ask him to train you."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "Wh…Kufai? Really?"

Rondar nodded. "That man is way more than you think, boy. You might never meet a man like him again."