Chapter 9: Red Minions
Rock climbing is not as fun as one might think. Especially when you're holding on for dear life on the side of a tall mountain.
I came to the Golden Hills through the only working gate at the entrance to the Dwarven lands, luckily I didn't run into any Dwarves, and immediately started climbing. It was a little further than I thought.
Then suddenly a rock fell from above. I dodged to the right to avoid certain death, though I did go down a little ways.
"Master, are you there?" Gnarl asked, "Have you been killed?"
"No Gnarl, I'm still in one piece somehow." I said, "And I thought I told you to call me Nova." then I jumped up some and grabbed onto another small ledge and continued to climb.
"Hey, what do you think we should do for lunch?" Rin asked using the Tower Heart.
"Really?" I asked, "Why are you asking me this now of all times? And besides, I probably won't be back by lunchtime."
"Okay." Rin said, "Be safe, and try not to get crushed because that would be a little annoying."
Is she serious?
"It would help if I could concentrate." I said.
"Fine." Rin said/laughed.
Then after half an hour of climbing I reached a cliff on the side of the mountain. I climbed up onto it and looked around. In front of me was a giant doorway carved into the rock, all around the eentrance were runes carved in in some ancient dialect, probably Dwarven. Through the doorway was a redish orange glow.
"I guess I'm in the right place." I said.
"Be careful Nova." Gnarl said, "Very few have ever come out of there alive."
"Noted." I said walking in.
Immediately as I walked in I was hit with a blast of heat.
I looked around, I was on a bridge above a river of lava. A little past the right side of the bridge was a waterfall of lava dropping down into a pool of lava below.
At the edges of the pool were three metal pipes leading off into a dark tunnel.
I jumped off the bridge over the lavafall the used the Force to propel myself over the pool of lava. I landed on the right side of the pipes.
"Hm, those pipes look rather interesting." Gnarl said, "Sire, I believe you should investigate further."
I nodded my head, then continued on through the tunnel.
Evernight
The Dark Elves were gathering all of the bodies of Elise's fallen soldiers.
"What are you doing Lord Torrock?" a Dark Elf asked.
"Overlords are fierce warriors of destructive might." Torrock said, "Even with King Terreck's additional forces on their way we must ensure that our forces are strong enough."
Then they lined up all 89 of the fallen Elves.
"Priests!" Torrock roared.
Then several female Dark Elves stepped out of the crowd of soldiers. They each had a hood, a cloth covering their mouth, a black bra-like strap across their chests, and long skirts going all the way down to their ankles.
They then lined up at the heads of each dead Elven soldier and began to paint symbols on their foreheads with a black ink. Then they placed their hands on the sides of the soldiers heads. As they did that blackish-purple energy began to flow down their arms into the corpses.
Very soon after the fallen soldiers' eyes opened up with a purple glow coming from them.
"Welcome back to this world my kinsmen." Torrock said.
"Good to be back." one said stepping out from the line of resurrected warriors.
"Good to see you again Towen." Torrock said.
"Don't joke around." Dark Elf Towen said, "I know it was you who shot me with that arrow. I would get payback if it weren't for the rules of this spell that you used."
Torrock laughed, "I see you're still as sharp as ever."
Towen smiled, "To prove that your praise is correct I will guess that the reason you brought us back to life is so you can use us to attack Spree and draw the Overlord out of hiding before Elise can warn him."
"No wonder you and Oberon were the Brains and the Bow of the War of Ancients."
Then Torrock turned around and went back to his tent.
Centurion Hawk
Kaito smashed in without any warning.
"What's going on?"
Luka asked.
"No time to explain," he said, "Grab the med kit."
"I've got it." Ichiro said.
Then Kaito set Elise on the floor.
Ichiro immediately began cleaning the wound.
"Do you feel okay?" Luka asked Elise, "Can you hear me? What's your name?"
To Elise everything was blurry, she had lost alot of blood, "Elise, Elise Titania." she said.
Ichiro bandaged her arm. Shortly afterwards she went unconscious.
Ichiro said by her side to monitor her.
"How did you find her?" Luka asked.
"She was wandering the forest being chased by these odd pale pointy-eared humanoids, so I naturally did my duty as a Jedi and rescued her."
"Hm, that's good enough of an explanation for now." Luka said, "But first, you need to get a shower because you reek of grass and sweat and you need to wash you robes because their covered in blood again."
"Yeah, yeah fine." Kaito said walking off towards the showers.
Volcanic Mines
I stepped out of the tunnel onto a cliff overlooking a large cavern with the volcano.
Below was a whole factory. There were assembly lines and forges. Operating the equipment were short creature who were slightly taller and wider than Halflings.
"So I'm guessing that these are Dwarves." I said.
"You are correct Nova." Gnarl said, "Only Dwarves would have such odd factories."
Then I noticed in the pipes lead to something in the center off the town. In the center was a glass jar with what resembled the pictures of the Red Hive Gnarl showed me.
"That's it." Gnarl said, "The Red Hive. It seems the Dwarves are using it and the lava to power their creations. What's your plan to get it back?"
"Isn't it obvious?" I asked jumping down.
I was at the edge of the city.
"Before you go in there you will need help and a way to transport the hive." Gnarl said.
Then a Brown Minion gate appeared next to me which I then I kneeled down on the ground and began drawing runes on the ground. Once I was done a Waypoint Gate burst to life.
Then I summoned my fifteen Minions and started walking straight into town into an area that looked almost like a modern wherehouse district except in front of each one there was a Dwarf, an anvil, a barrel of water, and a fire.
Then Dwarves who were previously working hammering metal all turned and looked at me.
"Hi, I'm Nova." I said.
"Did he seriously just say, 'hi, I'm Nova'?" Rin asked.
"Yes." Gnarl said.
Then the Dwarves picked up their hammers and charged at me.
"I guess we won't be able to resolve this peacefully." I said igniting my Lightaxe.
Kuro Voyager
Anata Enjew stood at the front of the boat looking out at the water, Okami was polishing his hailbird, and Mortane Greenblade was steering the ship.
Then Okami got up and walked over to Anata.
"You're thinking about them again aren't you?" he asked.
She turned her head around to look at him, "I don't know what you are talking about." she said cheerfully.
"Yes you do." Okami said, "I've known you for eight years, I can tell when something is wrong."
There was silence for a moment.
"I had almost forgotten about it." Anata said, "But the other day, when I assassinated the Burū Lord, his daughter saw, and the seeing her crying by the side of her fallen family brought all of those memories back."
"You mean about the Aka's massacre of the Midoriiro and their ninja clan?" Okami asked.
Then Anata turned around and hugged him while crying.
'She went through to much at such a young age.' He thought.
Flashback, Eight Years Ago
The Aka (red) Empire, was the strongest in the year before the Kuro appeared.
They were marching upon the city where the Midoriiro (green) Empire made their last stand.
The ruthless and powerful Aka quickly brought down the wall protecting the city.
Then shinnobi of the Enjew Clan who served the Midoriiro fought back, they struck a crippling blow against the Aka wiping out many of their soldiers, but they were too late, the city had fallen and too many of them had been slain as well.
The Aka preceded to wipe out the remaining ninja and their families, all except one young girl.
She sat surrounded by the corpses. Silent, for she had no more tears left to cry.
Then someone wearing black robes and armor and had odd yellow eyes, walked over to her the kneeled down before her.
"You're alone." he said, "I know that feeling all to well."
The girl said nothing.
"This land is tearing itself apart, I wish to stop it from doing so, but to do that will need help." he stopped for a moment, "So will you join me and prevent further massacres such as this, or will you just sit here and wait for the Aka to find you and finish you off."
She remained silent.
"Very well then." the young man said getting up and turning around.
"I could make this land better?" the girl said causing the other person to stop.
He smiled and turned around to see the little girl smiling as dawn was just beginning to break.
Then the little girl got up and walked over to him and took his right hand as they walked along the rubble of the destroyed building.
The Present, Volcanic Mines
"That was boring." I said after defeating all of Dwaves.
Then I continued to walk along the road for a few minutes.
Then the door of one of the warehouses smashed open and something raced out. The top half of it's legs curved forvards to a kneelike joint, then the lower half curved backwards onto rectangular shaped feet. It's body was a large red cylinder the size of a human with a yellow glowing triangle window. On it's right arm was something that looked like a exhaust pipe and it's left arm was a claw.
The claw was a glass container with something inside that looked like a minion.
"That's a Red Minion!" Gnarl said.
Then the machine lifted the container and placed it on something sticking out of the left side of his back. Then the container lit up with a yellow flash and the minion was gone, replaced with a tank of lava.
Seeing how they were just using my Minions to power their machines angered me.
How could they just use another living being as a power source? I'll make them pay for that.
Then I jumped at it and prepared to slash at it, but was suddenly stopped when the claw hand grabbed me out of the air.
Dammit, I should have seen that coming.
I was about to slash them arm off, but I didn't have enough time to even raise my arm up when flung me to the right. I crashed right into the wall of a warehouse losing grip of my Lightaxe as I hit.
I looked back at the machine and saw my Minions charge at it.
It swung it's left arm knocking three Minions into the wall. Then flames shot from it's left arm burning five Minions to ash in seconds.
I immediately jumped up and ran towards it using the Force to pull my Lightaxe to my hand. The machine pointed its flamethrower at me and fired (get it, fired). I used the Force and shoved the flames back into the arm causing it to explode and fall over. I raced to it and slashed the front. Then, using the hole I just cut, I ripped a panel off of the machine.
The Dwarf inside was surprised by my power. I then picked him up by the neck part of his shirt, then slashed him across the stomach and threw him into a wall.
I gathered the remaining seven minions and charged forwards.
Then as I ran, two more machines appeared.
"I don't have time for this!" I said. Then I used the Force the grip the magma tank on the one on the right and crushed it causing lava to pour down all over the machine. Then I threw my Lightaxe a the other one while still running. The Lightaxe spun towards the machine and cut through it slicing it in half. Then I used the Force to return the Lightaxe to my hand.
I continued to run all the way to the center of the town.
I stopped at the Hive. Then on the road to the right of the Hive were dozens of machines charging this way.
I raised my hand towards them and focused, not on the machines, but the Dwarves inside. I used the Force to create the image that they were each surrounded by monsters in each of their minds. They all began to lash out at everything around them, including their own allies.
Then I was about to shatter the glass around the Hive.
"So you're him." a voice said.
I turned around and saw a red humanoid figure with red skin and black armor standing before me.
"I can sense you're magic is that only a Overlord can have." he said.
"Be careful master." Gnarl said, "From the look of him I'd guess he is a demon."
"So what if I am the Overlord?" I asked the demon man.
"Overlords are evil beings that do nothing but kill and plunder." he said, "They must be stopped."
"You'd be surprised to find out that I am not like my predecessors."
"At the moment I do not know that." he said pulling his large sword off of his back, "If you are truly good, then prove it. When warriors clash blades they reveal their true selves."
"Fine by me." I said readying myself.
"First I suppose you'd like to know the name of your opponent. I am Akomar Ukamaru."
"And I'm Overlord Nova. Now let's start." Then I charged at him and swung my Lightaxe.
He raised his sword in a defensive position. I had expected my Lightaxe to cut right through his blade, but to my surprise it completely halted my Lightaxe.
He then push me back, and while I was still trying to recollect myself he slashed at me from the left shoulder to the bottom of the right rib.
It wasn't deep, but it hurt alot.
I then blasted an orb of Force energy at him, but he dodged it to the left then swung his sword downwards cutting the side of my left arm and a bit below the side of my left knee.
As he did that I saw an opening and took it. I slashed at his left leg cutting the side of his ankle.
He winced in pain, then swung his large sword to the left. I leaned backwards to dodge. Then I swung my Lightaxe and cut the front of his right shoulder.
Then I swung a full force downwards slash at him, but he dodged to the right then hit me in the back with the bottom of his sword's hilt.
I fell to the ground and hit my head against the black dirt.
"Had enough?" Akomar asked panting as he pointed his sword at me.
"Not a chance." I said getting back up and trying to ignore the blood running down my face from above the right side of my eye.
Then we both charged again.
A few minutes later we were both on the ground exhausted.
I laughed, "Man, that was fun." I said.
"Indeed." Akomar said sitting up.
"Hope I have the chance to fight you again someday." I standing up.
"As do I." Akomar said placing his sword back on his back and turning around, "Farwell great warrior." then he walked away.
I then got back to my own task and used the Force to blast through the glass.
Once that was done I put my Lightaxe back on my belt and placed my hand on the Hive. It lit up for a few seconds.
"Well done Nova." Gnarl said, "The Red Hive is now purified."
Then a Waypoint Gate and Brown and Red Minion gates appeared.
It was then that my Browns finally caught up looking quite tired. I decided that they would be able to carry the Red Hive so I turned to the Minion gate and summoned eight Reds. They immediately picked up the Hive and carried it to the Waypoint Gate where it was teleported back to the Tower.
Then the ground began to shake. I looked to my right and saw that a distance away lava was beginning to flood the cavern.
Not wanting to get roasted I jumped onto the Gate and teleported myself back to the Tower.
Dark Tower
When I got back I found Gnarl, Rin, and some of the Minions waiting for me.
"I'm back." I said.
Later Rin was bandaging my injuries.(just so you know it is the white elastic wrap kind. And Nova also doesn't currently have a shirt so that Rin can see and bandage his injuries more easily).
"I guess I might have overdid it." I said.
"You might have?" Rin asked, "You definitely did. You could have died, do you realize how worried I was about you?" she placed her hands on my chest.
I smiled and placed my right hand on her hands, "Rin." I said looking at her face.
I don't even know how, but we then were looking into each other's eyes. Then our heads began to move closer.
"Well done on retrieving the Reds Master." Gnarl said causing us to break eye contact and move away from each other.
"Did I interrupt something?" Gnarl asked.
We both blushed, "No!" I said.
