Chapter Eighty-Six: An Unsuspected Traitor And A Nasty "Knightmare"

Zarbon was talking quietly on his scouter, as he was hovering over the Calmagian royal castle-that was until the speaker on the other end of Zarbon's scouter channel made a shocking announcement-Arachnor and Redusa were dead.

"How in the hell did that happen?" Zarbon demanded to know furiously.

The voice on the other end of the channel stammered, "Well, you see, Commander Zarbon, little Princess Tayla Chloe, the one that you are after, managed to cause Redusa's reducing spell to backfire on her. And then Princess Gorna Chloe, her eldest sister, disintegrated the shrinking woman. Redusa never had a chance after that. And from what I've been told, Superior Gran Shalila Chloe herself finished off Arachnor by feeding him too much of her abundant ki. He exploded, Commander."

"Stupid Arachnor! He knew that he could only consume so much ki light at one time, and that too much would cause him to self-destruct. And Redusa had already been warned as to Princess Tayla's craftiness. This is what I get for allowing amateurs to attempt a job that only professionals, such as Top Elites and Mid-Elites know how to do properly! I knew I should have refused to have Lower-Elites handle this matter. Well, I may as well make use of what few Lower-Elites that I do have left, only Knightmare will be accompanying them. There is another part of that next plan, but I will need you to help carry it out."

"Anything, Commander."

"Do the Astorians and their friends have the slightest suspicion that you are working for Frieza yet?"

"No way, Commander, no way. I am considered to be completely trustworthy among them. No one would ever suspect me, ever. I've put on a good act all this time, gaining everyone's trust and making everyone think that I wanted to help destroy Frieza. Working for Frieza has been the only thing that's kept my mind off the death of my wife some time ago. Wasn't happy when I was turned into a diamond statue earlier, didn't appreciate that at all."

"I apologize for that. Diamonique did not know that you were one of us. How much closer are the Astorians to the castle now."

"Within two hours, Commander, within two hours. Now what's the next phase of the plan?"

"It's a simple task, really. You know the labyrinths almost as well as little Princess Caline of Calmag does, am I correct?"

"Yes, Commander."

"Princess Tayla has shown no distrust towards you, has she?"

"We're not that well-acquainted, her and I, but she's not hostile towards me, no."

"Next question: are there any shortcuts to the castle?"

"Why yes, Commander, there is. There are a few passages in the labyrinths down here that not even little Princess Caline knows about. We're coming close to this nice shortcut in just a few minutes, and I had asked Princess Caline earlier, if she knew of any other ways from the labyrinth tunnel that we are in now that would take us to the castle faster, and she said no. That is good, for it means that Princess Caline does not know of this shortcut, which is hidden behind a huge boulder attached to the side of the labyrinth corridor that would take us directly to the castle."

"Very good. Now, I want you to find a way to lure Princess Tayla away from the others when Knightmare and his buddies, Torment, Taunt, and Torture come into the labyrinths tunnels to reduce the number of rescuers. You are to lure the girl into the shortcut with you and bring her directly to us, is that clear?"

"Consider it done, Commander. I just have one request when Frieza conquers this planet."

"You will get your rewards as promised. You will be granted a high position in Frieza's army, and possibly the governing of the new Calmag. Just don't foul things up the way that your colleague, Alberm Dunlop of Rendor, did."

"I won't, Commander. Unlike that fat fool, Alberm, I won't be so foolish as to give myself away too soon or fail. Alberm deserved what Commander Jaden gave him earlier. I only have one small additional request."

"And what would that be?"

"I would like to have Princess Caline of Calmag as my bride."

Zarbon gasped a shock through the scouter channel. "Isn't Princess Caline only eleven years old? She's barely out of the cradle yet!"

"We Calmagian men prefer our wives young, very young. The younger a girl marries, the better she can be trained to become a proper, submissive wife. I have wanted the child for myself for a long time, but there is no way that Prince Ridikar will give his blessing for my wedding her. Alberm had a difficult time with her, but he could barely manage his checkbook properly, let alone a wife! She won't behave so badly with me the way that he claims that she did with him. Prince Amitar should have married her to me instead of that fat fart that gave himself away. She's the only other thing I want, other than what Lord Frieza has already promised me."

Zarbon did not like the man on the other end of the scouter channel. Sure, this man had proven to be a better spy that Alberm Dunlop, but the fact that he wanted to wed and bed a child who was probably not done with puberty yet disgusted Zarbon. Nevertheless, the little girl was of no real consequence to him, and if he didn't grant the request, surely Frieza would.

"I'll propose it to Lord Frieza, but that's all I can promise," Zarbon told his counterpart tightly. "It shouldn't be a problem though, for you to have one female for yourself."

"Thank you, Commander."

"No problem-yet. Now don't fail me, for Knightmare and his bunch will be coming to you shortly. Make sure you lure the Princess Tayla away while the fighting is going on."

"Yes, Commander. Unlike Alberm, you can trust me."









An hour later...

Caline was walking between Gracina and Tayla, who had decided to remain upfront for now, as the little Calmagian princess led them through the cold, chilly, dark corridors of the labyrinths. General Norbrook and Filcor Sedemeyer were close behind the three princesses, and Caline nodded politely towards the general. Norbrook had always been one of her father's closest allies, and he had lost his wife, Sayri, two years ago in a skycar accident. The general had taken the news sadly, but he seemed to be recovering greatly now, and Caline knew that her father had been trying to match one of her female cousins with Norbrook before Amitar had perished. Norbrook was not much different from other Calmagian men, but he had always conducted himself honorably, and Caline knew that Calmag was lucky to have him as a general.

She noticed Norbrook casting occasional intense glances in her direction, and she wanted to know why. Probably to determine if she knew what she was doing. Caline looked back at the general once, but he had looked away and abruptly began a conversation with Lieutenant Balboun, who had joined him and Sedemeyer.

Balboun smiled warmly at Caline, and Caline smiled back; she liked Balboun and she had met Balboun's wife, Rayli, who had been a warm, spirited woman. Caline had just married Alberm at that time that she had first met them when Balboun and Rayli had visited Alberm and Caline's main home in Rendor. Caline had seen Balboun and Rayli's happiness, and she had envied them their marriage. Balboun had never shouted at Rayli or raised a hand to her, and Rayli had seemed to be happy and contented with him. Caline had not wanted Rayli's husband, but the easy, free existence that Rayli had with Balboun, whom Rayli had affectionately dubbed "Bounie". But the only cloud on that occasion was the pitying looks from Rayli and Balboun every time that Alberm would order Caline about or raise his voice to her. At least Alberm had not hit her or raped her while Balboun and Rayli had been staying in Rendor, and Caline had been saddened when they left to go home to their own city.

Now she and those with her had come to a fork in the labyrinth tunnels, with three passageways, and Caline was now trying to think of which way they should best take to get to a safe enough place where they could attack the rest of Frieza's minions. Everyone had agreed that it would be foolish to try to go back through the kitchenette way where Caline and Kekron had used to assist hostages in escaping.

Kekron. Caline allowed herself to smile slightly at the thought of him. She had already firmly decided at her tender age that she had never wanted to marry again, that she would remain single and free for the rest of her life, rather than risk another abusive husband. She had also decided never to have a beau or suitor, no matter who he was. However, there was nothing wrong with speculating about the young, kindhearted boy who had helped her to free some of her people and saved her life from the cruel Balair.

She would have rather died than be raped again, and both Kekron and his dear mother, Natala, had helped to prevent that. Caline silently prayed for Natala's safety, and that Raakon would find her soon and save her from that awful Balair. Caline had also been privy to Raakon's plot to leave early to go save his wife, and she, like Kekron, had supported him in his plans. She had given him a few healing roses in case that he had needed them. She was worried about Natala, but Kekron had told her how brave and strong his father was, and so Caline tried to ease her mind about Natala's welfare.

Natala and Raakon were lucky to have some one like Kekron for their son. Caline had never met any young man like him before. Kekron was no warrior, but he was far from being a coward. He had attacked Balair to save her, knowing that doing so could have won him a free trip to see Enma Daiou. He was brave and sensitive and kind, an absolute gentleman. Caline and Kekron had not really become acquainted with each other until Zarbon and the others had taken everyone in the royal castle hostage. It was only after Natala had offered herself in Caline's place as Balair's next conquest that Caline and Kekron actually paid each other any mind. Kekron had managed to ease Caline's feelings of guilt over what Natala had done for her, and Caline had seen many good qualities in him, qualities that she had not seen in most Calmagian males.

She wished that Kekron could have come with them, but she understood why he had to stay behind. He had to help look after the others above ground in case something should happen in the city of Magan, and he would be of little use against a whole team of Elite minions from Frieza. She and Kekron knew that luck and the Kais had been on their side when Kekron had taken on Balair, but Kekron's fighting abilities were greatly limited, and Caline would not have wanted him to throw his life away for nothing. He had wished her luck and said that she was in his prayers before she had left to lead the others down into the labyrinths. He had told her that she was one of the bravest young girls that he had ever met, and he had also told her that he hoped that she could come home to Astoria with them.

Caline had told him that she had hoped so too, but she was not sure anymore as to whether she could leave Ridikar behind now that they had reconciled. Kekron had offered his condolences on the death of her father, and she had thanked him calmly. She knew that Kekron, like almost every one of her new friends, thought that Amitar wasn't much of a loss, but they were too kind and gracious to tell her so directly. To her deep shame, neither did she. Maybe someday, she would be able to grieve, but for now, she felt only relief that her father wouldn't hurt her anymore, or force her into another horrible marriage. Ridikar had promised her that her next husband would be of her own choosing, but Caline wanted no one for a mate, although Kekron might have made a good possibility…

Caline shook her small, pale head wildly, attracting the alarmed looks of Gracina and Tayla. She did not acknowledge their concerned expressions at first, for she was now trying to tell herself that Kekron would never really want her.

She thought, despairingly, He wouldn't want me; I'm not a virgin or an Astorian. Surely, he would want to marry someone of his own kind, or at least someone who's braver, stronger, and not so afraid of everything. He'd want someone like his mother, not someone small and weak and helpless like me. He'd want someone who's pure, who's closer to his age, and who is a true Princess of Chloe…

She was only distracted from her thoughts of Kekron when she had noticed Filcor Sedemeyer watching her intently. She deliberately avoided him, even though he was walking behind her. She knew that Filcor had another wife before her, another young girl that Filcor had married when she was twelve, but had died at age fifteen. The deceased wife, Carie, had drowned herself intentionally one year ago. Caline had known Carie personally, and they had been best friends despite their differences in ages. Carie had been the only real friend that Caline had besides Ridikar, and Carie had been more of a sister to her than Caline's real sisters had been. Carie had confided in the young girl of the way that Filcor had been treating her; Filcor was more verbally than physically abusive, but even he had hit Carie now and then when Carie would not satisfy his insatiable sexual hunger like he wanted her to do. Carie had shamefacedly confessed to Caline that Filcor had even raped her several times.

One time Carie had ran away from her fancy home in Rendor that she had shared with Filcor, and Caline, who had been ten years old then, had hidden her for three months in the basement of the castle until Carie could make plans to disappear permanently. Ridikar had been at a military academy during those three months, and Caline had so wanted to tell him, but Carie had made her promise not to tell anyone. Plus, Caline had feared that Ridikar would feel obligated to reveal the information to his father, who would have surely contacted Filcor. Caline had sheltered and fed Carie and provided for all of her other needs while Carie was making solid plans to move to the other side of Calmag, where she could hide forever.

It had been that rat brother of hers, Julien, that had exposed her poor best friend! Caline had never forgiven him to this day, for the way that Julien, who had unexpectedly decided to go down to that same basement to explore it and its contents, had cold-heartedly revealed Carie's location to Amitar and the authorities from Rendor searching for Filcor's runaway wife. Caline had tearfully begged Julien not to turn Carie in when he had discovered her hiding there, but Julien, who had been their mother's favorite before Caline had been born, cruelly ignored his sister's pleas. Julien had been extremely jealous of Shydine's love and affection towards Caline, and he had never accepted his youngest sister. Julien was the sibling who had been the most hateful towards Caline, and he had loved to make her life miserable whenever possible. So Julien had turned Carie in, and both Carie and Caline had received a severe beating each, Carie from her husband, and Caline from her father. It had taken weeks for both girls to recover, and Caline had never seen Carie alive again, for Filcor and Amitar had forbidden all and any contact between the two unfortunate girls.

It had been Julien who had happily informed his baby sister of Carie's suicide, and because he had been grinning and laughing when he had broke the news of Carie's death, Caline had sharply slapped him across his face. It had been the only time that Caline had dared to strike out against anyone before the war had started, and that slap had earned her another beating from her father. Ridikar had tried to talk his father out of both beatings on Caline, but Amitar had sharply told Ridikar to mind his own business.

Because the memories of Carie were now too painful, the little Calmagian princess abruptly shoved all thoughts of the past out of her head, and she firmly resolved to focus on leading her friends and family to a safe place to enter the castle. She hastily reassured Tayla and Gracina that she was fine, although both Mantros Chloe sisters still had serious doubts after hearing Caline's hurried words of assurance. Caline knew that she was not a good deceiver, and that she was as readable as a flashing neon sign. She sighed, straightened herself up, and concentrated on remembering a way to get into the castle safely.








Ten minutes later...


Two of General Norbrook's men were sharing a flask filled with strong cognac that the older soldier had smuggled down into the tunnels. Each of the two soldier were taking turns sipping greedily from the flask while they were leaning against the wall of the new corridor that they were checking out to make sure that no new enemies would pop out at the Calmagians or the Astorians. The younger man was telling his older companion a sleazy story about a favorite whore who would frequent the CRP officer barracks.

The younger soldier was boasting, "That whore was a fine piece of female, and the things that she knew how to do with a man! Sweet Ankor, she looked like an older version of the little Princess Caline. The child is a luscious piece, isn't she? If I had a chance, I would have tried to convince Prince Ridikar to give me Caline as a bride!"

The older soldier laughed, "Like he would give her to you! Remember, she's a princess, young man! She'd be better off with a man of experience, such as myself! I lost my wife quite some time ago, and I wouldn't mind having her for myself. I was thinking of talking to Prince Ridikar myself. He's changed, the strange prince has. I've heard around that he is actually going to allow Princess Caline to choose her own husband! Maybe I could get her to "choose" me, eh?"

"Hey, I lost my wife too, and I should have a fair chance myself! Lord Alberm Dunlop was nothing but a fat fool, a foolish man! Prince Amitar should have never married Caline to him; she's obviously meant for a younger, more virile man such as myself! Lord Alberm couldn't handle her or keep her in line, but I bet that I could! That strange beast woman called Jaden did us all a favor when she blasted Alberm into oblivion!"

"Keep dreaming, young man, keep dreaming! A young girl like her needs an older, more experienced hand to keep her in line! I intend to get to know the little princess a little better when this war's over. Someone like her needs to be with a trustworthy, dependable man who's served this planet well such as yours truly."

"Aw, c'mon! I've served this planet well myself! Been in these troops since I was fifteen! I'm twenty-three now."

"Well, I have fifteen years to say against your eight, young man!"

Suddenly, a small navy-blue creature with a green stomach and three gold horns fell from the ceiling. His four eyes were large and bulging and red, and he had a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth sharp enough to tear steel apart.

"What in the hell is that thing?" the younger soldier, whose name was Private Gauze demanded to know.

The horrified older soldier, whose name was Sergeant Baraki fired his laser gun at it, but the little monster easily dodged the ray, and before the older soldier could prevent him, the creature knocked away the laser gun from him onto the floor. Then the little monster flung itself onto the soldier, seized the wrist that had held the gun, and swallowed his large hand. The blue monster made loud, sucking sounds while sucking on the soldier's hand, while the soldier began to scream and cry in agony, as he felt his flesh being pulled from his hand bones.

Gauze had grabbed a hold of the blue demon-like creature and tried to yank him off of his friend's hand. When the little beast had finally spat out Baraki's hand, Baraki screamed in horror when he saw that his hand was nothing more than a collection of bones, with no flesh no blood, no blood vessels, no skin, no nerves, nothing but bones.

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he cried in terror, seeing his skeleton hand.

The monster snarled, and then he flung himself onto Gauze and opened his jaws wider to swallow the soldier's head. Gauze was vainly trying to prevent the blue monster from swallowing his head whole and killing him.

"Lunch time!" the little monster rasped as it tried again to swallow his victim's head whole, so that he could suck out all of the man's brains, blood, cells, flesh, hair, anything but the skull.

But the monster would not get to snack anymore.

In fact, after today, it never ate again.

A powerful bolt of electric blue light shot out from nowhere and shoved the monster off of the soldier's head. The monster cried out in fury at its attacker, "You hurt Torture, you die! Torture eat you all up!"

And with that, the minion called Torture flew himself at his attacker and the soldiers' rescuer, who just laughed at him scornfully and neatly sliced off his head with a sword. Within less than a nanosecond, Torture's head was rolling peacefully along the floor, his eyes bulged open forever in horror at what it had not been able to prevent-the abrupt end to his own pathetic life. Torture's killer than reduced his head and his body to a pile of blue muck.

Alora Sahara-Chloe spat on the body mass of dead monster that now lay at her feet.

"You-you saved us, Miss!" Baraki exclaimed, still clutching at his bony hand.

"How can we ever repay you?" Gauze asked.

"You are truly brave, miss!" Baraki cried excitedly.
"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it," Alora told them abruptly, as she tossed Baraki a blue musk rose. "Use that for your hand!"

Baraki looked at the rose doubtfully, but he experimentally brushed the blue rose along his hand bones. Alora nodded at him to continue, and within two minutes, the soldier's hand was completely restored to normal.

"These flowers are amazing!" Baraki declared.

"Miss, we must do something for you in exchange for saving our lives and to thank you!" Gauze insisted. "We could-"

"Shut up!" Alora yelled at them harshly, "Just shut up!" She then rapidly turned away from the two thankful soldiers, and she swung her sword out, with its point standing straight up into the air. She jabbed it up a little further, and to her satisfaction, another blue monster was impaled on the blade. This monster resembled the last one that had attacked the soldiers, and it had tried to jump onto Alora, but Alora had sensed it coming. She had turned around just in time to stab the second monster.

"No!!!" the second monster screamed. "You stab Torment, no! Torment no wants to die!"

"Torment have no choice," Alora told him in a steely tone. She disintegrated him with a ki blast before Torment had time to react, and within seconds, a mass of dripping blue funk was falling off of Alora's large sword.

Alora tried to sense for other unfamiliar ki levels, and she found two, but this time her luck would run out.

For at that moment, she felt a sharp ball of ki hit her hard in the back of her head, and before she knew it, she was on the ground, crying and screaming for mercy. Her slender, boyish, muscular figure trembled and writhed in horror in the dust, as she clung tightly to her head.

"NO! Don't die on me, please, no!" she cried out in terror. Alora's mind was not in the present time; instead she was back in the Battle of Chloe, her first real war ever. She was seeing comrades die, many of them from her own Clan of Sahara.

"Leave him alone, Balair, no!" Alora screamed in horror, for her tormented mind, she was seeing Balair, a much younger Balair vaporize himself into a cloud of red gas. Balair the gas cloud was quickly entering the lungs of many of Alora's clan members, forcing their to swell up and self-destruct. Alora was now trying to hold her breath, trying not to breathe in the deadly Balair fumes.

"Alora!" Bajal shouted when he saw his wife writhing about on the floor. Alora could not feel Bajal's presence at all, for she was now once again in the Battle of Chloe, fighting Balair, fighting to stay alive.

"Let me go, you son of a whore! Put me down, Balair, I mean it! Let me go, you murdering bastard!" Alora was crying out in her inner world of torment. Bajal raced to her side, his heart skipping beats repeatedly every time he heard Alora scream in pain.

"Stop biting me! Stop it! Someone help me! Balair is ripping off my arm!"

"Alora, wake up! It's me, Bajal, your husband! Balair's not here!"

"She can't wake up, Astorie," a cool, chilly voice laced with silk said smoothly. Bajal looked up and around, but he could see nothing.

Out of the shadows, a tall, dark black monster that resembled a larger version of Torture and Torment, stepped out. He wore a bright red cape, and his four eyes were glowing green instead of red, and his horns were made of silver, not gold. He was much taller and more muscular than his former students, Torture and Torment.

Bajal stared angrily at this demon. "Who in the hell are you, and what the hell did you do to my wife?"

The demon-like creature laughed airily. "I am Knightmare, one of Frieza's most powerful Mid-Elite Officers ever. If I succeed in this mission, which I know that I will, I will ascend to Top Elite! I have cast my Eternal Dream Torment spell upon your mate, and she will suffer from nightmares forever until I am dead. I use that favorite spell of mine to bring out the worst nightmares and dreams of my victims. Many of them wind up committing suicide to escape their inner torment, or they go insane. I don't like it when they commit suicide though; it reduces the fun."

Bajal growled, "Well, guess what, Knightie, I'm going to send you to your own personal nightmare for what you just did to my wife! Have fun with Enma Daiou 'cause you'll be meeting him within less than a second!" And with this Bajal drew out his sword and dashed towards Knightmare, preparing to slice him in half, if need be.

Of course it wouldn't be that easy. Knightmare swiftly flew a ki ball at Bajal's head before Bajal could reach him with his heavy sword. Within a fraction of a moment, Bajal was on the floor besides his tormented wife, crying in horror with his own nightmares of the Battle of Chloe.

Knightmare grinned wickedly. "I love my Eternal Dream Torment attack! Oh, Taunt, come here, please!" Taunt, who was the third of the three Terror Triplets, was now the only survivor. He jumped down from the ceiling, to where he had been clinging, thanks to suction-like feet and hands, and landed happily in front of his trainer.

"Taunt," Knightmare said smoothly. "Torment and Torture have perished, unfortunately, so you shall have to carry on their work for them. We mustn't disappoint Lord Frieza, right?"

"No disappoint Lord Frieza!" Taunt agreed enthusiastically. He and Knightmare laughed maliciously, as Bajal and Alora's screams grew louder and louder.

"Okay, Taunt, my pet, now go have fun and devour as many of the Astories and Calmagies as you can! Take as long as you like! I'll have my own fun while you go do my bidding! Now that spy of Lord Frieza's is supposed to lure that puking brat they call Tayla Chloe, but even if the spy doesn't, we'll have our pleasure, won't we, little Taunt?"

"Sure will. Sure will. Taunt have fun. Taunt eat people! Taunt have fun!"

And with that Taunt joyously danced around the turn of the labyrinth corridor, where he was to began his mini reign of terror.

And it was also where he won his own ticket to the next dimension, to his own personal appointment with Enma Daiou.

Taunt emitted one piercing screech, a final scream of terror and pain, as he slowly backed into the labyrinth corridor-with a glowing sword sticking out of his chest-and Dirkan holding the end of it!

Tears streamed down Taunt's dark demonic face, as Dirkan mercilessly twisted his Light Blade further into Taunt's puny chest. To make the battle end quicker, Dirkan used his eye lasers to fry the little imp into a pile of darkened, smoking ashes.

Knightmare roared in fury, for now all three of his favorite pupils had been quickly destroyed. He then reached into his own cape and drew out a sword enveloped in pure fire. Unlike Torture, Taunt, and Torment, Knightmare could not be affected by ki blasts or fire at all; he was fireproof. The only way to eliminate Knightmare would be to either kill him with a sword or be beaten to a bloody pulp.

Dirkan knew this for a fact, and he knew this because he had encountered members of Knightmare's race before. Many of Knightmare's people had once worked for Queen Frost, and they had been among the most powerful of Queen Frost's troops. Knightmare belonged to one half of a rare race called the Feari, and this group was known as the Eli Dea Feari (Elite People Who Do Not Fear Death). All of the Eli Dea Feari had the same abilities as Knightmares had. The Terror Triplets had been members of the weaker Wea Feari (Weaker People Who Do Not Fear Death) half of the Feari race. The Wea Feari were much easier to destroy because they could be destroyed by ki blasts, unlike the Eli Dea Feari. When he and Shalila had first minions from both halves of the Feari race, the Eli Dea Feari had been among the most difficult of Queen Frost's soldiers that they had to defeat. Queen Frost had chosen many of the Eli Dea Feari as her personal bodyguards, but Shalila and Dirkan had destroyed all of them. Their ki attacks had not worked on the Eli Dea Feari guards, but their swift swords had. They had to kill all of the Eli Dea Feari guards in order to get to Queen Frost unblocked.

Dirkan knew of Knightmare and the Terror Triplets, thanks to Intergalacticpol, who had them on their Most Wanted List. The Feari had been a tiny race, and it was known that only Knightmare and the Terror Triplets existed out of that near-extinct race. Intergalacticpol officers had destroyed almost the entire Feari race because the Feari had started terrorizing planets and were becoming as deadly as the Saiyans and Frieza's fighters. The Wea Feari section of the Feari race was now extinct. Now only Knightmare remained out of the entire Feari race, and Dirkan decided that eliminating him would be the best option.

Dirkan withdrew his Light Blade from the dead Taunt and raised it into the still, stagnant air of the labyrinths. "Give me your best shot!" he ordered Knightmare.

"With pleasure!" Knightmare declared, as he tried to fire an Eternal Dream Torment Attack at Dirkan, who batted it away with his sword, as if the ki blast had been a fly. (Dirkan was an expert at fielding ki blasts with his sword, and he could use his sword to shove ki blasts away from him using a bit of ki and streaming it into his beloved blade.)

Knightmare tried twice more, but Dirkan, seeing how Bajal and Alora were suffering, decided to eliminate the last of the Feari race once and for all. He felt the ki signatures of his adopted family come up behind him, but he paid them no mind. He knew now that they were watching him battle Knightmare, but he could not acknowledge their presence, for he had a battle to win. He and Knightmare were now clashing swords, artfully dodging each other's sword attacks.

While Knightmare and Dirkan were trying to stab each other with their swords, Shalila and Gorna swiftly crept past the two dueling men. Shalila hastily flung Bajal's fighting, terrified body over her shoulder, and he was heavy. Bajal was unconsciously fighting his grandmother, unaware of whom she was. Bajal was now struggling with Shalila, mistaking her for Frieza.

"I'll kill you, Frieza, I swear to Orchida!" Bajal roared in both fury and terror, as he was desperately struggling to survive the deadly tyrant in his never-ending dreams.

"Bajal, it is I, Nama!" Shalila cried anxiously, but Bajal did not recognize her, as he punched her in her chest with the force of a small battering ram. Finally, she had no choice but to hit her dangerous grandson hard in the side of his head in order to put him out. Bajal lapsed into unconsciousness, now in a dreamless slumber, much easier to live with than the nightmares of him fighting Frieza.

Gorna had been forced to knock Alora out when Alora had seized her own sword and tried to slash Gorna's side, thinking that Gorna was Balair. Now Alora was in the same dreamless slumber as her husband, who was loudly snoring-and drooling on his grandmother's shoulder. Shalila and Gorna sighed with relief, as they carried their quarry out of harm's way.

The two warrior women hurriedly carried them to another corridor of the labyrinth with the help of Gracina and Lektron. Lektron was worried about Bajal and Alora and asked, "Shouldn't we try to rouse them?"

"Absolutely not!" Shalila declared vociferously. "They will only start having those horrible dreams again! When Knightmare perishes, then we will try to awaken them. Leave them be for now, or they will become dangerous again. He is the same Knightmare that Intergalacticpol has long warned us about, and he must be destroyed."

As she spoke, Knightmare's piercing scream reverberated throughout the labyrinths. Caline clung to Tayla, who held her tight while clenching her own teeth at the horrible way that Knightmare was dying.

Dirkan was crying aloud, "You've picked the wrong family to mess with!"

Dirkan had managed to slice Knightmare's throat, and before Knightmare could do anything to save himself, Dirkan speedily beheaded the cruel Feari warrior. Now Knightmare was on his way to see Enma Daiou-and Alora and Bajal's nightmares would end.

To be on the safe side, the fierce Namek warrior decimated Knightmare with a swift ki blast, turning him into a black pile of ashes. Dirkan spat furiously on the ashes and turned away.

"He's gone, like the others," Dirkan announced quietly and needlessly.

"Are you okay, Dirkan?" Tayla asked worriedly.

Dirkan nodded. "I'm more than fine, kid. And don't worry too much about Alora and Bajal, for once we wake them up, they'll have no memory of the torment they went through."
Everyone took deep heaving breaths, and the two Calmagian soldiers breathlessly thanked Dirkan.

"We owe you and the other two a great debt," Baraki told the Namek.

"Don't sweat it," Dirkan told them, quoting from one of Shalila's Earth expressions. "We'll go to rouse Alora and Bajal, then it's time to start again."






And yet another ten minutes later after that…

"Commander Zarbon?"

"What is it now?"

"The plan has failed, Commander. Knightmare and the Terror Triplets have been killed."

"WHAT?"

"I am sorry, Commander, but Dirkan has destroyed Knightmare and it is unknown as to who killed the Terror Triplets, but everyone is gone out of them."

"Curses! Frieza is going to have my head for this-Knightmare was one of his personal favorites! He himself nominated Knightmare for Top Elite, and Knightmare was destroyed that easily!"

"Commander, what do we do now?"

"Do you know where that shortcut of yours leads to in the castle?"

"Yes, Commander." He told Zarbon that location as well as instructions on how to get to that passage from the castle, and Zarbon said:

"I want you to escort the Astorians and their friends through that shortcut. I am going to have Splitz waiting in the middle of that shortcut of yours, and then Seductia and Flirtius will be waiting at the end of the tunnel to stop our friends. Splitz is the weakest of the Mid-Elites that I am sending, but even if he doesn't eliminate the more powerful Astorians, then Seductia and Flirtius can surely do the job. And the few who make it past them, if any, will be unlikely to survive Samsonite and the Ginyu Force. I have decided to have Samsonite help guard the hostages for now. I'm tired of playing with Shalila Chloe and her ilk, and I want them destroyed, and so does Frieza. He is growing very impatient; Calmag should have been cleared days ago."

"How will I explain how I discovered this shortcut?"

"Simply tell them that you had remembered it from your days of training. They won't question it, not even the little Caline. Don't fail me; I am counting on you."

"I swear on my grandfather's grave that I won't, Commander."


******************************************************************************************

A/N: Who is this traitor that has been spying on the Astorians the entire time in the labyrinths? There aren't many candidates, but it won't be likely who you suspect...or will it? (I have a good idea of who you think it is, but it may or may not be him. Remember in mysteries, it's often the one you least suspect...maybe.) Anyway, the traitor is mentioned in this chapter, he is Calmagian, a minor character, wants Caline, and he lost his wife some time back. Whoever guesses correctly first by the time that I write Chapter Eighty-Eight will be featured as a character in Chapter Eighty-Nine or Ninety. To make it fair for everyone who's reading, all answers need to be put in the reviews, that way everyone can see who answered correctly first, and there's no doubt.

About the poll, I intend to reinstate it soon since a few people have requested it. I've sent the copy of a poll through email to a friend of mine to see it first before I put it up.

Thank you all for reading this unusually long story, which became much, much longer than I had intended. I realize now that I probably should have made this story into two books instead of one. I could have started a new book beginning with Part Three, but I didn't think about that until a few days ago. Anyway, I intend not to let it go over a hundred chapters. I wish that I could wrap it up sooner, but I feel that it would be going too fast if I did it in a few chapters. (Strange, I know, but that's how I feel.) To those brave readers who have stuck with this long, long story, thank you, thank you, and thank you again!