(Two)
Back on his Command ship, Jael was currently hoping for a miracle of his own. Yes, he had kicked Trishnar's ass and taken untold treasures from him. But it had come with a heavy price.
Jael lay on a bed in the master suite, gasping for air and foaming blood and spit with each effort. He was badly injured, one of his lungs had collapsed and he could hardly breathe. Some of his ribs had been shattered and he had several deep lacerations across his legs and arms. It had been a trying day indeed.
Jael had been upset that his message to Xavier to turn Kimble over had been ignored. Granted, Jael hadn't expected the X-men to leap at his threats, but they hadn't even dignified it with a response! Now Jael knew that while Xavier was in charge of the organization, it was really Gambit who had control of Kimble. Therefore it would be Gambit who would be punished for this transgression. Jael's intelligence on Remy was quite good, he knew that Remy was Kimble's Master, but he also knew that it was Remy who had contacted the Games Master for the repair. That information had come from Trishnar and that supplied Jael with the next target on his list. The fact that Trishnar was a player in the Game only made the idea sweeter.
Jael may have been frustrated by Xavier's lack of response, but he was at the same time filled with a renewed confidence – his recent acquisitions from Sheba had boosted his sense of power.
He had assembled the Angels from Sheba's Siskans and was pleased to see that on top of the gun he had used to disable Sabretooth, they also composed a special suit of armor. That armor was made of Adamantium as his old one had been, but this one had some significant improvements. Among the Angels there had been small devices that once combined with the armor, created a small defensive shield. It wasn't perfect, he wouldn't be invulnerable, but it was stronger than the old armor alone had been.
Even more than the armor, Jael had mastered the use of the large Command ship Sheba's minions had given him in return for their safe release, the Cloud Jumper. This ship was huge and well armed, but it was also a vessel that could be cloaked. Unfortunately, it was one thing to own a ship, but quite another to actually fly it. Jael was lucky that among his companions that had traveled with him from Cerise were some pilots and an officer who actually knew how to fly the thing. He now had a mobile command center and enhanced weaponry, giving him an element of surprise he hadn't had before.
So, Gambit and his fellows needed to be punished – or at the very least, given a display of power that would give them pause. He would show them, so he would. He would give them such a display of power and might, they would be tripping over themselves bringing their Siskans to him.
There were no written rules for the Game exactly. Sheba had been courteous in sending him advanced warning, but technically, it wasn't actually required. Jael chose then to drop in on Trishnar unannounced, all the better for drama, but also because Jael wasn't sure just what Trishnar might have on hand to defend himself, he was a King after all.
The fight at Trishnar's had been unexpectedly brutal. Like Jael, Trishnar was a Dognan citizen who had relocated here to this world. Trishnar was fully Dognan however, and a member of the royal elite. He was essentially a King and oversaw Dognan matters in this area and had the clout and manpower to do it. He had troops and no doubt, a Command ship or two of his own. His palace was located just outside of New Orleans proper, on a hundred acre estate. Trishnar was a reluctant player in the Game, preferring to keep his Siskans as treasured pets rather than merely use them for his own whims. Jael, of course, cared about none of this.
Jael landed the Cloud Jumper on the edge of Trishnar's property and deployed his real true weapon in this fight – his mutant army. The Cloud Jumper was capable of carrying close to a thousand passengers and Jael had packed as many of his most powerful minions aboard as he could. Jael had collected many mutants for his rebel cause over the years, many of them energy producers and quite destructive. He had never launched an attack of this scale before now because he simply hadn't had a decent way of transporting them all at once. Sheba's people had just taken care of that little problem for him.
Jael had arrived at Trishnar's New Orleans hideaway very early that morning expecting Trishnar to be sleeping. He was surprised to find the palace in some semblance of alertness as if they were expected. It was possible that Trishnar had tracked him coming in spite of the Cloud Jumper's cloaks, but Jael suspected that it was more likely that Trishnar was on edge because of the fight in New York. That readiness, while unexpected, wasn't much trouble, not with the army that Jael had brought.
Jael's troops stormed the palace with a bang, explosions of bio-produced plasma and fire sent Trishnar's troops running and since Jael wasn't taking prisoners, the bodies began piling up fast. The first floor of the plantation house was taken before Trishnar finally arrived with his troops from the hidden lower levels of the palace. There was a firefight in the house, not the best of places for a battle, but Jael didn't care in the least. He was still out on the lawn, biding his time while he had a second group of forces entering the house from the roof. Trishnar might have had ten thousand crack troops in residence, but those Dognan men meant nothing against mutants who could teleport and create bombs from the light of the rising sun. It was a massacre.
Trishnar could only watch and pray that his own forces would be enough to hold the invaders off. Yes, he had anticipated Jael would soon come for him but he had no idea the man was this powerful in allies. Trishnar hoped he could hold Jael off long enough for him to win this battle and see the end of this pathetic half breed loser who'd had the rudeness to shatter his early morning routine. Trishnar tried to muster some hope that Jael might show some honor and as soon as he could manage it with all the ruckus going on, he left the plantation house with a small group of his men. Trishnar was dressed for the Game and carrying his sword, hoping that Jael might see it and be willing to play this thing properly after all.
Jael saw him come and was pleased. Yes, he would be happy to play the Game of swords, but he had no intention of calling off his mutant dogs from sacking the palace. If it came down to him stealing Trishnar's Siskans and their angels by force, so be it. So far this had gone much easier than planned, his forces had certainly penetrated deep inside to the lower levels by now. Everything Trishnar owned would soon be his.
Jael was ready to fight and the real Game on the lawn commenced quite nicely, undisturbed by the ruckus that was continuing to take place inside the palace. Trishnar's escort was met man to man by Jael's own personal guard. They didn't fight one another, but it was made clear that neither side would be allowed to interfere with their two Masters who now challenged each other one on one. The two men faced off at once, their weapons gleaming with the light of the new sun.
Sword beat against sword in an uneven match, it became apparent early that Trishnar was by far the superior swordsman here. Clash for clash, Trishnar was faster and more elegant on his feet in spite of being a much older man. Jael's armor was a bit of an equalizer, it covered his arms and shoulders in bright shiny metal, sparkling with a soft purple shimmer. It wasn't complete and it began to show, Trishnar's unrelenting attack with his sword was soon having Jael in retreat. Trishnar was a master at his craft and he was far greater than his opponent. He was wearing Jael down, finally lunging and getting a stab in between Jael's ribs.
"You fuck!" Jael screamed in Dognan, blood flying from his mouth.
"You always were a coward!" Trishnar sneered, his royalty carrying through in the elegance of his speech. "You father's seed was wasted on you. He was a far, far better man than you'll ever be!"
Jael roared at the insult and they clashed again. The fight was up close and brutal and the two groups of escorts were hard pressed to hold themselves from joining the fray to protect their respective masters. The fight went on uninterrupted, there was a loud clang as both men came in a rush and tangled against one another so fiercely that the only way to free themselves was for them both to drop their weapons. Undaunted, they came at each other with their brown furry fists. Still, Trishnar was winning. He beat Jael down, smiling with glee. "What a joy it will be to possess your Siskans. How they will love me and weep for joy at their liberation!"
"You'll never have them to coddle, my friend. I've seen to that!" Jael crowed, his eyes gleaming as there was a thunderous explosion and the palace burst into flames. Trishnar may have been too distracted to know how badly things had gone in there for him, but Jael wasn't. He had sent in his best and most destructive alphas. Trishnar's men had proved to be no match for his powerful telekinetics and plasma producers. He had sent in a pyro-kinetic and a mind shattering telepath as well. No doubt most of Trishnar's men were bloody ruins in what was left of the burning palace. Smoke and ash was billowing out all the broken windows and doors. There were rumblings underground, telling of further tragedy in the lower levels as well. The noise couldn't hide the sounds of Dognan guards screaming in agony.
"Master! We should flee!" one of Trishnar's escorts cried. He could see the outcome of this was not going to be in their favor.
Trishnar snarled at him, "Run if you like, you coward, but this is my home and I will defend it to the last!"
"Ah, then you will have your dying wish!" Jael answered to that, rising awkwardly to his feet. He was smiling now as he saw his top ranking men leaving the palace and come walking out towards them. He did note that not all of his people were returning, a shame but not unexpected. Dognan men were strong, at least one or more of them would make their mark before falling. No matter, he had plenty more alphas to replace those he had lost. His returning heroes brought the stench of death with them, even as they were dragging four burnt and protesting Siskans along behind them. All of the Siskans were dressed in female skins and putting up quite a fight, two of his servants were bleeding and stumbling along in pain. It didn't stop their steady progress out to the lawn. Jael barely had the time to register the fine looks of these Siskans — two blondes, a redhead and wonders of all, a nice ebony beauty. Trishnar did so love his exotic skins. Jael would be sure to enjoy Trishnar's beauties after his victory here.
Marcus, the brown winged telekinetic, had come along for this adventure, his power being quite formidable. His shields had protected his teammates against the Dognan soldiers, keeping them safe while they destroyed the palace. He was coming out now, flapping his wings to remove dust and ash from his feathers. He stumbled some, he was also carrying a small human child as he moved closer, something puzzling to Jael. He had yet to learn that angels were not always what they seemed.
Trishnar's men saw them come and fled, their oaths of loyalty to their King forgotten. As they turned and ran, Jael barked an order and his own men gave chase, cutting them down before they got more than a few feet.
Trishnar could only look on in horror as he saw his inevitable defeat. It was unbelievable how swiftly this had come about, it had taken less than thirty minutes. He was stunned that his small army of soldiers here had been so easily dispatched but then again, what were Dognan men to do against these super-powered humans who could throw plasma and bolts of electricity from their hands? This was not the way the Game was supposed to be played, but he should've guessed it would come down to dirty dealing. The look in his eyes pretty much said so. "This won't be the last of me," he said, looking down on Jael and seeing him for the monster that he was. "I will be avenged!"
"By whom? Your Siskans?" Jael said with a laugh. "See how weakly they tremble? They are nothing!"
"Sometimes, nothing is greater than all," Trishnar replied. "Love is stronger than your weapon of hate, Jael. And to some, love is nothing at all."
"So you say," Jael sneered without bothering to really listen. He could care less what Trishnar was thinking. He found himself drawn to the child being brought towards him. There was almost a strange kind of glow coming from the boy's skin and he was unable to tear his eyes away. His new suit of Angelic armor was shimmering, almost whispering to him and then he knew. Yes, it made an odd kind of sense now. How clever, the ones who made this wonderful Game of power. "Bring me the child."
"NO!" Trishnar snarled, his anger turning to real fear. His eyes showed he understood just what Jael meant to do. He lunged but was grabbed and held in place by three of Jael's men. "You cannot! He's just a child!"
Jael just smiled wickedly, showing his teeth as the boy was brought closer. The boy was no more than five, screaming and crying in terror. He was dressed in an overly large Hawaiian shirt, a bright floral silken wrapping that was now dusty with soot and blood. Jael cared not, he could see beneath the veneer of human flesh to the Angel within. "Hello there, child," he spoke in soft English.
"Mommy!" the boy howled in Siskan, reaching out to none of the Siskans here.
Jael reached out, grabbing the boy by the hair and looking deeply into his red rimmed eyes. "Pray for her, boy. Take her love with you up to Paradise." With one swift movement, he snapped the child's neck.
One of the Siskans screamed and Trishnar howled, a cry of rage and pain. He couldn't believe what he just saw happen, the cruelty of it. He had always known the boy was more than he seemed, but he would never have so thoughtlessly destroyed him to find out why.
The boy shuddered once, an involuntary motion, and then his body began to shimmer brightly. Golden energy, in streams of orange-red pure light, left his tiny body and was instantly absorbed by the Shalayesk armor as Jael was standing so close.
Jael took a step back, feeling the armor begin to change as the energy flowed into it. He was mesmerized by the shifting metal, grunting loudly with shock as the materials around him grew both hot and charged at once. It was melting, bonding with his flesh and becoming something else. Would he ever be able to take it off now? Did he even care? He threw his head back and laughed in madness, drunk on the power of it.
Marcus gasped sharply as the body in his arms grew gradually lighter as the energy left it and then jerked back when it disintegrated into ash. The clothing that once held the boy fell to the ground like litter, as if the child had never been. "What's goin' on?" he asked, shocked by what he had just seen happen.
Jael did not respond, he was insane with his new found power, oblivious to the blood that still poured from the open wound Trishnar had given him. The armor protected him, but it wouldn't heal his injuries. Jael turned back to the Dognan King. "Now you will die!"
Trishnar said nothing more, his eyes were filled with tears. He had been there for the entirety of that poor boy's life and a piece of his soul had died along with him. He wasn't through just yet, though. He was determined to die with his honor intact. He gave a shout, a Kingly Dognan roar, and flung himself at his enemy.
Jael jerked back in surprise and wasn't ready when Trishnar's fists crashed into him, seeking that place where his sword had bitten deep. Jael howled in agony as ribs broke and his blood flew with more enthusiasm, pouring down his side. Quick as a wink, Trishnar flashed a hidden dagger and pierced him again and again, stabbing him with all of the fury in his heart.
"Take him down!" Jael shouted to his men. He was badly beaten and having trouble breathing, something that suddenly jerked him back to reality. He understood well enough that if not for his own army, he would not have won this fight. As it was, he needed medical attention soon or he would be dying. He didn't understand why the armor didn't help him as much against Trishnar's newest attack. He had hoped for more after it had been enhanced by the Angel's energy. He had expected some form of offensive capability, but instead felt it wrap around him defensively like a hardened second skin, holding his bones in place and stopping the worst of the bleeding. For the moment, it was defending him, but not attacking with any of the energy it had received. A nice light show would have gone over really big right about now, but it wasn't happening.
Trishnar fearlessly turned to Jael's men as they rushed to obey their Master. He was ready to die with an honor Jael would never have. He put up quite a fight, even wounded. Jael would not be returning with all the men he had taken here with him. The skirmish was brief and bloody, but when it settled, Trishnar was dead, making Jael the victor. Jael raised his shaggy head to the Heavens and howled with his victory.
A few moments later and making his escape in the speedy Cloud Jumper, Jael wasn't feeling so perky anymore. His physicians were gathered around him, working quickly. They were frustrated, his Shalayesk armor couldn't be removed and it was hindering their access to his injuries. Jael, impatient, gestured for Razel. "S-Star! B-bring her to me!"
Razel did as he was told and returned a short time later with the Rogue Siskan. She was nervous and shy around all these strange people, but didn't fight as she was dragged to the side of her Master. Jael snatched at her and demanded, "H-heal me!"
Star squeaked in fear, he was bloody and frightening. Still, she could feel his suffering and knew what to do. She shut out her terror and leaned in to kiss him, sending out a large pulse of her power.
Jael shuddered from sudden arousal as her Kundatesh surged into him like liquid fire. A cloud of glittery vapor was rising over him, a shimmery release from Star's small white hands that dripped down on his body like a thousand warm kisses. The glitter fell on him and was absorbed through his skin, making him flush from the heat of it. It was a rush, pumping him up and making his heart pound. His pain was blasted away and he could breathe easily now. All was glittery and bright and he laughed, hopelessly drunk on it. He yanked her tiny body against his, heedless of the blood, and groped her shamelessly. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't release her.
"Leave me!" he ordered to his doctors.
"But, sir!" they protested.
"Leave or I'll kill you all!"
They fled.
"My, Lord!" Star gasped, but he was beyond hearing her. He had been so seriously wounded that the power she had shot him with was overriding his sense of reason. He never saw Razel who lingered still to watch. Jael rolled over on the bed, smearing blood everywhere without a care and pinned Star down under him, a savage lion man that ripped her clothes from her in a passionate fury. He forced her legs apart and took her roughly, grunting loudly and biting her.
Star was crying freely now, but didn't fight this. She should have known better than to blast him so thoroughly, this wasn't the first time her sense of mercy had cost her. Her magic could heal, yes, but it often aroused the recipient to the point of madness. His veins were coursing with her powerful glitter, it was fueling his passion as it knitted his broken bones back together and infused him with vitality. It had always been this way with those she tried to help, this was her curse.
Razel watched this, a knowing smirk on his face. He could see the healing happen, he could see the sparkling glitter leaking out of those wounds still open and how it knitted them closed. He could sense the lustful passion his Master was brimming with and the sight of him using this girl so savagely was making him hard. He prayed the Master would share Star with him, he couldn't wait to feel this for himself.
Jael cried out loudly and finished with a violent shudder. Star didn't join him in his pleasure, she had been handled much too roughly. She lay under him in submission and sobbed, turning her head away when he laughed against her and licked her face, washing her tears away with his raspy cat's tongue. "You're so sweet, my dear. Sheba didn't know the true value of you. Heh, not like I do. I'll keep you forever!"
Star squirmed and weaseled her way out from under him, wanting only to get away. She was able to free herself only because he had let her, he was done with her now and was happy to let her leave. She was a frightful mess, covered with his blood and his semen dripping down her legs. She made a noise of distress and crumpled down into a corner.
Jael rose to his feet and gave a lazy stretch, not paying her the slightest attention. He was stiff, but no longer severely injured. One more session, perhaps two, and all traces of today's fight would be gone. "She's magnificent! I feel like a new man."
"You are a new man, sir," Razel replied, his eyes gleaming with pride at the sight of his Master made whole again.
Jael turned to face him. "She's with me wherever I go. Is that understood?"
"Yes, my Lord."
Razel's quick response was met with a wry chuckle. "You desire her."
"Hard not to, my Lord. I mean no offense."
"I know. Clean her and you can have her. Meanwhile, I want the list of Trishnar's Siskans."
Razel stepped forward, beaming inside at his Master's promise. He couldn't wait! "There were four, sir. Two reds and two brown."
"Excuse me?" Jael interjected impatiently. "I was told he had a Rogue!"
"My apologies, Lord. There were only four at the site. We did recover four angels, sir. Including the child spirit."
"Yes of course. It's energy was magnificent. The armor is stronger than ever. I want the rest of Trishnar's Siskans found. They must have escaped!"
"Escaped, sir? I thought Siskans don't run."
"Well, these must have," he grumbled. "Strange, yes."
"Where would they go?"
Jael froze and an ironic grin crossed his face. He had a an idea about that already. "Where indeed?"
Razel was oblivious to his Master's thoughts. He was going on about their new acquisitions. "Well, wherever they went, we now have the means to find them. We took from Trishnar's palace three Command ships, fully armed and ready for war. I knew we would be short on pilots and men so I took the liberty of conscripting a few of Trishnar's people to fly them for us. We have more arms in crates and supplies to keep us well stocked for months, sir. This was a stunning victory. Well done, Master. Wherever they went, those Siskans will soon be yours."
Jael just smiled, grinning in full agreement.
