Chapter 17 – Intermission II
Lord Fuse's gargantuan figure was resting upon the green throne. His slow, deep and heavy breathing was rhythmically shaking the very foundation of the throne room. Though, it wasn't air that he was breathing. It was Fusion Matter, flowing through his body. Each of the vessels of Fusion Matter in the room, his ventricles, were dedicated to making sure the Fusion Matter kept flowing into and out of his body, from the minutest Fusion spore pods to the largest Terrafusers, to even the bulbous sacs on Lord Fuse's very corpus. And despite his stationary position, his deep and even breathing, and his closed eyes (though, still radiating a bloodthirsty red through the eyelids), Lord Fuse was not sleeping.
For, how could a planet sleep?
A lone figure entered the chamber. It took a knee in front of its Master, and bowed its head, awaiting acknowledgement. The figure, Fusion Mandark, a microbe in the presence of Lord Fuse, kept waiting, but Fuse did not care.
"My… my Lord?" – Fusion Mandark stuttered.
"I did not call for you." – Lord Fuse finally said, then went back to his trance-like state.
"But, my Lord, this is impor-"
"No." – Fuse interrupted. "I… control millions of my Spawn across this planet. I coordinate attacks everywhere on this globe. As you speak, the Forgotten Falls fall, and they shall remain forgotten…"
The figure kept its head down, still hoping for an opportunity to address Lord Fuse.
"While you distract me here, my subjects are awaiting guidance." – Lord Fuse said calmly. "That is what is important."
"But my Lord, may I please have my say?" – the Fusion begged.
"You have distracted me this long… you may."
"I have news."
"Fusion Courage's demise is no news to me. It would have happened anyway, sooner or later, at their hand… or mine."
"No, my Lord. I have caught a glimpse of their airship – right near us, in Hero's Hollow."
"Interesting. They dare stage a direct attack on Me? Have they already forgotten their previous attempt? No, this must be something else. Hm…"
"My Lord?" – Fusion Mandark dared articulate.
"You know their exact location?"
"The sighing was brief, but I have ways to…"
"That is of no matter. You know your priorities. Pray you don't disappoint, as you have done before, for it is your fault that the airship still stands in the first place."
"And what shall I do with it now?"
"They try to hide. I am every drop of Fusion Matter on this island. Every Spawn, every Monster, even every Fusion. From the littlest of pods to the plague eating the Dark Tree, all of them are Me. So, hide if they must on their injured little airship, but Fuse is in the very air they breathe. They won't be able to hide from Me very long."
"Yes, my Lord." – Fusion Mandark bowed. "There is one more thing."
"Yes?"
"He is g-gone." – the Fusion stuttered.
"He?" – Lord Fuse asked, though he knew who Fusion Mandark was talking about.
"Yes, h-he." Fusion Mandark gulped. "Fusion Demongo."
"You are enjoying telling me of his disobedience, are you not?" – Lord Fuse squinted his eyes. To some, this might have looked like a shadow of a smirk. "For I knew he was going to leave me the moment our meeting was over."
"N-no, my Lord, I-"
"So, he has gone after Demongo himself. Curious. Perhaps he is right to take such a risk… after all, he only failed me once, which is more than what can be said about you."
Fusion Mandark said nothing, he stood still with his head down, waiting what his Lord would say about him.
"Leave me, now. Fix your mistakes. And tell her… tell her to focus on the ones hiding in the caves. They could be troublesome if we don't flush them out immediately."
Fusion Mandark bowed once again and left the chamber without another word.
End of Chapter 17.