Defenders of the Earth: This Is Their Side Story
"Vanity"
Earth K Palace
Imperial Throne
The frail witch trembled with her eyes closed tight, seemingly focused on a mystical vision.
"Focus, Zorelda. I must know." Hadea looked on as Zorelda shook, waiting for the seer to share what she saw. "Look into the future. See my fate. Learn who will trigger the end of my rule."
They'd tried several times. Zorelda had failed. The witch knew Hadea was destined to fall, but she didn't know who would bring that about.
Zorelda quivered. "I see the very vision that I've seen before." She paused a moment. "I see you in chains, with a shadow above."
Presumably the shadow of her conqueror. The witch never offered their identity. She claimed she couldn't see any further than that.
Hadea made a fist, beginning to fume. She'd ruled Mongo and the Earth for years, and worked very hard to control them both. The planets she had conquered were the greatest of worlds, and she was well known as the greatest of queens. She was the genius who'd defeated Ming, the princess who'd set an example for others. She couldn't be destined to fall in a coup. She was supposed to live prosperously.
"Wait, Majesty," Zorelda said. She seemed to be concentrating harder now. "I can see what happens earlier in the day. Mongo's ships will approach from above. They will pretend to deliver supplies. Once we have opened our gates to them, the troops will attack, and end your reign."
Hadea stirred a bit. "When, Zorelda? When will it happen?"
"The 21st sunrise...of this month."
Hadea grew stiff. A mere two days. "And who will be leading this Mongo force?"
"Ming's lost son. Prince Krotan."
Two Days Later
Five gray ships drifted out of the clouds, each with a tip that resembled a sword's.
Hadea looked on from a huge monitor, several of her people working in the dark room.
A bit of static crackled on a speaker nearby. "This is Krotan, Your Majesty," a voice from one of the gray ships called. There was an air of arrogance in the tone. "Requesting permission to deliver supplies."
"Permission is granted," Hadea replied. She shut the speaker off and addressed a technician. "Cannons at the ready."
Hadea heard the shift. The cannons had moved.
The ships hovered over a wide gray sea.
She trembled while gripping the technician's chair. Could this be it? Could this be all? Was she on the verge of undoing her fate, and crafting a brand new destiny?
The ships drifted closer.
"Fire!" she ordered.
Huge blue lasers screamed forth from the base, each flying over the vibrant sea. Each blast collided with one of the ships, which broke into flame, and fell to the waves.
"Targets destroyed," a servant confirmed.
Several of the people in the room had stood, all eyes fixed on the downed aircraft.
Hadea took a breath — then looked to the witch, who stood a short distance away from her. "Zorelda!" she bellowed. "What do you see? Tell me the future that you glimpse right now!" Hadea had insisted that Zorelda be ready.
"I..." The witch pressed a hand to her head.
Hadea couldn't stop herself from fidgeting.
Zorelda's eyes opened. They gleamed with tears. "You've won, Majesty. The future is clear. No one shall ever defeat you now." She knelt and pressed her palms on Hadea's bare feet. "All hail Hadea!"
The others knelt too. "All hail Hadea!" They spoke as one.
Hadea made a sigh. She let herself smile. Then she touched her hip, and smirked for fun. Of course she'd won. She always would.
One Week Later
Hadea eyed a screen from her comfortable throne, watching as a battle took place on a field. Princess Castra was attacking now. Her main motivation was revenge for her brother.
Hadea made a scoff, rolling her eyes, knowing she'd squash the silly child in time.
A guard ran in and bowed down to her. "Highness!" he said. "They're breaching our gates. We need reinforcements to subdue this threat."
She turned to the screen, studying it. "Send 100."
"100 troops?" He seemed appalled. "That won't be enough."
Princess Jedda stepped into the room, looking intrigued as she listened on.
Hadea moved her gaze to the guard again. "Zorelda has witnessed my destiny. I won't be defeated, not now or ever." She lifted her chin. "Dispatch the troops."
The man rose slowly, staring at her. A couple seconds later, he ran back out.
Jedda looked over at the screen herself. "He's right about the troops. That won't be enough."
"Peace, my daughter. We've nothing to fear."
The room shook a little from a blast outside. It was clear the palace was under attack.
Jedda almost fell. "They're breaking through, Mother! You must send more!"
Hadea scowled a tad. "If I had the Necklace of Oros now — which would be the case had you not freed Dale — we wouldn't even be in this predicament."
The girl stared a while, then let her eyes close. She opened them again and held her hands at her back. "I thought I was destined to stand at your side...but it seems that no destiny is etched in stone."
Hadea fell silent, perplexed by that.
The child curtsied. "Goodbye, my mother." Jedda turned away, leaving the room.
Hadea gripped the arms of her beautiful chair, then turned to the pane sprawled out at her left. The skies above her kingdom were growing dark.
Around an hour later, her doors crashed down.
Castra walked in with a bevy of troops. Her armor was dripping with sprinkles of blood. She looked at Hadea with a resolute stare. "Your men are defeated. Your throne is mine."
Hadea felt a tremble that she couldn't control. Her jaw fell open as she eyed the girl.
Hadea stewed quietly behind the bars.
Zorelda appeared via teleportation.
Hadea jolted up. "You said that I was destined to govern forever!"
"You were..." She paused. "Until I told you that."
Hadea shook a little, utterly stunned.
"I had no choice. You ordered me." The witch shook her head. "You managed to change a dark destiny, and you ended up changing a bright one too. It seems that no destiny is etched in stone. This is what I dreaded would happen, dear. I feared you'd succumb to your one weakness." Zorelda stepped away, beginning to fade. "I feared you'd succumb to your vanity." The witch disappeared.