| 20: Fight Fight For Our Tomorrow The war was progressing in favor of the Lady Protector. With promises of pardon to all Imperial units that switched over to UA command, several cut-off divisions of the Imperial Army threw their military might behind Vanana's war machine as the liberation progressed towards Formarula Square. Chronos of Augusta was nowhere to be found. He was still on the Stellemort by all official reports, but Vanana couldn't find him anywhere. So she opened the door to his quarters, and she found arcane paraphenalia scattered on his bed. She also read an open journal that had been written in recently. In shock, she instantly cast a teleportation spell. *** "Have you informed Eterniu?" inquired Formicus of an aide as he walked towards his fleet of personal vehicles. "Yes, we have let him know of our coming," the aide said. "He replied that he would lead a Paralilian military delegation into the port district of Kristianbubbel. It's been a bone of contention between Columnia and Paralilium as to who actually has more of a claim to the district, so his landing there may constitute an annexation." "It doesn't matter," barked Eterniu. "He can have the port." "But Your Worship!" protested the aide. "How can-" The aide's words were cut short as Formicus snapped his fingers, breaking the aide's neck instantly by magic. "I will not be questioned! Is the motorcade ready?" "Yes, Your Worship!" another flunkie replied, afraid for his life. *** Generalissimo Eterniu of Paralilium met them at the docks, as Paralilian soldiers patrolled the streets, securing the area. "Hello, Formicus," greeted Eterniu warily. "We are ready to lead you to safety in the Paralilian home isle." "Good," nodded Formicus. "We should depart with all haste." "One thing before we depart, however," Eterniu said. "I happen to know that you're abandoning your Columnian Empire." "Excellent, so you DO know the meaning of the term 'exile'," quipped Formicus impatiently. "Ah yes, I learned it all too well. You forget, I was once master of this land. However... I was exiled to Paralilium, so I have learned that term well. Perhaps a little TOO well..." "What are you getting at, you tin-pot dictator!?" demanded Formicus. "I have not time for your coyness!" "I was sent away, by none other than YOU if I recall correctly. In the new order of things, I was offered the position of Imperial sidekick in your new world order to placate me. Being that you had Columnia, I could do little else but accept your offer and pray for those Loyalist desert rats to drive you to your knees." "I will kill you, you know," mouthed Formicus, breathing murder. "I don't think so," Eterniu replied. "I have an anti-magic field cast on my person. All your sorceries are nothing." "So that's it, then," wondered Formicus. "Now, you must understand, in your haste you allowed us to establish a beachhead on this land in exchange for your believed safety. However, you are friendless in this land, and all Columnia would cheer were I to part your head from your shoulders and parade it around Formarula. Why-I could build a following in this land! I could pull out your Empire from under you, and with a simple alliance with St. Traia, we can have Pendinmortican magetroopers holding our lines within a day!" "Stop verbalizing your imperial wet dreams, you're a two-bit ruler and you always WILL be," Formicus declared. "And as for my sorceries of nothing..." All Paralilian soldiers in the vicinity immediately fell dead of heart attacks. "FORNICATUS." From behind the two rulers came the voice of Chronos as he teleported in. "Ah, it is he who was not the Corruptor," noted Formicus. "I see you have learned the concept of the pun. Pray tell, how goes the suckery?" "The suckery goes well enough to overthrow your sorry regime," spat Chronos. "I find it funny that you weren't unable to stand and fight like a man, that you must flee to Paralilium of all the Fourforsaken holes in existence. So I hunted you down, and I found you here, in Kristianbubbel port, to confront you and to find vengeance for what you did." "And what did I do, child?" Formicus inquired. "You know bloody well what you did!" shouted Chronos, pulling out a dagger from his side and angling it at Formicus. "You are responsible for what happened to Angelique! May you find forgiveness at the right testicle of horned Lucy, for there will be none here!" Chronos snarled angrily then, lunging at Formicus with his knife. Formicus cast a death spell on him, but an anti-magic field crackled around Chronos. "You're not the only one who knows how nifty these are," Chronos spat as he thrust at Formicus' stomach. "Abandon the magics and act like you strapped on a pair!" Another spell was cast as Chronos' next stab cut into Formicus' heart. The spell, a geomorphic enchantment, created a stalagmite out of the ground under Chronos, impaling him through the stomach. "At... least... I... saw... you... die..." cursed Chronos. "See you in France, scum," Formicus gasped as he lowered his anti-magic field and teleported away. The flash of another teleportation lit up the area as Vanana and Colonel David saw Chronos impaled upon the ground and ran to save his life yet again. |