Two figures perch on the architecture high above the open concourse. One resting on a buttress, his legs swinging over the edge, the other standing a short distance away, her back leaning on a gargoyle, her leg braced against a flag pole. Their attention is fixed on the small patch of concrete far below and the figures moving rabidly across it.
"You know that Kendic guy isn't half bad." The male observes.
"Makes an interesting contrast with Dad that's for sure. Popcorn?"
She responds.
"Ta." He reaches across grabbing a hand full from the bag she offers.
"Like the mono filament wing edges, nice touch that.."
"Yeah, must remember it. Could use the grail a bit more."
"Hey he only just got it, he hasn't had much practice with it yet."
"Well he'd better learn quick..... Ooo, nice move." She claps appreciatively.
"Hey, stop stop supporting the opposition."
"Oh come on, Credit where it is due Tobes, That was a nicely timed port.
Even dad would agree."
"Well when he gets his head out of that support strut."
"Ow..., You know you would have thought by now Karl would have learnt to
duck."
He shrugs. "I tried my best.".
"What ever." The two slide apart slight li allow a blast of laser
power to pass between them.
"Oh come on what was that aimed at?" She heckles down.
"Us?" He suggests.
She shakes her head. "His hearing isn't that good." She stares down,
a look of excitement on her face "Ahh...." fading to disappointment
"Ohhh..." She cups her hands round her mouth. "Better luck next
time Dad."
"Nice move with the tail thought."
"Yeah I didn't know dad had a prehensile tail."
"Neither did Blakk!" He laughs.
"I wonder if mum does." She ponders.
"Are you going to ask her?"
"No she'd just pull that 'I don't want to know' shit as always."
"Oh nice double guys."
"You know I think that actually hurt him. Any one would think they had
been practising."
"May be they have?"
"You can never bee sure with dad. " She raises her voice. "What
out for...." She leans back. "Too late."
"You know I think we should go down there and help a bit." He suggests
taking another hand full from the bag.
"No, they are still having fun."
"I don't know. I think that last blow really hurt Dad."
"No, he's faking it." She responds confidently.
The conversation pauses as the two follow the trajectory of something up and
out of the square. It arcs over the building before vanishing behind them.
"Well Karl wasn't faking that."
She stretches up to look over the roof of their perch, "It's ok, the ground
stopped him."
"Two against one. Time to move Gen." He prompts.
"Ok. " She fumbles in the bag, wrinkeling her nose to find it empty.
"I'm out of pop corn any way. Lets get this thing sorted. After all I wouldn't
have to leave to much tidying up for Andi to do."
Simultaneously the two push themselves off the roof, diving down towards the
square and conflict below.
Almost as an after thougth he observes "I suppose we should warn them we
are coming."
He launches himself at Kendric. Throwing clear of the Dæmon's next blow.
Kendric lets out a grunt of protects at the unexpected attack.
The Black form roars in triumph at the sight of the two allies entangled in
each other. The black and white ying/yang forms rolling together through the
glass wall of the tower block. He raises his hands high above his head. Dark
lightning dancinf on the claw tips, arcing to the surrounding building as the
Dæmon gathers flux for his next attack.
Paul's massive form obscures Kendric's view of the Dæmon, Kendric pulls
the shield round over them to offer some protection against the expected blast....
Nothing.
The giant black creatures before him shrinks and folds into the small oriental.
As he drops away from Kendric's line of sight he reveals the courtyard.
In the centre where the Dæmon had been only moments before there is a
small figure in a half crouch. It stands up, lifting some small yellow object
from between its feet. With a smooth easy movement it tosses it into the air
and then serve it towards the two men still entangled in the wreckage of the
shop front. It bounces to a stop next to them as Paul lifts himself clear. A
small yellow piece of plastic shaped like a duck. As Kendric stares at it is
sinks like a stone on water into the solid concrete and vanishes.
"Thanks for the warning." Paul comments, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"What did you expect me to do? Dad.Yell look out we're coming?" The
figure ambles towards them.
Paul holds out his hand to help Kendric from the wreckage..
He brushes himself down cautiously, still looking around for the Dæmon.
"Where did he go?"
Toby grins at him.
"Where's Gen?" Paul asks suspiciously.
"Blocking the retreat." Toby responds. "Want a chocolate coated
peanut?" He holds out a bag.
Kendric take the confection half in a state of confusion.
As Kendric watches a heat haze starts to distort the air in the plaza. It seems
to centralises and condense down, briefly looking almost dragon shaped cloud
distortion before condensing down into the small female. She smiles at them.
"Every one ok?"
"Here at least." Paul responds.
"What about Mum?"
"She'll be ok." He dismisses. "Besides even if she's not I'll
deal with it."
He looks round the debris. "Where's Karl?"
Gen points up. "But I saw where he landed."
"We'd better go and get him then." Kendric suggests.
"This way." Gen ambles round the building. To kendricks surprise most
of the city is still standing, the plan worked, containing Blakk to the small
area they have saved most of the city.
Suddenly he realises Gen is next to him, she reaches up running her hand over
his shoulder blade. "Are you ok?"
He nods.
"I tried to warn you but Blakk was quicker than me."
"It's ok." He smiles at the girl. "What happened to Blakk?"
"Really, you should get that cleaned out. Dæmonic wounds can be really
nasty."
"It's ok. I've got the grail." He reminds her tapping the chain.
She grins. "Yeah we might need that. Here he is."
Kendric turns. There is a mound at the base of the adjacent building, red and
white, a pool of blood trickling towards the drain.
"Ooopse." Toby states. "I think we broke him."
"I'll get a bucket." Paul states. He wanders off.
Kendric moves over. There is little left that would identify the remains as
Karl. He drops to one knee next to the blood. "Oh hell."
"Charley is going to be pissed off." Gen comments lightly.
Kendric looks up at her, a state of disbelief. How can she be so heartless?
"But...." He points at the mess.
She looks at him, tilting her head on one side.
Toby nudges a mass of once muscle. "Uncy Karl. If you made yourself invulnerable,
as well as immortal, this wouldn't happen."
"But if he did that Charley would really kick his butt." Gen observes.
"But it wouldn't hurt him would it."
"But that would just make her even more mad."
Paul returns carrying a large fire bucket. He puts it down next to the mess
looking at the twins.
"Well I'm not picking him up, its Ekky." Gen stresses.
Paul stares at it. There is brief blue glow around the debris, which is echoed
in the bucket. Slowly the blood drains into the glow, the bucket filling.
Toby bends down and lifts the skull. He holds it up on his out stretched palm.
He opens his mouth to speak.
"No." The voices of his father and Gen mingles into one.
He closes his mouth and looks hurt. "Some people like my Hamlet."
He tosses the skull into the bucket. It lands with a 'slop'..
Kendric stares at the skull as it sinks into the bucket. Gen's hand rests on
his shoulder. "Don't worry about it Kendric. He'll get better."
Kendric looks up at her. Disbelief on his face. "How?"
Toby looks confused. "It's Karl. He's been dead for..... well a hell of
a long time... Never stopped him yet."
"But..." Kendric points at the bucket.
Paul picks up the bucket. "Lets take him back to the castle, he can recover
there until he is intact enough to risk seeing Charley." He looks at Kendric
"You coming. The grail might speed things up if its forgiven him for breaking
it."
"Yes Ok. If you are sure we are done here." Kendric responds.
"Oh yeah." Paul stops, a frown appearing on his face. "Toby....Just
what did you do with Blakk?"
"That is what I have been trying to ask." Kendric supports.
Toby grins again. "Well..." He starts with a slow patronising tone.
"He couldn't stay in this reality..... And Gen stopped him getting into
the lea..... And he couldn't get out to Shades...."
"Oh god." Paul stares at him. "You didn't!"
Toby smirks "Your grandmother-in-law might be a bit pissed with us for
a while."
This is the start of a beautiful relationship....
Check out the Shattered
Realities Next Generation Site for how this developes.