Lady Slambrawn
December 17th, 2005 by Salem
Chapter 24 – The Lysts Downs Equestrian Grand Prix had ended and the crowd of rich and aristocratic filed out of the Equestrian Arena. Salem and Selene wait outside with the other Blade Masters. Pawn sleeps soundly on Salem’s shoulders reliving his experience in his dreams and enjoying the warm feeling of being with his master once again. The King joined them along with Arian and Raphael. Lady Slambrawn with her faithful servant Dalton met them not long after. Lady Slambrawn had a feeling that something was wrong when she saw Zealot, a competitor from the Tagi Challenge. “My King,” said Lady Slambrawn, how may I help you?” “I understand that you have in custody a Wayne Marcus,” said King Abbot. “Indeed I do my King,” said Lady Slambrawn, “He owes me some money. He told me that he had friends waiting for him at the Blade Port. I sent them a letter but have not heard from them.” “Well, I am answering now,” said the King, “You see, Wayne Marcus’s friends are very close friends of mine. So to make this official, I have the Equestrian Society President’s representative here with me to make things official.” “Lady Slambrawn,” said Arian, “King Abbot wants to turn over his cash winnings to you, provided that you will return Mr. Wayne Marcus to his friends.” “What? She gets all ten million collons!” asked Jarody. “I am giving you the full amount of the winnings in good faith, and in this form, the money was never in my possession. The Monarchy of Lysts nor the Shrine of the Blades did not pay a ransom and with the one million collons you won from winning second and this ten million, I say the debt is more then paid. Would you agree, Lady Slambrawn?” asked the King. “I agree with that your Majesty,” said Lady Slambrawn bowing low. “My head of security, Raphael, will go with you to pick up Mr. Wayne Marcus and deliver him safely to the Blade port where his friends will be waiting.” With that, Lady Slambrawn left with her servant and Raphael. “Good thinking King Abbot. I would not have done any better,” said Selene. “But she got all ten million collons!” yelled Jarody. “The amount she would have won if we did not enter the race,” said Salem. “But!!” continued Jarody as they started to make their way to the Blade port.
Raphael rode with Lady Slambrawn in her carriage as she mumbled to herself about how unfair the whole day was. She did not want money and was hoping that the little scab’s friends were pirates like him and could not pay allowing her to kill him. But now not only did her horse give her a second place trophy, but she has to let the scab go. Raphael could tell Lady Slambrawn was in a foul mood and was enjoying the sight. The carriage arrived at Lady Slambrawn’s mansion and stopped at the front doors where a line of servants were waiting to greet her return. Lady Slambrawn storms out of her carriage and quickly walks past the line of servants with Raphael rushing to keep up. Dalton slowly exits the carriage carrying the second place trophy into the mansion. Lady Slambrawn enters the grand stateroom of the mansion and drops down onto the largest chair in the room. Servants moved in and started to wait on her. “All of this is so unfair,” said Lady Slambrawn as a young teenage girl starts to redo Lady Slambrawn’s nails. Raphael stands in the middle of the grand stateroom as Dalton enters and makes his way to the twenty foot tall trophy case almost completely filled with champion and first place trophies and medals. “Dalton! Does that look like a first place trophy?” yelled Lady Slambrawn. “No Ma,am,” said Dalton. “Then destroy it!” yelled Lady Slambrawn. “Lady Slambrawn,” called Raphael. “You’re still here? The scab’s in the holding pen below. Now get out and leave me alone,” said Lady Slambrawn.
Raphael left the room and made way to the holding pen. Lady Slambrawn listened as Raphael’s steps died away, “get my hunting cloths, Dalton, my parasol and fans please.” “What is madam about to do?” asked Dalton. “There are intruders in the mansion. We must find them and kill them both,” said Lady Slambrawn. “But my Lady, Raphael is a Royal Guard,” said Dalton. “Just a servant of the King, It, whatever sex it is, will fall easy by my skill.” said Lady Slambrawn as she dressed into her hunting gown, the same fancy dress she wore at the Tagi Challenge. “Where is my pet, Nuclear-Chipmunk?” called Lady Slambrawn. Two large doors leading out to the back yard opened with Nuclear-Chipmunk standing between them and a bolt of lightning from the LightningBlade strikes behind him giving his entrance an added flair. “There is my precious pet,” said Lady Slambrawn, “You stay outside and if you see intruders trying to leave or enter, fry them.” Nuclear-Chipmunk gave an evil little smirk and scampered into the yard to find anyone to use his Blade on. Dalton handed Lady Slambrawn her umbrella and a purse with several folded fans inside. Lady Slambrawn looked at her faithful servant and said, “Dalton, I want all the gates and doors!” suddenly, the sounds of a powerful lightning bolt hitting the ground and a scream of a man was heard. “I think Master Nuclear-Chipmunk just killed the gardener,” said Dalton. “He makes me so proud. I want all doors leading outside and all gates locked,” ordered Lady Slambrawn.
Raphael had to get a chamber maid to lead the way to the holding pen that turned out to be farther below than Lady Slambrawn had indicated. Raphael walked up to the bars to find a sleeping man on a poor looking bed, only he was not moving. Raphael looked around the pen and noted the low rafters inside the cell. “I know you’re up there and ready to attack with one of the bed legs you sawed off. There’s no use in trying to get away. Your friends paid your ransom and I’m here to take you to the Blade Port to rejoin them,” said Raphael. Wayne jumps down from the low rafter with the bed leg in his hand, “How do I know you’re not lying?” “They gave me this to give to you. I think a ferret named Pawn was holding it for you,” said Raphael pulling out the TsunamiBlade. Wayne drops the bed leg and takes the TsunamiBlade as Raphael puts it through the bars. “OK then, let me out,” said Wayne. Raphael looked around and found some keys on a large ring on a hook. “What a clichΓ©,” said Raphael taking the keys and going back to the pen to find the right one. “How did they get Lady Slambrawn to let me go?” asked Wayne. “I told you, they paid a ransom. One million collons,” said Raphael. “How did they get that much?!” asked Wayne as Raphael let him out. “They won a horse race,” said Raphael leading Wayne to the stairs. “A horse race?!” said a shocked Wayne.
Raphael and Wayne make it up to the main level of the mansion to find it deserted. “Did they take a vacation?” asked Wayne. “I do not like this. You better find a fast way out of here and to the Blade port, I’m going back to see Lady Slambrawn,” said Raphael. Wayne and Raphael split as Wayne headed for the nearest door and Raphael headed back up to the grand stateroom. Wayne got to the door but found it locked. He decided to find another door. Raphael enters the grand stateroom but Lady Slambrawn was not there. Outside in the yard, a dark figure runs from a tree to the gate and over to land on the street on the other side to a waiting carriage. Arian, covered in black enters the carriage and removes her mask. Sitting in the carriage were the Mysterious Master, General Carcass, Stanza, and the nameless C’Tan. “Report, Shadow Arian,” ordered the Mysterious Master. “Lady Slambrawn locked up her mansion and is now hunting Wayne Marcus to kill him,’ said Arian. “If she kills him, your plan will not work,” said Stanza, “All eight Elemental Blade Masters must be together when they see Terra in Cragorus.” “What if the TsunamiBlade chooses a new master before they get to Cragorus?” asked General Carcass. “It will not,” said Stanza. “That spoiled brat. After the trouble I went through to make sure that stupid ferret won,” said the Mysterious Master, “General Carcass, you go in there and make sure that Wayne Marcus makes it out alive, but don’t let him know you were there.” “Understood my Master,” said General Carcass as he left the carriage. “Master,” called the C’Tan, “This Lady Slambrawn is quite a foe. Why not make a deal with her, she could prove valuable to us.” “Indeed, you are right my nameless friend,” said the Mysterious Master, “You go collect Lady Slambrawn and bring her to me so we may talk.” The C’Tan opens a window at the top of the carriage and disappears through it. “Take us home Shadow Arian,” ordered the Mysterious Master. Arian left the carriage to climb to the driver’s seat and ordered the horses to go. “Are you sure we should leave now without seeing if Wayne Marcus is safe?” asked Stanza. “I have faith in the skills of the good General and our new friend. In any case, I don’t want Mr. Rex Tyrann’s carriage seen near the Slambrawn Mansion at this time,” said the Mysterious Master, “The Blades created by our own Arian, the PanzerBlade and the MimicBlade, being used by General Carcass and the C’Tan are powerful Blades. Come to think of it, the Blade that has been the most useful to us, the one blade that has made this plan possible, is the one created by the Gemini Twin HexBlade Masters. Your SoothsayersBlade has been and will continue to be very valuable to us, Stanza.”
Wayne finds another door near the kitchen but it was locked as well, Wayne thinks to himself that if the next door is locked, he will use his TsunamiBlade on the door. Raphael had left the grand stateroom and headed up to the second level where the servant sleeping quarters were located. Raphael hoped to find a servant somewhere in the quarters but could not find one. The place was empty. A folding fan came flying out of the darkness, nicking Raphael on the ear and landed halfway into a wooden door. “How did I know you would be on the servants’ floor, I guess rats love the smell of others like them,” said Lady Slambrawn. Raphael moved around to try and keep from being in a clear shot of another attack and to get a fix on Lady Slambrawn’s position by using her voice. “Surprised you left that little scab on his own. I thought the King sent you to protect him. How would you feel if I told you that I gave my pet instructions to kill anyone unfamiliar to him?” asked Lady Slambrawn, “Makes you want to run and find the unsuspecting fool. Well, you will not even leave this floor.” “How would you explain my death to the King?” asked Raphael. “The pirate did it,” said Lady Slambrawn as another fan came flying out of the darkness. Raphael saw it and turned to avoid it only to be hit on the right arm by another fan flying low. Raphael pulled the fan from the arm and also took the first fan from the wall. The buzz of another approaching fan could be heard and Raphael quickly deflects it with the first bloody fan. “Apparently, you can see me in this darkness. I would like to know why,” said Raphael. Lady Slambrawn replies “And lose my edge!” Raphael throws the bloody fan in the direction of the voice. Raphael hears the fan hit something and runs to it staying low. “!I think not. You see I learned from the best money can buy,” said Lady Slambrawn. Raphael found where the voice was coming from. The fan had hit the opened end of a home tube phone system, the kind used to call servants from the other side of the mansion from anywhere or to anywhere. Raphael took cover and started looking for something that could be used as a weapon.
Wayne had found the grand stateroom and the large glass doors that led outside to the back where the garden could be seen. Wayne held his TsunamiBlade high and tried to open the door. The door opened and Wayne breathed a sigh of relief. Wayne made his way out into the garden and started looking for a path that led around to the front when he stepped into something crispy. He looked down to find what was left of a person. Warning bells rang in his head telling him that he just went from the pan, into the fire. Wayne hears the sound of running and takes a dive into a bush. He sees a man running across the lawn with something very small just behind him. What ever it was behind the man just tapped the guy and flew straight up into the air very quickly. The man was still running when a bolt of lightning strikes him and brings him down. A small animal scampers up to the downed man and the small object returned as well. The animal stands still as the object taps the downed man again and flies back into the sky at a high speed, shooting another lightning bolt back down. The object does this a few more times until the man was completely burned. Then both the animal and the object left. “Of all the ways to die,” Wayne thought to himself, “I would have to find myself in a place where people are being killed by a sadistic animal with a Blade.”
Inside, Raphael found the washroom where the servants bathe. Raphael looked for a towel rack or an exposed pipe, anything to help. “No use trying to clean up your act now. You, just like any other servant, will die like the filthy rat you are,” said Lady Slambrawn, still using the tube P.A. system. Raphael finds nothing to help and decides to leave the washroom when attacked again by three fans. Raphael reflects two of the fans with the one from the wall but the third one gets by and cuts Raphael’s left leg. “A right arm and a left leg. Things are getting bad for you. You haven’t even stopped to lick your wounds,” said Lady Slambrawn. Raphael makes it out of the washroom and down the hall to the stairs. Raphael heads up the stairs to the guest and master rooms hoping that one of the rooms could be the room where Lady Slambrawn could be holding her weapons. In the middle of making it up the stairs, Raphael hears a clanging sound. The stairs he was going up tilt and fall down back to the second floor, then tilt again and fall down to the main floor. Raphael jumps off the stairs before they tilted again and fell to the basement. The buzzing is heard again and Raphael jumps out of the way as four fans come from above to land half way into the floor where Raphael had landed before. Raphael quickly moved from the collapsed stairs, down the halls with fans randomly being fired from all directions, and coming very dangerously close to their target. From the halls, Raphael found a locked door. Raphael stood at the door for a few seconds then ducked with a roll as ten more fans came and shredded the door. Raphael broke through the door and entered the den to find Lady Slambrawn sitting back at a desk. “Was beginning to wonder if you would find me,” said Lady Slambrawn. “Not to say it was difficult when you have every one of your servants on the third floor looking through holes in the floor and pulling triggers to pre set fan launchers when I came into view,” said Raphael. “They have become quite talented in doing that; a few shots did make the target,” said Lady Slambrawn as she got up and unsheathed her sword from the body of the umbrella she was holding. “Find a weapon to use?” asked Lady Slambrawn. “Not what I wanted but I guess this fan will have to do,” said Raphael. “You know, if you throw that, I could simply block it with my parasol sword,” said Lady Slambrawn. “I know you could, that’s why I’ll just hold onto it and use it’s close combat ability,” said Raphael. The pair moved around the room to get a better position and a clear path of attack. “Before we fight, I would like to know, are you female of male?” asked Lady Slambrawn. “You’re welcome to look in my pants if you kill me,” said Raphael as the pair charge each other.
Wayne decided that the faster he gets out, the safer he would be, so he made a plan, “One: I crawl like worm under bushes until find gate. Two: Climb gate if life depended on it, because it does. Three: Run like the devil to the Blade Port.” Wayne was on the worm part of his plan now. Wayne searches shrub after shrub for a way out as Nuclear-Chipmunk continues his killing rampage. Nuclear-Chipmunk hears something near the fountain in the front and runs around the mansion with the LightningBlade following close behind. Nuclear-Chipmunk rounds the corner to find a fully armored General Carcass with helmet and gauntlets standing next to the elaborate fountain with a twelve foot tall Lady Slambrawn standing in the middle holding trophy cups in each hand as a continuous stream of water pours out of each one and goes into larger trophy cups that are overflowing into even larger trophy cups. Nuclear-Chipmunk stayed by the corner wall of the mansion as the LightningBlade flew in to get a better look and into striking position. General Carcass unsheathed his sword, “This is what Lady Slambrawn calls security, a chipmunk and a hummingbird?” The LightningBlade taps General Carcass and takes off straight up into the night sky sending a bolt of lightning down to the General. General Carcass is surrounded in an explosion of light as Nuclear-Chipmunk smiles at another victim being taken down. The light fades away and General Carcass still stands. “It’s called armor, the energy of your attack just goes around me and heads to the ground,’ said General Carcass, “Now let me show you a real attack.” General Carcass lifts his sword and launches a sweeping attack making Nuclear-Chipmunk leap into the air and start doing a series of somersaults and spins to avoid every slash and sweep of the sword. Nuclear-Chipmunk lands on General Carcass’ hand and runs up his arm and leaps to General Carcass’ face. The general was caught off guard as Nuclear-Chipmunk landed on his head and bit his nose. General Carcass yells out in pain and knocks the small animal off his face so hard, the flying fur ball crashes through a second story window, and is not seen again. The LightningBlade also flies through the hole in the window.
Lady Slambrawn and Raphael charge at each other in Lady Slambrawn’s den. Raphael has one of Lady Slambrawn’s fans. Folded, it is as strong as a solid piece of metal and its shape is very much that of a billy club. Lady Slambrawn does a right side slash with Raphael blocking it with the folded fan. Lady Slambrawn disappears from Raphael’s view but Raphael already knew where she was and blocked her next attack from behind and kicks back to knock her left leg out from under her. Lady Slambrawn stumbles but was able to follow up her rear attack with another one to his left side. Raphael blocks this attack with the fan too and spins to grab Lady Slambrawn’s wrist and pulls her in for a few quick rabbit punches to the head and a powerful punch to the midsection, knocking Lady Slambrawn back a few feet as Raphael back flips to avoid two fans coming from above, launched by more of Lady Slambrawn’s servants. Lady Slambrawn feels her face and the pain caused by Raphael’s counterattack, Raphael could get a better look at the dark room from here and makes a note of everything as Lady Slambrawn comes again for a fresh attack. This time, Lady Slambrawn forgets her proper demeanor and hacks away with her sword with Raphael blocking each one of her anger filled slashes. Raphael drops to the floor and sweeps the floor with a right leg knocking Lady Slambrawn off her feet and gives her a few quick hits and a kick before she hits the floor. Raphael fades back again to put some floor between them. Lady Slambrawn stands again and does some wild moves to get to him, not knowing from where the attack will come, Lady Slambrawn runs to Raphael’s left and then slides to the right and spins around to get to Raphael and stabs with her sword, Raphael makes a jump, avoiding the sword and over the crazed woman. The sword finds an electrical outlet and Lady Slambrawn is electrocuted as her hand involuntarily tightens around the metal handle of her sword. Raphael makes another jump and kicks Lady Slambrawn in the side, knocking the woman to the floor.
“As much as I personally would like to see you die, you must answer to King’s Law,” says Raphael as Lady Slambrawn lays on the floor recovering from almost being electrocuted to death. “You are charged with Breaking King’s orders, Treason, attempted murder, and striking a Royal Guard,” continued Raphael, “You are under arrest, Lady Slambrawn.” Suddenly, the door from the hallway is blasted to pieces and a flood of green light fills the room. A dark figure moves through the room at blinding speed and knocks Raphael to the side. The figure quickly reaches Lady Slambrawn. On the woman is Nuclear-Chipmunk who also just got to her through a small hole in the wall. The small animal growls at the shadowy figure, but the cloaked being picks up Lady Slambrawn, chipmunk and all, and crashes out of the window and through the yard to leap over the tall wall surrounding the property and vanishes. “My Lady!” yelled Dalton as he ran into the room and turned on the light. Raphael got back up, not sure at what just happened. Dalton turned and held his arms out, ready to be taken under arrest. “You’re free to go, I only want your Lady. You and all the other servants were just following orders,” said Raphael making for the door and running down the hall now thinking about Wayne. Raphael returned to the grand stateroom to find the open doors and went out to the garden. Wayne was still crawling along the wall still looking for a gate to climb over when a hand grabs him on the shoulder. Wayne turns, holding the TsunamiBlade up as a shield. “You mean to tell me that you are a Blade Master, and yet, the best escape plan you came up with is to crawl on the ground?” asked Raphael. “What would you have done?” asked Wayne. “I would have walked up to the wall and blasted through with my Blade, if I were a Blade Master,” said Raphael. “Well! Well, I’m new to this,” said Wayne. “Come, your friends are waiting,” said Raphael as the two made their way to the nearest gate. “There was this animal with a need to fry people,” said Wayne as they made their way out.