The Blade Masters Eight
November 13th, 2005 by Salem
Chapter 17 – Salem and Selene were walking, making their way to the rear entrance of the Barter Arena with Christina, Jarody, Vivien, and Haiku to congratulate Zealot on a well fought battle. There were event officials everywhere and a few members of General Carcass’ army were also making their way through the back. The Blade Masters passed emergency cots full of event officials, the ones who were on the arena floor when the Zealot God’s attack was redirected to the ground. They found Zealot with Arian as well as Wayne Marcus and General Carcass surrounded by even more officials and the three women who handed out the trophies. There was also a man in yellow business robes and what looked to be business underlings behind him. He had a typical businessman’s face with an expensive looking haircut and chiseled features and when he smiled; his big teeth almost gave off a glow. “That must be the event organizer,” guessed Salem as they approached. “Here is the Tagi Challenge event organizer, Mr. Rex Tyrann,” said Arian as she introduced the business man to the three fighters. “My pleasure, my what a pleasure it was to watch you three. Wish I could give you all the prize money,” said Mr. Tyrann with a hint of a whisper in his voice. “Then why don’t you,” said Zealot. “Then that would not be fair to Mr. Carcass here,” said Mr. Tyrann. “It is General Carcass; I earned that title, just as I earned the money. Now where is it?” said the large General Carcass. “Damn, he is much bigger close up,” said Christina. “Right here Mr! Umm, General Carcass,” Mr. Tyrann held out a legal note made out to General Carcass for the total of one million collons and zero pents. General Carcass takes the legal note and starts to walk out of the arena. “It’s free to cash that legal note at the Depository printed at the top!” yelled Mr. Tyrann after General Carcass.
Mr. Rex Tyrann turned to Zealot and Wayne Marcus, “as for you two. I will give you something for your excellent performances.” Zealot and Wayne look at each other as the business man pulls out two more legal notes made out to each of them for five hundred collons each. “Thank you Mr. Tyrann,” said Wayne as Zealot looked at his legal note with a dissatisfied expression on his face. “We hope to see you in Cooper’s Town next year. Arian, lets get things cleaned up here, I have an appointment at the Lysts Palace city,” said Mr. Tyrann as he turned and walked to the exit where a very fancy eight horse coach was waiting for him. Tyrann passed the Blade Masters causing both Salem and Selene to shudder, and continues to walk to his waiting carriage. “What is the matter?” asked Christina. “Not sure,” said Selene. “Just some strange energy around us,” said Salem, “It happens.”
Rex Tyrann enters his carriage as a woman closes the door behind him and climbs up to a seat next to a woman driver. Inside the carriage, Stanza is writing on parchment, “No more looking, no more wonder. It is as clear as thunder. It echoes off the walls like sound. The last Blade Masters are found.” Stanza looks up from his parchment to see the man who just entered. “Who are you?” asked Stanza. “Even with your powers, I wouldn’t have expected you to know,” said Rex as the carriage starts to move. The carriage passes through an access tunnel placing the inside of the carriage in momentary darkness. The carriage reentered the suns’ light showing Stanza that the man in the carriage sitting with him was his mysterious master now in his helmet and mask. “One of my tricks,” said the Master in his normal whispery voice, “Now I want to know what you just found out as I entered.” Stanza, who had dropped his golden pen and parchment when he found out who he was with, was now reaching down to retrieve his dropped stuff with a hint of desperation. “Reminding you that I am only interpreting what I see, the twins have found the last two Blade Masters for a total of eight they were looking for,” reported Stanza. “And our mole?” asked the Master. “Our mole is one of the eight and has been reminded what we want from them,” said Stanza, “Are you sure you don’t want to know who the mole is Master?” “Think of it as job security Stanza. I only want you to know until I see fit for you to tell another. If our mole’s identity is found before I plan it, I know who to kill for the leak of information,” said the Master, “I’m going to see King Abbot of Lysts, and as you very well know, he is the Blade Master of the MonarchBlade. Everyone knows what that Blade can do. I will not tempt my skill by holding more information than I know now.” “You are a very wise one, Master,” said Stanza.
“Hey Selene, hi Salem,” said Zealot in a half hearted voice. “Oh yes, he is REAL glad to see us,” said Salem. “He just lost, have a heart,” said Selene. “That was a very good fight Zealot!” yelled Christina, “too bad you were outmatched because he was a Blade Master.” “Hey! If I had more time to recover I would have won!” yelled Zealot in a sudden fit of rage. “Great idea, yell at the people who were rooting for you,” said Jarody. “Well, I am off to find a port,” said Wayne,” Great meeting you Zealot, at least we tried.” Pawn jumps off Salem’s shoulder and starts to shake. “I know what that means!” yelled Haiku. Pawn’s ThievesBlade’s void opened up and two Blades came flying out. The TsunamiBlade and the SabreBlade both land tip first sticking upright in the ground. A white light gathers around each of them then they shoot a beam of light to the head of Wayne and Zealot. “Zealot?! You have been chosen by the SabreBlade!” said Selene. “FINALLY!” said Zealot. “What, what just happened?” asked Wayne. “You are the master of the TsunamiBlade,” said Salem.
The Blade Masters were walking back to the Bill’s Miller with Wayne Marcus behind them looking at the scimitar with an ocean wave design engraved on it with a blue tint. Zealot was looking at his sword; it was the most unusual thing he had ever seen. The SabreBlade has a serrated blade but the body of the blade had markings everywhere and what looked to be a second edge on it, but it went into the blade every inch down the two and a half foot blade. “Knowing Blades, what does this thing do other than cut people?” asked Zealot. “It cuts people a lot,” answered Salem. “Can I have a better explanation?” said Zealot not understanding Salem’s answer. “You sword is actually thirty individual blades held together by an eternity chain inside. It can extend even farther and depending on how you use it, it can cut down long distance targets, can wrap around close by targets, or cut down things like trees in a chain saw motion,” said Selene. “The SabreBlade is like having many weapons in one only limited by your imagination,” concluded Salem. “And how do I activate it or get it to do its thing?” asked Zealot. “To release the chain, you have to give the hilt a hard squeeze,” said Selene. Zealot did so and the SabreBlade fell apart into its thirty individual pieces held loosely together by the now visible eternity chain going from one blade to another. “The longer you squeeze the hilt the longer the eternity chain gets,” said Salem. “Give the hilt a second squeeze to retract the eternity chain,” said Selene. Zealot did so and with a sudden jerk, the SabreBlade became a whole sword again.
“That is all fine for him, but what does my Blade do, other then cut people a lot as well?” asked Wayne in a heavy Celtic accent. “Oh great, he’s a Brit,” said Jarody. “A what?” asked Salem. “Are you from the Island Kingdoms?” Selene asked Wayne. “It is easy to tell with my accent I guess,” said Wayne. “Very easy,” said Christina. “Other worlds call them British, the most obnoxious people in any world,” said Jarody. “Only your opinion, I am sure,” said Salem. “Maybe return back to my question about my Blade?” asked Wayne. “The TsunamiBlade can launch an energy wave that mimics a 6 to 24 foot tall wave of water. There are many other things it can do however the wave was the only thing it would do for Salem and I,” said Selene. “Are you sure you do not mind sticking with us?” asked Christina. “Not like I have somewhere to be. Besides, the captain of the last ship I served on told me that some time on dry land would do me some good,” said Wayne.
The Bill’s Miller was full of activity as usual after the sun had gone down. “Are you going to rebuild your Blade of Defiance,” asked Selene. “I will, but for now I’m going to practice with the SabreBlade and fix my Blade of Defiance when I have the time,” replied Zealot. “I’m going to see if all the beer in the tavern is still good,” said Jarody as he pushed his way into the Bill’s Miller. “I have something to work on in the stable,” said Selene as her and Salem start to head around to the back of the Bill’s Miller. “I have to help daddy,” said Haiku as she skipped her way into the Bill’s Miller. Vivien and Wayne enter the Bill’s Miller as Zealot stays outside to find a place to practice with his new SabreBlade. Malodor Regis was still at the door rocking on a chair with a single lit candle and a full bottle of mead on a wooden box. “Do you ever sleep?” asked Salem. “I be the only security here and anyway my cot is inside when I need a lay down,” said Mal, “Why you two come mah way? I promise your horses are being well taken care of.” “It is not the horses we are here for,” said Salem. “We are here to rebuild that carriage inside the storage room in the back,” said Selene. “Women? Rebuilding an old rust heap of a carriage?” said Mal, “Would not be much of a rebuild. It’s been here longer than I have and there be no tools inside to help you.” “We have our own tools,” said Selene. Mal took a last good look at the twins then got up off his chair and unlocked the stable door.
The twins entered the stable to find that it looked the same at night as it did in the day with candles being the only light source. Salem gave Pawn a scratch on his neck waking him up. “Pawn, we need the SwitchBlade, the LightBlade, Selene’s tool box and some raw Blade metal,” ordered Salem. Pawn gave a squeak of surprise for it was a lot to bring up. “Ok, I am sorry. First, call the SwitchBlade,” said Salem as Selene got a closer look at the rusted frame they were about to work on. Pawn opened his ThievesBlade’s void and out came the SwitchBlade. “Now the LightBlade,” said Salem. “I think it is funny,” said Selene as she continued to examine the frame. “What is?” asked Salem as the LightBlade came flying out of the ThievesBlade’s void and was caught by Selene who immediately started to use it to get a better look of the frame. “Wayne Marcus has a heavy Celtic accent just like the Koror family and looks a lot like James’ son,” said Selene. “Selene’s Tool Box please, baby. Been quite a while since we have seen his son but you are right. For some reason, he is finding it necessary to hide his identity,” said Salem as the three foot by four foot by two foot metal tool box exit’s Pawn’s ThievesBlade’s void and lands with a heavy thud. “I suggest we just let him play his little game, no need to aggravate him by stomping on his security blanket now,” said Selene. “a number seven size chunk of raw Blade metal please, sweetie. Are you sure that is wise?” asked Salem. “Trust me, I think it is best,” said Selene as she opens up her tool box and pulls out a large file. A huge seven foot tall metal ball lands hard on the floor. “Is the Colloquy ready for a carriage size Tech Blade?” asked Salem. “There are much larger ones,” said Selene, “I will have it ready by noon tomorrow give or take a few.” “Great, then we will be off to Boneham at one in the afternoon,” said Salem, ” I will make sure everyone is ready by then and I will have Knight deliver a letter to Pixie to let her know we need her BoltBlade and are on our way.”
Salem leaves her sister to work as she enters the Bill’s Miller. Most of the people who were inside had gone home or upstairs to bed. Christina is sitting at a table with a passed out drunken Jarody. Emhril was helping Henry close up the bar with Haiku cleaning off the other tables. Wayne was sitting at the bar still looking at his TsunamiBlade. “Selene is happily rebuilding a carriage in the stable,” said Salem. “Is she just making it as it was?” asked Christina. “Are you crazy? You know Selene, Christina. She makes things into something that they where not before. My GunBlade was just a normal sword before she repaired it,” said Salem, “In any case, we will not see her until morning. I am going to bed. We leave for Boneham in the afternoon tomorrow.” Salem heads upstairs as Zealot enters the tavern and makes his way to the stairs, “Come on Wayne, there’s another bed in my room, you can crash there.” Wayne quickly looks up as if he snapped out of some trance then gets up off his stool and follows Zealot upstairs. Salem enters her room to find Vivien already asleep on one of the beds. Pawn jumps off Salem’s shoulders and lays on his small pet bed as Salem undresses and falls to sleep next to the sleeping vampire.
Who is the mole? Your time to guess is now. They are in order of joining.
Could it be: “I am the mole,” Selene. : The twin who was supposed to be the master of the ScytheBlade until Jarody interrupted the twins and became Death instead. Could the Mysterious Master have promised Selene her rightful place as Death if she helped him?
Could it be: “I am the mole,” Salem. : Selene has taken up the role of leader, just as she always does in most of their journeys. Could Salem be working with the Mysterious Master to finally show up her smarter twin and change the balance of power?
Could it be: “I am the mole,” Christina Knight. : She lost her mother to mercenaries hired by De La Groot before she was born. Never having known her mother, is Christina working with the Mysterious Master to help him gain the power he seeks in order for him to bring back her mother?
Could it be: “I am the mole,” Jarody AKA Death. : The one who is master of the ScytheBlade and thanks to his Blade, he holds the position of Death of the known universe and countless worlds. Jarody however needs the twins to maintain and repair the ScytheBlade so he may keep his position. Has the Mysterious Master found a way to keep the ScytheBlade in perfect condition for all time without needing it to be repaired and thereby cutting off his dependence on the twins allowing Jarody to finally bring them both to death?
Could it be: “I am the mole,” Emhril AKA BFFG. : He had lost his wife to killers sent by a shogun and fears that they may be back to take his daughter, Haiku, someday. Has the Mysterious Master promised Emhril to kill the Shogun for him so he may live in peace knowing that his daughter is safe?
Could it be: Signs “I am the mole,” Vivien Leblanc. : Her vampire clan was killed by mercenaries hired by a village. Could the Mysterious Master have promised revenge on the mercenaries or the village for her?
Could it be: “I am the mole,” Zealot. : The lizard man who the twins had not seen in twenty five years. Could he have crossed paths with the Mysterious Master and is now doing his bidding?
Could it be: “I am the mole,” Wayne Marcus. : The man who served on a pirate ship and competed in the Tagi Challenge. Could have the Mysterious Master been the leader of his ship and commanded Wayne to spy for him?