The Mana Wars

[Ashley_Winston]

Jessie pats Lucius on the head. "Sorry. Maybe another time." With that they heard noises from outside and saw that the emperor was boarding the ship, surrounded by..At LEAST fifty guards. "And so it begins." She sat back down on her box and leaned back once more closing her eyes.

"If I were you, I'd get some rest." She said, and with that, fell asleep.  

[Maha1930]

Unsatisfied with Jessie's answer Vex tried calling her name to wake her up, but she was already in a deep sleep and not going to wake up anytime soon.

Vex twiddled with his hair some more. "Guess all I can do then is get some sleep." Lucius whimpered, nudging his master's head as Vex positioned himself in a semi-comfortable position on the nearby boxes. "Hey buddy, you should get some sleep too. Let that wound heal up some more." Lucius licked his master's face and walked in a circle a few times, before curling up into a ball on the floor. Vex wiped the slobber off his face and closed his eyes. The roar of the engines as the ship took off was strangely calming and Vex could feel himself drifting off to sleep.

Then, Vex felt the ship lurch, tossing him off the boxes and onto the ground. He looked around rubbing his head but Jessie nor Lucius were anywhere to be found. He got up dusting himself off and unlocked the door. He then covered his nose and mouth to mask the odor. Soldiers dead bodies lined the halls. Their flesh rotting. They looked like they had been there for months, but they couldn't of been.

"We just got on this ship," Vex exclaimed stepping in-between the gaps of the dead soldiers and making his way down the hall. When he reached the end of the hall and turned there was someone he could make out at the far end of the next hallway. "Hey!" Vex shouted. But the person didn't move. So, Vex figured he would go to them. But being cautious of course, discreetly hiding his right hand behind his back, activating the fire insignia.

Even when he had reached the person and was a foot away, their back was still turned to him. He then reached out his left hand to lightly tap them on the shoulder, but they quickly spun around, grabbing Vex's face with their hands. Vex didn't have time to react or didn't know how to rather, because the face he was staring into was his dead boyfriend's. His eyes completely white, and decay riddled across his face.

"L-l-li?!" Vex stammered.

Li opened his mouth to speak, speaking as if possessed by some inner being.

"The eyes are watching, their effervescent song,
will three hearts beat,
or will there be none?
The legs turn right,
the legs turn left,
who's to know the outcome at best.
Fur this,
fur that,
the one who knows is the secret cat.
Girl or boy,
doesn't matter you see,
for the they both contain the powers that be."

Then Li's jaw opened, pouring an ocean of shadows into the interior of the ship.

Vex jolted awake again, rolling off the boxes and bumping into Lucius making him yelp in surprise. "You okay buddy?" He asked patting him on the head. "Boy, that was a weird dream....."  

[Ashley_Winston]

Jessie walked into the room with both Vex and Lucius confused. "What? We docked about two hours ago, everyone is either outside or in, surprise surprise, yet another palace. Does every planet have one?"

Jessie left the doors open and reached into a bag she found. Taking out some bread, she tossed a loaf at Vex and a loaf at Lucius, "Also had the advantage to salvage a bag and buy some food and water," she said tossing bottles of water at them too. "Did you know, apparently every planet has the same currency." She went over to them and sat beside them.

"Why are you laying on the ground?" She asked as she began eating her bread loaf.  

[Maha1930]

Vex stood up brushing the fur of his chest. "Don't ask. And how did you get all this stuff and not get caught? Actually scratch that...where are we?" Vex asked her peering out the window as Lucius licked the spot where Vex had collided into him.  

[Ashley_Winston]

"ok answer to first question is I left my sword behind. When I went outside, people looked...average. Like normal people. Anyway so I found an empty bag and went and bought this stuff with the little extra money I took before I left my home planet. Second question I don't know the answer to. I didn't ask, because I wanted to look like I was from here. And asking someone that would blow my cover." She said as she finished her bread and went over to s box.

"I left my sword in here." Jessie opened the box and leaned over into it, rummaging around till she found it and took it out. She attached the sword and sheath back onto her hips.  

[Maha1930]

"Well that wasn't too smart now was it? Leaving your sword in here, what if something happened to you? Me and Lucius wouldn't even know it. But hey, thanks for the Bread and water." Vex said cheerfully opening the water bottle for Lucius so that he could tip it into his mouth. "Now, let's get off this hunk of metal. You see where the emperor went? Or is he still on the ship?"  

[Ashley_Winston]

"You're welcome." Jessie nodded and smiled. "Oh, him...He's still in his quarters sleeping." She said as she headed to the door. "And what's even better is that, the guards are so stupid they left him unguarded." Jessie clapped and jumped up and down. "This time might be easier. Oh and don't forget about your trench-coat." Jessie reminded Vex.  

[Maha1930]

Vex dropped the loaf of bread at the mention of the emperor being unguarded. "They know we're here Jessie, they wouldn't be that stupid enough to leave him unguarded. But," he whistled at Lucius getting his attention. "He has my trench coat. Trap or no trap, I'm getting trenchy back. Lead the way to his quarters, oh and I suggest taking your sword with you this time." Vex laughed sticking his tongue out at Jessie.  

[Ashley_Winston]

"I was planning on it. I only leave it behind when necessary." She patted her sword. Jessie started walking out of the cargo room then turned around, "You coming?!" She took the turn right and continued down the hall. A couple minutes later they reached a stair case and an elevator side by side. "It'd be better to take the stairs just in case we alert anyone here if there IS someone besides the emperor." Jessie said starting up the stairs.

They reached the top and heard some noises. Jessie crouched quickly and peeked around the corner. Then, still in a crouch, walked over to a pair of doors and motioned for Vex and Lucius to follow quickly but quietly.

She closed her eyes trying to remember which door it was that she took. She took the one in the middle and opened it cautiously. Giving Vex and Lucius and thumbs up, she stood up and walked in. Unfortunately, the emperor's quarters were very high up so they had to climb, yet again, more stairs.

Sooner or later they did reach the top and heard an alarming noise. Jessie listened for a second. "It's fine. I remember the sound from earlier. The emperor snores," she said rolling her eyes.  

[Maha1930]

Vex sighed in accordance with what Jessie had just said. "I hate guys that snore, so unattractive. So, what are we waiting for? We already know it's a trap, so let's just barge in." Vex could feel Jessie tug at as pants as he burst through the doors and into the Emperor's chambers. He froze as his face was met with the barrel of a gun, it's owner, the elite guard they had seen earlier.

"Well, well, well, I've been expecting you. Please don't looked so shocked, you thought your little hideout in the cargo hold when unnoticed?" His helmet head turned to look at Jessie. "You really must work on being a better assassin. Going out for food? Please. And you," he said addressing Lucius as he scampered in. "I should have killed you when I had the chance, apparently the emperor has a soft spot for animals, or he just wanted to save you for himself."

Vex could feel a sly grin form under all that armor and scowled.

"Tch, scowling at me isn't helping your situation, boy," the guard snapped back. "But then I guess, neither is this." The guard then turned the gun from Vex to the door controls on the Emperor's quarters, firing. Which hit the controls causing the door to automatically dead-bolt. Not letting anything in, or anything out. The gang's mouth's dropped....including Lucius's. The guard then holstered his gun, lifting his hands up to unfasten his helmet and take it out. A mass of messy brown hair flopped out accompanied by a rather soft smile and bright green eyes. "Now, how shall we kill this creep? Quickly or let him suffer?"  

[Ashley_Winston]

Jessie just stood there confused. She was asking herself over and over if he's on our side or if he's just tricking us. Then she decided he's on our side and said, "I think we should make him suffer. Let him feel the pain he's caused everyone else all these years!" She stared at the emperor thinking this could work.

"And how exactly do YOU plan on making him suffer?" She asked, looking at the 'elite guard'. "Who are you exactly?"  

[Maha1930]

Name: Urie?
Age: Looks about 23
Orientation: ???
Bio: All that is known about his character is that he is a renegade, swearing allegiances to no one and that he only thinks of himself.

 

[Maha1930]

The guy replied, "Who am I? What does that matter? I just want the Emperor dead as much as you guys do, and I'm willing to help you do it. That's all. Don't think we're friends just because of this."

Vex sighed. "Can we at least know your name? Oh, mysterious one?"

He paused, seeming to think whether he should tell them or not. "You can call me...Urie."

Vex gave him a puzzled look. "Is that even your real name?"

Urie laughed, "Who knows? Now, let's get on with this mission."

Vex scowled at him again. There was just something about his personality that irritated him to his very core. But, he couldn't help but noticing Urie's extraordinary physique. Even with all that armor on. He shook his head thinking to himself. "No Vex, you can't do this right now! You have to focus on the Emperor, not on the man candy. Focus!"

Urie noticed Vex shaking his head. "Um, you okay there special kid? I don't want you going all "nutters" on me when we do this."

Vex frowned. "I'm fine." And Urie turned away from them to survey the Emperor's motionless body laying on his royal bed. "No, I'm not fine." Vex told himself again as he found himself staring at Urie's backside.  

[Ashley_Winston]

Jessie rolled her eyes at Vex and nudged him, smiling. " I never said we were friends. To me friends are just a thing that get in the way." She peered at Urie. "And I agree with Vex. That doesn't sound like your real name...Urie? Nope." She shook her head at Urie. "Oh and what gives you the right to call Vex special? He's fine to me."  

[Maha1930]

Urie didn't even bother turning around to reply to Jessie. "Hush girl, stop your incessant yapping and kill the emperor already! He's bound to wake up if you keep caring on like that.."