After Aethelwulf gets confined for refusing to take Wolfsbane, Zenia teams up with two space pirates- Rogue and Blaze, to free him from the Intergalactic Alcatraz.
Genre: Science Fiction. Fantasy. Teen Love. Romance.
Table of Contents
Chapter One..............................................................1
Chapter Two .............................................................. 6
Chapter Three ............................................................ 10
Chapter Four ............................................................... 16
Intro
Purple. Cosmic purple, to be exact. That is the colour that comes to mind when I remember my teenage adventures on a certain desolate and strange asteroid. A lot of time has passed. That is what happens when your youth was adventurous, fun, exciting, and eventful. However, whenever I see the colour purple, I still remember that Earthian summer when I weathered through space and time, to save someone that I loved dearly.
Chapter One
During the summer I turned sixteen, I took a visit to the Ceres Asteroid. The Ceres Asteroid loomed in the cosmic void like a sinister moon, a colossal mass of rock and metal suspended in the 'doomsday' area of space. Its desolate terrain stretched as far as the eye could see, a barren expanse of jagged rocks and dust, whipped by chilling winds that carried the echoes of a forgotten era. A long-gone forgotten era.
Above the asteroid, a celestial dance unfolded. Rows of luminescent purple and pink lights adorned the dark canvas of space, reminiscent of Earth's northern lights but imbued with an otherworldly beauty. Glowing variations of violet, azure, and peach cascaded in undulating waves alongside the predominant purple and pink lights, creating an ethereal spectacle that contrasted starkly with the cold harshness below.
In the heart of this desolation stood the Tower of Batara, a colossal structure resembling the head of a bat, its spires reaching high towards the starlit expanse above. The tower seemed to absorb the ambient glow of the cosmic lights, casting an eerie luminescence across the asteroid's surface.
As the winds howled through the rocky crevices, a cacophony of otherworldly sounds echoed. The source of these haunting noises became apparent as strange creatures roamed the desolate landscape – the chimeras. These beings, once proud Martians, had experienced a genetic upheaval within their bloodline that plunged them into regression. Now, they were remnants of a once-advanced civilization, their forms amalgamations of humanoid creatures.
The chimeras moved with an eerie grace that stood the test of time, their bodies, slim and limp, with patchworks of mismatched limbs and twisted features. Their eyes were large, dark, hollow, and lifeless. Some bore the resemblance of Martian insects fused with reptilian traits, while others seemed like grotesque hybrids of avian and aquatic life. Their movements were a blend of elegance and primitive instinct.
Around the Tower of Batara, the chimeras congregated, a strange symbiosis between the remnants of a civilization in decline and the enigmatic tower that rose above them. It was as if the tower held the key to their existence, a connection to their Martian past. The chimeras circled the tower, emitting low, mournful cries that echoed through the cold expanse.
"The Tower of Batara. Also known as the Intergalactic Alcatraz." I said to myself as I watched the haunting landscape.
I ran my hands through my platinum hair as I stood upon one of the Asteroid's mountains. My brown skin shined and glistened under the luminescent lights above the asteroid. I wore a space combat suit that outlined my slim and toned body that I had trained so hard for all year. I was particularly proud of my shoulders, waist, arms, and legs. There was little time to admire how I looked in a space suit, because I had to concentrate on the mission at hand. If my father or mother knew what I was up to, they would explode with shock. But then again, would they? After all, being Zenia, I was always up to some crazy teenage shenanigan.
Because of my neurodivergence, however, I always managed to perfectly think my way out the sticky situations I often found myself in. Having a daughter like me required one to be ready for anything. I was about to undertake a highly risky task. Possibly the craziest, most stupid thing I would do that summer. But doing crazy and stupid things was my specialty.
You see, Aethelwulf, my ex-boyfriend, was locked in the Tower of Batara, what most referred to as the Intergalactic Alcatraz. All because he refused to follow the Intergalactic Mandate that prescribed his kind to take lifelong doses of aconite. Aethelwulf never liked the feeling that aconite gave him. And when he went against the mandatory aconite dosage for a year, he ended up in the Intergalactic Alcatraz.
The alarm in my heart told me to go after him, to break him out of the most inescapable place that had ever existed. It was like trying to break Sirius Black out of Azkaban with very little experience on how to deal with dementors. Only this time, there were no dementors. The beasts inside the Tower of Batara were far worse than dementors. They were a breed of Orcs chemically engineered with DNA from the Netherworld, otherwise known as the Realm of the elder gods. Nothing good ever came out of that realm.
Wondering what I mean? Well, in my first semester at the Intergalactic Kaizen School, an interdimensional parasite from the Netherworld managed to sneak its way into Earth to find a powerful host. Guess who it targeted. Me! That Lovecraftian pest tried to take over my body. But you know what I did? I pulled a switcheroo on it. I let it take over me and boom! I defeated it in the most unexpected way. That is not the point, though.
My point is, by the time I sought to rescue Aethelwulf, I was already familiar with how deadly Netherworld beasts were. Frightened I felt, for I had never faced Orcs, but I had heard many tales about them. I heard that they carried giant clubs that they would use to clobber the skulls of intruders.
I pressed a button on my left wristwatch and a holographic map of the tower appeared. The miniature representation of the Tower of Batara shimmered with an ominous glow, casting an eerie ambiance across the lifeless rocky terrain that I stood upon. My fingers danced over the holographic controls, manipulating the image to reveal the intricate details of the tower's macabre interior.
As the holographic display unfolded, the entire outline of the Tower of Batara came into view, reduced to a small scale but still retaining its foreboding presence. The tower's spires reached upward like skeletal fingers, and I couldn't shake the feeling that it exuded an aura of malevolence.
Zooming in, I scrutinized the intricate design of the tower. The holographic projection revealed a nightmarish labyrinth within, a place where every step seemed perilous. My breath caught as I observed the layout of traps strategically placed to ensnare any unsuspecting intruders. Deadly Orcs towering, and menacing, patrolled the corridors with massive clubs in hand, their every step reverberating with ominous intent.
My gaze shifted to the cells, each one marked on the holographic map. Within those confinements, captives languished in a state of perpetual torment. The very air seemed heavy with their collective despair, as if the walls themselves absorbed the echoes of their suffering.
My hands trembled involuntarily as I navigated through the holographic representation, revealing the torture chambers hidden deep within the recesses of the tower. Instruments of pain and suffering lay in wait, evoking a visceral reaction that sent shivers down my spine.
“Bro, that's not a tower, that's Dante's Inferno." I said to myself.
Chapter Two
The sheer cruelty woven into the Tower of Batara's design left an indelible mark on my psyche. It was a structure not built for benevolence but rather a monument to malevolence.
As I continued to study the holographic map, a gnawing sense of dread settled within me. The Tower of Batara, with its traps, Orcs, captives, and torture chambers, was where Aethelwulf was held. Part of me wondered if he was even still alive.
Carefully, I scanned for Aethelwulf's cell. Zooming more into the hologram, I intently looked for the cell with his name. Blood rushed through my veins and my body went numb when I did not find his name. Intrusive thoughts plagued me about the possibility that they had already executed him. Nervously, I let out a breath. However, just as I was about to lose hope, I remembered one vital thing. Aethelwulf's kind were often classified as creatures, not as humans. Quickly, I typed onto a search bar in the hologram.
"Canis lupus familiaris." I said as I typed the words into the search bar.
There was only one cell at the topmost point of the tower with that classification, and that cell was labelled 'Lycaon'. My face lit up immediately.
"I found you." I whispered as I looked at the map.
Just then, the entrance of the tower opened, revealing my first glimpse of The Netherworld Orcs. They stood as silent sentinels. Their massive forms, draped in the tenebrous fabric of the abyss, cast an otherworldly glow that hinted at the malevolence within. As the guardians of the Intergalactic Alcatraz, they bore the burden of enforcing cosmic justice with a brutality only matched by the inhospitable void that surrounded them.
Standing eight feet tall, their hulking frames were a grotesque fusion of sinew and alien alloy. Shards of dark obsidian-like armour adorned their massive shoulders, reflecting the cold light of distant stars. Their skin, a sickly blend of ashen grey and midnight black, seemed to absorb any hint of luminosity, rendering them nearly invisible against the backdrop of interstellar vastness.
The eyes of the Netherworld Orcs glowed like malevolent embers, burning with an unnatural fire that hinted at the dark forces that fuelled their existence. Fangs, razor-sharp and gleaming, protruded from their fearsome maws, evoking an aura of terror that permeated the very essence of their being. Each breath exhaled was a gust of sulphurous air, a testament to their infernal origin.
Their limbs, thick as ancient tree trunks, terminated in clawed appendages capable of rending through the toughest of celestial alloys. Upon closer inspection, one would notice intricate patterns etched into their monstrous forms, symbols of an ancient, forgotten magic that bound them to their grim duty.
As the Netherworld Orcs patrolled the entrance of the Intergalactic Alcatraz, their sheer presence sent ripples through the fabric of space-time. Their guttural, otherworldly language echoed through the cosmic void, a haunting symphony of intimidation that warned any would-be intergalactic felons of the merciless guardians that awaited them. The largest of them gnashed, revealing grotesque yellow teeth with blood stains on them.
These grotesque beings, born of the Netherworld's malevolent energies, stood as a living testament to the consequences of cosmic transgressions. The Intergalactic Alcatraz, nestled in the cosmic tapestry not far from Earth, bore witness to their ferocity. A silent, but terrifying reminder of the consequences that awaited those who dared defy the laws of the universe. It soon dawned on me that the Orcs were not the only creatures I would have to defeat on that night. One of the Orcs brought out a captive. The captive looked frightened. He shook and trembled. His eyes were blindfolded, and his hands were tied together.
An absolute horror unfolded before me. Initially, I thought that the Orcs would clobber him to death. I was wrong. What happened was much worse. Immediately the entrance to the tower closed and the Orcs got back inside, the chimeras suddenly awakened from their zombie-like state. Their slow and dazed gaits suddenly turned into quick and animalistic sprints. They all lunged themselves towards the prisoner, some of them bashing their skulls against the entrance in the process. What followed was the weirdest thing I had ever seen in my entire life. The chimeras began to shake the captive like a rag doll. One by one, they each lunged at him. They eventually carried him away into the distance. God knows what they did with him.
My eyes widened as I put down the binoculars. My mouth dangled agape with confusion.
"What kind of asteroid is this?" I asked myself. "I'm only used to the desolate ones that float about idly in space. What in the name of Nancy is going on here?"
However, despite the eerie surroundings, the Orcs and weird chimeras had nothing on my spontaneous teenage imagination. My plan was to break Aethelwulf out and quickly fly away from what I would term as the weirdest, most disturbing place in The Cosmos. I had a trick up my sleeve. Undoubtedly, it was the best card, and my best shot at getting off that asteroid alive.
“Space Pirates.” I said with a smirk, feeling like the most confident combat planner in The Cosmos.
You see, as I voyaged through the distance between Earth and the Intergalactic Alcatraz, I came across two space pirates who were aiming to free their boyfriends- Jessie and Chester, from the abominable fortress. The determination in their eyes could not go dismissed. So, I made a deal with them before I headed to Ceres. The deal stated that I would help them defeat their leader if they helped me free Aethelwulf.
The winds howled through the rocky crags, carrying with them the whisper of an approaching presence. My senses tingled, a peculiar awareness that transcended sight. I knew something was coming, something hidden in the fabric of the unseen. I peered to the right and looked at the mountain’s cold expanse. I could vividly sense an invisible ship descending. It eluded the eyes, camouflaged by advanced cloaking technology, but my intuition painted its silhouette in the canvas of my mind. A sleek, undetectable vessel navigating the cosmic winds with silent grace.
A low hum resonated through the air, growing steadily louder as the invisible ship neared the rocky peak. I braced myself against the gusts of wind, feeling the unseen force of its descent. My hair whipped around my face, and the chill seeped through my suit, but my attention remained fixed on the enigmatic arrival.
Suddenly, the air crackled with a subtle shift, a distortion that hinted at the ship's concealed form. The outline became sharper in my mind, as if I could almost see the sleek contours of the vessel against the backdrop of the asteroid. A soft thud echoed through the mountain as the invisible ship settled on the rocky terrain. The winds seemed to dance around it, playing an intricate ballet with the unseen craft. A moment of anticipation hung in the air, and then, with a gentle whoosh, the ship's doors silently slid open.
From the hidden interior emerged figures, stepping out into the stark landscape. My heart skipped a beat as the invisibility cloak relinquished its hold on them. The two space pirates I met on my way materialized before me, their forms becoming tangible against the harsh backdrop of the asteroid. Relief flooded through me. A reliable duo they were, for they brought all the gadgets, powers, and techniques needed to break into the fortress.
Blaze was a fiery-haired pyrokinetic with a penchant for chaos. Blaze's volatile powers earned her a reputation as both a formidable ally and a dangerous wildcard. Clad in a suit that harnessed her incendiary abilities, she cracked her knuckles, eager to unleash the flames that danced within her.
"Let's wreak some havoc." She said.
Rogue was the jovial engineer of the duo. Rogue sported a hat adorned with blinking tech gadgets and a grin that hinted at a penchant for mischief. Armed with a multifunctional energy lasso and a bag of gadgets, Rogue playful demeanour concealed a brilliant mind and a knack for unconventional problem-solving.
As I looked at the eclectic duo of space pirates, each bearing their own scars and stories, a silent understanding passed between them. The mission to liberate their boyfriends- Jessie and Chester and my ex-boyfriend Aethelwulf from the clutches of the interdimensional Orcs was about to begin. The cosmic winds whispered tales of adventure, danger, and the promise of redemption. Who would have ever known that fondness and intergalactic piracy would ever make a collaboration to take down an establishment of the Cosmic Empire? If my father knew about it, he would absolutely freak out. But I didn’t care, I never cared about anything anyways. All I cared about was getting Aethelwulf out of the Intergalactic Alcatraz.
"Alright girls, are you ready?" I asked as I held one of the guns Rogue had brought.
"Let's go free our boyfriends." Blaze said with a determined face on.
"Ex-boyfriend." I reminded her.
"Let's go free our boyfriends and ex-boyfriend." She corrected.
Chapter Three
The desolate landscape stretched before us. A barren expanse interrupted by the ominous silhouettes of millions of chimeras. Blaze, Rogue, and I stood in a tight formation, their faces set in determined expressions as they faced the looming threat. The chimeras, towering, and limp possessed an eerie grace that belied their incredible strength and brutal nature.
Armed with high-tech fire guns, we remained unfazed by the overwhelming odds. The sleek, futuristic weapons gleamed in our hands, and with a simple press of a button, a burst of searing flames erupted from the barrels. Blaze formed the flames, and Rogue controlled the intensity of the fire from her gun. We unleashed a symphony of fire that danced across the desolate battlefield. The first wave of chimeras stumbled forward. Their grotesque and unsettling forms illuminated by the fiery onslaught. The heat of the flames licked at their limbs, consuming them in an instant.
With precision honed from years of martial arts training, I targeted the oncoming horde. I unleashed controlled bursts of flames that engulfed the chimeras in a cleansing inferno. Blaze, living up to her name, wielded her fire gun with a fierce determination, turning the battlefield into an incandescent blaze. Rogue, agile and cunning, danced between the chimeras, leaving trails of fire in her wake. Within no time, the chimeras were wiped out.
Once a formidable force, faltered under the relentless assault. Their tall, limp forms twisted and contorted as the fire guns wrought havoc upon them. The battleground became a sea of flickering flames, each burst marking the demise of another chimera.
As the last of the chimeras succumbed to the searing heat, a moment of triumphant silence settled over the scorched landscape. Our guns still smoking, we stood amidst the charred remains of the adversaries. The air crackled with the residual energy of the battle, and the distant echoes of defeated chimeras served as a haunting reminder of the struggle we had just overcome.
“Girls.” I called.
“Yes?” Blaze and Rogue replied.
“I think we just killed the last of the Martians.” I said.
“Wonderful, they can send us a postcard from the underworld to thank us for saving them from the eternal damnation they were cursed to face.” Rogue said stoically as she walked ahead.
“Now, to face the real problem.” Blaze added. “How in God’s name are we supposed to face those gigantic monstrosities in there? The chimeras were zombified and mutated, but what about the highly clever, strong, fast, and agile Orcs that guard the cells?”
“I’ll fight them.” Rogue said as she cracked her knuckles and walked ahead of us.
However, I pulled her back.
“You can’t fight them, Rogue. You’ll die.” I said.
“So?” Rogue asked.
“You need to free your boyfriend.” I said. “You can’t do that while you’re dead.”
“You’re right.” Rogue replied. “So, what do we do?”
I, Blaze, and Rogue shared looks, our camaraderie unbroken by the intense battle. The fire guns, marvels of technology, had proven to be the perfect equalizer against the formidable chimeras. In the aftermath of the fiery conflict, we surveyed the desolation we had wrought upon the once-threatening horde, a testament to our strategic prowess and the power of our high-tech weaponry. However, defeating the Orcs would take brute strength. Not calculation and precision.
"You know what, I'll go in first." I said.
"Okay listen up, wise guy, weren't you the one who told me that I'll be killed if I go in alone? I've fought in numerous space battles. What makes you so special?" Rogue asked me.
"Alright, first, don't call me 'wise guy'. I barely passed any of my first-year classes at the Intergalactic Kaizen School. Second of all, I do not know if you've been living under a rock, but I have special powers." I said to Rogue.
"Oh really?" Rogue replied sarcastically. "What kind of 'special powers'?" She asked.
Rogue and Blaze were at my side as I stood there, waiting for me to show them what I meant. As I was about to reveal a secret power that neither of them knew I possessed, there was a flicker of excitement in their eyes. Well, there was a flicker of excitement in Blaze's eyes, Rogue leaned more on the sceptical side. I reached out and felt energy shoot through me with a quiet focus. I flexed my muscles and my body crackled with an unfathomable charge.
"Zenia, is this some kind of illusion?" Blaze stuttered, her voice a mixture of awe and scepticism.
I grinned, feeling infinite strength coursing through my body. The truth is, I too did not know how I did it. It was simply something in my blood, something innate within me. "Watch this," I declared, my eyes narrowing in determination. With a swift motion, I directed my colossal arm towards the ground. The atmosphere trembled as my gargantuan fist connected with the hard rock, causing a drastic dent in the area I hit.
"How did you... what was that?" Blaze finally managed to articulate. Her eyes were wide with amazement and shock. And come to think of it, that was the first time I ever saw Rogue truly amazed.
"It's a power I have within myself," I explained, a sense of pride and wonder in my voice. "I can manipulate the size and strength of my muscles at will. It's like tapping into a reservoir of untapped energy within me."
As the reality of my power settled upon us, we exchanged glances. My ability to triple the size of my muscles and increase my strength, would undoubtedly prove invaluable in the challenges that lay ahead. However, Rogue's look of amazement quickly turned into one of bewilderment, and then concern. She walked closer to me, her mouth slightly agape, and eyebrows furrowed.
"Zenia, have you always had this power?" She asked.
"No. It just suddenly showed up when last year on my fifteenth birthday." I replied. "Why do you ask?"
Rogue turned pale. Her look of concern suddenly turned into a look of fear. I had seen her look before. I could tell it anywhere. It was a look that echoed post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Rogue?" I called out to her. “Are you okay?”
Before she could answer, there was a large bang that came from the entrance of the tower.
I stood frozen as I stared at the entrance of the ominous tower, the air thick with an unsettling tension. Three grotesque figures emerged from the shadows. Their hulking forms silhouetted against the dimly lit doorway. The one in the middle, a monstrous behemoth among them, loomed with a malevolence that sent shivers down my spine.
The Orcs, their twisted features contorted into grotesque masks of malice, stared at me with eyes that gleamed with an insatiable hunger. The biggest and ugliest one bellowed a guttural roar that echoed through the desolate halls, signalling their malevolent intent. Without warning, the trio surged forward with a terrifying speed, their deformed limbs propelling them towards the three of us in a nightmarish pursuit. Dread clutched at my chest as the realization dawned - there was no escape from the relentless charge of the monstrous beings, their horrifying forms closing in with an unrelenting thirst for blood.
Suddenly, I felt a great strength flowing through my veins. My blood rushed as courage, bravery, and animalistic savagery took over me. From deep within my chest, a satisfying roar emerged, purging my body of all fear. The muscles in my upper body began to bulge as I felt myself strengthen. The muscles tore through my shirt as infinite power and zeal flooded my senses. With a punch to the ground, I pounced forward, heading straight to the orcs. My body had tripled in size, and I was far from recognizable. Quickly, I ran to the entrance and punched the first Orc that came at me.
Strength surged through me, muscles bulging with newfound power. The grotesque creatures snarled. Their malformed faces twisted into expressions of predatory malice. With a primal roar, I lunged into the fray. My colossal fists collided with the second Orc. The impact reverberated through the desolate landscape, the force enough to send the creature sprawling.
The other Orcs, undeterred by their comrade's fall, closed in with a ferocity matched only by their grotesque appearances. My every strike was a seismic force, a relentless onslaught that shattered their defences. Yet, the Orcs fought back with a brutality that mirrored their ghastly visages. Claws scraped against my enhanced muscles, and feral roars filled the air. In the twisted dance of combat, I battled against the creatures that guarded the tower, my strength pitted against their monstrous might. The asteroid echoed with the clashing of forces, a symphony of horror and resilience as I fought tooth and nail to breach the ominous threshold they so fiercely protected.
I managed to defeat the first fleet of Orcs. Looking behind me, I saw Blaze and Rogue, still standing there, frozen. Eyes wide and mouths open, they both were puzzled. Blaze put out the fire she had started in her palms using pyrokinesis. Rogue placed her guns back in her pocket and walked forward.
The mundane constraints of my previous form dissolved, replaced by an overwhelming sense of strength and vigour. My limbs, now colossal, radiated with energy. I stepped back a bit, taken aback by the enhanced beast form I had turned into. Each step sent tremors through the ground, a testament to the raw might I possessed. My senses heightened, and the air crackled with a vibrant intensity, the glistening lights above me looked even more magical from my improved sight. Invigorated, I sensed an ancient wellspring of strength surging through me. The very essence of power hummed within me, an indomitable force that fuelled my every movement. Confidence washed over me. I was sure that defeating the remaining Orcs inside the tower would be easy.
"Well, I guess I won't need to fight any Orcs today." Rogue said as she walked to me. "If you had told us that you can turn into a giant beast, we wouldn't have panicked at the thought of you getting killed out here."
Blaze walked to me and looked up at me. She scanned my appearance as she walked around me. I huffed and puffed. My breath visible in the cold asteroid air. Blaze held my arm, I flinched and pulled back, not wanting to hurt her. My adrenaline was at a drastic high, and I did not want to go berserk.
“Can you talk while in this state?” Blaze asked.
I shook my head and grunted. It was the first time I had ever attained that level of power. In that moment, I realised something. My blood held a lot of secrets. A sound came from inside the tower that caught my attention. The Orcs knew we were there. I let out a roar and ran right into the tower. What I saw should have scared me, but it did not. Gigantic, revolting beasts ran towards me. I slightly smirked and lunged at them. As one orc ran to me, I unleashed just one punch that was enough to knock it out cold. I did the same with the other Orcs as I jumped from floor to floor, Blaze and Rogue following closely behind me. Before we knew it, all the Orcs had been knocked out and we had reached the third topmost floor.
“This is where Jessie and Chester are.” Blaze said as I gradually returned to my human form.
She walked to a cell and blasted the door using a pyrokinetic technique.
“Jessie! Chester!” Blaze and Rogue said as they ran to free them from the shackles that they were held in.
Jessie hugged Blaze, Chester picked up Rogue and twirled her around. Blaze and Rogue were clearly happy, one could tell that they had missed their boyfriends a lot.
“Zenia!” Jessie and Chester said simultaneously.
“Wait, you guys know me?” I asked.
“We’ve seen you on the news!” Jessie and Chester replied.
“Fair enough. Alright, you kids have fun. I’ll go look for Aethelwulf.” I said as I ran out of the cell, adrenaline rushing through my veins.
Chapter Four
As I ran to the topmost floor, the air shifted with a stifling dread. The walls, etched with the scars of past suffering, whispered tales of anguish as if they harboured the ghosts of tormented souls. The corridors twisted in macabre patterns, leading me into a labyrinth of despair. My senses recoiled at the oppressive atmosphere, a chilling reminder of the unspeakable horrors that had transpired within these cursed walls.
The torture chambers, whose ghastly existence had earned the tower its sinister name, loomed ominously. The metallic tang of blood lingered in the air, and the flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows upon instruments of pain and torment. Each chamber held echoes of agonized screams. The ghosts of victims long gone but never forgotten. As the realization of the tower's malevolent purpose sank in, panic clenched at my chest as I stumbled upon a gruesome tableau of suffering. The spectre of the Alcatraz's dark history materialized before my eyes, an unrelenting nightmare from which there seemed no escape. I had no time to observe everything though. I quickly sped up and looked for the cell labelled ‘Lycaon’. I found it and kicked it open.
There he was, handsome as ever, with his blonde hair and blue eyes. He had managed to free himself from the chains that had been placed around his wrists. He was shirtless, chiseled body glistening with sweat as he breathed heavily through his pink plump lips.
“Hey princess.” He said. “I’ve missed you.”
Entranced by Aethelwulf's captivating presence, I found myself drawn into the depths of his azure eyes, a tranquil ocean of blue that spoke of hidden depths. His golden locks cascaded like sunlit silk, framing a face chiseled with a perfection that seemed almost ethereal. Aethelwulf's towering stature and milky skin held a regal quality, an embodiment of grace and strength that left me breathless.
As he gazed into my eyes, the intensity of his stare sent a flutter through my heart, like the delicate wings of a butterfly. Time seemed to pause in the space between us, and in those stolen moments, I felt an unspoken connection that transcended the ordinary. His presence, a magnetic force, held me in a spell, and I marvelled at the beauty of the man before me.
Aethelwulf's allure was more than skin deep; it resonated in the tender way he spoke, the warmth of his touch, and the gentleness that accompanied his every gesture. In the embrace of his gaze, I felt a stirring of emotions, a silent melody that played only for us. Aethelwulf, with his blue eyes reflecting the depth of the skies, had become a constellation in my universe, a celestial force that left me longing for more moments bathed in the radiance of his presence.
He walked to me and picked me up by the waist. With no hesitation, our lips met. I felt myself melt in his strong arms.
“Still sweet as always, I see.” He said as he rubbed his nose against mine and put me down.
“Aethelwulf, you have got to start taking wolfsbane. I can’t risk having you captured all the time.” I said to him.
“I can’t make any promises, princess. You should know me well enough by now.” He said as he took my hand and led me out of the cell.
I giggled as we ran through the corridors of the tower. By that point, all the prisoners had already broken out of their cells. They were celebrating, dancing everywhere and lighting fireworks to the sky. Aethelwulf and I looked outside, admiring how beautifully the lights above blended with the fireworks. I stood with Aethelwulf, our hearts pounding in exhilaration as we witnessed the spectacle unfolding before us. The group of prisoners, liberated from the confinements of the imposing stone structure, moved in a euphoric dance beneath the twinkling stars. Explosions of vibrant fireworks burst above them, painting the night sky with hues of azure, emerald, and amethyst.
Aethelwulf's golden locks swirled in the enchanting breeze, and his radiant, delighted expression mirrored the joy that filled my own heart. The air was alive with magic, and as I laughed in sheer delight, I couldn't help but marvel at the handsome figure beside me – tall, muscular, and broad. The celebration of newfound freedom seemed to weave a spell around us, and in that moment.
We ran outside to look for Jessie, Chester, Rogue, and Blaze. They were partying outside with the other freed captives. We walked to them as they danced.
“Hey guys.” I said. “We should get going before the Cosmic Empire finds out what just happened here.”
“Chances are they already know!” Blaze said as she laughed.
“Dude, where’s our spaceship? Where’s our spaceship, dude?” Jessie and Chester asked as they looked around the horizon.
“We put an invisible shield over it. It’s right there, on the mountains! Let’s go.” Rouge took Chester’s arm and led the way.
We all ran to the mountain. As we did so, I had time to appreciate the asteroid’s beautiful landscape. Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, revealed a rugged landscape scarred by eons of cosmic collisions. Massive boulders and jagged rocks lay strewn across the asteroid's surface, creating a treacherous path for the intrepid explorer. The eolith beneath my feet was a fine layer of dust, disturbed only by the occasional gust of solar wind that swept through the barren landscape.
The sky above was a canvas of utter blackness, sprinkled with distant stars that seemed to hang like diamonds in the cosmic abyss. The lack of atmosphere meant there was no celestial purple to soften the harsh edges of the terrain. Instead, the sunlight refracted off the rocky surfaces, casting an otherworldly glow across the asteroid's desolation.
We finally reached the mountain. The invisibility cloak covering the spaceship floated away, revealing a space navigator’s dream.
“She’s a beauty.” I said as I looked at the work of art in front of me.
As I gazed upon the sleek marvel before me, my breath caught in the vast expanse of awe. The ship, an ethereal fusion of metallic brilliance and crystalline elegance, seemed to transcend the boundaries of mere technology. Its hull shimmered with an iridescent glow, as if woven from strands of stardust itself. Arcane symbols and pulsating runes adorned its surface, dancing with a mesmerizing energy that hinted at the ship's unfathomable capabilities.
The air around it hummed with a subtle resonance, as if the very fabric of the cosmos acknowledged its presence. Every contour of the vessel whispered secrets of advanced engineering, and yet, it was as though it harnessed the magic of the cosmos, bending reality to its will. I stood there, bathed in the radiant aura of this celestial creation, feeling the palpable enchantment that clung to the ship like a cosmic cloak. In that moment, the boundary between science and sorcery blurred, and I marvelled at the sublime beauty of a vessel that seemed to defy the limits of the known universe.
We all got in and took our seats. Blaze and Rogue handled the controls, while Aethelwulf, Jessie and Chester adjusted the ship’s weaponry for any space battle possibilities. We soon took off, leaving the cold landscape of Ceres behind us, flying out into deep space.
“Hey!” Rogue yelled. “What is this? Some kind of parliament session? Turn on the music!”
Blaze chuckled and turned on the ship’s speakers. A techno song began to play at a loud volume.
“Woohoo! Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Rogue said as she got up and began to dance.
Amidst the vast expanse of the cosmos, our spacefaring escapade transformed into a celestial celebration that lingered in the recesses of my memory. The spaceship’s interior pulsated with vibrant hues, casting a kaleidoscopic glow upon the dancing figures of my companions—Blaze, Rogue, Jessie, Chester, and Aethelwulf. Galactic beats reverberated through the metallic corridors, and the walls seemed to resonate with the echoes of our laughter.
Gleaming stars framed the panoramic views through the ship's expansive windows as we revelled in the weightlessness of jubilation. Intergalactic cocktails flowed freely, their effervescent colors mirroring the exuberance of our camaraderie. Each member of our cosmic cohort added their unique spark to the dance of lights and laughter, creating a tapestry of memories that now twinkles in the firmament of our shared history. As the ethereal melodies wove tales of distant galaxies, we soared through the cosmos, a band of interstellar revellers leaving echoes of joy in our wake.
“Hey.” I said to Aethelwulf as I pulled him close.
“Are you alright?” He asked.
“What do you know about gigantism?” I asked.
“Not much, only that it is genetic, and it flows within the blood. Why?” He asked.
“I think I’ll need some help researching the history of my bloodline.” I said.
“No problem, princess.” Aethelwulf replied.
The end
By Keren Skywalker
©Keren Obara 2023
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