Chapter CDXVII: Overload
~Multehx
"Mecha" frowned. This day was not going to his likings. Unit ABYVK had not performed his ordered duty. The weapon takings were sort of paltry, in his opinion. And now, there stood the red one, one Naaro Yoshi of the Karmali, and one Vector Sprint, the futuristic speed demon of a Yoshi with...a rather ridiculous looking harness he might add.
Frustrated, he
turned to
--------------------------------
Beneath the tree, on that sunny day, the professor sat. He could have been sleeping, his eyes were closed indeed, but he wasn't. He was smiling, amused, listening to the now oh-so-cliché noises going on just a bit behind him. The metallic tromping of the three knights now upon the bridge. More noises as they crossed to the center, and then the favorite part.
This was like clockwork; every single time, without fail. The guards obstructed the way, probably standing most boldly. The leader probably extended his hand, and spoke in a booming voice. "HALT!" or "CEASE!" or something bold like that; they always did that, it was like an unwritten law. And, of course, the Mechna Knights wouldn't cease, there'd be a scuffle, and the clashing of metal on metal, whether it be weapons or the Knights' armor itself.
Alfred winced as there were a series of wet, chopping sounds, like knives cutting deftly through something, and that of ripping armor. And more chopping and the occasional sound of something hard and metal impacting on something softer, squishier, with bone underneath. Several thuds upon the bridge, and again the knights resumed their pace. Nsvem settled back again as there was the telltale sound of banging; bashing down the doors no doubt.
But this went on, and on, and on. Eventually it became irritating enough to drive the man to stand, and angrily run down to the bridge. "REALLY," he bellowed, "Is that all that necessary?!"
The knights continued, pummelling the gate, one hacking at it with a broadsword, all with little reaction. The gate wasn't really even shaking with each impact. With a groan, Alfred gestured the minions to step back, and he took the forefront, examining the door closely. He narrowed his eyes, running a gloved finger along a board. As if to test the integrity, he gave it a solid flick, causing a standard knock. He scrutinized it a bit closer before finally turning around.
"Well duh, when are things here ever easy? 'Mana' reinforcement, it would seem." He smirked, taking a short rod out of a coat pocket. It seemed to instantly expand to a straight, five to six foot cane, blue with white caps on either end of it. "Now, sir, if you'd be so kind as to gather and seed the clouds?"
The breeze began to pick up until it was a full-blown gale that seemed to swirl about the vicinity of the palace region. Clouds began to cover the horizon, blocking out the sun of the otherwise sunny day. Nsvem grinned, his thumb travelling along the top of his cane. "Perfect..."
The Knights stood motionless, just regarding the partial-man as he walked away, and up to the top of a hill. He rubbed his hands together fast indeed, sticking his cane in the soft soil to stand on its own as he put his hands out, fingers spread. Slowly, gradually, the air began to feel a bit more...tingly. Leaves on trees and the tassels of ornate cloths that were draped here and there about the palace began to raise and stand on end. "Come to Alfie, ions," the professor murmured in a singsong voice.
The clouds began to grow darker, and a low rumbling filled the sky. "Ah, sunny day to a rather plentiful gathering of cumulonimbus," he smirked, "Fa'Diel has such a fickle weather system – oh my! What do we have here?"
Small sparks and bolts of electricity began traversing through the cloud, illuminating bits of it. Alfred moved both hands to his chest, closed into fists. Then, like a gesture of scattering dust or seeds, he deftly spread his arms, fingers opening. Only the dust seemed to be very volatile and very charged. Thunder crashed violently before the first massive bolt split a tree in two.
"That's my cue." Nsvem raised his cane overhead; it gleamed with an odd metallic sheen. More thunder. The sky grew steadily darker, the clouds fiercely so. The wind picked up, howling at near a violent crescendo, bolts of lightning striking the country side of the region haphazardly with an attraction to the tallest structures. But, of course, a metal one atop a hill couldn't be missed for long.
As the bolt struck it, the energy coursed through the cane and, consequently, into the bare hand holding it. The odd synthetic rubber seemed to let it travel through, down the professor's arm and into his body. He clenched his teeth as he hit; the burning sensation coursed through his every vein. It seemed to continue for minutes, veritable hours, but still he remained silent as he knew what was to come.
All the coffee
in the world, the sugar on two planets, and a box full of Chocolate Lucky
Charms could not have given a bigger rush. All the power, the supreme energy,
flowing, plowing up through
his veins and right to his head. It was sheerly maddeningly a high. His grin
was purely maniacal as he dropped the cane, smoke wafting from him still,
directing a hand out to face the
"T-the minute I saw this place, I f-felt sheer arrogance; a tota-al-al anal smugness a-t-t it's impregnability! I d-don't care how powerful a place's defences are; nothing in the modern age can stand up t-to the oh-so-simplistic volt!!" he stuttered occasionally, hair sparking wildly. He cackled and unleashed nature's fury in a more all-encompassing, direct and amplified manner.
For those inside, it must have been a surreal spectacle to witness indeed. Artificial lights all about took on a glow of such sheer power that they were never meant to have, and promptly exploded. Outside the sky was nearing pitch black, but the light was near blinding as bolts of lightning strobed by each and every window and through the cracks in between each brick. Electronic devices regulating things sparked wildly, at the massive surge that they weren't built to handle entered them. In fiery explosions, each blew, leaving only a black cloud that reeked of fried electronics. Security systems, safety mechanisms, even those controlling the very bridges went up.
A tremendous bolt from the clouds illuminated the interior of the palace for a moment, then, left only a clap of thunder in its wake.
Alfred sneered, lowering his hand and retrieving his cane. Again, he stuck one end in the earth and fished something out of his pockets. An unusual pink liquid filled the flask he held, a cork keeping the contents in. "And now...how to get in past Mana-reinforced doors."
Reaching into another pocket he withdrew a gun; an odd, shiny, silver gun. The professor admired it for a moment, gently stroking its barrel with a free finger, gently raising it and giving the metal a kiss. With deft movements, he lowered it, shoved the flask's cork into the pseudo-dual-barrel and flipped a switch on the back. Aiming it, he squinted one eye, smiling. "And so forth all shall topple to the force known as science."
He pulled the trigger tight. In a blast of red light, the flask shot through the air with blinding speed, glass shattering wildly as it hit the wall, moments before a tremendous explosion erupted from the area. As the dust settled, the Knights streamed in through the hole in the wall.
Professor Nsvem snickered, re-pocketing the gun. The storm raged on about the area, giving no sign of being near done.