Close Nemesis

Chapter Six: Mourning a Friend

XALIR:

Sandsnow floats from the dusty coloured clouds outside the square window to my left as I lie in the soft queen bed that sits against the grey walls of Laiva and I's bedroom. The mattress reminds me of the smooth, amethyst sand beaches of Natar that Laiva and I had once laid on during a romantic getaway. Natar is a world located in the tropical zone of the galaxy. There are many zones within the Aurega galaxy, such as the border and hub zones.

Occos II is located in the hub zone. It's where most of the planets in the Aurega are located. The border zone is where the most time dilation occurs, and the free space zone is located outside of the Aurega.

These zones have been on my mind since Aacis died. I wish that there were some way I could travel into the past.

Laiva travelled to the future by travelling to Knirdova in the border zone, so if I travelled to the other side of the border zone, I would be in the past. However, it's impossible to travel to a past version of Occos II from the border zone. Occos exists in the present, along with the majority of planets within the Aurega. Nothing can bring my best friend back. Aacis is dead. I've been spending most of my day in bed trying to accept that hard truth while Laiva's been at work. But nothing's changed. Nothing's made me feel better.

There's not much keeping me company. Besides the distant howls of growlbirds, the red triangle shaped pillows on the bed are the only source of comfort. I guess it has to do with the fact that they are embroidered with silky, vine like patterns that glow just like my colourful plastic hair.

The silver chandelier above my bed hangs from the black ceiling of my bedroom. I've been staring at it for ages. I've only gotten up to eat some leftover air bass pie that Laiva made last night. Air bass are floating fish on the gas giant Maraugerayzeo. They usually taste dry, yet they're packed with flavour.

I've had an abysmal day. I am still coming to terms with my best friend's death, and as much as I want to kill Oppugnant for what they did, I can't at the moment. I'm finding myself weak, lazy, and very unfocussed. I feel completely unlike myself. I don't really want to talk to anyone like I normally do, or even go somewhere with my friendship group and make gross jokes. Aacis was a part of that friendship group, and welp, now he's dead.

Dead because of Oppugnant's evil.

And dead because I failed to kill Oppugnant.

Knowing that Oppugnant's still out there makes me sick. Knowing that they could harm more of my close friends and loved ones, especially Laiva, makes my blue Plassilmaver blood boil. I mean, I have tons of friends. Dozens upon dozens of them. But, out of them all, Aacis and Laiva mattered the most in my circular heart. And since one of them is dead, so I guess it's my duty to protect Laiva by killing Oppugnant. I won't let a single being touch her.

Of course, it's always been my duty to protect Laiva, as has it been hers to protect me. I might still be saddened by the death of my best friend Aacis, but right now, after spending hours in bed, I have decided to sit up, and head to my lair.

Then, I'm going to visit Lygor, one of my alter ego's many associates. Usually, I'd have to do some digging to find out where he is, but I read some news today on my phone that says that he's been detained by the authorities of Podplanata III's capital city.

I'm going to see whether I can free him.

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My spare costumes remain hidden in the fortress on the multicoloured jungle planet of Teglyo. This fortress is the headquarters for the Hero Complex Program, and as such, it is very difficult to escape. It's walls are made from a thick mineral resembling limestone, specifically designed to keep the building's superpowered prisoners from escaping. I doubt even Oppugnant would be able to escape, but I'm not quite sure.

I pilot my double seater space plane over the colourful pink jungles, towards the rocky cliff that the fort is built upon. Usually, I hide this plane in a warehouse on the outskirts of Entrek. Laiva doesn't know about it. It's as secret as my double life as a vigilante..

The jet powered turbines on the back of my space plane roar as I descend towards the runway extending from the fort's central hangar. My plane's wheels touch hard on the asphalt, and as the space plane slows down, I direct into the steel walled hangar. I open my fibreglass cockpit, and climb off the glossy jet-black body of the plane. White dots decorate the exterior of the space plane, and although they're barely visible in the bright Teglyo sun, at night, they glow brightly.

As I walk along the hangar's metal floors, my pale white face hidden behind a red, hexagonal shaped helmet, I stare out of my turquoise coloured holo-visor, and wave at the nearby warehouse crew. They're busy unpacking holocrete crates, but I can't really see what's inside them. Ammunitions? Rations? More fabrics for the tailor robots?

I sigh as I stroll through a steel walled corridor, passing Noldv and Equaz, Rotcetorp's two Teglyon assistants.

"Rotcetorp, it's good to see you again!" Equaz remarks.

"I'm not in the mood to talk, Equaz," I respond harshly. "I'm just here for one of my spare suits."

I had initially kept my suit at the same place where I kept my alter ego's space plane. Following one of my many battles with Oppugnant, I flew my space Teglyo as Rotcetorp. The owners of the fort had called me a powerful, yet wise superhero, who would prove more trustworthy than the superheroes who had once gone rogue and were forced to battle it out to keep their fighting obsession at bay.

They provided me with a spaceplane, which is relatively easy to fly. When I put my mind to the test, normally I succeed. I'm a very goal-oriented person, and that makes me very dependable at work.

Anyway, sometimes, a couple of super powered beings threaten to escape, so I intimidate them to ensure that they do not escape. Sometimes, I kill escapees, but that's a rare occasion. Although, I have been called the Harbinger of Death across the galaxy.

Silveagak, the puppet leader of the Hero Complex Management Program, always tells me of how she is proud of my efforts to secretly support this program. Silveagak is the member of the bird-like Dribkeabian species. Like most Dribkeabians, Silveagak has slitted eyes on either side of her head, along with sharp talons and matted feathers. However, I haven't seen many Dribkeabian's carry obsidian harpoons. Silveagak is fierce, and when I first met with her, I was worried she was going to use her harpoon on me.

Luckily, I seem to be on her good side, thanks to my allegiance to Rotcetorp.

I stroll through the steel floored corridor, towards a silver, holocrete vault door. I pass through the vault door, and remove my pilot helmet. Three stone podiums stand tall in the titanium room. A set of Rotcetorp armour stands on each of the first two podiums. The armour that usually stands on the third podium is missing, obviously.

Besides myself, Aacis is the only one who can pass through the holocrete vault door. To everybody else, the vault doors are as solid as titanium.

I dress into my glossy black suit, and then, I place on my curved, Rotcetorp helmet. I stare through the red visors as I exit the vault and walk back through the corridor towards the hangar.

My black Rotcetorp boots raises me a centimetre or two in height. I quietly thank Aacis for having built me such an amazing suit. I don't know what I can do without him.

I mean, of course I do. I can avenge his death by killing Oppugnant. But he was such a great confidante that I don't know who to turn to, now that he's dead.

Laiva could be my confidante. But I don't want to place her at risk. Especially since Oppugnant's already killed a friend of mine. If she knows about Laiva working with me, then she could go after her. I can't let Laiva die. I need to hurry up and kill Oppugnant so that nobody else dies, either.

First, however, I'll need a new close confidante in Lygor.

That's the reason why I'm about to travel to Podplanata III.

It's time to show the galaxy that Rotcetorp didn't die. It's time to give them hope.

It's time to avenge Aacis.