Korruptenacht cackles as he flings off the roof and slams his boots into the terrain. He towers over Cyphid and Rough-Pound, who are terrified, but try not to show it.
Cyphid: G-Grabblenacht...? What have you done to yourself...?
Korruptenacht: Grabblenacht? Nein! Grabblenacht vas past identity! Now vith new strength, Korruptenacht shall terrorize ze galaxy! His vay!
Rough-Pound: Ha! Yer dreamin'!
Korruptenacht slams the side of his hand cannon into Cyphid's stomach, sending him flying back. Rough-Pound grabs the cannon and, with his gauntlet, clobbers Korruptenacht in the face. But Korruptenacht merely snatches Rough-Pound's arm and, with only one hand, tosses him aside.
Korruptenacht: Zis is nein dream!
Cyphid staggers back up and holds his blade against Korruptenacht.
Cyphid: Grabblenacht, stop this! That's enough!
Korruptenacht: Silence! Korruptenacht ist more powerful zan anyone! He does not lizen to ze veak likes of jew!
Rough-Pound lunges at Korruptenacht and JABS him in the stomach. That gives Cyphid the chance to slide in and impale him in his leg. Korruptenacht growls and removes the blade, only to snap it in half and toss the bladed half at the children, who, except for Zack, are watching this fight in sheer amazement. The blade goes right for Zack who is just staring at V's corpse. Knowing she's the closest, Cleo lunges in and tackles them both out of the way. She is on top of him again, growling.
Cleo: Zack, quit moping already!
Zack: She's dead because of me, Cleo. We all are.
Cleo sighs.
Cleo: That's not true. I don't care what happens. It's not your fault.
The others chime in.
Tete: She has a point, Zack. You aren't responsible for any of this.
Cuquin: Nope.
Maripi: Totally, Zack. Trust me, you are absolutely harmless.
Zack: Oh.
Pelusin: She's right about that.
Maripi: Wh-which is a good thing.
Tete: And, hey, maybe we could rebuild her?
Zack nods.
Zack: We could...
He smiles just a little.
Zack: Yeah.
He kneels down to V.
Zack: You hear that? We're going to fix you, V. I promise.
Meanwhile, Korruptenacht blasts Rough-Pound in the chest, twice, sending the big guy tumbling down. Cyphid doesn't have time to react as Korruptenacht slices his chest and, when he drops to his knees, the latter kicks him straight in the chest, leaving both guardians down for the count.
Korruptenacht draws his attention towards the house and smirks.
Korruptenacht: Now Korruptenacht shall begin ze remodeling of his new vorld! Starting vith ze destruction of zis stupid house!
He cocks his blaster and lunges at the house.
Cuquin is the first to notice.
Cuquin: Hey! No! Stop!
The others see Korruptenacht too and race after Cuquin. Climbing with great desperation, he makes it and has a look of pure insanity on his face. Like his only pleasure is to cause chaos.
YOU ARE READING
The Telerin Force: Beginning
Science Fiction11-year-old Zack belonged to an organization known as Eyezakorp, run by Admiral Ove, a cruel monarch who wants to enslave the universe by creating her new army, the Soldiers of the Shadows. But after crash-landing on an unknown planet and meeting a...
