The Ferret Universe

Chapter 4

"Oh, thank you, thank you for arriving so early!" Galactic Queen Clara spoke in her high-pitched, dramatic-formal tone. She was giving us her wide grin, clasping her hands together as she faced me, Jedidiah, and Lula in front of the Prime Palace gates. "Supreme Warrior Jedidiah, you are always so punctual—you never fail to delight me with such impeccable timing!"

I sniggered and muttered, "If that's the kind of stuff that excites you, I feel sorry for ya."

Jedidiah elbowed me. "Sonny," he rasped, casting me a scolding frown. "This is the Galactic King and Queen. Show some respect."

I lowered my head and muttered sarcastically. "Yes, daddy."

I heard a quiet giggle from Lula.

Jedidiah's whiskers twitched as he glared down at me. However, I noticed a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

Then he turned to stare at the Galactic King and Queen with his impatient frown. "No thanks needed, your honor," he rasped. "If the Void's powers are returning as ye say, I just wanna strategize as quickly as possible."

Galactic King Clarence was facing us with his heavy-lidded, calm smile. He proceeded to speak in his calm but melodramatic tone. "Well first off...wonderful, wonderful victory today, all of you." He gave each of us congratulatory nods. "Please. Know that it is because of your impressive records that we have decided to inform you early about what Clara and I have planned for that Void." A grim look formed on his face. "But before we get into the good news, we must first disclose the bad news."

A look of concern swept over Lula, Jedidiah, and I. We watched as Clarence slowly hovered left and right in front of us, holding his head high as he spoke with a solemn tone. "It is true that the Void of Oblivion is undergoing some changes... it is true that its powers are returning. Clara and I were only able to confirm this when we were informed of a dire event that has taken place." He stopped and turned his head to face us with his heavy-lidded, grim expression. "The Galactic King of Galaxy Z... he has informed us that the Soul Bandit has escaped imprisonment, and thus has his soul-snatching powers again. That is the reason why the Void's powers are returning."

I let out a gasp.

Jedidiah narrowed his eyes and Lula stopped rubbing her cheeks against a pillow.

Clara tilted her head, holding her cheeks. Her eyes looked ready to pop out. "Ohhhh what horror! We had replaced the Bandit's Powerblock Prism 98 years ago— it has always taken 100 years before a replacement is needed! Of course, Clarence and I wasted no time investigating—we found that the Powerblock Prism had been destroyed! The loathsome brute was therefore able to escape!"

I felt a surge of dread. Only Galactic Kings and Queens know how to create and destroy Powerblock Prisms. No other ferret—not even strong Cosmic Warriors like me, Jedidiah, Lula—knew how to use their Elemental Powers to summon or adjust such things. Creating Powerblock Prisms was a secret power that only the Galactic Kings and Queens passed down.

And Clarence and Clara—who were Galactic King and Queen of the most prosperous galaxy— were the strongest Galactic Kings and Queens who could summon the strongest Powerblock Prisms.

Heh! The Elemental Powers of the Galactic Kings and Queens may not be half as strong as the weakest Cosmic Warrior, I thought. But if they can use their Elemental Powers to summon a freakin' power-blocking thing, that means a lot.

Clarence was giving a slow nod, his heavy-lidded eyes staring ahead with a look of sadness. "Our cameras that hover around the Prism...they detected this..."

He did a slow, brief slithery dance to summon a white vortex displaying images.

I watched the images play out— a blurry gray form was darting around the outskirts of the Powerblock Prism. I assumed it was a ferret—there were a bunch of objects that were materializing everywhere the blurry dash was seen.