Fallen Stars
Mystery Twenty-Nine
What’s That Alarm??!
(In Ash, Army’s Location)
Private Kate and Private Lena inside the Army’s Base. Walking to the front door, meeting a man.
Specialist Earl: Where are you two going?
Earl white male, with light brown hair, a middle bald spot, glasses, and wearing his green uniform. Puffing a cigarette, while sitting down.
**Earl**
Rank in Army: Specialist
Duty: In Charge of All Privates and Recruiting Them
Private Kate: We’re going to go check on our informant. He just hung up on me without telling me the info he had.
Earl holding his cigarette, staring at them.
Earl: Hm…
Lena leans over to Kate.
Private Lean: C’mon, let us go. It has been boring since that “war” three years ago.
Earl: Alright, go.
Lena cheers.
Earl: But, be back before the Blackout happens.
Lena sticks out her tongue.
Private Lena (joking): We’ll be back waaaay before that goes off.
Earl taps the cigarette on the ashtray. Knocking off the ash.
The two privates walk out of the door. To the open area. Greenery lands, a Hospital to the left, and a Grocery Store to the right. An extravagant fountain is sitting in the middle made of marble. Water spouted out, then fell back down into a huge bowl.
Army Barracks on the other side, with an Army truck coming by driving at top speeds!
Private John (no care): Watch out!
Kate and Lena jump out of the way, while John curves the truck around the building driving even faster.
Private Kate: He is so crazy…
Private Lena: But he’s so cute!
Lena with hearty eyes.
Private Kate: We didn’t come out to look at John. Let’s go to Slag.
Private Lena: We can’t get him to drive us?
Kate looks over and sees John jumping up and down with the truck.
Private Kate: We’re good.
Kate and Lena make it down the Dirt Hill. Coming into the downtown of Ash.
Private Kate: This place looks even better than before.
The city has Army outposts and lookouts on every other block. With Hobgoblins and Goblins, women walk around. A Goblin brings lemonade to an outpost.
Private Lin (cheerful): Thanks!
All the privates come over.
Private Kife (merry): Thank you! It was getting hot here!
Empal (happy): I should be thanking you! After saving our families from those other Goblins and Hobgoblins!
**Empal**
Race: Goblin
A Hobgoblin comes forth also.
Rendang (relieved): We want to thank you. After all the things our husbands have done to us. We owe you!
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
**Rendang**
Race: Hobgoblin
Ten more Hobgoblins and Goblins gather around cheering on their heroes!!
Private Kate: So this is where they all are.
Private Lene: Yippee. After saving them from their husbands, all the races are stationed here.
Kate and Lena continue walking.
Lena: You know what’s crazy?
Kate: What?
Lena: We’ve both been privates for three years.
Kate: Yeah… And apparently, it is my final year of being one too. If I don’t rank up, I’ll be kicked out of the Army.
Lena: I was told the same thing! But it’s so hard to get promoted, stationed here with no action. I’m glad we became friends when we got here.
Kate: I’m glad too.
Kate smiles. A spark comes to Lena.
Lena (joking): Oh! Remember the “Troll War”?
Kate: I first arrived here, right before it happened.
Lena (laughs): What did they think they could do with pitchforks and shovels? Kaha.
Kate (laughs): Why do we even call that war? We beat them in five minutes.
Lena: The trolls called it a war when they charged in. To think, these guys will go to war with us, just to get their wives back. Who, all they’re going to do is abuse them. It’s so illogical.
Kate shakes her head.
Kate: We must keep them safe. We have to make sure our best informant is safe.
After around fifty minutes of walking. They finally come into Slag. Kate and Lena see Jun picking up some coal.
Kate (excited): Jun!
Kate waves over to Jun.
Jun jumps as he’s scared and takes off running.
Kate (stunned): What?
Lena: You knew him?
Kate: Yeah, I don’t know why he reacted like that.
Lena does a quick slant with her hand motioning forward.
Lena: Onward to Zrazy’s House!
Kate: Mhm.
Kate and Lena walk down the street to Zrazy’s House, but someone is standing in the middle of the road.
Kate is paralyzed by his stare. His face is covered by a mask, and in the dark, it's hard to see, but she can see his red eyes staring her down.
Kate: (...Red eyes!!)
Lena is crippled by his glare. The man begins to speak in a dark tone.
Vega: …. You want to die here, or somewhere else?
Both Kate and Lena quickly grab their guns and start to shoot with both hands on their guns! *Bang* *Bang*
Vega: (.....)
Vega rushes in, with a devilish grin under his mask.
Jun is in the background, shaking. Standing next to him is Alambre.
Jun: What does he plan on doing?
Dodging all of their bullets, rotating his sword, getting close, and cutting both of their arms off, with a quick double slash!! Kate and Lena yell out in pain!
Kate: Ahhhh!!
Lena: Awk!!!
Their arms fly up into the air, then come down hitting the ground. Lena and Kate both fall to the ground. Blood flying everywhere!
Vega: I tried to ask if you wanted to die here. I guess you chose.
Vega holds his sword over Lena and Kate.
Kate (frantic): Wait!
Vega: Hm?
Kate: What do you want?!
Vega (annoyed): Is it really necessary to talk about this? You’re going to die either way.
Kate: If I could know anything before I die to someone, I would at least want to know what they were thinking.
Vega glances at the other soldier.
Vega: She already died of blood loss. Fine, I’ll let you know. I want to take out the Army.
Kate: Just the Army here?!
Vega’s expression completely changes to intensely serious.
Vega: No, The Entire Army. That Encompasses The Whole World.
Kate (astounded): What?! For what?! Revenge?!
Vega looks down at her.
Vega: I don't care about "little things" like revenge.
Kate starts to lose consciousness.
Kate: The whole world, huh? I-I died to a very ambitious guy. I’m glad about that.
As Kate dies…
**Vega**
Army Kill Count: 5
Alambre talking to Jun.
Alambre: That bastard. He really killed them. And if his friends are just like this or even worse…
Vega looked around.
Vega: Clean this up. If they send more people, we have to prepare.
An alarm goes off. Heard around the whole city!
Vega quickly covered his ears.
Vega (shocked): AH! What is that!?
Vega sees all of the Knockers holding their ears too.
Vega: (What the hell is this?)
Vega looks up and sees darkness spread out over the village then spreads out more to the North.
Vega: (That’s where the Trolls are. Draco....)
Then the alarm stops. Vega shakes his head.
Vega: What was that?
Mitsado: That was, the “Blackout”. It’s a machine made by the Army here that can spread darkness into our skies.
Vega: That’s how this city got its name? “The City Covered in Darkness”.
Mitsado: Yes. But, some people don’t know, we weren’t always called that. We only got that name when the Army moved in.
Vega: So it's not always dark here?
Mitsado: Without that machine here going off once a week, to cover us up. The sun shines greatly over our city.
Vega: How is that possible? I saw a rock formation over the city.
Mitsado: That is made of “Clear Rock”. Clear Rock allows the sun to shine through it. Brightening up our home.
Vega: Mmmm. (I know someone who would want to see that.)
(In Charcoal, Hobgoblins Territory
Wrath’s Location)
Wrath (pissed off): The fuck was that?! It got my ears ringing!
Loaf yelling back to him.
Loaf: Relax! It’s the weekly sirens!
Wrath: How the fuck do you all deal with that weekly?!
Loaf: We just do!
After a few minutes go by, Loaf explains the Blackout.
Wrath: Whew. Yeah, I can’t deal with that. I’ll go take out that machine right now.
Loaf: Didn’t you say you had friends? Shouldn’t you regroup with them?
Wrath: Oh, yeah. Our base is in the Goblins’ Territory. So I’m only taking a few of you. Who wants to come?
Loaf raises her hand.
Loaf: I have to go! I’m in charge!
Stroganoff walks over.
Stroganoff: *Snort* I am going too, Loaf!
Loaf: Are you sur-
Stroganoff interrupts.
Stroganoff: I am sure!
Loaf slaps him on the back of the neck.
Loaf: Don’t cut me off!
Stroganoff does a face full of pain.
Stroganoff: Ow!! You do it all the time though!
Loaf: I do not!
Stroganoff: Yes yo-
Loaf: I do not!
Stroganoff: You just did it!
Loaf punched Stroganoff over and over.
Wrath sighs.
Wrath: This is going to be a long walk with these two.
[The Hobgoblins Are On The Move,
With Wrath!]
Mystery 29 Fin