Fallen Stars

Mystery Twenty-Seven

Hard Knock Life!

(In Slag, Knockers’ Territory)

Vega walking through rubble.

Vega: This place is all rocks…

Coming into the village, all the windows shut. People quickly slammed their doors and locked them.

Vega: I didn’t even do anything... yet.

Vega continues walking around with no one coming out, and creatures peeking through the windows.

Vega: (I don’t want to yell to get them out.)

Vega starts to hear noises coming from the eastern side of the village.

Vega: (Maybe someone can help me there.)

Vega walks in that direction and sees smog floating into the air.

Vega: What is happening over here?

He turns the corner and sees a minecart come flying out of a Coal Mine!

Vega: …

Two creatures hop out of the cart.

Alambre: Great work today!

Jun: Damn right!

They both have whiteish skin with long noses, and shovels in hand. Standing around 3 feet tall.

Alambre: I can’t wait to get home! Glad the boss let us out early!

Jun: I’m happy too.

Vega appears behind them, sword out to their necks.

Vega: Stop.

Chills go down Alambre and Jun’s spines.

Vega: Who are you?

Alambre: Who are you?!

Vega: Answer me, before I cut you down.

Jun (shaking): I’m Jun! This is Alambre! We’re Coal Miners! Please don’t kill me, Mr. Soldier! I have a family!

Vega with anger in his voice.

Vega: I’m not part of the Army…

Alambre: Then, who are you?!

Vega: Take me to your boss.

Jun: W- We have to get inside the cart.

Vega turns his head to look at it.

Vega: I can’t fit in that, we’ll have to walk to him.

Alambre: The hell?! That’s an-

Vega puts the sword closer to his neck.

Vega: What were you saying?

Jun: Please don’t! We’ll take you there. It’s just an hour’s walk.

Vega: That’s fine. Don’t try anything.

Jun (shivering): Ye-Yes sir!

Vega with his sword still out, walks behind the two creatures, following them down the mine.

Alambre: Tck.

Vega: ...?

Vega keeps an eye on Alambre while walking down the Mine tunnel.

After an hour of walking, Vega starts to hear noises. It’s an instrumental playing in the background. Coming closer and closer, Vega walks into an open mine cave, with 30+ Creatures mining with pickaxes. He hears them all singing.

Zrazy: It's a hard-knock life, for us. ♪

Kamounia: It's a hard-knock life for us. ♪

Mitsado: 'Stead of treated. ♪

Zrazy: We get tricked! ♪

Kamounia: 'Stead of kisses. ♪

Mitsado: We get kicked! ♪

Zrazy, Kamounia, and Mitsado: It's the hard-knock life! ♪

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Vega (facepalms): I know this song…

Jun: You do?

Vega puts his sword back in its sheath.

Vega: Someone I know used to sing it.

All the creatures turn around from mining.

Zrazy: Oh! Who is your friend, Jun!?

Zrazy jumps down and runs up to Vega.

Zrazy (big smile): Nice to meet ya!

As he puts out his hand.

Vega: (He is too friendly.)

Vega crosses his arms.

Zrazy: Oh.

Zrazy gets sad. Mitsado jumps down too.

Mitsado: Now, what do you want? Gold?

Vega: Gold? This isn’t a coal mine?

Mitsado: This mine has all types of gems and ores! We have enough to share too!

Vega: (Why is he telling me all of this.)

Vega looks around and sees all the Knockers staring at him.

Vega: I came for your help.

Zrazy: We’re in!

Vega (concerned): …. You don’t even know what it is.

Zrazy: Doesn’t matter! I like the way you carry yourself!

Vega: …

Alambre runs over.

Alambre (cautious): Are you sure about this boss? He held his sword to our necks!

Zrazy: He must’ve had a good reason to do it!

Vega: I didn’t.

Vega says nonchalantly.

Alambre (vigilant): See!

Vega (uninterested): Let’s hurry this up, I hate talking to other people. We’re going after the Army here. You can join in or not, either way, it doesn't matter to me.

Zrazy: We’ll help!

Vega (sighs): (So friendly....) Well, My friends should be gathering the other races, and then we’ll meet up to take out the Army.

Zrazy: Others?? Like the Hobgoblins?

Vega: Yeah, My friend, Wrath went to recruit them.

Zrazy: Wrath… with a name like that, he can handle them.

Vega: I have to ask. What are Knockers’ special traits or does anyone have a cosmic path?

Zrazy: Uh, Cosmic Path? Never heard of that. But our Special Trait is Speed Digging!

Vega: Hmm. That can work great.

Zrazy (excited): We live to serve!

Vega (jaded): Right…

Zrazy: I’m the boss of this village. Call me, Zrazy!

**Zrazy**

City: Stephano

Slag Village’s Boss

Race: Knocker

Zrazy: I can introduce you to all of the miners and village folk.

Vega: Ok.

Zrazy: C'mon guys! I’m calling an early day!

All the Knocker miners cheer!

Vega: (This was too easy… I’ll stay on guard.)

All of the Knockers and Vega take an hour to get out of the mine cave. Getting into the village, Zrazy introduces them all, and they spread out and go to their respective homes, while Vega goes to Zrazy’s house.

Vega: This is a decent-sized house.

Zrazy walks in with tea. Giving a cup to Vega.

Zrazy: Thanks! I have the biggest house here.

Vega: Now. You already told me about the Hobgoblins. But what about the Trows or the Trolls? Will they help?

Zrazy taking a sip.

Zrazy: I tend not to talk to the Trolls. We never got along. But the Trows, maybe.

Vega: That’s where I’m headed next.

Zrazy: To Soot?

Vega: Yeah. So don’t do anything to draw the Army’s attention.

Zrazy: Will do.

Vega: Make sure all of your people are on board. I don’t want any surprises from our side.

Zrazy (perky): Sir, Yes Sir! You’re a really good leader!

Vega changed his tone.

Vega: I don’t lead. Leaders take all of the blame when something goes wrong.

Zrazy: ….Oh. Well I, just-

Vega stands up and begins to walk out.

Vega: I’ll be back when I regroup with my friends.

As Vega does a wave where Zrazy can only see the back of his hand.

Zrazy: Wait!

Zrazy gets up and goes to the door.

Zrazy: I never learned your name!

Vega is still walking away.

Vega: It's Vega.

Zrazy: Vega. Well, we will see you, Vega!

Vega walks off onward to Soot. Zrazy turns back going into his house. Zrazy lets out an interested Huh.

Zrazy: Huh.

Zrazy looking at Vega’s cup.

Zrazy: He didn’t even touch his tea.

As Zrazy does a grin.

Zrazy: He’s a very cautious one. I’ll inform the Army.

Picking up the phone dialing a number.

Ring, Ring, Ring.

Zrazy: C’mon, pick up.

Someone picks up the phone.

Private Kate: What do you Knockers want this time?

Zrazy (merry): Is this Kate?! I have some info for you!

Kate sighs loudly. Kate has smooth white skin, and brown long hair, in her green uniform.

Private Kate: It’s always you, Zrazy. What is it?

Zrazy: Ahem. Well-

As a sword goes through Zrazy’s back! He spits up some blood!

Zrazy: *Bleh*

Zrazy looked down at the sword going through his chest. Zrazy looked behind him and saw Vega’s red eyes glaring at him, Vega holding one finger over his mask…

Vega: Shhh...

Vega pulls the sword out, and Zrazy slowly falls.

Vega: …

Vega picks up the phone and ends the call.

(In Ash, Army’s Location.)

Private Kate (baffled): What was that? He just hung up?

Another Private laying down speaks up.

Private Lena: Who was that? Zrazy?

Lena with light brown skin with short dark black hair.

Private Kate: Yeah. And he just hung up on me. He usually has a lot to say.

Private Lena: Want to go down and check on him?

Private Kate: We’d have to ask to go down there. He said he had some info for me.

Lena jumps up.

Private Lena: Well, let’s go! This place has been boring lately.

(Back in Soot.)

Zrazy spitting up blood.

Zrazy: How... Did you know…?

Vega: I didn’t, I just waited a couple of seconds and you went right to call them.

Zrazy laughed, as his eyes got darker and darker. The pain in his chest is agonizing.

Zrazy: I knew you were a careful one….

Zrazy kills over, blood filling up the room.

Vega: Hm, green blood.

Vega walks out and flicks the blood off of his sword.

Alambre standing in front of him stunned.

Alambre (startled): Did you just…

Vega, after flicking all of the green blood off of his sword. Holds it in his right hand, and the backside of the blade, on his shoulder.

Vega: Yeah, I did it. As Draco would say, betrayers, need to die.

An image of Draco doing a big smiling laugh in silhouette is above Vega. Alambre's jaw drops. All the other Knockers are coming out of their houses.

Vega: (....)

Jun (shaking): Zraz…

Vega: Listen. We will be attacking the Army soon. And you can help us take them out. But, we won’t stand for someone betraying us, again.

Jun crying and falling to his knees. Holding his heart.

Jun: But.. you didn’t have…

Vega tilted his head, and with a stern voice.

Vega: I did.

Jun looks up, as Vega stares him down with his red eyes.

Jun (scared out of his mind): (He’s... the devil!!)

Vega: Now.

Vega puts his sword back in its sheath.

Vega: Was he telling the truth about your traits?

Jun shouted scaredly.

Jun (crying): He didn’t lie! We are speed diggers!

Vega: Alright.

As Vega goes to sit on Zrazy’s porch.

Vega: I can’t leave now. The Army will come to check on him. You all play normally and go back to your regular lives.

Jun: How can-

Alambre (mad): How can we do that?! You just killed our friend!

Vega, calm as always.

Vega: If you don’t... you all will die.

All the Knockers shiver in fear.

Vega: Was he really the boss?

Alambre: No, it was him.

Alambre points to Mitsado.

Mitsado (stunned): Uh-um. (Just call me out like that, Alambre.)

As Vega glares at him.

Mitsado: We will help you and whoever is with you.

**Mitsado**

City: Stephano

Slag Village’s Boss

Race: Knocker

Vega: Good.

[Knockers acquired]

[The Knockers Are Forced In!

Up Next, Draco!]

Mystery 27 Fin