“In-in here p-please. M-Milord, the L-Lady White.” The goblin dressed as a butler stuttered, deathly afraid and freezing cold, as he opened a door to the study and bowed the elf-looking woman inside. Then he ran away.
She entered as a lion would enter an arena filled with Christians.
No magic present, aside from the residual aura that comes from having one of their kind living in one place for a period of time.
He just stood there, with that damn smile on his face.
“Come in, come in. I have some wine that needs chilling—“
She quickly closed the distance, to grab that fool’s neck in an iron grip.
When you’re just a damn…!
His head fell onto the ground, separated from his body as bits of ice fell all around. The stump was too frozen to bleed, and the body started spasming as it lost its controller.
Too easy.
Not him.
Then where…?
Her body lurched forward suddenly.
*BANG!*
There was a loud explosion of noise as a fiery pain lanced through her shoulder.
Looking down, she saw blood — her blood — begin to flow.
How…?
Yeah, this whole area is covered. Computer?
Online.
Best guess to where the door is to this bunker?
Highlighting area with 71% probability based on previous designs built within the last 150 years.
Over there, huh? By the way, what’s the status of the two humanoids from earlier?
No substantial movement from earlier.
So they were after the drop pod and not me huh? Small blessings I guess. Right, I’m here. Computer.
Online.
I’m going to use a number 1 shell here. Odds of sufficient penetration to take out the door?
92% chance of door destruction. Warning: 33% chance noise may attract attention.
Oh come on. What’s the point of being a super-secret stealthy agent in a newly-created body if you can’t blow stuff up?
Inaccuracy: Explosions are counter-productive to both stealth and secrecy.
Yeah, but it’s the only fun I get to have, so I’m doing it anyways. Besides, my head still hurts from the damned drop pod.
User Irrational Action #245325 noted and logged.
The sleeve on his right arm, which had been hanging several inches down below his hand, started moving. The black fabric lifted away, gathering, twisting, and hardening, until it looked like a small black flare gun connected by a cord to the rest of his shirt, and plopped itself into his hand.
He dug a shell out from one of the pouches on his utility belt, marked with a “1” (meaning a high-explosive round, fuse optional) and a single green bar (can be fired at reasonably close range) and set it into the gun.
Set the fuse to five seconds.
Fuse set.
With a *fwoot* the gun fired the shell into the ground. He backed off, WAY OFF. The gun in his hand reverted to being his sleeve.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
*Boom!*
With an explosion of water and mud and metal, the way inside was opened.
He dug a small lantern out of his backpack as he jumped down the hole. He could see perfectly well in the dark thanks to Stealth Mode, but for finicky stuff it’s best to see with regular light.
Now… where’s the emergency generator?
Highlighting area with 81% probability based on previous designs built within the last 150 years.
Pain?
She hadn’t felt pain for a long time. How many millennia ago was it…?
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
“I missed your vital organs on purpose.”
Bob Blazer was holding a wand-like tube-thing lightly in his hand. A small amount of smoke wafted out as he tapped it against his head in a mocking salute.
A magic wand? How did I not sense it? Sense HIM?
*BANG!*
This time she saw it happen, which made the pain as the hole tore its way through her leg that much worse.
She couldn’t help screaming.
“See? I missed again.”
She tried to gather her will—
Bob held the tube in front of her forehead.
“I don’t have to miss, you know.”
She released her will.
She had lost.
“So?” She glared at him, “Why did you invade my territory? Why did you train those… goblins? What are you after?”
“Why, isn’t it obvious my dear?”
He smiled again, that infuriating smile.
“I want to rule the world.”
Okay, so: Power is on, computers are online. How’s it looking on your end?
Negative connection.
Still? Okay, we’ll go direct connect then. Prepare for linkup.
Standing by.
Pulling the sleeve away from his left hand, he spread his fingers wide in a Vulcan salute.
A tiny cable came out from between them, pushing bloodlessly through his skin.
Digging in another belt pouch, he retrieved several plugs. Looking carefully at the computers in front of him, he selected a suitable plug and screwed it onto the end of the cable.
Pulling the line out, he attached the other end to an interface slot on the nearest computer.
There. Try it now.
Positive connection. Running security bypass program. Access granted.
Well that was quick.
Accessing files. Beginning download. Alert: Two humanoids approaching. ETA: 1.23 minutes.
You couldn’t tell me that BEFORE I plugged in?
“You?” She spat. “A mere BLUE, ruling the world? Don’t make me laugh.”
It seemed he was ignoring her words, looking at her body instead. Her white skin was turning lighter due to blood loss as it dripped and spread across the floor.
He snorted.
“…What is it?”
“You know, even if I didn’t already know you’re near The Time, that outfit would totally give you away.”
She was more shocked than when she got shot.
“How did…?”
“The humans.”
Her brow furrowed in confusion.
“They’re dead.”
“Oh yes, they’re dead alright. We all made sure of that. But they made a lot of things before they left.”
He waved his tube-wand around meaningfully.
“Which we destroyed.”
Her eyes went wide.
“You didn’t?”
“I was in charge of destroying the boat that brought them here. It seemed a waste, so I didn’t, but I still needed someplace to hide it, and there was this hollow mountain nearby...”
“THAT’S why you encroached in MY territory? THAT’S why you betrayed OUR GODDESS? She’ll strike you down for this!”
“Then this will come as yet another unpleasant surprise for you.”
Magic flowed into his hand. More magic than a lowly Blue should have.
He pointed at her shoulder.
The wound closed instantly.
He pointed at her leg.
It too, healed.
“Our goddess is a fickle bitch, but she recognizes and rewards ambitiousness. I still have my powers.”
He smiled again, a smug smile.
“She knows I can present this world as my gift for when I finally go to meet her.”
A loud beeping started coming from behind him.
Although visibly surprised, the smile only left his face briefly.
“…And it would seem the humans aren’t all gone yet.”
He walked away and pushed a button on a table.
The wall behind it moved up, revealing a small room full of windows and metal boxes. Various tiny lights blinked on and off. The windows showed a patch of land, but from very high up. Two small dots – biped, from how they moved – were moving towards a small black spot. A hole?