Approximately halfway from the Leviathan's stern to its bow, Shisoka came upon the location of the scheduled parley. The three danshaku and their two helmsmen were present on a raised platform that overlooked the growing fields near one of several midship airlocks. Their leader, Battle Commander Joshua Elias Tanner, was a tall man who appeared roughly the same physical age as Shisoka. The danshaku extended his right arm when Shisoka landed, and they shook hands. Interesting custom.
Niceties out of the way, the cut of Tanner's eyes told Shisoka he had something urgent to discuss. Fair enough. Shisoka nodded, and the Brigantine's battle commander leaned close as he spoke in a low tone.
"You are Shisoka, leader of the Talan... 'King of the Ship'?"
Utsuki raised an internal brow, and the corners of Shisoka’s mouth rose, mildly amused. Without question, he and Utsuki had always been co-leaders. But most others had always assumed he was the sole ruler of the Talan. Shisoka answered in a light tone to maintain the friendly nature of the parley, "My wife takes slight issue with that title, but as the only other option in most being’s eyes would make her Queen of the Ship, I am Shisoka, Battle Commander of the Talan fleet..."
The danshaku nodded in acknowledgment, and his face grew more serious. "Then I'm sorry... We have some hard news. Your son, Radin, has been possessed by one of Dod Stal's lieutenants... and your fleet is about to come under attack from his forces."
Utsuki abruptly came to attention in Shisoka's Core and spoke telepathically through his mindscape to all present. "How do you know this?"
The group stiffened on their feet. But none were overly surprised at the use of Shisoka's Mind Attunement. Clearly, they had been exposed to it in the past. Tanner answered for them all in a serious tone. "My four-year-old just told us in a Karma-fueled spirit state—"
Utsuki stirred in Shisoka's Core to interject—
Suddenly, through the trans-parasteel ceiling, the towers and half of the platform of the closest Talan city ship were destroyed in a fiery explosion. A rapidly expanding yellow-orange ring of burning gasses and churning detritus erupted around the ruined platform for less than a micro before everything: gas cloud, debris, remaining towers, and the entire disk platform was pulled back to a single point in an accelerating retraction of folding titasteel and duraplaz. All the rubble disappeared out of sight so fast that it was hard to imagine it had ever been there!
Before anyone could react, two more of the same explosion/implosions occurred on Talan ships in opposite quadrants around the Leviathan.
Shisoka was the first to come out of the group’s shock.
"...Singularity munitions!?... But they are forbidden! Dod Stal will be hunted like a dog when the Kil'Jaru Imperial Synat hears about this—Auhhhghg!"
Shisoka heaved as a sharp gasp of pain burst from his lips. White, thought-blanking pain burst into his mind as twinned neutronium stilettos pierced out of his chest. Sparking yellow from Force enhancement, the blades quickly carved down to encircle his abdomen in a sincere attempt to excise his Core.
The assassin pulled him back on her blades to murmur intimately in his ear, "—Then it's for the best if I don't let you tell them, isn't it?" She twisted the blades and yanked them out. A torrent of blood streamed down both sides of Shisoka to his legs. His strength drained with it as his body hit the platform. Instinctively, he cycled Essence through his severed Meridians. But the flow through his Meridians was sluggish. His thoughts tripped over themselves as the torrent of lost Essence from his wounds barely slowed... Poison...
A pale gossamer sphere twinkled briefly as it faded above the platform. Shisoka saw two hovering figures appear through the haze of his pain. One he recognized immediately, and his heart broke.
Aeneas! His youngest son smiled mindlessly. He was one step behind a female vampire who obviously dominated his will. Forgive me, son! I swear I'll set you free.
Moving slower than Shisoka and much slower than the attacker, the rest on the platform hadn't even reacted to the ambush. As the vampire leisurely extended her hand, a propagated force pulse scattered their bodies end over end like gaming pins into the distance.
A considering look came over her face as the forms shrank, and she sent a second burst of force chasing after them. The tumbling group was struck higher into the air and out of sight.
The vampire winked at Shisoka's prostrate form and cooed, "No sense in letting them get back until I have had a chance to enjoy our playtime... is there?" A sadistic smile spread all the way to her black eyes. With the bloody daggers in both hands, she mocked a courteous bow.
"Admiral. I am Xsias of the Savoy. A pleasure to finally meet you. Apologies that I don't have time to... chat." Her expression narrowed in distaste as she leaned into his agonized face. "...But I must say, given your reputation, I expected more of a fight from you." Her eyes rolled whimsically to the air above, and she lifted her daggers as if in acceptance, "...A pity, really." Then, without missing a beat, she flashed at his fallen body, her blades held tightly in hammer grips.
Shisoka had teetered to a knee in defense. But his Essence was clumping and moved even slower than when he had hit the ground. His life's blood also continued to pour from his unhealed wounds. Still on one knee, the vampire's blades slashed at him, promising death.
* * * * *
Singularity munitions were highly effective and surprisingly simple weapons of mass destruction to field. After disengaging the safety, all it took was the literal 'push of a button' to terminate the hyper-ion shield that separated the three proto densities in distinct, time-phased pockets. So joined, the instantaneous emergence of an evolving singularity and accompanying event horizon occurred. As with natural singularities, if an object crossed the event line, no mortal power could save it from its new and crushing eternity. Of notable importance, the newly formed triple density had a hearty appetite for expansion. All real-time bodies or emissions within one galactic solar distance would be quickly spiraled to their fate... if they lacked the acceleration to escape the growing event horizon... This was true regardless of existing defenses or Cultivational strength, at least for all Cultivators with less than a Dodecahedral Core. If any Dodecahedral Cultivators could neutralize the adverse effects of a singularity, no one in this galaxy knew. The last time anyone that powerful had been present on this iteration was outside of living memory.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
The use of singularity munitions to achieve one's objectives was indeed 'the last argument of kings.' More often than not, the results from their use were the complete eradication of all personnel, hardware, ships, planets, and even local stars. Furthermore, as the singularity collected nearby matter and grew, safe travel through the entire parsec of space was lost... And that was why all sapient governments, including the current galactic ruling Kil'Jaru Imperial Synat, had long ago outlawed the use, possession, and construction of singularity munitions. It was not an exaggeration to say that this point was the one rule all civilizations in the galaxy agreed upon... But that is a problem for later. Right now, I have other concerns...
In truth, after activating three singularity devices from Dod Stal's private reserve, Xsias found she didn't care about the sensibilities of the galactic ruling elite. Let those Cultivators who had grown squeamishly comfortable in their illusions of might attempt to legislate their safety from the few forces capable of evening the playing fields against them. I'll use what I need to get what I want, when I want it! Even more importantly, this situation fell squarely under the primary rule Xsias lived her life by: It's only a crime if I get caught!
As far as getting what she wanted at that moment, Xsias noted several of the capital ships visible through the roof of the growing chamber had already jumped to light speed. Bright flashes of refracted light evidenced the vessels’ transition to hyperspace. A well-trained fleet doing its best to outpace the three growing singularities' expansion. Stars also pinwheeled over the Leviathan as it altered trajectory in a sharp 180 to find a safe light-speed vector out of the now extremely hazardous Noha system. Another wise choice. Flight was the only option from a growing singularity... let alone three such apocalypses.
With the rapid dispersion of the Talan Clan's forces, no overwhelming assistance would be brought to bear against her. Xsias could now eliminate Shisoka and do what she wanted with the crowd of troublemakers surrounding him... It had been another last-minute decision to not obliterate the low-level Cultivators on the platform into a fine pink mist. But such care was essential... Because, oh yes! She did recognize those two Sundai Clan members from the 'Nagal debacle' on Mwezi. Who for some inexplicable reason, were here as Kaizuko danshaku to parley with Shisoka.
When I finish with Shisoka, the three of us are going to spend a lot of special time together.
Another improvisation in an already improvised plan. But for those two ...Absolutely worth it!
Xsias' original plan to eliminate Shisoka and assume control of the Leviathan and its cargo with her new thrall had room to include the joy of shredding the souls of the two humans. She could deal with them and still deliver the Leviathan and its harvest into the hands of Dod Stal. Two such prizes would be enough to return her to his good graces. Her ruthless master would likely give Xsias accolades for dragging before him the hobbled bodies of the two Sundai/Kaizuko who had caused her some much trouble.
Besides, things were going exactly as they should so far. The fleet was dispersed, the crowd flung to the winds, Xsias was streaking in to kill Shisoka as he bled at her feet, and the palpable fear Xsias' Tetrahedral focus of Agony felt from the entire group was delicious. So good, she had needed to resist standing on the platform and reveling in it instead of launching herself at the Talan leader.
The only slight hitch to the entire plan had been recognized as soon as she had entered her sensory range of the ship: RX, the AI mechanical, had not been present. Her thrall Aeneas was sure it had come aboard the Leviathan. It was expected to be waiting for Shisoka with the rest. However, a quick communication resolved the issue and confirmed things were going better than she had hoped. Darius had already sprung their trap and captured the mech. Her stealth cruiser was presently headed to the rendezvous point far ahead of the expanding singularities.
Everything was falling into place and gave Xsias an ethereal lightness as she coursed through the air toward Shisoka. For the first time in a very long time things were going according to plan! Better even!
In fact, her ambush had gone too well! At the peak of the seventh tier of Spherical Attunement, Shisoka was the only real threat here. But he could now barely manage standing to one one knee as her blades glinted down upon him. The reputed blade master was already all but eliminated from their contest. Xsias had heard much about Shisoka's prowess with bladed weapons and she had a strong desire to test her skills against him. Xsias knew it would have been impossible for him to detect her before she struck from the micro-pocket dimension bubble she had floated in on... But a true weapons master should be able to adapt to challenging situations. Ah well, one can't have everything, can they?
Her twined blades blurred into an upright striking position. Her usual practice had one coated in an agony-inducing, healing paralytic made from the anoxic compounds of a deep ocean predator red scales. The second was heavily covered with a sickly green Essence inhibiting toxin.
Xsias tucked her head reflexively and thinner her eyes as she entered striking range. Everything but the steel in my hands is a concern for later. Right now... Shisoka dies!
Her opponent still held a precariously grasped saber in his right hand. Blood continued to spurt from several major arteries into a growing pool around him, and Xsias barely had time to stretch her wicked smile before striking—
Suddenly, Xsias' vision was filled with the rage-filled face of a spiritually risen wraith. The undead screamed into Xsias' mind, "I bet you didn't expect me bitch!" as its physical manifestation invaded Xsias' body in wisps of solid blue-silver smoke through her eyes, mouth, and nostrils. The surprise assault slammed Xsias’ airborne form sideways off the platform. She crashed in a slashing vector down to the growing fields below.
The wraith's invasion rocked the vampire’s mental control. Xsias psychically reeled as her body drilled several meters into the soft soil. It was only then she felt the first of the wraith's draining take hold. Things spiraled away from Xsias quickly as an instantaneous Bood Essence starvation drowned out her conscious thoughts in a fraction of an instant. Simultaneously, the wraith’s drain of the physical surroundings pinned Xsias’ limbs in the freezing rigidity of an endothermic absolute zero. All the surrounding energies and particle movement pulled out.
Wholly paralyzed, only a small, animalistic portion of Xsias' psyche still attempted to escape the wraith's ambush. The rest of her mention was trapped in irresistible stillness as her stunned mind whispered...
I'm...so... cold...