Blackstone - The Spice Queen Pt. 01

This is a new age - dark and brutal, woven with the shadow of the 21st century world. Earth has grown into a savage place where the age of man was usurped by the rise of the undead, the invasion of those from the stars, the awakening of the beyond things and the ascension of the machines.

The skies parted, angels descended and demons rose, whole cities turned to sand while other metropolises swelled to greatness. In these times of sorcery and mad science, one fierce and mysterious wanderer's tales are legendary.

They call him Blackstone.

#

Flashes of green.

Explosions and fire.

The screams of many.

A battle against a foe like no other,

The battered warrior-queen looked to the small winged male, emerald and ivory.

"Go," she said. Blood trickling down her mouth. "Find help--!"

Himself wounded but his strong heart reluctant.

He nodded and beat furious wings against the ash-filled air.

"Be better! Be better!" he repeated as the mantra carried him through valleys of death.

The rocky, hilly area was empty - devoid of growth, wildlife and any humanity or other intelligent beings. It was only a landscape of beige, gray and brown rocks.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of an explosion, a whoosh of fire and then...screaming.

A whistling accompanied the yell as a large figure, covered in flame soared through the air to land crashing against a stony hillside.

For a moment or two, the figure lie still, darkened and burning.

Until, with a groan, it rose up to its knees and then to its feet.

Blackstone stood burning. He sighed loudly and looked up as a large winged silhouette soared overhead.

"Damn dragon," he said to himself.

Still aflame, the horned warrior began walking away.

It was a considerable passage of time that Blackstone walked while covered in flames.

Eventually, the large warrior found his way to a large, beautiful serene lake. Trees and bushes surrounded the patch of paradise.

Without missing a step or hesitating at all, the burning man walked into the lake and allowed his flames to be extinguished.

From the waters, on the other side of the pristine body of blue, Blackstone exited and turned. He seemed to absorb the view, the silence and all that flowed and lived in the magnificent area.

Honey dripped from a massive hive not far away. Delicious fruit grew on trees.

The lake was rich with fish.

This was a good place.

The warrior sat.

###

The sun set and rose three times.

It was days in this place where the fierce wanderer had settled for a time reveling in silence.

Behind him, there was a rustle - nearly lost within the life of the woods.

Blackstone's glowing eyes burned a bit brighter.

"You can come out, fae," he growled.

From the woods behind him hovered a small, green and white male with large wings. He was clad in a type of leafy armor that had clearly seen battle and recently at that.

He held a wound at his side and stood before the gargantuan warrior.

"H-how did you know?" the fairy said weakly.

"I have known your kind before. And your wings are noisy."

The green and white male faltered in his steps.

"My queen...needs your help..."

The fairy collapsed.

Blackstone exhaled. "Of course."

###

The fae woke up in a snap of terror.

The sun had set and rose since he had found Blackstone, disturbing the warrior's respite.

A bandage and medical aid had been applied to the mystical being. The fairy turned to see a small campfire burning and Blackstone on the other side. Fish had been cooked and a meal sat within the green man's reach.

"Great...Blackstone...I--I have come--come to call on your sword...to aid...my queen!"

"Tell me your name," the warrior replied.

"I-I am Haze. Proud fae, commander of the Winged Guard...of the immaculate Spice Queen."

"Cassia," Blackstone answered back. "I do not lend sword nor gun to the Queens and their battles." The Queens were a collection of fierce warrior women who constantly battled for the Multiverse Fractal Crystal - a jeweled object of unimaginable power said to be able to either control multiple realities or destroy them. The Queens each ruled powerful nations and commanded fearful armies against one another.

Several of the rulers had sought out Blackstone's skill to tip the war in their favor. He routinely denied their requests. While he had shared many adventures and bed with a Queen, he never involved himself in their conflicts.

"Eat your fish and be gone, Haze," Blackstone finished.

"But you have to come with me!"

At the sound of being ordered, Blackstone's eyes burned bright and hummed with a ferocity that the fairy could hear over the crackle of the flames near him. He put his hands up in apology.

"F-forgive me, I meant no disrespect. It is only that...my queen, our land will surely die without your help. It was all I could do to summon strength as she commanded me to find reinforcements. I knew of several orc camps, a nest of undead and a network of robotic commandos but I had heard whispers that the great Blackstone was nearby. So... I came for the best that is, a living legend - Blackstone the Fearless, Blackstone the Powerful, Blackstone the Indomitable..."

"None of those titles mention Blackstone the Patient....and not all legends are as one would expect. I do not engage in the Queens' battle for the MFC."

"But that is just it, warrior, the Spice Queen is not fighting for the MFC...she is battling invaders from the stars and fighting for the very life of her kingdom!"

Blackstone rose to his feet and whistled.

It was a few seconds before a rumbling could be heard in the distance.

As the chorus of demons finished singing in the roaring of the mighty transport, Blackstone' armored vehicle "Rapture" pulled up at the call of its master. Covered in blades of metal, spikes and armed with cannons and rocket launchers, the killing machine hissed and rumbled in wait.

The horned man stood before the sliding door to the tank-car.

"You have wasted your time and energy, fae," Blackstone announced. "I will not accompany you back."

To Haze's dismay, the horned warrior entered the Rapture and drove off.

###

Blackstone drove the Rapture through the winding road alongside the great forest. Suddenly, up ahead, there was a collection of trees that were not present moments ago.

Wrapping around the trees was a unique vine with blooming beautiful green buds which grew into brilliant emerald flowers.

The horned man sighed aloud and slowed his bladed vehicle to a stop.

He exited the Rapture and stood in the green stillness.

Blackstone exhaled.

"Let us do it then," he spoke aloud. "I do not have all day and you know I dislike suspense."

It was a moment when the forest seemed to breathe.

Leaves rustled. Branches creaked.

Without further wait, the forest came alive. Part of the greenery, a collection of bark, a swirl of leaf, all elements moved together in unison until they formed a creature what was part of it all. He had a head that was a blend of goat and tree, he was adorned with horns but also with mighty branches jutting from his forehead. His body was sturdy and vines and roots made for a form of large muscle groups and cloven feet.

The two beings stood close enough to one another that it seemed as if a battle was inevitable.

Until the large, woodland entity smiled wide.

He reached up and touched the wildly growing, exotic vine and brilliant blooms. "Do you like it, warrior? I have cultivated it to grow but I have not a name for it yet. Any ideas?"

"Annoying."

The green man of leaves and trees smiled and from within him grew a mighty laugh. The soil, the tress, the bushes and the very lake trembled with his joyous sound.

"IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU, BLACKSTONE!" His voice boomed but there was a boundless appreciation for his armored friend.

The horned-helmeted man was unmoved; of the two he was clearly the less emotional.

"You are away from your normal fields, Elke," the warrior replied.

"Well, I wanted to check on you...the aroma of burning armor could be smelled for miles. How is dear Scorch?"

The warrior grunted. "Willful."

Elke smiled and shrugged playfully. "When one rescues a dragon pup, one agrees to raise it."

There was a pause between the two.

Blackstone inhaled. "You did not stop my exit to lecture me on reptilian parenting."

The wood spirit walked and grass leapt to life under his footsteps.

"The fae was correct. You need to go and aid the Spice Queen."

The warrior's glowing eyes simmered. "I have never seen a wood spirit go mad until now."

The breeze blew between the two beings.

The lake rippled.

Life soared overhead.

It swam in beneath the waters.

"The Queens balance one another," Elke continued. "But what now challenges the Spice Queen will upset their...harmony."

The horned wanderer looked away from the antlered entity.

"The trees of Omani talk to the grass, the grass to the seedlings that soar on the wind. They tell of so much screaming. So much death. The Spice Queen will fall," Elke said further. "And so will the innocent people of Omani and eventually Kymera. You may be terse, Blackstone. Blunt and brutal. But above all else, you come to the aid of those in need. After the Spice Queen falls, it will not be long before Iana is defeated as well as the others. And these inhuman, star-soaring beings will have control of the MFC."

The large muscular warrior walked around Rapture, wiping dirt from the hull of the vehicle.

"The World Army should deal with this," he said.

The wood spirit raised an eyebrow. "The politicians, wizards, kings and queens who run this world will never unite fast enough to halt these invaders. But one lone warrior could make all the difference."

"It is too late," Blackstone responded. "By now, Haze is half-way back to Omani."

"No," the entity replied. "I blocked his exit as well. He is waiting for you on the other side of this outcrop."

The horned warrior inhaled with a breath that threatened to suck all the air out of the woods.

"I dislike you," Blackstone responded finally.

Elke smiled on his semi-goat, semi-wooded face. "Good luck, my friend."

The forest parted and the Rapture and its driver sped through.

As Elke had said, Blackstone was able to find Haze held in waiting for him. The Rapture covered tremendous amounts of land before stopping on the edge of Omani's borders. To the eye, there were no signs of conflict and battle yet.

Blackstone exited the vehicle. Haze followed.

"The Rapture is too loud," the horned warrior rumbled.

"I could get us closer via portal," Haze said as he began weaving his hands in summoning. Blackstone placed a gloved hand out; spikes on his knuckles, skull on his pauldron.

"No, portal travel is easily tracked. From here on, we travel on foot."

###

Omani was a lush, massive forest land that was known for its perpetual summer-like climates.

In the distance, Blackstone and Haze could see a blue dome of dancing light. This was the capital of Omani, the fortress of Cassia, the Spice Queen.

The fae looked with high cheekbones and teary eyes.

"I've served the queen faithfully for quite some time," Haze said. "This land has been the only home I have ever known."

His traveling companion was stoically silent.

"Be better," Haze continued talking. "It is the motto of my clan of fae. We strive to serve better, live better, be better. I find it a great reward," the fairy continued "Being of service, pledging myself to a greater cause, kneeling before her majesty."

Blackstone said only "Keep living. You'll find other rewards---" Suddenly, the armored man stopped. He shifted his stance swiftly and silently into an attack pose. His firearm "Trial" and his ax "Vengeance" slid into his hands.

"What is it--?"

"Silence," the warrior said in a hush.

The trees were still.

The sky was empty.

The wind was gentle and soft.

Haze leaned in towards the direction that Blackstone faced.

"But I don't hear anything."

"Because you do not shut up -- MOVE!" Just as the horned man grabbed the fae and dove away, a large stone was hurled where they stood.

A voice boomed from the forest. "I KNOW THAT SMELL--!"

The ground thudded with a rhythm that could only be steps - massive, powerful steps.

Blackstone took a step back. He exhaled loudly. "Of course," he said to himself.

What moved from the forest into the clearing was a large man who stood some twenty feet from his bulbous toes to his balding head. He was a terrifying mix of muscle and fat and his repugnant face was completed with a large nose, big ears and thick, furrowed eyebrows. His yellow, jagged teeth gnashed together.

Haze's eyes filled with fear. "Is that a---?!?"

"A forest giant," the warrior answered.

"There are no giants in Omani!" Haze said sternly.

Blackstone kept his gaze on the behemoth. "Tell him that."

"MY NAME IS CLOBAG SMASHROOT!" bellowed the mammoth man. "AND YOU HAVE GIANT BLOOD ON YOU!"

Haze's green eyes danced over to Blackstone. "Do you?"

"I have slain giants before. Once one slays giant...and there is blood - the scent, imperceptible to most, says on you."

The horned man stood up fully and raised his voice. "I have no quarrel with you, Smashroot! Let us not start one!"

Haze stepped into the middle of the de-escalation. "STATE YOUR BUSINESS IN THIS LAND, GIANT! I ORDER YOU!"

Blackstone sighed. "Unwise, fae."

Giants did not like being ordered especially by creatures smaller than they. And Haze was much, much smaller.

"LITTLE WINGS GIVING CLOBAG ORDERS? CLOBAG HEAR CALL, CALL MENTION RICHES, CLOBAG COME FOR RICHES!"

Haze's face furrowed in confusion. "Call?"

"...AND NOW CLOBAG COME FOR LITTLE WINGS' HEAD!"

The giant swung his club down and both men dove in opposite directions. The ground trembled from the impact.

Blackstone tensed in a crouched position before exploding into action. He wove between Clobag's repeated strikes. Despite being a giant, the being was fast and it was easy to see how he was not one to be taken lightly. However, the horned warrior was faster.

Vengeance tasted the back of the giant's legs. He roared out as the tendons that kept him standing sliced apart, sending him crashing to his knees. Blackstone stood before him with blood on his ax.

"Yield, giant," he said.

Haze watched in stilled awe.

Smashroot's answer was a scream as he raised his club. With no desire to continue the conflict, the horned man spun Trial and fired at the giant's head. Three shots, each impacting the other, blew out the back of Clobag's skull.

Blackstone stood still as the large man fell dead to the side of him. He holstered his weapons and walked past the traumatized fairy Haze.

"Let us go," the warrior grumbled.

#

The lands of Omani were once so much forest and jungle, blended together in an amazing ecosystem of green background woven with eruptions of color and fragrance. Hills of beautiful fields surrounded the cities and towns in the land. Of all the countries and areas in Kymera, Omani was considered to consist of the most beautiful and alluring combinations of nature, wildlife and intelligent being.

But now these combinations were under attack.

Homes smoldered.

People ran screaming.

Buildings exploded in green fire.

As the sounds, sights and smells of devastation rose up high, Blackstone and Haze stood on a hill overlooking the battle-torn Omani.

Marching through the land were dark green assault craft which marched through the towns on three mechanical legs. Each craft fired beams of death into the buildings before them. Occasionally, tentacles would reach down from beneath a ship and snatch up escaping persons.

In the middle of the besieged town, there was a crowd of alien soldiers clad in dark metallic suits and transparent helmets. They were marching inward with luminescent green blades and hand pistols humming with light. Their heads were covered in semi-transparent globes filled with otherworldly gas.

In the middle of the crowd, standing atop a pile of dead alien soldiers was Cassia, the Spice Queen. She had large almond eyes and with a beautiful face that was angular and flawless. Her partially dusky skin was covered in red and green, her blood and those of her attackers. The queen had a mane of straight black hair that was dark as the night. She snarled as she swung a sword in one hand and struck back with magic in her other.

Next to her was a large black cat-creature, the size of a lion. It hissed and slashed large claws across the chests of the oncoming attackers. The two continued to fight against the silent, inhuman invaders. Battered and broken, the queen's royal guard fought on as well along their matriarch.

An alien died, the last soldier in the wave threatening the queen. Then, as if in unison, the dead soldiers melted one after the other as if self-destructing from beyond the grave.

From over the horizon, a space craft moved forward on three mechanical legs.

It fired a bolt of green power which Cassia managed to dodge but was still caught in the explosion. Several of her soldiers screamed in their death. Hex hissed as it was blown across the field.

Cassia looked up into the eye of the powering green cannon. Her death was imminent. Before the ship could fire again, it was sliced in half. The cut was followed by a hiss of the extraterrestrial atmosphere inside.

The craft then exploded.

Cassia looked up to see Blackstone and Haze standing before her.

She smiled with eyes of simmering appreciation.

Blackstone spun his blades. "Fairy," he said without facing Haze, "Get your queen to safety."

The winged man nodded and scooped up Cassia.

"What about you?" Haze asked.

A wave of aliens ran to overtake Blackstone. He quickly slew a squad of space warriors that threatened to overtake them.

Two were decapitated by Retribution. Their helmets spun in mid-air before the bodies self-destructed.

Four were disemboweled by Vengeance. Green blood and intestines covered the armored man in a geyser of gore. More soldiers melted away.

One had its head snapped off its body.

Another was head-butted and its helmet smashed. Both of these and others disintegrated after they fell before Blackstone's might.

A wave of additional foot soldiers began charging the horned man.

He stepped back, sheathing his Retribution and Vengeance.

With both hands reaching down to the holsters at his side, Blackstone spun Trial and Tribulation into his hands and began rapidly firing with speed and precision that was unparalleled. Waves of aliens fell dead from the shots to the head and body. Helmets shattered and green atmosphere poured from their heads.

When his single shots proved insufficient to halt the wave, Blackstone combined the two weapons with a pattern that transformed them into a riot gun. The weapon cocked and began decimating the enemy forces.

This pugnacious pattern of combat continued as the enigmatic warrior cut through the remaining extraterrestrial forces.

With blast after blast and slice after slice shattering waves of the oncoming troops, it was not too much longer before the invaders had been decimated sufficiently to retreat.

Even those beyond the stars could only taste so much slaughter.

A horn sounded from the Omani royal guard. A cheer followed. The day, temporarily, had been won.

Blackstone stood covered in death.

He breathed heavily, even Blackstone was not limitless and such a fury had taxed him for the moment. He looked around, his glowing eyes taking in the soul-shattering damage inflicted by the invaders. The cries of the wounded and the terrified reached up to the smoke-filled sky. The smell of burning and blood filled the air. The darkened destruction of the once beautiful land was enough to move even as stoic a soul as the horned man who stood in witness.