Post by dans on Jul 8, 2024 0:31:00 GMT
Atom Blake in the Worlds of Time: Pallas
Introduction: What Came Before?
See the Atom Blake in the Worlds of Time summary
Where are we?
The trio of travelers, Atom Blake, Stuart Blake, and Princess Xoanna, materialized onto the cobblestone main street of a small town. Immediately, they were met with a scene of desolate disrepair - the street was broken and worn, grass poking through the cracks between the stones. Buildings stood in varying states of ruin; some were burned out shells while others had missing windows and doors. Vines had overtaken many of the structures. It was desolate, and appeared long-abandoned.
“I recognize this place! It’s Joidale, on Pallas, my home planet!” Xoanna wailed sadly. "But what has happened here? It's like a ghost town!" she exclaimed. "Just five years ago, before the raiders killed my father the king and kidnapped me, it was a beautiful, meticulously maintained town."
"We'll find out, Princess," Atom stoutly reassured her, though he couldn't shake his own feelings of uncertainty and fear. He had certainly never intended to bring them to this forsaken place!
In the distance, Stuart sighted a a caravan on the road approaching the village, coming slowly in their direction. Though it was difficult to make out at this distance, it seemed to be military convoy. “Maybe they can tell us what’s going on?” he suggested.
But before they could approach the soldiers for information, a woman emerged from a hidden doorway and hissed urgently at them. "You! Get off the streets!" she warned. "If they find anyone in Joidale, this time they'll burn it to the ground."
Atom told his friends, “I have a feeling we should do as she says. And my hunches aren’t usually wrong!”
The three hurried to the door, where the woman ushered them quickly into the dilapidated building. "Only step where I step!" she commanded urgently. "There are traps set throughout this town; any wrong move could result in falling debris or a deep pit opening up beneath you." She periodically scattered dust on their path to cover their tracks and prevent anyone from tracing their path through the rubble.
Finally she reached a trap door, and they all descended quickly on the wooden ladder set inside. At a landing, the woman pressed a hidden button and a loud rumbling and shaking could be felt from above. “I’ve collapsed the ceiling onto the door to conceal it,” she explained regretfully. “We can never use this exit again.”
Impressed and daunted by the thorough precautions the woman was taking, Stuart asked, “You’re terrified of those soldiers, aren’t you? Tell us why - we want to help!”
“We are almost to safety,” the woman replied. “Another 5 minutes…”
“Wait! You’re Karaya, aren’t you?” Xoanna whispered in stunned surprise. “I’m Princess Xoanna!”
Karaya's eyes widened in disbelief as she turned to look at Xoanna. "Princess Xoanna? Is it really you?" she exclaimed, a mix of shock and relief evident in her voice. "I never hoped to see you again, especially not in these dire circumstances."
Xoanna nodded solemnly. "Yes, it's me. But please, tell us what has happened here. Why is Joidale in ruins? And who are those soldiers approaching the town?"
Karaya's expression darkened as she recounted the harrowing tale of betrayal and destruction that had befallen their once peaceful home after the death of Good King Rexwin and the kidnapping of his daughter, Princess Xoanna.
Rallying Cry
“The grief and despair of your kidnapping, Xoanna, and the murder of your father, Rexwin, left your mother, Queen Rejnia, bereft of the will to rule,” Karaya spoke ruefully, her voice a storm of sorrow and rage. “She designated her trusted advisor Droturgo to rule as her regent until you were rescued. Droturgo claimed to be making preparations for a military expedition to Mercury to rescue you, but it was all a sham to mask his betrayal. He quickly seized power, imprisoning Rejnia and ruling with an iron fist. He even managed to find traitors in the army to support him and he ordered them to kill anyone who spoke in dissent."
She sobbed again, tears of despair streaming down her face. “He then sent raiding parties to all the towns and villages in the realm - and you can see how he left Joidale.” She looked up, and now there was a glint of determination in her eye - a spark that still burned despite all they had been through. "Your return will spark hope across Pallas - you must help us overthrow Droturgo!"
Atom was taken aback by Stuart's sudden interruption - his voice strong and confident despite having just survived a heart attack less than 24 hours ago. “Our mission here is clear - remove the Dictator Droturgo and restore rightful Queen Rejnia to the throne!”
Atom was even more amazed when he looked more closely at his father. Years spent rotting away in a cell had left him frail and sickly, but since receiving the medicine on Saturn, he seemed to have regained the strength and vitality of a much younger man. His eyes were gleaming with determination and his words rang out like a battle cry. "Do you have weapons? We must overwhelm the traitors approaching Joidale - and then march on Pallasopolis and free Rejnia!" Stuart urged.
Even in his youth, and even with his super powers, Atom thought that simply attacking without a plan sounded like a really bad plan. He gathered his courage, and quietly contradicted his father. "No, we should hide and let this patrol pass by untouched. If they are attacked and get word back to Droturgo, he would send his entire army, and end our rebellion before it even started! We aren't ready to face an army... yet." He paused and started challengingly at his father. "But, we will be, soon!" he promised.
Stuart's eyes flashed with anger as he was contradicted by his own son. Before he could respond, Xoanna stepped forward, her eyes filled with determination. "Karaya told me about the secret force she has been building in Paeccius," she announced boldly, catching everyone's attention.
Karaya quickly took up the story. "Before the death of King Rexwin, I was the governor of Paeccius, the lands surrounding Joidale.” She briefly considered how wise it was to share her secrets with 2 strangers, but Xoanna had already spilled the beans, so she forged ahead. “Since Drotourgo declared his dictatorship, many of the loyal soldiers from across the realm have left his ranks and made their way to Paeccius. They are gathered in a cavern in the mountains. Many loyal citizens have secretly donated food and equipment, but this has further impoverished us all. As you might imagine, this has been an almost overwhelming effort, and we either need to remove Drotourgo soon, or admit to our final defeat.”
Another stepped forward and spoke, one of the rebel soldiers who had joined the cause after Drotourgo took over. - a handsome man, though his hair and beard were ragged and his clothes worn and threadbare. Xoanna gasped when she saw him, then stepped back as if she were trying to remain out of his sight.
“For the past 5 years, the underground has spread the word round Pallas - anyone who wants to join an army to resist Drotourgo is welcome in Paeccius. As you might imagine, gathering our forces and keeping them supplied has been an almost overwhelming effort. Our ranks have swelled, and open opposition to Drotourgo among the populace has fallen similarly. The Dictator believes he is winning the support of the people, and has increased his efforts to eliminate the last few who still support the old rule - and that has driven even more to join us."
"This is encouraging news!" Stuart responded enthusiastically. "Why haven't you led a revolution already?"
"Drotourgo had every officer in the military executed as soon as he took control," Karaya replied, looking stricken. "My own sons among them..." She shook herself and continued. "We need a leader with military experience, a leader who can inspire confidence, a brave, strong, charismatic leader. We have been waiting for you, Stuart Blake!"
The room fell silent as everyone processed this shocking announcement. Even Stuart was speechless, unsure of how to respond to being chosen as the leader of a rebellion against a ruthless dictator. He had certainly never envisioned anything like this when he had attended a military prep school, before choosing the path of science instead. But his newfound youth and vitality had his blood fizzing and his mind swirling with confidence. He nodded his head in acceptance of his new role as he contemplated the possibilities and dangers of the new path stretching out before him.
A Rescue!
"First, we rescue Queen Rejnia!" Governor Karaya and Princess Xoanna were adamantly resolute in their agreement regarding their first goal.
"Our warriors are loyal to Rejnia and Rexwin," Karaya argued, "and will not follow an outworlder unless they see him being appointed by the Queen. To solidify Stuart's legitimacy as War Leader, freeing Rejnia is imperative."
Xoanna's voice trembled with anger and fear as she spoke, her words sharp and direct. "We cannot abandon my mother to that depraved monster! Who knows what horrors she must be enduring at his hands?" Her eyes blazed with intensity, mirroring the fire within her. She would stop at nothing to rescue her mother from the grasp of evil.
Stuart and Atom remained silent, wise enough not to argue with two determined women, and the four finally agreed on a plan. Though Atom had some doubts; he thought Stuart was behaving erratically. Maybe he had always had a wildly impulsive nature, or perhaps his newfound youthfulness and vitality were clouding his judgement. Atom had grown up never knowing his father; how might Stuart's misadventures and years in a tiny prison cell have changed him?
*****
In preparation for the rescue mission, Atom, Stuart, and Xoanna all chose their weapons and armor. Stuart opted for a massive mace, which was too heavy for the inhabitants of Pallas but easily manageable with his Earth-raised strength. Xoanna went for a long dagger, while Atom selected a sword. As Stuart observed Atom's swordsmanship practice, he inquired curiously, "When did you learn swordplay? You easily held your own back on Mercury."
"I must have watched Rathbone, Fairbanks, and Flynn in 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' countless times growing up,” Atom replied with a grin. He twirled the point of his sword in a circle, then made a theatrical lunge. “I know what I’m doing!” Stuart didn't understand the reference, but he knew Atom had super human abilities and the powerful sunergy ring, so he let it go.
***
Atom transported himself, Stuart, and Xoanna into the castle. Atom couldn't transport them directly into the dungeon, as neither Princess Xoanna or Governor Karaya had ever been there so he couldn’t get the location from their minds, so the trio materialized in a large storage room that Xoanna recalled as rarely used. She would guide the team to the guardroom at the top of the stairs to the dreaded nether regions of the castle. And then they’d have to improvise as they fought through Droturgo’s troops to reach the cell holding the Queen.
The three appeared to be dressed in Droturgo’s livery, an illusion Atom had created using his sunergy ring to hide their identities… and their weapons. As she led them through the corridors of the castle, Xoanna's heart pounded in her chest with a mix of fear and determination. This was the place she'd grown up, and now it was in the hands of a man she hated!
The group soon reached the entrance to the dungeon, a formidable door made of heavy wooden beams bound with wide strips of iron. "My father would never let me pass this door, so I don't know what's on the other side.” Xoanna whispered. “It's protected by powerful magic, and it is said that it has never been breached."
“Well, let’s see what’s stronger - science or magic!” Atom said confidently. “Stand back - the beam from my ring could burn you to a crisp in one hundredth of a second!” Atom opened the secret compartment in his ring, and shielding the others from the brilliant blue glow with his other hand, ‘drew’ an outline around the door. “Let’s GO!” he hollered as he kicked the door and it crashed down and slid a dozen feet, knocking down at least two armed and armored guards.
“Wa HOO!” Stuart cried as he rushed through the opening with his shield held high in front of him, and crashed into several guards. His Earth-bred physique was bigger and stronger than the guards, and he easily scattered them - knocking one of them into a big hole in the floor against the back wall of the room, and he screamed as he fell.
Atom followed Stuart in, and pointed at each fallen guard in turn, speaking a command as he pointed: “Turn to Stone!” When all 7 guards had been stoned, he turned to his father. “You were supposed to wait for me! My guess is that the Queen is somewhere in that pit…” he pointed to the hole in the floor against the rear wall, and they could see that there was a circular staircase descending into that hole. “Anyone at the bottom is sure to know we’re coming by now!” At just about that instant, the falling guard finally stopped screaming.
“I don’t think there are guards down there,” Xoanna replied urgently. “I think there are monsters…”
“Well, we’d better hurry,” Atom urged, and grabbed Xoanna and Stuart and pulled them over the edge of the pit. “I’ll use the ring to make sure we land safely!”
Stone Dragon
Atom and Stuart were surprised at how slowly they fell. Far below them, the floor of the pit was a macabre scene of piles of old bones, some of them crushed almost to dust, others still covered with drying blood. The falling guardsman hadn’t reached the bottom yet, but he was struggling to make sure he landed upright with his sword and shield at the ready.
"Oops! Low gravity. Hold on, we're taking the Express!" Atom told his companions, and they instantly began moving much faster. At this rate, they'd reach the floor at about the same time as the guard.
Xoanna gasped in horror as she gazed down at the gruesome scene below. "I never believed the rumors - but they must be true!" she exclaimed. "Instead of human guards, this lower level of the dungeon is guarded by monsters. And when the jailer wants to visit one of the prisoners, they throw down drugged meat. They used to throw live animals down here to feed them and before my father's reign, sometimes, one of the prisoners..." She stopped and sobbed, the picture too vivid in her mind for her to continue. She herself had actually recently been thrown into monster pits by the evil rulers of Mercury and Praetoria.
Atom directed their fall, and as promised, they touched down gently near the guard who landed at the same time. The four stood in a rough circle, facing outwards, their weapons and shields ready.
A deafening roar shook the room, and they turned to face... a dragon! Its massive body stretched at least 20 feet long, with gleaming fangs, razor-sharp claws, and a pointed tail that whipped through the air. The creature was covered in glistening scales that shone like shards of quartz, giving off an otherworldly glow. True, it didn’t have wings or breathe fire, but it was a dragon nonetheless.
"Turn to stone!" Atom shouted and aimed his sunergy ring at the beast, bathing it in a brilliant blue glow. But instead of freezing in place, the dragon let out another earth-shattering roar and charged towards them. Each step sent tremors through the ground, crushing bones and causing the entire chamber to quake.
"It's a stone dragon!" Xoanna yelled in horror. “Already stoned!” Before Atom could figure out a new attack using the ring, the dragon lunged towards them, its massive jaws snapping shut with a deafening clang.
Stuart let out a yell: “Let’s go LIONS!” and pushed Xoanna behind him, dodged the dragon's razor-sharp claws and swung his mace with all his strength against the dragon’s head. The impact echoed through the chamber, but the stone monster seemed unfazed.
Atom and the guard joined in the fight, their swords clashing against the dragon stony scales. Sparks flashed as each strike reverberated through the chamber, sending echoes bouncing off the walls. Within seconds, Atom was facing the beast by himself…
The guard was quickly overwhelmed by the dragon's strength, thrown into a wall by a powerful blow from its tail. As he slumped to the ground, Stuart rushed forward, his mace raised high. With all his might, he swung it towards the dragon's head, but the beast was quick to react. It caught the mace in its claw and flung Stuart across the room, where he collided with a wall and lay motionless. Turning its attention back to Atom, the dragon let out a deafening roar.
What neither Atom or the dragon had noticed was that Xoanna had sneaked around behind it and jumped onto its back! The dragon was caught off guard by the attack from behind. Even with her dagger, Xoanna couldn’t harm the beast, but it twisted and turned, trying to shake her free. Atom took advantage of its distraction and leaped at it, exerting his super strength to the utmost. He slammed into the side of the dragon’s thick, stony neck with a tremendous crash, then wrapped one arm around the neck.
The dragon's massive head turned towards him with a deafening roar. Atom felt his heart race as he started into the gaping maw filled with endless rows of razor-sharp crystal teeth. Heedless of the consequences of his action, he thrust his hand deep into that deadly maw without hesitation. With fierce determination, he commanded the sunergy ring to unleash its power: "Stone - turn to mist!" Every ounce of mental strength he possessed was channeled into this attempt to defeat the dragon and save his own life. This time, it worked!
There were 17 doors around the chamber of the dragon, each as heavily fortified as the door at the top had been. It was impossible to tell which door held Queen Rejnia. The injured guard initially refused to tell them which door, but they convinced him. With the aid of Atom’s ring, they were able to enter the cell of the Queen, and free her, and then Atom transported his companions, Queen Rejnia, and the wounded guard back to the stronghold in Paeccius.
The rebels were now one step closer to beginning their revolt against the oppressive ruler. A fierce determination burned within the travelers as they prepared for the next battle!
