Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

Part Eight- Tarik of Stars

(Tajima's Cave, on the west bank of Motavia's Great Sea)

"Master?"

Lutz took another look around the cavern's chamber, sweeping it with his flashlight. All he and his friends could find was furniture, along with the Esper master's collection of scholarly works.

"If it makes you feel better, I don't think LaShiec got to him before we did," Tairon said. "There's no scorch marks, no overturned furniture."

"I understand, but... Master Tajima isn't like this." Lutz sighed. "He wouldn't abandon his home so suddenly..."

"Yeah! All of his food's still here," Myau said, sniffing at a cabinet. "If he knew he were going somewhere, he would've at least brought something with him to eat!"

"Perhaps you're right." Lutz took another look around, then said, "Unless he decided to go quietly with-"

"Lutz, chill," Tairon told him. "The old man's probably gathering more food, or something."

"But still... it's not like-"

Immediately, torches lining the walls of Tajima's apartment flared to life, diminishing the glow of the group's flashlights. Lutz sighed, relief barely concealed, as he stopped his sentence.

"Hmm. I guess Tajima was out, after all," Myau said.

A minute passed, as footsteps grew louder, echoing down the corridors of the cave. Finally, a very old man stepped in front of the doorway, a clutch of fish dangling from a Maruera-wood cane. As he looked at his visitors, he nodded and said, "Noah, it is good to see you again."

Kneeling, Lutz cast the hood of his mantle back. "It is good to see you again, Master," he said. "Thank God you're all right."

"Of course." Tajima entered his apartment, approaching Myau. "Good to see you again, Myau. Here you are." He detached one of the fish, then handed it to the Musk Cat. "One very fresh Motavian gray snapper."

"Oh, thankyouthankyou! ^_^" Myau wasted no time in going at the fish, biting into it almost immediately.

"And Tairon... you are well, as always." Looking at the giant man's weapon, Tajima sighed and said, "I see you still favor those brutish projectile weapons."

"Gyaah, you old hackin' Bob."

Tajima set the fish into a large woven basket, then settled down onto a small cushion. "Noah, Miss Landale isn't with you. Has something happened to her?"

"Hoo, boy, did it ever." Myau started.

"Two days ago, Master, we confronted LaShiec in his flying castle," Lutz continued. "He engaged us in magical combat."

"I see. Is this where Miss Landale met her end?"

"Not really, old man. LaShiec shot us with lightning- I think you and Lutz call it Gi Tandole, something like that..." Tairon said, scratching his head.

"Gi Tandle," Tajima corrected.

"Whatever. Anyway, it launched me, Lutz, and Lil' Buddy out his window, and Lutz said it hurt a lot more than your lightning did."

Tajima raised an eyebrow. "Interesting... I didn't think LaShiec was capable of that kind of power."

"No, Master. His Gi Tandle wasn't entirely lightning. It..." Again, Lutz sighed. "It felt as if it were powered by the forces of Hell."

Tajima nodded. "I understand, now. This power, Noah, did it feel like your flesh was being burned away?"

"Yes, Master."

Tairon shouted, "It felt like I was getting stabbed all over my body!"

"I think it singed my fur!"

Once everybody had their turn, Lutz asked his master, "What exactly was this power, Master? You never taught any of us about it."

"And for good reason, Noah!" Tajima replied, his voice suddenly growing louder. He stood up, then continued, "That sensation you all felt... I fear that it is a fragment of the Profound Darkness's own power."

"What!?" Tairon asked, completely dumbstruck. "You mean LaShiec's using some ancient death goddess as some kind of arcane 9-volt?!"

"And to make matters worse, Master... LaShiec appeared on television news broadcasts last night. He has taken a queen."

Again, Tajima raised an eyebrow, surprised by this news. "A queen?" he repeated. "If I may venture a guess, my student... Miss Landale."

"You are wise indeed, Master," Lutz responded, amazed.

"How the hell did he know Alisa's his queen?" Tairon asked. "No offense, but I didn't think you kept up with the news, Tajima!"

Tajima chuckled, turning to Tairon. "I simply scanned Noah's mind, and correllated that with the scream I had heard two nights ago. As you would put it, I 'put two and two together.'" He watched Tairon sweatdrop, then added, "Two nights ago, a red star appeared in the sky over Motavia."

"Hey, Tajima, there's plenty of stars out there besides Algo," Myau said, stepping away from his fish bones. "What's so special about this one?"

"Well, then!" Tajima clapped his hands, then set himself back down on his cushion. "Now that is a story. The Red Star of Algo..."

Lutz sat down in front of his master, quickly flanked by Tairon and Myau. "Master, just what is this red star?" he asked. "What does it mean?"

"The Red Star..." Tajima looked Lutz in the eyes. "Have you ever heard the tale of Rykross, my student?"

-=-=-

"My, my, Reipard," Alisa said, dabbing her lips with a fabric napkin. "You sure know how to treat a lady right."

"Anything for my beloved," LaShiec replied, observing Alisa fussing over herself. "Alisa, are you enjoying yourself?"

"Hmm?" Tilting her head slightly, Alisa looked across the long table of the dining room, the sole barrier between her and LaShiec. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked.

"I meant, are you having a good time, being the queen of Algo?" he replied, clarifying. "Are you happy, Alisa?"

"Of course I am, Reipard!" Alisa closed her eyes, lifting her nose into the air as she turned away from LaShiec with a "Hmph!"

"Alisa..."

"No. I have nothing to say to you, Reipard LaShiec." She knew LaShiec didn't mean to offend her, but Alisa decided to milk the moment- just to see him try to (eventually, she decided) win back her (renewed) affection.

Rising from his chair, LaShiec walked alongside the dining table towards Alisa. "Alisa, my love, I didn't mean to offend you."

"Not going to work." She shook her head, her ponytail swishing from side to side with the gentle motion, teasing LaShiec.

"Alisa..." He had arrived at her side. Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, LaShiec said, "I apologize for hurting your feelings."

"....."

"Would you like to go execute some of the prisoners, my love? The interrogators and torturers are through with them..."

Alisa's eyes opened, and she turned her head to her side. She glanced down at LaShiec's hand, then sighed. "You know I love executing prisoners," she purred, placing her hand on his. "As I said, you truly know how to treat a lady, my love."

"You deserve it, Alisa."

Alisa's hand closed around LaShiec's, and she rose from her chair, turning to face him in one graceful motion. "And that, Reipard," she replied, smiling at him, "Is why I'm happy. Because you do wonderful things to make me happy." She placed her other hand into LaShiec's, then leaned forward, kissing him.

Once they had pulled apart, LaShiec asked, "Well, then, my dear, shall we go deliver justice unto the wicked?"

"But of course." Alisa smiled wickedly, already thinking about how to bring the most pain upon the poor citizens of Eppi, as LaShiec scooped her into his arms and carried her to the throne room.

-=-=-

"It is said, that once every thousand years or so," Tajima began, "The Red Star appears in the skies above the worlds of Algo. This star is called Rykross."

"Every thousand years?" Tairon asked. "Must be a hell of an orbit."

"Indeed. When Rykross returns to Algo, prophecy states that a warrior rises up from humble origins with a valiant band, and delivers Light to the people of Algo."

Lutz nodded. "Master, do you think Alisa is this warrior?"

"I had thought so," he replied. "But, if she is now LaShiec's queen, then I have my fears for her."

"What do you mean?" Myau asked, finishing off a third fish from Tajima's stash.

"There is a psionic technique called Mind Blast," Tajima said, his voice suddenly taking a gravely serious tone. "I do not know much of it, but what I do know disturbs me greatly. It is said to be able to alter memories, making them susceptible to outside suggestion."

"And this is why Alisa is acting as LaShiec's queen?" Tairon asked.

"I hope so, Tairon. The most problematic aspect of this whole mess is that every evil act that Alisa commits while under Mind Blast's influence only opens her to more evil."

"I see. Master, it is my understanding that a man named Damoa knows how to stop this."

Tajima nodded sagely. "It is my hope that he does. Noah, you and your companions can find Sage Damoa in LaShiec's castle at Baya Mahlay."

"What?!" Tairon and Myau both shouted.

"We were there before, and we didn't find him!"

"What gives, old man?!"

"It seems that, in your haste to reach LaShiec, you did not fully prepare yourselves," Tajima interrupted. "Damoa will be able to help you save Miss Landale, and destroy LaShiec."

Nodding, Lutz stood up, bowing to his master. "Thank you, Master," he said. "We shall hasten to find him."

"Smell ya later, ol' timer!" Tairon added.

"So long, and thanks for all the fish!" Myau called.

"It was my pleasure and honor to assist you." Tajima bowed to the three, then pointed towards the door. "Now, go... deliver Algo from this evil that befalls her."

-=-=-

As he sat at his throne, LaShiec watched as Alisa read a list of charges to a chained man, disdain obvious in her voice as she went over each crime. She's enjoying this, he thought, smiling. Look at her, Ares. Look at your daughter, the future of Algo. Look what she's become- and know that I, your vizier, made her like this.

"Does the... hehe... peasant have anything she wishes to say before I pronounce sentence?" Alisa asked the prisoner, rolling up the scroll. Her hand settled upon the grip of her sword.

"M'lady queen, I am innocent. I-"

"Silence!" Alisa demanded, striking the woman in the face. "It is clear to me that you, Amallia Denayre, hold this regency in obvious contempt. Therefore, I, Lady Queen Alisa LaShiec, sentence you to death in the absolutely feeble hope that someday you'll learn something from your mistake of dealing with insurgents." She smirked at the prisoner, flames dancing in her sapphire eyes. "Let us know if Hell is hot enough for you."

"M'lady, I-" Amallia started, her protest cut short by the sound of Alisa drawing her sword. Her alarmed cry died in her throat as Alisa beheaded her in one swift stroke, then wiped the blood upon the body.

"Detestable," Alisa huffed as she sheathed her sword. "Are they not, Reipard, darling?"

"They certainly are," LaShiec replied, waving two robots towards him. "Throw the body over the edge, if you please," he ordered.

"Mount the head at the northern border of Eppi Forest," Alisa added.

"Your will be done, Your Majesties." The robot gathered Amallia's remains, then left the throne room. Immediately, another robot stepped in to replace it.

"The sooner these damned rebels are put to death, the happier I'll be," Alisa grumbled.

"In time, Alisa, my love. They shall have their date with death soon enough."

Before Alisa could reply, Doctor Mad burst into the throne room, diving past the robot bodyguards. "Kingie! Queenie! I hath your prototype!" he exclaimed, adjusting his gas mask.

"As you keep saying," LaShiec replied, starting to sound bored. "Bring her in, or go back to the lab, Doctor."

"Yes, sir, as you wish!" the doctor shouted. Snapping his fingers, he called out, "Heya, Katya! Your Majesties want a word with my latest pet project!"

Alisa returned to LaShiec's lap, making herself comfortable as she and her husband awaited the work Doctor Mad had hyped up. Needless to say, they were surprised by what they saw: A woman with long red hair strode into the room, her eye-pleasing figure covered with a skimpy red tank top and short skirt. High-heeled boots covered her legs, and she stared at the rulers of Algo with dead blue eyes.

"Isn't she so hot?!" Doctor Mad asked. "Go on, introduce yourself!"

"I am Prototype Zero-One," Katya said, her voice completely devoid of emotions. "Constructed the seventeenth of Six-month, AW 342 by Doctor Wilhelm von Mad. Biological components consist solely of the remains of Katya Merchova."

LaShiec and Alisa stared, shocked, as the doctor continued, "Call her Katya. So! Kingie! Queenie! Like my handywork?! I'm especially fond of her belly button piercing."

There was dead silence for a full minute, before LaShiec started, "Doctor? This... this is what you've come up with?"

"Yep-aroonies, Kingie LaShiec! I made her hot and a killer!"

"Why is that machine not wearing armor?" Alisa asked.

"One, because armor hides her inherent hotness, Queenie!" The doctor started ticking points off on his fingers, continuing, "B, armor is heavy and wears her down! And four, she has internal armor covering her bones and vitals. She's fine."

"Great, but..." LaShiec clutched his head. "Can she fight?"

"Can she kill, Doctor, or have you wasted our time?"

Doctor Mad laughed, coughing up mucus behind his gas mask. He moved it enough to drain the offal out, then said, "But of course! I gave her my special microt fighting program! Send in a prisoner, and you'll see!"

"Very well," Alisa said. She snapped her fingers and told one of the robot guards, "Send in the next prisoner."

A blue-haired man was escorted into the throne room, dumped unceremoniously at LaShiec and Alisa's feet. As the reality of the situation sank in, he begged, "My lord, my lady, please... spare my life. I... Katya?!"

Katya did not respond to the blue-haired man. She glanced at the king and queen, awaiting further orders.

"My friend, we're going to play a game," LaShiec told him. "When I say 'Go,' you run to the door of the throne room. If you make it out, you have our personal guarantee of safety, as well as six thousand Meseta."

"What have you done to my girlfriend, you devils?! Oh, God, Katya..."

"And when I say 'Go,'" Alisa interrupted, "Katya is to end your life- messily- before you take seven steps."

"Wh-what?!"

LaShiec had the prisoner hoisted to his feet, then looked at Alisa. "Ready, my love?" he asked.

"Of course," Alisa replied.

Then, at the same time, they both shouted, "Go!" The prisoner took an uneasy step away from LaShiec and Alisa, then started to run towards the throne room's door.

"One! Two!"

Katya took off running towards the man, lethal energy claws forming on the backs of her hands.

"Three! Four!"

Doctor Mad started laughing, calling out "Fifty Meseta says he snuffs it!"

"Five!"

The prisoner was halfway towards the door.

"Six!"

Triple spears of energy suddenly burst through the prisoner's back, tearing down his torso. He gurgled pathetically before collapsing, watching helplessly as Katya sidestepped the falling body. She glanced down at the now dead man, then deactivated her laser claws. "Objective completed," she intoned. "Doctor Mad, I need to be cleaned."

"Excellent work, Katya!" LaShiec said. "That man was very dangerous. You have our congratulations."

"A fine job, Katya," Alisa added. "Someday, I might just let you do my nails."

"I look forward to the task, my queen," Katya replied, her voice ever neutral.

"Okay, I showed you what she can do! Can I go home now?!" Doctor Mad asked.

"Yes, yes," LaShiec said. "Katya, report her tomorrow morning for further assignments."

"Yes, my king."

"C'mon, Katya, let's blow this taco stand and get the hell out of here!" The doctor rubbed his hands together, then said, "Great, now I want a taco."

Once the throne room was vacated, Alisa said, "I'm impressed. He actually managed to do it, Reipard."

"And just think- we can have agents like Katya infiltrating all of Algo," LaShiec told Alisa. "Crushing the entire insurgency against us from within."

"And consolidating our power." Alisa's lips formed her familiar crimson smile as she kissed LaShiec. "The only bad part is that there will be nobody to torture."

"We rule Algo, my love. We can always come up with new laws."

"And new people to punish for breaking these laws." Alisa kissed LaShiec again, then laughed at the thought of creating new laws for Algo.

"We can come up with some new ones tomorrow, Alisa. After the magic lesson."

Alisa nodded, remembering LaShiec's promise. "I look forward to it, as well as every other moment with you, Reipard," she whispered.

As she nuzzled close to LaShiec, he laughed cheerfully. Looking at Alisa, he thought, Yes, Alisa, my love. Once Gi Flaeli, Gi Brose, Gi Tandle, and Gi Hewn are yours, I can finally give you the gift of the Hell Crown's mightiest spell... the spell that will transform you into my queen forever.

End of Part Eight

What does Rykross bring with it into Algo? How can Damoa help save Tairon, Lutz, and Myau? Will they be able to save Alisa, or will the full might of the Hell Crown be unsealed?