Kingdoms End

Planet: Manroh

Person(s): Baron Bristow Barbosa

This was the sixth day of the final week of the third month since the meeting of the United council to discuss the coming of the mantis men. Much of the planet’s people had fled, as was the plan, but there wee many still who stayed behind. The mantis men could be here anytime and yet, Baron Bristow was still in the planet. The baron was currently outside the gates of the royal home, Castle Veer. His son, Prince Kylex was standing next to a two-seater lightweight vehicle designed for speed. The baron and his wife were before their son. There were twelve elder knights behind the the family, about 12ft away.

“All of Remuth has been evacuated weeks ago as agreed, Kylex,” said the baron. “Only our knights remain. We should have left long ago. Why do you support this madness to fight what you cannot win against? Is it because of a woman that you disregard your father so?” The Remuthine prince was ceremonially dressed. He donned a full armor of dark green, with a light green cape at his back. He wore no helmet and his handsome face was stern.

“I cannot run like the others, father,” Kylex replied calmly. “And yes, I also do this because of Eluna, but I mean you no insult. I am twenty years of age, free to make my own decision and though I was not there to see it, I will fight and die for this planet because she has begged us to and with tears also.” He turned to his mother now. “You thought me to always do the honourable thing, mother and letting another take your home without a fight is not honourable. ” I do not ask that you remain with me. You both should go now. The mantis men could be here any moment. If I don not survive, know that I died honourably.”

The prince opened the car door which opened upward and he got in. “Stop this nonsense!” his father yelled, but the prince pulled down the door. “Please, my son,” his mother said. “I will leave for Guurjey without you, Kylex!” his father threatened. The prince started the engine. “Kylex?!” his mother yelled. The prince’s window wound down and he looked out at his mother. “I cannot abandon our home and let others fight our battles, my parents. I hope we meet again.” “Kylex!!!” his mother screamed as the car drove off.

“Bristow, what do we do?” the baroness asked her husband once the car was gone. The baron watched the car disappear at a curve. The city was empty, all the people had fled. Only the Remuthine knights remained. “We have had a plan for hundreds of years, Meina,” the baron replied. “We will leave Remuth and defeat the mantis men on Guurjey. “The baron turned and went back into the the castle compound, four of the twelve elder knights going with him. “No son of mine will defy me!” he said as he went.

At the edge of the Popplop forest, where the tree line stopped, the Popplop army was camped. There were large buildings all over the camp, but the place was not active like a normal camp would be. Unlike humans who used tents, fairies when one or two of their godparents were with them in a camp, did not use tents, but special houses which only the godparents called forth from the ground. The houses were made out of thick branches, vines and leaves which sprouted out of the ground at the godparents’ orders. The branches and vines twisted around each other to firm the frames and walls of the houses, creating buildings with multiple levels, while the leaves create roofs and window coverings. Fairies were all over the place, but they were not moving. They were either in the tents, or seated on benches, rocks or the floor. Those on watch just stood still and watched the skies.

The Godparents Eruk and Fain Riksen were inside a tent much larger than the others. The godparents were seated on golden thrones atop a dias of stone. Inside of the branch and vine houses were dark, but glowing insects and floating globes of light lit up the place. Princess Heta was sprawled on a sofa and Lady Eluna Tulip was seated on a single chair before the princess’ sofa.

The curtain of leaves and plaited vines which served as door to the throne room and all other rooms in the fairy camp houses parted and some thirty fairies walked in, male and female. These were all members of the royal council and Lady Eluna Tulip’s father was among them. “The royal council,” an announcer spoke as the councilmembers entered. Eluna looked at the fairies as they entered and her father saw her. Master Tulip smiled at his daughter and she returned the smile. The godparents descended from their thrones and the councilmembers crowded around them.

Lady Eluna looked back at the princess on the sofa. “I am very disappointed in the humans for just leaving Manroh to these alien men,” the princess said. “Not all of them left , princess,” Eluna informed her. “I hear that the kingdom of Brigatt and the Queendom of Leran remain behind to face the mantis men.” “That then would mean only two human dominated nations out of the whole thirty-three on the planet are staying behind,” the princess spoke. “I admire the nations, but find the human race rather disappointing.” “Please, do not get involved in this racism madness, princess,” Eluna told her. “We will all be dead in a matter of minutes, hours or days, why then should I not state my mind?” Heta asked.

“Because I wouldn’t like you to die with such evil thoughts in your heart, princess,” the fairy lady spoke. Princess Heta smiled at her tutor and friend’s words, then her eyes shifted to something beyond the lady seated before her. “Your father comes,” she informed Eluna. Eluna looked back and sure enough, her father, Master Lumah Tulip had broken away from the councilmembers who surrounded the godparents and was approaching her.

The fairy councilman got to where his daughter sat and bowed to Princess Heta. “Princess,” he said as he bowed. “Good to see you, Master Tulip,” the princess replied with a nod. The fairy man stood upright once more. Master Tulip was a fine male and a very old fairy, though he looked just forty. He had no beard as fairies grew no facial hair and his skin was green like his daughter’s. His hair was short and white, like all hairs on fairies’. His eyes were also white like all fairies’ were, the pupils almost glowing and standing out again the dull white of the cornea.

” I am glad to have so many friendly faces around during our last days of life,” the princess stated and Master Tulip smiled. “And I am honoured to be here for your family during such a time,” the man replied. “I am also glad that my daughter is here and willing to fight for her planet when her godparents asked it of her.” The man placed a hand on Eluna’s shoulder as he spoke of her. “It was actually Lady Eluna who told me she was willing to fight for our planet,” the princess informed the councilman. “Her words of bravery inspired me to stay and fight also.” “I am very proud to hear that,” the man said, patting his daughter’s shoulder now. “My girl is no coward like those repulsive humans,” the man added. “Father?!” Eluna said sharply, looking up at her father. “They all fled a world they have called home for millions of years,” her father stated, “that is cowardice and betrayal of the highest order.”

“Emissaries from Ergad!” the announcer spoke and all attention fell on a group of twelve or so elves who walked into the throne room. The elves were dressed for battle, in cloths of very thick leather. One elves walked ahead of the others, he was beautiful like moat elves were, tall and moved with grace. One would think him a royal and that guess would be correct as this was Prince Geffin Lorion, nephew of the Ergadian Elf lord and also a Moifraux in the Ergadian military. “Moifraux” was the elf equivalent of a captain among the elvish. It was a position only lower in rank than the Grandin, the elven equivalent of a “High Captain” and the military head of any elvish nation.

As Moifraux Geffin got to where the Popplop godparents stood, the councilmembers parted way for their royals to see the elves. Both godparents came forward and the elves dropped to one knee before them and bowed their heads, Moifraux Geffin included. “Majesties,” the Moifraux said as they bowed. “We are glad to see Ergad’s emissaries and hope our own have gotten to your Elfhelm safely,” Godmother Fain Riksen said. “We passed them on our way here, majesties,” the Moifraux spoke, still kneeling and bowing. “Rise,” the godfather said and the elves stood upright now.

“I come with three hundred soldiers to stand and die by Popplop, majesties,” the Moifraux stated. “The alliance between our nations lives on and I am glad your House Lorion honours it so much that they send an actual Lorion to stand by us,” the godmother spoke. “The honour is mine, majesties,” Moifraux Geffin said with a bow. “We apologise that we could not send one from our own house to your people,” said the godmother. “We do not have offspring as often as you elves and Heta is so terribly young.” “I understand, majesties,” Geffin replied. The curtain of the throne room parted once more and in strolled Prince Kylex Barbosa of Remuth, dressed in his green armor, his cape flowing behind him.

“Prince Kylex?” princess Heta thought aloud, surprised to ser the Remuthine. Both Eluna and her father looked back at the same time, to see the red skinned prince walking toward the thrones. “Kylex?!” Eluna exclaimed, shooting out of her chair and running towards her lover. Kylex turned and was both surprised and happy to see Eluna here. The fairy lady crashed into her lover’s arms and they both locked lips, mindless of all those in the room and the fact that their actions would draw all attention.

The kiss went on for thirty seconds and everybody in the room was having different feelings about it. Most thought it was beautiful, some found it insulting to the fairy royals and others were just impressed. The kiss eventually ended and Prince Kylex turned to the godparents. “I come to fight and if necessary, die at your sides.” he said, dropping to both knees. Eluna stood next to her lover, her hands still holding one of his own.

“After so arrogant a show of disrespect to the godparents, you now seek their faces?!” one councilwoman said with disgust. “Such insult,” said another. “Such impunity,” another added. “You all may say what you wish,” Master Tulip said suddenly, walking towards where Kylex knelt. “What I see a child of humans who came to due with us when many of his own have fled. I respect him and I am also for the first time, very honoured that a man of his calibre is the one who courts my daughter.” Master Tulip came ro stand at Kylex’s other side. Murmurings filled the room and the godparents watched Kylex in silence.

“I say their love is beautiful!” princess Heta stated in a loud voice and all the councilmembers fell silent instantly. “They may have been a little bit disrespectful to my parents,” the princess went on, “but there kneels a man whom Lady Luna feared she would never see again. He suddenly walks into the room, what would you have done in their position? I know I would have done the same as them and damned whatever throne, monarchy or power that stood present in the room.” The princess looked at her parents and they were looking at her also, but showed no anger.

The entire room was silent for awhile and then the godfather spoke. “You would have made a perfect ruler,” he said; him and his wife smiling now. Moifraux Geffin began clapping his hands and the other elves joined in. The councilmembers would not join in the applause, but then the godparents did and thus they too applauded also. Godmother Fain Riksen stepped up to Kylex while the applause was still roaring and she pulled him to his feet.

Once the applause died down, Kylex turned to Master Tulip and dropped to one knee. “Please may I wed your daughter before the mantis men get here?” he asked. Master Tulip replied with just a nod, but it was all Kylex and Eluna needed. Kylex got to his feet, while Eluna hugged her father tight. Once she was done, she turned to Kylex and made to throw her arms around him too, but he stooped her. “Will you marry me, Eluna Tulip?” the Remuthine prince asked her. “Yes, Prince Kylex Barbosa,” she replied and this time, it was Princess Heta who began the clapping.

Once the second round of applause was done, Kylex took Eluna’s hand and turned to the godmother who had remained right behind him since after helping him up from his knees. “Godmother?” he called her. “Godfather?” he called, looking at the male leader in the back. “Will you please wed us?” he asked them. “Behold, we shall witness great beauty on this day so close to the coming of the mantis men,” Moifraux Geffin said aloud and another round of applause went up. During the applause, Godfather Eruk came to stand next to his wife, right before the two person asking to be wed.

The godfather raised his hand for silence and the entire throne room went silent. “Kneel,” the godmother said and Kylex and Eluna knelt before them. Princess Heta came to stand next to her mother. As the princess walked, she noticed the elf, Moifraux Geffin Lorion watching her with intent and for a second or two, their eyes met, but she showed no expression and calmly looked away.

“By the power of the thrones of Popplop and with the gods as our witness, we name you husband and wife,” the godmother spoke, holding out her two hands over the lovers’ heads, palms down. The godmother’s eyes glowed green and so did those of her husband. White light beamed down on the lover’s heads from the godmother’s palms. “Let the spirits of Popplop bless their daughter as she weds this day,” the godfather spoke and Eluna’s skin began glowing. The godmother lowered her hands from over the lovers’ heads and a crown of flowers appeared in one of them. Another crown of flowers appeared in the godfather’s hand. The godfather placed the crown in his hand on Kylex’s head, while the godmother did the same with Eluna. “It is done,” both godparents said in unison, their eyes returning to normal.

“Rise,” princess Heta said and the newlyweds obeyed. “Congratulations Prince and Princess Barbosa of the Barony of Remuth,” the fairy princess said with a low bow and yet another applause went up. Kylex turned to his new wife and smiled. “I wish these were better time, that I might organise the grandest feast in celebration of our union,” he said amidst the applause, but Eluna just ignored him and kissed him as the glow of her skin dimmed.

While the applauding was still on, a fairy clad in full armor rushed into the room. He looked straight at the the godparents and they read the message in his eyes. The godmother put up a hand for all to fall silent and they did. “The long-awaited enemy is come,” she said. “Let us go and tell them that we refuse give up our home without a fight,” the godfather spoke, raising his hands above his head. The godfather’s white eyes shone brightly and the house of vines and leaves inside which they stood, began deconstructing itself and returning into the ground.

Godmother Fain tool her daughter’s hand and dragged her to the elf Moifraux. “I know you elves are very good warriors,” she told the elf. “I ask that you defend my daughter alongside her private guards when this battle begins,” she told the elf, holding her daughter’s hand out to him. Moifraux Geffin took the fairy princess’ hand and dropped to one knee. “With my life, majesty,” he replied. “Thank you,” the godmother said, then turned to the councilmembers. “Go and prepare!” she yelled and they all rushed off to do as told.

Godmother Fain went to stand by her husband and by this time, the building they were inside was already halfway down. Her eyes shone too and as she began moving her arms, the building deconstruction became faster.

All over the camp, the makeshift houses were disappearing and the fairies were lining up for battle. There were animals within their ranks, horned, clawed and powerful things, carnivores and herbivores alike. These animals were not saddled or anything, fairies could communicate with them perfectly and when they were told to fight for their home, they willingly agreed.

The first interesting sight that caught Prince Kylex’s attention appeared when the walls of the building containing the royals dropped low enough for him and his new wife to see one large, black, glossy vessel slowly descending toward the ground of the open field, west of the camp. The Remuthine prince had his new wife’s hand in his and together, they watched in awe, the coming of their deaths. The prince turned to his wife. “I shall go and get my sword from the car and meet you at the head of the army. Eluna smiled and it broke Kylex’s heart. How could she smile at a time like this, if not only to encourage him. He kissed her, then let go of her hand and ran toward the car which was now visible, since the entire building was finally gone.

The fairy army of Popplop stood ready for battle, their godparents in front alongside Prince Kylex, his new wife, the elf, Moifraux Geffin , Princess Heta and several Generals. The army stood exactly where their camp had once been. The buildings were all gone now and replaced with men and women desperate to defend their home. They were all afraid, but their loyalty and honour was greater than any fear.

Across from the fairy army, at a distance of about 500ft, the glossy black space vessel hovered 10ft off the ground. A part of it opened and dropped down as a ramp. All on the fairy’s side held their breaths, awaiting the appearance of a mantis man and for awhile they had to wait in suspense. Prince Kylex wielded a broadsword, his wife next to him held two Sekarins, fairy swords with blades which curved to form an almost full circle. The diameter of her weapons were 2ft. The newlyweds still had on their crowns of flowers. Princess Heta was seated on a Kerfa, a six legged antelope with large horns which curved several times on its head. The Kerfa Heta sat on was an alpha, with beard that dropped down to its knees. The beast was 7ft high, with muscular hide. Next to Princess Heta, Moifraux Geffin sat on his horse and in front of the fairy princess, her parents stood. Heta held two sekarins, but most of the fairy general had fidune hanging at their sides instead. Fidune were swords with fat, curved blades.

Finally, something came down the ramp of the mantis men space vessel. It was a man, a seemingly normal man, but for his great height. He was clad in armour of black, white and red. His head was exposed and was a fine man. His hair was black and short, his eyes a beautiful green and he even had a small goatee beneath his lower lip. Taking his 8ft height into consideration, one would think of him as a semi-giant human. The man came down the ramp and many more like him followed suit, male and female alike. They had no visible weapons on them, just short poles which hung at their sides and/or backs.

The mantis men came out of their vessel until they numbered up to two hundred. They were arranged in four groups of fifty each, lined ten by five persons in each group. They stopped coming out of the vessel now and the door lifted shut. The two hundred mantis men stood still, across from the fairy army.

“Do they seek negotiations?” Princess Heta asked from atop her six-legged Kerfa. “I do not know, princess,” her mother replied. “They attack,” Moifraux Geffin spoke, his eyes forward. “Ready!!” the godfather screamed and all fairies drew their weapons.

The mantis men were running toward their enemies, not a word had been said by any of them since they got here. They were going to take the planets because their rave needed it and they were above all others. They saw the fairies get ready to fight, but they did not waver in their advance.

The mantis men were almost upon the fairies now. “Ready!!” a commander yelled and nearly half the army generated their two sets of insect wings and lifted into the air. Godfather Eruk grabbed his wife, turned her face himself and kissed her. “I love you,” he said. “I love you,” she repeated to him. Then the two turned to face the oncoming enemies. Both godparents’ eyes lit up with a green glow and green energy appeared around their arms. The mantis men were 50ft away from the fairies now.

The mantis men got 20ft away from the fairy army now, but rather than the army advancing, the godparents stretched their arms out toward their enemies and powerful stems shot out from amongst the trees of the Popplop forest behind them. The stems were pointed and attempted to run through some mantis men, but could not penetrate their armour, thus they just knocked them off their feet and backwards instead.

Once the stems had knocked apart the mantis men, the order was given now to charge and the fairies advanced into the mantis men, but it was still a fool’s move. The mantis men began transforming into their second forms, with the long, limbs growing out from their backs with blades at the ends and the tough skin covering their bodies. With the ball jointed limbs of the arms in their back, they could swing the blades on the end in whatever direction they wished. Besides the blades at the end of their extended arms, MANTIS BLADES as they were called, the mantis men also drew the seemingly harmless poles at their sides with their normal hands and the from these poles generated swords, mace heads, spear heads etc. These parts of their weapons that were generated when the poles were drawn were of different colours of transparent light, but parried swords as though they were actual metal. They knocked aside several opponent’s weapons and drove their blades through them. The power of the mantis men was too much and they shattered some swords with one strike. They named themselves the “Master race” and they thoroughly lived up to it.

The mantis men were impaling soldier after soldier and not one mantis man was down. They did not smile or bask in the glory of their supremacy, they just killed with no expression on their faces. Fairies were falling fast. This was a losing battle, but then the fairies had known it would be so.

At one edge of the battle, Prince Kylex fought against a mantis man and for awhile he was keeping up, but he could only last so long. The mantis man parried a thrust with one of his mantis-blades and ran the sword in his hands through the Remuthine prince. Eluna saw her husband go down and she screamed in pain and anguish. She was running towards him when a mantis man’s mantis-blade shot through her back and burst out from her chest. Kylex was down, but he had been run through the stomach and still lived, while Eluna had been taken through the chest.

Eluna went down and mouthed something to her husband who was staring straight at her. “No,” Kylex mouthed, then Eluna looked past him, smiled and shut her eyes forever. Kylex wanted to scream, but chocked on his own blood. He fell back and his eyes fell on something behind him, it was what his dying wife had smiled at and seeing it brought a smile to his lips too. It was a military convoy with trucks containing soldiers and vehicle-mounted guns and on the sides of the cars was the letter “R,” green in colour. This was the emblem of House Barbosa, the ruling house of Remuth, Kylex’s house. The convoy came to a halt a few feet away from the battle and the first person out of any vehicle was Baroness Meina. She had seen her dying son and as she ran towards him, he smiled at her, proud that his family had not fled like cowards and then he gave up the ghost.

Baroness Meina with no weapon in her hands, just ran towards her son, hoping he was still alive. As she ran, she witnessed the Popplop godfather, Eruk Riksen get run through by two mantis men’s mantis-blades. It was a horrible sight, but nothing concerned her more than her only child who already lay dead on that battlefield. She got to Kylex’s aide and knelt by him, taking his head in her laps and shaking him vigorously. The baroness was crying and her husband was running towards her now, his sword drawn and ready. He saw a mantis woman lock her sights on his wife and move intently towards her. “Meina, look out!!” the baron screamed, drawing a gun with his left hand and firing severally at the moving enemy. The bullets struck home, but had no effect.

The baroness saw the mantis woman approaching, but she could do nothing, she had no weapon on her. Just as the mantis woman got close to the mourning mother, she brought one of her back-blades forward to impale the woman, but a great female being made out of wood bark, vines, leaves and flowers rose out of the ground and with one smack, sent the mantis woman flying away. The tree woman was the Manroh spirit, she had six thick branches which formed tentacles on her back and was normal human sized at first, but she grew to twelve feet now and began knocking away mantis men.

Though the planet fought with them, even it could not kill the mantis men, thus it was but a matter of time before the battle would be lost and all Manroh inhabitants slain. The mantis men ran blade after blade into the Manroh being, but they could nit jill her. The planet would survive, but not its people. Soon, both godparents were dead, then all Remuthine on the field, including their baron and baroness. The elves were putting up good fights, but they were falling fast.

Moifraux Geffin fought by Princess Heta’s side and a time came when besides the two of them, only twenty elf soldiers were left on the field, all other fairies and humans were dead. The Manroh spirit remained, but what could she do? The mantis men had separated Heta and Geffin from the other survivors now and the planet spirit could see that all hope was lost........or was it? The spirit ran towards the fairy princess and her elvish defender, knocking aside mantis men as she went. She got close to the duo and threw herself upon them.