Tyrant's Stars: Parts Three and Four (38 page)

“It won’t stop, Braujou,” Miranda said in the blue darkness. She was naked. Tied around her face, her neck, her ample breasts, and her shapely waist were red scarves. On the floor where she sprawled there were piled dozens more scarves in the same hue.

From the huge bed beside her, the prone Braujou replied, “It would seem we underestimated him.”

Bandages wrapped around him from the neck to the waist. They were the same color as Miranda’s accouterments—because the Noblewoman’s scarves were actually white strips of cloth used to stop the bleeding. She’d redone them dozens of times, and each time she was powerless to keep the fresh blood from seeping in and dyeing them red.

Valcua’s blade had sliced Braujou apart from the right side of his neck down to his left hip, while Miranda had been bisected from the groin to the top of her head. Both of them were Nobles. As long as they weren’t stabbed through their one vital point, their cells’ impressive regenerative abilities normally would come into play, closing wounds in the blink of an eye and stanching the bleeding. But this time that wasn’t possible. If the wounds were kept covered, the internal organs would somehow continue to function, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop. Though their Nobles’ bodies could withstand enough blood loss to kill scores of humans, if this situation continued, their bodies would fail.

“Soon we won’t be able to move. What do you say, Miranda?”

“They’re not grave wounds. Certainly not cause for complaint,” the seductress replied curtly, but her countenance appeared bloodless in the blue light. “Actually—I have a proposal.” Braujou’s expression showed that he found Miranda’s remark quite unexpected.

“Is that so? And what might that be?”

“We must prepare to call on our last piece of insurance.” “Insurance? No!” Braujou called out sharply.

“If we were to combine our energies, it might be possible.”

“We can’t do that!” Braujou exclaimed, his voice quaking with stem determination. “We swore to that human we would protect those children. And by my Noble soul, we shall not break that oath.” “If we’re destroyed, there’s no sense speaking of how we’ll keep them safe. Given our situation, slaying Valcua is the only course to take.”

“The only course to take is that which will save the Dyalhis children.”

Saying nothing, the paraffin beauty smiled. Between the strips of cloth, a vermilion line ran from her face to her belly, and blood quickly bubbled out of it.

“What a splendid Noble you are. Very well. I shall execute my plan alone.”

“Won’t you reconsider this, Miranda?”

From beneath the bloody and discarded dress by her side, the duchess produced a bejeweled dagger and drew it from its sheath. “Hey!”

Disregarding Braujou’s disgusted cries, Duchess Miranda put the golden blade over her heart and thrust it in deep ... and then she slashed herself. Opening a crescent-shaped gash eight inches long, she shifted the dagger to her left hand and thrust her right one into the wound. Blood spilled out—not only from the wound, but from the vermilion lips the beauty kept pursed as well. Yet there was no change in her expression, her lovely features resplendent in the blue light as she watched her own crazed actions with detachment.

Giving a slight sigh, she pulled her right hand out. Her fingers clenched a bloody heart. There were rubbery snaps as her veins tore. Blood went flying. Nevertheless, her heart continued beating.

“My sentiments, my power—everything is in my heart of hearts. It’s up to you to draw the curtain of fate.”

As he watched the seductress talking with a gleam of madness in her eye, Count Braujou heaved a long sigh.

“We’ve got no transportation!” the left hand said, pointing out the brutal truth as they were about to leave the valley. “At this rate, if we don’t hook up with Braujou, it’ll take days to reach Valcua’s castle. Ah, how I wish that Kima guy was here!”

The Hunter’s cyborg horse had remained tethered to Braujou’s car when D and Kima made the trip to Valcua’s castle. D knew that as well, but true to form he made no complaint, but rather kept on walking in silence.

His face suddenly turned to the west. No sooner did he recognize the sound of hooves striking the earth than a white horse came galloping straight toward him. It halted right in front of D, who put a black-gloved hand on its neck and stroked it several times before noticing the silver card attached to the saddle.

“Braujou?”

When his index finger touched the edge of the card, the giant’s face suddenly appeared in midair.

“Here’s your horse. A lack of transportation might prove inconvenient. I only hope your steed likes you,” the Nobleman said gravely, and then he vanished.

“If there’s one thing this world needs more of, it’s thoughtful Nobles,” the left hand jeered.

Ignoring this comment, D got into the saddle. His destination was obvious: Valcua’s castle.

or so. Seems like they’ve got a battalion with flight packs, too. Even knowing how powerful you are, this seems to be seriously overdoing it. Valcua must be a first-rate coward!”

The earthshaking thud of countless combat boots from the depths of the darkness became pale-faced men in uniform who stopped about thirty feet from D.

As D remained in place, a man who looked to be a general appeared riding a skeletal android horse. Giving a crisp salute, he said, “I am General Clemens, commander of Combat Division Z under Grand Duke Valcua. From this moment forward, I am at your command.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” D asked, but just then a gigantic image of Valcua’s face appeared high in the sky.

“Allow me to explain. D, I’m giving you these five thousand men—a division. If you wish to see me or rescue the human girl Sue, you must direct them in battle against my forces. I wish to see how you handle command.”

“He’s got some weird kinks, don’t he?” the left hand murmured, knowing its remarks wouldn’t reach the grand duke’s ears.

“Beyond the castle walls you see up ahead you will find Sue and myself. I have the same number of troops. Here’s a diagram of the inside of my castle, D. Draw on all your knowledge when considering where I might be lurking or what kind of formations will be lying in wait for you. I’ll have you know that although your soldiers are artificial life forms, they are most definitely alive. They feel pain when injured. D, I truly look forward to seeing how you view these men, and how you utilize them. An hour remains until dawn—and the game shall be decided in that time. If it goes longer than that, I shall retreat to a resting place you’ll never find no matter how you search. And the girl will go with me.”

When Valcua vanished, five thousand men were left on the plain, waiting for instructions from their new commander to fight Valcua. However, even D couldn’t imagine going into battle with five

thousand soldiers and their assorted armaments. How would D carve his way through this great conflict when it was more than a solitary blade could handle?

Needless to say, D wasn’t on a battleground. On the other hand, it was far too vast to call it a castle. Valcua had referred to it as the “dimensional battlefield.” Surrounded by walls a thousand yards high, the grounds covered roughly forty thousand acres— encompassing mountains, valleys, rivers, plains, and hills all patterned after the outside world. Having positioned his infantry and a dimensional tank battalion on the plain and artillery units on the hills, the grand duke now waited for D and his forces to arrive. The battlefield could be entered by gates at the four points of the compass, and surveillance aircraft nearly a mile in the sky were monitoring all of them. Valcua guessed that D would be coming through the south gate. It was the shortest distance to travel, and once in it would be easy to move while keeping under cover.

“Now, how will he attack, and how shall I counter?”

In the headquarters that he’d established on top of one of the hills, the grand duke peered at a layout of the battlefield that was projected in midair. They would know every move D made, but their deployments would also be relayed to his side. Things would be equal, so to speak.

“The rest will depend on D’s ability,” he said, looking at Sue by his side. From the center where those disturbing biological

experiments had been conducted, she’d been taken on a high-speed expressway right to Valcua’s castle. In her present condition, this had to seem ideal to Sue. As she sat next to Valcua, there wasn’t a hint of fear in her expression. Strangely enough, however, she didn’t look satisfied either.