January 12, 2112
Sunfire
Sunfire's eyes opened. Taking time to adjust, she could feel the goo around her body. She started to move in slow bursts. Dim rays of light crept their way inside the cocoon she was in, barely making it past the thick green shell.
She was ready - ready to emerge from the cocoon her body had created years ago. Her energy was recharged fully, and she felt renewed; completely reborn. Having the great power she had came at a hefty price. Once her energy depleted fully, her body created a cocoon around her to absorb solar and heat energy at a heightened rate. That was the price she paid for her glorious ace ability - a power rivaling solar stars.
With a clawing motion from both her hands, she tore through the shell of her cocoon and fell to the floor, covered in slime and goop. Naked, she felt the brisk air.
It took only a second before two individuals were at her side to help her to her feet. They cloaked her in a towel so she could cleanse herself from the layer of organic matter covering her skin.
She used the towel and targeted her eyes first, clearing the way for her to see the light of the room. It was just her and two bishops of the Brotherhood of Relics.
The room was familiar because it was hers. Built for the sole purpose of shortening the time she would have to spend in her cocoon. It was domed around the back of the room. Mirrors and artificial solar lights were strategically placed to direct all sunlight at the back of the room, where her cocoon formed. She remembered all those years ago when she sat in this same spot, when her energy was low and waited for her cocoon to form.
After many years of inactivity, how much has changed? Sunfire wondered.
Long before she first went into her cocoon, she was given a promise; rather, a prophecy. A seer by the name of Anighta told Sunfire she would be the light to cast away the shadow of war. But what war was she supposed to stop?
The bishops led her through the tall double doors and into the next room. She motioned for the bishops to step aside. Once they did, she motioned to a sensor, which sent torrents of water splashing down from above. After just a few seconds, she turned it off and let the water drain down the center.
Both walls were reflective like mirrors, and she could see herself. She was fairly tall, physically fit, and a well-toned woman with muscles lined throughout her arms, legs, and abs. Purple skin, yellow eyes, and shaggy white hair cut up to back of her neck, but with noticeably long bangs. Above her right eye was a small scar, and her black dermmotifs were set just below both her eyes and shaped like war paint.
Sunfire breathed in a full breath. Her pupils dilated and filled with fire - her fire. Her skin grew hot, and the water evaporated in no time at all. One of the bishops came forth and handed her a specially designed fabric armor. It was similar in looks to the fabric armor sets traditionally worn by knights of the Brotherhood of Relics, only hers was made of a drastically different material. It wasn't designed to protect against any kind of weaponry. Its sole and main redeemable property was its unmatched resistance to high temperatures. Extremely rare and expensive was this material. However, price was never an issue for the Brotherhood of Relics.
Sunfire motioned her finger towards one of the bishops. "Tell me who the current four other knights are."
He responded, "Starlight, Brawn, Castle, and Ghost."
Her mood turned dry. "You mean to tell me we have two falsebloods at the roundtable?!" She, of course, referred to Castle and Ghost.
"Falsebloods? I beg your pardon, ma'am." His eyes darted in confusion to the other bishop.
He came up to Sunfire. "We haven't used that word in almost a decade."
Sunfire grew more furious by the second. "Gather all knights present to the roundtable. I'll be waiting there." Sunfire marched off towards the door.
"But ma'am--" he started.
"That wasn't a request." She pushed open the door and followed the hallway to the roundtable.
Sanctuary, the home of the Brotherhood of Relics, was created by the Devisors long ago. For centuries, the brotherhood had maintained it. Every addition or change made was done under inspiration of this technological marvel of a palace. Emerald green and sharp silver, this hallway pulsed with power and majesty.
Sunfire entered the council chambers, accented by a roundtable in the middle, with chairs surrounding it. All furniture was engraved with the sigil of the Brotherhood of Relics and carved out of an ancient tree from Omulice that was important to their past.
A bishop in the room was cleaning and maintaining the table. He wore the mark of Sunfire and was once one of her bishops, temporarily lent to Brawn while she slept.
Sunfire addressed him by name. "Catch me up on the affairs of our galaxy. Start with the most important, and build towards the least important until the other knights arrive. Go."
He did as she asked, and she waited in silence, taking in every bit of information. She was shocked at all she had missed, appalled even by some of the news, but she kept a noncommittal expression throughout.
The door opened, and the bishop took that as his cue to leave. Sunfire stood at the end of the table, arms crossed, as three knights entered.
Castle entered first, smirking with charm in his emerald eyes and lots of fidgety micro-mannerisms. He carried himself the same as Sunfire remembered, although his gear changed. Castle, dressed in a knight's cloth, brandished a belt-like black cloth around his left arm and an overabundance of throwing knives along his waist, over his shoulder, and more hidden throughout his person. Sunfire didn't recall him using so many knives before. And the tattoos he bore were new. One thing was the same as before, his hairstyle; spiky and dyed black with a purple tint.
Ghost was not far behind. Unlike Castle, his gear was similar to before; bandanna and mask to cover his head and mouth. His knight's attire bore extra metal plating on his shins, arms, shoulders, chest, and waist. He gave her a quick glance with his unique set of eyes; one was yellow, and the other was purple - both irises looked of shattered glass.
Last in was a face very familiar to Sunfire; it was Starlight. She had known her for her entire knighthood and considered her a close companion. Her attire was traditional, save a few white-shaded tertiary cosmetic additions she made. Starlight didn't have her signature starlight bow or fabricator with her at this moment.
Sunfire's eyes went to Ghost and Castle, sharing contempt for them both.
Castle grinned as he took his seat. "The firehead herself walks among us once again. I should've brought flowers in celebration of this tremendous day." Sunfire thought she detected a hint of sarcasm in his words.
She ignored him. "Tell me where Brawn is."
Ghost took his seat. "He's leading his bishops against enemy troops."
"Sanctuary is under attack?" Her voice grew in volume.
"Of course not," Castle remarked, with sarcasm. "Ghost, a man who doesn't mince words, decided to say we're under attack when - get this - we aren't."
Ghost jumped in. "Our outer shields will hold for many months against their star cruisers and freighters. The only thing they can do for the moment is attack us on the ground. To which, they are finding our deception and ensnarement warfare tactics hard to overcome."
"That doesn't tell me how they found us."
"Recently, we took it upon ourselves to gather information from one of their locations--"
Sunfire shot Ghost a raised eyebrow. "Gather information?"
Castle jumped in. "We broke in. Apparently, they figured that out and made the first strike. We underestimated them. But those crazy bastards have no idea what they've just done."
"I'll have to deal with that later, then. First, I called for this roundtable meeting for one thing: I want you two, Castle and Ghost, to renounce your titles as knights so we can hold a trial for your successors immediately." She would rather them renounce their titles willingly, else it would be near impossible to remove them from the table, since removing a knight simply isn't a matter that can be voted on.
Castle shot out of his chair, and it fell back. "What did you just say?!"
Ghost, calm, with his elbows on the table and fingers folded, said, "You can't believe we would ever do such a foolhardy thing."
"If you had any respect for the Brotherhood of Relics, you would do just that. It is a cruel joke that you falsebloods, born without brotherhood ancestral blood, would ever be knights. So, stop this insult to our ways this instant."
Ghost didn't move. "With respect--"
Castle could not contain himself anymore, interrupting Ghost and letting the words fly. "Oh, boo-fraken-hoo. Dear old Grandma Sunfire misses the days of old where everyone had to have the ancestral blood to be accepted into the brotherhood." He was standing, with expressive hands arching a rainbow over his head. "Here's the headline: We didn't just swindle our way into knighthood. We crawled and fought for every step and against elitist bitches like you--"
"Watch your mouth!" Sunfire roared.
"Or what?!" Castle marched over to Sunfire, spitting his words in her face. Starlight and Ghost were on edge. "You gonna burn me to ash? Break our most sacred rule? Do it! Prove yourself a hypocrite!"
"Step back! Now!" Sunfire uncrossed her arms.
Castle let out a sarcastic laugh. "Me step back? Really? As if I'm the problem here."
Sunfire glared. "You've been a problem since joining the brotherhood."
"What the hell are you trying to accomplish? We both know neither Ghost nor myself would ever renounce our titles. So, if your goal was to piss me off... guess what? Mission fraken accomplished, you jagg-off. You can take solace in the fact that one time, for like… fifteen seconds, you irritated me. By the stars, I hope you're proud of yourself."
Ghost came over and pulled Castle half a meter away. "Don't let her get to you," he tried to soothe Castle.
Sunfire didn't back down. "Both of you, look around. Sanctuary, our secret home, isn't so secret anymore. And as one of my kind bishops informed me moments ago, we have our entire galaxy at war."
Castle growled, "Who gives a shivf? Our brotherhood has only ever cared about protecting and studying all that the holy Devisors constructed. And once we deal with the enemies on our doorstep, we will relocate Sanctuary. Easy-peasy."
"Agreed. The wars of others don't pertain to us," Ghost added.
Sunfire slammed her hand to the table. "Wrong! Starlight, advise these two with some of your wisdom."
Starlight sat in the furthest corner, almost looking to make herself seem smaller and out of sight. She looked like she didn't want to be involved with this conflict; however, Sunfire called on her for that very reason. "Devisor's technology… equates to disaster in virgin hands," Starlight said in a mumbling whisper.
"What?" Castle's eyes were squinting, his head shaking in confusion.
Sunfire reiterated, "What she's saying is, there's a reason we take the technology for ourselves. It's dangerous for species ill-equipped to handle such powerful technology to possess it. Thus, the Brotherhood of Relics has always had the secondary goal of protecting the galaxy from itself. And this war - the Wersillian War - is threatening to destroy our galaxy if we do not step in."
Castle retorted, "That isn't your decision. You may not act the part, but you are a knight, same as us. We're your equals, despite how big that head of yours balloons up."
"So we put it to vote - we put involving ourselves into the Wersillian War to a vote - as all matters before the brotherhood should be." Sunfire tilted her head to Castle.
Castle sat down. "That's the first thing you've said that I agree with."
Ghost and Starlight both nodded in approval.
Sunfire started to the door. "But first, I'll go relieve Brawn of the burden of dealing with our intruders."
Castle joked, "Having just awoken, and you're already itching to get your hands dirty."
Just then, the door opened, with a bishop present. "Sorry to bother everyone, but the Devisor starportal in storage has just been activated."
Ghost reported, "That hasn't been used in at least a hundred years."
Castle stood up. "I'll meet our guest. After all, each of you has the conversational skills of a plant. Best leave this to the social expert of the group."
Ghost and Starlight nodded. As Castle passed Sunfire, she smirked. "Seems you have uses after all."
"Oh, go and show off already like you want to." Castle left the room and headed for the lower levels.
Sunfire addressed the remaining knights. "This conversation continues on my return." She left the roundtable.
As Sunfire passed the doorway, she saw two bishops armored up and equipped with belvon rods. "You two. Follow me, and make sure no enemy annoys me."
They bowed as she passed and came to her two sides, slightly behind her.
Eventually, Sunfire and the two guards made it to the front gates and had them opened. They marched outside to the slime-tinted rock wasteland covered by a thick fog. A planet called Jöithamir; terrain ranging from murky swamps to harsh, barren rocks. Remote and uninviting, perpetually bathed in a moss-green mist, this planet lay in the Shipwreck System and was perfect for hiding.
Sunfire made her way down the many steps leading away from the front entrance and towards the surface of the planet. She reached the bottom, arms crossed and uninterested, striding through narrow paths between sharp boulders.
The sky was lit with color as plasma, large and small, rained from three star cruisers down on the planet. The shields generated around the area were the only defense to block the city-destroying amount of fire targeted at the Sanctuary. Sounds of battle were soon audible, plasma gunfire, echoes of screams of agony - none of omelic origin, but of Wersillian soldiers. The cries of battle were nothing to Sunfire. Insignificant in her mind. She had power unmatched in the galaxy and with a sole purpose to aim it towards. She had a prophecy to fulfill.
Kilometers away from Sanctuary, a dytirc jumped out at Sunfire and the two bishops. It fired its plasma rifle at Sunfire. A bishop intercepted the shot with quick reactionary speed, deflecting the shot with the emerald-colored, divisor inspired-weapon he carried. More shots and more deflects by the belven rod until one deflection hit the dytirc in the head. He dropped onto a sharp stone and was impaled, his body leaking away its thick blood.
A korkyran warrior came from in front, to the surprise of the bishops, and aimed a powerful jab at Sunfire. He bashed her in the face. A mere annoyance, as the punch packed all the power of a small insect behind it. Or it did to her anyway, and she didn't as much as slide backwards by the blow. The korkyra let his fist fall to his side in utter disbelief. Sunfire put her hand over his face and burned it to ash. The insignificant being dropped at her feet.
"I told you to keep the enemy from bothering me." Sunfire looked back at the bishops.
Now in a perfect spot, with a clear view of all the star cruisers, she breathed in. Her power let loose, and her right arm lit ablaze. She aimed at the closest ship and let loose an intense array of fire as strong as a solar flare. It burned a hole through the first starship, triggering it to explode into pieces of fire and metal. She moved her aim to the next ship and the next, until all the ships where blasted apart.
The scattered shards of the ships rained down against the shields. But it was of little importance to her. She was ready to move on to more important matters. She looked at one of the two bishops. "Time to reconvene the knights."