The Savage Brawl [Round 5: Battletopia]

Originally posted on MSPA by Dragon Fogel.

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Choosing to fight instead of run was a fatal mistake for the bodyguards. They had only been able to stun Ziir before by catching him off guard. Now, he was able to kill each of the aliens as they approached, before they had a chance to activate their stun devices.

As the bodyguards fell, Ziir turned his drill on the High Admiral.

"I am sorry," he said. "In this body, I am bound by orders."

Sla'thuin weakly coughed out his final words.

"Device... my office. Contact her..."

He collapsed to the floor.

Ziir vanished and began searching the hallways.

***

"I did notice a sudden surge in the transformation rate. I can tell you precisely when it happened, but not how."

Konka Rar was only halfheartedly listening to Gormand's ramblings. The conversation with the meatball was little more than a way to pass the time while waiting for another report from his minion.

"It returned to normal not long after that. The best theory I have is that there was some form of massive energy transfer and I somehow benefited from it. It's mostly a curiosity, however; everything is functioning as expected, so it's unlikely to be some form of sabotage. And if some unseen benefactor is trying to manipulate me, well, they could do worse than assist me with the plan I was going to pursue regardless."

For that matter, Gormand was talking to himself more than his guest. It wasn't the most thrilling of discussions on the whole.

Rar did find himself idly wondering if the hypothetical "energy transfer" had been the cause of his spells increasing in power, but he saw little reason to speak up. Gormand might turn on him later in the battle, and if that happened, it would better suit the lich's purposes if his opponent underestimated his power.

His train of thought was interrupted by the crackling of his makeshift communicator.

"This is Ziir," it said. "I am in a secure location."

"Excellent," Rar replied.

"Honestly, you have more to worry about it than I do. After all, if whatever caused it were to happen again right now, you would most likely be transformed. I hope you won't take offense if I say that's no hindrance to my plans, but it's not something I'm actively looking to-"

Gormand paused as he took another look at his guest.

"When did you get here?" he asked Ziirphael.

***

The office would be secure, Ziir reasoned. He could investigate whatever the alien was pointing him to while still obeying Rar's orders. It wasn't ideal, but it was manageable.

As it turned out, he could probably have stayed where he was. The rest of the crew was understandably nervous, but Ziir had slipped out so quietly that they probably assumed the High Admiral was still interrogating him.

It also turned out to be very easy to find the office. It wasn't far from the bridge, which he'd come across almost by accident.

Inside, Ziir locked the door. He then found himself compelled to call Konka before he touched the device on the High Admiral's desk.

But just as it roared to life, he felt himself beginning to vanish. And at that moment, he realized Rar's plan.

He had seen this before. In the giant's house, Rar had changed places with his undead rat minion to escape an attack.

And now the same was happening to Ziirphael. In mere moments, he found himself back on a ship mostly made of meat. Simultaneously, Konka Rar appeared in the High Admiral's office, only to be greeted by a holographic image on the desk before him.

"Who are you?" asked the image. "And what are you doing on my ship?"