Fall of the Necromaster
The Necromaster of Zardoz laughed a high, thin, unpleasant laugh. “You stand no chance against me!” he shouted. “Look! Already, the strongest of you lies bleeding on the floor! And why? Because I cut down a few trees? Because I brought progress to a bunch of savages? All that is nothing compared to my greater goal. I want what you want, Tenku Knights. I want to go home.”
“Home?” Golf asked, one eyebrow arching. “Then... Was I right? Are you from our world?”
“Does the name Malachi’s Carnival of Wonders mean anything to you?”
The Tenku Knights looked at each other in amazement. Golf took a slight step forward. “So you came here through the carnival, too? What’s going on?”
The Necromaster sighed. “All I know is that we were brought to this land by the Archwizard Malachi for reasons he has not seen fit to share. He rules a kingdom far to the west of here, a stronghold that not even the power of my science was able to penetrate. And so I came to Zardoz, to forge this backwards little fiefdom into a scientific fighting force capable of storming Malachi’s walls and forcing him to send me back. I wasn’t ready, but with you here... We could go to Malachi, my friends, and we could defeat him. He’d have to give us what we want. He’d have to send us all home.”
“All of us but Tank, is that it?” Shiba Batsu asked. He was kneeling beside his fallen friend, trying unsuccessfully to staunch the flow of blood. Shiba got to his feet, tears streaming down his face. “He’s not breathing, you bastard. He’s not breathing.”
“No.” Sakura stood, stumbling back from Tank’s prone form. “No, that can’t be.” Her gaze traveled up to the Necromaster. “You. You did thees! I theenk I loved zis large man, and you took him away.” She glared terribly, a single tear betraying her cold eyes. “Now, you weell pay. Now, you weell taste ze wrath of ten generations of ze Legend clan. Look upon ze face of your doom, Necromaster. Gaze in wonder, as you fall victim to... Ze Legendary Serve!!”
Electricity crackled from Sakura’s eyes. Her hair lifted on an unseen wind as she rose slowly into the air, her ball floating above one outstretched hand. It spun, becoming opalescent, then glowing. She stared at it, her eyes narrowing. With another crackle of her Four-Square power, the ball became a streak of light. It crashed into the Necromaster’s chest and rebounded off against the walls, striking him again and again.
Pummeled viciously, he found his back against the wall before regaining himself and finally batting the ball away. He stood erect then, and wiped blood from his mouth. “Very well,” he said. “I thought we could work together, but if you value this idiot’s life above your own... so be it!”
The Necromaster flicked a switch on the side of his neck and the black cloth of his uniform tore away. Tendrils of metal hissed loose from the wall behind him, snaking out to cover his body with a criss-crossing network of steel musculature. “Behold!” he shouted. “The Battle-Armor of the Necromaster of Zardoz!”
The Necromaster, fortified with science, launched forth into the center of his foes, and they returned his attacks with all their might, the pure power of sports coursing through their veins. Many were the blows that were struck, but ultimately to no avail. The power of the Necromaster’s augmented form was too much for them, and they were forced to fall back.
The lord of Zardoz laughed again, then, bloody but not beaten. His eyes were wild, and steam vented forth from every joint on his mighty battle-suit. “You have been good foes,” he said. “Malachi chose wisely this time. But not wisely enough.” He fell back to the wall, his hand falling upon a lever. “When I throw this switch, the floor beneath your feet will give way, sending you plunging to your deaths in the bottomless pit below. Farewell, Tenku Knights! Farewell!” The Necromaster threw the switch, and the room began to shake. Cracks swiftly appeared beneath the Tenku Knights’ feet. The stone floor began to give way.
“NO!” Tank Doyobi, his body broken beyond repair, lurched to his feet and leapt at his friends, his tremendous strength knocking them clear of the pit. “Leave them alone,” Tank said to the shocked Necromaster in a rasping voice. Stone blocks falling away beneath his feet with each step, Tank advanced on his enemy. They struggled briefly before the Necromaster broke Tank’s grip and stepped back. He stared at the young football star, fear in his eyes. He hesitated, and that was all Tank needed.
“TENKUUUUU!!!!” Tank shouted, launching himself forward. He hit the Necromaster shoulder-first and drove them both over the edge of the pit. They fell into darkness, leaving behind them no trace save Sakura’s sobs. The battle, much to everyone’s sorrow, was over.
