Week 30.2 – The Cobalt Czar

Previously: Dual stand-offs between Metalord and the Cobalt Czar and Twain and Digger. And now…

“Oh for God’s…” Twain said. He felt a seeping warmth from the crystal spreading to his limbs and washing the pain from his face. “Look, I don’t have time for you right now. I’ve got to save a woman who thinks I’m supposed to fall in love with her, then I’ve got to take down the Cobalt Czar. My plate’s kind of full. Besides, your friend’s about to get killed by the Czar, and you don’t stand a chance against me any more. You should be running away now.”

“Give me the mask, and we’ll see what kind of chance I have,” Digger said.

“You want the mask?” Twain said. “Fine.”

And then he was moving, almost as quickly as Digger might have if he’d still had his powers. Twain unslung the bag from over his shoulder as he ran and swung it like a mace. Digger stumbled back, surprised, but couldn’t block in time. The bag holding the mask struck Digger on the side of the head with a sound like a gong.

***

“You said you came to warn me about threat,” the Cobalt Czar said. “What kind of threat could possibly concern me? Other than you threatening to kill my chief of security.”

[blockquote type=”blockquote_quotes” align=”left”] The bag holding the mask struck Digger on the side of the head with a sound like a gong…[/blockquote]Metalord glanced at Ghost Dragon, who growled back at him. “He’s not in any danger as long as he behaves. And my friend was the one with the warning, about some douchebag with a magic cup.”

“A cup?”

“A magic cup,” Metalord clarified. “And the guy also has the power to change clothes.”

The Cobalt Czar stared for a moment, his eyes growing wider as if some growing pressure inside him were forcing them out of their sockets. That pressure next escaped as a burst of air raspberrying between closed lips before the Czar remembered to open his mouth and let the laugh out in its full majesty. It boomed against the damaged buildings nearby, and a moment later, the distant ridge echoed it back, as if it had belatedly gotten the joke. The Czar swiped tears from his eyes as the laugh subsided to a chuckle. “Your friend came a long way to tell me this joke,” the Czar said. “Who is this friend? I want to thank him for the laugh.”

“His name is Digger,” Metalord said, the name punctuated by a distant gong. “But we’re still dealing with us right now.”

The Czar’s chuckle evaporated. “Digger? Here? Where is he? I want to meet him.”

“You can meet him after I kick your ass,” Metalord said. “Let’s do this thing.”

“You want to fight so badly? Then attack me,” the Czar said, looking around. He pointed at Twain, who stood over Digger’s unconscious body. “That can’t be him. He doesn’t have things.”

“I’m the good guy,” Metalord said. “You’re supposed to attack me.”

The Czar continued to scan the surrounding town for any sign of Digger. “I don’t have time for you. Go back to America and play with your little girls.”

I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t think Cole’s going to react too well to that. Be here for the next episode to find out.

To read from the beginning, click here…