Sectaurs Issue# 4

Story Title: Stellara's Choice

If the Dark Domain suspected that Prince Dargon and his companions sought the power hidden in the lost hyves of the ancients, war would soon rage over Symbion! Thus the, "outlaws," to fool their foes, are forced to flee their friends!

Caught between the Sea of Acid Rain and the Perilous Cliffs, Dargon and his companions try desperately to evade the weapons fire of the royal guard.  A spine bomb detonates behind Zak hurtling him off his feet.  However, the former Captain of the royal guard saw the bomb coming and prepared himself for the explosion by using the force of the blast to somersault to safety.  Pinsor marvels at Zak's feat and acknowledges that it was such daring that made the young warrior the best Captain ever to lead the royal guard. Stellara quips that Zak's actions are more along the lines of foolhardiness than daring.  She says most would agree "with the decision that suspended him from command even before he turned traitor!" Pinsor is stunned by her remark.  "You know we committed no treason, Stellara," he says.  Stellara acknowledges the truth and her disdain that their pursuers do not.  Pointing her weapon at the approaching guards, the warrioress reasons that if the object is to make the Dark Domain believe they are wanted criminals, then why not return the deadly fire being delivered at them? Pinsor stops her, pleading with her not to fire at their comrades.  Zak, however, concedes with Stellara and is scornful of the idea of being cut down over a mistake.  Dargon flies on Dragonflyer urgently looking for a route of escape for his companions.  Meanwhile, the spine bombs are getting closer and closer to finding their "mark".  Zak regrets ever having taught his guards to aim so well.  The warriors finally come to a dead end and are trapped in a cul-de-sac.  Mantor suggests that one of them creates a diversion to allow the others to scale the cliffs.  Dargon elects to attract the weapons fire while the others make their escape.  Stellara is despondent as she watches Dargon fly off.  She once had a flying insectoid and once could've flown into battle beside Dargon.  Now she feels dependent on Pinsor, half a warrior and half a Sectaur.  Zak looks behind and notices Mantor facing the guardsmen head on.  He questions the old teacher's motives.  Mantor replies that he will send Raplor to help Zak scale the cliff.  However, the royal advisor will remain behind to aid Dargon.  Battle Beetle scales the cliff carrying Pinsor and Stellara while Raplor fires his web line enabling Zak and Bitaur to climb hand over hand up the side of the mountain.  The guardsmen strengthen their stance as they watch Dargon descend upon them.  "So," shouts one of the guardsmen, "the Prince of traitors at last turns to face those he betrayed." Dargon raises his shield to fend off the anger violently directed at him by those who once defended him.  The prince knows that the guardsmen are simply fulfilling their duty and tries to a great extent to avoid hurting the loyal warriors.  Suddenly a number of the guards turn their attention away from the royal prince and rush towards a new target.  Mantor! "The Prince's tutor stands defenseless by the seaside," says one of the attacking guards, "too old to run and too weak to climb! It was most likely he whose mutterings about the accursed ancients turned Dargon to treason! Cut him down!" Lowering his power staff to the surface of the sea, Mantor states to the guardsmen that they can't attack what they can't see.  With that, Mantor plunges his staff into the Sea of Acid Rain causing a thick plume of acrid smoke to billow forth.  Dargon and Dragonflyer sail through the fog picking up Mantor and flying to safety.  Dargon questions how his old teacher created the searing smokescreen.  The wise old man politely refrains from giving an answer and asks permission to keep some secrets to himself.  

Far away in the Dark Domain, in the heart of Castle Grimhold, Scorpia, the half sister of Spidrax, weaves a spell enabling watching eyes to spy on the Shining Realm heroes.  Senrad looks on as Dargon and his companions re-group.  "Then Skito's reports are borne out!" observes the sinister advisor.  Waspax delights in the scene before them.  It would seem that Prince Dargon has indeed betrayed the Shining Realm. Skulk motions to the image in a panic.  Mantor seems to sense that he and his friends are being watched.  Scorpia denies that possibility asserting that her spy spell is undetectable.  The likeness of Mantor stares back through the image in recognition.   In a sudden flash, the spell collapses and the spying image disappears.  Skulk takes the sudden failure as proof of his suspicions about Mantor.  Devora expresses her doubts in Scorpia's competency as a sorceress.  Senrad offers that it was Skulk who suggested they seek her magical aid.  Devora grants that both Skulk and Scorpia are quite similar.  Skulk plots to ascend the throne while Scorpia seeks to gain the power of the hyves.  The two are loyal as long as it serves their purpose, and Devora accepts their assistance when it suits the evil Empress.  Skulk is stung by his step-mother's words and claims to be completely devoted to her.  Scorpia takes a different approach in an attempt to save herself.  "I will not lie to you as Skulk does, Empress," she says directly, "I do seek the hidden hyves! But I have no desire to rule over kingdoms! I seek power only to make myself a sorceress supreme!" Senrad looks skeptical, "And what of your half-brother, Scorpia?" Waspax submits that Spidrax wants Symbion all to himself.  Devora counters saying that Spidrax is the only one who has successfully dealt with the soldiers of the Shining Realm.  It would now appear that the general's services must be called into play once again to determine if the division in the Shining Realm's ranks is legitimate. Waspax volunteers himself over the general.  "Why not let me take my sting-troopers to find out?" he asks.  Skulk agrees asking why Spidrax gets all the forefront.  A sudden stinging sensation slaps Skulk in the back, throwing him in a heap on the floor.  A voice from behind identifies himself as the source of the pain and the greatest warrior the Dark Domain has to offer.  General Spidrax.  Skulk announces that Spidrax couldn't even beat Prince Dargon in single combat.  Spidrax calls Skulk a liar, threatening to inflict a deeper, mortal wound from his venom whip.  Devora stops the exchange.  She grants Spidrax the chance to prove his mettle against the Shining Realm warriors.  With Skulk cowering at her feet for protection, the Empress tells her General to seek out the truth surrounding this apparent split in the Shining Realms ranks.  Does the betrayal hold merit or is it a cover story enabling their enemies the chance to find the power of the lost hyves for themselves? Devora suggests that if Dargon found the hyves first, Spidrax would be no match for the young prince.  "If the power of the hyves would make Prince Dargon mightier than I," Spidrax threatens, "then he shall die before he reaches them!" Spidrax leaves the throne room, swearing that he will be the mightiest warrior on Symbion for all times.    Waspax expresses his distaste for the "boastful barbarian" as he watches Spidrax leave.  Devora allows that Spidrax's opinions of himself can be greater than the known reality, but she is willing to allow him his "blood feud" with Dargon.  "With any luck, they will destroy each other. . .," she counters.  Skulk wonders at the possibility of becoming the next general of the Dark Domains forces should Spidrax be eliminated.  He decides to consult Scorpia's mystic powers for confirmation.

Arriving at Scorpia's nest, Skulk is alarmed to find Scorpia packing her belongings.  On questioning her, Scorpia verifies that she is indeed leaving Castle Grimhold.  After the display in the throne room, Scorpia has decided that she no longer serves anyone other than herself.  Skulk begs her not to leave stressing that he requires her help.  Scorpia sarcastically questions why she should help him.  Skulk's reasoning is simple.  They both hate her half-brother, Spidrax, with equal intensity.  If they worked together, they could thwart the general's grab for power and accelerate their own in the process.  Scorpia agrees on one condition. . .Skulk may have Symbion all to himself, but the hyves are to belong solely to her.  Skulk agrees expressing no interest in magic whatsoever.  With the verbal agreement sealed, Scorpia pulls out a magic pendant.  She says the pendant is attuned with Mantor's bio-energy and will lead the bearer directly to him.  "While Spidrax searches all over the map for Dargon and his companions," Skulk states excitedly,  "Thank you Scorpia! Should I succeed in slaying them, we shall share in the glory. . .as partners in power!" Scorpia stands in the doorway as she watches Skulk ride away on Trancula.  "You and I on the throne of Symbion, Skulk?" she reflects with disgust, "what a revolting prospect!"

As the Shining realm warriors ascend the cliff, they find themselves traversing through a thick fog.  Dargon comments to Mantor of a strong source of power the young prince senses all around them, and contemplates if the source could be a hyve.  Mantor explains that Dargon is becoming ever aware of unseen energies, but that the source is not from a hyve but another familiar place.  In his thoughts, Zak curses Mantor and his strange abilities and wonders if the old fool could very well be leading them into evil.  He reasons, however, that he has seen Mantor use his abilities for good.  Zak decides to follow on for now.  As long as Dargon trusts Mantor, he will try to do the same.  Pinsor looks back at Stellara as she rides behind and asks her why she is so silent.  Stellara confesses that she feels utterly useless without an insectoid.  She feels as if she is incapable of helping herself or the friends she travels with.  Mantor suddenly appears out of the mist and suggests that Stellara may be able to telebond again and soon.  The twin suns of Symbion rise over the mountain dispelling the mist and revealing the source of the power Dargon was sensing.  It is the High Place, the sacred mountain where Sectaurs become telebonded to their insectoids.  Normally there is a ceremony which takes place each year to commemorate the bonding.  However, recent stresses between the Dark Domain and the Shining Realm have kept aspiring Sectaurs away.  As it just so happened, the Shining Realm warriors have arrived on the exact day on which the ceremony is normally held.  "Soul of Symbion, lass," Pinsor exclaims with joy as he lifts Stellara off of Battle Beetle and sets her gently on the ground, "at last, you can feel whole once more!" Dargon and Zak also voice their confidence in Stellara.  Stellara, however, feels uncertain.  Once telebonded, A warrior and insectoid are joined in both heart and mind.  When the bond is broken by the death of one, something dies in the other as well.  She is uncertain as to whether or not she wants to risk that agony again.  Dargon says that no one will think less of her if she decides not to take the risk.  Stellara weighs the possibilities for a moment and decides to attempt telebonding.  If not, "I will eternally fault myself. . .," she reasons.  She kisses Pinsor on the cheek telling him that he has always been a father figure to her and asks for his prayers on what she is about to embark on.  Pinsor agrees, but hints that he would rather have her regard him as something more.  Dargon interrupts Pinsor, stressing that Stellara needs a clear head for the task she is about to undertake.  Mantor agrees.  Not every attempt at telebonding is successful and if Stellara's attempt results in failure, the old teacher fears it make break her confidence forever.  

As Stellara makes her ascent, she is unaware of spying eyes.  Upon sighting Stellara, Skulk and his Drone soldiers realize that the pendant must have lead them to Mantor and Prince Dargon.  Skulk restrains his soldiers from attacking Stellara.  He feels she is the weakest of the lot and can be picked off later after they have dispensed with Dargon and the others.  After Stellara is far enough out of range, Skulk gives the order to attack.  

The sudden sound of explosions plunges Dargon and the others in the middle of a sneak attack.  Mantor is shocked.  To launch an attack on such sacred ground is blasphemous.  Dargon recognizes the source of attack as coming from Skulk. "He cares little for such niceties," the prince remarks.  With Skulk and his Drone soldiers firing from the advantage and cover of the high ground, Dargon and his companions, out in the open and in plain sight, have no choice but to attack the enemy head on.  Dargon and Dragonflyer swoop down knocking several Drones off the cliff side.  Zak leaps over and attacks one Drone while Bitaur charges forward and attacks from below, knocking the Drone off his feet.  Pinsor slaps a Drone with the flat of his battle axe, bashing him to the ground. "These Drone soldiers of the Dark Domain attack individually, each seeking glory for himself," the old warrior says, "whereas Battle Beetle and I fight for each other!" Mantor agrees with Pinsor, calling telebonding the greatest advantage.  Two are combined to form one fighting force.  Raplor lets out a low growl alerting Mantor's attention.  Mantor turns around just in time to find Skulk sneaking up from behind. The old keeper stares deeply into Skulks many eyes and casts a spell over him, knocking him out.  Raplor spins his web line around Skulk, bounding him tight.  Stretching out with his extrasensory abilities, Mantor becomes aware of a new danger approaching, and he fears for Stellara's safety.

Stellara finally reaches the top of the plateau of the High Place.  The serene meadows are as beautiful as she remembers it.  Sounds of battle and war cries catch her interest.  Her friends are in trouble and she starts off to help them when she stops at the sound of a growl.  An insectoid walks out into the clearing, drawn by instinct to telebond.  Stellara stares at the creature and wonders. . .would she not be more effective in helping her friends if she had an insectoid fighting alongside? 

At the bottom of the cliff, the battle is over and the Shining Realm Knights celebrate in victory.  Zak is skeptical.  Winning a battle fought against Drones doesn't feel like much of a victory, but it was far more preferable than running from the royal guard.  Mantor says that there is more fighting to come.  A surge through his power staff warns the keeper that a more powerful enemy is on his way.  Zak begins to chide Mantor, questioning if they could be allowed to enjoy one moment of joy without it being ruined by mystical croakings of doom.  "Triumph, Zak, is reserved for the strong!" comes an aggressive voice from behind.  It's General Spidrax on Spiderflyer.  Dargon takes him on immediately.  He bested him once and the young prince feels confident it can be done again.  Zak, however, admits rather pessimistically that the victory against Spidrax came one on one.  This time, Spidrax brought his Skull soldiers with him, giving the Drone soldiers new confidence in taking up battle once again.  

On the plateau above, Stellara performs a ceremonial waltz to attract the insectoid to telebonding.  After some time, the insectoid finally demonstrates some interest and begins to move towards her.  Sectaur and insectoid head for each to touch antennae and link each other in telebonding.  A powerful white light begins to surround the High Place.  

Down below in the midst of battle, the white light blinds the warriors below.  Dargon recognizes it as the Linkage Light, indicating that the bonding is nearly complete.  Stellara must be on the verge of completing the ceremony.  Seeing the light breaks Skulk out of the spell Mantor placed on him, it suddenly dawns on him what their location truly is.  It is indeed the High Place, and Skulk shouts to Spidrax to break off battle on sacred ground.  Spidrax brushes the suggestion off, denying any consequences for fighting on so called "Holy Ground." Spidrax goes on to admit that he did not telebond to Spiderflyer, but instead seized him off the slopes by force.  Dargon is shocked by the admission, and concedes that Spidrax must be even more of a heartless, vindictive barbarian than originally thought.  

On the plateau, Stellara, hearing the shouts and cries of her friends in battle, decides regretfully to break off the attempt at telebonding.  The rejection is more assailing and painful than the loss of her first insectoid and leaves Stellara weak.  She apologizes to the insectoid, acknowledging its hurt, but confides that the ceremony still had hours left to go, and she could not sacrifice her friends for the sake of telebonding.  Noticing a large boulder nearby, Stellara pushes with all her might in an attempt to launch a land slide down upon her friend's opponents below.  But she is far to weak to make it budge.  Suddenly, the insectoid seemingly understanding in what Stellara is trying to accomplish, helps her push against the large rock.  The two are successful, and the resulting avalanche takes out a large number of Spidrax's Skull soldiers.  With the loss of his Skull soldiers, Spidrax is left with no choice but to retreat.  With no enemies to distract him, Pinsor demonstrates his true concern. . ."Stellara!" he shouts upward hoping to see some sign of her.  Zak comforts the old warrior, saying they will rescue her if need be.  

Stellara watches the insectoid leave and tries weakly to thank it for it's help.  The insectoid walks away as if oblivious to what Stellara is trying to say.  "It's going! Not being telebonded to me, it doesn't understand. . .but it did when I needed help," Stellara observes, "So what does it all prove? That I need an insectoid's help? I knew that! But my becoming whole wouldn't mean much if my friends had died. . .so maybe I need them more!"

"I made my choice!" she says confidently.

Stellara descends the mountain.  She finds her friends and asks them what they are gawking at.  As she descends without an insectoid accompanying her, Pinsor and Mantor start off saying they expected a warrior to descend from the High Place! Dargon replies, "And so she has!"

Commentary

Another story supplying large amounts of background information.  We're also given an introduction to Scorpia, Spidrax's half sister, who is an evil keeper of sorts and Mantor's apparent counterpart.  Had the series lasted, I would have been greatly interested in seeing more of her.  We also learn that Spidrax did not obtain Spiderflyer through the normal ceremony of telebonding but instead acquired him through force of will by enslaving him.  It does indeed give Spidrax more of a heartless and ruthless play of character. There is also a hint of Pinsor's true feeling for Stellara as being something more than just Father figure-Daughter figure.  I tried to be open minded about this when I first read it and will go into more detail about my conclusions in some later issues.  The only real problem I couldn't get over. . . Stellara's dance to attract the insectoid.  OK, I know that insects often perform a dance of some sort to attract a mate or direct attention to food, nectar, etc.  The artwork compiling the "dance" was seductive in nature, and I could see Stellara getting away with it.  But I did have a hard time seeing say Dargon or Zak getting away with it!   

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