The stables were full of activity, trainers and animals everywhere. Pawn stands on a table next to Need A Smoke and Brother In-law. Pawn had been here since Salem put him there and gave him a kiss on the head to wish him luck. Rook was twisting her head left and right trying to see all of the action at once. Pawn knew that he will be riding a horse in a race, he had to ride Blackfrost many times in the past, but that was never in any race, and he was familiar with Blackfrost. Suddenly, Mal entered the busy stable and was making his way to them when he bumped into a blonde woman who was walking to her horse and rider. Pawn had seen this woman before. It was Arian, and she was taking a soaked cloth to a black horse and a very cute looking female ferret. Arian continued on her way as Mal stepped back to let her pass then continued to walk to them. “Your masters wanted I to wish ye two luck, and now to get ye guys strapped in for the race,” said Mal as he lifted Pawn and placed him on the back of Need A Smoke. Mal began to tie a small leather strap to Pawn’s rear left ankle. “This be incase you fall off, but a word of caution I be giving ye little one,” said Mal as he looked down to the floor, “It is a long way down for ye.” Pawn looks down and gives a big swallow when he saw where the ground was.
Chapter Twenty-Two – The Lysts Downs Equestrian Grand Prix
The gates to the Royal Palace opened wide to let out the horses and carriages of the Royal convoy headed to the Palace City Blade port. The convoy passed the main Blade Port terminal and went to the garage where the BoltBlade is stored when not running. King Abbot with the MonarchBlade, Salem with Pawn, and Selene exit a carriage and are led by guards to the large garage. “A man had visited the Palace asking for time in the Royal Library,” said Abbot. “Your library has books not found anywhere else,” said Selene. “Correct. I told the guy that he could look in the library if he liked but no book is to be removed or damaged, I also asked the guy what he would give in return.” said Abbot. “What did the guy do?” asked Salem. “The man had a Blade. It was a very strange Blade, it was short and any use as a weapon did not look possible. He asked me, “What was the most valuable thing in the city.” I told him it was the BoltBlade,” said King Abbot. “What did he do?” asked Selene. “He asked to see the BoltBlade. I took him here,” continued King Abbot, “He then used his Blade.” The group entered the main storage room of the building where the twins were met with an all striking sight. “He used his Blade to make copies of the BoltBlade. We now have eight new BoltBlades, except for color, each one is exactly as the original,” said King Abbot as the Twins looked at the white BoltBlades with blue trim, lined up next to each other.
The BoltBlade glided along its track at a constant speed of three hundred miles per hour. What was amazing to the Blade Masters for the first five minutes was now very boring. “I need to go,” said Haiku to her father. “You may have to hold it,” said Emhril. “There is a place she can go at the back of the compartment,” said Selene. Haiku undoes her seatbelt and leaves her seat to go to the restroom at the back. “Aw, you should not be touching Vivien’s chest,” said Haiku. “Don’t you have to go to the restroom?” said Jarody through his grinning teeth. “If we are going the wrong way, why don’t you try telling Pixie?” asked Zealot. Frustrated, Selene sits back on her seat and says, “Because the operator’s compartment is locked when the BoltBlade is moving. For safety reasons, Pixie needs to keep her attention on everything that is going on around us.” “So we are going to have to tell her to take us to Hellion when we get to the Palace City,” said Salem.
After an hour or two on the black paved road the MobilBlade turns a corner from behind a large pile of rocks to find themselves only a few hundred yards away from the capitol city of Boneham. The city is one of five in the country of Lysts. The cities where the Governors live and maintain the laws of each province, Boneham is at the crossroads of the Trade city of Barter, the Academic city of Terrigas, and the State Prison city of Hardack. From here, people can travel the Palace Road to the Palace City of Lysts. The laws are made at the Palace City but are enforced in the five capitols. It is also here where a Blade named the BoltBlade makes a regular stop. The BoltBlade travels from the Palace City to each of the five capitols and to the Lysts Government Prison/Seaport city of Hellion.
The MobilBlade travels past the city limits of the small town of Barter and is well on its way to the capital city of Boneham where they plan to meet a Blade Master named Pixie Dust and her BoltBlade. The Blade Masters talk to each other as the carriage moves on the flat surface of the black paved road. Haiku with her HealthBlade backpack, sits in the driver’s seat with the MobilBlade’s master Malodor Regis. “And this is the camera, it takes pictures of whatever you want,” said Jarody as he was teaching Vivien more about her PDA as Emhril sleeps on a seat that was made for him with his EarthBlade in its own place on a rack just over him. Jarody could hear the thumping sound of whatever kind of primitive engine Selene had made under the carriage.
The morning sunlight slowly moves over the small trade town of Barter. A few early risers walk around the paved streets as they get their stands ready for another business day. Salem wakes up between Vivien and Christina not knowing where she is. Am I inside the Bill’s Miller she thinks to herself. How long have I been working in the stable says another voice, Salem feels so disconnected and not sure who she is now. “Four thousand years of this, and I still cannot get use to it.” said Salem to herself. Suddenly there is a loud banging at the door that wakes Christina and Vivien. Vivien gives another horrific hiss taking Christina by surprise causing her to fall off the bed. A voice at the other side of the door could be heard, “Wake-up sleepyheads, its breakfast time! Don’t bother getting dressed!” said Jarody. “Damn, should he be having a major hangover now?” said Christina. “Not our Jarody,” said Salem as she gets up and starts getting dressed. Jarody pounds on the door again, “Didn’t you hear what I said? Get up and get out here now!” Zealot comes up behind him, “Fuck, Jarody. Leave the girls alone. Everyone else is still in bed.” “But I have to eat now, I want to talk to people, and more important I want to see sleepy naked girls!” yelled Jarody as loudly at he could. “What is your problem this morning?” asked Zealot. “You’re not the boss of me!” said Jarody as he turned and started to pound on the girls’ door again, “I know you’re in there!” Zealot just gives a shrug and walks to the stairs to head down into the Bill’s Miller Tavern. Salem opens the door, “What do you want?!” Jarody violently moves Salem aside and looks into the room. “SHIT! You all got dressed! No love for Jarody,” he said as he turns and starts to head down to the tavern as well. “What is the matter with him?” asked Christina. “I stopped questioning his actions a long, long, LONG time ago,” said Salem as she left the room.
Salem and Selene were walking, making their way to the rear entrance of the Barter Arena with Christina, Jarody, Vivien, and Haiku to congratulate Zealot on a well fought battle. There were event officials everywhere and a few members of General Carcass’ army were also making their way through the back. The Blade Masters passed emergency cots full of event officials, the ones who were on the arena floor when the Zealot God’s attack was redirected to the ground. They found Zealot with Arian as well as Wayne Marcus and General Carcass surrounded by even more officials and the three women who handed out the trophies. There was also a man in yellow business robes and what looked to be business underlings behind him. He had a typical businessman’s face with an expensive looking haircut and chiseled features and when he smiled; his big teeth almost gave off a glow. “That must be the event organizer,” guessed Salem as they approached.
