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The Three Realms The Three Realms (Book 5: The Final Fight)

3 Realms 5-10

Arsha made her way to a nearby computer terminal. “Computer, locate my parents,” she ordered.

“King Elgrad and Queen Hanako Royana,” replied the computer, “are in docking tube 3.”

“Thank you!” She dashed off to the starboard side and found her parents. They still had a pipe in their hands and blinked. They then saw Arsha’s regretful face and got the idea. Hanako opened the door and Arsha stepped back as they walked out.

“Figured it out, did we?” asked Elgrad.

“Mama, Daddy, I’m so sorry I was rude!” said Arsha. “I didn’t even think you guys were going through a victory vice!”

“One of your lovers is from Rokanth, and you didn’t even consider that?” asked Hanako.

“And consider how we felt,” continued Elgrad. “We find our daughter again, and what does she do? She berates us on indulging after so many months of being unable to find her. Can you even guess how hurt we were?” Arsha turned her eyes down. “I’m gonna guess not.”

“Arsha, you can’t afford to make those kind of snap judgments,” continued Hanako, “not if we’re going to win this war.”

“…No, Mom and Dad. …Sorry, Mom and Dad,” mumbled Arsha.

“All right, I think we said our peace,” said Elgrad. “We’ll take that smoker’s potion once the victory vice is over, all right?”

“All right.” Elgrad and Hanako then returned to their quarters while Arsha sighed, wondering how to proceed. She didn’t have to wait long.

“Captain Royana,” called Malak over the comms, “sensors picked up a Trinnie Robot coming towards us!” Arsha adopted her authoritative stance once again.

“Has it made any demands?” she asked.

“No, Ma’am. It’s not even fired on us.”

“This feels like a trap. Send a squadron out to meet it.”

“Aye, Captain.”


The robot stood by the Endeavor and waited for the squadron to approach it. It was humanoid, armored all around, and had purple eyes. The squadron leveled their wands at the construct. The robot then raised its hands. “I surrender,” it said in a male voice. The squadron looked at each other, then at the robot.

“State your designation!” demanded an Ice Elf.

“I don’t have a designation,” replied the robot. “My name is Markulak.”

“What’s your purpose here?”

“I have information that may help Arsha win the Final War.”

“…Prepare to be searched!” Markulak nodded and a human came forward, patting it down.

“…It’s clean,” he called.

“Bring it to the brig!” ordered the Ice Elf. “Mr. Markulak, you’re now a prisoner of war!”

“I understand,” replied Markulak.


“You brought the robot on board?!” snarled Arsha once the Ice Elf reported what his squadron did. “I was hoping you’d shoot it!”

“With all due respect, Captain, I couldn’t do that,” replied the Ice Elf. “Not when it surrendered voluntarily.”

“It’s a Trinnie robot! It’s programmed to be tricky!”

“Jansha was programmed to be servile, yet she chose to be in a position of power over organics. Who’s to say that a Trinnie robot may defect?” Arsha arched an eyebrow, then thought about it.

“…It’s a risk.”

“Endea’s trial was a risk.” Arsha smiled.

“True. All right, we’ll keep the robot, but it’s YOUR responsibility.”

“Aye, Ma’am.”


Markulak was kept in a brig cell, given a means of recharging his systems through the power conduits of the ship. Arsha and the Ice Elf then entered the brig. They approached the cell, prompting Markulak to look up. “You gave yourself a name,” began Arsha.

“Strictly speaking, it was Jansha who did,” replied Markulak. “Markulak: Model 7. You, Captain, decapitated my predecessor, Markulak: Model 6.”

“I had no idea.”

“It’s one of the reasons I left the Empire.”

“You told me,” remarked the Ice Elf, “that you had information concerning the Empire.”

“Indeed. Dr. Borg ordered the Empire to find a Divine Tower in the Under-realm.”

“Why?” asked Arsha.

“It relates to them betraying Oyed.”

“I had a report about that. She turned on him and drained him of his Divine Mana.”

“Not just his, the Divine Ones’ as well.”

“What?!”

“The Divine Ones?!” yelped the Ice Elf.

“The Imperial Council,” continued Markulak, “believes that they will be better Gods if they blend Oyed’s Divine Mana with the Divine Ones, then ingest it.”

“I want confirmation on that!” Arsha ordered the Ice Elf. He nodded and pulled his sleeve back to reveal a communicator.

“Coil. Nine. Seven. Boxcar,” he said into it.

“Link. Click. Four,” replied a distorted voice.

“Sugar. Sugar. Nine. Four. Two. Sky. Cloud. Tower. Contract.

“Tower. Salt. Four. One. Twelve. Nine. Salt. Sign.”

“Boxcar. Three. Station.”

“Stop.” The call ended.

“Our cryptographers,” remarked Markulak, “can never figure that code out.”

“It’s confirmed,” reported the Ice Elf. “Imperial forces are searching for a Divine Tower in the Under-realm. They’re planning on being the new Divine Ones.”

“We need to get the Dwarf Kingdoms reunited,” declared Arsha. “With their help, we can find it faster than Dr. Borg can.” She then turned to Markulak. “Why?”

“You must understand, I want to preserve my people,” replied the robot, “but their recklessness and constant cloning of one’s mind is driving them to ruin.”

“I’m not so sure as I can promise the Empire’s preservation,” remarked Arsha. “My Blood Contract forbids it.”

“…Regrettable, but I will help you assist in its destruction.”

“Very well. Now, the reports indicate that most Trin…ity robots have an explosive payload in them, but in an unknown location.”

“Our left knees carry the detonator. Remove it and the explosive will be contaminated to the oxygen inrush.” Arsha called for a bomb squad to deal with the problem. The bomb squad found the detonator, removed it, and there was a hiss coming from inside Markulak.

“Now, if THAT wasn’t Detonium quickly oxidizing,” remarked the Bomb Squad’s Orc woman leader, “I don’t know what is.”

“Detonium?” asked Arsha. “Not exactly stable in terms of explosives. Very reactive.”

“Dr. Borg wanted us to take our enemies with us,” explained Markulak.

“Well, it’s harmless now,” replied the Orc woman.

“Now, what else shall we talk about?” asked the Ice Elf.

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