Commander Rex and the Black Unicorn E-Book

Jesse Wilson

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

The unicorns are returning.

A prophetic event heralds the return of the Black Unicorn: a mythical beast banished by the Gods ages ago. 

Commander Rex and his team is summoned by King Lexam to investigate the cause of this strange event. The unlikely unicorn hunters don’t believe in the Black Unicorn at all, but when summoned by the king, you don’t say no.

But soon, it becomes clear that there might be more to the events than just a prophecy. They must find who is responsible... and fast.

Leseprobe

Commander Rex and the Black Unicorn

Jesse Wilson

Copyright (C) 2018 Jesse Wilson

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2021 by Next Chapter

Published 2021 by Next Chapter

Cover art by Cover Mint

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

Chapter 1

It is seven thirty-six in the morning. Rex, a man in his late thirties turned on his television and it was the same news story as it had been for weeks now. The trial of Pen Kenders droned on and on and there felt as if there was never going to be an end to it.

Rex didn't care if he opened the blade or not because he had real problems to deal with but still he couldn't believe what a mess it had made in Antacia all the same and now it was all these kingdom dwellers could talk about. “Do you think this kid did it?” Marion asked him as she walked out of the bathroom in a deep red robe. Rex took his gaze off the screen and to her with a smile.

“I don't know. It does seem kind of strange that thousands of generations of Blade Guardians happen, this nobody kid gets it and then the world comes to an end, or nearly, anyway,” Rex replied to his wife with a shrug. “But it all turned out alright, the world is still spinning and everything is almost as it was before the disaster. It seems to me that everything turned out great,” he finished and took his brown coffee cup out of the cupboard and set it on the counter.

“Well you were venturing in the Outside, hunting as usual, of course you didn't worry about it. The Northern Kingdom was a real mess for a while. We couldn't keep our eyes off the news,” Marion replied to him and he got a cup for her too and poured them both a cup. “It was insane, we all thought the world really was going to end,” she said shaking her head, still getting the chills.

Rex poured his coffee and turned around just in time to see Pen on the television, surrounded by media people and royal guards holding them back. He looked tired on the inside and out despite wearing a nice suit for court.

“Look at that kid, he's practically a noodle. No way he could pull one of the blades out, aren't they supposed to be locked anyway, ha, he didn't do it. He's just easy to blame. I'm really sure one of the knights did it, likely that crazy Giantess Knight, I mean her name is Miss Antigone. That's a ridiculous name,” Rex said and got hit in the face with a wet rag and nearly spilled his still hot coffee.

“Did you forget that I am half Giant? You need to watch what you say, we're not crazy,” she said and glared at him with her purple eyes that seemed to burn from the angle he was looking at her. Rex pulled the rag off and couldn't help but laugh just a little. “Okay, you're only just a little bit crazy,” he said with a smile and she crossed her arms.

“I think everyone is a little bit crazy,” she finally agreed with him and turned back to the television and couldn't watch it anymore, she turned the channel to one of her favorite cooking shows. “Ah look, Volente is on, she's making squid, I think It's squid,” Marion said and crinkled her nose to this, she hated sea food and always wondered why she lived on the Borderlands of the Elroxian Kingdom. They loved sea food so much one would think that was all they ever ate.

“But she's pretty hot, I see why you like this show,” Rex replied and sipped his coffee. “You are seriously pushing your luck, any more of that and I won't make your cream puffs the way you like them anymore,” she replied and Rex's eyes widened. There was no way he was going to risk that.

“I understand, you win,” he said raised his free hand in surrender. He knew better than to continue. She smiled with a nod. “I thought so,” she replied and considered actually making some for breakfast in a little bit.

Rex looked out the window, the sun was just starting to come up over the horizon. The Western Kingdom was always the last to get the sun, but he didn't mind that at all, everywhere but the Morglands, where the sun never really got over the horizon and the unfortunate ones existed. His mind was wandering but his thought train was broken by the ringing of a phone somewhere in the distance, at least it sounded far away to him for a bit. Marion picked it up. The sound of the phone made him depressed, only one thing called this early in the day.

“Yeah, he's here hold on,” Marion said and looked at him. “Hey, it's for you,” she said and he looked over. She threw the phone to him and he caught it. “Thanks,” he replied as he brought the thing to his head.

“Yo, what's up?” Rex said into the phone that looked more like a mini flat screen tv rather than an old-fashioned phone. He narrowed his eyes then “You're kidding me, are you sure?” he asked and waited with a quiet sigh to himself. “Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can,” he said and Marion just sighed, she wished she could just break the phone into pieces and never get another one, these kinds of calls were always the same.

He clicked the phone off and set it on the marble counter.

“What is it?” she asked him and he took a much bigger sip of his cooling coffee. “Unicorn attack, small village thirty miles outside the wall,” he said, never taking his eyes off the rising sun. “Oh gods, how many were lost?” she asked in a quieter tone.

“Everyone, not one living soul has been found yet I guess,” Rex replied and knew that Unicorn attacks were becoming rarer in the modern age, at least until the Blade incident. There had been a spike in attacks in the following two months.

“I need to get out there as soon as I can,” he said mostly to himself. “I know, just be careful,” she said the obvious and he smiled. “If I was careful all the time I wouldn't get anything done but I hear you. I'll be back, chances are it will turn out to be a rogue razor horn or something like that. It'll be easy enough to deal with,” he replied, pushed himself off the counter and walked back into the bedroom.

He quickly got dressed into his blue uniform, attached his golden unicorn hunter's badge on his chest. Took one look in the mirror to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be. He put his blaster belt on and tightened it.

“Okay, let's go to work,” he said and walked out. Marion was waiting for him by the door. “You know the drill, if I don't make it back, will is in the safe, the combo is—“ Marion cut him off with a kiss. “I know the drill, you get out of here and go make some four legged monster pay for this,” she smiled and said to him. “You know I always do,” he said and with a sigh he turned and walked out the front door.

The cool morning air shocked him awake and he walked to his car. He opened the door and got in, started it up. Some morning news radio started to come through his speakers.

“Hello good people, this is Bob coming at you live from radio land. Today the trial of the century continues. Pen Kenders is accused of opening the Mimic Blade causing the disaster of the Northern Kingdom as you know, what do you think? Call us right now and you can have your opinions live on the air,” the DJ said and Rex winced, he was over this stuff and turned off the radio. That and he was never a big fan of Bob. He rolled the window down and drove off.

Marion was waving at him as he left, but he didn't see her as he turned the corner.

Chapter 2

The western kingdom was a wet, drippy kingdom and it rained the night before. Rex splashed through a puddle on the road as the natural mist in the air condensed on his windshield was wiped away by the wipers, he couldn't wait to get reassigned somewhere else. This place was made for Elxroxians, not humans or anything else, he thought to himself as he splashed through another puddle and felt his car slide on the road a little. He was just thankful it never froze over.

Rex drove down the water-logged road and looked to his left. There in the mist there was Brule castle, his destination. Rex made the rest of his quiet journey trying to put together a theory on why a whole village was attacked and wiped out. None of it made any sense, unicorns were dangerous but a whole town wiped out was extremely rare.

He rolled up to the gate and came to a stop.

An Elroxian stood there in her uniform in the guard booth her black eyes widened when he rolled the window down. “Rex, don't take this personal but every time you show up it's bad news,” she said to him and he sighed. “I'm afraid that it's going to be one of those days,” he replied as he said this she grabbed her Aquarian Star crest hanging around her neck absentmindedly. Understanding the tone well she decided not to press the issue. Her green, scaly hand moved to the button and opened the gate.

“Good luck,” she said to him and Rex just smiled weakly as he drove through to the castle.

Rex got out of his car and a valet immediately came and he was given the keys. “Take good care of her, please,” he said to the valet. “You got it, sir, as always,” he replied to him as he got in the car and drove away. Rex moved his way into the side door where a woman was waiting for him.

“Alright, what is really going on here? Unicorns don't wipe out whole towns. They pick off one or two people at a time,” Rex knew his enemy's habits and this didn't make any sense. “True, but we have a live drone feed from the scene, there aren't any bodies and the walls are scorched. The only evidence that people were there at all is their shadows burned into walls,” she said to him and Rex was confused. “A Pyrehorn in the rainy season and under the sea, what sense does that make?” he asked himself.

“Yeah you're guess was as good as ours but that is exactly what it looks like,” she said as they walked down the hall towards a door with two Elroxian guards posted outside, they opened the doors to a command center with people at computers and filled with people talking on their phones, to one another and people looking through old books for information.

“Controlled chaos, is there something you're not telling me?” Rex asked as he looked around the command center, surprised that no one even noticed he came in. “When the water is scorched, the black horn rises,” she said and Rex heard these words before, a long time ago but threw it off as nonsense. “A ten-thousand-year-old prophecy, you can't be serious,” Rex replied.

“Well if a Pyrehorn attacked an underwater village and killed everyone, what would you call it?” she asked him and with that the golden phone in the middle of the room began to ring, a high pitched ring that brought the room to silence as they heard it. It was the King's Phone.

“It's for you,” she said and Rex just looked at her. “Yeah Bonnie, I got it, thanks,” Rex replied, walked to the phone and answered it. “Hello,” he said into the phone. “Understood, I'll be up at once,” he said and hung it up. “The King summons me, does anyone have an Aquarian Star I can borrow?” he asked and Bonnie pulled one out of her pocket, tossed it to him. He caught it.

“Borok,” he said and a chain appeared around it, he put it around his neck. “Thanks,” he said and walked into the elevator connecting the two rooms. “Good luck,” Bonnie replied as the center resumed its activity.

The trip to the inner chamber from the command center was very short. The elevator ride wasn't the problem, the stopping on the other hand was. The ride came to a stop and water began seep inside the thing. Rex hated this part, as a human he wasn't meant to breathe underwater but the crest of the star helped him with that. Soon the whole elevator was filled with ice cold water, the first breath was always the hardest one to take. His lungs burned but instead of resisting he forced himself to keep breathing. It always got easier.

The doors opened and he walked out into the crystal clear water filled chamber. A magical enchantment kept him from floating all over the place as he walked forward. The king was waiting for him. Not sitting in the Coral throne but standing in front of it. “Ah, mister Rex, it's always good to see you,” Lexam said to him in a deep voice and continued. “I hope all is well?” the King asked and Rex smiled. “Yes, everything is great,” he replied but he wanted to get down to business.

“What does all of this have to do with you? I can handle an insane Pyrohorn,” Rex replied and the King flashed his black eyes at him and it sent a small shiver down Rex's spine. The Elroxian King could be intimidating with his thick green skin and imposing, tall stature. Rex was tall but the Elroxian King was taller than any human, just then Rex realized that this figure could have him killed for talking to him like this and didn't know where his mind was at for a second. The King's expression softened and he began to answer.

“I don't doubt your skills or your ability to handle this in the least. However, there is something that you should know,” Lexam said to him and walked to the Coral Throne. “My father ruled the best he could, but the prophecy always ate at him. He was always afraid of what was out there sleeping in the deep black oceans where only the most foolish of our race attempt to go,” Lexam said and picked up an ancient, scaly book that was sitting on the left arm of the throne.

“This book is thousands of years old. Every king donates their largest chest scale on their death to add another page to it. I'll do it and hopefully the tradition will continue long after I am gone, there are secrets in here but only one that concerns you,” Lexam said and opened the book to a page near the beginning. “When the water is scorched, the black horn rises from the depths of the sea and all living things will be obliterated,” Lexam said the only line that was dedicated to the page.

“I knew I heard those words before but, black horn, that doesn't make any sense. I've seen every Unicorn from every kingdom and area on this whole world. There aren't any pure black ones. I've done this job for ten years and trained in it for five before that, this is a myth,” Rex replied, he was one hundred percent sure this was a story made up by some crazy King ages ago to mess with every proceeding ruler's head, nothing more.

“Myth or not I need you to investigate this. Pyre horns never attack in the rain, and underwater? Every school kid knows this. But this one did and I need you to tell me why. If this is real, everything we know is at risk. I don't want to be the King that goes down in history as the one who lets the Western Kingdom and world go to ruin,” Lexam said to him and despite his imposing stature, Rex felt genuine terror coming from him.

“Don't worry. We'll look into this mess. I haven't met a unicorn yet I couldn't banish,” Rex said with a smile, confident that this unicorn story was nothing more than an effect of the blades being unleashed and things were just out of balance is all. “You have all the resources of the Kingdom at your disposal, all you need do is ask,” Lexam said to him and Rex smiled. “I'll need my ship, if this is as big of a problem as you say we're going to need the whole crew,” Rex replied, but he didn't want to get greedy here. It could have been some kind of a test, too.

“Anything you need, you have it,” Lexam said and closed the book, putting it under his arm. Rex nodded. “Thank you,” he replied as he turned and walked right back towards the elevator. He stepped inside and at once the water drained out. Rex coughed, getting back to breathing air a great as warm wind flooded the small chamber and he dried out immediately.

He stepped back into the chamber that was still filled with chaos, Bonnie met him at the door.

“Assemble the crew, apparently, we have a black unicorn to find,” Rex said to her quietly and her eyes went wide. “You really think one exists?” she asked him and Rex shook his head. “It really doesn't matter what I think, the King thinks it's real so that's good enough for me,” Rex replied to her and had no idea what he would end up finding, or even where to look first. “Alright, I'll assemble the rest of the crew,” Bonnie replied and walked away.

But first thing was first. He had to make a phone call to his wife, just in case any of this was real. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his own phone, pressed one button and waited.

“Hey. It's me,” he said with a smile. “Yeah, you too, listen, the word is that there could be a Black Unicorn out there somewhere. The king seems to think so and I am going to investigate this. Do you think you could stay with your sister in the Southern Kingdom for a few days, just to be safe?” Rex asked with a smile.

“Yeah I know it's all just a big story but just on the off chance that there might be something to it, it's be better to be safe rather than sorry,” Rex said and sighed. “Well, you can do it if you want to but if the thing is real don't say I didn't warn you,” he said and continued, “love you, it's time for me to get back to work. I will talk to you later,” Rex said and hung up the phone, put it back in his pocket. He turned back to the chaos of the command center and couldn't wait to get out of here.

“Alright everyone listen up,” Rex shouted over the noise and the chaos died down. “The King thinks this is a black unicorn situation. Now, personally I don't believe any of it but we do have a town out there that was wiped off the map. I want the Voltarice prepped in twenty minutes, it's going to be a long day for all of us so everyone get organized and be ready for anything,” Rex said to the people and the chaos finally started to make some amount of sense as they had some direction to follow.

Chapter 3

Nymie was passed out on her bed, snoring away from a late night of watching old monster movies and snacking on chocolate bars. It was her month off and she had earned it after saving a small undersea village from a Cryo horn attack. Her phone rang and she ignored it, anyone calling would call back later. She didn't care about anything and only wanted to go back to dreams. Suddenly her phone answered itself.

“Nymie, are you awake, it's me Rex. We have a situation,” she groaned and turned over, putting a pillow over her head. “No, seriously I can hear you groaning over there, wake up, we have a potential black unicorn situation on our hands and this is obviously an all personnel on deck situation. I need you to wake up,” Rex said to her. The words black unicorn shot through her dreams as if they were a bullet and she was immediately wide awake.

“Black unicorns aren't real. Why are you pranking me on my month off, Rex?” she demanded to know. “No prank Nymie, this is the real thing. Maybe. Lexam wants it investigated, be here as soon as you can,” Rex said and the phone hung up.

Nymie sat up and her back cracked as she did so. “Trolls weren't meant to get up this early,” she said. The idea of a black unicorn was stupid and she didn't know what was going on. She turned on the news to catch the tail end of a developing story. “We'll have more on the attack on Larenville after this break,” the reporter said and it all went to a commercial that she didn't pay attention too. She'd never heard of that place but a feeling in her stomach told her that the phone call she got had something to do with this.

It was hard to believe a stupid trial of some royal dishwasher from the Northern Kingdom was over riding all but the worst stories this world had to offer. Not too many people cared about some village outside of the sea wall since everything almost came to an end, or appeared to. Nymie slowly stood up and shuffled her way into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for work, even if it was her month off the call of duty was never one to be ignored.

“Am I going to die, doc?” a worried dwarf sat on the edge of a bed, sniffling. “For the third time, no, but you might want to get that mental problem you have checked out, it's just a cold, man. Go home and drink water, sleep for days and you'll be fine,” Boz said and started filling out a prescription for some kind of generic pain killers. “Are you sure doc, I mean my aunt had a cold just like this and a week later she was dead, dead you hear me?” the dwarf asked. Boz stopped writing.

“A week later you say? Well, sounds to me like it was more of a plague mage's curse, but I did a magic scan on you remember, no curses,” Boz said with a smile and he finished writing, ripped of the note pad and handed it to him. “Give this to the nice lady behind the counter and be sure not to sneeze on her, okay,” Boz said and the man took the paper, stood up and walked out without saying a single word.

“You're welcome you paranoid nutjob,” Boz said after the doors closed and took his latex gloves off when his phone began to ring. He answered it, “Yeah, what is it,” he said, annoyed at the last patient and walked out of his office so the cleansing charms could work.

“You bet I'm ready to get out of this hellhole,” Boz replied. “A black unicorn, you're kidding,” Boz said as he brushed his golden hair behind his pointed elf ears. It sounds like a good hunt and money for nothing but sure, I'm up for it,” he said and smiled.

“Meet you soon,” he said and hung up the phone. The medical officer took off his white overcoat and tossed it over the chair. He pushed a button on the wall and the microphone clicked. “Sarah, call in Dr. Norb. I've been called away on royal business,” he said into it. “Will do, thanks for the notice this time, doctor,” she replied and he smiled. “Yeah, sorry. I'm forgetful about the little things like telling people where I am going, it's a problem,” he replied and let the button go. He took off his long white overcoat and hung it on a nearby doorknob.

He took one last look around and walked out the door. Boz was a little excited, he'd always believed in the possibility of the black unicorn existing, but at the same time a little afraid of it.

##

Evie was meditating in her underwater chamber before an image of Elrox, the god of the sea and the creator of all her kind. She had been sitting cross legged in the middle of her room for hours thinking about nothing, trying to channel the Ethereal ocean. She was wearing nothing but a thin, see through ceremonial robe exposing her smooth, green interlocking scales of her body. Then the statue began to speak to her.

“Evie, answer the phone,” it said in a soft whisper and continued, “You will be needed for what comes next,” the statue finished and Evie jumped out of her position, only to immediately float back to the ground. The statue had never done anything before let alone spoke, but as she looked at it now there was nothing different about it. Sure, enough the phone rang and she picked it up.

“Hello?” she asked.

“I was expecting you, I'll explain later,” she said into the phone and never took her eyes off that statue. “I'll be at the castle as soon as I am dressed,” she said and hung up before Rex could even say goodbye.

“Not sure what you think I can do, Elrox, but I will do my best to do what you're expecting me to do, or, you know, try,” Evie said, the Elroxian mage swam upright in a second. “Zolt,” she said and at once her thin robe turned into a much thicker green robe to match her green scales, it was thick and flowed in the water weightlessly. An emerald staff appeared in her hands and she smiled, spun it around in her hands. A bright blue shaft of light appeared around her, then she was gone leaving nothing but a column of bubbles behind in her wake.

The sun was over the horizon, just long enough for Tayne to close the black shades to block the light out. Tayne was relocated from the Morglands to serve as a unicorn hunter. Tayne's work dove into the deeper, worse part of hunting. There were types of unicorns out there living beings should never come near, and this is what he was good at. Tayne lay down in his bed, shifted just enough to get comfortable and close his deep red eyes when the phone rang.

“Son of a snozbucket who the hell is calling me,” he said, reached over for his phone and pulled it to him. “Damn it, what do you want,” he growled and answered it. “Black unicorns aren't real, you're drunk on something, go home,” Tayne growled back to him and almost hung up. “You know, I don't care if the world is coming to an end, I had a long night. A pair of blood horns were hunting just outside of Nyrn last night. Three kids were taken and I, well, I lost them. The unicorns are banished but I was too late I need a break,” Tayne said, not one to hold back on some of the things he had seen, “I'm tired,” he finished saying.

“What do you mean Lexam wants everyone on board, we don't work together. Who's going to patrol if we are all out on a wild goose chase. This feels like a trap to me. Doesn't it feel weird to you to call in all the top people to just one spot?” Tayne asked, he was tired but not stupid. This was less to do with being objective and just not wanting to go out in the daylight even more.

“Fine, Bonnie, you don't need to start barking out the royal orders, I'll go if I have too,” he said and groaned about it. Vampires didn't need to sleep but the sunlight drained their strength and energy to the point that sleeping was a great option. He hung up the phone, threw off the covers and sat up again. “Xy, don't let the sunburn be too bad, that's all I ask,” he said a little prayer as he stood up and made his way to his refrigerator and opened it. There was no light on the inside.

He pulled out a large glass bottle of human blood, opened it and drank half of it in one shot. He wiped off the residue on his mouth and the blood reenergized him immediately. He closed the bottle and put it back into the fridge. He walked to his closet and got dressed.

All it was this time however was a pair of black jeans and a t-shirt to match. He slipped on his shoes, sunglasses, and grabbed his keys. Tayne opened the door and winced at the intensity of the sun. “Daylight is so overrated,” he said and quickly made his way to his car and got in.

He started it and switched the windows to daylight mode. Immediately they filtered out most of the sunlight rendering the outsides completely black. Black windows were illegal on cars except for those considered undead, or in the Morglands. If any guard pulled him over he'd be sure to give them a piece of his mind.