Knight of Inflacia

Jack smiles as he applies pressure and loud squeaks of rubber fill the room. The woman pleads for him to stop and he just stares into her fear stricken eyes as he applies more pressure. She screams for him to stop as she races toward explosion and something dark inside him smiles. His heart pounds in his chest and adrenaline courses through his body.

Suddenly a hand grabs hold of Jack’s shoulder and pulls him away. Trent’s voice screams, “What are you doing?!”

Jack soaking in adrenaline reacts without thinking and slams Trent against the wall. He realizes his mistake instantly and backs away from Trent. “I’m…..I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Trent sighs as he pushes off the wall, “It’s okay. I’m fine. What in the hell were you trying to do?”

Jack looks at him over one of his shoulders, “I was going to pop her………..she popped others……deserved to be punished.”

Trent swallows and nods, “It’s okay. You were just caught up in the moment and couldn’t help it.”

Jack whispers, “No it was wrong. I’m falling into darkness. You’re the best of us………I’m no longer worthy of your company.”

Trent reaches a hand out to stop Jack as he disappears out the door way, “Jack, wait!”

The city roars around Jack as he walks and his heart is heavy. Questions flood his mind and he wonders how he could hurt his best friend. He looks at the unignited laser sword in his hand and he wonders if he is worthy to carry such a weapon. Inflatable people walk past him with a few squeaks and they nod at him with respect. Would they respect him if they knew he had fallen so far? Loud squeaks sound as a woman’s happy face stretches larger and larger with the sound of hissing. She blinks at him as her massively inflated head pulls her out of the window and she floats upward. The rope trailing behind her pulls tight to prevent her from floating away into the sky and she moans. Jack continues to walk.

The first light of the sun peaks it way above the horizon as Jack reaches the edge of the city and he takes a last look at the bustling city. He watches as different sizes of inflated people drift on ropes in the sky and see others are inflating on the city streets. A normal day for the city of Inflacia and he is one of the sworn knights and protects are its people. The horrible recent events remind him of his recent descent into darkness and silently he declares he’s a knight no more. He turns his back on the city and steps out into the wastes beyond the city walls. A Kagai knight of Inflacia he travels alone and into the wastes.

As the first signs of night begin to show, Jack feels his muscles ache and his face wet with sporadic tears. His heart is heavy and he drops to his knees in the dirt. He lays the hilt of his laser sword on the ground before him and wonders if he can ever earn back his place. He forms a fist and gently punches the dirt near the sword. Tears run from his face and he realizes being around so much negativity caused him to lose his way. Growls of the creatures that roam the wastes sound in the distance and he hopes with his self-imposed exile he will find his way again. Perhaps positive thoughts and actions will help him to find his way. His eyes close and he tries to find peace.

Suddenly a loud roar echoes across the landscape and a girl’s scream follows. Jack’s eyes flash open and he scoops up the laser sword as he rises to his feet. His heart pounds as he races toward danger and hopes he isn’t too late. He reaches the top of a hill and sees a girl huddled in a small cave in the rock face as a large creature attempts to get at her with one of its big paws. Jack moves in slow and her screams reach out to him as the creature stops. Both the girl and Jack stare at the creature in confusion, but quickly receive an answer to their unspoken question. The creature sucks in large amounts of air and its body squeaks and groans as it grows bigger and stronger. The creature groans as it reaches the size of a two story house and Jack vaguely remembers tales of such a creature in the Kagai library. The creature slams a massive paws into the rock face above the girl and several chunks of rock sail into the air. Jack knows the odds are against him, but he ignites his laser sword and proceeds toward the creature.

The creature hears the purple blade of the laser sword and turns to face Jack. It watches curiously as Jack walks calmly and purposefully toward the creature. His heart pounds, but his mind is calm as he faces the creature. He dives out of the way of a massive paw and a cloud of dirt shoots into the air as the paw crushes into the ground. Jack rolls to his feet and swings. The blade cuts through part of the paw and a hissing sounds as air escapes. Jack frowns as he watches the wound reseal and he dodges another attack. Exhaustion threatens him and sweat rubs from his body, but he continues the fight. He moves in close and slices the belly several times. Air hisses, the creature screams, and its head swings down close to bite Jack. Jack side steps and calmly slices upward with his laser sword. A hiss, a scream of pain, and a squeak sounds as the creatures bloated headed bounces against the ground. The wound reseals on the head and the creature’s head watches as its body helplessly deflates into a pile.

Jack shuts off his laser sword and slowly moves toward the distressed girl. He watches as she comes out of the cave to meet him, “Are you okay?”

She smiles weakly, “I’m okay….I think. What is you name good Kagai Knight?”

Jack sighs, “I’m not a knight. My name’s Jack.”

She pushes back her black hair as she looks up at the taller Jack, “You carry a laser sword and fight bravely, Jack. You are a knight. I’m Nancy.”

Jack looks down, “I was a knight…..”

Nancy smirks, “It seems you still are, Jack, but you have yet to rediscover that.”

Jack sighs, “What are you doing out here, Nancy?”

Nancy smiles, “Traveling and taking some pictures. Pretty cool, huh?”

“Travelling and taking pictures in the wastes? The wastes are extremely dangerous, Nancy.”

“I know, I come out here all the time.” She picks up a weapon laying nearby, “This beast caught me without my weapon on hand. That’s a first….I’m glad you came along.” She holsters it, “I occasionally travel into Inflacia to share my pictures with others, but I quickly return to the wastes.”

“You lead and unusual life.”

“Pretty cool, huh? Where are you headed?”

“Nowhere……just wandering.”

Nancy smirks, “Ah I see. Travel with me, I could use a friend.”

“You would have me?”

Jack looks in her in the eyes, “You would have me?”

Nancy gently pats him on the shoulder, “You saved my life and you seem pretty chill.”

Jack sighs, “I have a past…..I made a horrible mistake.”

Nancy holds a finger to his lips, “We all have pasts. There’s nothing you can do about it, but you can use today to make things better. Starting now with new friendships.”

Jack smirks, “You make it sound so easy.”

“It is, but it will take time. Come on.”

Six months pass and tales of a Kagai Knight wandering the wastes spread. Jack finds peace and strength within himself as well as becoming fast friends with Nancy. Jack leads the way toward Inflacia and his long brown coat dances in the wind behind his ankles. He finds he missed the city, but something seems strange about the city he left long ago. He finds it strange its only been six months, but it feels like a lifetime ago. He looks at Nancy and she smiles at him as they move toward the opening in the city wall. Two inflated people twice the size of Jack squeak as they walk close to each other and Jack notices others drifting on ropes in the sky above. A lady with head inflated to size of the beach ball slowly strides nearby and looks at Jack with fear. Jack frowns and looks at Nancy, “I don’t know what that’s about.”

Nancy gently pats him on the arm, “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Jack frowns as they walk deeper into the city and he notes remains of popped citizens decorating the street. What happened to them? Why were people afraid of him? His eyes widen as he sees a girl in the middle of the street and tied to a block of concrete. He sees her form misshapen and twisted like a poor balloon animal. Jack ignites his laser sword and moves toward her. He asks, “Who did this?” He cuts her free and squeaks sound as the rope falls from her twisted misshapen form. “Who did this?”

The girl swallows and whispers, “He did.”

Jack whirls around to see Trent wearing a dark cloak and his face shadowed. He takes a step away from the twisted girl and Trent grabs Nancy’s arm and tugs her into view. Jack can sense something is horribly wrong, “Trent, how are you?”

Trent smiles, “Hello, Jack. I’m doing fine.”

Jack frowns as silence falls and knows normally Trent would ask how he was doing in return. Something changed, but why and what was it? Trent laughs, “It’s been a long time, Jack. I didn’t think you would come back.”

Jack inches toward them, “I’m always around, if you need me. All you have to do is ask for my help.”

“I don’t need your help! I’m not helpless! I can take care of myself!”

“I wasn’t saying you’re helpless!”

Suddenly, Trent shoves something down Nancy’s mouth and a hissing sounds as he shoves her aside. Nancy looks down in shock as her belly squeaks outward and Trent ignites is orange laser sword. Nancy pushes in on her expanding belly, “What did you do to me?!”

Jack looks at him in shock, “Why are you doing this?! The others won’t stand for this!”

Trent smiles evilly and growls, “There are no others!”

Jack lowers his laser sword slightly, “What….?”

Nancy’s belt pops off and her sides and back round outward. Nancy’s expanding body squeaks, “A little help.”

Light flashes across the buildings as the two laser swords collide and clash. Trent laughs as he spins away from Jack and stabs the misshapen helpless girl. A loud bang sounds as she pops and her remains flutter to the ground. Trent growls, “Did you imagine how I felt when you decided to leave?! Don’t my feelings matter?!” He takes off and Jack gives chase.

Nancy moans as pressure pushes her bigger and she watches the two disappear down the street. Squeaks sound as the pressure mounts in her and she gently rubs her ballooning belly. She frowns as she feels lighter and knows she will soon be airborne soon. “Don’t worry about me, Jack. I’m just inflating like a kid’s toy and will probably just float off into the sky.” She squeaks loudly as she struggles to move and grabs hold of a rope to tie around her ankle. Her arms and upper legs bloat as she ties a not and sighs in relief.

Jack runs after the fleeing Trent and loud bangs sound as people are popped by the orange laser sword. His heart sinks lower with each person popped and he watches as Trent dives into the open door of a glass windowed elevator. He curses as the door close and leaps onto the side of the elevator as it begins its ascent up the side of the building. He yells as the elevator races up the side of the building and the ground shrinks away. Glass explodes as an orange laser sword punches through and attempts to hit him, but luckily Jack turns away to avoid the attack. His heart pounds as more glass shatters and falls to the street below as he avoids more attacks. He attacks back with his purple blade as rain begins to fall from the sky and lightning flashes. Sparks fly as the blades collide and more of the elevator is torn away as it continues to race up the side of the building.

Suddenly the elevator explodes into pieces and both Jack and Trent fall outward. The fall with the rain and loud squeaks sound as they land on a massively inflated man. He moans loudly from the stimulation and squeaks sound as they rise to their feet to face off. The sky grows darker as the two slowly circle around each other and lightning flashes across their faces. Jack growls, “You were the best of us! I was the one who was falling into darkness! That’s why I left!”

“I am the darkness! We are the last two Kagai Knights! There are no others and soon there will be only one!”

Jack feels the rain running down his face as he stares at the man, the monster, and former friend. He can’t picture why his friend fell into madness and doesn’t want his help, but he knows something has to be done. He has to be stopped. The misshapen girl, Nancy, and others have fallen victim to his wrath. He has to be stopped no matter what the cost. He knows Trent is better with a laser sword and far more skilled then him. That doesn’t even have to be tested to know because he was the best of the Kagai Knights of Inflacia. He has to be stopped and Jack lowers his blade and relaxes.

Trent laughs, “Given up already.”

Jack whispers, “No.” He stabs downward with his laser sword and a thunderous boom echoes over the city of Inflacia. They fall with the rain and the street races up toward them. Jack closes his eyes and calms his mind as Trent scream curses at him.

Suddenly a loud squeak sounds as Jack collides with something and Nancy gasps with pleasure. He feels the soft surface of Nancy and hears the faint hissing inside her pushing her bigger. He looks over the side of Nancy blimp and sees Trent still falling helplessly toward the street. The hissing fades and with a sigh he rolls onto his back to feel the rain pounding him. “Nancy, are you okay?”

“I’m a huge blimp……but yeah I’m okay. Are you okay?”

Jack nods, “Yeah I’m alright. I’m just going to lay here for a bit.”

Nancy smirks, “I’m not going to stop you. All I can do is drift for a bit.”