User blog:Thantosiet/Neo Zeo Deleted Scenes: Ophiuchus Bound

Chapter 1, Scene 1
Through the halls of the Scorpion Stinger, Furio and a gang of Stingwingers dragged a monster in chains. He was humanoid, covered in scaly green armor trimmed with white bone, and wearing a helmet shaped like a snake’s head. Even though he was outnumbered—and by the gashes and blackened spots on his armor, battered—he continued to resist. Rounding the corner, they came into sight of Scorpius and Trakeena. Scorpius didn’t react, but Trakeena stood up sharply, studying the stranger with visible confusion. “What is this?” Scorpius demanded. “A trespasser?”

“Ophiuchus,” the strange monster interrupted, before Furio could speak. His voice was surprisingly young; he sounded like he was in his late teens or early twenties. He lifted his head, glaring at Scorpius. “Of House Sagittarius.”

“This traitor found the dungeon where the Zodiac Emperors were being kept,” Furio said. “They’re gone. The Stingwingers are pursuing the ships.”

Ophiuchus laughed. “You won’t catch them. Those are the Windjammers—the fastest mercenaries this side of the galaxy. Your bugs haven’t got a chance.” Furio smacked him across the face with the flat of his blade. “Coward! Give me a sword and face me monster to monster—if you dare.”

“Silence!” Scorpius roared, silencing Ophiuchus. “Trakeena, get one of the containment crystals we took from Sagittarius’s laboratory.” Trakeena rose and glided away.

“It doesn’t matter what you do to me,” Ophiuchus said, grinning audibly. “The Zodiac Emperors are free. They’ll gather an army and return to make you pay for betraying them.”

Furio struck him again, across the shoulders, and Ophiuchus grunted in pain. Trakeena returned, holding a small blue-violet crystal on a chain.

“I’m glad this amuses you so much, boy,” Scorpius said, as a pair of Stingwingers forced the necklace around Ophiuchus’s neck. He ducked and twisted, but a few more blows from Furio and tugging from the other Stingwingers made him hold still. “You’ll have an eternity to enjoy it. Unlike your precious ancestors, nobody will ever find you.”

As the Stingwingers let go of Ophiuchus, the necklace began to glow. He writhed and twisted, but with a burst of light, he was gone. The chains and necklace fell to the floor with a clatter, the green light fading.

“Throw that into space.” Scorpius gestured to the necklace with a tentacle. Furio bowed, and taking up the chain, he carried it away.

Trakeena sat down beside Scorpius. “The other Zodiac Emperors? I thought we threw them into Betelgeuse eleven thousand years ago,” she said, in a low voice.

“I’ve been draining their powers to create and strengthen our monsters. The ship seemed like the safest place for them,” Scorpius replied. Trakeena didn’t say anything. “Don’t worry,” Scorpius assured her, reaching up to touch her face with a tentacle, which she stroked, “Nothing will happen to us. We have the entire Zodiac Empire and all of its armies to call on—even if the other princes rebel like Ophiuchus. The old Emperors are weak and alone.”

“The entire Empire except for what we lost in the Z-Wave, and in the last battle didn’t they—”

“They will not touch you, daughter, I promise,” Scorpius growled. Trakeena nodded slowly.