Master of Plagues, D. B. Reynolds [best books to read fiction .txt] 📗

on top of her head. He kissed her on the side of her pear-shaped head. She flapped her glowing wings and waited right beside Queen Amina.
“Commodore Mowab, yourself and the school will take up complete residency on Mercury,” Stuart guided the commodore. “This is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System. The high eccentricity and small axial tilt will be corrected in due time so that you and the entire school will flourish on Mercury. Am I clear, Commodore Mowab?”
“You are clear, master.”
Stuart felt around inside the fluffy bag and produced a magical talisman about the size of two jar tops. How proud it was for the commodore to see his name carved deep into the precious metal of the talisman. Stuart placed it around his neck, along with the insignia ranking of a commodore pinned to a vest. He shook the edge of The Commodore’s fin and he maneuvered his way out of the circle.
“King Saraph, you and the nest will claim Saturn as your cosmic territory,” Stuart explained to the king. “Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in the Solar System. This planet is also a gas giant with nine rings that consist of ice particles. The intermediate layers of metallic hydrogen and liquid helium will decimate very shortly, giving you and the nest time to progress. Understood, King Saraph?”
“Understood, master.”
Each of the Counsel of the Electrifying Eight truly earned their rankings.
Stuart felt around the bottom of the bag and came up with a magical talisman the diameter of about five quarters. King Saraph stared in amazement as he saw his name inscribed next to a king’s icon. Stuart placed it around his slender neck, along with a glimmering gold crown made of diamonds and rubies and sapphires.
Another ball of cosmic fire shot through the Coma Berencies and penetrated the serpent’s body of King Saraph. The king grew a pair of long skinny wings at the center of his body. Flames of sizzling proportions shot from his fangs and eyes. Like General Rahmaanteen, his powers were more pronounced. Stuart patted the king on the side of his head and he flew himself away from the circle.
“Major Joezer, it is during this time period that you will find habitation on the planet Neptune,” Stuart exalted to the major. “This planet is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun within the Solar System. The higher proportions of ammonia and methane will dissolve over time with the help of gravitational perturbation. You, alone, will blossom over time on this planet. You comprehend me, Major Joezer?”
“I comprehend, master.”
Stuart touched his way through the bag and came up with a smaller, pan-sized magical talisman. He placed the talisman and the gold cluster of a major at the side of the powerful funneling winds. The Major blew its way out of the ranks of the circle.
“Captain Zamir, you and other members of your nest will call Pluto home,” Stuart informed the captain. “This is the ninth planet in the Solar System. The nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide gases, they will not interfere with your survival on the Plutonian surface. Temperature inversions will be set perfectly for the entire nest’s comfort. You understand, Captain Zamir?”
“I understand, master.”
Stuart patted his way through the bag and pulled out a bowl-sized magical talisman. This particular talisman was attached to a pure gold chain with his name engraved across the top. Gleaming gold captain’s bars were pinned at the tip of his wings.
Yet another ball of cosmic fire jetted through the active confines of the Coma Berencies. The ball of fire crashed into the middle of Captain Zamir’s chest. Boiling clusters of fire came rolling out of his mouth and from his eyes. Cosmic lasers were ejected from both wings.
Stuart and the king exchanged pleasantries with his clawed feet. He flew away from the ranks of the circle.
The millions and millions of stars rotated in swift motions within the boundaries of the Coma Berencies.
“And last, but definitely not least,” Stuart hummed to his last candidate. “Colonel Boaz, you will take up sole occupancy on the planet Uranus. This is the seventh planet from the sun and is a planetary system made up of thirteen rings. The charged particle irradiation from the Uranian magnetosphere will in no way conflict with your domicle on the planet. Do you follow me, Colonel Boaz?”
“Yes, master, I follow you.”
Stuart grabbed the very last magical talisman in the bag. He swung the chain attached to the talisman around the mighty winds and waters of the colonel like a boomerang. The symbol of a colonel’s ranking was also placed on the side of the hurricane’s water form.
All eight of the Earthly animals and insects and elements were given magical talismans to reinforce their powers. They’d keep the innermost lines of divine communications open with their supreme master, Stuart Irwin Duffelmeyer. Domineeringly, they wore the high rankings around their necks, on their sides, and on top of their heads.
“Counsel of The Electrifying Eight!” Stuart shouted, his voice echoing throughout the northern constellation of the Universe’s Coma Berencies. “Congratulations to all of you! The supremacy of your positions will be ironclad on your designated planets and throughout the Universe. The powers you now possess, they will be magnified over time. The One Most High, The Ruler of the Universe, we must obey him as you have been ordained to still obey me. Do you understand, Counsel of the Electrifying Eight?”
“Yes, master,” all eight answered back.
“Lines of planetary, extrasensory communications will be kept open between all nine of us. Our magical talismans are consecrated with Universal powers, and they will prompt one another to emerge in a timely fashion. Am I clear, Counsel of the Electrifying Eight?”
“Yes, master.”
“The divine guidance of Rabbi Wedemeyer will be the fierce powerbase in which our strength will forever be reinforced. From this day forward, I, Stuart Irwin Duffelmeyer, will stay true to the Counsel of the Electrifying Eight. Meetings will be held on Earth, possibly on other planets where the eight of you will reside. Counsel, do you understand?”
“Yes, master.”
“Any evils perpetrated on Earth, or throughout the galaxy, must be suppressed with civility. If irrational measures are called for, then so be it. Our enemies, the enemies of the galaxy and beyond, they could come in great numbers. Counsel, we are to be prepared for anything. Is it understood?”
“Yes, master.”
The stars in the Coma Berencies casted spellbinding light.
The talismans worn by the Counsel of the Electrifying Eight beamed with cosmic energy.
Stuart pointed over to one of his esteemed Queens. “Queen Amina, you will serve as second-in-command on the counsel. As queen of not only your hive, but now, as a leader within the counsel, you will corroborate with General Rahmaanteen on all matters. Congratulations, Queen Devorah.”
“Thank you, master.”
Stuart smiled and stretched his arm in the direction of the captain. “Captain Zamir, you have been charged and strengthened to take charge in the absence of General Rahmaanteen and Queen Devorah. The counsel now depend on you to be the glue to hold things together when everything seems to fall apart at the seams. Congratulations, Captain Zamir.”
“Thank you, master.”
A cosmic light brighter than all others almost blinded Stuart and the Counsel of the Electrifying Eight. Rabbi Wedemeyer appeared in a bolder spiritual configuration.
Stuart noticed the worried expression scrawled across his celestial face. “What’s wrong, Rabbi Wedemeyer?”
“Stuart, The One Most High has allowed me to travel even deeper into the passageways of the Coma Berencies here in the Universe,” Rabbi Wedemeyer explained to his honorable, Earthly son. “A very large meteorite crater is traveling straight for the Milky Way Galaxy.”
“Didn’t you tell me that when I still on Earth?”
“I did.”
“Rabbi, how do you know it’s targeting the Milky Way?”
“It’s just a matter of time before it makes it here to the Coma Berencies. Once it passes this constellation of the Universe, then I know it’s destined straight for the Milky Way.”
“But, where in the Milky Way?”
“Only time will tell.”
“Can The One Most High stop it?”
“Maybe, maybe not. It depends on what his will is.”
“Rabbi, could the entire Milky Way be in danger?”
“Yes, it’s very possible, my son.”
Stuart pointed around to the eight counsel members. “The Counsel of the Electrifying Eight have been given dominion on eight of the nine planets within the Solar System. Is it possible they can stand guard against this meteorite crater?”
“Yes, but I must warn you that this crater has indescribable powers. My son, these powers are not to be taken lightly.”
Rabbi Wedemeyer vanished back into the unknowns of the Universe. Stuart and the counsel sure had something to worry about. The heavenly bodies they’d been given guard over were now in grave danger.
“Counsel, go to your planetary habitations to form your own dynasties!” Stuart yelled, his voice carrying deeper into the Universal passageways.
“Yes, master.”
The Counsel of the Electrifying Eight dispersed from the Coma Berencies and charged straight to their respective planets. Not even one hour after the meeting in the Universe was adjourned, the exact meteorite crater Rabbi Wedemeyer spoke of jetted through the Andromeda Galaxy at rapid speeds. Though the colossal-sized meteorite was over two-million light years away, it passed the billions of stars in time to reach the Milky Way Galaxy within days. Stuart returned to Earth at exactly 10:00 o’clock p.m., Eastern Time. If only he knew the danger which lied ahead. He went inside his home and dropped down on his bed for a good night’s rest.


CHAPTER—46

FORGIVE THEM OF THEIR TRESPASSES

Great service and good recommendation were the precise convictions of the many customers who shopped at Pet World between West 75th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan. Stuart didn’t mind them complaining about his costs being much pricier than other pet stores. The grand service they received was worth the extra they paid. Pet World now grew to over fifty stores in all five boroughs, including more