tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53239512369967132202024-02-20T16:18:27.868-06:00Dark Roads"Dark Roads" is a fantasy serial that has now been completed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-18405173803648754672011-06-03T00:00:00.018-05:002011-06-03T01:18:18.464-05:00Chapter 60<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie entered a circular room that was almost primitive, compared with the excesses of the rest of the place. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all wood; the grain as dark as that of the door through which they entered, though they were not varnished. Oil-burning lamps were hung all round this wide room, in a complete circle; and they were all lit. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There were two wooden thrones, facing each other from opposite sides of the room. The closest one to Mike and Callie was empty; but in the one opposite it, a figure was seated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was not Sinestri.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie walked toward this figure. They circumnavigated a large square wooden table to do so. Above this table, in the exact center of the room, a heavy crystal chandelier hung, reflecting the light from the lamps.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They reached the figure, and gagged.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Shig! It’s Dad and Kitty all over again!” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeesh! It smells about the same!” Callie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The seated figure, male, was three quarters of the way through a nasty case of Malevolencia poisoning; its body, in its entirety, was consumed by the substance. The figure sat fused to its throne. Half of its face was taken over; only one eye was clear of the muck. The eye was wide open, and stared past them at infinity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">But whereas both Charles Longstreet and Kitty were, when taken over, turned to worms on the one hand, and quasi-liquid goo on the other; the Malevolencia on this person seemed to have stopped, and gone no further.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike tore off a splinter from the side of the throne, and tapped it on the Malevolencia.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s hardened.” he said, “Look.” He tried to stick it in the stuff, but the tip of the splinter broke off. “Somehow, the Malevolencia was stopped, before it could finish the job. Not that it helped this poor son of a bitch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“His name was Oggishi Makeel.” a voice from behind them said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie whirled around.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Araboam Sinestri sat majestically on the throne that had been empty when they had walked in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sinestri!” Callie hissed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Where’s our mother you bastard?!” Mike spat out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vras salora etayali</i>.” Sinestri said calmly, as if he were in the middle of a different, and more sedate, discussion, “Do you know what that means, young Ma’jai?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike glared at Sinestri.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Trying to read my mind, are you?” Sinestri asked, his lip curled in a sneer, “Don’t you know? Ma’jai can’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">read</i> other Ma’jai; much less influence or control. Not unless you’re an Icarin, which you are not; and even then, I hear, it’s not exactly easy. Come now, I asked you a question: do you know what ‘vras salora etayali’ means?” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“The translation, not the significance.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It is a reference to Ma’jai history,” Sinestri said, “Back to the golden age of the Ma’jai guilds. Some of these groups would send their young Jah’ruhn off into the world, to be on their own, have adventures, get into trouble, and not to come back until they were full-fledged Ma’jai. They were sent off with ceremonial cry of ‘VRAS SALORA ETAYALI’. The Burning Awaits! The trials and tribulations they went through were believed to be the fire that would burn away weakness and frailty, and bring forth the gleaming edge of Ma’jai power.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is that what all this has been about?” Callie asked, “Some TEST?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Have not your trials made you strong?” Sinestri asked, “Have they not brought out your hidden powers? Look at the enemies you’ve faced and defeated. The places you’ve braved. You have passed across the face of a MOUNTAIN to get to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I doubt this was done for our benefit.” Mike said, “Nor does it explain what you did to Cathim, or our parents.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“True. But if you want all the answers, they lie in the forgotten past; before you or even your parents were born. Back over a hundred years ago, during the aforementioned golden age of the Ma’jai.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Many Ma’jai guilds emerged back then. Some big, some small; few lasted very long. They would break up, and reform in different ways. Some were strict in their membership: Ma’jai only. Some were more inclusive, and allowed Rahu’ra into their ranks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Non-Ma’jai magic-makers,” Mike translated for Callie, “Sorcerers, Conjuuras, Necromancers, and the like.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“The greatest of the Ma’jai guilds was the Summara Zerume.” Sinestri continued, “It was a strict membership guild, and every Ma’jai who heard of it was drawn to it. It’s MainLodge was a sight to behold, and boasted secret archives of priceless Ma’jai books and artifacts; like the Kalafand, the Revelations of Murmurel, and four of the five original talking Ilgidin Stones, which were thought to be lost in the mists of Time…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“You sound impressed.” Callie interrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I was!” Sinestri said, “So much that I joined up in 3548, when I was eighteen. It was there that I met my friend and mentor Hissig Shiffat, who took me under his wing. He was on the ruling Rasha Council.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“So far, everything sounds rosy,” Mike said, “What went wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“The head of the Rasha Council was an Icarin of great power. His name was Oristo Threed. He was, by the way, your great-great-grandfather.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike shrugged. “Never heard of him.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Of course not; at some point in the bloodline, the Threed name was changed to protect his descendants. But I digress.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“As with all Icarins, Threed knew his very birth was an omen of a coming darkness he would have to lead other Ma’jai into battle against; so he slowly transformed the Summara into his personal army. In the process of looking for whatever the hell was coming down the pike, they thwarted dark sorcerers, meddled in the affairs of other guilds and groups, and rigorized the moral and ethical rules for those within the guild. This made them many enemies, both within and without.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Some left voluntarily, like me. Some were expelled in disgrace, like Shiffat, who was booted from the Rasha Council for a trifle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“In 3550, Shiffat and I, in conjunction with the sorcerer Oggishi Makeel and the Conjuura Uraja Jeuke (both of whom had been frustrated by the interference of the Summara), decided to unite the enemies of the Summara into a single group: the Tauraka Valaad. Our numbers swelled very quickly, and we spent the next two years in direct aggression against the Summara. There were some vicious battles fought. But, despite our accumulated forces, the Summara was always triumphant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Then, in late 3552, Makeel thought he’d found a way to turn the tide in our favor. He was always trying to make contact with other-dimensional forces, that was his thing, and had succeeded in contacting a being of tremendous power, that called itself <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sha’dao</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike shuddered in recollection of his dream of a dark beast pouring forth darkest magic; of those Cyclopean eyes that had caused him to scream in his sleep. Only he had not screamed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shadaro</i>, as Callie and Jon had misheard; he had screamed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sha’dao</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“You fools!” Mike exclaimed, “Was that the obscene monster you were trying to free?! Had you succeeded, it would have devoured you and then the rest of the world!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, we were fools.” Sinestri admitted, “But it was so helpful to us at first. It poured power somehow, through the contact link Oggishi had created. The power and ability of every Tauraka member doubled that night.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“But it wasn’t just power, was it?” Mike asked, “That was just the bait. It was, in effect, its Malevolencia, wasn’t it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes. We fell into the trap. It told us how we could open a rift big enough for it to pass through. How it would lay our enemies low. How it would make us immortal. How we would rule at its side forever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“And you believed it?!” Callie asked, incredulous.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Of course!” Sinestri said, “It had its stuff in our heads now, turning our wills to its purpose. We began then the Great Work. The Sha’dao’s realm, called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Craa</i>, was unreachable by regular methods; it was a special place, locked up tight and jammed into a dark corner somewhere. No mere Ma’jai Realm-rift would do; a major hole would have to be torn into the fabric of reality. We found an out-of-the–way place with enough dark magical residue to guarantee success, and began our preparations; not only for the ritual, but for battle, should the Summara try to stop us---which, of course, they did.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ironic. That in the process of preparing the Summara for the coming darkness, Threed himself had set into motion the very forces that opened the way for the darkness to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Anyway, during the battle, my mentor died at Threed’s hands. I swore vengeance on Threed, and fought him; but I was defeated, wounded, and had to crawl away. You saw what happened next.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes,” said Mike, “Despite your increased power and strength of numbers, your group was decimated anyway; first by the Summara, then by the opening of the rift itself. What I didn’t see was how you and your friend Oggishi here, escaped.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oggishi was one of the Rahu’ra sorcerers you saw trying to open the rift; but before it actually opened, he was struck by some primal fear instinct, and backed away. We met, and he told me that we had to leave FAST. I was about to counter that we weren’t going anywhere until my mentor’s death was avenged. Then the rift opened, and I saw the dark <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">things</i> that started coming out of it, and changed my mind. I realm-jumped the both of us out of there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“This realm, Sellavellan, was the first place we came to; and we found this mansion already here. The Deddens alone were living here; from them we found out that this place was once the abode of a Titan that had built it. He brought many Deddens to this place, and they saw him as a god, and served him. They called him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Loorsee</i>; but He had left them, ages ago, and never returned.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“In time the Deddens came to see us as gods too; if lesser ones. So we reigned here in luxury for many years. Trouble was, Oggishi was no Ma’jai, and wasn’t standing up to the Malevolencia as well as I was (at first, anyway). His slow decline was disturbing for me to witness; as it was a whiff of my own future. In the end, Oggishi just sat there on his throne one day and never got up again. Which was a great improvement, because for awhile prior to that, he actually wanted me to take him back to Statamer to try and open the door to the Sha’dao again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hadn’t he learned his lesson?!” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here’s the thing. Though the puppet-strings had been severed, and the Sha’dao was no longer controlling us directly; its stuff was still in our heads, and it whispered to us in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sometimes, I’d have dreams of going back to finish the job. Or I’d find myself humming the chants the sorcerers had used in the Ritual of Opening. I was able to resist, being a Ma’jai; Makeel was not, and it broke his mind. Unable to realm-jump, or convince me to take him, he went bonkers for awhile. In time, that too passed. He inevitably succumbed to the lack of volition Malevolencia causes in its final stages; its lethargic downward pull. Like I said before, one day he sat down, and never got up again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not that I cared, or noticed. I had made a discovery, in the black stone of the mountain. Brakker, a rare stone of magical properties; the whole mountain was made of it! I made myself a ring with it that holds back the effects of the Malevolencia poison that even now courses through my veins. I made one for Oggishi, but it was too late to be of any help to him, as you can plainly see.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“There was still the matter of avenging myself on Threed; and if Threed had not survived (as it seems he hadn’t), I would have to find and avenge myself upon his descendants. Thing was, the Malevolencia was getting to me. The ring held it back for years, but it was still seeping through; still doing its work. If vengeance was to be mine, I would first have to find a way to cleanse myself of this accursed condition; or I would sit myself into a black lump, like Oggishi. Alas, my condition was far beyond the reach of even the Words of Fire. A gaggle of Ma’jai could not help me; I was poisoned through and through.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“The breakthrough happened with the unexpected visit of Amurist Rant, an old friend from the Tauraka that I did not know had survived the Battle of Iaqa Aiwi. Rant had something momentous to show me. Like every other Tauraka member who had taken the Sha’dao’s gift of power; he had been afflicted with Malevolencia. Only now…he was not. He had somehow managed to cleanse himself of it!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It seems he had been traveling the realms of the Zotium, and had encountered a sophisticated race of necromancers, who shared with him a complex ritual for the cleansing of one’s body of hostile magical elements. Now the ritual is dangerous and potentially lethal; the formula is precise and exacting; and the ingredients are difficult in the extreme to find and arrange. The whole thing requires years of preparation and work, with a slim margin for error; but it had worked for Rant, and I was desperate enough to give it a try. But here now we come to the crux of the matter, and the explanation of many things.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thank the Gods.” Callie said, “I’m getting tired of listening to you prattle on endlessly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri continued on, unfazed by Callie’s remark, “The formula demands the sacrifice of two child siblings of different magical types, provided they’re not too far apart in age. Their abilities must be brought to bloom at nearly the same time under similar conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well…when I at last located a descendant of Threed, living in Cathim, can you imagine my surprise upon seeing that she had two children; one already destined to become a Ma’jai, the other with the potential to be a Conjuura, if I played my cards right? Can you imagine the possibilities that danced in my head?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t think I have to.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was a miraculous turn of events! I could avenge myself upon Threed’s descendant, and use his great-great-grandchildren to free myself of the fruits of his meddling; a wonderful double revenge!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Things had to be planned for; things had to be thought through, years in advance. I separated you from your mother, via your father. I cursed her, and the city that had hidden the Threed bloodline from me for generations. When I sent your father against you, I kept him on a tight leash---perhaps too tight; afraid that if he caught you too quickly, you would not yet be ready to deal with him. I kept him in the dark too long, I see that now. With Babbidaz, it was the opposite; I feared I had sent something too brutal and powerful for you to deal with; but your performance surprised me. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“After Babbidaz, I knew you could deal with anything. And now, here you are; your lives a mere post-script to events of great importance…and a prelude to my freedom. Any final questions, before we move on?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why did you kill Jon?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“He had no business in these matters.” Sinestri answered, “I tolerated the meddling of your friends in this affair far more than I intended to; but if left unimpeded, this Jon would have come with you into Sellavellan. That I could not allow. So I removed him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Besides, it lit a fire under you, did it not?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie seethed. “We’re going to kill you.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri arose from his seat, and stood to his full height. “If you think you can,” he said, calmly, “Now’s the time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There was a single second of silence…then it was on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie’s power tore the chandelier violently from the ceiling, and sent its hundred crystal daggers flying at Sinestri even as Mike hurled sekari. Sinestri produced a sekari shield that thwarted both, then flung it at them. Mike created a shield of his own and Sinestri’s shield glommed on to it. A horrible screeching sound arose as Sinestri’s shield tried to crush Mike’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie wrenched Oggishi Makeel, throne and all, and chucked it over her and Mike’s heads, at Sinestri. Sinestri had to jump out of the way, and thus lost his concentration; allowing Mike to defeat his shield. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Oggishi and throne smashed into Sinestri’s throne with such force that every lamp in the room smashed to the floor in unison. A wall of fire bloomed all around them, and crawled up the walls and along the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri sent a massive sekari up to the ridged ceiling, and blew a wide hole in it. From his hands came long blue sekari cords, which snapped at Mike and Callie in a whip-like onslaught. Mike had to create another shield to protect him and Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Haven’t quite mastered the full range of your sekari, have you?” Sinestri asked, mockingly. His sekari cords then planted themselves along the sides of the hole in the ceiling, and bore Sinestri up and through it, and onto the roof; away from the raging fire that now threatened to engulf the throne room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie linked arms with Mike, and they followed him up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They found themselves atop the topmost roof of the mansion, the unusually wide and flat ridge beam of which was about a foot across and about thirty feet long. Beyond the width of the ridge beam, the roof slanted down steeply on both sides. All around and above them lightning flashed dangerously close, and thunder roared like the screaming of the Gods. The wind was cold and hard, and rain fell in endless sheets. Below them, the bizarre and broken landscape of the mansion’s rooflines spanned like a dark and compacted city. Beyond THAT, was the vertiginous blackness of the yawning chasm that surrounded the mountain. Verily, it was as if they stood atop the whole of creation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri stood, not ten feet away, on the other side of the smoking hole in the roof; a sekari in his upraised hand. He threw it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike produced a shield, but the sekari was not aimed at them. It hit the roof at their feet and sent them both tumbling down opposite slopes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie fell face-down, feet first. She scrabbled at the wet roof until she reached a small, two inch ledge that protruded out horizontally from the eaves. She caught on to this and looked up in time to see a huge fireball fly down toward her, scorching a trail of burnt roof behind it. Callie let go of the ledge and fell into gravity’s arms. She looked up and saw the fireball fly over her head and hit some unseen structure behind her somewhere. She used her levitating power to glide down diagonally to the next closest rooftop; which was a castellated tower. She looked around.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Where the hell is Mike?</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> she wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike had fallen head first down his side of the roof, and rode it down on his back; half-formed sekari shield still emerging from his hands. He zipped past the end of the roof and found himself in freefall. He looked up at the shield, and got an idea. He willed the shield to expand into a curved glider shape. It worked! His descent slowed, and Mike glided down to the peaked top of a domed roof. He released the shield and held on to the peak. There was a small area of flatness around the peak that allowed him to stand. He held on with one hand and swung around, looking for Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie levitated to the bridge arch of a flying buttress, when a huge sekari came from somewhere above her and smashed into the bridge right next to her. The bridge arch collapsed and Callie went with it. As she fell, she saw a thin blue glowing cord whip its way down toward her. It caught her, coiled itself around her, and carried her up. Callie struggled upon seeing that she was being carried toward Sinestri.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sleep now.</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Sinestri’s voice echoed through her mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">And without really wanting to, Callie did just that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Not being able to levitate, Mike was hesitant to do anymore sekari gliding; as he would only go down to lower areas, when what he wanted was to go UP, to look for Callie. He hoped she was alright, but knew she’d be no match for Sinestri on her own. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Not that he’d done any better himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The only way up, besides climbing, was to figure out how to do that weird sekari whip thing Sinestri had done.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike produced a sekari on his free hand, and concentrated hard on turning it into a whip shape. It took him a few minutes, but at last a thick clumsy sekari cord extended from the palm of his hand about five feet, and wriggled about, like a tentacle. He willed it toward the smoking roof he and Callie had fallen from, and the sekari zipped towards it, thinning as it expanded. It connected with the black stone wall, and dug into it like a spike. Mike then let go of the dome’s peak, and created another sekari whip with his newly freed hand. It came easier than the first, and dug into the stone wall a little higher.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here goes nothing.” Mike said, and willed the sekari to lift him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They did, but it was a bit freaky. The cords lifted Mike up and over towards the roof he had so recently departed; a roof with a big smoking hole in its center. Despite the rain, the out-of-control fire had consumed the sides of the hole, making it much bigger. The roof now looked as if some giant had taken a bite out of it; only two small sections of the roof ridge remained to stand on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri was there, waiting for him at one end.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike took the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There were no words exchanged; the thunder was too loud and constant for any words to be audible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">From behind Sinestri arose something that had been hidden from Mike’s view. One of Sinestri’s sekari whips. Entangled in its grip, was Callie. Mike couldn’t tell if she was dead or merely unconscious.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri brought her up from behind him, and extended her towards Mike, as if to give her to him. She disappeared over the smoking hole and then---Sinestri dropped her into the raging inferno of the room below.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“NOOO!” Mike screamed and, without thinking, jumped in after her, into the mouth of fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">His world exploded into searing pain that lasted eternities, before darkness at last, and blessedly, took him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“…mike …Mike? ...Mike!” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">This oddly muffled call echoed through the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“MIKE!” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">This startled him awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He was alive, and to his relief, unharmed in any way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was Callie who had awoken him. She was alright as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They were in separate vertical tubes of what seemed like thin clear glass, about three feet apart in the center of a vast cave of black rock. On one wall were sections where the rock was polished to a smooth and reflective surface, like a house of mirrors. In each of these sections different moving images played out. The largest of the sections went down to the floor, and was about the size of a doorway. On it, various landscapes---some run-of-the-mill, some fantastic, some barren, some hellish---would shimmer into view for a few seconds, and then change into something else.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Something about this place gave Mike a strong sense of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">déjà vu</i>, like he had seen this place before, somewhere; then his attention was diverted away by the sudden realization that he was bereft of his powers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re under some spell, Cal.” he said, “My powers are out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know, look at the floor.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike looked and saw magic circles painted on the floor around his and Callie’s tubes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Our powers are being contained.” Mike said. He tried in vain to overturn his tube by slamming his body against the walls of the tube, from side to side; but the tube held fast. “I don’t think these tubes are really glass…maybe some kind of crystal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s that third circle for, I wonder?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There was yet a third magic circle, ahead of theirs; but it had no tube. Lines and mystical writing linked the three circles together into a triangular design, around which was yet a greater circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do these tubes have air holes?” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m sure they do…somewhere.” Mike replied, “I doubt Sinestri went to all this trouble just to suffocate us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Just then, through an iron door, entered Sinestri with their mother beside him; she seemed a bit stiff, and he was half carrying her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Their mother’s face was slack.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri led her to a bench in an empty corner, and sat her down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m afraid one of the prerequisites of your mother being here for this, is to be placed under a paralysis spell.” Sinestri said, “She is able to see and hear everything, but unable to move or make a sound unless I allow it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri closed and locked the door through which he entered. Mike noticed a sheaf of old yellowed papers tucked under his arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He walked over and faced them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I call this place, the Brakkery. It’s deep beneath the mansion. From this wall I can see into other realms; and travel to them, if necessary.” he said, “The two of you have been quite entertaining, I must say. Even though you did unleash my Calaphasto, and utterly destroyed poor Jiskijik. However, the time now comes to cleanse myself of this wretched Malevolencia once and for all; a procedure neither of you will survive, I’m sorry to say.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“I have done all the other steps required for the ritual; all that remains is you two. These magic circles hold your powers at bay, this much you know. They do much more than that, but we needn’t go into all the details. The formula forbids me from using any power or spell to hold you in place, so the tubes are necessary to keep you two from walking out of those circles. I will speak the Words that will transform the both of you into pure energy. Then, I will bring both your energies into the third circle, and conjoin them into a single cleansing force. Into this fusion I will walk, and it will absorb all the Malevolencia from my body.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“And what do you intend to do with our mother once you’re free?” Callie asked, “What further vengeance could you possibly want?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, I have plans for her, but I will not share them with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>.” Sinestri retorted, “The time for questions and answers is over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri turned and walked away from them to study the loose pages in his hand one last time to be assured he had covered all of his bases thoroughly, and had phonetically memorized all the alien words of the ritual down to the exacting measure they required. (It would not do to have gotten this far, only to stumble at the last moment.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie looked at each other, and saw fear and finality in each other’s eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We failed, Mike.” she said, “Now we’re going to die.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Callie, look at me!” Mike muttered low under his breath, so Sinestri couldn’t hear him, “Our minds have gotten used to working together. I’ve been in your mind, you’ve been in mine. If Sinestri’s ritual is going to join us into a single energy, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">let’s use that to our advantage</i>! We might not be able to save ourselves, but together maybe we can save Mom!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“But how do we do that?!” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I…don’t know.” Mike admitted, “I’m grasping at straws here; but we can try. Clear your thoughts, no matter how bad things get, no matter how painful; just try and keep your focus on me. I’ll focus on you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie nodded, but said nothing, as Sinestri had now tossed aside his papers and strode toward them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He closed his eyes and lifted his hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“KARRAVAS! VESHUREEM! MELLAROON!” he shouted, and the circles around Mike and Callie started to glow.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here it comes, Callie!” Mike cried out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I love you, Mike!” Callie yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I love you too, Cal!” Mike yelled in return, “Now, FOCUS!!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri wasn’t even hearing them, he was in the throes of the ritual.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“VELLAMASS KOR AVEEL!!” he intoned, “KOR AVEEL! KIN AL DURAK! KIN ANDIN OKK FEN!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie felt a sudden feeling of terrible pressure, screamed, then exploded into two glittering clouds of glowing energy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">And just like that, Mike and Callie Longstreet were no more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Forgotten on her bench, tears rolled down the sides of the paralyzed Elizabeth Longstreet’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“VELLAVEM KOR AVEEL!” Sinestri incantated, “KOR AVEEL! KARRAVAS OKK VESHUREEM, KIN ANDIN MELLAROON!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The two clouds of glowing energy now passed through the walls of the tubes, and entered the third circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“KURROOSH!” Sinestri bellowed, “KURROOSH KOR AVEEL!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The two energies mixed, conjoined, and glowed bright white.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Beautiful.” Sinestri said, the ritual now completed; he stepped back and out of breath, “Absolutely beautiful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">At long last, the fruit of many long years of planning, preparing, and waiting floated there glowing before him; pure and perfect, promising ablution and absolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“But now it must be darkened,” he said, “That I may be freed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was time for him to walk into the circle, and let that bright whiteness wash over him and cleanse him of his curse. It was the ting he had worked and waited for, for so long. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The thing he most wanted to do right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">So why couldn’t he?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">With growing panic, he realized he could not make himself walk into that circle. He pushed and pushed, with all his considerable power; but a greater will held his in check.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, something like eyes opened in the bright whiteness; and it’s terrible contemplative gaze fell upon him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">What troubles the great Sinestri? </span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">a Voice spoke inside his mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was the voice of Mike and Callie combined, but at the same time, it was not. It was not anything like them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was something Other.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“GET OUT OF MY HEAD!” Sinestri screamed, “WHAT ARE YOU?! THE FORMULA SAID NOTHING ABOUT THIS!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I am the one brought forth from the two…of the two, but beyond the sum of the two…I am the shadow of the Mandaghast…the voice of Destiny…and you, Araboam Sinestri, have avoided yours for much…too…long!</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">An earthquake then, rocked the mountain to its core. A great crack, deep and wide, opened in the stone floor of the Brakkery, and into it Sinestri stumbled and fell; but managed to grab hold of the edge by his fingertips.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">You will no longer have any use for that ring, where you are going</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">, the terrible Prescence said; and upon those words, Sinestri’s ring frittered away into nothingness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“NOOO!!!” Sinestri screamed, as his hands (along with the rest of him) began to turn into the black goop, and were no longer able to hold his weight. The fingers broke off at the knuckles, and Sinestri (what was still left of him) plummeted screaming into the chasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Prescence Sinestri had inadvertently conjured from the combination of Mike and Callie’s energies, now turned to the two empty crystal tubes in which they had been held. First, it obliterated the magic circles around them; then, it poured it’s energy into both tubes. It’s brightness diminished as it did so, until it was almost completely gone; leaving only a faint afterimage of what had once been there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Elizabeth found she could move again, and got up. She saw Mike and Callie reappear inside the brightly lit tubes, like people walking out of a thick fog; until the light disappeared, and only her children remained.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie’s eyes blinked open. They looked at each other and blinked some more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell---“ Callie started to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“---was THAT?!” Mike completed the thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The crystal tubes they were in now had a yellowed and denatured look to them. Mike pushed it with his hands, and it shattered and crumbled to the floor like tiny ice cubes. Callie took hers down as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Elizabeth, though no longer under any spell, still stood as if paralyzed, at the odd and unexpected return of her children; but this paralysis broke when Mike and Callie turned and saw her standing there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“MICHAEL! CALLIE!” she cried, and the three ran to each other, and hugged and kissed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“How did you---?” she started to ask.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It wasn’t us.” Mike said, “I mean it was---but it wasn’t! It’s hard to explain! Me and Callie were like one mind, speaking in one voice---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“But it was also its own thing!” Callie blurted, “Something with its own mind and will! It was weird!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“But it was also awesome!” Mike said, “Like we were part of this greater thing----powerful---unstoppable---godlike!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What was that whole ‘Shadow of something, Voice of Destiny something’ about?” Elizabeth asked her children.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know,” Mike said, “That part wasn’t us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was the Other.” Callie added, “We knew what we were saying when we were saying it, but now, not so much. I don’t even know how we did what we did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Maybe THAT knows.” Elizabeth said, pointing behind Mike and Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They turned around and saw the faint ghostly residue of the Prescence that had destroyed Sinestri. It floated there, seeming to wait patiently for one final task it had to complete before exiting stage right.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike walked up to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What are you?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">i am for later...</i>” it whispered lightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What does that mean?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you will know, when you reach the Darkling Gate…</i>” it said, then faded away into nothingness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Brakkery then shook, with another sudden quake. A diagonal crack appeared across the viewing wall; the viewing surfaces affected shut off, like they had been unplugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Time for us to go!” said Mike. He made a circular gesture with his right hand---and nothing happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Uh oh!” Mike said, “I think the special magical qualities of this Brakker stone that Sinestri was talking about, is messing with my ability to create a realm-rift.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We zipped into the cave easily enough.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, but the stone there wasn’t honed and focused like it is here, in the Brakkery.” Mike explained, “We need to get out of this room, before I can realm-rift us out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“The stairway Sinestri brought me down here from is long and steep and narrow.” Elizabeth said, “Hewn out of the rock itself. If another quake hits while we’re in there…things might get tight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“There might be another way.” Callie said. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She pointed to the wall of many sights, most of which had blinked out; but the door-sized one at the bottom, with its tantalizing landscapes, remained.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The three nodded and went up to it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They linked arms, chose their landscape, and jumped in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They ended up on an empty beach somewhere, they knew not where; not that it mattered very much. The beach was nice, the water was beautiful, and the shade was lovely.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">More important, they were together; and as far as they knew, they had all the time in the world to get to know each other again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">And for a little while at least, that was all that mattered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i>From out of the living arose a sigh,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i>From out of the dead, a rattle.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i>From out of the blue arose Ma'jai,</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i>And unto their foes, gave battle.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i><br />
</i></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-71818493165902998322011-05-27T00:00:00.002-05:002011-05-27T00:35:18.709-05:00Chapter 59<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Roanath</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was blessedly dry inside, and warm. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie entered a long vaulted hall. Ornate pillars with silver and gold hanging lamps hung between them greeted the Longstreets on both sides of the hall. The floor was a checkerboard of white and black marble tiles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Once they reached the end of the hall, they entered the main chamber of the mansion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The main room had to be hundreds of yards across and in area; the ceiling was so high, it was lost to sight. The far-flung walls were rounded, and a staircase spiraled up and around its sides, with many and various halls and doors along its way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Taking up much of the real estate on the ground floor of this grand chamber, was what could only be called a little town. Homes and huts and small one-storey buildings made up this diminutive town, as well as roads and alleys. Wagons were ridden through those roads; pulled by beasts of burden that looked like a cross between ponies and sheep. The town (and to a lesser extent, the mansion) was inhabited by a small pallid people, with black horizontal stripes either painted or tattooed across their faces, arms, hands, and (theoretically, at least) entire bodies. None of them were taller than five feet high. They all dressed in identical grey hooded cloaks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">About fifty or so feet above the center of the city, a miniature sun shined, providing light and warmth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“WELCOME TO MY HOME, YOUNG LONGSTREETS.” Sinestri’s baritone voice boomed all of a sudden, from somewhere in the heights above them, “WELCOME TO ROANATH! DO NOT FEAR THE DEDDENS, THEY ARE MERELY SERVANTS. THEY MEAN YOU NO HARM. IN FACT, THEY HAVE PREPARED A SUPPER FOR YOU IN THE KITCHENS. YOU HAVE MY ASSURANCE, UPON MY HONOR, THAT THE FOOD IS NEITHER POISONED NOR DRUGGED IN ANY WAY. WHEN YOU HAVE EATEN YOU FILL, COME UP AND VISIT ME. WE HAVE MUCH TO TALK ABOUT.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“YOUR MOTHER AND I WILL BE WAITING.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">With that, the booming voice stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What do you think?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, I trust Sinestri only as far as I can throw him.” Callie said, “But on the other hand, I am so fricking hungry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I think you could probably toss him a good distance.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“You know what I mean.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I agree,” Mike said, “I’m hungry too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">From the little town now came forth a Dedden on one of those wooly ponies, with an empty open two-seat cart behind it. It plodded towards them at a brisk, if quiet, pace.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I think that’s our ride.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The sheepony (as Callie now referred to it, in her mind) stopped in front of them. The Dedden on its back had his hood down, which revealed him to be bald, and showed that the tattoo stripe went all around his head, and ended in a spiral at his crown.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Mraw.” the Dedden muttered, and motioned them to the cart.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie got on the cart, and sat down. The Dedden lightly slapped the sheepony’s rump, and it started off; it’s heavily padded feet making hardly a sound on the marble floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They were taken, not into the Dedden town, but towards a wide arched doorway a bit far off in the wall of the chamber, close to where the massive stairway began. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There was a line of Deddens exiting through this doorway, removing their hoods as they made a beeline towards their town.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">As they approached the doorway, Mike and Callie could see that beyond it was a kitchen of enormous size. A long wooden table, enough to seat an army, took up its center, with two equally long wooden benches on either side of it. The table top was empty except for the section closest to the entrance, upon which was set a small feast of meats and fruits and vegetables of many, if unfamiliar, kinds; along with goblets and glasses of varied juices. By the time they reached the doorway, the kitchen was entirely empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Despite not knowing what most of these foodstuffs were, Mike and Callie’s bellies groaned with impatience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Dedden stopped his pudgy steed short of entering the kitchen. Mike and Callie needed no further prompting; they stepped off and dashed into the kitchen posthaste.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Dedden and his sheepony turned around and headed for the town, but Mike and Callie paid him no heed; they sat opposite each other, on either side of the table, and dove into the food like impoverished orphans at a rich man’s dinner party.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They ate their fill. Ate until they were ready to burst. Still, they did not exhaust half the bounty laid out before them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I guess we’ll leave this for the Deddens to clean up.” Callie said when they were done.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike’s reply was a long and obscene burp.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s nice!” Callie said, but could not suppress one of her own.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike laughed. “Not so hoity-toity after all!” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright.” Callie replied, “Should we go, or what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s go, then. We didn’t come all this way to dawdle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The two got up, and exited the kitchen. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They made for the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Great. More walking.” Mike said, as he looked up the long climb ahead. The insane interior spiral upwards seemed to invert the insane exterior spiral they had just completed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Screw walking!” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She grabbed Mike’s arm, and the two started flying up the stairs like a rocket. They zipped up along the stairway; the hallways and doors along the way whooshing by like blurs. Occasionally, they had to detour around Deddens roaming the place; but the higher they went, the less and less there were, allowing Callie to speed up even further. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They made three complete circuits of the great chamber, before Callie had to stop and rest awhile.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Whew!” she said, breathing heavy, “I think I just chopped a few hours off our trip.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sit down, take a break.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They were at the entrance to a hallway. The two slid down the wall of this hallway, and sat on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“How’s the power level?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Barely put a dent into it. Still good to go.” she said, “I just got a migraine from the effort. I’ve been pushing myself too hard for some time now. I doubt the levitation ability has ever been put to such a harsh field test before; and by a rookie, to boot.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I wouldn’t try again too soon.” Mike said, “Take all the time you need to refresh yourself. We’re gonna need to be at our best when we make it to Sinestri’s floor. Gods only know what awaits us there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie nodded, and the two fell into a relaxed quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Eventually, Mike got up to stretch his legs, walked over to the handrail of the stair, and looked down. The miniature sun was now slightly below them, but close enough to make Mike squint when looking at it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was an amazing sight, and Mike found the more he looked at it, the less he needed to squint. After a few seconds, he could make out dark moving splotches out of which no illumination passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Looks like Sinestri’s sun is dying.” Mike said, absently.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Yet, there was something mesmerizing about the mini-sun. Mike realized he could see pulsating colors past the yellow “sunshine”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“You should see this, Cal, it’s quite beautiful…” he said, his words slurring. He suddenly became aware that he was being drawn into a trance, but this knowledge came too late to be of any help.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie had closed her eyes against the dull throb in her head. She was about to say something to the effect that, now that the miniature sun was below them, maybe she could fly them straight up to the top floor without having to follow the stairs (after a suitable interval of rest, of course). Then Mike made his comment about Sinestri’s sun dying. Something in his voice troubled her, but she knew not what until he spoke again, and she heard the sluggishness in his voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She opened her eyes, and looked over at Mike. His back was to her, and he seemed to be staring down at the mini-sun with rapt attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She knew something was wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She got up, and made to go over to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Callie!” someone behind her called.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie froze.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was a familiar voice; a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tantalizingly</i> familiar voice, that made the hair on the back of her neck rise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">In spite of herself she turned, and saw a cloaked and hooded figure standing at the end of the hall. At first she thought it was another Dedden, but the figure removed the hood, and smiled at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie’s heart stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Jon?” Callie called out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon smiled, “Got something to show you, babe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He turned and walked into an intersecting hall, and out of her view.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“JON!” Callie cried out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She turned to Mike, still entranced by the sun, and then turned back to the way Jon had gone, and ran that way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She ran, and caught glimpses of Jon here and there, always ahead of her, always just turning a corner; but when she’d turn the corner, he’d be ahead at the next turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Jon! Stop! Wait!” she cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He led her down a maze of corridors, until at last he stopped at a door, and entered. Callie reached the door, and entered behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She stepped inside, and entered a thick tangle of vegetation. The room seemed to have opened into a jungle. There were dense vines hanging all around her, and the floor beneath her feet was carpeted with moist dirt. She pushed past the vines until she entered an area clear of vegetation. There was a sofa, and Jon laid there with his hands behind his head. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He smiled up at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hello, beautiful.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He sat up and patted the spot beside him on the sofa. Callie sat next to him, and they faced each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Jon. How?” was all she could muster.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He smiled patiently at her. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Give us a kiss.” he said, and leaned in to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">His lips touched hers, and she could not deny him. She leaned into him and returned in kind. For a moment, it was heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Then his tongue entered her mouth, and she felt it split in two.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie pushed him back and found herself face to face with a creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and a serpent for a tail.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ha! Ha!” it said, “Fooled you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike snapped awake from his trance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He shook his head and blinked his strained and blurry eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Had he heard a scream? Or had he imagined it?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He turned away from the stair and saw that Callie was no longer in the hallway. How long had he been mesmerized?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“CALLIE?” he called out, but there was no answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, there was another scream, faint and far off. It came from somewhere beyond the hall, and it was definitely Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’M COMING!” Mike yelled, and started running toward where the sound had come from; but trap doors swung open beneath him, and he plunged down a dark rectangular chute.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike screamed, as his Ma’jai eyes perceived the bed of spikes and spear-points that awaited him at the bottom of the silver-lined chute; and without a Conjuura around, there was no denying gravity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The room was different now. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was a blindingly white room without windows or door; and unfurnished except for the sofa, which alone hadn’t changed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s this?! What’s this?!” Callie cried, getting up and backing away from the patchwork creature on the sofa.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Wanna liplock summore?!” the creature grinned, then stuck it’s forked tongue out at her, “What you need, hotstuff, is some more of my SALIVA! Here, hava batch!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It opened it’s mouth and fire poured out at Callie. She screamed the scream Mike would follow into the trapdoor, and extended her power before her, slanting the fire away.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, you’re gonna be FUN!” the thing said, retracting it’s fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What are you?!” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We is Jiskijik.” it said, “We is many!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Jiskijik began changing it’s body parts into a constant stream of animal parts; some known, some unknown, and some insane. The flow of transformations upon transformations increased until the sight of it hurt Callie’s eyes and Callie’s mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“STOP IT!” Callie yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Jiskijik stopped, and it was Jon again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“C’mon, hunnybucket,” the fake Jon said, “Let’s bop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“How do you know about Jon?” Callie asked, “When and where exactly did you see him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">An idea had entered her mind, and a faint and fragile hope had entered her heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is he HERE?! IS HE ALIVE?!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Perhaps, she hoped against hope, the mess back in that Cathim building had been an illusion, left there for her to find, by Sinestri. Perhaps Sinestri had actually brought Jon here, for some purpose. More importantly, perhaps she could find and rescue him!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Aww, sorry honey!” Jiskijik said, transforming into Charles Longstreet. It got up off the sofa, and the sofa disappeared, like the vegetation before it. “Hate to burst your bubble, snookums, and trample on your dreamy dreams; but your boyfriend isn’t here. He’s in a dozen little pieces back in Cathim. Our master merely let us watch along with him, as you and your little group made your way across the wasteland. Facinating viewing, by the way; riveting!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie was crestfallen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s the thing about Jiskijik, luv.” it said, now looking like Babbidaz, “We step on your heart, before we eat it!” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It lunged at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">As Mike fell, he produced a sekari shield. He hit bottom a split-second after its completion, and the shield held against the spear and spike points, which seemed to be welded to the floor of the trap, since they did not turn, fall, or get pushed aside by the shield. Nor was there anywhere for Mike to step, or place a foot, as the spears and spikes were all too close together, and took up every inch of space.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh crap!” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">How the hell do I get out of this?! </span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">he thought to himself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I can’t hold this shield forever!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Indeed, it was taking him great power and focus to hold the shield’s form and keep it solid against the uneven surface of the spikes and spears that threatened to burst it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It occurred to Mike, that the only way out was the way he had entered, and there was only one way he was going to do that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He drew in power from the Voss Vedu’un, and channeled it into the shield. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He willed it to expand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">As the sekari shield grew, it bore him up. Like a balloon in a bottle, it conformed to the shape of the chute. Up and up he went, until his back was confronted by a barrier.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The trapdoors. They had reclosed after his fall. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They did not open upwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Uh oh!” Mike said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He was trapped between unopenable doors on one side, and his own overinflated sekari shield, on the other. The hell of it was, he knew precisely what it would take to break through the doors; but it was going to hurt like hell, if it didn’t kill him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Then there was the question of whether his body would be thrown free of the hole or merely thrown upwards. If the latter occurred, he’d simply fall back into the hole, which would not be good at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike decided it was worth a try.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He continued expanding the sekari shield until he was flattened against the unyielding doors in a painful squeeze; but continued to push the sekari to its limits. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Then it exploded, and Mike felt a split-second of unbearable pain and flight, before the world went black.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Jiskijik (as Babbidaz) lunged after Callie and might have had her if the sound of an explosion somewhere nearby hadn’t distracted it in mid-trip. This was all Callie needed. She grabbed Jiskijik with her power, lifted it up in the air, and hurled it against the opposite wall with great force; whereupon it broke and burst into eleven separate pieces. Each piece transformed into lizard-like creatures, each a different bright color. Those eleven lizards then split into twenty-two smaller lizards. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They all turned and looked at her…and curtsied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell?!” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We is Jiskijik.” the lizards all said in unison, “We is many.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They tittered with unrestrained glee, and then split up dashing in all directions; like cockroaches when the light is turned on. Some ran toward her along the floor, many ran up and along the walls, some continued onward up to the ceiling, and ran upside down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie understood what was about to happen, and extended her power around her like a sphere of protection.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The lizards launched their attack from every direction at once. Every time a Jiskijik tried to get on her, or spew fire at her, she smacked them off with enormous violence. The Jiskijik in question would then hit a wall, and disperse into smaller giggling pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“TIME TO CHANGE THE RULES!” the Jiskijiks all shouted, and upon this utterance, the room exploded into a moving and swirling nightmare of primary colors; like a madman’s acid trip. The colors were not just on the floor, walls, and ceiling; they moved all around her like three-dimensional waves of liquid hues.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Bad enough she could no longer see where the Jiskijiks were in this mess; the exhibition was making her dizzy and nauseous, as well as exacerbating her migraine.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Worst of all, she had an idea that the colors were intended to entrance her, like the miniature sun had Mike; so the little monsters could take her out at their leisure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Not today, jerks!</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Callie thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She closed her eyes, and felt immediate relief. That was better. Without the visual noise, she could “see” the room and the Jiskijiks, with the extension of her power. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She walked to the center of the room, swatting the little bastards off all the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Time to bring this party to an end!</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie concentrated. Hard. She extended the sphere of her power until she could feel every Jiskijik in the room. Then she grabbed every single one of them in her mental grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The giggling stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie opened her eyes. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The room was white again, and damn if there wasn’t a door there after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She brought and held all the Jiskijiks in the air before her, and squeezed. They squealed and squirmed, but could not escape her grip; nor, in their pain, were they able to access their gift for illusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“No more jibes? No more laffs?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“LET US GO!!!” the Jiskijiks squealed in unison.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I get the feeling that if I tear every one of you apart, I’ll only make more of you.” Callie said, “So maybe I’ll go the other way!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She brought every Jiskijik, and slammed them all together into one mass; and began to crush it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“NO! STOP!! PLEASE!!!” they cried, in quavering voices, “YOU’RE KILLING US!! YOU’RE KILLING US!!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s the thing about Callie, luv,” she said coldly, “Step on my heart, and I’ll squash you like a bug!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">With one powerful squeeze, she did just that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Jiskijik screamed a high awful shriek, as it became a single mass of colors bleeding into each other, until they merged into a dark brownish color, like feces; and it’s multiple flesh melted into a loathsome goop.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, it screamed no more. Callie released it, and it plopped to the floor with a disgusting flatulent sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie walked to the door, and exited the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike woke up, feeling like crap. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He had been blown free of the hole as he had hoped (and just barely at that); which was good, because the trapdoors had been blown off. One of which had landed on top of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sekari bursts were explosive in effect, but not fiery (as opposed to fireballs, which were); so Mike wasn’t burned in any way. But being in one still hurt like a mother, nonetheless.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike groaned, and pushed the trapdoor off of him. He tried to get up, but his head swam, so he flopped back to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He closed his eyes and summoned forth healing energy from the Voss Vedu’un, into his own body.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell happened to you?!” a voice said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I could ask you the same question, but I need a minute or two to get my crap together.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie went over to the hole Mike had so recently exited, and looked down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What was in there?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“A great many pointy and unpleasant things.” Mike answered, “And where the hell were you when I needed you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“When YOU needed ME?! I just barely escaped with my life from a roomful of tiny monsters, to find YOU lounging around on the floor like the King of Happytown!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hey! I was nearly skewered to death here! I literally had to EXPLODE myself out of that hole, to escape.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Pish posh! I had to fight a swarm of shape-changing, fire-breathing, illusionist lizards!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Really? Damn. Alright, you win.” Mike said, “Help me up, would’cha?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie grabbed Mike’s arm and pulled him up. They walked past the hole in the floor, and were back on the stairway.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are we done here?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well then, let’s get up there.” he said, pointing to the top floor, “Can you pull that off, or do you need more rest?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Actually, I need more rest now than I did when we got here.” Callie said, “However, Sinestri’s little traps are getting on my nerves, and I can’t wait to throttle the bastard. So let’s go. I can rest when I’m dead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie and Mike linked arms, and the two floated over the handrail of the staircase, and shot straight up the center of the main chamber.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They reached, at last, the top floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There was only one hall here, and only one door at the end of it. The hall was high-ceilinged, and filled with vast hung tapestries, whose geometric designs danced and changed with kaleidoscopic frequency; and sinuous sculptures, that writhed like living things and threatened to reach out and grab at them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t look at them, Callie.” Mike said, “They’re distractions. Look straight ahead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The door ahead of them seemed to be the apotheosis of all doors; a tall, heavy thing, varnished to within an inch of its life. Its dark woodgrain was almost elemental against the white of the marble walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Upon reaching the door, they saw something. Carved deeply on it with some sharp implement (recently, perhaps, for there were still wood shavings on the floor below it), was writ the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">VRAS SALORA ETAYALI</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What does that mean?” Callie asked, “I’m assuming you know, since it is no doubt meant for us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike nodded. “It’s Vaunto for: ‘the burning awaits’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What does THAT mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Aside from the literal meaning of the text, I don’t know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Sounds fricking ominous.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We didn’t come all this way to turn back now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“This is really it, isn’t it?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes it is.” Mike replied, “Let’s go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He grabbed the doorknob, and gave it a turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The door opened.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">NEXT TIME:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Chapter 60<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">(and the End of the Road)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-70786702502663067862011-05-20T00:00:00.000-05:002011-05-20T00:00:06.367-05:00Chapter 58<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Dark Mansion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It took Callie a long second to summon forth her powers of levitation, and stop her fall. When she did, the bat-thing lost it’s grip on her pant-leg, and continued on it’s trip down. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie levitated upward, though not at the speed or ease she had gotten used to; her power level was on the wane. She would not be able to self-levitate like this for much longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She looked up and saw fireballs take out the last of the remaining bat-things. They fell past her; the sound of their shrieks dragging behind them into the darkness of the abyss.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie reached the ledge. Mike stood there with fire emanating from his open hand. He looked alright.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Took you long enough.” he said, when he saw her. He helped her step onto the ledge with his free hand. “For a second there, when you fell, I forgot you could levitate. If you hadn’t warned me about the bat-thing above me, I might have jumped after you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“From here on out, let’s not press our luck.” Callie said, “My levitating days are about over. My power level isn’t what it used to be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Bottom of the barrel?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not yet, but getting there fast.” Callie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It has been in heavy use of late.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie noticed something missing from Mike. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What happened to the backpack?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s what I’ve been wanting to tell you.” Mike said, “The damned bat-monster that swooped in from above me; it grabbed hold of it and tried to cart me off. Actually got me about a foot off the ground, before the sticky straps gave way; unfortunately, batty dropped the backpack, with our food supplies, down the mountain.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Crud.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If it’s any consolation, I turned batty into a crispy critter not two seconds later.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh well,” said Callie, “We’ll just have to make do without food. Can’t be too hard, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s get moving.” Mike said, extinguishing the fire in his hand by closing it, “The sooner we get to where this ledge is going, the sooner we can get the hell off of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They continued on their way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Half an hour later, Mike began to make out the outline of a door, on the outcropping he had noticed earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do you see that?” Callie asked, seeing the outcropping at last in a fortuitous flash of lightning.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s just a bump in the mountainside.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are we supposed to go around, or over?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Through.” Mike said, “I’m pretty sure I see a door.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Twenty minutes later, there was no doubt. There <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> a door. It was made of dark varnished wood, with metal bands that braced the edges, and criss-crossed its span like a black X. The wood of the door looked heavy, and there were some deep talon scratches sunk into it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike turned the stylized lever that served as a doorknob. The latch clacked, and the door opened inward with a loud creak.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Inside was a small cavern about the size of a storage shed. There was a bench on one side, and a thick bed of furs on the floor, on the other. There was also a wooden chair bolted to the floor, with a hole in its seat that corresponded to a hole in the cavern floor that opened to the sheer drop below the cavern, outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A toilet</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Mike thought, with an interior snicker.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Beside this was a sheaf of rough-looking paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Yikes!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Mike thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Not exactly a four-star establishment</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There were two oil lanterns hanging in each corner. Mike lit them with his fire. Their illumination of the cavern was adequate, if dim. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie entered behind Mike. “Oh cool!” she said, “A rest stop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She went to the bed of furs, and burrowed under them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thank Holy Gloeis in the sky!” she exulted, “We’re out of that damn cold and rain and wind and maddening thunder!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“For a little while, at least.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Killjoy as always.” Callie muttered under her breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike closed the door. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was a locking plank bolted onto the side of the doorway. Mike brought it down into its holding clamp on the other side of the door. He noticed the door on the opposite side of the cavern also had a locking plank. He walked over to the other door, and locked it down as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I guess these are to keep the beasties out.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie sat up against the wall of the cavern. She had one of the furs wrapped around her like a mink coat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“These are WARM, Mike!” she said, “I’m taking one with me when we have to leave!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good idea.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He grabbed one of the furs, wrapped it around himself as well; and sat down next to Callie. He found the bedding of multiple furs to be thick and comfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Thunder roared outside, but sounded muffled and faint in the cavern.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I think we’ve earned ourselves a little R and R.” Callie said. She was still trembling in spite of the fur’s warmth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“More than that, I think we need some sleep.” Mike said, “We don’t want to face Sinestri exhausted or fatigued.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Should we take turns keeping watch?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, I think we’re pretty well locked in here.” Mike said, “But I want to try something first, before we snooze.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just a quick spirit travel expedition; I want to see what’s at the end of our road. Can you keep watch while I’m gone?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Can and will.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay, here goes.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He sat back, closed his eyes, and detached from his body. It was easy for him now. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He moved through the wall of the cavern, floated out some distance, and turned to face the mountain.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In this state neither cold nor rain could touch him. In the Voss Vedu’un there was no darkness; all things glowed, even the mountain itself. When lightning flashed, Mike could see the ripples and roils it caused in It.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike looked down at the abyss below him, but his astral self felt no vertigo. He then willed himself up, higher and higher, faster and faster; until he reached the top.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">And there it was…as he had suspected.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The tip-top of the mountain seemed to have been scooped off, as if by the hand of a titan, and on this lot was built a black, massive, and windowless mansion, that looked like the abode of the gods (and not the pleasant ones). Thick dark thunderclouds poured rain upon it. Lightning danced above and around this structure; yet, somehow, never struck it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Without windows, Mike found it difficult to figure how many floors the highest central section of this complex edifice had; but it had to be in the double-digits. From a higher perspective, it looked like a small city had been forcibly mashed together into forming a single vast building, with varying rooflines, towers, flying buttresses, and the like.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Only an egomaniac, with delusions of Godhood, would make a place like this his home</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Mike thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He moved closer, to get a peek inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He got as far as a few yards from its walls, when he hit some unseen force that circumferenced it. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He was knocked back down into his body so hard and so fast, he gasped upon opening his eyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What happened?” Callie, beside him, asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike showed her all that he saw.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, that looks like the kinda place Sinestri would call home.” she said, “It’s gonna be a heckuva long slog to get there, though.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, I know.” Mike said, “So let’s take full advantage of this place while we got it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They made pillows out of rolled up furs, and they laid themselves down, blanketing themselves under the warm furs. Their tired bodies fell into sleep within minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They slept deep, and for untold hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When they awoke, they did so almost at the same time; though they did not rise just yet. They just lay there for awhile.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t wanna leave.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Neither do I, but we gotta get going.” Mike said, “Did you not sleep well?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh no, I slept great. And I feel refreshed and all…I just don’t want to go out there in the cold and wet again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ditto, but…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know, I know. We <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gotta</i>.” Callie said, “I understand that. I just hope there’s some kind of daylight now. I’m so sick of the constant dark! And I hope that damn thunderstorm is over; my nerves got frayed from jumping at every crack of thunder!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Me too.” Mike said, “Me too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Despite not really wanting to, the two got up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They availed themselves of the primitive toilet; an embarrassing necessity, though a necessity nonetheless (at least the toilet paper wasn’t as harsh as it had seemed at first look). Both took turns staring at the opposite wall while the other “took care of business”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They unlocked the planks on both doors (as a courtesy to whatever poor bastard might have to pass this way at some point), and blew out both lanterns. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They were both cloaked in furs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike opened the door. The ledge awaited them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was still cold and dark; and the thunderstorm still raged.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I hate this place.” Callie grumbled, “I really really do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They closed the door behind them, and began to walk again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They walked for hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The wind went from being an irritant to an active danger, as they entered a point where their mountain and a neighboring mountain created a natural wind tunnel. They had to grasp their furs tight, as the wind sought to rip them away. They did not speak to each other at this point, as it was impossible for them to hear each other above the din of the screaming wind. Mike maintained an open connection to Callie’s mind, in case one of them needed to communicate something to the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then they reached a point where the ledge was damaged (possibly by an avalanche). It was busted up and in places down to a foot in width. This slowed them down considerably, and it took them a long tense hour of cautious movement with their backs to the mountain, to get past the damaged region. And it was worse for Callie, who was in the dark (except during lightning strikes), and had be carefully directed with mental images of the ruined ledge from Mike’s Ma’jai-enhanced vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sometime after that, they passed beyond the wind tunnel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Finally!” Callie said, “I couldn’t take another minute of that damned wind! I thought I was gonna go insane!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They continued onward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">After another long interval of silent trudging, Callie spoke up again. “I’m hungry.” she said---almost whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I second that emotion.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We haven’t eaten since the cave, last night.” Callie added, “Or last…umm…whatever. I don’t even know what time or day it is anymore! It’s always dark here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Next critter we run into, I’ll fry for you.” said Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“As long as it’s not disgusting.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Better disgusting chow than starvation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know, I’d hafta be pretty skeletal before I’d eat certain things,” Callie said, “My gag reflex is a harsh mistress.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Give it another hour or two, and you’ll be humming a different tune.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hmmm…I wonder how it went with the Cathim people.” Callie said, changing the subject without a hint of subtlety.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It just occurred to me that we pretty much left them in the lurch back there, without much answers. They have no food, no electricity, no help, and no idea of what kind of world they now inhabit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just like us, wouldn’t you say?” Mike asked, “And like us, they’ll have to figure it out on their own.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I just hope they don’t descend into cannibalism.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">For some reason, this struck Mike as hilarious, and he began to laugh uncontrollably. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You crack me up, Cal!” he said, as he wiped tears from his eyes with his hand, and had to stop a moment. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When finally he stopped laughing, he turned and faced Callie. His mood went from amused to serious.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“This is ridiculous, Callie,” he said, “We’re not putting up with another hour of this shigging mountain.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What do you suggest?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I suggest we fly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sorry, tanks too low. I’ll tap out at twenty or so feet, and then we’ll fall to our deaths in a most unhappy fashion.” Callie said, “Besides, that mansion’s WAY too high up there. Even fresh off that brain-drain with Babbidaz, I couldn’t pull that off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, I wouldn’t have expected you to fly us all the way to the top in one leap. This ledge does spiral up and around the mountain; so you could just fly us to the next ledge section above us, rest, then up to the next, until we reach the top.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Huh, I didn’t even consider that.” Callie said, “That’s actually a good idea, but the point is academic. I don’t have the power anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You just need to refuel.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You can’t honestly say it hasn’t crossed your mind.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, I’m not gonna lie and say it hasn’t, cause it has; especially since we found ourselves on this stupid pile of rocks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know.” Mike said, “It’s crossed my mind as well; but fear and selfishness have kept me from putting my brainwaves on the line. Of all of us, I’m the only one who didn’t have to undergo that particular procedure, and I was kinda hoping to keep it that way; but this shigging mountain’s gonna do us in---unless I allow this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are you sure?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, but that’s never stopped me before. Come on now, before I change my mind.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright then,” Callie said, “I assume you can see my eyes in the dark; so we don’t need to do this the hard way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yup, just don’t let me fall if I get woozy or something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t worry, I got you.” Callie said, putting her hands on his shoulders, and pulling their faces close.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie’s eyes began their trancing effect, and she felt it when he fell under their power.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Like a hypodermic needle allows the passage of fluids through the barrier of flesh; the Malignium pierced into Mike’s mind with ease, and allowed Callie to slip right in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Because of the depth of powerful emotions, the mental energy of most people pooled into their moments of despair and suffering; forcing the subject to relive these memories, allowed the Conjuura access to this energy. Mike’s mind was different. It was reminiscent of Babbidaz’s, in that his mental energy was unmixed with any emotion; it was simply there for the taking, like water from a river.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">And what a mighty glowing river it was! More than could ever pass through the tiny spigot of his current level of Ma’jai ability. More than had resided even in Babbidaz.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie immediately understood several things at once: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This is why Zedda so wanted to drain Sparo, once he came in to his full power</i>, she thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And this is also why she was afraid of him; why she had him caged and surrounded by all those circles of containment. The Ma’jai are walking power plants! No wonder Mike was able to kick Babbidaz’s mental ass!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She drank deep of this bounty. Drank until she felt her head would explode; drank until a curtain of green fell over her vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When she disengaged from his mind, for a moment, she could see the night as he did; she could see the Voss Vedu’un at last. Then, it faded away.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Was that it?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">For him, there had been a woozy moment, when he was tranced; then the session had come to an end.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah…” Callie said, looking woozy herself, “That’s it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was not what I expected. I don’t even feel any different from before. You look more numbed and put out than I do. You okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“For a big dummy, your mind was a lot more densely-packed than I expected.” Callie said, rubbing her temples like she had a headache, “I got a lot more from you than what I got from Babbidaz; but even that’s a drop in the bucket compared to what’s there. No wonder you didn’t feel a damn thing; you’re a freak of nature!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It goes without saying,” Mike replied, “But is it enough?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“More than enough!” Callie answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They turned toward the mountain, and linked arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Up yours, mountain!” Callie yelled, and the two flew straight up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike kept a live feed to his spectral vision running in Callie’s head, so she could see the wall of the mountain become a grey blur as they ascended at an ever increasing speed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the end, Callie was so juiced up; they only had to stop at three separate points on the ledge, to take three fifteen minute breaks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In this fashion, they soon reached the top.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri’s mansion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">About twenty yards away, the double-doors to this abode were swung open wide; looking in to a well-lit (and dry!) interior.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Looks like we’re expected.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I feel at home already.” added Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two walked toward the open doors.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike looked down and saw a metal ring set flush into the smooth stone floor of the mountain-top; encircling the mansion, like a perimeter. The metal was a dark, blotchy, copper color; and about six inches in width. On this ring was etched writing of the mystical and cabalistical type. This writing appeared as silver, so the copper color was, perhaps, a mere discoloration of the surface. The fine cursive strokes of the delicate letters looped and linked each other, all the way around (at least as far as Mike could see).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was a magic circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike remembered how he got knocked back into his body when he had tried to spirit travel into the mansion. This magic circle had no doubt been responsible. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But what else would it do?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They approached the threshold of the ring, and passed without a problem. Mike breathed an interior sigh of relief. What happened next happened so fast, it caught them both off guard.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A glowing pair of orange wedge eyes appeared between them and the mansion, and flew towards them at tackling speed. As it did so, a dark purple body (gaseous at first, then quickly gaining an inky, gooey, solidity) pulsated into existence around it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell---?!” was all Mike managed to get out, before the thing slammed into both of them so hard, they went tumbling and rolling back to the unprotected edge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie managed to catch the ledge, but Mike went over.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“MIKE!!!” Callie yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Her fur coat was lost to the wind, as she pulled herself up (which was just as well, since it had gotten smeared with the sticky grape jelly-like goo the thing was made of and had slathered all over them, on contact). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“MIKE!!!” she screamed into the abyss.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I’m here, Cal!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> came the response, from inside her mind, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Look</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He sent her an image of himself: his fur cloak snagged on a protruding rock, some distance down; and he hanging from it. But his grip was slipping, because the cloak was sodden from the rain (and gooey with the purple gunk as well).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He had seconds; before he either lost his grip, or the fur tore away from the rock.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie extended her power downward, and found him. She levitated him back up to where she stood. He released his fur as he cleared the edge. The wind caught it, and it flapped away into the night like some great dark bird.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay, now I’m pissed off!” Mike said, as he and Callie turned to face the mansion again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Their purple friend was nowhere to be seen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Can you see him, Mike?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, but I know he’s here somewhere.” Mike said, “Stay right here, Cal, and be ready in case he whacks into me again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay,” said Callie, “But be careful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike walked up to the metal ring. With fire from his hand, he illuminated it for Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s that?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Our friend’s leash, if my guess is correct.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike cautiously set his right foot past the ring, like a swimmer testing the warmth of a pool. He leaned into the foot, as if to step further in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Immediately, the orange wedge eyes returned, and its purple gooey body slobbered into existence as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I see it!” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The thing barreled toward Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Get outta the way, Mike!” Callie cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike removed his foot, and the thing slammed into an invisible wall the magic circle represented.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It can’t get me outside the circle, see?” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The thing, now angry, slammed itself again and again against the invisible wall, trying to get at Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s like a guard dog.” Mike continued, “Just a dumb creature set there to protect the place against intruders. Invisible, so we’d blunder into it’s territory, and get slammed off the mountain. Another of Sinestri’s traps.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And it worked, did it not?” Callie replied, “Pure dumb luck is all that saved us right now, let’s be honest.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s the best kind of luck!” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What I wanna know, is how we get past Rover here, and get inside?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike turned to the newly-named Rover, and sent streamers of fire from his hands, into the guardian; but Rover’s body did not catch fire nor seem affected by it in any way. Nor by fireballs. Mike threw a sekari at it, but the sekari (like the fireballs before it) disappeared into the goo to no effect. Finally, he tried trapping it in a sekari shield. That seemed to work at first, Rover was entrapped; but then it disappeared, then reappeared outside the shield, still unperturbed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, I’m out of ideas.” Mike said, “I’d try to take over its mind, but there seems to be no mind there to take over. I don’t even think this thing was created with Ma’jai magic; the writing on the circle isn’t Vaunto. Do you think you can levitate it, Cal?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie walked over to Mike’s side and tried, but her power seemed to go through the guardian as if nothing was there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sorry,” she said, “Can’t do a damn thing to it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two scratched their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Rover seemed to tire of them, and disappeared once more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’d hate to be the mailman around here.” Callie groused.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike hunched down to take a closer look at the metal ring on the ground. The strange unfathomable writing on it was etched light and delicate, like the strokes of a fountain pen. That, in conjunction with Callie’s mailman comment got him to thinking, and when he stood up again to face her, he had a smile on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Uh oh,” Callie said, “That’s your patented ‘I have a crazy idea that’s gonna put us both in terrible danger’ smile.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike nodded. “Why do you suppose Rover is circumscribed like this?” he asked, “Why not let him run free?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, he’s probably not too bright, like you said,” Callie replied, “Without the leash, he’d probably just run off---“ and then it hit her, “---The cliff! He’d just zip right off the precipice like a dope!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Bingo!” said Mike, “Break the circle, break the leash!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You think you can do it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“All I need to do is bust the ring up enough to break the spell.” Mike said, summoning a sekari into both hands, “Just be ready for your part.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He hurled both sekari down, one after the other, down at the metal ring; at the same location. The ring broke apart at that point, and even popped up a little at the broken ends, as if it had been under some tension that was now relieved.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie linked arms, and took two steps into Rover’s domain.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Rover felt the infraction, and burst forth into existence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He’s coming!” said Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Rover, in his rage, rocketed toward Mike and Callie, but at the last second, Callie levitated them up and out of reach. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With no invisible wall to stop him, Rover zipped past the broken metal ring and, without even a yelp, flew over the edge and disappeared into the chasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie floated back down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do we kick ass or what?” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No time for getting cocky, Mike.” Callie replied, “Let’s get inside, quick. For all we know, Rover can fly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good point.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two hurried to the entrance of the mansion. Without a second thought, they walked into Sinestri’s abode, and closed the doors behind them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-74497505198440923812011-05-13T16:05:00.000-05:002011-05-13T16:05:14.099-05:00Chapter 57<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Route of Ascension<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike carried Callie back to the cave end (the section they had first entered this Realm from); which was now well-lit by many fires, and devoid of creatures. Those Mike had not firebombed, had scurried off in terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> He placed Callie in one of the cleaner niches, and began the work of healing her many wounds. The most grievous of these was the poison in the bite on her shoulder; as well as the smaller bites of the bat-babies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> From her memories he catalogued every harm done to her; down to the small bite on her right hand: between her thumb and index finger. Nothing escaped his attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> At last, there was nothing left to do but let her sleep. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> And she slept for a very long time. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Callie awoke to find Mike hovering over her with concern in his eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hello, sleepyhead.” he said with a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie grabbed and hugged him tight. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell took you so long, dumb-ass?!” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, I woke up in that blue place, badly disoriented. It took me awhile to get my bearings straight and get back here. Then I couldn’t find you, and had to tear up the joint.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“My adventure was a little less mellow than that.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know.” Mike said, “I saw.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Have you been perusing my private brainwaves again?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just a tad,” Mike said, “I had to know all the damage that was inflicted on you so I could heal you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“A likely story.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m afraid that left ear’s gonna have to go on being lobe-less, though.” Mike said, “I looked everywhere for it, but couldn’t find it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I hope that bat-baby chokes on it.” Callie said, “Not that I was ever much into earrings anyway. No big loss.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Other than that, you’re good to go.” Mike said, “Are you hungry?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What are you offering?” Callie asked, “If it’s toasted critter, I’ll pass.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, look.” Mike said, turning his back to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">On his back was the backpack with their travel food; Callie had forgot all about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was Jon’s turn to carry it, around the time we first saw the Cathimites; but in the middle of that whole situation, we forgot to switch it over. I’ve had it on since.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike took the pack off his back, and set it down before her. He unzipped it and retrieved two sodas and two sandwiches.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They ate quickly and silently.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Once finished, they got up and began to walk down the length of the cave. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Illuminated by Mike’s many fires, Callie could now see with her eyes how the cave was pock-marked with holes all along its sides and (she shuddered) along the ceiling. Those, she knew, led to upper regions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re gonna have to be extra careful with those.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t worry. I firebombed a whole batch of them while you slept.” Mike said, “Then took out everything that tried to escape.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Still, there are a lot of hollows up there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, but all the beasties I’ve met here have one thing in common: they all fear light…and especially, fire.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike hurled more fireballs into the darkening area ahead of them. As they lit up areas of the cave, creatures big and small scampered away from the light, and into their holes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I think we should try another route.” Callie said, “Make another rift, I mean. Enter this realm through another point; preferably somewhere outside of this damn cave.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We might lose track of Sinestri, if we do that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Wake up, Mike. This place was a trap, and it worked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Perhaps,” Mike replied, “But Sinestri had to pass through here to set it; which means we’re on his trail. If we try another route, there’s no telling where in this world we’ll end up; maybe a thousand miles away from where we need to be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There was a far off flickering of red.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Shanky, up ahead.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes. We’ll have to be careful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They continued onward, in silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Fifteen minutes clicked by, before one of Mike’s fireballs were met with more red flashes just up ahead of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Get behind me!” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">As Callie did so, Mike extended forth his hand and summoned a sekari into it; only this sekari flattened itself into a curved shield, that grew within a second to about Mike’s size.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">From the darkness just beyond the light of Mike’s last fireball, came a rush of red lightning. It hit the sekari shield and lit it up like fireworks. The lightning fought to penetrate, but the shield held up to the assault.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike released the shield, and sent it toward the Shanky. It hit the Shanky, encased it, and made it visible to Callie’s non-Ma’jai eyes. Then it crushed it to death with an audible crunch, before dissipating.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike sent a quick succession of fireballs, one after the other, into the dark. They revealed a section of the cave, up ahead, wider than what they had seen so far. The holes at the sides where larger than in the rest of the cave, and from them emerged dozens and dozens of Shankys. They lined up along the sides of the cave, like a gauntlet, and seemed to await them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It seems we hit the jackpot.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh booger.” Callie retorted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The length of Shanky territory was about a hundred yards, and beyond that was the opening of the cave. The dark of night made the world outside the opening indistinct, but occasional flashes suggested a thunderstorm was currently in process.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll take the left side, you take the right.” Mike said, “We watch each other’s back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“As always.” Callie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They ran headlong into Shanky country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The response was immediate. Every Shanky close enough to attack, did so. With one hand Mike produced a sekari shield that protected him from their lightning, while with the other hand he lobbed fire balls that hit and ignited individual Shankys, and blinded the wide sensitive eyes of those near them; disrupting their line with chaos and confusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Meanwhile, Callie bent back the lightnings of four Shankys that launched a simultaneous attack on her. She had the lightnings take out various other Shankys, before she had them take out the four that had produced them. She then levitated the stunned Shankys, and tossed them at the advancing troops on her side of the cave; knocking them over.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">On his side, Mike took over the mind of one of the Shankys, and had it zap it’s fellows, before one of it’s fellow Shankys took IT out. Then, Mike took over another, then another after that. He dipped in and out of different Shanky heads, just long enough to have each zap one of it’s brethren, before he moved on to another. Soon, he had them so unhinged; they began to attack each other without provocation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike no longer needed his shield; he was able to use both hands to pick off the Shankys with fireballs and sekari.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">As they cleared out whole sections of Shankys, Mike and Callie moved closer and closer to the opening of the cave. They managed to reach the halfway point, when the remaining Shanky troops still ahead of them funneled into the main central walkway before them, and headed for Mike and Callie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">en masse</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Uh oh! They’re swarming!” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike produced a massive sekari and threw it into the heaviest concentration of Shankys between them and the cave opening; the explosive effect of which cleared out the path ahead of them, and knocked over every still-standing Shanky into two piles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“RUN FOR IT!” Mike yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They ran.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">When they were just past the Shankys, Mike stopped, turned, and sent two offhand fireballs into the two piles and disrupted their attempts to stand and resume their attack. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike turned and ran. He caught up with Callie, and the two reached the end of the cave. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They ran out through the opening…and almost off of a cliff.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie’s intuition stopped her, a step or two before the edge; but Mike stopped too late and teetered on the precipice. Callie grabbed the back of his shirt collar, and pulled him back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The cave, they now understood, was inside of (and about three fourths of the way up of) a mountain; a big one. Outside the cave opening was a ledge about the width of a sidewalk. To their right, the ledge snaked downward; to their left, the ledge spiraled upward, around the sides of the mountain (presumably, all the way to the top).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">As for the landscape, it was all grey mountains against a backdrop of dark night. Heavy thunder clouds prevented the seeing of any stars or moons; and if it wasn’t for the constant flashes of lightning that seared the darkness, little could be seen by non-Ma’jai eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was cold and wet and harsh. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It made the cave seem like a comfy environment in comparison.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie looked down into the bottomless drop they had almost blundered into, and gave each other a look.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“This just keeps getting better and better, dunnit?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They backed off a few steps from the edge. Something on the floor of the ledge caught Mike’s eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“So, which way do we---?” Callie started to ask, but a clap of thunder from above that sounded like the hammer of the Gods, startled the both of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Where else?” Mike said, and jabbed his thumb to their left.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“How do you know?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike hunkered down to his knees, and Callie followed suit. He produced fire from his hand, and held it close to the ground, like a torch. Callie looked and saw an arrow etched there on the stone floor of the ledge; it pointed to the upward path. The etching was light, like a quick sandpaper rub on a fine wood desk; done, no doubt, with a sekari.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Damn.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">From behind them, in the cave; the buzz of Shankys neared.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Time to go.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They turned left, and started on their way up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Though the ledge was wide enough for two to walk side by side, neither of them wanted anywhere NEAR the edge; so they went single-file. Not only that, but they went sideways as well, with their backs to the wall of the mountain; slow and cautious. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike led the way, and Callie followed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">And if any Shanky dared to poke it’s head out of the cave opening, Callie would be more than happy to shove it over into the abyss. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">None did, however; Mike and Callie were out of sight, and thus out of mind, as far as the Shankys were concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I hate thi-i-i-s!” Callie whined, “This is insane! I’m on the side of a shigging mountain in a thunderstorm on another world! How the hell did we get to this, Mike?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“With one bizarre situation after another.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They were now soaked, and every fresh gale of wind chilled them to the bone. Another clap of thunder overhead made them wince.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I may be wrong, but shouldn’t the thunderclouds be below us at this altitude? We are pretty high up here!” Callie said, “Come to think of it, shouldn’t we be having trouble breathing or something? I don’t mean to be annoying; I just have a lot of questions.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike shrugged. “Different worlds, different rules, I guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Great. Another answer that answers nothing.” Callie retorted, “You’ve gotten really good at those! Is that a Ma’jai trait?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah,” Mike said, “It comes with the kit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> After about half an hour of slow sideways movement, that hassle of walking with their backs to the mountain overrode their fear of the unprotected edge, and the two began walking right; though still in single-file, and at a cautious pace. They wished to hell there was a guardrail, or handrail, or something; but there wasn’t, and they had to get used to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">At one point Mike’s foot slipped on the wet stone, and he fell forward. He uttered a high shriek, afraid he was headed over the edge, but merely fell to his hands and knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">But he succeeded in scaring the crap out of Callie as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t DO that to me!” she yelled, “DAMN!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike got to his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Watch your step, for Gloeis's sake!” Callie continued, “Do you think I wanna be stuck up here all alone?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sorry, Cal.” Mike said, his breath ragged, “I thought it was all over there, for a moment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie shivered in the wind. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re gonna catch our death of cold up here.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nah,” Mike said, “This place will probably kill us long before that!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They continued onward and upward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sometime later, Mike saw something up ahead, around where the periphery of the mountain began to disappear from his line of sight. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was still far off, but it looked like a bump on the mountainside. The ledge did not go around this, but stopped right at it; as if one was expected to climb over this outcropping, to get to the ledge on the other side (if there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> one).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell is that?!” Callie asked, all of a sudden.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?” Mike asked in return. He stopped and turned around to face her, and saw that she was looking outward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I thought I saw something moving, during a lightning flash.” she said, “Over there, somewhere.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She pointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike’s eyes needed no lightning flash; he now saw what looked like a small black cloud, about level with them. It was moving towards them; closer and closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh shig.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What? What is it?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s your old friends…the bat-people.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Lightning illuminated the landscape once more, and Callie got a clear look at the horde of bat-things that approached. They smiled toothy open-mouth smiles, licking their chops, as they flew toward what they no doubt thought was easy pickings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There had to be about fifty of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Damn the luck.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Damning our luck is like damning the wind, Cal,” Mike said, “It’s gonna blow regardless.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“How long have you been hoarding THAT chestnut?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ages</i>.” Mike smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He extended his hands forward and produced a sekari shield in each. The two shields grew and met, and melted into each other; forming a single half-shell shield all around them that stopped at the wall of the mountain behind them. They were sealed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike scrunched down a little, and braced himself for the onslaught. He looked at Callie. “Be ready with the---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">But there was no more time for words; the bat-things attacked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They hit the shield and were repelled with explosive force. The individual bat-things were thrown back, fell, regained flight control, then attacked again and again. The sound of these things, as they hit the shield, was like giant bugs hitting a giant bug zapper.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Can’t these things take a HINT?!” Callie shouted over the noise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike’s face was a grimace of exertion. The constant attacks forced him to pour more and more power into the shield to keep it from collapsing. Callie could see sections of the shield where the now-familiar blue glow was getting threadbare.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“These things are a bit more obstinate than I anticipated.” Mike said through gritted teeth, “We’re gonna have to switch to offense.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m so there.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just keep them off of us while I light them up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Got it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, and I’d hold my breath about now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Fire erupted from Mike’s hands, and grew along the inside curve of the shield. Callie got the picture, and took a deep breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The fire flowed out of Mike’s hands and pooled vertically into the tub of the shield in a mockery of gravity. Mike’s hands became lost to sight below the wrists; immersed in liquid fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“hereweGO!” Mike yelled, and released the shield.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The shield flew forward and out, and behind it unfurled a great sheet of fire. The shield enveloped one of the bat-things, and it dropped like a brick to the abyss below. The sheet of fire, propelled forward by Mike’s Ma’jai will, ignited a good twenty or so bat-things. These, in turn, flew around in a panic. They would bump into others, and light them up too. Quite a few flew right into the wall of the mountain below and above Mike and Callie; knocked themselves out, and fell to their deaths.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike wasted no time. Once able to, he sent out long streamers of fire from his hands, like flame-throwers. These he aimed at every unignited bat-thing within the flame’s reach. Within a minute, another twenty bat-things were on fire; either by Mike’s hands, or their panicking compatriots. The drenching rain was of little help to them; Ma’jai fire does not snuff out as easily as natural fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie watched for advances from above and below. Mike’s fire lit up the night, allowing her to see everything now. Whenever a bat-thing would zoom in for a sneak attack, Callie would use her mental power to catch it in flight, and slam it against the mountain-side.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">One of these fell too close to her, and managed to grab on to her pant leg, on its way over. Callie screamed as her foot was pulled out beneath her; she fell, and was dragged over the edge. She managed to get a handhold on the ledge at the last second.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“CALLIE!” Mike yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He bent to the edge, to help her up. Callie looked up at him and saw a bat-thing descend upon him from above.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“WATCH YOUR BACK!!” she screamed at Mike, as the weight of the wounded bat-thing hanging off her pant leg caused her to lose her grip on the wet stone of the ledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She plummeted into the abyss.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-38251527293519445532011-05-06T00:00:00.001-05:002011-05-06T00:00:00.794-05:00Chapter 56<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A Path of Monsters</b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie floated in what might be considered space; if space was neither cold, dark, hostile to life, nor a vacuum.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They discovered they could breathe in this place between places; though, it was not like breathing oxygen. The sensation of it was bizarre, but not unbearable. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">And in this blue space resided the Realms of Creation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">What a sight to behold!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Perfect spheres of varying hues and patterns of color; gigantic in size (at least compared to Mike and Callie), but tiny compared to the worlds somehow crammed within. They floated like pearls in gelatin; in no particular order, with no rhyme or reason to their ordering, yet always somehow equidistant from each other. They moved with the flow of blue space, but exceedingly slowly; like the hour hand of a grandfather clock. The number of Realms seemed to spread out into infinity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hello? HELLO?” Callie shouted out; wondering if, and how, sound moved in this place. Her voice sounded muffled, as if she had shouted into her cupped hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Weird.” said Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How are we supposed to move?” Callie said, “I tried to move us just now, but my power has no purchase here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s my job, methinks.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">His Ma’jai instincts told him that the aqua-colored space around them was, in fact, another form of the Voss Vedu’un; and the ability to move the Voss Vedu’un (or have it move you, in this case) was a power inherent in every Ma’jai. So, Mike moved them forward; though his inexperience, and the extra weight of Callie, slowed things to a crawl.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do you know where we’re going?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes.” said Mike, and pointed to a sphere of dark grey, shot through with strands of black and red.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How do you know he went there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He left us a trail.” Mike said, “Take a close look at the area between us and that Kaadu.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike shook his head, “Oh, sorry…I just recently had the entire Vaunto dictionary dumped into my brain, and things pop up from time to time. What I meant to say was: take a close look at the area between us and that Realm-sphere.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, is THAT what they are?” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, now look carefully.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie looked where Mike said. She couldn’t see anything at first, but after some blinking, she finally made out what he was talking about: a thin seam, like a thread, running from their position, all the way to the grey sphere they were moving towards. The seam seemed to be dissipating from their end onward, like a long fuse working its way to the dynamite.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s a mighty faint trail.” Callie said, “No wonder I couldn’t see it; I could never read a thermometer either. How do you know it isn’t designed to lead us right into a trap?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’ll know soon enough.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie looked down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s keeping us up?” she asked. (Whatever feelings of vertigo Mike had felt when Callie had levitated he and Jon over between rooftops, was nothing compared to what she felt now, seeing the infinite drop below her.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know,” Mike said, “But my guess would be that there’s no up or downs here, except from your personal point-of-view. How are you gonna fall if there’s no down?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So you just float in place until you decide to move?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I figure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So if you were to leave some non-Ma’jai person here, they would just float in place until they died of starvation?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I…suppose so.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie turned to look back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I think we should get a good look at what our own Realm looks like,” she said, “So we can find it on the trip back; should there be one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not exactly a safe assumption, is it?” Mike replied, bringing their forward motion to a stop, “But it’s a good idea, Cal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike turned them completely around, to face the Realm from whence they came (turning, at least, was easy).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was a pale green sphere, with light blue bands encircling it; pretty, but something of a plain Jane when compared to some of the others around it. Nothing special.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I can feel its vibrations in the Voss Vedu’un,” Mike said, extending his free hand towards the Realm, “We’re still close enough.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A smile appeared on Mike’s face. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s talking to me!” he said, “It’s alive!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s it saying?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s telling me it’s name!” Mike said, eyes full of wonder, “It’s name is Statamer!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s great. Tell it ‘hi’ for me.” Callie said, severely, “But we got places to go, remember? We don’t want the trail to get cold; or give Sinestri too much of a head-start.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright.” Mike said, turning them back around.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They resumed movement toward the grey Realm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do you know what THAT one’s called?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No. We’re still too far,” Mike said, “Or maybe it’s just not in the mood for talking.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Maybe it’s dead. It LOOKS dead.” Callie said, “Can those things die? And if they can, what would it be like for those inside?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know and can’t imagine.” Mike said, “I suppose if they CAN die, it would be like cells in a dead body; after awhile, everything inside would die too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie’s face crumpled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike kicked himself. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Cal, I’m sorry, I---”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, don’t.” Callie said, her voice tremulous, “It just…hit me, all over again right now. My own damn fault; I was the one who went there with the stupid morbid questions.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She wept quietly. “It’s not just about what happened to Jon; it’s the GUILT! It’s the damn GUILT that chews on the wound and makes it worse every damn time!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She put her free hand over her eyes, and tried to regain composure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Look, Callie,” Mike said, “You can’t blame yourself for what happened to Jon. You weren’t the one that killed him, it was Sinestri. You didn’t make Jon join us; he made that choice for himself. It was not your fault.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh Mike, but it WAS!” Callie shouted, though the sound didn’t carry, “IT WAS! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And it was YOUR fault too!</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If you hadn’t pulled Ma’jai rank on us back in Cathim, we would have stood right beside you and faced the Cathim-things with you! And when you passed out, we would have been there to help, and I wouldn’t have forgotten Jon back in the building, and he’d be alive right now, and right here with us! But NO! YOU had to be the big shigging Ma’jai and go it alone!” she took a deep trembling breath, “So, yes Mike! It WAS YOUR FAULT just as much as it was mine, because YOU didn’t trust us enough to let us come with you and help you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright, Callie.” Mike said, “If it makes you feel better, you can go ahead and blame me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie growled: “Awwg! I HATE it when you do that! You always take the ‘noble’ way out, so you don’t have to argue or defend yourself, and you can pretend to be the reasonable one, when what you are is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">coward</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike bit his tongue, and said nothing. He knew Callie’s pain would make her unpleasant for a time. It would do no good to say something in the heat of anger that would only make things worse; so he kept quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two fell into an uncomfortable silence; and the silence between them remained until they reached the grey Realm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It loomed before them, getting larger and larger until it dominated their entire view. When they were close enough, Mike reached out and tried to touch the sphere; but his hand could not get close due to an opposing force that repelled his hand back, and made it feel numb. It reminded Mike of trying to get two strong like-sided magnets to connect.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Like Statamer, this Realm was alive. It’s name was Sellavellan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike made a circular gesture, as close as he could to the Realm, and opened a rift into it as smoothly as cutting a slit into a ripe peach with a sharp knife. He motioned it to widen, and it did; into what Callie saw as a pitch black world. Mike’s Ma’jai sight, on the other hand, could see what appeared to be the inside of a cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s go.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They entered. Then, something flashed red in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What was that?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike saw it almost too late. He pushed Callie clear, as bolts of red lightning struck him full on, and blasted him backwards through the opening of the rift; which then started to close.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“MIKE!” Callie shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">His push had sent her sprawling into a deep depression in the uneven floor of the cave. She landed in time to see Mike blown back into what she thought of as “Blue Space”. Then, everything was swallowed in darkness again, as the only light was that coming through the rift.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She put her hands on the ground, in order to get up, and touched some hairy, yet prickly little thing with her right hand. It hissed, and bit her on the thin flap of skin between her thumb and index finger. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She uttered a shriek; not only at touching something unexpectedly hairy, but because the bite hurt like hell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She set the pain aside, got up, and ran towards the rift, which was now a slit; too thin for her to cross, but wide enough to see through.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She saw Mike falling away from her, end over end; limp as a rag doll.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“MIKE!” she shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She tried forcing the rift open, with her mind power, then with her hands; to no avail.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The rift sealed shut; leaving her alone in the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie sobbed openly. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The bitter irony that she had called her brother a coward moments before he sacrificed himself to save her life was not lost on her; but the sound of movement scared her out of her misery.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Whatever had zapped Mike was still there with her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Not having a Ma’jai’s spectral vision, Callie could not see her hand before her face; or what was moving around in the dark, grunting like a heavy-set man trying to exercise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Red light flashed, illuminating the surroundings for a second. Enough time for Callie to make out some pudgy beasty that had something sticking out of it’s head that generated the red electricity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie closed her eyes, stretched her hands forward, and focused the full emanation of her ability before her. The thing shot out at her it’s red lightning, which crossed the distance between it and her in a millisecond, and hit the invisible wall of her focused power. Callie bent it’s lightning upwards, to the ceiling of the cave (taking out a slew of critters nestled up there), and then folded it back toward its originating point.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With great satisfaction, she opened her eyes to see the beasty get the full measure of it’s own medicine, until the lightning stopped, and the thing fell over; encircled with little wormlets of electricity still running over it’s body, making it shudder and spasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That was for Mike, you SHANK!” she shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once again, the cave went dark. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Although she couldn’t see anything, Callie realized she could get a feel for things by extending her mental power around it, as if to levitate it. She now sent that power over the creature.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">During the confrontation, she had gotten only a vague sense of it’s size and shape. Now she could get a better “look”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was short, but stout. It’s shape was roughly cylindrical, with stubby legs and thin stick arms that ended in claws. It had a light bulb shaped head and no discernable neck as far as she could tell. It had holes in the sides and back of it’s head that might possibly be ears. Of it’s eyes, Callie could only sense that they were large and saucer-shaped. It’s mouth was wide, and arrayed with can-opener teeth that would shame a shark. It had long hairs, like cilia, that grew out of the top of it’s head, and stood up, as if under water. Red currents of it’s electricity buzzed between the hairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">That’s how it does it</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Callie thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It sees or senses something it wants, or is threatened by, and it points those hairs at it and zaps ‘em. Once it’s toast, it trundles over and has an easy meal. It may not look like an impressive predator, but I’ll bet it’s the most feared creature in here. It can kill from a distance.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Shanky (as she now referred to it in her mind) let out a hiss of breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It’s still alive!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Callie thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">That could mean one of two things: the Shanky had a strong constitution, capable of getting zapped without getting killed; or, the red electricity was used to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stun</i> prey, not kill it outright. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If the latter one was true, then Mike might still be alive!</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Something growled in the dark, and Callie realized that she and the Shanky weren’t alone in the cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie sent her mental power in the direction of whatever had growled, and found it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was as big as a gallanash, and as muscular as a cwarna. It moved toward her in slow, cautious steps.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie dashed nimbly, and skipped over the Shanky, putting it between her and her stalker. A quick application of her power lifted the Shanky to it’s feet, and held it there. She hoped her pursuer would be startled by the Shanky’s apparent awakening.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Instead, it growled again, and the growl shifted closer as it’s owner leapt toward them. Callie lifted the Shanky into the air, and the Growler hit it head on. Callie felt the hit, and hurled both Shanky and Growler a good distance away.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They hit the ground with a good meaty THOOMF!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Shanky then awoke, as proven by both the sudden lighting up of it’s “hair”, and it’s horrible scream, as the Growler tore into it. The Shanky poured it’s lightning into the Growler (which, in the intense red light, looked like a cross between a possum and a panther), but the Growler’s jaws had locked tight in it’s seizure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This had the wonderful effect of illuminating the cave for a good few seconds. Enough for Callie to get a good look at her surroundings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The cave she was in was high ceilinged, wide as a high school auditorium, and long; far longer than the shifting red light could penetrate. The walls and ceiling of the cave were honeycombed with holes along its run. Some were just niches, others were connectives to other sections of the cave; and most were occupied with beasties. Callie could see their eyes, reflecting in the red light. Most were watching the Growler vs Shanky show with great interest; but a few had noticed her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie realized that her only way out of this place was to travel the length of the cave, for who knows how long, in the dark, along a path of monsters. It gave her no joy knowing she’d been right: Sinestri had indeed set them a trap.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Out of one of the holes in the side of the cave, Callie sensed a pack of what were either baby Growlers, or perhaps a smaller species of the same. These Growlies were interested in her, and made their advance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie felt around and detected a pile of bones on the other side of the cave. She rocketed these at the Growlies, hit every one of them hard, and sent them whimpering back to their hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Growler attached to the Shanky was at last torn off; but the Shanky did not get a chance to relax it’s electric hairs. Five other Growlers now encircled it, perhaps thinking that this was their golden opportunity to take down a nice fat wounded Shanky.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They weren’t the only ones. Callie could sense the other creatures of this portion of the cave leaning forward. Ready to take over if the Shanky (which had lost a lot of blood) somehow managed to bring down the Growlers. One way or the other, that Shanky was gonna get his.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This is my chance</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Callie thought. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When those Growlers attack, this place is gonna light up again. If that Shanky’s a die-hard, it’ll give me the chance to run a good distance. The more ground I cover, the sooner I can get the hell out of this cave.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Shanky smelled it’s peril, and lit up again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Growlers pounced.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie turned and hauled ass in the opposite direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She heard a cacophony of growls, animal screams, and the buzz of electricity behind her, as she ran. The quality of the light shifted, fluctuated, and at last flickered out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Shanky had joy-buzzered it’s last opponent; and Callie was in the dark once more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She kept on running.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The dark around her was not quiet. The battle for the body of the Shanky had now started. Callie could hear different creatures fighting over the meat; but the sounds were falling further and further behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She so wanted to levitate, but feared an overuse of her ability might leave her defenseless at a crucial moment. Her power supply (so to speak) was not infinite. There was no way to know how long this cave ran, or what other dangerous creatures she might still have to face; then there was Sinestri to deal with, at some point after.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">So she ran in the dark, with her mental power extended forward; against the possibility of hitting a wall or some creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Neither happened; instead she stubbed her foot on a rocky protuberance and went sprawling to the ground. The landing was painful and disorienting. Still, she lifted her head, and prepared to rise again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">From somewhere above her, there came a flapping noise, and then a heavy weight fell on her back. Callie screamed as strong ropy arms wrapped around her upper waist, and sharp fangs sunk deep into her left shoulder. The thing had leathery wings, and began to flap them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie felt herself being lifted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She fought to disengage the hands, but they held tight. Her head swam, and she found it difficult to focus enough to use her power against her attacker. With horror, she realized that the bite was poisonous; meant to incapacitate her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The bat-thing (which stunk like the pit) flew straight up into a hole in the ceiling of the cave. They went up and up and into a whole other section of the cave altogether.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie felt the pain of the bite travel deep, moving toward her heart. She was dropped on a pile of sharp bones that cut her like broken glass wherever they came into contact with her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I’m gonna bleed to death</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, she thought. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If that thing doesn’t tear my head off first!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The thing that had picked her up had flown deeper into that section of the cave, leaving her be for the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Or so she thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Suddenly she sensed something shuffling towards her in the dark. A LOT of somethings; smaller, much smaller, than what had brought her here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then it dawned on her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Holy Gloeis! This is a NEST! And those are…</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She didn’t have time to finish the thought, as the children of the bat-thing were now upon her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They attacked her from all sides; biting and scratching her raw. They gnawed at her fingers, they sliced up her legs, and they snapped at her face. One jumped on her shoulder-blades, pulled her hair back, and bit her on the top of her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She was dizzy, in pain, and couldn’t see a damn thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Below, somewhere, pandemonium erupted. Things growled and screamed and something like thunder roared.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Oh Gods, I’m in hell! </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Hell or not, the sounds gave her the direction of the hole; and, except for attacks on her eyes, she quit trying to fend off the Batlings, and crawled towards it. Her hands and knees felt shredded with each inch earned, but she continued regardless. One of the things bit off the lobe of her left ear. Callie screamed and smacked it off.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The poison in each of their bites weakened her with every second that passed. If she didn’t make it to the hole soon, she would be eaten alive by the baby monsters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At last she found the edge of the hole. A dim light came from it. A light that drove away the little beasts. She wondered if more Shankys had waded into the battle; but the light was not red.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She crawled down into the hole, then let gravity take her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She did not have the strength or focus to catch herself in midair with her power. That no longer mattered. Not avenging her brother, or Jon, or saving her mother. A choice of deaths was all she had before her, and right now she would settle for a quick one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A talon caught her by the foot about two thirds of the way down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“NO!!!” Callie screamed, knowing that the bat-thing had caught her, and would now fly her up back to it’s children, “LET ME GO!!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She began to writhe and shake, so it would drop her; though the pain it caused her foot was unbearable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The thing sunk it’s talon deeper into Callie’s foot, piercing through her sneakers, and Callie shrieked, but continued to shake; unbalancing the thing’s attempt at flight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The thing dropped her. Callie fell to the ground painfully, rather than lethally. She felt the thing land in front of her. She looked up and could see it’s demonic shape because of some light source behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Suddenly, it was blown away by a fireball that sent it flying and shrieking over Callie, and to the ground a short distance away, in a burning heap of crispy bat-thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“CALLIE!!” she heard, and damn if that wasn’t Mike standing before her; the cave behind him lit up with many piles of burning monsters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ah, Mike!” she said, her voice weak, “Thank Gloeis for you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then she closed her eyes, and darkness took her. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-61019942267795421492011-04-29T00:00:00.002-05:002011-04-29T00:00:01.147-05:00Chapter 55<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Lost, the Found, and the Taken<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The first rooftop they had to get to was almost level with theirs, only a floor or two lower; the problem was its distance. There was a large parking lot between the two buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike, Callie and Jon linked arms, and Callie levitated them across. Although power-wise, this was no problem (thanks to Babbidaz); the concentration necessary to accomplish this was an exertion. Mike and Jon remained silent, so as not to distract her; nor did they make any unnecessary movement (not an easy task considering that every look down brought a massive dose of vertigo with it). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Still, she flew them across the span at a considerable clip.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Once on the second rooftop, they looked back. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> The Cathimites had not yet caught on to their escape. The three ran over to the opposite side, to see where the next jump would take them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Another level rooftop, across another long span.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Again, Callie got them across. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Again they ran across to the other side to see the next building.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There was a problem with this one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The next building was closer, but at least twice the size of the one they were on; its rooftop was not even visible to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That one might take some doing.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The hell with that.” Mike said, “Let’s just go <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">through</i> this one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He summoned a sekari into his right hand and launched it at the building, where it hit and shattered a window.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Give me a few seconds, would ya?” Callie said, rubbing her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Sure, Cal.” Mike said, <o:p></o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Take a breather.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He and Jon walked back to the side they had just landed on to see if they could detect any change in the Cathimites. Although they could see the top of the building they had first entered, they could see one side of its body through the reflection off the tinted windows of another of the buildings on the other side of the street from it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Cathimites that were now about halfway up the sides of the building, were dropping off in droves, as if whatever magic that allowed them to defy gravity was being shut off in each of them from top to bottom. The cascading effect was almost beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“They know we’re not there anymore.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“And you were worried about hurting them.” Jon said with a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They ran back and told Callie what they had just seen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She got to her feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Let’s go then.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The three linked arms and flew across to the next building; in through the broken window. To their surprise, the inside of this room looked clean and ready for business. It was a conference room, with a large table.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It must have been closed up when the curse fell.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The door was indeed locked. They unlocked it and exited the conference room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They entered the more familiar sight of violently overthrown offices and workrooms smeared with dried goo.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They made their way through the building, until they reached a corner office. One set of windows looked across the street; the other across to the next building on that line.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jon and Callie looked through that one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Next jump’s a doozy.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No need,” Mike replied, “We’re <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">here</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie and Jon walked over to the window Mike was looking through. From it, they could see that they were just about across from the hole; which still disgorged an unending supply of Cathimites, though they were flowing slower than they had been.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike used a sekari to break the window, then used a chair to cleaned out the shards.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“One more jump, then.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Not for you two.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t have time to explain this. I have to go down there alone. It was a Ma’jai who did this, and only a Ma’jai can put it right. You guys have done your part, you got me here…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">now let me do mine</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What if something happens to you?” Callie said, “What if they kill you? What the hell do we do then?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You can escape.” Mike said, “It isn’t you they’ve been after, it’s me. They sense somehow that I’m a Ma’jai, like the one that cursed them. They won’t go after you two.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Escape to WHERE?!</i> Callie wanted to exclaim, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What about Sinestri?!</i> she wanted to shout; but her arguments collapsed before she could compose them, and she understood then what was happening. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike had his sneaky mental Ma’jai fingers in her and Jon’s heads, instilling passive acceptance of his order; there was no time for any other tack. No time left to argue or debate, though that was what she wanted to do most at that moment; to argue him out of doing this alone. Already, though, she felt passive acceptance suffuse her mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Send me over there, Callie.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He stepped out on the ledge. Callie and Jon followed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You better not die,” Callie said, “Or I swear I’m gonna kill your ass.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie floated Mike off the ledge and toward the street. The sudden speed and the vertigo of it made his stomach lurch, but he retained control of his innards. The flight had a downward trajectory, and once he was over the massive hole in the heart of Cathim, he looked down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The hole was alive with a moving mantle of Cathimites. As he flew over them, they all raised their head-like protuberances, and followed him as if they had eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, they began to squeal <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">en masse</i>, and changed the direction of their movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Hurry it up, Cal!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Mike thought, but didn’t send the thought to Callie; as it might disturb her concentration. He doubted being dropped bodily into the hole would be good for anyone; least of all him. He was moving fast enough, though it didn’t seem so at the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At last he cleared the hole, and was set down some distance beyond it. There was the usual momentary weirdness of getting his legs to accept the weight of his body again, but he reasserted his balance quick enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Not a moment too soon, as the Cathimites now poured out of his side of the hole, and surged toward him like a dark tide.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay…” Mike muttered under his breath, “Now what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">From their perch in the building, Callie and Jon looked over at the scene unfolding below; Mike, a single solitary figure, about to be overrun by an army of Cathimites.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s he going to do?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know,” said Callie, “And neither does he.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Great plan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Michael Longstreet stood before the storm; eyes closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Like a pilot flying over a dark fog, he searched the landscape of his memory, looking for a flicker of light to lead him home. He remembered Jon telling him, after the bridge incident, that the answer to Cathim’s problem might just lie within him. He believed this to be true, so he rifled through his own mind and memories, looking for something---anything---that might reveal the answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">And there it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A golden key hidden in plain sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A single word.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Hiding in his memory where Rufus Kantry had placed it, when he broke the spell Sinestri had put on them in the Rough Country. That was why bright green sparks had flowed from his hands; it was overkill. The Word of Power he had used was a lot more than what was necessary for the task of breaking that particular spell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It wasn’t for that spell: it was for this curse.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Kantry had known somehow that Mike would come to this point, and had left a Word of Power lodged in his memory like a time-bomb; harmless and forgotten until the right moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At the time, the Word was gibberish to Mike’s ears; but now that he had come into his Ma’jai powers, the word, now recalled, glowed and throbbed in his head like a living thing. The Voss Vedu’un itself, shuddered in anticipation of its utterance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike opened his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Cathimites were almost upon him. The span of time between the closing of his eyes and the opening of them had been mere seconds; but the Cathimites had not dallied in the interim. Mike raised his arms and sucked in breath at the same time as he summoned the Word of Power from out of his memory, and into his voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At the top of his lungs, he shouted: “ABRESIIM!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Word took hold of Mike’s vocal cords and boomed out of his mouth as through a megaphone. Its effect was like an electric current. The Cathimites stopped dead in their tracks, and writhed and convulsed as if being shocked with high voltage.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Word also affected Mike. Its power flowed through him, using him as a conduit; and like any channeled force, it expanded the parameters of the conduit. Latent talents unfurled within him. The ancient language of the Ma’jai, Vaunto, unspooled in his mind like a vast parchment. The other Words of Power made themselves known to him. They were not Vaunto, but scraps of an older and more powerful language from which Vaunto was derived.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He had the curse where he wanted it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Now he had to break its back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“PEL VRAS MAALA’NA,” he cried out, “JAO’AN NIE E’YEUG VRAS ZEUXIS UROEN ZABUL AMISON! OGUNDO!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Each word shook the Cathimites with more violence than the last; and the final word sent them into merciless paroxysms. The shiny black stuff on them dulled, and then cracked like parched land during a drought. Each Cathimite seemed to expand, then burst into flame; but it was the black tar stuff that combusted off of them. What was left behind was an unconscious man, woman, or child, lying on the ground. They still had the clothes they had been wearing eleven years ago when Sinestri had cursed them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The strain on Mike throughout all this had been tremendous. The power he had channeled had taken its toll. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He looked over at the citizens of Cathim.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“There,” he said, “Done.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He then collapsed onto the ground alongside the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Witnessed from the ledge of a broken window, on the building they were still on; the preceding events had passed quickly for Callie and Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The small, far-off figure of Mike had stood, about to be stampeded to death by wave after wave of rushing Cathimites. He had raised his arms, and said something.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The word had been spoken loud enough somehow, to be heard clearly by Callie and Jon; though it meant nothing to them. But its effect on the Cathimites had been miraculous.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They had stopped. One would think that, at their speed and oiliness, they would have slipped and slided a bit; but they didn’t. They shook and shuddered like worms with their tails pinned to a table.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike then spoke some gibberish (at least to Callie and Jon it was gibberish), and that seemed to batter the Cathimites even more. At the final word of his chant, a ring of bright light sprang out of Mike, and passed over the whole city. This caused the tarry gunk to blow up like fireworks; not only on the Cathimites, but on the streets and cars and buildings---even in the room in which Jon and Callie stood.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What was left behind were the people, as they looked the day the curse took them. The curse had transformed them, but it had also kept them hermetically sealed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then Mike had collapsed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Mike!” cried Callie, and flew down to him upon the instant; forgetting Jon and leaving him behind, and alone, in the building.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jon considered calling after her, but decided against it. Better to let her go to her brother and see if he was okay. She would remember him sooner or later, and come to get him. If not, he could always find the stairs and get down there on foot; now that the crisis was over.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So Jon relaxed; content to stand there on the window ledge, look down upon the incredible scene below him, and take it all in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Oblivious to the dark figure closing in behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie reached her brother and found, to her relief, that he was alive and well; merely unconscious.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A sound behind her startled her, and she turned to see the citizens of Cathim waking up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh! Dearest Gloeis! It’s over!” a balding man in a white shirt said, “What a nightmare! Was it just me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Similar statements were spoken as more and more Cathimites awoke. All of them expressed shock in discovering that they had not been alone in the experience. Not only that others had gone through it, but that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the entire city</i> had, as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They all seemed to crowd around Callie, as if she could supply answers. Well, she could…a little.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What happened to us? WHAT HAPPENED?!” the chorus went.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“An evil Ma’jai put a curse on you. ALL of you.” Callie said to the thickening multitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Curse?” the crowd murmured, “CURSE?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Damned Ma’jai!” someone shouted, “Nothing but trouble. They should be shot! ALL magic-makers should be taken out and SHOT!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The crowd murmured some more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It was a Ma’jai who saved you!” Callie said, pointing to Mike, “MY BROTHER broke the curse, and saved all your asses! And it wasn’t easy, as you can see!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Again, the crowd murmured, but they were interrupted by screams coming from the hole; there were still people in there, and countless more underground. Many of the growing crowd ran to help them, but most remained with Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why would anyone curse us?” someone asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t know.” Callie answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Young lady,” the balding man in the white shirt said, “How long have we been out?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie hesitated, and then said, “Eleven years.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dropped jaws and gasps met this information; many refused to believe it, many wept bitter tears. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">These reactions expanded outward, as the news spread out through the teeming multitudes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Eleven years?! I had a LIFE!” someone cried, “I had THINGS TO DO! PLACES TO GO! I HAD A LIFE DAMMIT!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“MY CHILDREN!” a young woman in her late twenties yelled, “WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN? WHERE’S MY HUSBAND?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She was not the only one shouting; others shouted out for lost children and parents and siblings and friends. Amongst the crowd wandered children, alone and scared; the younger ones shrieked for their mamas. Although she couldn’t see any offhand, Callie knew that somewhere there had to be babies. Could they have survived the process of being cursed, then uncursed? The thought of it boiled her blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She posed a question to the balding man, as the others were still reacting to the news that they had, in effect, taken an eleven year nap. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What did it feel like?” she asked him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Terrible stomach pain, at first.” he said, “Like some kind of gastric attack. Everything went dark, though the pain remained. Terrible feeling of suffocation, like my mouth and nose were full of mush. After an endless interval of that, the pain was gone, and it felt like…” he scratched his bald head, looking for a proper description, “It’s like when you’re sick and feverish. When you sleep sick like that, your dreams aren’t regular dreams, at least mine aren’t; they’re broken and in pieces. It’s like being insane. A flood of meaningless images you can’t escape until you wake up; only this time, I couldn’t wake up! Until now, that is. Can I ask you something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Sure,” said Callie, “Everyone else is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What the hell have we been doing for eleven years? And how did we all end up here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Perhaps I can help with that.” a voice from behind Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was Mike; he had awoken.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Mike!” said Callie, “Are you okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Slightly brain-fried, but mostly okay.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So this is the Ma’jai who freed us.” the balding man said, and shook Mike’s hand, “Ted Macwadden, great to meet you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Michael Longstreet. This here’s my sister Callie.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The crowd around them had not dispersed. Some talked amongst themselves, some listened, eavesdropped on the conversation, and passed on the information to those further away from the epicenter of interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I can answer your question,” Mike said; to Ted in specific, but also to the folks surrounding them, “But not with words.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Into as many minds as he could, he sent an image of the Cathamites in their former state, flowing out of their hole. Some gasped at the image, most cried out at having foreign thoughts brought into their minds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Good Gloeis!!” said Ted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I can’t do that for everybody, so those of you who got it will have to describe it to the others.” Mike said out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Michael? Callie?” a voice in the crowd called out, having just received that piece of information, “LONGSTREET?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie recognized the voice as that of the woman crying out for her children and husband moments earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“MICHAEL! CALLIE!” the woman’s voice moved closer and closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The multitudes then parted between the woman and Mike and Callie, in a manner almost slow-motion and dreamlike; as if Fate had parted them with an invisible hand. As if the crowd understood intuitively that this was a moment Meant To Be.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Who’s that?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s Mom.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties. She had green eyes and long black hair like Callie, pulled back into a ponytail. In fact, she sort of looked like a grown-up version of Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She ran to them, and when she reached them, she stopped and looked at them; shaking her head, unable to understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In her mother’s heart, she knew it was her children; but only what seemed like yesterday ago, Michael had been five years old, and Callie three. She had expected to find them unchanged, like her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She had expected to find her babies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“H-How?! When?! How!?!” she stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So many questions, and she wanted to ask them all at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We weren’t here when it happened, Mom.” Mike said, astounded at being able to speak with his mother, a dream long denied, “Dad took us away before it happened; before the curse. Eleven years did not pass for you, but it passed for us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Elizabeth Shale Longstreet put her hands on the cheeks of her children. “My babies,” she said, tears running down her face, “All grown up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The three of them hugged then and there. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Elizabeth and Callie cried. Mike, despite his best efforts, did as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When they separated, their faces were blurry and red. The mass of people around them moved back, and gave them their privacy. They disassembled as a large mass, and reassembled into smaller clumps.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I can remember it so clearly,” Elizabeth said, “How it happened. It’s still so fresh, in my mind. Like it just happened an hour ago.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Tell us.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I woke up late that morning, which is strange because I’ve always been an early-riser; my parents were like that too. When I saw that it was nine o’clock, I just about fell out of bed! It felt like someone had drugged me, I was all sluggish. I went to your room, but neither of you were there. I got scared and called Charley, but he wasn’t there either. I went into a panic, going from room to room, looking for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Then, this awful-looking man appeared out of nowhere. He looked like a wizard or something, and his eyes were terrible! He had this triumphant look on his face like someone who’s about to do something they’ve been dreaming about for years and years.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“He said: ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My vengeance is upon you, descendant of Threed, and this city that has hidden you and those before you from me for so long! In the name of Hissig Shiffat, I wreak my curse upon you all!</i>’<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Then he began to speak in some language; it sounded like gibberish to me. Of course, I would have run off at the first syllable from his mouth, except that I couldn’t. I was frozen to the spot! Then the awful pain began, and what came after.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> Suddenly, at that moment, a</span> black-sleeved and bloody hand appeared from behind Elizabeth, and placed a blood-smeared knife against her neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was the very same knife that had been used to corrupt Charles Longstreet eleven years ago. The blood on it drew a red line across their mother’s neck, like a marker for surgery.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie shrieked and jumped back a step at the suddenness of the hand’s appearance; and now, stepping out from behind their mother, but with knife still held at her throat, came Araboam Sinestri.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I hope I am not interrupting a private discussion.” Sinestri said, his voice a deep baritone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He didn’t seem to have changed much, from when their father had met him; and he still dressed in a black sorcerer’s cloak, though there were dark stains on it here and there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s YOU!!!” Elizabeth screamed, but did not move lest the sharp blade flick and take out an artery, “THIS IS THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO US!!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The crowd murmured, and began to close in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Now, now,” Sinestri addressed the crowd, “This is a private matter and none of your business. What was done to you once, can be done again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The threat sunk into the crowd, and they drew back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You will shush now, lady,” he cooed, “If you value your life. I have pressing business with your children.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri pressed the blade tighter to Elizabeth’s neck, to underscore his instruction. The blade’s sharpness now tasted a bit of Elizabeth’s blood. She squealed a little, but controlled herself into silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike realized then that the dark stains on Sinestri’s cloak were blood stains, and fresh. But who’s blood…?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I must say, young Ma’jai,” Sinestri said, “You have impressed me with the way you’ve dealt with these matters. You as well, little witch. But playtime is over children, and your dark roads are nearing their destination.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What do you want with us?!” Mike asked, “What did we ever do to you?! Why did you curse these people?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why did you ruin our father?” Callie added, “Ruin our lives?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What do you want with our mother?!” Mike continued, “What is all this ALL ABOUT?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Excellent questions, but the answers are not here.” Sinestri said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With a circular gesture from his free hand, a rift in reality opened beside him, and expanded into a door-sized hole large enough to jump through. An aqua-colored void awaited beyond the rift.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Some of the people of Cathim marveled, some screamed; but all backed away even further. None of them wanted anything to do with this; they’d all had more than enough of magic for a lifetime. This didn’t mean they weren’t interested in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">watching</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If you want answers…” Sinestri said, “If you want <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her</i> back…” he jerked his head toward his hostage, “You’ll have to follow me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike called a sekari into his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’re not taking her ANYWHERE!” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Vlah norati,” he sneered, “Fah zann ey ushi Ma’jai!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Krollok guna!” Mike shot back, “I’ll do it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“But if you do, you’ll miss out on the surprise!” Sinestri said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What surprise?” Callie asked. She didn’t like where this was going, and a growing feeling of having forgotten something was gnawing at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The small gift I left for you in yon building.” Sinestri said, and pointed to the building where Callie had left Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Now at last, Callie remembered what she had forgotten; and a terrible possibility froze her blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Without preamble, she flew towards the building; astounding the hell out of some of the people in the bargain.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike, slow to realize the implication of Sinestri’s words until he saw it in his sister’s mind, turned to stop her, to warn her that it might be a trap; but she was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In Mike’s distraction, Sinestri grabbed Elizabeth, who shrieked, and the two disappeared into the rift.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike turned back to see the rift begin to seal itself up quickly. He stretched out his hand, and willed the rift to remain open.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, he heard Callie scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Please be alright! Please be alright! PLEASE BE ALRIGHT!” Callie repeated again and again, like a mantra, all the way to the window ledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“JON?” she called out upon getting there, “Jon, PLEASE be there!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie stepped into the room, to see that Jon was indeed there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon was EVERYWHERE.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon was in one corner, in a little pile. Jon was in another corner. Jon was smeared on the wall, on the floor, on a desk, even on the ceiling, hung like office decorations. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri had made damn sure Mike would not be able to bring him back this time. Nor ever again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It occurred to Callie in that moment, that she would never be able to remember Jon: his beautiful eyes, his darling smile, his goofy wit; without the memory being sullied by the horrific image before her. All she would ever have of him now was memory; and not even that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She sceamed and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">screamed</i> and SCREAMED.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, when she was done screaming, she spoke a single word.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sinestri!</i>” she hissed, with enough venom and fury to peel the paint off the room. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie, I’m so sorry about Jon!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Mike spoke in her mind, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But we can’t let that bastard Sinestri get away! Get back down here, or I’ll have to go after him by myself</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m sorry, hon.” she said to the mess that was once Jon, “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have forgotten you. Shouldn’t have left you alone. We’re gonna get that sonofabitch Sinestri, and make him pay, I promise you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tears coursing down her face, she turned and went to the window ledge where her Jon had stood, alive and well, not moments ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Goodbye, my love.” she said, “Goodbye.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She flew down to where Mike waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are you ready for this?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He was holding the rift open somehow, with an outstretched hand, fingers forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s go.” Callie said. Her face was wet, but her eyes were set.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">For the first time since they met Rak in Metromax City, it was just the two of them again; on their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Arm in arm, they jumped into the other side; and the rift sealed itself shut behind them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-27900708604757252102011-04-22T00:00:00.001-05:002011-04-22T00:00:06.804-05:00Chapter 54<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Cathim<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The second half of the Galapansky Bridge, unlike the previous, was strewn with vehicles. There was evidence of violent crashes, here and there; more than a few cars had broken through the side rails, and had either fallen into the river, or were protruding outward in a dangerous fashion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was like a maze. They made their way around this mess at a slow but steady rate. When they reached an impasse, the three would clamber over the obstructing car to the next open path, then Callie would lift the shopping cart with her power, and bring it to rest in front of Mike (whose turn it was to haul it around).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Most of the vehicles (those whose doors weren’t open), had either broken windows, or windshields, with black tarry stuff caught at the edges of the shattered glass; inside, the seats were inevitably stained and smeared with more of the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You know this didn’t end well.” Mike said, as he looked through the broken windows.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You think any of these vehicles might be usable?” Jon asked. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He had not failed to notice that most, if not all, of the cars still had their keys hanging from their ignition switches.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“After eleven years?” Mike asked, “I doubt it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“But not everyone in this city was in their cars when the curse hit,” Callie said, “There should be a lot of parked cars in good shape, don’t you think? How long can a car battery lie unused before it becomes useless? Or gas, for that matter?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I have no idea.” Mike answered, “It doesn’t matter anyway. The city’s streets are probably just like this, so driving isn’t likely in the cards.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They continued on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When Jon began his shift with the cart, they had finally gotten to the end of the bridge. Cathim lay ahead; already half clear of the rapidly disappearing haze. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We should stop here and rest a bit, before we go on.” Mike said, “Give the Voss Vedu’un a chance to finish its work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, if we’re gonna stop here, let’s go ahead and eat something.” Callie said, “I’m hungry and we might not get the chance later.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon nodded in agreement, so they got their food out of the cart, sat on the hood of a car a few feet from Cathim’s threshold, and ate; not knowing that this would be the last time the three of them would share a meal together as a group.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We should leave the cart here.” Mike said, when they had finished, “It’s become a liability, and is slowing us down. Let’s just stuff everything we have left in the backpack, and take turns carrying that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was gonna be my turn next with the cart,” Jon said, “So I guess I’ll carry the backpack around for awhile.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They proceeded to transfer their remaining supplies to Jon’s backpack. Jon slung the heavy pack over his shoulder, and ran his arms in through its straps. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ready to go.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We can leave the chest and the duffel bag with the cart.” Callie said, “They’re just dead weight now, anyway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They walked over the threshold into Cathim.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“From this point on,” Mike said, “Things are likely to get a little weird.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Which should be a nice change of pace.” Jon replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Less talky, more walky!” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They entered the city.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Massive vehicular asymmetry greeted them on the streets of Cathim. Cars of all kinds were rammed against each other on the road in jagged diagonals. In places, they had been knocked over on their sides; victims of wrecks, sideswipes, and cascading pile-ups. More than a few cars had gone off the road altogether, and had rammed into buildings. Evidence of long-ago fires were scattered everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The damage stretched as far as they could see.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The three quit trying to negotiate the road, and instead climbed, and started hopping from car to car; which was easier.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The Domino Effect was not these people’s friend.” Callie said, as she transferred from one car hood to another.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Looks like the curse hit during rush hour.” Mike said, “Whether morning or evening is anyone’s guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Has anyone seen any bodies?” Jon asked, “Curse or not, a lot of catastrophic events happened here; crashes and fires. Some people had to have died before their transformation was complete.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t think death was an option for these people.” Callie said, “If we learned anything from our experiences in Murgent; it’s that a powerful spell can hold back death.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That would explain the absence of bodies,” said Mike, “But that only leaves us with another question: where are the transformed peoples of Cathim now? I sure as hell don’t see ‘em; the place looks empty.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Neither Callie nor Jon could answer that. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike himself didn’t know…but he had a hunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Since entering Cathim, a growing sense of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">déjà vu</i> had settled over him. Not so much a feeling that he had been here before, as much as a feeling that he had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">done this</i> before.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">How this could be, escaped him at the moment; but revelation was dancing on the tip of his mind, awaiting its moment to arrive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Empty skyscrapers like vast grey monoliths, surrounded them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Not for the first time they marveled at the scope of Sinestri’s curse. It bespoke a power beyond their imagining; a power they were setting themselves against. A power dwarfed by the malice of he who wielded it. Mike and Callie’s meager talents seemed infinitesimal in comparison.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Does anyone know where we’re going?” Callie asked, “Or are we just gonna wander around until we hit something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Into the heart of the city.” Mike said, “That’s where we’re going. Something is waiting for us there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie and Jon looked askance at Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How would you happen to know this?” Callie asked, “And would you mind sharing it with the rest of the class?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know how I know.” Mike answered, “I just know that I know. When I know how, I’ll let you know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s very illuminating, thanks.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Time passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The backpack went from Jon’s back, to Callie’s, to Mike’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They came to a point where the cars were so packed, they could not have gotten so naturally. They had been moved, and not by gentle hands. The sides of these vehicles were all bashed in, and smothered with black gunk. Mike, Callie, and Jon were able to step from car to car, with little or no hopping necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They went on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was almost Jon’s turn with the backpack again, when the landscape changed once more. They could see that at some point ahead the road became devoid of all vehicles, not just on the street they were on, but on the intersecting streets as well; almost as if a large, spherical, area had been cleared out by a work crew. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They arrived at the last car, looked out at the street before them, and saw a heavy criss-crossing of oily black streak marks. Up ahead, about a quarter mile away, at the central crossroads of Cathim; a massive hole in the road, big enough to drop a good-sized house in, could be seen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike opened his mouth as revelation at last washed over him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I can’t believe I forgot about this…” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?” asked Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Remember our first day on the road, Cal?” Mike asked, “We stopped to eat supper in a field somewhere, under a tree…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was now Callie’s turn to open her mouth in remembrance. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The dream!” she said, “This is that dream!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What dream?” Jon, out of the loop, asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I saw all of this in a dream I had Saturday before last; even your participation in it, Jon.” Mike said, “Four days before we even met you. Funny, you didn’t strike me as familiar when we first met; but by then, the dream was long-forgotten. I hadn’t remembered it until now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And that hole?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s where THEY are…the cursed citizens of Cathim.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As if summoned, a series of pig-like grunts rang out from the direction of the hole. Startled, the three stopped talking, and looked over at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A single “citizen” flopped out of the hole. At first blush, it looked kind of like a seal; in that it was shiny oil-slick black, and had a seal-like shape. In size and heft, though, it was closer to a sea-lion. It had no eyes or ears or any orifices whatsoever; no appendages either. Yet, it moved it’s “head” from side to side, as if looking around. Mike tried to read it’s mind, but got the mental equivalent of static.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell is that?” Jon whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The answer to your earlier question.” Mike whispered back, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That</i> is what Sinestri’s curse was turning us into.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Shhhh!” Callie shushed, “It’ll hear us!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“With what?” Jon hissed, “It has no sensory organs!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nonetheless…” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The thing swiveled it’s head-like protuberance toward them and, as if seeing them at last, let loose a loud ear-shattering squeal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As the three covered their ears, the hole disgorged an innumerable flow of “citizens” onto the street; all of them grunting and squealing in that horrible pig-like way. Mike, Callie, and Jon could even feel the ground beneath the car they were standing on tremble with the multitudes moving underground. They were moving as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">And they were headed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their way</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What do we do, Mike?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Run like hell!” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The three turned and did just that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When the front line of Cathimites hit the cars, the three felt it, though they had run back a good distance. The force wave of crunching cars rolled toward them, and when it got to them, Callie lost her footing and fell into a crevasse between two cars.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“CALLIE!” yelled both Mike and Jon, and ran over to help.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie levitated herself up, and back onto the car she had fallen off; just in time too, as the crevasse squeezed shut behind her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Look!” she said, pointing back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Behind them they could see a wave of cars thumping up and down violently. The wave was approaching fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They’re moving <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">under the cars</i>!” Callie said, “And we can’t outrun them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Then we fly.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Where?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike pointed to a building to their right, with large tinted windows.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Second floor,” he said, “I’ll take care of the window.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie took Mike and Jon’s hands with hers, and levitated the three of them toward the building Mike had pointed to, just as the wave of thumping cars arrived beneath them. Mike called a sekari into his free hand, and threw it at the office window, shattering it so completely that not one shard of glass was left on the frame.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The three floated into the office building. There was damage here, and not all due to the sekari; a violent overturning of chairs and desks and partitions that told of a catastrophe comparable to what had happened on the streets. Everything was smeared over with dried black sludge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“This stuff is becoming oppressive.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll bet the inside of every building is like this.” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Look!” said Mike, pointing outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie and Jon turned and looked back outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Cathimites had left the road, and now moved toward their building. Beyond that, the hole still poured forth a constant stream of them like there was no tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Crashing sounds from the floor below met their ears.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I can’t imagine they’ll use the elevators.” Jon said, with a nervous laugh, “Right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The elevators won’t be working anyway, hon.” said Callie, “Now if they can go up stairs…that might be a problem.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s find out.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They found a door marked STAIRS, and it led to the building’s main staircase. They leaned over the handrail in time to see the Cathimites break through to the ground floor below them. They flowed up the stairs with spooky ease.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh you are kidding my ass!” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What now?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike pointed up. The building’s staircase was a square spiral, all the way to the top; with an open center.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Can you get us to the top?” Mike asked Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah. Lucky for us, I got a boatload of telekinetic go-go juice from that Malignium with Babbidaz.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The three locked arms, and began to levitate. Once out at the open center, they rose at a quickening pace that became an upward rush at stomach-churning speed. The stairs spiraled around them in a dizzying fashion. The squeals and grunts below fell further and further away, until they couldn’t be heard anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They slowed as they neared the top. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once there, Callie set them down at the topmost landing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m gonna need a little breather.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Without waiting for a reply, she went to a corner and sat on the floor. Jon joined her. Mike took the other corner and sat alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They won’t come up all this way, will they?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll check it out.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He closed his eyes and detached from his body. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He travelled down the stairwell at five times the speed with which they had gone up. The Cathimites, he saw, were still ascending the stairs with relentless speed. Their ululating bodies defied gravity and seemed to be slipping and sliding <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">upwards</i>, leaving behind oily black streaks that, by all rights, should have the whole lot of them flippeting and floppeting all the way down like greasy sardines on a steep incline; but didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Suddenly, all of the Cathimites turned their “heads” toward him, and squealed even louder than before.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Good gods!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Mike thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They can sense me, somehow! They know I’m near!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike zipped as fast as he could, back to his body.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He opened his eyes and looked over at Callie and Jon. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They’re coming.” he said, “And fast.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How fast?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They’ll be here in ten minutes, fifteen tops.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why are they coming after us?” Callie asked, “What do they want?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I don’t think it’s you or Jon they’re really after</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Mike thought, but instead said: “I don’t know. Their minds are closed to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What do we do when they get up here?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m open to suggestions.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You could throw fire balls at them.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, great, and set the building we’re in on fire, in the process.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What about those power sphere thingies?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I couldn’t get <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> of them,” said Mike, “There’s so many.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Maybe we can lead them to the roof, and Callie can use her mind power to sweep them all off.” Jon suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Again: too many of them. They’d just keep coming. Callie would tap out before we saw the last of them. Besides, we’re here to help these people, not hurt them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I thought you said that they can’t die, like the kids in Murgent.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Maybe not, but we might damage them somehow, and make their suffering worse.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What does that leave us with,” Jon said, “But to escape?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Escape where?” Mike asked, “To another building? The same thing would happen. To the street below? They’d swarm us. There’s a whole city of these things out there, and they know we’re here now. They have no eyes or ears, but they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">know</i>. Wherever we go, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they’ll be there</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why are we here?” Callie asked, out of the blue.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You said we’re here to help these people, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well…Mom specifically; but yes, by extension, all of these people as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How can we help them if we keep running away from them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike blinked, not quite sure what she was getting at.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You say there’s no place to hide, no way to escape them. Well, if we’re screwed anyway, why not face them? See what happens?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike considered her words.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You know, I think you may have a point there, Cal.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?!” said Jon, “Are you guys crazy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Pretty much.” said Mike, getting to his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is it too late to quit this crazy train?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Pretty much.” said Callie, getting up as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon got to his feet. “Alright then, how do we do this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’ll need to get down to the street.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie nodded. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Let’s get to the roof.” she said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was a padlock on the door which led to the roof, but Mike’s sekari made short work of it, and they kicked the door open.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Outside, the sun shone bright, now that the haze had been cleared out. The three went to the edge of the roof, and looked down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The hole was still pouring forth what now looked like a single black mass that surrounded the building. The cars between their building and the hole had been <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">crunched</i> further back, with many of the vehicles crushed by the unstoppable force of the Cathimites.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But that wasn’t the worst of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Holy Gloeis in the sky!</i>” Callie shouted. Unlike Mike and Jon, who were looking over at the hole, she was looking across the street. The building there had mirror-like tinted windows, through which she could see their own building reflected.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Jon followed her gaze and saw in the reflection, a shimmery black coating moving <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">up the side of their building</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“HOLY CRAP!” shouted Jon, “How can they do that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“After everything we’ve seen, you can ask that?” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The situation was the same on all four sides of the building; the Cathimites were coming, and were already a third of the way up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The flow is headed in this direction, but the area on the other side of the hole is clear.” Mike said, pointing down to the street, “That’s where we’re going; but we’ll have to take the long way round.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How do you mean?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We hop from rooftop to rooftop, in that direction; about three or four times. Then we zip down to the area I just mentioned.” Mike said, “And we gotta do this fast, before they catch on to where we’re going.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And once we’re down there, what next?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We'll see what happens.” Mike said, keeping his true plans to himself, as Ma’jai are wont to do, “You up for this, Callie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not near to running out of juice yet.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What about you, Jon?” Mike asked, “You ready for this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You know me,” Jon said, “I love a half-assed plan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-2750908109249753542011-04-15T00:00:00.002-05:002011-04-15T00:00:13.458-05:00Chapter 53<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Galapansky Bridge<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They walked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the empty stillness, their footsteps echoed eerily, as though they were being followed. They talked little, as their voices sounded too loud in the surrounding silence. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">One empty town gave way to another, then that one too dwindled away behind them. As noon approached, buildings began to appear, signaling their entrance into a city; albeit a minor one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A billboard to their right announced: WELCOME TO ZAGSO! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cathim’s little brother!</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The illustration below the text anthropomorphized the city of Cathim as a tall, stern big brother beaming proudly down at its scruffy, but lovable, little brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Too bad the brothers got whacked</i>, Mike thought to himself. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Look at that.” Callie said, breaking the silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She pointed at a large water fountain in front of a building ahead to their left. The fountain wasn’t on, but it was only a short distance out of their way, and in a shady area.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s take a breather over there.” she said, “I need a break.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright, let’s rest a bit.” Mike said, “We should go ahead and have lunch there while we’re at it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The building had a sign in front of it, half of which was illegible due to a dark purple fungal growth, which was halfway through the process of obliterating it. The still-legible half said: URIST CENTER.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They reached the fountain, and looked in. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At the bottom of the pool, aside from a few rust-colored coins, was a thin film of the purple fungus stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, ick!” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Still, the benches in the shade around the fountain were clean enough to sit on; and so they did, releasing their burdens to the ground beside their feet with great relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie took out three sodas, while Jon removed his backpack. Mike rummaged through the small ice chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The sodas aren’t that cold, I’m afraid.” Callie said, passing the cans to Mike and Jon, “If the ice in the big chest hadn’t turned to water, I woulda tossed a couple of cubes in the bag.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Wanna dog?” Mike asked her, lifting a hot dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m more of a cat person.” Callie said, then laughed at the look Mike gave her, “Yeah, give it to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike gave her the dog, and then got one for himself, as Jon busily constructed a ham sandwich.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I wonder what this place is,” Callie asked, as she munched on her hot dog, “Or was.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s a Tourist Center.” Jon said, “I guess if you were a tourist, they’d tell you where stuff was and such. They’d give you pamphlets and flyers with hotel numbers and restaurant locations; junk like that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I guess they don’t have much to brag about these days.” Mike said, “Zagso’s not exactly a beehive of activity anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon, sandwich still in hand, walked over to the front of the building, which faced them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s check it out.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The door of the building was glass. Jon put his head against it to get a good look inside. The glass moved, and he saw the door was open.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hey!” he turned back toward Mike and Callie, “They left it open! Can you believe that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t go in there, babe.” Callie called out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why not?” Jon asked, looking back inside, “I’m a tourist.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon opened the door, and entered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">From where they sat, Mike and Callie could see him look around, then walk beyond their line of sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Some monster’s gonna jump out and bite his head off in there.” Mike said, “You know that, don’t you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah,” Callie said, through a mouthful of hot dog, “I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon soon re-emerged from the tourist center; the final remnants of his sandwich in one hand, and an old yellowed pamphlet in the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I found something.” he said, waving the pamphlet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Hey Jon,” Mike said, “Have you ever in your life seen a scary movie? Do you know what happens to idiots who break off from the pack to go investigate the old dark Tourist Center by themselves?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> Callie ignored him. </span>“What was it like in there?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Empty, creepy, and smelly.” Jon replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Hey! Just like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i> house now, Cal!” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“There’s a lot of that purple fungus crap in there too,” Jon continued, “On the walls, the carpeting, everywhere.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What did you find?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“An old pamphlet.” Jon said, “The only one. Found it at the bottom shelf of an otherwise empty pamphlet rack.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He looked at the front section, and read it aloud: “Welcome to Zagso! The little city beside the big city!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He unfolded the pamphlet. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, there’s a map!” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike and Callie moved in to get a closer look at the map.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was a map of both Zagso and Cathim. It wasn’t very detailed; Zagso was a small amorphous blob, Cathim was a big amorphous blob, and both blobs were connected by the Galapansky Bridge, which spanned the Caracul River. The map also showed, in a basic fashion, some of the major arteries (drawn as thin red and blue lines) in both Zagso and Cathim; as well as pictograms depicting all the favorite tourist haunts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This could be useful for when we get to Cathim.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes, because you know I can’t wait to go see the Fantasta-Dome.” Callie said sarcastically, “I hear it seats <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thousands</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You won't have to wait in line, at least.” Jon said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He folded the map, put it in his pocket, and dropped the crust of his sandwich in the fountain. It plopped silently on the thin film of purple fungus, which then began to ooze over the crust, and devour it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The three got on the road again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">After another hour of walking, their road dipped and passed under four freeway overpasses. The area underneath was nice and shady, but something of a wind tunnel. It was also spooky as hell, as the wind seemed to shriek like a banshee around them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, their road became a freeway itself, rising up over the other roads, and affording them a scenic view of devastating emptiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As they descended once more to ground level (they came to love the descents, they made walking easier), something in the parking lot of a big-chain grocery store off to their right, caught Jon’s eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hey! Look at that! Do you see what I see?” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?” asked Callie, “The Bes-Mart?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The parking lot, I mean.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s a nice parking lot, as parking lots go.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I think he means the stray shopping cart IN the parking lot, Cal.” Mike said, in his best ‘I’m talking to an idiot child’ voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie flashed them a sly smile. “Yes, I know!” she said, “C’mon. Let’s go get the damn shopping cart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">For the second time that day, the three veered off their road. They ran into the empty, oversized, Bes-Mart parking lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon reached the cart first, and gave it a roll. The wheels were sticky at first, but remembered their long-forgotten vocation, and began to roll better after some pushing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon looked up as Mike and Callie neared.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s rusty, and one of the wheels is a little loopy, but she’s good to go.” he said, putting his backpack and duffel bag into the cart.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie followed suit, and likewise unloaded their burdens into the cart.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Dammit.” Callie said, “The child seat is rusted shut, and here I was hoping for a ride.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We can take turns pushing it around.” Jon said, “A half-hour per person. And since I was the one who saw it first, I’ll go last.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And since Callie was being a smart-ass,” Mike said, “She can go first.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright,” Callie said, grabbing the cart’s handle bar, “But if we get another good descent, I’m jumping in there and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">riding</i> this mother down!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They walked ever onward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">An hour passed, then another.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Yet another still.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie was into her third shift with the cart, when they finally arrived at the entrance to the Galapansky Bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There the three stood and stared at the bridge span before them, which started in clarity, then disappeared at the half-way point into the haze which covered all of Cathim like a pall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You guys ready?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s do it.” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Galapansky Bridge received them with open arms, while Cathim beyond it awaited their arrival in dead silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There were a few abandoned vehicles on this half of the bridge, but their path was clear. Below, the dark waters of the Caracul River shimmered like black satin. The air all around them seemed pregnant with both breathless expectation, and sinister intent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re being watched, you know.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Have been, from the very beginning.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Stop it.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Upon reaching the cut-off point, where the haze just seemed to start, as if held back by an invisible plane; the three stopped. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike, ahead of the other two, extended his hand in a slow and cautious manner, to touch the surreality before him. His hand slid into the haze side, to no apparent ill-effect. Mike walked into the other side, and the others followed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They entered a twilight world, where the sun’s rays struggled to pass through the thick mesh of haze. That something was wrong here, Mike already knew; but now he could feel it as well. The Voss Vedu’un was not only polluted, it was lifeless; like water in a dirty jar, left to stagnate on a dusty cupboard shelf for years and years.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie sensed it too, and looked repulsed. Jon alone seemed unaffected…but that was about to change.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“AHHH!” Jon shouted all of a sudden, and then doubled over, as if sucker-punched.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">His face contorted with pain, and choking sounds emerged from his mouth, as he fell to the ground and went into a fetal position.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie and Mike went to him, and saw Jon’s eyes and fingernails begin to blacken; as did his veins, which snaked thin traceries of darkness across his face and arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s happening---?!” Callie started to ask, but cut herself off with a screeching yelp, as she too doubled over and collapsed in agony.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Before he could react, Mike spasmed with what felt like a sledgehammer blow to the stomach. He fell to his hands and knees as mind-blowing pain blossomed throughout his whole body, like an electric shock. His throat swelled to the point that all vocalization was impossible; and every inhalation felt like acid in his lungs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As his eyesight began to darken, he looked over to Callie and Jon. They were both convulsing on the ground, too far gone in pain for rational thought; as he too would be within seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then all would be lost.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They had walked only a few steps into the haze, but the cut-off point between haze and clarity might as well have been a world away. Mike stretched his hand toward it, but it was beyond his reach; and movement was now impossible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">His hand still outstretched, Mike called forth the Voss Vedu’un; not the dead one within, but the living one outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">To his despair, whatever power it was that circumscribed the haze was also a barrier to the Voss Vedu’un outside. He could sense it strain against the barrier, eager to reach him; but the barrier held it back, and Mike could no longer force the issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With the last of his strength of will, he sent a thin streamer of fire from his hand, up towards the barrier, and through to the other side. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He hollowed out the streamer to make it, in effect, a straw; through which he siphoned untainted Voss Vedu’un energy from beyond the barrier.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Good Stuff poured in through the fire straw, and flowed down, right through to his outstretched hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Relief, like undiluted joy, followed as he pulled more and more fresh energy into his body; using it to heal and reverse the effects of Sinestri’s curse on his body, pain being the first of these.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Now healed, Mike no longer needed the fire straw. His power and focus now at full strength; he pushed the Voss Vedu’un on the other side to break through the barrier, and come to him. It obeyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He went over to Callie and Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They were almost too far gone. Both had their eyes, mouths, and nostrils sealed up with what looked like shiny black tar, along with their backs and extremities; and there were places where their clothes merged with the “tar” as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike laid his hands upon them, drew the Voss Vedu’un into and around them, and worked hard to bring them back. Not an easy task, as the curse had taken deeper root in them than it had in him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">After two minutes of concentrated effort, he drew them back from the brink, and completed the healing process. The black tar withdrew and disappeared, and even their clothes were now back to normal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike sat back against the railing, and breathed a sigh of relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">That had been altogether too close.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon got up with a heavy groan. He sat up and looked over at Mike. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay, what the hell was THAT?!” he asked, “Was it just me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He looked, and saw Callie beside him; still out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not Callie too?” he asked, dismayed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“All of us.” Mike said, “It was the curse. Once we walked in here, it hit us like a sack of bricks. It was touch and go there, for awhile; but I managed to pull us out of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What was happening to us?” Jon asked, “Was it like what happened to your Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No. What happened to my father was dissolution.” Mike said, “What was happening to us here was transformation. Sinestri’s curse was turning us into something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What were we turning into?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know, but the people of this city were all stricken by this curse; and that includes my mother.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie moaned and stirred. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon went to her. “Is she gonna be alright?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie opened her eyes and saw Jon looking down on her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good morning, sunshine.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie smiled. “Mike saved the day again, didn’t he?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon nodded, and helped her up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So is everybody okay?” she asked, looking a tad woozy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Everybody but you, hotcakes.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That hurt like the purest hell, dinnit?” she asked, “I’m gonna hafta check my underwear after that seizure!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thanks for the imagery.” Mike said, “Are you gonna need a privacy moment?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nah, I’m okay. It’s just that---Hey! Look at the haze!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Jon looked up and noticed that the haze, at least around the bridge area, was dissipating. Mike could see the Voss Vedu’un pour in through the hole he had made in the boundary; renewing and reabsorbing the stagnancy within. Though the city was still thick with it, the dissipation factor would soon plunge clarity and light deep into its murky heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What does this mean?” Callie asked, “Is the curse lifted?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No,” said Mike, “This was the city’s Voss Vedu’un. It was unable to flow like it’s supposed to, because of the strict boundaries of Sinestri’s curse; so it went to rot, and turned into this haze.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell is a Vosveduwon?” Callie asked; though the word sounded familiar to her. Perhaps she had heard it before, at some point.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s the invisible sea of magic all around us. It’s sort of like water; when it flows, it’s clean and clear and life-sustaining. When it doesn’t, this happens…” Mike gestured with his hand toward the haze, “So I made a hole in the barrier to let some of the good stuff in and, like the proverbial crack in the dam, it’s starting to break through. But the curse is still active; the haze was just a side-effect.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If it’s still active,” Jon said, “Won’t it affect us again?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If it was going to, I think it would have done so by now.” Mike said, “We can consider ourselves immunized.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Which leads to the big question,” Callie said, “Just HOW do we put a stop to this curse? It’s what we’re here to do, isn’t it? No one has said it in so many words but, what the hell are we here for if not that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If so, then it’s up to you, Mike.” Jon said, “You’re the Ma’jai.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If that’s true, then we’re screwed.” Mike replied, “Because while I was able to stop the curse from taking us over <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">individually</i>, pre-transformation; to free the entirety of the long-ago transformed people of Cathim, I would have to break the curse. A curse is like a spell; you take it out with magic words and gestures and the like. Remember Rufus Kantry in the Rough Country? Remember how he removed Sinestri’s spell? I don’t know how to do any of that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’ve gained a helluva lot of new talents since we left Murgent, Mike.” Jon said, “So it’s possible that the answer to this problem still lies within you as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Either way, I think we should get going again.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">” Mike said,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Cathim awaits.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-13034387777795086182011-04-08T00:00:00.000-05:002011-04-08T00:00:02.796-05:00Chapter 52<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Shadows Present, Shadows Past</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike was dreaming.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In his dream he saw a great battle; a battle of Ma’jai against Ma’jai. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> It took place in a stone valley surrounded by grey mountains; a vast and lifeless basin at the center of which stood the ruins of a long-abandoned temple carved out of the rock. There was an evil aspect to the place that suggested that the temple was once used for the worship of unspeakable gods.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Fireballs and sekari were hurled and deflected; wild animal were controlled like puppets and set against each other and enemy combatants. Some Ma’jai tossed glowing packets of earth and seeds, which upon hitting the ground exploded forth ferocious beasts made of vegetation. Some threw vials that flashed brightly upon impact, and blinded their enemies. Some threw explosive concoctions half practical, half magical. Others merely engaged one on one, sekari to sekari.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike recognized two faces in the battle. The first one was a young Rufus Kantry. The other he saw later, and almost didn’t recognize him: an even younger Araboam Sinestri. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Though they weren’t fighting each other specifically, Mike could tell they were on opposite sides of the fight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Kantry’s side was trying to stop some black-cloaked sorcerer types from performing a ritual within a circle of stylized pillars in the center of the temple ruins. Sinestri’s side was in their way, protecting the sorcerers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After an interval of deadlock, a tipping point in the battle was reached, and Kantry’s group began to overtake Sinestri’s (although Mike lost track of Sinestri in the chaotic fray).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sinestri’s side started to fall apart, and the battle became a massacre, as Kantry’s brigade wiped out their opponents; however, before they could take out the sorcerers…the ritual was completed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A massive tear in the fabric of reality appeared within the circle of pillars, announced by a thunderous crashing roar like that of giant boulders rolling down a mountainside. The tear expanded without warning, and consumed both the pillars, and the sorcerers that had conjured it; along with the bodies of the dead that had fallen close by.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Out of that black hole poured forth a putrid, yet material, darkness that polluted the Voss Vedu’un, like filth discharged into a pristine river. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> It was darkest magic in its purest form.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Behind it followed a swarm of hideous monsters; all mouths and fangs, with red, raw, and asymmetrical slits that passed for eyes. These tore and gnawed at the edges of the hole, forcing its further expansion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kantry’s battle-weary group now took on the monsters; firebombing them off the edges of the rift. Half the monsters broke off to take on the Ma’jai, while the others remained on the job.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“BEAT THEM BACK!” Mike could hear someone yelling, “RASHAS TO THE OPENING! WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE RIFT BEFORE <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IT</b> COMES THROUGH! EVERYONE ELSE, TAKE OUT THOSE THINGS! BEAT THEM BACK!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The voice belonged to the leader of the Ma’jai; and those he referred to as Rashas seemed to be an honor guard or something. They were dressed finer than the others, and their position in the front lines of the battle suggested they were perhaps the most powerful Ma’jai of the group. Rufus Kantry was among their number.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Their leader was tall, dashing, and charismatic; the fierceness of his green eyes would put Callie’s to shame, in comparison.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Rashas now worked on sealing the rift, while the rest of the remaining Ma’jai took on the monsters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then, from beyond the palpable darkness of the rift, Mike saw two great cyclopean eyes open; insane alien eyes, evil beyond description. Mike screamed with a soul-shattering fright almost beyond endurance. Screamed to wake or die; anything, rather than to look upon the owner of those horrible awful eyes! Eyes that grew larger as they approached the rift.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“MIKE!! WAKE UP!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Someone shook him to wakefulness. It was Callie. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike never loved his sister more than at that moment; when her voice and hands saved him from the dreadful vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He was sweating, and his heart hammered in his chest faster than he thought possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Are you okay?” Callie asked, concerned. She had crossed over to the backseats to awaken him. “Another nightmare?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No.” Mike said, in gasps; he was still having trouble getting his breath, “No nightmare that bad ever. It was a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">vision</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He noticed that the car was not moving. Jon had stopped the car, and was looking at them from the driver’s seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A vision of what?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Something horrible from the past.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, show us.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike sent into their minds a replay of the dream, from start to finish, as best as he could remember; though already, certain details had started to evaporate to where forgotten dreams go. When they got to the part about the infernal eyes, though it was but a paltry recollection of the image, with only a fraction of the power of the original; it was strong enough still that both Jon and Callie were taken aback. Jon with a shout, Callie with a squeal of terror; both shuddered and paled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Damn!” Jon said, “I’m sorry I asked!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No wonder you screamed.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Tell him what he said, Callie.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I said something?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Right before you screamed.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What did I say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You said ‘Shadaro’, or something like that.” Callie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Shadaro?” Mike asked. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Something about the word felt familiar, but it also sounded wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Best guess.” Callie said, “It went by so fast, we can’t be sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That might be the thing’s name.” Mike said, “And whatever IT is, I think that it’s the true source of Malevolencia, not Sinestri.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So, what does that make Sinestri?” Jon asked, “A servant of this Shadaro?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t know,” Mike said, “But it was his group that summoned it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A more important question is,” Jon continued, “Is this Shadaro something we’re gonna hafta face somewhere down the road? Because if it is, I’m gonna hafta depart this happy troupe right here and now, cause there is no way I’m gonna wanna face THAT. Ever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t think so.” Mike said, “It was clearly an image from long ago. If Rufus and his group had failed to seal the rift before IT got through…believe me, the history of the world as we know it would’ve been a whole lot different; and not in a good way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well that’s good,” said Jon, “I was beginning to get nervous.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Feeling a little calmer now, Mike looked out the window and noticed the afternoon cast to the daylight. The last thing Mike remembered before falling asleep was switching driving duties with Jon, and eating a late lunch in the backseats alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How long did I sleep?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Three hours or so.” Callie said, as she climbed back to the front passenger seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Three hours?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It was less a nap, than a coma.” Jon said with a laugh, “That battle with Babbadabba, or whatever the hell it’s name was, must have wore you out more than you knew.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t remember feeling worn out.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then again, he had been channeling so much Voss Vedu’un energy through his body, it was possible that he had somehow fried its ability to transmit feelings of tiredness. Perhaps his body had kept on going until taking the first opportunity shown it to shut down and recuperate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well,” Mike said, “I’ll have to remember to pace myself better, from here on out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Pace yourself later,” Jon said, “I’m tired of driving.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>An hour into Mike’s shift, as the three enjoyed a supper of sandwiches and sodas, the Vawx Woods dwindled away, and were replaced with what appeared to be ghost towns. Abandoned buildings, empty homes, overrun lawns, and silent, unlit streets greeted them at every turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Were these towns cursed too?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t think so,” said Mike, “I think after Cathim got cursed, these towns just dried up. They must have felt isolated; between a cursed city on one side, and the wilderness we just passed on the other.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Don’t forget Murgent.” Jon added, “After Cathim and then Murgent got screwed over, they must’ve felt like they were next.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They continued onward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As the sun undertook the final leg of its descent, the first hazy spires of Cathim could be seen in the distance; unlit and lifeless.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For the next hour, as darkness fell, the three talked to keep a growing sense of uneasiness at bay. They talked of Edward, of their battle with Babbidaz, of what might await them when they reached Cathim.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When darkness in its totality at last cloaked everything around them, Callie turned on all the interior car lights; making them feel like a tiny bubble of light and warmth, in a cold and dark world.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then, as they knew it would, the car ran out of gas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Their vehicle came to a shuddering stop, and left them in the dead center of an intersection.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, that’s that.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What do we do now?” Callie asked; she looked out the windows at the forbidding landscape around them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s too dark to undertake anything now,” Mike said, “I say we call it a night. We can start walking to Cathim tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Sleep in the car?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well yeah, hon,” Jon said, “Unless you want to go look over some of those nice empty houses in the dark…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Umm, no thanks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The car it is then.” Jon said, “There’s gonna be some space issues, though. This car is kinda small, compared to the wagon.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s a problem you two are gonna have to work out between yourselves.” Mike said, raising the cup holder/auxiliary compartment in the middle of the front seats, up into its recess, “I got the front seats!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> With </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Mike taking the front seats, Callie and Jon had to work out how they were going to divide their space in back. As much as they might have liked to share the backseats; they were simply not wide enough for the both of them, so Jon had to lie on the floor of the car with a strategic placing of blankets, bags, and pillows, to even out the low parts with the hump in the middle. Callie shared her covering blanket with him, though. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They turned off the interior lights, locked their doors, and settled down for the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“G’night, Mike.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“G’night Callie.” said Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“G’night Callie.” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“G’night Jon.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“G’night Mike.” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, just shut it already.” said Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie and Jon snickered in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sleep did not come easy to any of them. Aside from the discomfort of sleeping in a car, they were surrounded by a dark dead world outside that, despite its emptiness, still emanated threat and menace. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They kept their eyes at the windows, lest some tenebrous force should attack.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Still, weariness took its toll, and the three eventually, one by one, fell into a deep sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The fierce glowing eyes of Araboam Sinestri appeared in mid-air outside the car, and looked inside at the sleepers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Soon, children,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Sinestri thought to himself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh, so soon…</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie and Jon awoke the next morning to find that Mike was not inside the car. They got out and found him sitting on the roof of the car, looking towards Cathim. That city’s visible towers seemed to float on a cloud of haze.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How long have you been up?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Not long.” Mike said, “Woke up early, couldn’t get a wink after. Too much thinking about things I don’t understand and can’t control. So I got out and sat up here, to clear my head.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Too bad,” Callie said, “It was half-empty already.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jon snorted with laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike ignored the jibe. He turned and slipped off the car to join them. He pointed to Cathim’s towers. “By the look of that, how far do you think Cathim is?” he asked Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Walking?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Unless you can fly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Uhhh---I don’t know.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Jon replied, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It’s hard to say, the haze is really funky; it makes judging distances difficult.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike nodded. “I’m having the same problem, even with my Ma’jai-enhanced vision. That haze is screwy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“But what is it?” asked Callie, “It doesn’t look…natural.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, we damn well know it’s not natural.” Jon said, “The million-dollar question is: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is it dangerous</i>?”<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’ll just have to find out when we get there.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are we really gonna hafta walk?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I'm afraid so, Cal.” Mike said, “I don’t think I’ve seen a single viable vehicle since we left the woods.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’ll have to pack light.” Jon said, “Anything we carry will feel like three tons after several hours of walking; I speak from experience.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We have to carry food, though,” Callie added, “Have you two taken a gander at any of the store-fronts we passed along the way? Nothing but empty shelves. The people who lived here might have left---but they took the time to take everything useful with them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike nodded, “Alright then, we take as much food as we can, no blankets or pillows or extra clothes to bulk us up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I brought a duffel bag and a backpack with me from Metromax,” Jon said, “We can fill those with what’s left of the dry foods. One of us can carry the little ice chest with the more perishable stuff.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What about the sodas?” Callie asked, “We can’t lug the big ice chest around, it’ll slow us down too much.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We can put some in a plastic bag and carry it.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Looks like a plan.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Fantastic,” said Callie, “Now let’s eat. I’m hungry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They ate a quick breakfast, and then were ready to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike carried the small chest with the foil-wrapped sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs in it; Jon wore his backpack and carried his duffel bag (both loaded with goodies); and Callie carried the plastic bag (double-bagged, for safety) with the sodas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They started walking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-32291467913177969772011-04-01T00:00:00.001-05:002011-04-01T00:00:03.183-05:00Chapter 51<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Last of Charles Longstreet<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Inside his father’s mind, in his memories, Mike saw the point where his family’s destiny took a screaming left turn into darkness. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The moment Charles Longstreet met Araboam Sinestri.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It happened one night, when Charles Longstreet had returned from work. The apartment building where he and his family lived had an underground parking garage. Charles parked and exited his car---and almost walked right into an imposing figure he hadn’t seen was there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The figure stepped out from the shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He was a tall, ancient-looking man, with fiery eyes that looked demonic in their intensity. He had a grey beard and goatee cut like an arrow pointing down; and a thin moustache that curled up at the ends. His grey hair was short, and his long thin fingers ended in yellow, pointed, nails. He was wearing what could only be described as a wizard’s robe; black as night, with four lines of cabalistic writing crawling along the tattered hem, done up masterfully with silver stitching.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh! Excuse me!” Charles said. He realized he was all alone in the darkened parking garage with what had to be a raving lunatic of some sort. He tried to walk past, but all of a sudden found movement of any kind impossible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The old man lifted his hand, put his finger on Longstreet’s forehead, and pushed; tipping him backwards into a hard fall. Charles fell on his back, and the back of his head hit the cement floor in a painful explosion that should have knocked him out, but didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">What is happening to me?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Charles thought to himself, as talking was also beyond him right now, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WHY is this happening to me?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The stranger towered over him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“My name is Araboam Sinestri,” he said, his voice low and resonant, “And you, Charles Longstreet, will do as I say.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Here, he took a stylized knife from the pocket of his robe. He flicked it’s sharp end across the pad of his pinky. A thick droplet fell, and spattered on Longstreet’s forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Charles Longstreet grimaced and groaned in pain as the droplet burned its way through his skin. He tried to fight, tried to scream; all to no avail. A dead calm came over him, as darkness took him over.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I will do as you say</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Longstreet thought; voice was still denied him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No need to talk, I can read your mind.” Sinestri said, “And I know you will do everything I ask; the tainted blood I’ve given you brooks no argument. Malevolencia, it’s been called of old; the stain of darkest magic. It is the crux of this very matter. However, the task I have for you will require years of your life; and being a mere Pah’jec, you will not last much more than a week before the Malevolencia renders you unusable.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri put away his knife, and from another pocket, retrieved a ring. The band was of sparkling silver, with a small black stone pyramid. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It matched the one Sinestri himself was wearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, like mine.” Sinestri said, catching Longstreet’s stray thought, “This ring will hold back the effects of the Malevolencia. When I put it on you, you will forget everything that has happened here, and everything I am about to tell you. You will seem to go back to normal, but you will do everything I am about to command you to do, anyway. You will think you are doing it of your own volition.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">What do you want me to do</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You will take your children away from here; away from their mother. Out of the city; far away. Be gone before morning rises. I have cast a deep sleep upon your wife and children, so you will have no problems with them. Make no extensive preparations; just leave. Raise them and watch over them; I will have need of them later.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When they are older they will ask questions.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Tell them nothing. The mystery of it will pique their curiosity about their missing mother; and that will play into my plans, when the time is right.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Now remember: never take the ring off. If you do, the full force of what has been held back will wash over you; as will memory of this moment. Not that the dam will hold forever, mind you. As time passes, minor leakage will occur, so to speak, darkening your personality. More and more as the years go by, I’m afraid; that cannot be helped. When the day comes that the ring is removed, be assured that you will see me again soon after, with new instructions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“One last detail: after it has been removed, do not touch the ring again! With all the darkness it will have absorbed throughout the years, touching it will hasten your dissolution. Is all that understood?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Yes</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good. Now raise your hand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Charles did as commanded; Sinestri bent down and placed the ring on the finger of his uplifted hand. The hand remained in the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll be watching.” Sinestri said. He turned and made a gesture with his hands. A great tear in reality opened up into a large hole. Beyond it, an aqua-colored abyss waited. Sinestri turned back to Longstreet and said: “You can wake up now, slowly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He stepped into the hole, and it closed behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Charles Longstreet awoke in slow waves on the floor of the parking garage, and wondered how the hell he had gotten there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The pain in the back of his head led him to deduce that he had slipped and fallen, no doubt knocked unconscious. He got up, and walked toward the elevators, not feeling any different from the man he was before the fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When he got to his apartment, and looked down on his sleeping wife, however; a strange and powerful repulsion came over him, and he came to the realization that he had to get himself and his children away from this woman and this city, as soon as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike saw it all…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He saw his father pack away several things he was going to need in the back of his old station wagon. He had purchased a new car two years prior, but had kept the wagon in good condition in order to sell it. Now he figured the wagon, rather than the car, would be better suited for a long voyage with children, such as the one he had in mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He worked without haste; somehow he knew his wife and kids would not wake up for hours. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When at last he was ready to get his children, he went back to the apartment, and entered their room.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He bent over to lift Michael from his bed, when he caught sight of his own reflection in the dresser mirror, and froze.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Something in the eyes of that other Charles Longstreet staring back, terrified him; something unfamiliar and alien. A shudder passed through his body and into the depths of his soul. It was like looking at a monster hiding in his own skin, bending over his son.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Longstreet held his breath and closed his eyes for a moment; when he opened them again, his reflection was his own.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike saw his father take him and Callie, and drive out of Cathim.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They passed through another, if smaller, city, some towns, and then the Vawx Woods on the old Gavalin Road, which was much better kept back then. He saw their stop at Murgent for gas (that small idyllic town was still six years away from Zedda’s terrible vengeance). He saw their passage through Metromax City, through the Rough Country, through Kraddok (where they stopped at a Mom and Pop store that stood where Friq’s Food Farm now stood). Day after day of traveling. Places familiar to Mike rolled by; Gough, then Crayton, finally Noah’s Oak. Back to the house where Charles Longstreet’s journey had begun; as well as theirs. The place he had so longed to escape, to find his destiny.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The children did not take well to this situation, at first; but their father calmed them with lies that their mother would join them soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike at least quieted down, for a time; truth be told, he enjoyed traveling, and could be absorbed for hours in looking out the window and enjoying the scenery in silence. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But Callie wanted her mother, and NOW. She threw a major tantrum when they were passing through Murgent, and her father did something he had never done before, and had never thought he would ever do.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He slapped her. Hard. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Slapped her on the very cheek he would one day hit with a closed fist.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As Callie exploded into a crying jag, her father’s face became a miserable mask of conflicted emotions and self-loathing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The slow and agonizing death of the good and kind man he once was, had begun.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike now felt a hard slap at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">his</i> cheek, and realized Callie was trying to get his attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, his father’s memories went dark, and a suffocating coldness descended upon the entirety of his father’s mind. Mike slipped out of it as quick as he could.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“MIKE, GET THE HELL OUTTA THERE!” Callie screamed, damn near shattering his eardrum.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m out already!” he yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Look!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He did. He knew already what he was going to see, but it was still startling nonetheless. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Their father was turning into a man-sized pillar of thick black goop.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It just started,” Callie said, “It spread real fast. I didn’t know what would happen if you were still in his mind when he went full gooey; that’s why I slapped you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know.” Mike said, “Thanks Cal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As the three watched, the black goop utterly consumed the last of Charles Longstreet. Then, the pillar collapsed on itself into a gelid mass of black putrescence, of loathsome odor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“GAA!” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“UGG!” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Behold the wonders of magic.” said Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The three backed away, hands over mouths and noses, both to avoid the stench, and to keep from vomiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“JEESH! Even Kitty didn’t smell like that when she went gooey.” Callie said, “And this stuff doesn’t seem to be turning into those black snake-like things either.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She didn’t have it in her system for eleven years, like Dad.” Mike said, “Hers was still new, his was played out. That’s my guess anyway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What did you find out in there, Mike?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Dad was an innocent victim of Sinestri, not a willing accomplice; at least not until that stuff began its work on him. He was a good man; a loving husband and father. Sinestri destroyed him.” Mike said, “I saw him, Callie. I saw how he did it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Into Callie and Jon’s minds, he poured everything he saw in his father’s memories.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Woah!” Jon said, putting his hands on his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh! Sorry about that, Jon.” said Mike, “I just felt you should know everything we know, as you are taking the same risks. Callie had no problem with the brain exchange; I figured you wouldn’t either.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m okay,” Jon said, “I was just…startled. That <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> interesting, though. Kind of ironic, how you two have inadvertently taken the same route <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to</i> Cathim, that he took, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">going away</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No wonder he always knew where we were going.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s my fault.” said Mike, “I must have retraced the whole route by memory, without even knowing I was doing it.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No reason to change now.” said Jon, “Only these woods and some towns stand between us and Cathim.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And Sinestri seems to have run out of lackeys to set against us.” Callie added, “That we know of, anyway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And we may not have to walk to Cathim after all.” Mike said, “I doubt very much that Dad got here on foot, or on Babbidaz’s back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“On that subject,” Callie said, taking out a pair of keys on a keyring, “I got these out of Dad’s pocket while you were in his head; a few seconds before he started to go bad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What would I do without you, Cal?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You don’t want to know, doofus.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They trudged through the woods until they reached the road. On that road was a busted up station wagon (beyond repair), bracketed by logs, and an ash grey car parked behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">On the other side of the road stood Bell, with five other Bufaaru; they all held aloft sharpened weapons crafted from sticks and bones. Mike, Callie, and Jon walked over to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A quick sweep of their minds showed Mike that there had been seven; the other two had been sent to bury Edward’s body at the place where they had just buried the body of their leader. These here planned to go and search for the beast that had murdered Tullam.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s dead, Bell. We killed it.” Mike said, and sent the images of Babbidaz’s final moments into their minds. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The five Bufaaru with Bell were startled and frightened at this trick, despite the fact that Bell had told them about Mike and Callie’s powers. They looked at each other to register that they had all shared in the vision, then they stared at Mike and Callie with open-mouthed awe; as if they were looking upon gods.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Bell remained stoic, but looked worn out. She had done much crying for her lost Tullam; and finding Edward’s body here had shocked her. She had been unaware of his death, though she had suspected the possibility.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“While you’re looking around in there,” she said to Mike, pointing to her head, “You will also see that I have some news for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Your group decided not to help us.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You read minds too?” Bell asked him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, just a guess.” Jon said, “Tullam’s death probably didn’t speak well for our plight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Bell’s composure threatened to fall apart upon mention of Tullam, but she held it together. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“No, it didn’t.” she said, “You three are dangerous to know; and we have enough of an enemy in the Frellam, to go taking on yours.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It doesn’t matter anyway</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Mike thought to himself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We don’t need you anymore; we have a car now</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thank you for trying anyway, Bell.” Callie said, “And I’m so sorry about Tullam. We lost Edward to that monster as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At Edward’s name, Bell’s face and heart softened.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Edward stayed behind to save me.” she said, “I’ve sent his body to be buried where we bury our own. It’s all I can give him in return.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thank you.” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was no more to be said. Bell motioned to the others, and they turned to depart into their side of the woods.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Goodbye and good luck to you.” she said, as she and the others took to the trees and disappeared into their foliage.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“To you and your people as well.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The three took everything that was salvageable in the wagon, over to the car Charles Longstreet had so thoughtfully provided for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie used her power to move the wagon and the logs off to the side of the road, and out of their way. Jon took the opportunity to change his torn and bloody shirt with one from the duffel bag he had brought with him from Metromax. He then helped Mike clear the smaller obstacles (shattered glass, the wagon’s spilled guts, branches that had snapped off the logs, and the back hatch) off the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, the three stopped for a moment to contemplate the ruins of the station wagon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She served us well.” Mike said, sadly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“When she wasn’t getting stolen.” Callie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Or impounded.” Jon added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Or beaten into a useless pile of wreckage by a pair of hairy giants.” Callie continued, “Speaking of which…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, let’s get out of here.” Mike said, and turned to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Goodbye, Edward.” Jon said, looking into the woods, “And thank you for everything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The three got in the car, and soon they were off.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-68750696535338220982011-03-25T00:00:00.002-05:002011-03-25T00:54:53.347-05:00Chapter 50<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Face of the Enemy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie sent half the stakes before her flying toward the Morrtog as it galloped on all fours toward them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz was ready for them this time. He turned on a dime and jumped onto a tree. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Callie tried to grab hold of him, with her power, but there was an aspect of metaphysical <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">slipperiness</i> to him, and she found that she could not affect him directly in any way.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike threw a sekari at him. Babbidaz dodged it, and hopped onto another tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Quick mother, innit?” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The sekari hit the tree Babbidaz had just departed, and cut it in half. As the top half fell, Callie caught it with her mind, and swung it at Babbidaz, like a giant club in an invisible hand. With acrobatic agility, Babbidaz did a flip over the tree---and right into Mike’s next sphere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not quick enough!!” Mike yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The sekari exploded Babbidaz back and upwards. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie swung the tree top like a bat once more, and connected with Mike’s pitch. Babbidaz got whacked into a rolling tumble to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie then threw the tree top at Babbidaz. He managed to avoid getting hit by jumping over it, but wasn’t as fast as last time; he was tripped by one of the limbs, and found himself chin to the ground once more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He got up fast, in time to dodge another of Mike’s sekari. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie rocketed her remaining stakes at him. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz sprung into a nimble forward somersault. As he vaulted over the stakes, he grabbed one with each hand in mid-air, and upon landing, tossed them twirling back at Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Two of Mike’s sekari rendered the stakes into splinters. A necessary distraction, but a distraction nonetheless; as Babbidaz had jumped, and now landed among them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie and Jon were smacked aside like afterthoughts. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog grabbed Mike by the neck, and disappeared up into the treetops with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“NO!” Callie yelled, and levitated herself up after them; leaving Jon and his spear all alone below.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I hope this ends well</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">, he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’re my main problem!” Babbidaz said to Mike as he took him to a high limb, “Without you, the others will be easy pickings! Owwm! Eyowwmm! Eyowwmm!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Babbidaz squeezed hard on Mike’s neck to choke the life out of him. Mike poured Voss Vedu’un energy into his arms and hands, grabbed Babbidaz’s wrists, and pulled them loose. The Morrtog’s good eye boggled as the puny child, whose physical strength should have been akin to a wet noodle compared to his, pulled his hands away from his neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Callie whooshed up from below, trancing eyes at full blast, and stopped at eye level with Babbidaz. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Their eyes met, and Callie initiated the Malignium.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz dropped Mike, and Mike fell, but managed to grab hold of the limb on which the Morrtog stood.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">What the hell is she DOING?!</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Mike thought. After warning HIM not to try to mind-read the Morrtog, here she was, doing the same damn thing; risking her mind and life doing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She’s trying to save YOUR worthless hide, twit!</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> came the answer from within. As always, this self-loathing aspect of his psyche spoke to him in his father’s caustic voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike hoped she’d win, and soon; his arms were getting tired.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie entered the Morrtog’s mind with suspicious ease. Way too much ease, as it turned out. Before she could do anything, the mental equivalent of fangs bit deep into her mind, and began to drag her in deeper.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie lost control of her levitation, and began to sink; but Babbidaz caught her by the arms, and kept her at eye level.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike looked up and saw this happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Uh oh! </span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He thought,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> NOT a good sign!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">As Callie's mind writhed helpless under foot, the Morrtog’s laughter boomed painfully within her skull.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“FOOLISH LITTLE WITCH,” It said; every word hitting Callie like a hammer to the psyche, “WHO DO YOU THINK TAUGHT THAT TRICK TO THE CONJUURAS, SO LONG AGO? DID YOU NOT THINK WE HAD A WAY TO DEFEND AGAINST IT?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Can you defend against a Ma’jai in your head, jackass?” Mike’s voice barged in. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">To Callie, it was like the voice of salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike’s mind attacked Babbidaz’s with a ferocity and power the Morrtog was not ready for, and he retreated, releasing Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Only now, both Longstreets attacked him in tandem.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Round and round the three minds battled. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Hard fought the struggle was, and vicious. They cut him deep, and he slashed back at them with savage fury.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The girl tired first, and to the Morrtog’s relief, she backed out of the fray. But the boy was unflagging; his infuriating tenacity and ceaseless Ma’jai strength wore Babbidaz down. Until at last, the Morrtog’s mind was held down as helpless as it had held Callie moments ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“CALLIE! TAKE HIM!” Mike said, and she knew what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She started the Malignium again; and this time, she thought, Babbidaz would not be able to stop it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She drunk in Babbidaz, in big mental gulps. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike could see the exponential increase in her power.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Judging that she could take over from here, he retracted his mind from the Morrtog’s, and reconnected to his own body; which was not pleasant. His arms hurt like hell, and his fingers were numb; he had but a few seconds of hold left in him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He called forth the Voss Vedu’un into his hands, arms, and shoulder. Relief flowed through him as renewed strength ebbed back into tired muscles and flesh. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He retightened his grip on the tree limb, and looked up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie had retaken control of her levitation at some point, and the Morrtogs hands were at his sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">At least they had been. Only know, Mike saw Babbidaz move his left arm slowly back, and the hand start to rise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The mind of a Morrtog is most unique. As Babbbidaz’s lay seemingly helpless under the thrall of Callie’s Malignium; a primal and unseen portion of it had branched off, in a last desperate attempt to retake control of the situation. The attempt cost him dearly, but he was able to access movement of his left arm. Now he pulled it back, so he could plunge his talons into the girl’s belly, and rip out her intestines.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There was no time to send Callie a warning, or to try to take control of the Morrtog’s body, before the killing blow. And a sekari at this close range might startle or hurt Callie, and cause her to fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Instead, Mike grabbed the Morrtog’s ankle with one, then the other, hand. Babbidaz was pulled off balance, his foot slipped off the limb, and the two of them fell. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Startled by the sudden breaking of the mental link, Callie lost control, and fell after them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Below, Jon looked up and saw the three figures falling to what would be (for at least two of those figures) a bone-breaking height.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh shig.” he said, and got the hell out of the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie’s mind snapped back to itself, confused; not knowing what had happened, or why she was falling. She could see, in the slow-motion with which the mind deals with disastrous and fast-moving events, Mike and Babbidaz tumbling below; as well as the ground rushing towards them, eager to crush their bones.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Three-fourths of the way down, she managed to reassert her levitation, and grabbed Mike a second later.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">From below, Jon saw Callie and Mike slow to a stop in midair. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz, on the other hand, hit the ground like a sack of bricks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie lost her grip, though; and the two fell the rest of the way three seconds later. Their landing, while not a happy one, was nonetheless a less painful one than Babbidaz’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Ever the die-hard, however; Babbidaz was the first to rise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">From behind the Morrtog, Jon saw his chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He ran up to the Morrtog and, with all his strength, jabbed his spear into the small of it’s back as deep as it would go. The spear broke off at the tip, and Jon lost his balance and fell to the side.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz arched his back and let out a roar of pain. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike saw his opportunity, and took it. He hurled a small sekari straight into the Morrtog’s open mouth, the explosive content of which blew the top half of Babbidaz’s head clean off, and spinning into the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog’s body collapsed, never to rise again. The top of his head hit the dirt seconds later, a bit further off; eye wide open and surprised.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“That was for Edward, you SHANK!!” Jon shouted, as he kicked the corpse and spat on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and Callie looked at him, then each other, and began to laugh; Jon joined them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie then smacked Mike on the back of his head with her hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“OWWW! What?!” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“WHY did you do THAT?” she gestured toward the tree-limb they had just vacated moments ago, “And WHY didn’t you warn me you were gonna do that?! I almost didn’t catch us in time!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Rather than try to explain, Mike sent into her mind the image of Babbidaz about to gut her while she floated before him, oblivious.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh,” she said, “I see. Sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s okay,” Mike said, “I admit I didn’t think that through; but there was no time. I had to do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">something</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“So what happened up there?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just a minor difference of opinion.” Mike said, standing up, “It wanted us dead.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We said no.” Callie added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m glad you won the debate.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie, still sitting, put a trembling hand to her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are you okay, Callie?” Jon asked, “You look nauseated.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was that Malignium with Babbidaz.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Babba<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“The Morrtog.” Mike said, “Callie brain-drained him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It lasted only several seconds, but the raw POWER that I got from it in that time was incredible. I’m juiced up, but also sickened. Kinda like overeating on something you like until it makes you wanna puke.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are you gonna need a privacy moment?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nah, I can handle it.” she said, and stood up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright then, let’s go.” Mike said, walking in the direction Babbidaz had arrived from, “We’re one down, one to go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Charles Longstreet fully expected to see Babbidaz show up with the carcasses of his children, draped over his shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was the surety of this visual image becoming reality that allowed him to wait as long as he had without submitting to worry; despite his deteriorating condition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">But that wasn’t what happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Incredibly, Mike and Callie (as well as some unknown boy) appeared out of nowhere, and caught him by surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“How did you---?!!” was all Longstreet managed to get out, before he felt his brain come under the grip of an ice cold wrench.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Unable to move or speak, he realized that Mike was the wrench.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hello dad,” Mike said, “I’ll be just a moment. There are things I need to know; things I need to see for myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike delved past his father’s surface thoughts, and went deep into his earliest memories. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He saw…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">His father’s childhood, the only son of Terren and Jade Longstreet, growing up in Noah’s Oak, New Heedol; in the very same house Mike himself, and Callie, would later run away from.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">A good son of kind parents, Charles nonetheless yearned to break free of small town life, and go live in a big city: Cathim, Mirridin, perhaps even Idus Alth, to find his destiny. At the age of eighteen, he purchased a used green station wagon (it was cheap, and all he could afford), and left home soon after. He spent some time in Metromax, and then moved on to Cathim. In Cathim he found a good job, and was happy there, living on his own. Then, in early 3636, he met Elizabeth Shale, and the two were soon married. Late in the year came the birth of their first child, Michael. Two years later, they had a daughter: Callendra. The family had another happy and blissful three years. Then, in 3642, it all came to a crashing stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Charles Longstreet’s destiny had at last found <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">And it was there, through the medium of his father’s memories, that Mike finally got a look at the face of his and Callie’s real enemy: Araboam Sinestri. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-1219470130042548372011-03-18T00:00:00.001-05:002011-03-18T00:00:04.732-05:00Chapter 49<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A Clash of Powers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Charles Longstreet sat on the hood of his stolen car, awaiting Babbidaz’s return.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He had felt nothing upon seeing the remains of the destroyed station wagon. True, it had been his for ages; but not long after Mike and Callie had taken it, he had stopped thinking of it as his. It was Mike and Callie’s wagon...but no more. After only nine days in their possession, the wagon had definitively bitten the dust.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz appeared out of the woods, carrying a body.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I get the distinct feeling I’m not going to like this bit of news.” Longstreet said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The boy fell. I didn’t catch him in time.” Babbidaz explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And the two creatures?” Longstreet asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“One I killed; one got away.” Babbidaz answered. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He shimmered into his slightly less alarming persona, as he set Edward’s body on the ground before Longstreet. “I brought the body in case you wanted to resurrect the child.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Longstreet considered it. “No, he’s too young. They’re not very informative when you bring them back from the dead too young. They tend to come back drooly and messy; good only for shock value.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This was true, as the girls he had resurrected in Metromax had proven. But that wasn’t the real reason he decided not to bring the boy back. He was no longer sure that the black molasses currently solidifying in his veins could turn the trick anymore. He was not even sure he’d be able to stand unassisted for another twenty minutes. All body warmth and energy seemed to be draining from him at a frightening rate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I wanted him alive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sorry.” Babbidaz said; though he didn’t sound at all apologetic.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay, well, no use crying over spilt boy. Let’s see if you can smell where my kids went off to.” Longstreet said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz walked over to the destroyed station wagon, and sniffed around the inside. He could make out four separate scents. One of them he recognized as the dead boy’s. He got out of the wagon, and sniffed around outside of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They were attacked.” Babbidaz said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I coulda told you that.” Longstreet snorted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“A force of about thirty or so foul-smelling creatures smashed the vehicle and took the four of them---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Four?” Longstreet asked, “Where the hell do Mike and Callie recruit these kids to help them all the damn time?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz pointed to the woods. “---that way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Lead away, then…and hurry,” Longstreet said, “I don’t think I have much time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two ran into the woods.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike, Callie, and Jon were picking the dark red berries off a Jandraberry bush they had found, when Callie suddenly swooned. Jon caught her, and laid her on the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Callie! What’s wrong?!” Jon shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie didn’t answer. Her eyes were wide open, but she seemed to be in the grip of a powerful vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike, who had been working on another bush a few paces away, ran over to the two. He looked down on Callie, with a look of concerned alarm spreading across his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Mike, what is it?!” Jon asked, “What’s wrong with her?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She’s not alone in her mind,” Mike replied, furrowing his brow, “She’s receiving a message of some sort, but---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie came to with a gasp, cutting him off. She looked at Jon, and then at Mike; then broke into tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What is it, Callie?” Jon asked. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie seemed unable to answer him at the moment; instead, she put her face in her hands, and wept openly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh no…” Mike said, as the waters of Callie’s mind at last cleared enough for him to see. The color drained from his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?!” asked Jon, getting frustrated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s Edward,” Mike said, “He’s dead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?! How?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He came to me in a vision.” Callie said, lifting her tear-streaked face and speaking at last, “He said our father is here; and he’s brought a Morrtog with him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The Morrtog killed Tullam,” Mike continued, in a dead voice, “And Edward sacrificed himself to save Bell.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Bubba Death came for him at last.” Callie whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh man…Edward…” Jon said, as the weight of it sunk in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He said for us not to grieve,” Callie continued, “That the choice was his to make. He’s safe now, where no danger can ever reach him again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“But we’re not.” Mike said, “Dad is on his way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m done running from that man.” Callie said, wiping her tears away with her hands, “But it’s the Morrtog that worries me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’ll deal with it.” Mike said, “Like we dealt with the Frellam.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thing is,” said Jon, “This isn’t the Frellam encampment; you can’t go tossing fireballs around, Mike. You’ll start a forest fire.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Crap. I didn’t think of that,” Mike said, “I guess I could always just break his mind---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I wouldn’t try that either.” Callie said, “I remember Mr. Blessure trapping Mr. Balooda in HIS mind. Dad’s Morrtog may or may not have the same power; but if he does, trying to mind read him might be iffy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That does cut down our options a tad.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I suggest we find as many branches as we can, and weaponize them.” Jon said, “As a sort of back-up, in case we have an interruption of service, magic-wise; if you get my drift.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good idea.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“But how do we sharpen them?” Callie asked, “We don’t have a knife.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You don’t need a knife,” Mike said, “You have a Ma’jai.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They worked fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Time was of the essence, and they knew it. Within five minutes, they had gathered ten branches. All but one were considered too thin or brittle to use as a spear, so they were broken into smaller pieces, so Callie could hurl them into the air, like projectiles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike created a small power sphere he used to scorch spear points onto both ends of each piece of wood they had collected. When done, he squeezed the sphere until its power reabsorbed into his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Waste not, want not.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The stakes were spread out in a row, on the ground. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Jon took possession of the one good spear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Now we wait.” Mike said, “Remember: the Morrtog is the greater threat; but it’s ignorant of our abilities. The element of surprise gives me one free shot. So I’m gonna try to take it out with my first sphere, but if I fail…it’s gonna be all out war with this thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Understood.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She glanced at Jon, beside her. He nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They were ready.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Charles Longstreet stopped, and leaned against a tree, no longer able to go on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They’re close!” Babbidaz said, “Owwm! Eyowwm! Eyowwm! Very close! I can smell them from here; your children and the other one. They are alone! I don’t smell the creatures that attacked them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Which means they must have escaped their captors.” Longstreet said, “Tricky little bastards, they always find a way! Well, I’m done playing Sinestri’s game.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Game?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes. Sinestri wanted me to kill them, true; but not quickly. It was important to him that I terrify them first of all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So he could watch them die in horror and despair from wherever the hell he is, I suppose. I don’t know. I’ve never really known.” Longstreet said, “All of my hostility toward Mike and Callie came from his Malevolencia. I know this; but knowing changes nothing. It once burned in my veins like lava; giving me fury and purpose. Now it runs like cold syrup. It saps my strength and blunts my will. That’s why Sinestri had me bring you forth, I think; my usefulness to him is at an end.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What do you want me to do?” Babbidaz asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No more games!” Longstreet said, “Go after them, Babbidaz! Kill them all, and bring me their shredded remains! I want to see their dead faces before darkness takes me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“As you wish.” Babbidaz said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He changed into his true form, and disappeared into the woods; to follow what would be his master’s final command.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">After what felt like an eternity of anxious waiting, the moment of crisis at last arrived. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike saw the Morrtog first, while it was still far off; it galloped on all fours in it’s true form, headed right for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It comes alone.” Mike said, “Damn, it’s fast though.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike held his hand behind his back, and created as concentrated a power sphere as he could muster. Small, but incredibly powerful; its color went from sparkling blue to a bright burning red.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sekari. They are called sekari</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">. The thought streaked across the sky of his mind, out of nowhere, like a forgotten memory.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike did not know where this information came from, but he was as sure of its truth as that of his own name. But now was not the time for such conundrums; he shook his mind free of the distraction, and focused on the pressing matter at hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here we go,” he said, “EAT THIS, BITCH!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He flung the crimson sphere, the sekari, at Babbidaz. It crackled with energy and shrieked like a missile toward the Morrtog.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz saw it, and tried to jump over it, but a second too late. The sekari hit him in the stomach, and the explosion at contact threw him backwards into a tree with such force, that the tree snapped in half. Both Babbidaz, and the broken half of the tree fell backward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“YES!” Mike exulted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog writhed and doubled over in pain. His entire midsection was in searing, piercing, burning agony; and for a creature born in the burning lava hellworld of Xalix, that was saying something. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Why didn’t my idiot master tell me his children were magic users?!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Babbidaz wondered. Now he would have to change tactics. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alright, let’s try this again,</i> Babbidaz thought, and got back on his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Mike, he’s up again!” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Damn!” Mike replied, “Get ready!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Morrtog looked at them, smiled, and jumped; shooting up like a rocket and disappearing into the tree’s dense foliage.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Uh oh.” said Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do you see him?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, he’s moving toward us.” Mike said. He marveled at how sharp and clear his eyesight had become.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike sent into Callie’s mind an image of what he wanted her to do. Callie nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay…NOW!” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie sent the stakes at her feet flying straight up at lethal speed into the tree cover above them, in a wide cone of dispersal. This worked too well, as the Morrtog fell from right above them, with a stake lodged deep in it’s thigh. The three managed to avoid getting crushed by the heavy mass that hit the ground with a painful “THUD”, but they were all knocked off balance and onto the ground; even as the stakes returning back to earth rained down all around them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz moved fast. He sat up, took the stake out of his thigh, and hurled it at Callie. The stake impaled her in the left shoulder, and Callie screamed in pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon, who had fallen closest to the Morrtog, reached for his spear; while Mike, who had fallen furthest from Babbidaz, sat up and sent a streamer of fire from his fingertips, direct to the Morrtog’s face. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“CALLIE! JON! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">MOVE</i>!!” he yelled, as he summoned a sekari into his free hand to slam into the Morrtog.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Before either could do any such thing, Babbidaz freed one of his hands from shielding his face, and viciously plunged its talons into Jon’s back. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon’s eyes rolled upward in their sockets, and his mouth opened in a silent scream Mike could hear in his mind, as Babbidaz picked him up and used him as a shield against Mike’s fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike stopped the fire. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon’s eyes closed and his head slumped forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“NOOO!” Callie screamed in fury.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz turned his head to see her. She had the stake impaled in her shoulder fly out at him, and bury itself into his eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz roared in pain. He dropped Jon face-down on the ground, grabbed the stake end, and yanked it out with a yowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It turned to attack Callie, but she had already rolled out of the way; and with a clear shot at last, Mike released his massive sekari, and blasted it at Babbidaz point blank.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This exploded Babbidaz upwards and backwards, and when he landed, Mike ran over to him, and did it again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“DIE BASTARD! DIE!!” Mike shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">KABOOM</i>!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz was sent flying into the air again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As Mike continued to do this, Callie went to Jon; the intense throbbing pain from the flesh wound in her shoulder but an afterthought. She lifted the ripped and bloody back of his shirt, to survey the damage. She sensed that he was still alive, but fading fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then she remembered something.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“MIKE!” she yelled, “COME HERE QUICK!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike stopped. He looked down at the Morrtog; it didn’t seem like it would be getting up any time soon. He ran back to Callie, already seeing what she had in mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She thinks I can heal Jon the way Sparo healed me</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, he thought, W<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ho knows? Maybe I can. I don’t think I’ve reached yet the limits of my power.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know what you want.” Mike said, kneeling down beside Jon, “I don’t know if I can, but I’ll give it a shot.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He’s still alive, Mike.” Callie said, “You were dead when Sparo brought you back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll try, Cal.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike focused his power into his hands. He allowed the energy to remain unintentioned; he merely gathered it together.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He then placed his hands on Jon’s wounds, and channeled the energy into them. When a green haze tinted his vision, he realized he was seeing the Voss Vedu’un with his eyes open. He could see it flutter with every thought, like a mist at the slightest breeze. He directed the energy to do its healing work, and the Voss Vedu’un obeyed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">After a moment, Mike removed his hands and saw the wounds start to close up. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The torn flesh sealed itself to its former unscarred appearance, as if nothing had ever happened to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon groaned and stirred.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You did it!” Callie cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t sound <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too</i> surprised.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They helped Jon turn around and sit up. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He blinked his bleary eyes. “Was I just stabbed?” he asked, as Callie rained kisses on his face, still oblivious to her own bleeding wound. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The Morrtog ripped up your back pretty bad.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How am I alive then?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“My whizbang Ma’jai powers.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh…” Jon said, “Thanks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t mention it,” Mike said, “Ever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon then saw Callie’s wound. “Callie, what the hell?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What? Oh!” Callie said, remembering the bleeding, throbbing, hole in her shoulder, “Oh yeah. That <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i> hurt a bit.” she said, and immediately fainted dead away.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She wasn’t out long, but when she came to, Mike had already healed her shoulder wound.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Wake up sunshine.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Aw damn, I fainted, didn’t I?” Callie asked, sheepishly, “I always swore to myself I’d never be a ‘fainty’ girl. Was I gone long?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nah, you’re back just in time.” Mike said, as he and Jon grabbed her arms and helped her to her feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“In time for what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Round two.” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie followed his gaze. Some distance away, where Mike had left him, the Morrtog was slowly getting to it’s feet. It looked worse for the wear; but not quite enough. It brushed itself off, gave them a look with it’s good eye, and started galloping towards them on all fours.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are you ready?” Mike asked his sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The stakes that had fallen to the ground all around them levitated into the air, every one of them, and gathered themselves in front of her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh yes,” she said, “Let’s end this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-104703006856299352011-03-11T00:00:00.001-06:002011-03-11T00:00:07.339-06:00Chapter 48<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Pursuit<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">After some time spent running, Mike, Callie, Jon, Edward, Tullam, and Bell stopped for a rest. They were all sweaty and heavily breathing. They collapsed to the ground in a semi-circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That was amazing what you did back there!” Tullam said to Mike, “How long have you had these powers?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, about fifteen minutes or so.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What did you do to that Frellam?” Callie asked, “And since when do you speak Ugora?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Did I mention I can read minds now?” Mike said, “Part of the Ma’jai Powers Expansion Pack, I suppose.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It was more than that,” Callie said, “You…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">influenced</i> his mind, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Can you read ALL our minds?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Uh…yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Can you also---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well!” Mike said, clapping his hands together, “I think it’s time for more running.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Wait a minute, why are we running anyway?” Jon asked, “It isn’t like they’re going to follow us, not after the royal firebombing you just gave them, Mike; or the mental de-pantsing of poor Sinsak.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward reacted to that image with a bark of laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Jon has a point, Mike.” Callie said, “The Frellam will be too busy licking their wounds to come after us again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“But how much will their fear hold them back once their hunger returns?” Mike asked, “We have a reprieve, yes; but will it last?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, the wagon’s totaled.” Edward said, “Unless your powers include instant automotive repair, it’s gonna be a helluva long walk to Cathim.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How long would that take?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t know.” Mike shrugged, “Days.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“If the Frellam do decide to come after us again,” Callie said, “We could be in for a running battle all the way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Even if they don’t, the woods hold many dangers come nightfall.” Tullam said, “My people could help you make safe passage out of these woods, in gratitude for saving Bell and me from the Frellam pit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Where is your group right now?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“About ten miles north-east of here.” Tullam replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’ll take forever.” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Not for us.” Bell said, “Me and Tullam can get there faster, tree to tree.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Good idea,” said Mike, “You two go find your group; we’ll meet you halfway, or as far as we can make it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Too bad you couldn’t just carry us.” Edward said, half-jokingly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I could carry <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>, child.” Tullam said to Edward, “You’re short and light of weight; but your friends are too big for us to carry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Could</i> I?” Edward piped up. The thought of traveling the treetops with the Bufaaru sounded wondrous. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“If Tullam says it’s okay, sure.” Jon said, “But it’s your decision, Edward; you don’t need our permission.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward looked back at Tullam. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tullam nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Maybe I shouldn’t…” he said, suddenly indecisive, “The last time we got split up was disastrous. I’d feel guilty if something happened to you guys while I was gone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Likewise.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s your call, Ed.” Callie added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward considered it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If there was no further Frellam attack, he would simply be saving himself a ten-mile hike through the woods, by going with Tullam and Bell. If he didn’t go, and there WAS another attack? Well, Mike could defend himself, Callie could defend herself, and Jon (even without benefit of magic powers) could defend himself. But he? He would have to be protected.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Better to go with the Bufaaru, than stay and be in the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’ve decided,” Edward said, “I’ll go with Tullam and Bell.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was a decision they would all come to regret.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You probably won’t see us for awhile.” Jon said to Edward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Cause you know, we aren’t gonna be running the whole way.” Callie said, “Maybe fast walking, but not running.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We should get going.” Bell said, “The sooner we’re off, the sooner we get there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Right.” Tullam said, “Come on, Edward. It’s time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward first went and gave a hug each to his three friends. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Until we meet again, take care of yourselves.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You too, Ed.” said Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Have fun!” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Catch you later.” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward waved goodbye, then got on Tullam’s back, and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Are you sure I’m not too heavy?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’re more bulky than heavy.” Tullam said, “You’ll slow me down a little, but not too much. Take it easy on my neck, though.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward was carried aloft as Tullam and Bell clambored up the nearest tree with amazing speed and agility.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once at limb level, they threw themselves at far limbs with a remarkable abandon. Hand to hand from limb to limb they swung; upward and upward, followed by a downward release into gravity’s arms, just in time to catch another limb and start the upward climb again. Edward held on tight, as Mike, Callie, and Jon got left further and further behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright guys, let’s go.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I hope they’ll be okay.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They’ll be okay,” Jon said, putting an arm around Callie as they walked, “Tullam and Bell are in their element. It’s us I’m worried about."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">For Edward, it was an exhilarating ride; especially whenever they hit a pocket of trees that were very tall. They would travel up into dizzying heights. Deadly heights, if one was not on the back of a Bufaaru. During these points, Edward would tighten his grip until Tullam made choking noises, as a none too subtle hint to loosen up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But after a while, having to hold on to Tullam’s neck got to be a chore. Edward’s arms were getting stiff and achey.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">So, it was to Edward’s relief when they finally arrived at the road where they had been attacked by the Frellam. This, they would have to cross on foot, as the gap between the trees on one side of the road and the other, were more than could be jumped; even by Bufaaru.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tullam and Bell climbed down the tree near the side of the road, and walked toward the back end of the demolished station wagon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is that what you and your friends came in?” Bell asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes.” Edward said. He wiggled his arms at his sides as he walked, to get blood circulating in them again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Suddenly, Tullam and Bell both jerked their heads toward the road behind the wagon. Their Bufaaru ears twitched.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What is it?” Edward asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“A vehicle approaches.” said Tullam.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Someone is coming.” Bell added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward looked at the road from whence he and his friends had come. He heard the sound of an automobile engine; faint at first, but getting louder as it got closer. Then he saw it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was a car…coming in fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was no doubt in Edward’s mind about who it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh no!” he said, as his stomach went queasy with dread.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What is it, Edward?” Bell asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s Mike and Callie’s dad.” Edward replied, “Crap, we gotta go! WE GOTTA GO! NOW!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They ran into the woods to the left of the wagon; his agitation alone told Tullam and Bell not to waste time with questions. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Edward got on Tullam’s back again. They zipped up the nearest tree and were on their way.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Even as they sped through the trees, Tullam could feel the anxiety in the deathgrip Edward had on his neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Could you loosen the noose a little?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sorry.” Edward replied, and softened his grasp a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why do you still fear?” Tullam asked, “Surely that man cannot follow us up here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Perhaps not,” Edward said, “But the farther and faster we are away from him, the better. BELIEVE me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Influenced by Edward’s palpable fear, Bell chanced a look back, and saw something that made her gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When Charles Longstreet saw the three figures running towards the woods, he knew right then who the short one was; he had been with Mike and Callie when Charles had cornered them in Metromax City. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Bring that child back to me alive! NOW!” he shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Upon the command, Babbidaz sprung out of the open car window in a single fluid leap. Once out, he reverted to his true form; and bounded with great leopard-like strides to where the figures had fled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He took to the trees with the skill of a Bufaaru, and sliced through them with a speed that rivaled their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Tullam!” Bell cried, “Look!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tullam stopped, looked back, and saw a monstrous beast in the distance, moving toward them with alarming rapidity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell is THAT?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh shike!” said Edward, “It’s a Morrtog! Go faster!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tullam turned and started moving. Having no burden, Bell moved faster, and was now ahead of them. They entered an area of really tall trees, and started their ascent. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">No longer able to see where the Morrtog was behind them, Edward feared feeling it’s talons at his back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">(<i>Bubba Death can smell you</i>!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Could almost <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">feel</i> them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">(<i>He's coming for you</i>! <i>You and your friends</i>!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He saw Bell, ahead of them, take a quick look back; and the look of horror that passed through her face said it all. Tullam, who was starting to heave with tiredness, saw Bell’s face too, and had to stop to see; as well as to take a quick breather. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He stopped on a large tree limb, and looked back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog (as Edward referred to it) was still back there, working it’s way to them; it had lost little ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Bell joined them on the limb.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Edward, let go.” Tullam said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward did as told. He looked over at the approaching Morrtog; it would reach them in a minute, if they didn’t start moving again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What are we doing?” Edward asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I can’t outrace that thing with Edward on my back.” Tullam said to Bell, “He’s slowing me down and tiring me out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What are you proposing?” Edward asked, nervous at where this conversation seemed to be heading.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You take him, Bell. I’ll wait for the thing here, and try to distract it as long as I can.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“WHAT?!” asked Edward, “Are you crazy?! That thing’ll rip you to shreds!“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Tullam,” Bell pleaded, “The boy’s right! You can’t---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“THIS ISN’T A DEBATE!” Tullam shouted, “TAKE HIM, WIFE!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Bell gave Edward her back; Edward took hold.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She and Tullam exchanged a quick and passionate kiss, then Bell departed with Edward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“This is nuts!” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once Bell and Edward were gone, Tullam grabbed a long thin branch from above him, and broke it off it's limb. He held it before him, like a staff.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog came in fast. It had no intention of stopping; and it had no intention of letting Tullam live, either.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It had to die. It and it’s female. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">On general principles, but mostly to satisfy his itch to ram his talons into something alive, and make it dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It extended it’s arm, to catch Tullam on the fly, and dispatch him without having to stop; but Tullam leapt at the last moment, and hit Babbidaz on the back of the head with the branch, on his way over him. Caught by surprise, the Morrtog missed the limb he had intended to catch. Instead he hit another one at his midsection, doubled over, and fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Alas, Babbidaz did not fall to his death. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He managed to take hold of the tree itself, with his taloned claws, and began to crawl up it with roach-like skill.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tullam fell too, but caught a limb with his tail, and flipped himself around and up; landing on his feet upon the limb. He did this with such speed, that he turned in time to see the beast double over the tree limb, and fall; but did not see it catch on. He strained to see where it had fallen, but saw no body. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He wanted to leave, and rejoin Bell and Edward, but he had to make sure the beast was dead.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He jumped around, from limb to limb, looking for him; but Babbidaz skipped and jumped with demonic skill, out of Tullam’s field of vision. Until the time was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Where are you?!” Tullam hissed under his breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Right here.” a voice said, from behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tullam had no chance to turn around. Babbidaz shoved his talons deep into his back. There came then the horrible sounds of tearing flesh as Babbidaz picked Tullam up, held him aloft, then tossed him overhead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tullam died all the way down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At the exact moment of her husband’s death, Bell was granted full knowledge of its happening. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A lifetime spent by his side in happiness and great pain accorded her this smidgen of mystic connection; it hit her like a psychic hammer to her heart, shattering it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“TULLAM!” she cried out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She stopped on a limb, and turned around. Tears streamed from her eyes, and she hung her head in grief. The beast was coming, she knew; but no longer cared. There was no outrunning the beast.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ummm…Bell?” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know.” she replied, but moved not one inch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward let go of her, and sat down on the tree limb.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Go, Bell.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll let it take me.” Edward said, “It’ll have to let you go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I can’t---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes you can!” Edward said, “Together we won’t make it. You know that. It's after ME anyway! Now hurry! There’s no time!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She turned to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m sorry, Edward.” she said, her back to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m sorry too, Bell.” Edward said, “I’m sorry for everything. It’s all my fault.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She took off.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward turned, and saw the Morrtog arrive. It had blood on it’s hand; Tullam’s blood. It stopped at Edward’s limb.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here I am.” said Edward. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Such a brave child.” Babbidaz said, “And where, perhaps, is the charming female creature? My talon longs to rip her flesh!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Gone.” Edward replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, but I can still smell her! Owwm! Eyowwmm! Eyowwmm! She’s not far! I can still catch up to her! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Owwm! Eyowwmm! Eyowwmm!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">To Edward’s horror, the Morrtog started to go off after Bell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” Edward screamed, “YOU CAME TO GET ME! ME!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz stopped and turned around. “Yes! And I will come back for you, once I’m finished with her! After all…you’re <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not going anywhere</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward was dumbstruck.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog was right. If he tried to move from this spot, he would fall and die. At this height, he had nowhere to go. The Morrtog could go after Bell, kill her; then return at his leisure and retrieve him. Take him back to Papa Longstreet, where he would be made to betray Mike and Callie’s whereabouts. Then, of course, they would kill him. Worse, Longstreet might do to him what he did to Rak.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward had but one card left in his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Was he strong enough to play it?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">For the love of his friends…he found that he was indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“HEY MORRTOG!!” he shouted as loud as he could.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz turned around.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“CATCH ME!” Edward said, and pushed himself off the tree limb.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“NOOO!!” shouted Babbidaz, as Edward plummeted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With astonishing speed, the Morrtog bounded back to the tree Edward had been on, and launched itself down after Edward, to catch him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward fell a long time, or so it seemed to him. He turned as he fell, and at one point faced up to see the Morrtog, in free fall right above him; willing itself to reach him. Straining to do so. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Then Edward’s body turned again, in time to see the ground rush up to meet him. His last thoughts were: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I hope that stupid monster forgets himself and hits the ground after me</i>!</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">No such luck. Babbidaz admitted defeat, and caught a stray vine, as gravity slammed Edward mercilessly into the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz slid down the vine, and walked over to where Edward had landed. He turned the body over; the boy’s eyes were open.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">All thought of catching and killing the female Bufaaru left the Morrtog’s mind. The boy’s startling act of self-sacrifice had clearly been intended to buy her escape time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz was impressed. He wondered if Longstreet’s children had half the iron spine this child had just shown. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">If so, their pursuit would be interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With great respect, Babbidaz closed Edward’s eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He picked up the body, and set off back to the road. He did not know if Longstreet would defile the boy’s memory by bringing him back with his polluted blood; but that was beyond his purview. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He was a Morrtog, after all. His master’s wishes were law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-53267608135000408642011-03-04T00:00:00.001-06:002011-03-04T00:00:14.157-06:00Chapter 47<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ma’jai Rising<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Back in Murgent,” Mike said, “As we were making our preparations to leave; Sparo pulled me aside for a private chat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“About what?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This…” Mike said, gesturing their surroundings in the Frellam pit, “Not this specific situation, of course; but of the possibility of our running into such a situation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What did he say?” asked Edward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I hesitate to bring this up,” Sparo had said, “But considering the road you have chosen to take, or has chosen you, as the case may be; you might need to know this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?” Mike had asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Remember when I said that your Ma’jai powers would come in slow; that it would be a long while before you’d have to worry about all that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What I didn’t mention, was that there is a way, a known way, to jump-start that process; to force some of your powers into play much sooner, and develop quicker, than they would have otherwise. But this practice has its dangers; which is why it has always been discouraged, and why I hesitate to tell you about it at all. But I would be remiss to a fellow Ma’jai, if I didn’t.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why would I want to do that anyway?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The time may come when you are the only thing that stands between your sister and your friends, and certain death.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I see your point,” Mike had said, “Let’s hear it, then.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I want you to think back, during our battle in the basement, when I sent you flying up and out of the hotel. You were worn out and exhausted when I sent you up; yet when you came back down, you were re-energized. Do you remember how you accomplished that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes.” Mike said, “There was this greenish life-light inside everything that I was somehow able to summon to me. It gave me the strength to go back and continue the battle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We call that life-light, the ‘Voss Vedu’un’.” Sparo said, “It is the Divine Sea of Magic which every Ma’jai, great or small, can see and access. A free and abundant energy we use for strength and healing. It can also be used to jump-start a Ma’jai’s higher powers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How?” Mike had asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, what did he say?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We don’t need to go into that,” Mike said, “Just know that I know, and can do it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You just don’t want to worry me about the dangers, do you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“True, but its main danger is no worse than what you have faced, and will face again, when I ask you to do what I’m gonna ask you to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m afraid you lost me there, hoss.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Even after I’ve jump-started my powers,” Mike said, “I’m still going to need your help. How much Conjuura ‘juice’ do you still have?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A tad.” Callie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We’re gonna need a lot more than that.” Mike said, “Can you do the creepy-eyes thing in the dark?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The Malignium? I don’t know.” Callie replied, “Even if I could, I’d rather not. You don’t know how close I came to losing myself completely with that stuff. If I start up again, I don’t know what will happen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike took her by the shoulders: “I can’t save us without you, Cal. You’re just going to have to be strong.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Besides,” Jon said, “You’ll have US this time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“To keep you from going bonkers again.” Edward added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie sighed deeply. “Okay, but who do I…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Tullam and Bell.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The two Bufaaru looked up. They had been quietly listening to the conversation, but not understanding most of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes?” Bell asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How badly do you want to get outta here?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s a ridiculous question,” Tullam retorted, “We would do anything to get the hell out of here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Good, cause we’re gonna ask something of you; something you might find it off-putting, or repellant.” Mike said, “But it will be necessary.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We’ll do whatever you ask,” Bell said, “If it helps our escape.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike turned back to Callie. “Explain to them what you’re gonna try to do, and why. They both have nine years of war, grief, and loss with which to fuel you up. They may even thank you for the emotional release afterward. As for me, I’m gonna need some quiet time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike sat down on the ground, got comfortable, and closed his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In seconds, his spirit rose beyond the confines of the pit, and ascended to the heights. The ease with which he was now able to effect this was heartening. Below him, he saw the Frellam encampment, laid out like a map. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He headed towards the deepness of the woods, and summoned the Voss Vedu’un to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From the trees, ground, and living things, the greenish glowing energy rushed into him; like moisture to a sponge. He filled himself to bursting, but did not stop there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The key to the procedure was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">saturation</i>, Sparo had informed him; that was also the chief of its dangers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Many were those who had tried a jump-start, stayed too long, and were unable to break away. Their spirits became lost in the Voss Vedu’un, and their bodies soon died without them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike filled himself still more, till his spectral vision was a green blur. The euphoria was almost beyond bearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That was another danger. For some, the euphoria was addictive. They would return to the procedure again and again, for that buzz.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Constant saturation for its own sake</i>, Sparo had told him, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Will dull a Ma’jai’s senses. It will stunt and blunt his powers to the point that the Ma’jai is no longer a Ma’jai. He will lose all of his powers bit by bit, until even the ability to summon the Voss Vedu’un is taken from him. Then, that Ma’jai will go mad.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike kept the faces of his sister and friends before him, against the dangers of ensnarement. When at last he reached the crunch point of irresistible pull, he tore himself away, and returned to his body.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He opened his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Mike’s back.” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Both he and Jon were looking at him strangely.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What are you two---?” Mike said, “Wait! You can see me?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s your eyes, Mike,” said Edward, in a creeped-out voice, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They’re glowing!</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Your eyes started glowing green behind your lids, Mike.” Jon said, “When you opened them, they looked bizarro!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike blinked, and shook his head. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His vision was still tinged green, but he could feel the change in himself; the power. It extended itself within him like long-dormant wings, flapping open for the first time…aching to be used.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The procedure had succeeded.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Callie’s finished.” Mike said. It wasn’t a question.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes,” said Edward, “She’s finished with both of them. You were out of town for awhile.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Didn’t feel long to me at all</i>, Mike thought. He looked over and saw Tullam and Bell, looking numb and out of sorts; slumped in each other’s arms. Callie turned around, and Mike could see the euphoria of empowerment in her smile. He could relate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I couldn’t trance ‘em in the dark.” Callie said, “But it turns out you don’t need the trance if your ‘victims’ are willing; and helpful, to boot. I had them clear their minds and focus on me, and was able to create a mind-link that way. It was difficult and clumsy, but it got the job done. What about you? Was the---?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes, it was.” Mike said, “Now I think it’s time to go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He held his hands out before him, and closed his fists tight. Into each, he willed a concentration of power.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Something began to grow in those fists; began to push back. As his fingers were forced back, they could all see two deep blue glowing spheres, sparkling from within. They grew to about the size of tennis balls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m gonna blow open the door.” Mike said, “What I need from you Cal, is to levitate me out of this hole. Then yourself, then the others.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Will do.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“And what do you intend to do, when the Frellam notice us flying out of here?” Jon asked, “Fight them all?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“All I need to do is scare the hell outta them.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I hope you’re---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I am.” Mike said, “Now, everybody, get down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The spheres flew up from Mike’s hands, and burst on contact with the door, creating an upward explosion that shredded the door to splinters; and sent the splinters several feet in the air. The sound was deafening.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“CALLIE, NOW!” Mike shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie sent Mike flying upwards with a little too much force than necessary. He cleared the hole, an additional three feet, flipped over in mid-air, and landed on his back outside the hole’s perimeter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“OWWW!” Mike yowled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Sorry!” said Callie, as she zipped out of the hole, “Still new at this!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike got up fast. “Start getting them out, Cal!” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Roars rang out, as Frellam started running towards them, fangs bared.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The nearest of them leapt several feet into the air, in their direction. Mike raised a hand in a warding motion, and a large fireball erupted from it, hitting the Frellam square in the chest. It lit him up like dry brush, and sent him flailing backwards in a smoking arc of descent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike looked at his hand with bewilderment, as tiny tongues of flame danced on his fingertips, like pilot lights; the skin of his hand unaffected by any heat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well that’s even better!” he exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The fireball had come quicker to his hand than the blue sphere; easier too, as he had had to focus to create the sphere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike threw several successive fireballs at the nearest Frellam heading their way. These were smaller, and golf ball sized; just as incendiary, but with less kick.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now every Frellam in the encampment knew what was happening, and growls and roars filled the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Everyone’s out!” Callie shouted, from somewhere behind Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Watch my back Cal!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>No sooner had he said it, than Callie saw a young Frellam throw a spear at Mike’s back. Callie caught it with her power mid-flight, and sent it back at the Frellam, running him through.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Ridlaks then waded into the battle, but were buffeted with flaming Frellam hurled at them by Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike took his time with his next fireball, and produced an explosive wallop that sent both Ridlaks falling over and rolling on the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Ridlaks got up, but backed away. Unaccustomed to being knocked on their asses; they switched over to a “wait and see” attitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This seemed to deflate the situation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Frellam had them surrounded, but kept a fearful distance; there were no more outright attacks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What now?” Callie whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They don’t want to attack, but they’re not quite ready to let us go just yet.” Mike said, “I’m gonna hafta push ‘em a little more.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Most of the Frellam with toasted hair and flesh burns were males. Yet despite their charred appearance, they still looked formidable, and capable of ripping arms off.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t get cocky, Mike.” Jon said, “We’re still in a shigload of danger.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The first Frellam Mike had sent flying back aflame, worked his way to the head of the crowd. He had been put out quickly, but the singed hair on his chest, arms, and midsection, was beyond recall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The other Frellam held him back. “Ru kel fa gar kruma, Sin!” they said to him, “Prok ralla!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Kruma’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their word for sorcerer,</i> Mike thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now how the hell do I know that?!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike realized for the first time that their minds were open to him; had been, perhaps, since he opened his eyes from the jump-start. He had simply been oblivious to it. Even Callie, Jon, Edward, and the Bufaaru’s minds were open to him. It was like being surrounded by bins without lids; at a mental glance, he could see what was on the top of their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">And if he should delve? Was that possible?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He tried, and found that it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He dipped into the mind of the rash Frellam being held back by his friends, and found the ease of doing so almost sickening; like a sharp knife sinking into a gut.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinsak was his name; the Frellam whose mind he was invading, and he was the leader of this tribe of Frellam. The tribe had lost a turf war with another Frellam tribe, and had come down south from the Skidderex Mountains, following the curving arm of the Vawx Trail all the way here. They found the two Ridlak brothers along the way, doing the same (themselves the last members of a family that had died out in the cold waste of Sartholter in the north), and took them in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They were ferocious peoples, the Frellam and the Ridlaks; but ingrained within them both was a deep fear of magic, and those who wielded it. That fear was all that was holding them back from pressing their numerical advantage.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Better yet, Mike saw hidden in Sinsak, a terrible childhood fear that had traumatized him then, and haunted his nightmares still. A demonic figure called Skrudsraac. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Created by the ravings of an insane brother who had died young (perhaps murdered by his parents in the night), and his own dark imaginings; Skrudsraac was Sinsak’s personal boogieman from childhood. His fear of madness, personified.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike now had his weapon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“SINSAK!” he shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Frellam stopped arguing among themselves, and looked over at Mike; their faces struck with fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How do you know my name?” Sinsak asked, in his guttural language. He was now free of the arms that had been holding him back, but showed little desire to attack anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike chose the necessary words and inflections of their language from Sinsak’s own head.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are you not Sinsak, of the Nukker Kleetch?” Mike asked, “Are you not the Kabazgah of this Kleetch?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes.” Sinsak answered, “And who are you, besides food?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The threat was empty; Sinsak was creeped out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Knowing the face of his fear, Mike bent Sinsak’s mind into seeing what he wanted it to see. To his horror, Sinsak saw Mike’s face melt away like hot cheese, and the mad gaze of his childhood terror gape back at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I am Skrudsraac!” Mike intoned, making sure his voice sounded to Sinsak’s ears like a demonic growl, “He who sent your brother Kitchik into madness! I have come back for YOU!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You are NOT Skrudsraac!!” Sinsak shouted, but his voice quailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike was ready for this. “You would test me then? Fine, have a taste of madness!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike flooded Sinsak’s poor head with a rush of all the nightmare images he could muster, taken from Sinsak’s own dreams, even the ones he had forgotten. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“KEENAA!!” Sinsak screamed, covering his eyes with his hands, and falling to his knees. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The other Frellam looked shocked at his reaction. Their fear of Mike increased exponentially.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At last, Mike stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Try to harm us,” he whispered, his voice a low gravel to Sinsak’s ears alone, “And Kitchik’s fate is yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let them go!” Sinsak yelled, eyes still shielded, “LET THEM GO!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Frellam pulled back, and an opening appeared.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike, Callie, Jon, Edward, Tullam, and Bell walked through the main body of Frellam, all of whom shrank back as they passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once they cleared the encampment and entered the woods again, they began to run. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-13727239553759314632011-02-25T00:00:00.001-06:002011-02-25T00:00:11.260-06:00Chapter 46<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Frellam<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Something bad is coming.” Callie said, all of a sudden.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Everyone’s head perked up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was now several hours since they had left Murgent. The morning sun had risen. Breakfast had been enjoyed by all. Jon had relieved Mike of the wheel some time ago; Callie sat beside him in the front seats. All around them, the woods grew thick and close; but till now had shown only minimal signs of life. Callie’s words broke the comfortable silence into which they had all relaxed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Is this a Conjuura thing?” Mike asked, “Or one of those ‘woman’s intuition’ things?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t know, I just work here.” Callie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Is it something behind us? Ahead of us?” Edward asked, “From the woods maybe?” </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> He glanced nervously out of his window.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Beats the hell out of me.” Callie said, “It’s just a vague feeling; a sense of unease.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Should I go faster?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What part of ‘I don’t know’ are you people having a problem with?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’ll go faster.” Jon said, and stepped on the gas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“There is a way to find out.” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“YOU, Mike. You’re the Ma’jai. You can use your wizbang powers to scope things out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“My wizbang powers haven’t quite checked in yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s not entirely true.” Callie said, “Last night you were able to astral project, or whatever the hell they call it. Maybe you should try that now. See if you can see anything up ahead of us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I didn’t do it on purpose, it just sort of happened on its own.” Mike said, “I wouldn’t even know where or how to begin.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“If you are a Ma’jai, it should come naturally, no?” Jon asked, “Just rattle around in your noggin a bit, and see what pops out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Alright, I’ll give it a shot.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike spent the next several minutes trying to recreate his out-of-body experience. He closed his eyes, relaxed, and tried to find that place within himself that already knew how to accomplish that feat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After some searching, he found at last the outer edges of that mysterious place that had always been there, hidden away. Once found, it was only a matter of mastering the controls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike detached himself from his body, and floated up through the roof of the station wagon; keeping pace with it as he ascended. Looking down, he realized that, if he tried hard enough, he could see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">through</i> the wagon’s roof at Callie, Jon, Edward, and his own body. Knowledge of this ability came to him as easy as in a dream; as if he had always known, and was now merely remembering.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He flew above the tree-tops, and the exhilaration was incredible. The trees were glowing bright green with what Sparo had told him was called the Voss Vedu’un. The same power he had drawn on to rekindle his strength, during his tussle with Sparo in the basement of the Sarrgoset Hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The trees graciously gave of their bounty to him, but he had to stop himself from taking all that was offered; he had a task to perform.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He pulled ahead of the wagon, and looked through the trees, until he saw a sight that sent him flying back to the wagon in a headlong rush.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He dropped back down into his body like a lead weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His eyes flew open, and he yelled: “JON, STOP THE WAGON!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jon slammed the brakes as a large log, with branches still sticking out of it, landed in front of the station wagon. They stopped short of hitting the log, but were all jolted by the sudden stop. Had they not stopped when they did, the log might have crushed the passenger compartment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What the hell?!” said Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Reverse, Jon!” cried Mike, “Back up!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But he was too late, and another log fell behind them, trapping them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Lock the doors!” Mike yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t think that’s going to help.” said Jon, pointing at what had thrown the logs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Two seven-foot tall hairy men, broad of shoulders and wide of body, walked out of the woods and slouched toward the wagon. They were dressed in sewn-together tattered rags that served as pants, girded with ropes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Are those…Ridlaks?” Edward asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes,” said Mike, “But they’re not alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From behind the Ridlaks came forth a horde of wild men of more human size. They were dressed in a fashion similar to the Ridlaks, and were about as hairy. They moved quickly to surround the wagon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Azzamats?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Worse,” said Jon, “Frellam.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The first Ridlak reached the wagon, and bashed down on the wagon’s hood, again and again. It then peeled off the hood like the skin off a grape, threw it aside, and began to work on the wagon’s innards.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie turned her back on the destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What do we do, Mike?” she shouted over the din.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before Mike could answer, the other Ridlak reached the back of the wagon, and smashed in the back window. A rain of shattered glass filled the back cargo area. The giant tore off the back door hatch, with a grunt.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“CALLIE GET DOWN!” Jon cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie turned to see the front-side Ridlak take a swing at the windshield. Jon pushed Callie down to the floor of the wagon and hunkered down over her as the Ridlak’s arm and fist crashed through and showered them with broken glass.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meanwhile, the Ridlak at the back walked over to Edward’s door, and punched through the glass. Mike pulled Edward to him as the Ridlak grabbed the door with both hands and pulled it off its hinges. It tossed the door aside, reached in, and grabbed Edward’s legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward held on tight to Mike, as the Ridlak tried to drag him out. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> “MIKE!” he shouted in panic, “DON’T LET IT GET ME!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike tried to hold on to him, but the creature pulled hard and yanked Edward out. Mike went after him, but once out of the wagon, a Frellam grabbed him. Jon and Callie were likewise forced out by the Frellam. The Ridlak with Edward had him hanging upside down by the legs, and started to swing him around. It smiled with malice as Edward screamed and yelled; until the other Ridlak came over and gave him an open-handed whack on the back of the head. It dropped Edward and snarled at the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Fatta ozga, Gridumpidu!” it growled, “Krada nootch gra nalanan!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Ovudo ozga bujog, Grogguch.” the other replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward got up and started to run over towards Mike and the others, but one of the Frellam grabbed him and cuffed him on the side of the head hard enough to knock him out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“HEY!” Mike yelled, and tried to run to him. As he started to do so, he saw from the corner of his eye, Jon and Callie falling to the ground. He understood what was about to happen a second before he felt the blow to the back of his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then came darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike awoke to the sensation of being carried. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He was strung over the shoulder of one of the Frellam; his face irritated by it’s coarse back-hair (not to mention it’s awful stench). </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He turned his head, and saw Callie, Jon, and Edward also being carried over Frellam shoulders. He couldn’t tell if any of them were awake yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was no telling how long he had been out, but he could at least find out where they were being taken.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike closed his eyes, and concentrated on detaching himself from his body. The act came easier this time; Mike willed himself up beyond the treetops, and looked down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There were about thirty Frellam in the group, plus the two Ridlaks, who followed at the rear. Most of the other Frellam carried sacks of animals big and small that they must have caught hunting. They had carried Mike’s group deep into the woods.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They now approached a clearing with a large encampment of primitive huts. There were more Frellam there: females, children, and those males left behind to guard them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At the center of the encampment was a huge black cauldron. It looked like a communal area. Many bones were scattered around its perimeter; from small stick bones, to thick and substantial bones. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A meal had been had here, and recently.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Nearby was a deep rectangular pit, with a wooden house door set into it. The door was locked with an iron latch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike looked through the door at two forlorn figures, trapped inside. Curious, Mike willed himself down into the pit to get a better look at them, as they were of a race he had never seen before, except in books.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Treehoppers!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Mike thought, in wonder, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bufaaru, they call themselves. What are they doing </i>here<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">? They only live in the vast Ferren Forest, where the trees are HUGE.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two Bufaaru in the pit were male and female; the female lay with her head on the male’s chest, and the two were holding hands. Their prehensile tails were intertwined. They were about five feet tall, they were furry, like monkeys; but their faces were hairless and human-like.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two looked up at Mike, and gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They can see me!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Mike thought, until light filled the pit, and he realized that they were reacting to the opening of the wooden door; perhaps fearing that their time was up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But it wasn’t; not yet. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Frellam that had captured Mike and the others had reached the hole, and had opened the door to deposit their new catch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike turned towards the opening, in time to see his own body tossed down, through, and past himself. When his body landed, Mike felt himself jerked back into it. He opened his eyes and got up, only to have Jon fall on him, followed by Callie, Edward, and several sacks worth of dead animals. The Frellam then shut and locked the door, leaving them in darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The others had already regained consciousness, and now they fumbled around blindly in the dark (except for Mike, who could see in the dark, but was at the present moment pinned at the bottom of the pile).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“OWW! GET OFF!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sorry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“My HAIR! Someone’s caught my HAIR!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, is that what that is?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“AHH! Who hit me with their elbow?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sorry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What is that SMELL?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The stench of death, I believe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At last they unpiled themselves, and felt around their new prison.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why does everyone we meet want to lock us up?!” Callie lamented.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It must be our sparkling personalities.” Edward replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is everybody okay?” Mike asked, “Considering the Concussion-Fest we’ve all just gone through…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I come for the head trauma, I stay for the service.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m okay.” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Me too.” Callie said, “I could do without the luxurious aroma of dead things. Any chance of a good breeze?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No chance of that.” Jon said, testing the door’s give by pushing up on it with his hands, “The door’s shut tight. I think they must have put something heavy on it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, there’s a metal latch thingy.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Shig.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“By the way, we’re not alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“There are two Bufaaru in here with us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Treehoppers?” Jon asked, “Here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah. Gimme a minute and I’ll go see what’s up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Last time I checked, you don’t speak ‘Jingo’, or whatever the heck the name of their language is.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I think it’s ‘Jargo’.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Actually, it’s ‘Jogo’.” the male Bufaaru said, “But we can speak Thrist as well. Our race learned it long ago, in order to trade and barter with the Thrist. My name is Tullamigannan, and with me is my companion, Bellaillazuu.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just call us Tullam and Bell.” the female said, in a delicate voice, “Bufaaru family names are always so needlessly long. Anyway, we were captured by the Frellam just as you were; but there were ten of us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What happened to---” Edward started to ask, but stopped when Mike gave him a gentle nudge, “Oh…sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes,” Tullam said, his voice sad, “They saved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us</i> for later. In case the hunters came back a little low.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If you don’t mind my asking,” Mike said, “What are Bufaaru doing in these here woods?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: center 483.0pt; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I could ask the same of you.” Bell replied.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Granted, but isn’t your race situated predominantly in the Ferren Forest?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes it is,” Tullam said, “But about nine years ago, the Gistren, the most powerful of the tree-tribes of Ferren, began a war of conquest. Many trees were conquered. Bell and I were leaders of the Sedare tree-tribe. We and our allies fought hard against the Gistren Alliance for nine long years; but in the end…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We lost,” Bell said, “And were exiled.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Exiled?” Callie asked, “To the ground?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She remembered reading that, for the Bufaaru, being expelled from the tribal tree, to scrounge a living off the forest floor, was a great humiliation; and tantamount to a death sentence, since the forest floor was full of predators.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was worse than that.” Bell said, “They gathered up the surviving heads of the tribes that had allied against them, and exiled us and our families; not just from our trees, but from Ferren itself, on pain of death.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Bell stopped, and Mike could see a silent tear stream down her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tullam continued for her: “Bell and I led them out of Ferren, enduring many painful losses along the way. These were the closest woods available to us, so we came here; only to discover that a tribe of Frellam from the north had also made their home here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And the Frellam are always hungry.” Bell added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So how did you get captured?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Like the Frellam, we have to eat too.” Tullam said, “These trees are not as rich in sustenance as those in Ferren; and we’ve had to start hunting for food on the ground. A dangerous proposition, let me tell you. So we instituted a ground-hunting force.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It worked well,” Bell said, “Until last night…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And now eight of my friends are dead.” Tullam said, shame and grief palpable in his voice, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Food for the wretched Frellam!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike saw Bell take Tullam’s hand, and kiss it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So now you’ve heard our sad story,” Bell said, “What is yours? How did you get here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Long story short: we’re running away from one ruthless enemy, toward an even worse one.” Mike said, “It’s complicated.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Confusing as well.” Edward added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The Frellam somehow knew we were coming.” Mike went on, “They attacked us and destroyed our vehicle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How could they have known you were coming?” Bell asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know.” Mike replied, “But I can guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So what do we do now?” Edward asked, “Wait to die?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No.” Mike said, “We’re getting out of here. All of us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You have a plan?” asked Callie.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nope,” Mike replied, “Something better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-29144984778950549422011-02-18T00:00:00.001-06:002011-02-18T00:00:02.273-06:00Chapter 45<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Babbidaz<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A little more than an hour after the departure of Mike, Callie, Jon, and Edward; an ash grey car drove into the desolate town of Murgent. It stopped in front of the Sarrgoset Hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The car door opened, and Charles Longstreet stepped out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He walked over to the hotel; its front door was ajar.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Longstreet entered the hotel, passed through the hall, and walked into what appeared to be the aftermath of a full-scale slaughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Gods!” Longstreet said, “Those kids are a wrecking crew!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He went up the sticky red stairs; then up another flight of stairs, to the third floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He found the room he was instructed to find.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The door was open.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There he found more bodies, more blood and gore.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He found the one he was looking for: a hefty woman with a knife in her back; she looked cut up and battered, to boot.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He removed the knife from her back and, with a grunt of effort, turned her over; face up. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He took the knife, and sliced across the palm of his hand. He poured his thick polluted blood into the body’s open mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Longstreet smiled. “Behold the wonders of magic.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda’s eyes fluttered open, and her terrible scream could be heard for miles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was about an hour ago, as his children were leaving Murgent, that Charles Longstreet had received a communiqué from his current employer, master, and all-around string-puller; Araboam Sinestri.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He had been driving as fast as he dared, in the night; trying to make up the running head-start Mike and Callie had on him. Suddenly, the radio in his stolen car turned itself on, and tuned itself, to a static-filled realm between stations.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The static thinned out, and a voice spoke.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hello again</i>.” it said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You.” said Longstreet, “I wondered when I’d hear from you again. I take it you’re none too pleased at my rate of success. Well if that’s the case, you only have yourself to blame; you’ve been of no help to me at all. You give me very little information and no back-up of any kind; you throw me out here and expect me to do it all on my own. Well I’m sorry, that’s going to take some time---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On the contrary</i>,” the voice interrupted, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All things are going as planned</i>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Do not think for a moment I had not taken your incompetence into my calculations</i>. As a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">variable, it has been quite predictable; and yet more useful to my ends than you can imagine</i>.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh.” Longstreet said, unsure of how to take that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nor will you be alone in your task for very long</i>. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">have instructions for when you reach Murgent, and you must follow them to the letter</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I will do as you say.” Longstreet replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Listen close</i>…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda wouldn’t stop screaming, and Longstreet was about out of patience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Stop that!” he shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda stopped screaming; but began, instead, to moan. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Leave me be!” she said, “Let me stay dead!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No.” Longstreet said, “You’re a witch, you know how this works; you gotta do as I say.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m of no use to you as a corpse,” she said, “My power is gone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That's not entirely true, now is it? There’s still one thing you can do.” he said, “One little thing, and I'll return you to your final rest.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What do you want</i>? I'll do it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I want you to conjure up a Morrtog for me.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Longstreet cleared an unbloodied area of loose debris, as Zedda went to her room, to fetch some manner of magical paraphernalia. She returned with colored chalksticks, and a golden ceremonial knife.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“There are more elegant, safer, and…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">genteel</i> versions of the ritual I’m about to perform,” Zedda explained, “But this is the quickest way; the ancient way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She handed the knife to Longstreet, and bent down to her knees and drew a crude circle about twenty inches in circumference, with one of the chalksticks. Using various colors, she drew strange runes around the inside wall of the circle, and a major symbol at its center.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Jammuk Jarru” she said, “The Door In.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She put aside the chalks, got back to her feet, and started removing her bloody and tattered clothes; until she stood naked before him, and utterly unabashed about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“This next part requires blood.” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She handed him the chalksticks, and took from him the golden knife. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Its blade was shiny and sharp, and with a single flick, she cut across the tops of her index and middle fingers. The blood that came forth from these openings was not red, but a darkening burgundy. She used this blood to draw another circle, this time on her ample belly. A runic symbol, different to the one on the floor, went in the center of the new circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Jammuk Parra.” Zedda said, “The Door Out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Swell.” Longstreet said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He was anxious to get back on the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Before I begin, I must warn you.” Zedda said, “The code of my order forbids any Conjuura from summoning more than one Morrtog in her lifetime. I myself broke that code, among others, when I summoned my second Morrtog, Mr. Balooda.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Was he out of control?” Longstreet asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, it wasn’t a problem of control. Balooda was just as servile as Mr. Blessure, my first. It was a problem of palatability. Balooda came out just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">skewed</i>; demented in both appearance and character. It’s a matter of diminishing returns, you see. Every time one reaches into that bag, one gets a less stable specimen. I shudder to think what a third summoning, from a dead Conjuura with corrupted blood no less, will produce.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’ll soon see, won’t we?” Longstreet said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda stepped into the chalk circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Now begins NiyaChakNya, the dark summoning,” she said, “You must not touch nor interrupt me in any way; no matter what you see.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No problem there.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The Jammuk Parra will expel the Morrtog in it’s true form. I must give it a name before it’s free. So it is important that you not make a sound or distract me---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Understood!” Longstreet shouted, getting antsy, “Let’s get on with it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda interlaced her fingers and brought them up behind her head. She arched her back to an unpleasant degree, and closed her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Peyya Korrien, MorrCha Ard sah KunChuReen!” she spoke in a loud voice, “Ussa Zedda Stanetta, um KunChurra, NaGarr tevvis Jammuk NaHwa Xalix shessa Maqwa! Umma um MorrTog, ChaNya sah MorrCha, shessa agraffa ChunTra!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Silence alone, answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Minutes ticked by. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda’s eyes remained closed. Her unsettling posture did not waver in the slightest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then…there came a sudden and awful ripping sound, like flesh being torn, from the vicinity of Zedda’s midsection.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It has begun!” Zedda gasped, as a hole appeared on her stomach, in the shape of the blood circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Longstreet’s mouth gaped, as a horrid red light <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">poured</i> forth from the hole, along with what sounded like a million lions roaring over the aural backdrop of exploding suns. Worse yet was what he could <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">see</i>. A hellworld painted lava red; burning so bright it lit up the rest of Zedda’s torso like a candle in a pumpkin. And in that hellworld could be seen moving mountains of crawling black beasts that climbed over each other like a swarm of roaches; mountains that that tottered, fell, and rebuilt themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“GODS!!” came out of Longstreet’s mouth in a dry croak.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“QUIET ASS!” Zedda screamed, her voice almost lost in the din. Her eyes were open now; so wide, they looked as if they might pop off.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ussa, KunChurra, NuallYa ChunTra YanNya Xalix um MorrTog, um ChaNya sah MorrCha, NaHwa grawpus!” she recited.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At this a massive talon came through the hole and grabbed the side of it. Another talon appeared and grabbed the other side, and a black bumpy head consisting of needle-sharp teeth and red eyes pulled itself through, and roared. It looked at up Longstreet and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">smiled</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The beast pulled it’s arms through, one at a time, then popped it’s shoulders out. The hole showed no sign of expanding beyond the borders of the blood circle, so the Morrtog had to squeeze itself through mercilessly, to climb out of the hole. It’s talons now reached the floor, and it skittered at the hardwood, looking for purchase. The good thing about all this was that it blocked and muted the sounds and visions of that other place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Throughout all this, Zedda continued to maintain her arched posture; a vision of surreality beyond even Longstreet’s experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog was now halfway out; the rim of the hole at it’s middle (around where it’s navel would be, if it had such a thing). It was coming much faster now, and would pull itself free in seconds. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda removed her hands from behind her head and placed them gently on the thing’s jagged back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I NAME YOU…” she began to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Then something unexpected happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Upon Zedda’s first word, the Morrtog somehow turned itself around within the hole until it faced up, bent itself toward her, and grabbed her shoulders. All this lightning quick.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As it’s talons sunk into her, her pronouncement was cut short. Her mouth opened in that deep intake of breath before a shattering scream. Then, with an upward thrust, the creature lunged at Zedda’s neck and chomped off enough of it that the head fell backward; where it met her back, kept from falling off by a single strap of flesh. Eyes open in horror, mouth open in a scream that never came.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog propelled the rest of it’s body all the way out of the hole so fast, it was out before the body could fall. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Behind it, the hole to it’s realm faded away and turned to flesh once more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog arose, as Zedda’s ruined body at last succumbed to gravity, and collapsed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog turned toward Longstreet; grunting in a gravel-filled voice something like: <i>owwmm</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">! eeyowwmm! eeyowwmm! eeyowwmm!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The sound of that cut through Longstreet like a knife, but he showed no outward annoyance or fear. He stood his ground as Sinestri had instructed him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“KenJa ved RaFa ChorrGen?” it asked in it’s throaty voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Speak Thrist.” Longstreet said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog looked at him with curiosity. It looked back at Zedda’s body.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She brought me forth, but she was not my master.” it said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Neither are you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No.” said Longstreet, “But I serve the one whose dark blood brought you forth. Do you wish proof?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog shrugged. Longstreet lifted the hand he had cut to resurrect Zedda, and held it under the Morrtog’s snout. It sniffed at the caked and clotted blood at great length, and made that annoying “Owwmm! Eeyowwmm! Eeyowwmm!” noise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is that sufficient?” Longstreet asked, with disgust.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Morrtog bit off his pinky and ring finger with such quickness, that Longstreet didn’t know what had happened until he saw his fingers in the Morrtog’s mouth; when it started chewing them with open-mouthed glee.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’ll do.” It answered, opening it’s mouth and showing him the black gristly mess on it’s forked tongue.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Black blood poured from the stumps like warm syrup, but Longstreet felt no pain; only a minor throbbing that dissipated within seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sinestri’s Malevolencia</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Longstreet thought to himself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s numbed me. In more ways than one, no doubt</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With his good hand, he took out a clean handkerchief, and wrapped the damaged hand; but already, the black blood was down to a dribble.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It’s getting thicker all the time</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, thought Longstreet, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How much time do I have, before it solidifies? Could that be why Sinestri wants this creature? To take over for me when I turn into a useless lump of coal</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But those were questions for later.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You will not do that again.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“As you wish.” the Morrtog said with feigned servility, as black drool ran down the sides of it’s mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And you will take a more human-looking size and form.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“As you command.” the Morrtog replied. It closed it’s eyes and began to shimmer, decreasing in size, just a bit. When the shimmering stopped, a tall and pallid man stood before him. He had long jet-black hair and wore a black raincoat. His eyes, however, remained red; and his smile was still an alarming array of white daggers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Close enough, I guess.” Longstreet said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What name will you bestow upon me?” It asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Name yourself.” Longstreet said. He turned and walked out of the room, down the two sets of stairs, and out of the hotel. The Morrtog followed. When Longstreet got back in his car, the Morrtog joined him in the passenger seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Babbidaz.” It said, “My name will be Babbidaz.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good,” said Longstreet, and started the car, “What does that mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Death.” Babbidaz replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-24447985707020850212011-02-11T00:00:00.003-06:002011-02-11T00:00:00.592-06:00Chapter 44<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sparo’s Tale<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Mike!” Callie cried out, and knelt by the body of her fallen brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Wait!” Sparo shouted, “I might still be able to bring him back!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?” Callie said, “You can?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes,” said Sparo, rubbing his hands together, “He’s not as far gone as the others. He’s just within the grasp of my power. I just hope I have enough strength left in me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sparo knelt beside Callie and placed a hand on Mike’s forehead, and the other on his chest. He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow in intense concentration.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward and Jon crouched around Callie and watched along with her, as a healthy glow steadily crept back into Mike’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike gasped back to life like a man awakening from a nightmare; startling the hell out of the four around him. He sat up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“SHIG!! What the---! What happened just now?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“He’s back!” cried Callie, embracing him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike’s bewildered face looked at the people around him. “Did I go somewhere?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You were dead, again.” Edward said, “And you were brought back from the dead; again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This is becoming a habit with you, it seems.” Jon added.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Dead? How---?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Zedda’s final spell was brok</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">en.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Callie explained, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">All who were kept alive by it, including you, fell dead when she was killed. Th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">is guy, Nurre</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">k---”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Sparo.” Sparo corrected.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“He was able to bring you back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why only me?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> Mike asked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You still had some life force in you,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> Sparo said, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Not having died multiple times, like the others.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike turned his head and looked over at the bodies of Egann and Ray. “I feel so sorry for those guys,” he said, “Without their help I don’t know how much of this victory would have been possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“At least it’s over for them.” Edward said, “I mean, I wish they could have lived to enjoy life without Zedda, but…at least their nightmare is over. They can finally rest in peace.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’ll have to do, I guess.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He got up to his feet, the others did as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What now?” Edward asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t know about you guys,” Sparo said, “But I’m hungry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They went down the red and sticky stairs, to the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It appeared to be empty, but they found two dead kids in the lower cupboards, where they had hidden themselves during the night’s noisy and chaotic battles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, poor things.” Callie said with regret.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They respectfully removed the bodies to another room. They cleared out all the trays on the preparation table, and then scrounged around for chairs to set around said table, until they found the necessary five.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They prepared for themselves a quick supper, and then sat down to eat, and talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They began by comparing notes. What each had done and gone through since they were separated. Mike, Callie, Jon, and Edward each told their tale; when they were done, they turned at last to Sparo.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So what’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i> story?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“MY story,” Sparo said, “Is a bit long and involved.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Just give us the hits, then.” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Okay,” Sparo said. He organized his thoughts for a moment, and then jumped straight into it: “Up until three months ago, I was just another ordinary kid from an average family. Or so I thought. I had not the slightest inkling that I was, in fact, a Ma’jai.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How could you not know such a thing?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s complicated.” Sparo said, “Ma’jai powers are hereditary, but they don’t tend to appear until one is in his or her late teens, thereabouts. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Now, unless one or both parents are Ma’jai themselves, most don’t know what they are until their powers begin to arrive. That’s how it was in my case; both of my parents were ordinary.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It turns out magic doesn’t always follow hereditary rules; it’ll disappear from families for generations, for no apparent reason, then reappear just as mysteriously. Or, one child in a family will be one, while the others will not. And then there are many different <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">types</i> of Ma’jai. Not just variations in strength, but variations in abilities. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There are powers common to all, powers only some have, and powers that are very rare. There are Ma’jai who specialize in only one or two, and some who have a smidgen of everything.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What kind are you?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m an Icarin.” Sparo answered, “The most powerful and rarest of the Ma’jai. The rule of thumb on Icarins is, that one appears maybe once every hundred years or so; although there have been some notable exceptions to that rule. Most of my powers are still dormant, though; Zedda was right about that. And I am much too young to have developed what little I have, but I’ll get to that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I doubt your powers seemed ‘little’ to either Zedda, or her Morrtogs.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“True enough.” Sparo replied, “Anyway, as I was saying, three months ago I was ignorant of all this. My parents and I were visiting relatives in Briston, and on our way back home, we missed a crucial turn or something, and got way off course. We ended up in Murgent.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Rotten luck, man.” Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Zedda knew I was coming, and what I was; she also knew that my powers were as yet latent. She and her Morrtogs built a special box to contain me. Once in the box, I would be encased within its spells; even after my powers developed. That way, when the time came, she could drain me at her leisure; without a worry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why didn’t she just drain you right off the bat?” Edward asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No powers mean nothing worth draining.” Sparo said, “She had to be patient, for once.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie nodded silently, in understanding. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How enticing it must have been for Zedda,</i> she thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">At</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the prospect of draining a Ma’jai! How much power, I wonder, could be had from such a transaction?</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sparo continued: “Upon entry into Murgent, my parents were struck mad by Zedda’s insanity spell. Then, Blessure and Balooda descended upon our car, tore the roof off, and plucked me out. The car kept going until it hit a tree. I was thrown screaming into a crate of some sort, and taken to the hotel, the basement, and finally the magic box of illusion that would become my cage for the next three months. Zedda drew the circles of containment, and I was left there in the dark; in shock, and alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s awful.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“My first week down there was hell. I was terrified, and when Balooda started sending kids down there as punishment, it was worse. I tried to talk to them, plead with them, but never got any reply other than screams and whimpers. I didn’t know that the box translated my appearance to something monstrous, and my pleas to terrifying roars.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why did Zedda allow Balooda to lock kids down there?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She had faith that the illusion was fearsome enough to prevent anybody from tampering with either the box, or the circles drawn on the floor around it. That’s what the illusion was created to do, and it worked. Most kids were too terrified by the sounds to even come down the stairs and have a look at me. As a plus, for Zedda, the experience added a new level of torment to their despair…and mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“With nothing to do, nothing to see or hear, I turned inward; and the first faint whispers of my power arrived, much earlier than they should have. I didn’t know where these powers came from, or why I had them; but I had all the time necessary to study them. Very soon I was able to see the movement of time itself. I saw many great events of the past, accumulated much knowledge, and thus came to know the history of my kind. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What I was…what I was born to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What were you born to do?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“To fight against a coming darkness. That’s what all Icarins are born for; why the birth of one is considered a bad omen.” Sparo said, “It is a sign of a terrible struggle yet to be fought.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sparo visibly shuddered. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He continued: “I had at last found myself, but too late. I could not break through Zedda’s magic circles. Nor could I communicate with anyone. I was, however, able to set my mind free and explore beyond the confines of Zedda’s sphere of influence. I saw you guys coming, and knew you’d be instrumental in getting me out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why us?” Callie asked, “And what was so different about Mike that you were able to get him to fall asleep and take over his body, and not any of the others who had been brought down there in the past?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike groaned inward. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This was the subject he had been dreading.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“In order for me to influence a mind through all of Zedda’s magical encumbrances, it had to be a mind on the same wavelength, if you will, as mine.” Sparo replied, “It had to be the mind of a fellow Ma’jai.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie, Edward, and Jon’s mouths hit the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike shook his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, Mike, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>.” Sparo insisted, “I made contact with you upon your entrance into Murgent, though you did not know it consciously. It was I who influenced you into spitting in Balooda’s face, because I knew it would get you thrown in the basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i> who decided to spit in Balooda’s face!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, but it was I who <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">suggested</i> it to your conscious mind.” Sparo retorted, “Like a whisper from the back of your head. I regret what you had to undergo, but it was necessary; plus I knew you’d come back to life. What I didn’t foresee was that your death would kickstart some of your powers, as my imprisonment kickstarted mine. You know what I’m talking about, though you glossed over it in your recounting. How you fought me tooth and nail, when I started taking over your body. Your strength was impressive, but not enough to stop me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie, Edward, and Jon, meanwhile; were still reeling over the initial revelation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Did I hear you right?” Callie asked, “Did you just say---?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You heard me.” Sparo said, “Why are you so surprised that your brother is magically-inclined, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Conjuura</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s different,” Callie said, “Zedda had to teach me---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Please!” Sparo interrupted her again, “How many would-be Conjuuras do you suppose could levitate on their first day of training? Or intuitively figure out how to reverse a mind-link, for that matter?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike cut in. “Look, whatever I saw or did after you put me to sleep had to have been a fluke, no doubt caused by all the weird magical crap in this place. Besides, how could it be true? In all my life, I’ve never done any of these things before. Not once.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s why they’re called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dormant</i> powers.” Sparo said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why are we having such a hard time believing this?” Jon asked, “Sparo’s clearly a Ma’jai, and if he says Mike’s one too, why don’t we take him at his word? Callie levitated before our eyes, and we took it in stride. Sparo says Mike’s a Ma’jai, and we freak out! Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Because I’m nobody.” Mike said, “I can easily believe Callie is something special. But me? Besides, if I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> a Ma’jai, Zedda would have known it, like she knew about you, Sparo. But she didn’t, did she?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You can’t go by that.” Sparo countered, “Divination is an art, not a science. It’s possible Zedda mistook Callie to be the ‘person of interest’ her readings perhaps foresaw.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He’s got you there, Mike.” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright already,” Mike said, throwing his hands up in surrender, “Let’s say I AM a Ma’jai. Fine. What the hell does that entail? Do I get a pamphlet or something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just go on with your life, and don’t worry about it.” Sparo said, “These things unfold slowly. When they begin to show up, you’ll know how to use them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They had all finished eating by this point, and a feeling descended upon them that the time for talk was coming to an end. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So, what will you do now, Sparo?” Callie asked, “Where will you go?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“There are people I must find now, and join,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 32px;">” </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 32px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Sparo said,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“B</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">rave Ma’jai who guard against the coming dark.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, we have an extra vehicle now,” Mike said, “Since Jon brought us our wagon back. Can you drive?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If I sit on a thick enough pillow, I can.” Sparo answered, “For a little while, at least. Once I start hitting the towns, I’ll probably get funny looks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, that might be a problem.” Mike said. He took the Macatto Insurance car keys out of his pocket, and handed them to Sparo. “I wouldn’t let the frain see you either. You don’t look a day over eleven.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I AM eleven.” Sparo said, “But don’t worry about me, I can take care of myself. After taking down two Morrtogs and a Conjuura, I doubt the frain will be much of a challenge for me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Any further matters to discuss, before we take our leave of this hell-hole?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What about our dead friends?” Edward asked, “Are we just gonna leave them here to rot? Without Egann and Ray, we couldn’t have put a stop to Zedda’s reign.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ed’s right,” Callie said, “We owe them big.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What can we do?” Jon asked, “We can’t bury them all. I don’t know how far behind your dad is, Callie; but I do know he will be showing up sooner or later, and we don’t want to be here when that happens.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Funeral pyre.” Callie replied, “We can set the hotel on fire. Burn it to the ground. What do you think?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike shook his head. “This whole town is kindling. If we set the hotel ablaze, it’ll spread fast and consume all of Murgent.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Which is bad why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Because Murgent is nestled right up against the same woods we intend to enter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m afraid we can’t do anything for our dead friends, Ed.” Jon said, “Perhaps in time, the woods will retake this place. As for us, we have to keep moving.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“I understand.” Edward said, “Let’s go.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The five got to their feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Can I ask you one last question, Sparo?” Callie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sure.” Sparo replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why the hell did Zedda keep calling you ‘Nurrek’?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sparo smiled. “That was Zedda’s little joke at my expense. Well, less a joke than a jibe. In XaliXal, the language of the Morrtogs, ‘Nurrek’ means ‘Monster’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They raided the hotel’s pantry, and loaded up the vehicles. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sparo finished first, and pulled Mike aside for a private conversation; the subject of which would come to importance…later.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When they were finished, they gathered between the vehicles, in front of the hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So Sparo, this is goodbye.” Callie said, giving him a hug, “Thanks for saving Mike’s life, as well as our collective asses.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Take care of yourselves.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I noticed you never asked us where WE are going.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know where the road you’re taking leads.” Sparo answered grimly, and left it at that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sparo got in his new car, while Mike, Callie, Jon, and Edward turned toward the station wagon. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Edward dashed to stake his claim to the wagon’s front passenger seat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Mike can drive first.” Jon said, “After all, he spent most of his time here asleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Funny.” said Mike, but he was already getting in behind the wheel. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie and Jon got in the back seats, and snuggled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike looked through the rearview mirror, and saw Sparo drive away in the direction they had entered Murgent from; back toward civilization.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Something just occurred to me, Mike.” Callie said from behind him, “What if Dad and Sparo cross paths, and Dad recognizes the car? What if he tries something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We should be so lucky.” Mike said, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“If that happens, my money's on Sparo.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He put the key into the ignition, turned it, and the wagon came to life. Mike gave the steering wheel a light kiss. “Glad to have you back, ol’ girl.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They drove through the now empty town, and reached the rickety bridge that led out of Murgent. They passed over the groaning bridge, reached the “YOU ARE LEAVING MURGENT. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SEE YOU AGAIN SOON!</i>” sign, and crossed it unobstructed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re through!” Callie said, with a sigh of relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon kissed her and held her tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ahead of them, the road seemed to stretch forever, bracketed by a dense and dark wood.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here we go.” said Edward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-75643275978349127582011-02-04T00:00:00.001-06:002011-02-04T00:00:00.637-06:00Chapter 43<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Conjuura<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> In the midst of their battle, Blessure and Balooda suddenly stopped fighting. Their instincts told them that their mistress was in danger. Zedda’s enemies would be upon her if they didn’t move fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Still in their monstrous forms, they dashed back into Balooda’s office through the hole in the wall, and up the hall to the ruined front desk. There they saw the townspeople flowing up the stairways.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> With a bound, they both leapt up and landed on the second floor balcony, before any of the townspeople reached the second floor. There they separated, and moved to block both stairways.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> As the fearlessly insane citizenry reached the top of the stairs, the two Morrtogs tore into the onrush, ripping them to shreds, not allowing a single one to pass through. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The stairs ran red with their blood. Bodies, body parts, and gore began to litter the foyer below.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “They’re not getting through!” Egann shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “At this rate, we’re gonna run out of townspeople real fast.” Ray said, “Then what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Maybe I can help.” a voice said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Zedda returned from her room. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She did not look happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> She had always understood that her thrall over Murgent would not last forever; that at some point the status quo would break apart, and she would have to move on to something else. Still, the shock of how after so many years of near omniscience to the goings-on all around her, she had been so easily blinded, chilled her to the marrow. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> It was the girl, of course; Mr. Blessure had been right about that all along.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She walked into her divination room, and found Callie waiting for her there, alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Are we finished already?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Yes.” Callie replied, “I think we are quite finished here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Oh?” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “It’s over Zedda.” Callie said, “I think you know this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Really?” Zedda said. Her voice was calm, but it was a deceptive calm; Callie could sense the fury and fear bubbling underneath it. “I think I’ll be the judge of that.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> With a gesture from Zedda’s hand, Callie was shot into the air, smashed against the wall, and held there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Callie felt pressure crushing her lungs. She struggled to breath and couldn’t. Nor could she move a muscle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “I decide when things are over.” Zedda said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> She pushed Callie slowly up the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Callie began to suffocate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Egann, Ray, and Edward turned to see Mike, Jon, and some kid sprint towards them. It was the unknown kid who had spoken.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> The six met.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Who are you?” Egann asked the stranger.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “I’m Sparo. I was the monster in the box.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Don’t ask.” Mike said to Egann.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Okay, how can you help?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Watch.” Sparo said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> He walked to a position between the stairways and lifted his hands, palms up. Into both appeared a translucent blue glowing sphere; each about the size of a tennis ball.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> He hurled one, then the other, at Blessure and Balooda.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Blessure got hit first. The sphere hit him in the chest, and burst on impact with an explosion of force that blew Blessure back and through the wall behind him; into the empty room beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> Balooda got his a second later, to the same effect.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> This was all the townspeople needed; they pushed forth into the second floor. Blessure and Balooda recuperated quickly, and tore into the mob again, but too many had crowded into the second floor, and many made it past the two.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “How did you do that?!” Egann asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “You guys need to get up to the third floor to help Mike’s sister.” Sparo said, ignoring Egann’s question, “There’s not enough townspeople left to keep the Morrtogs busy. I’m gonna have to draw them down here. When they come down, you go up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Shouldn’t they be coming back to life again?” Edward asked, pointing to the bodies and body parts of the townspeople that littered the foyer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “That spell is over.” Egann said, “The eggs are broken.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Then why are YOU guys still alive?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “I’ve been wondering about that myself.” Egann said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Because Zedda herself is the final egg.” Sparo said, “Your life force is tied to hers. While she lives, the children of Murgent live.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “And when she dies, we die.” Egann nodded, “But to be rid of her, every child of Murgent would gladly die.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Not so fast!” Sparo said, “If we’re lucky, there might just be another option. But first things first...”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> He raised his hands again; palms down this time. Twin streams of fire sprayed out from them and engulfed both Blessure and Balooda. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“GO NOW! RUN!” he shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Unable to avoid the fire, the two enraged Morrtogs jumped to the ground floor, to meet Sparo head on; as Mike, Jon, Edward, Egann, and Ray bolted up the blood-drenched stairs with the last of the townsfolk. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Fight me, girl!” Zedda taunted the helpless Callie, “Or have you accumulated nothing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie tried, but could not loosen herself, nor could she affect Zedda. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As her vision began to blur, she caught sight of Zedda’s marble Seer’s Basin, and sent it flying into her as hard as she could.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It hit Zedda on the side and knocked her over.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda shouted in pain and surprise, and Callie fell to the floor, coughing and heaving great amounts of air.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Through glassy eyes she saw Zedda get up. Her dress was all wet with the basin’s luminescent water.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I must say you disappoint me, Callie.” Zedda said, “You’ve chosen to challenge me much <i>much</i> too early; you must know that. On your first day!? Really? Are you kidding me? Who do you think you are?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda floated up into the air. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Fine,” she said, almost sadly, “Let’s do this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie felt an invisible hand tighten around her throat. She was levitated and brought right up to Zedda; face to face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Anymore tricks?” Zedda asked, “Because now is the time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She put her hands on Callie’s shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“No? Too bad. I was hoping you’d be a little more powerful when it came time to do this, but beggars can’t be choosers.” she said, “What a waste. Goodbye, Callie. Enjoy being a vegetable.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda’s eyes grew large and hypnotic. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She initiated the Malignium.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">From below there came a sudden clamor, as the townspeople that had gotten past the Morrtogs bashed and scrabbled against the closed and knobless door; trying to get in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The noise startled Zedda. Her eyes stopped their trancing effect and the grip around Callie’s neck loosened. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie saw her opportunity. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">She moved her head back and head-butted Zedda as hard as she could.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Both yelped in pain, and both fell screaming to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie wasted no time getting up. She made to run for the door, but Zedda grabbed her ankle and tripped her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Again came the invisible hand of Zedda’s power. Callie was lifted off the ground. Still on her back, Zedda sent Callie up to the ceiling, and slammed her up against it hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The two Conjuuras looked at each other across the vertical span of the room. Callie tried to focus on something to launch at Zedda, but Zedda lowered her a bit, then slammed her against the ceiling again, making her see stars.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Then, the door opened wide, and a contingent of mad townspeople ran into the room, along with Mike, Jon, Egann, Ray, and Edward, who had opened the door for them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">They saw Zedda on the floor, and threw themselves upon her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Down on the first floor, Sparo faced off with the Morrtogs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He chucked a blue sphere at Balooda, and struck him in mid-leap; the one in his other hand he grew and thinned out into a shield-like shape that repelled Blessure backward, and sent him crashing into the section of the front desk that had remained standing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">He summoned two more blue power spheres into each hand, but this time he elongated them into two long thin blue cords that coiled, whiplashed, and stretched themselves like living tendrils.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Balooda and Blessure attacked from opposite sides. One cord snapped at Balooda’s face, impaled him in the forehead, and passed through to the other side of his head; while the other one wrapped itself around Blessure’s neck, and tightened mercilessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Now,” said Sparo, as he flattened his cords to a blade-like width, “Let’s see what you two are made of…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Forgotten by Zedda, Callie began to fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She summoned forth all the power she had accumulated from the Malignium and halted her descent about halfway down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She was levitating. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Wow, I </span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">AM<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> a natural!</i> Callie thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She looked down and saw the townspeople tearing at Zedda with their bare hands and teeth. Some pulled her hair. Some kicked at her. Two or three had knives and sliced at her most incompetently.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda managed to throw some of them off, but they would only get up and attack again. One of them was sent flying with such force, that he hit Callie in midair and sent both crashing down on one of the tables. The table turned over and spilled the two to the floor with a crash.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie got up and recognized the one who hit her; the old man they had run over earlier: Merro Lhaisuber. The fall seemed too much for him; he did not get up again like the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda somehow got to her feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She was a bloody mess. Her hair had clumps missing, some of her teeth had been knocked out, her dress was in tatters, her nose was crooked, and one of her eyes was sealed shut with blood. She had deep bleeding gashes on her arms, legs, and body, where some of the townspeople had hacked at her; inexpertly perhaps, but with cumulative effect.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Yet she still stood. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The townspeople also got up, and went after her again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie limped over to Mike, Jon, Edward, Egann, and Ray; who were all still standing at the doorway, watching the spectacle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike saw her, and the two hugged. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Though the last several hours had not been the longest the two had ever been separated; in a way it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“You okay?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m okay.” Callie said, her voice hoarse.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It seems Zedda’s goose is cooked.” Jon said, sidling up to give Callie a hug as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh how I wish I could believe that.” Callie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">No sooner had Callie spoken, when Zedda lifted all her remaining attackers into the air…and tore them all in half.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The bloody halves fell to the floor with gruesome thuds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda turned and faced Callie and the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is that it?” she asked mockingly, “Is that all? Was that the extent of your rebellion?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You haven’t reckoned with me yet, Zedda</i>.” a soft voice spoke.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sparo Ivinic entered the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Fear crept into Zedda’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Your Morrtogs are dead, Conjuura.” Sparo said, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“I left them in pieces.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are you sure you’re up to fighting me, Nurrek?” Zedda asked, “</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You are so very young, and have developed only a fraction of your powers. It must have taken much effort to kill my Morrtogs. You must be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so</i> tired.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’re not fooling anyone, Zedda.” Sparo replied, “It is <i>you</i> who are tired. Your spells are broken, your protectors are dead, and you’re bleeding out all over the floor. How long do you think you can last this way?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I still have POWER!!” Zedda shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She lifted her hands high and every table, every sculpture, every large object in the room, floated up into the air and was sent hurling towards Sparo and the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Sparo instantly created a shield, as he had before, in his fight with the Morrtogs; only now, the shield grew large and covered him and the whole group standing around him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The projectiles smashed against the shield, and were repelled violently enough to smash them to pieces. Zedda even had to deflect some large pieces of shrapnel that flew back at her. And with every contact between object and shield, Sparo grimaced with exertion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Were you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trying</i> to piss her off?!” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Actually, yes.” Sparo replied through gritted teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">At last the barrage stopped, as Zedda had nothing more to throw at them. Sparo wasted no time; his shield disconnected from his hand, flew at Zedda, and was upon her faster than she could react. Still connected to Sparo’s hand through a blue cord, the shield encircled her and encapsulated her, like an oblong bubble; trapping her within. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda began to scream as the bubble changed color from blue, to a sinister red.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What are you doing to her?!” Edward asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t worry, I’m not killing her.” Sparo said, “I’m just draining her of power. A suitable punishment, I’d say; though not as gentle a procedure as the Malignium.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">When he was finished, the bubble dissipated away into nothing, and Zedda was revealed; on her knees and hunched over, with her head in her hands. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">She looked up at Sparo; defeated.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“What will you do with me now, Nurrek?” she asked him, “I know you won’t kill me. The children of Murgent will all die if you do that. But a living Conjuura, even powerless, is not without recourse; and still quite dangerous.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Give her to me, I’ll kill her myself!” Ray said, “I die, but with a smile on my face.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“No one need die today,” Sparo said, “For there is another option; one you created yourself, Zedda.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda’s eyes widened.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ah, you know what I’m talking about! The very cage you constructed to hold me will hold a Conjuura as well; easily. There, the children of Murgent will make sure you live a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very</i>…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">long</i>…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">time</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I should have killed you when I first saw you.” Zedda said, “I see that now. I could’ve, you know. You were powerless then.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I was,” Sparo said, “Then.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sooo sorry, though…” a thin voice added; and suddenly all eyes fell on a figure that had somehow crept behind Zedda unnoticed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It was Merro Lhaisuber, who had not been killed by his fall after all, but merely stunned. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In his upraised, upswinging hands was a butcher knife that had been dropped by one of the now-dead townspeople.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“NOOO!” they all screamed, as he plunged the knife with surprising force, deep into the small of Zedda’s back. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda turned, grabbed Merro by the neck, and snapped it with a powerful squeeze.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She released Merro, and he dropped like a sack. She turned back to the assembled company, gurgled something unintelligible (yet still somehow mocking) then fell forward and facedown with a horrid THUMP.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Upon that instant, Egann, Ray, and Mike, along with all the other children of Murgent scattered throughout the hotel (most of them hiding from the chaos), fell to the floor...dead.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-8512030983249707832011-01-28T00:00:00.001-06:002011-01-28T00:00:03.258-06:00Chapter 42<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Time is Now<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie had faced the well of Jon’s memories, and was not swayed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jon’s re-entry into her life, after she thought she might never see him again, had an effect far beyond Zedda’s surmise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie found herself again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Instead of draining Jon, she communicated with him. From her own memories, she had shown him what had transpired since her arrival in Murgent with Mike and Edward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If we are ever to get away from here</i>, she had said to him mentally, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It has to be tonight. Tonight or never.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What do you suggest?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Jon had sent back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I will have to take on Zedda, Conjuura to Conjuura.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There is no way you are ready for that,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Jon said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m not fighting to win, but to keep her busy, </i>Callie said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You, Mike, Edward, and whoever else you can recruit will have to find some way to deal with Balooda and Blessure. This isn’t so much a plan, you see, as a shot in the dark. I’ll give you as much time as I can, before I challenge Zedda. After that, things will happen quickly; either for us or against us. Time is of the essence; so work quickly, my love.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s a dangerous game she’s playing.” Egann said, when Jon finished his description of the mental communication he had just had with Callie, “Zedda’s has years of power stored up, she’s gonna squash your Callie like a bug. However, I may just know a way to even the odds a little, thanks to your friend Edward.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They exchanged information, and split up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jon went downstairs to get Mike out of the basement. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Egann stayed on the third floor. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> He turned the corner and sprinted up to Zedda’s private room. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He said the magic words as he traced the circular seal with his finger, and the door opened.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He wasted no time; he flicked the lights on, and went straight for the painting. He opened it. When he saw the eggs, he realized he needed something in which to carry them. It would not do to just sneak a few away in his pockets, he needed all of them. He needed to destroy them all, preferably at the same time, before Zedda figured out what was happening and tried to stop him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He was not sure they were even breakable; and even if they were, he had no means of doing it quietly here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A bold stroke was needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Egann looked around and saw a small end table with a decorative tablecloth. He removed the items on the table, and then removed the tablecloth. He laid the cloth out on the floor, went over to the shelf, and started taking out all the crystal eggs. He put them all on the tablecloth, and picked up the ends; creating a sack. He tied the corners and cinched them tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He went to the window, and opened it. It was heavy, and did not go up easily, but he forced it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Egann poked his head out the window, and looked down. Below him, three stories down, was a semi-circle of lush lawn.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Damn,” he said, “This is gonna hurt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He lowered himself out of the window, grabbed the sack, and let go; pushing against the wall with his feet. As he fell, he tucked the sack of eggs to his stomach, and hugged it to cushion it against impact.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There was a muffled thud, then no other sound. Egann lay sprawled on the lawn next to the bag of eggs, unmoving.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike’s enemy loosened it’s last bolt. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It darted across the basement, struck the wall, and ricocheted off; leaving behind a gash mark.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The crisscrossing bands of iron collapsed in a heap of metal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The beast was free.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It shambled forth, towards Mike. As it passed beyond the confines of the box, it blurred out of coherent vision. Only when it stopped right in front of Mike, did it clear up again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Only now, it wasn’t a monster at all. It was pallid, frail-looking boy of about eleven or twelve; with dirty clothes and unkempt hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Hello Mike,” he said, “I’m the Nurrek.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward and Ray started to sweat in the dark confines of the broom closet. Balooda was still in his office, and didn’t seem likely to get out of it any time soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward could resist temptation no longer and took out the crystal egg from his pocket. It was too dark to see, so he brought it to where the single sliver of light coming from the small crack in the wood of the door could hit it. When it did, the egg glowed with a bright light.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh…” whispered Edward, as the glow got brighter, and illuminated the broom closet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As Edward and Ray stared at the miniature Sarrgoset Hotel with rapt attention, they saw a tiny facsimile of Mr. Blessure look out the third floor window and up at them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s happening again.” Mr. Blessure said, looking out the window, “We’re being watched.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Can you get them yet?” Zedda asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Almost…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The glow of the egg was so bright, light shone out from under the door. Mr. Balooda saw this light, went to the broom closet, and yanked the door open.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“WHAT EES THEES?!!” Balooda yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward was so startled that he dropped the egg. The egg’s glow shut off, and rolled to a stop at Balooda’s feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HEER?!!” he bellowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Balooda saw the egg, and picked it up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“THEES BEELONG TO ZEDDA!” he roared, and held it before his eyes to confirm that it was indeed Zedda’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“GOT HIM!!” yelled Mr. Blessure, and with his mind, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">PULLED</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Balooda looked into the egg for just a second---but at the worst possible time. His eyes suddenly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bulged</i> outward in a grotesque fashion, and he screamed a bone-shattering scream that could be heard in all of Murgent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the tightening death-grip of his hand, the egg shattered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Outside, in the town of Murgent, Balooda’s scream shook the townspeople from their lunatic endeavors, and united them in purpose. For the spell that had for so long protected the Sarrgoset Hotel and its surroundings from their violent intentions was broken; and they now hastened in their shambling way towards that edifice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At long last, it was time to settle unfinished business.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Though Balooda’s scream could be heard down in the basement, the two down there barely registered the sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Nurrek?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s Zedda’s little joke at my expense.” the boy replied, “My actual name is Sparo Ivinic. Anyway, you gave me quite a battle there, pal. Then again, considering the box’s illusion spells, how could you have done otherwise?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What ARE you?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’ve heard of the Ma’jai, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’re a Ma’jai?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Don’t sound so surprised, Mike. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You’re one too</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Wha—WHAT!?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Guna shaal isanno a’dahj, Mike. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You are one of us</i>. Do you think you could have fought me the way you did if you were just an ordinary person? Or see me now so clearly in the dark?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before Mike could formulate a denial to Sparo’s incredible assertion, there came the sound of the basement door being unlocked and opened.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“MIKE! You down there?” shouted a voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Egann awoke. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He picked up the bag of eggs, and ran to the front of the hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Once there, he saw <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There were about forty to fifty townspeople facing the hotel, looking up at the third floor window. Egann recognized Merro Lhaisuber, the old man Mike and Callie had run over, among them. More were coming. When the right critical mass was reached, they would strike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The time is now.” Egann said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> He smashed the bag of crystal eggs against the concrete sidewalk.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward and Ray covered their ears with their hands to shut out Balooda’s loud screaming. Before their eyes he doubled in size and transformed into the gargoyle-like thing with cracked crocodile skin. In it’s talons, the shards that had once been a crystal egg fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The thing that was Balooda began to claw at it’s eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Unable to exit the room, Edward and Ray backed themselves back into the broom closet, as Balooda thrashed against the walls of the office like a wild animal in a panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“GOT HIM!” Mr. Blessure had said triumphantly; but triumph had turned to horror as his head exploded in size.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>”NOOOOO!!” Mr. Blessure screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The shape of his head fluctuated wildly, as if some feral animal was trapped inside, trying to tear it’s way out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“WHAT IS IT!? WHAT IS IT?!” Zedda yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Blessure bent over, hands on head, perhaps trying to contain its contents; perhaps trying to flush it out. From his eyes, copious amounts of vile-looking sludge poured.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie (who was between drainees) and the other kids in the room watched with horrified fascination.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At last Blessure seemed to rid himself of his burden, and his head shrunk back to normal size; but it was now a messy and disfigured version of what it had once been. He straightened up and looked at Zedda with his broken face and gunky eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It was BALOODA!” he said, his chest still heaving.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?!” Zedda asked, “How can that be? Morrtogs cannot betray their Conjuuras!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It was a mistake, not a betrayal. Two of the boys, Edward and Ray, stole one of your Sarsarin Eggs. He discovered them, but looked into the egg at the wrong moment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Rage bubbled up inside of Zedda; someone had dared to trespass into her private room, and had stolen her property!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Along with the rage, however, arose fear. She had been so focused on Callie, it had distracted her from keeping an eye on the goings-on in the hotel. How could she be so blind?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Only now, as she opened her mind to the psychic stream, did she sense its chaotic vibrations. Things were wrong on multiple levels. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> A Sarsarin egg had been stolen, but which one?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She had to go see. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Go get the boys that did this, Mr. Blessure. An especially harsh example of them must be made! Bring them here and wait for me; I have to go check my room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You.” she said to Callie, “Continue.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Both she and Mr. Blessure left the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie turned to the remaining kids left in the room with her. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Go.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“But…Zedda said…” one of them protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“GO!” Callie shouted, “Things are about to get noisy and unpleasant around here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Balooda finally stopped slamming himself against the walls of his office, and fell in a spread-eagled heap. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He remained, though, in his monstrous form.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is he dead?” Edward whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t think so.” Ray whispered back, “He’s still breathing. We should try to get out of here before he gets up again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As quietly as they could, Edward and Ray walked out of the broom closet, and made their cautious way past Balooda. The office was in a shambles and any careless move might make a noise loud enough to wake him, so they had to take it slow.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They were almost at the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Balooda opened his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“YOU!!” he bellowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“OH SHIG!!” Edward shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two made a run for it, but Balooda jumped to his feet and grabbed them both.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“STOP!” a hard voice commanded. It was Mr. Blessure, standing at the hall entrance. He looked messed up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He walked down the hall to the office, and faced Balooda.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Zedda wants them!” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But Balooda was beyond the niceties. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You</i>!” he seethed, dropping Edward and Ray (who both scurried to a corner of the room to get away from what was coming). In his monster form he towered over Mr. Blessure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mistake</i>.” Mr. Blessure said, “On <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">both</i> sides.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Though his words were conciliatory, the undercurrent of threat in his voice was unmistakable. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It said: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you do </i>NOT<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> want to mess with me right now.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“MEESTAKE THEES!!” Balooda shrieked, and struck Mr. Blessure with an upward swing of his talon that sent him flying backward across the hall, and crashing through the front desk.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Blessure got up, and within a second, transformed into a beast not unlike Balooda, only meaner-looking. He galloped down the hall, launched himself at Balooda, and slammed into him hard enough to smash him against, and through, the wall of his office. The two actually ended up outside of the hotel. Before Balooda had a chance to get up, Blessure jumped on him and commenced pounding his head side to side with his talons; ripping deep gashes into the sides of his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward and Ray looked out of the hole in the wall in both horror and wonder, then at each other in disbelief at what they had just witnessed. Then, they sprang out of the office and ran up the hall. Behind them came the sounds of an infernal wrestling match as Balooda knocked Blessure off, and the fight between them was on in earnest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We have to find Egann!” said Ray.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We have to go get Mike!” Edward countered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There came then a crashing sound from the front of the hotel. Edward and Ray ran through the ruins of the front desk in time to see the front door wrenched open. From outside flowed in a mass of Murgent’s mad townspeople; and with them came Egann.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“EGANN!” yelled Ray.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann turned and saw them. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He ran over to them as the townspeople spread themselves inward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s this?!” Ray asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“This is the end, Ray!” Egann said, “It all ends tonight! Zedda is no longer protected by her spells!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At that, the townspeople started rushing up the stairs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-60915323571738469422011-01-21T00:00:00.002-06:002011-01-21T00:00:06.713-06:00Chapter 41<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The New Arrival<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m looking for my friends, Mike, Callie, and Edward.” Jon said, “That’s their car parked right over there. Are they here?” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes, they are,” said Egann, “Come on in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From where they watched and waited, Edward and Ray saw Egann walk in from the hall, followed by Jon. Edward had to suppress a squeal of joy when he saw him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What is it?” asked Ray, “Do you know him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s my friend Jon!” said Edward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Don’t be too happy,” Ray said, “He’s now stuck here too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward smiled wide. “Ray, the chances of our getting out of this hell-hole just got a little bit better!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Speaking of chances, there goes Balooda. Let’s go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Ahh! A neew guest!” Mr. Balooda said, arriving, “Eeegan, who ees our neew friend?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m Jonathon Grash,” Jon stepped forward and said, “I’m looking for my friends. I’m told they are here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Friends?” Balooda asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Our previous guests.” Egann replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I see!” Balooda said, and turned to Egann, “Take him to Zedda.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’re…not taking him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No need.” Balooda said, “Hee’s nothing special---just another toureest.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Balooda turned back and headed for his office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tourist</i> was Balooda’s euphemism for those poor, unfortunate outsiders who still blundered into Murgent, from time to time. The adults would be driven bonkers by Zedda’s still operative insanity spell, and would join the rest of the crazy populace. If there were kids with them, they would end up joining the hotel workforce.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That was much too fast</i>, Egann thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If Edward and Ray aren’t out of Balooda’s office with the egg by now, they’re screwed.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There was nothing for it, but to continue onward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He turned to Jon, “Follow me.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ray had stayed near the entrance of the hall as a lookout, while Edward had gone into Balooda’s office to get the egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward crouched down low and extended his arm to reach under the desk. He caught the egg with his fingertips, but the egg skidded further away. Edward groaned at his own incompetence, got down on the floor and crawled under the desk, over to the egg, which was now under Balooda’s chair. Edward stretched out his hand and grabbed the egg. He was getting out from under the desk, when Ray came to the door in a panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“He’s coming!” Ray hissed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’ve got it!” Edward said, getting to his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Let’s go!” Ray said, but upon turning saw Balooda’s shadow enter the hall before him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In a flash, Ray entered the office, grabbed Edward, and the two slipped behind the wall before Balooda could see them. They now had seconds, before Balooda entered the office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Wadda-we-do? Wadda-we-do?” Ray muttered under his breath, looking around in a panic for a lifeline.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His eyes fell on the small broom closet, and the two slipped in there right before Balooda stepped in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was dark inside, but in the quick second they had opened the door for ingress, light had spilled in and shown a small empty space with some pails, sponges, and such; tucked neatly aside. There were no actual brooms in the broom closet, thankfully. There was just barely enough room for the both of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They heard Balooda enter the office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A small sliver of light from a crack in the wood of the door (probably from when Balooda slammed Mike against it) provided the only illumination in that dark confined space.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What now?” Edward whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We wait.” Ray whispered back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike got down to the basement in time to see his body start work on the last magic circle. The final, desperate, and most intense phase of their battle began.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Despite Mike’s renewed energy, the beast in the box still had the advantage of time. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And bit by bit, that last circle became less and less.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Egann and Jon stood in front of the door to Zedda’s divination room. Egann made to knock, but the door was opened just then as Alixa shambled out; her face a blank.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She looked at Egann and Jon. “Another one.” she mumbled, then continued on her way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What’s wrong with her?” Jon asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’ll see shortly.” Egann replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They stepped inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Inside were eight kids, still waiting their turn. Callie was working on a girl named Connie. No longer able to just watch, Zedda had taken the next kid in line; a boy named Daniel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“CALLIE!” Jon cried out, upon seeing his beloved.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He ran over to her, but Mr. Blessure stopped him before he could reach her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Callie, it’s ME!!” he yelled, struggling against the unmovable hand at his neck, “Let me go, damn you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie did not even look up from her labors. She was so deep into Connie’s memories, his voice did not penetrate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That something was wrong with this town was something Jon had realized the minute he had entered Murgent (and the crazy townsfolk wandering around in the night like a horror show was a big hint too); but worse than all that was the realization that something was terribly wrong with Callie as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What the hell was happening here?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mr. Blessure brought Jon over to Zedda. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Egann followed close behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Zedda finished up with Daniel, and shoved him aside. “Is this our new guest?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes.” Egann answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why didn’t Mr. Balooda bring him up himself?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Mr. Balooda figured he’s just another tourist.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, but he’s much more than that, isn’t he? I distinctly heard him call out Callie’s name.” Zedda said, “Release him, Mr. Blessure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mr. Blessure did as commanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why are you here?” Zedda asked Jon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I came to find her,” Jon said, “Callie, and my other friends.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie finished with Connie, and pushed her aside impersonally, not unlike Zedda had just done with Daniel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This should be an interesting reunion then.” Zedda said, “Callie, dear! Someone's here to see you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie turned, and at last caught sight of Jon. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">All the color drained from her face <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Jon?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Callie!” Jon said, and ran to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They embraced.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The hunger tried to cajole Callie once again, but was trodden down under foot by Jon’s voice, Jon’s touch, and Jon’s kiss. Jon’s very presence rendered it small and mute.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ah…so it’s the boyfriend.” Zedda muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">From where she sat, she could sense the diminution of the hunger that had bound Callie to her up to now; but Zedda was not troubled. She knew of a way to turn the boyfriend’s freeing effect against itself; cleaving the hooks in even deeper.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I hate breaking up a lovefest,” Zedda said, “But I think it’s time for Callie to return to her new vocation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m not returning to anything.” Callie said, “I’m done with this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m afraid you are mistaken about that.” Zedda said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Jon suddenly felt himself forced down into a kneeling position, by an invisible hand that could not be resisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not only are you returning to your duties,” said Zedda, “Boyfriend here is going to be your next drainee.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What? NO!” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If you don’t, I’ll have Mr. Blessure rip his arms and legs right off in front of you. He’ll live, of course, but it won’t be a pleasant sight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda let Callie think on that a few seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Mr. Blessure, if you please---“ Zedda said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“NO! STOP!” Callie said, “I’ll do it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She stepped over to Jon. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m sorry.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s not your fault.” Jon replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh Jon, but it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>.” she said, and began.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The battle was over, and Mike had lost.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The last magical circle of containment finally eradicated, the beast released Mike’s body and returned to it’s own; it no longer needed Mike for what was left for it to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike floated toward his body, and crammed himself into it. It felt weird and cumbersome at first, like a fat suit; but he acclimated to it enough to sit up and scootch himself over to the wall, facing the cage. It would be a long time till anyone came down for him anyway, so he figured he might as well stay and see what the boogey in the box would do once it freed itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Though the basement was now in total darkness, he was amazed that he could still see; his spectral vision had not departed with his return to his body. Mike wondered how long that would last.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A sudden metallic clank startled him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">One of the bolts that secured the metal bands to the wooden box had popped off, hitting the wall a few feet above his head, before ricocheting off to the back somewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike watched and winced, as other bolts unscrewed themselves, popped off, and hit the wall all around him like shots fired by a blind man; yet not a one hit him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Why doesn’t it just bust through the box? </span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike wondered, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It certainly looks big enough to accomplish that</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Whatever the reason, it would soon be free nonetheless.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">All Mike could do now was watch and wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She was done with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At Zedda’s call, Egann helped the zoned out boyfriend up to his feet, and walked him toward the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m ready for more.” Callie said, her face unreadable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Young love dies hard</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Zedda thought to herself with self-satisfaction. She nodded her approval, and allowed Callie to continue.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann and Jon exited the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I wish I could have warned you,” Egann said, “But I couldn’t risk Zedda finding out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Find…? What…?” Jon mumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Me and your friend Edward, along with a friend of mine named Ray, are trying to find a way to end this situation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You…friend of Edward?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I guess you could say that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good.” Jon said, straightening up, “I don’t have to act loopy any more, which is a relief. So, where can I find Mike and Ed?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann was caught by surprise. “She didn’t drain you, did she?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No.” Jon answered, “She has other plans.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What other plans?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re taking down Zedda tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-81465011688519325202011-01-14T00:00:00.001-06:002011-01-14T00:00:06.316-06:00Chapter 40<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A Call in the Night<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edward told Egann and Ray everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Of what had transpired between Zedda and Callie, when Zedda tried to drain her; of his disturbing meeting with Callie; of his entry into Zedda’s room, and the crystal eggs behind the painting; of what he saw in the egg he stole, and later dropped; and finally, of the egg’s present location under Mr. Balooda’s desk in his office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Egann and Ray looked flabbergasted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Holy Gloeis, Ed!” Ray said, “How can this be? Zedda usually knows all and sees all, yet you managed to sneak into two of her rooms and steal that egg right under her nose!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s the girl.” Egann said, more to himself, than to them. He had the look of someone whose mind was racing, putting things together. “If Edward is right, and Zedda is really initiating this Callie girl into her evil ways; that means, right now, Zedda has all her attention focused on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her</i>. Which means she is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">distracted</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A window of opportunity!” Edward chimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“For what? What are you proposing?” Ray asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“If the egg is what I think it is, we need to retrieve it!” Egann said, looking more animated than Ray had seen him in years, “As well as the other ones in Zedda’s room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why? What do you think they are?” Ray asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A glimmer of hope.” Egann said, “For the first time in a long time, a glimmer of hope.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meanwhile, in the basement, the battle raged on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike’s body was down to the last three chalk circles of containment; while Mike’s pilgrim shadow was down to his last dregs of energy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The beast’s shadow spirit kept going back to the body with relentless determination to free itself. Perhaps with each circle it eradicated, it got stronger. It certainly felt that way to Mike. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The damned thing never seemed to tire.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike knew now that he could not keep it from finishing off all the magic circles until morning. He was exhausted, and night had only just fallen. Even disregarding his energy level; there were simply too many hours left to go, and too few circles IT had to get through.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Still, Mike had to try.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He gathered up his remaining strength and hurled himself at his enemy. The beast seemed to know the attack was coming, and was ready for him. It fought back hard, and the two tussled until the last of Mike’s strength was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The beast then took hold of Mike, and chucked him upwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Up Mike flew. He passed through the basement ceiling, the first, second, third floor ceilings, and up into the air, a dizzying height above the hotel. When momentum at last dwindled away, he came to a dead stop; and just floated there. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">His energy now all depleted, Mike was out of the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The beast had won, and would soon be free.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">By now, all those Mr. Blessure had called up to the top floor stood single-file in the long room, like a line to a bank teller’s window, and waited to be summoned.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No?” Zedda asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I won’t do it.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Awhile ago you begged me---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to be like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Can’t you sense their despair?” Zedda asked, “It’s yours for the taking! Why resist temptation, when it is so much easier to give in?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie was sorely tempted; not by Zedda’s hard-sell, but by her own hunger. She could indeed sense the despair within those waiting in line to be drained, and it was driving her up the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“In this world,” Zedda continued, “You are either predator or prey. Take what is yours, or get in line with the rest of the cattle!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She’s right</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, the voice of her hunger spoke, in its sinuous and insistent manner, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What will it avail you, or Mike, or Edward, to resist? You’ll just be another one of these kids: powerless and trapped. But, if you can grow in power, perhaps one day you’ll be powerful enough to take Zedda down and free everyone!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She only half bought it, but it was enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Alright then,” Callie said, “Bring them to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike looked down on the Sarrgoset Hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">From his vantage point, he could see most of Murgent; even though it was dark already. And while Murgent was a dead husk of a town, there was a healthy circle of lawn and garden surrounding the hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In his metaphysical state, Mike saw everything alive below him as if it were lit from the inside by a spectral green light. The hotel itself glowed with the life-light of those living within its walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As this light came under his regard, Mike saw swatches of it separate and waft up towards him from the living things below. They came up to him and joined with him, lending him their energy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Refreshed, Mike wished for more, and more came. He began to understand that he was the one drawing the energy. So he summoned even more, until he felt strong enough to return to the battle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Thank you, life-light</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, he thought, and sent that thought down to the living things below.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Something moved in the darkness of Murgent’s streets; a familiar object that made Mike’s heart sing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Matters are ripening fast</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, he thought; and willed himself downward, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I just hope to hell I’m not too late</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“This won’t hurt a bit.” Callie told her first drainee.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know.” The boy, named Alan, replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He was, like everyone else there, a veteran of the procedure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie stared into his eyes, and started hypnotic effect Zedda referred to as the “Trancing Eyes”; the first step of the Malignium.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie felt Alan fall into the trance, and commenced the mind link. Before her, Alan’s memories unspooled like a ribbon; the parts of it rich in pain and suffering glowed with power, and were thus easy to find.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Euphoria washed over her, and Callie gave herself up to the pleasure. When she came at last to the end of Alan’s despair, she could not resist the urge to drain him dry of everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s enough.” she heard Zedda say, as she gripped Callie’s arm painfully; forcing her to break the link. “If you drain him completely, you’ll kill him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I thought no one can die here.” Callie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He wouldn’t stay dead, of course; but he’d come back a vegetable.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Give me another one, then.” Callie said, tossing Alan aside like a used up wad of gum, “I want MORE!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mr. Blessure removed the vacant-eyed Alan, and motioned Alixa, the next in line, to go to Callie. Alixa wasn’t quick enough for Callie, and was pulled forward, like a dog on a leash.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As Callie started in on Alixa, Mr. Blessure walked over to Zedda. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You were right,” he said, “She IS a natural.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And she’s mine now.” Zedda said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You think they’re what?” Ray asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Spells.” Egann answered, “I think, encased inside those eggs, or perhaps the eggs themselves, are the spells Zedda used to enslave us all. We need to get the one in Balooda’s office and the ones in Zedda’s room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And do what?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Break them, of course.” Egann said, “Break the eggs and we break the spells.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What if you’re wrong?” Ray asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Then it’s back to square one.” Egann said, “We’ll suffer for the attempt, and horribly; but at least we’ll suffer for having <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tried </i>something. If we don’t try, the lost opportunity will haunt us forever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Even if you’re right about the eggs,” Edward said, “Breaking the spells may not be a good idea.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m sorry about Mike, Edward,” Egann said, “But if we don’t break those eggs, nothing will ever change. Zedda and the Morrtogs will continue to torment us for years and years, and I cannot allow that to go on, knowing there might be a way to stop it. You don’t know, Edward; you don’t know what it’s like…living without hope. We would rather die than go on like this. Do you understand me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I understand.” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I suppose we’ll have to do this by ourselves.” Ray said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes. Just us three,” Egann said, “The less people know about it, the better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Where do we start?” Edward asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann was about to answer, when something unexpected happened: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the doorbell rang</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie was still draining Alixa, and was too deep into her memories to notice the doorbell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda and Mr. Blessure, however, were taken aback.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s odd,” Mr. Blessure said, “Two arrivals in one day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s odder is that I foresaw the one, but not the other.” Zedda said, “Either the Majisrunes failed me, or I missed something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do you wish me to check on it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, Mr. Balooda can take care of that. Whoever it is will get brought up here, and then we’ll see what’s what. I want you here in case our peeping tom tries to sneak another peek.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“As you wish.” Mr. Blessure said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two looked over at Callie. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She was now finished with Alixa, and tossed her to the side.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“More!” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Now’s our chance!” Egann said, “I have to get the door, but Balooda will have to come to see who it is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“When he does, we zip into his office and get the egg!” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, but you’ll have to be fast.” Egann said, “I don’t know if Balooda will want to escort our mystery guest up to Zedda himself, or not.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The three hurried out of the laundry room. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann headed for the foyer; Edward and Ray lagged behind and hid in a dark alcove, to keep an eye out for Balooda.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann approached and entered the entrance hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He walked to the front door just as he had done hours ago, when Mike, Callie, and Edward had entered the hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He opened the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A teen-age boy stood there. He had come in a green station wagon, and had parked it next to the white MACATTO INSURANCE car.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hello,” he said, “My name is Jon.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-2851350249054306622011-01-07T00:00:00.001-06:002011-01-07T00:00:00.623-06:00Chapter 39<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Disparate Measures<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mike was flying. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Over a field of moving colors he flew, at tremendous speed. Below him, lines of bright colors ran along at a speed equal to his. Millions upon millions of these lines ran, intersected, collided, and bifurcated; each line exploding into thousands of new lines every second. The constant detonation of color was a sight to behold.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike realized that, while he couldn’t stop or even slow down, he could turn and look back. Behind him there was no movement, and no color. A massive trail of stone grey lines, like fossilized remains, extended behind him into infinity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">What was ahead of him though, was chaos.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The lines rammed themselves into a Gordian knot of unthinkable proportions. That the massive tangle of lines didn’t stop the waterworks completely was miraculous. Yet the knot always remained about the same distance away; both knotting and unknotting itself at the same time. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike looked down and saw that he was connected to the blue line right below him. Upon just looking at it, the blue line pulled him down into itself. Mike was not startled, as this felt totally natural and nonthreatening.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He descended into the blue, and found himself suddenly in the basement again. Only he was floating over his own body. His body, despite his absence, looked quite busy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was erasing the chalk circles of containment around the monster’s box, in a systematic fashion. It had already eradicated the first four outer circles and the writing around them. It still had several left to go. The monster’s eyes were clamped shut in this effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It’s trying to free itself</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Mike thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and it’s using MY body to do it!</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike still had time to think. His body’s slow and lethargic movement demonstrated the creature’s difficulty at controlling it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It’s manner was to smudge one circle at a time; going around and around the box, running Mike’s hands over each. A slow and clumsy process that made Mike wonder if there was a magical reason for doing it that way, or if the monster was just being anal retentive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike doubted the latter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Perhaps the right step, he thought, was to regain control. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He floated himself down over his busy body, and tried to reoccupy his own space.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Immediately, a force stronger than Mike pushed him harshly out of his own skin. Mike was thrown back and passed through the wall of the basement. The effort of pulling himself back into the basement was substantial.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike saw his body collapse as a shadow slipped out of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was the monster’s spirit, or essence, or mental force; Mike wasn’t sure what the hell the terms were, but understood the basic concept. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It had lost it’s grip on his body, when it had expelled Mike out. It now floated back, to re-enter.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Oh no you don’t!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Mike thought, and hurled himself toward his body to beat the beast to the punch. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The two collided into his body at the same time, causing the body to react with spasms as they fought for control. The result was that both lost their grip, and the body collapsed once more.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two shadows now faced each other across Mike’s body.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This was going to be a fight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When it was time for the tray brigade to go up and retrieve the dirty trays and dishes, Edward decided not to go up again (not that Egann would have let him if he wanted to).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He had not yet had a chance to study the crystal egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Nor would he, for awhile. The tray brigade returned with a mountain of dirty dishes, silverware, and trays to be washed and dried. If that wasn’t enough, Mr. Balooda was making his rounds, supervising work, punishing laxity with severity, and spreading his brand of good cheer all over the first and second floors.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When he came around to the kitchen, he walked regally about, looking over their clean-up work. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When he left, everyone breathed easier.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Donna took a team to clean up the dining room. Alixa went along with her, leaving Edward and two others to toil with the dirty dishes. Egann and the remaining members of the kitchen team cleaned up everything else: the floor, the ovens, the countertops, the appliances, etc. When someone finished a job, they were put to work on something else. At no point was anyone allowed a moment’s rest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once all the work in the kitchen was finished, the team was scattered to different parts of the hotel, to other work.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike and his enemy fought hard. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They knocked each other through the walls, into the earth, and out of the hotel. When one was busy trying to get back, the other would seize control of the body. Not for long, though; as the ejected one would soon get back in and slam the other out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The basement was getting dark, but both opponents could see everything in it with spectral clarity. The beast was down to the last five magic circles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike realized that his efforts to retake his body were exhausting him, as was getting back into the basement every time he was thrown out of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was no use trying to take back control of his body; his only chance lay in holding back the creature’s work on the circles until morning came, and he was let out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike had many hours of battle ahead of him, and already he was beginning to tire.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Evening found Edward polishing the furniture in the entrance hall and the foyer. When he got around to working on the front desk, he noticed a lull in traffic in the area, and decided to take a moment to inspect his ill-gotten egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He crouched down beside the front desk, and took the egg out of his pocket. It was the one with the miniature Sarrgoset Hotel encased inside of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The crystal was flawless; solid, except for the tiny hotel frozen in its center. Edward wondered how such a thing was made. Then, some movement in it caught his eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the third story window of the miniature, a tiny figure passed by; then returned, to look out at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was a miniature Mr. Blessure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The sudden sound of Balooda’s loud voice startled Edward so badly, that he dropped the egg. It didn’t break, but rolled around in a wide arc, to the back of the front desk.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Balooda was close, but was busy browbeating some kid for sloppy work. Edward had only a few seconds to retrieve the egg before Balooda passed by him to enter the hall that led to his office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward crawled around to the back of the front desk in time to see the egg roll with a mind of its own down the hall, through Balooda’s open office door, and right under Balooda’s desk, where it finally came to rest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh shig.” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The office was empty right now, but there was no way he could get to the egg before Balooda arrived. He would have to come back for it later, when Balooda left his office again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He just hoped to hell Balooda didn’t find it first!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What is it?” Zedda asked Mr. Blessure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He was looking out the window with a furrowed brow.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s gone now,” he answered, “But for a few seconds there I had the intense sensation of being watched, from out there somewhere.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Should I be concerned?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Perhaps. There was a definite presence there. Some veil of invisibility hid it from my eyes. A few seconds more and I could have broken through, but it was gone too fast.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If it happens again….” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If it happens again, I’ll pierce it’s veil, drag it’s mind out screaming through it’s eyes, and devour it’s sanity before I send it back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, that should about do it,” said Zedda, “But right now, I think it’s time to feed our fledgling Conjuura.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She referred to Callie, who lay asleep on the couch. They had found her this way upon their return from supper.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda handed Mr. Blessure a list.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Call these up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mr. Blessure took the list, and departed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda shook Callie awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s time, Conjuura.” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mr. Balooda passed Edward without noticing him, entered his office, and closed the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward tarried as long as he dared, then gave up and went on to other jobs. He wondered how long the egg would remain undiscovered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As for him, he ended up working in the laundry room with Egann and Ray. He suspected Egann wanted to keep him under his watchful eye, in case he attempted another ill-advised fact-finding mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">They worked in silence, until Mr. Blessure’s booming voice came down from the second floor balcony.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The following will come to the top floor with me: Alan, Alixa, Connie, Daniel, Fred, Grigg, Junu, Lannie, Myra, Rosie, Sorret, and Tupra.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh hell…” said one of those working in the laundry with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sorry Fred,” Egann said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I just went the other day!” Fred groused, “Zedda must be messing with the rotation again, or something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Fred left the laundry room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s going on?” asked Edward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Zedda’s gonna feed.” Ray said, “Every day is brain-drain day for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">someone</i>, around here. Although it’s been awhile since she’s called up so many of us at one time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward remembered the hungry look on Callie’s face and shuddered, thinking: I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t think she’s gonna feed alone this time.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What does Zedda get out of it?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Wow---freshman question.” Ray said, “You’re better at these, Egann; you answer that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, firstly,” Egann said, “She gets information about you; she sees your memories. But, I think, that’s mostly incidental; what she gets from it is power, pure and simple.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, but even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> is incidental at this point.” Ray cut in, “What need does she have of any more power? She’s HAD her revenge on Murgent already. Several times over, I would say. So why is she still here? Why does she need <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“My guess is that she never intended to stay this long,” Egann said, “But got fat and cozy here; what with a constant supply of tormented kids to feed off of---“<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Enter Mr. Balooda to keep us all in a constant state of misery for her.” Ray added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Also, I think she gets some kind of euphoric high out of it.” Ray continued, “I swear, every time I’ve seen her do it, she gets this blissed-out look on her face.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I think she’s addicted to it.” Egann said, “And that has her as trapped here as we are. That’s why she’s still here. That’s why the status will remain quo as long as she and the Morrtogs can hold it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ironic, yet depressing.” Ray said, “So does any of that answer your question, kid?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“More than I expected.” Edward replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Indeed, the discussion only deepened his worries about Callie. If she began feeding on the children of Murgent, like Zedda, she would become as addicted to it as Zedda. He and Mike could lose her forever. Time was running out quickly, and he realized he couldn’t save her on his own. With Mike currently unavailable, all he had were these two: Egann and Ray. But could he trust them?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was no longer any choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I have to tell the two of you something,” Edward said, “I have no one else to turn to…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-84072639086709422122010-12-31T00:00:00.001-06:002010-12-31T00:00:04.880-06:00Chapter 38<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward Proves His Worth<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was supper time when Edward saw his chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There were trays of food to be taken upstairs, and Edward managed to get in with the tray brigade. They trudged single-file up the stairs in a cautious, but speedy, fashion. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Speed had to be sacrificed when they started up the second floor staircase, which was steeper, and whose steps were less wide. Once on the third floor, they filed into a room whose door had been left open for their ingress. It was the room opposite Zedda’s divination room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The room they entered was an ordinary one, emptied of all but a long table and three chairs. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">They set the food trays down on the table in no particular order. Two girls, who carried nothing but silverware, dishes, and napkins, set these items in their proper places. Each diner would decide what to put on their plates, and extra plates were left so they would always have clean dishware every time they ate something different.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The beverage bearer did his job last.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With this done, the group (all of whom looked upon the food spread before them with undisguised longing) filed out of the room. Edward lingered, and was the last one out. When the group started their way downstairs, Edward backtracked, headed in the opposite direction, and turned the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Just then, the door to Zedda’s room opened. Zedda stepped out, followed by Mr. Blessure. Edward wondered whether Callie would also step out; but she didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward held his breath and hoped neither of them would come his way. That would be bad. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">They seemed, however, to be headed to the dining room that had just been prepared for them. They tarried awhile, in the hall, speaking in the same strange language Edward had heard Blessure and Balooda speak earlier.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">What they were saying was this:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mr. Blessure: “May I ask again why you are apprenticing this girl? Granted she’s Conjuura material, yes; but may I remind you what happened to Uraja Jeuke when she taught it to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Uraja was an ancient, and weary of life, when I challenged her.” Zedda said, “That wisp of a girl is no threat to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>, and I’ll have dealt with her well before she becomes one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Perhaps you’re underestimating her. She did give you a nasty surprise when she reversed the link on you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She merely caught me by surprise. I seriously doubt she has any more surprises left in her. After only a taste of despair, she is utterly enslaved by the hunger. I’ll let her have all she wants, and strengthen its hold over her. When the time is right, I’ll add her power to mine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How will you know when the time is right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“There’s a reason why the Conjuura code forbids teaching the Malignium to someone that young: it tends to blow out their moral center. They become selfish, arrogant, and rash.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mr. Blessure raised an eyebrow. “Like you?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Zedda ignored his jibe. “Sooner or later, she will consider herself strong enough to challenge me. A tragic decision as, unlike Uraja Jeuke, I am still a Conjuura in the plenitude of my powers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Still…I’m not sure I like how training this girl has distracted you from your established routine.” Mr. Blessure said, sounding concerned, “You haven’t even consulted your Seer’s Basin once, since she’s arrived.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“My omniscience is already a well-settled matter amongst the children. I need not constantly re-prove my ability to see what is hidden; their own fear keeps them docile. You worry too much, my old friend.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The two continued chatting, but took their conversation into the dining room, closing the door behind them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward wondered what they were talking about, and what language they were speaking in. Although he spoke only Thrist, he had heard a smattering of Yapul and Sardossian spoken; but this didn’t sound like either of those.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs broke his train of thought. Edward peeked around the corner and saw Balooda walk up the hall and turn into the dining room. He opened the door, and went in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward went to the door Zedda and Blessure had emerged from; the door without a knob. He looked at the circular symbol drawn upon it and remembered that Balooda had traced the circle with his finger as he spoke the words that opened the door; words that Edward had made it his business to memorize.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Maqwa Tevvis Geffah...<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Crud.” Edward muttered under his breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">What the shig was that last word?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> he thought, straining his memory, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Something with a “J” sound…and an “M”… Jimmy? Jammy? Jammook… Jammuk… Ah! That was it! It was JAMMUK!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward traced the circular seal clockwise with his finger and whispered: “Maqwa Tevvis Geffah Jammuk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The door opened, and Edward stepped inside Zedda’s divination room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Up ahead, on Zedda’s couch, Callie sat; her eyes closed. She seemed to be meditating, or concentrating very hard on something. She didn’t seem to notice his presence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He walked up the center of the room intending to talk with her, but instead veered off to look at the tripod upon which there was an ornate jade basin, filled with eerie green glowing water. He remembered having seen it when they were brought in front of Zedda; but hadn’t, at the time, had the opportunity to check it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He went over to the basin, looked into it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Show me my future.” he</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> whispered, half-kidding.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The water shimmered and swirled for a few seconds, grew dark, then returned to its regular glow. Edward slumped, disappointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Oh well,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> he thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was worth a shot, though.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What are you doing here?!” Callie’s voice pierced the silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward was so startled he bumped into the tripod, and knocked it onto only two of its feet. A slosh of glowing water went up in the air, as he stopped the tripod and its basin from falling over. A spillage of its mysterious liquid seemed inevitable, but to his astonishment, the liquid hung in the air. He reset the basin in its place, and watched as the water began to fall back into the basin in slow-motion; without even so much as a drop lost or splashed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What are you doing here, Edward?” Callie asked again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I suppose I could ask you that very question.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’re not supposed to be here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Neither are you.” Edward countered, “You’re supposed to be with us. Instead you are here. Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You wouldn’t understand.” Callie answered, “You should get out now, before Zedda finds you here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t think so.” Edward said, “Not until I get some answers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A thought then entered Callie’s head. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">terrible</i> and un-Callie-like thought. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Before Zedda had left to go eat, she had given Callie some mental exercises to do while she was gone; promising her that before the day was done, she would get a chance to use the Malignium. The exercises were to strengthen and ready her mind for her coming exertions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie felt ready right now, and even had a victim in sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m sorry Edward,” she said, “Come on over here and we’ll figure things out, together.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As she walked towards him, a hungry look passed over her face. Edward knew that look well; he had seen it on Zedda’s face before she had brain-drained him. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This was no longer the Callie he knew.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What the hell is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wrong</i> with you?” Edward asked, feeling the familiar pangs of fear and loss enter his heart, “Get away from me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He turned and ran. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When he got to the door, it opened for him; and shut itself behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Callie was left alone. The look of hunger on her face was now replaced with a look of confusion. The fear that was visible in Edward’s eyes (fear of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her</i>!) disturbed her greatly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Gods, what was I thinking? </span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">she asked herself, but knew well the answer to that question.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Oh Edward…I’m so sorry…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She turned and walked towards the tripod and basin Edward had almost overturned. She looked at her reflection in the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m losing myself.” she said to her reflection, “What am I becoming?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The water shimmered, and then a face appeared in the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was Zedda’s face, or so she thought at first. Then, the truth of it hit her harder and cut her deeper than her father ever had.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Rather, an older version of her, with a forehead splotch identical to Zedda’s. It was her as she would be, years down the road, if she let things continue as they were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No! Please no!” she cried, and clapped her hands to her eyes to blot out the vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But the obscene hunger inside of her also spoke.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Oh yes!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> It said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And when the time comes, you won’t be strong enough to resist me!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Leaving behind, for the moment, the depressing conundrum of Callie’s upsetting behavior, Edward decided to risk checking out another room. He went to the end of the hall and turned the corner. Doors to rooms were arrayed before him; all of which looked alike, except one. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At the end of the hall was a knobless door painted in a manner identical to the one on Zedda's divination room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He went over to it, traced the seal on the door with his finger, and said: “Maqwa Tevvis Geffah Jammuk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The door opened, and he entered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He immediately realized that this had to be Zedda’s private room. </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was a lush, four-poster bed on one side of the room, an antique rocking chair next to the window, and a large roll-top desk.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">On one wall, there hung a painting of a dark forest. Edward wondered if there was a safe behind it, like in the movies, and tried to move the painting. It swung open, like a door. Behind were shelves, built into the wall like a medicine chest. On the shelves were clear crystal eggs, on little stands; with things encased inside of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Some of these were stones with symbols drawn on them, odd geometric shapes, tiny scraps of paper with runic designs, and some even had colorful gems inside. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Two in particular caught his eye. One had a tiny version of the Sarrgoset Hotel in it; the other had a tiny scale model of the town of Murgent itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward decided to take one of these eggs for closer inspection later. He chose one, closed the picture door, and departed the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He turned the corner and ran right into Egann.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“There you are!” Egann whispered in an angry voice, “Alixa told me you didn’t return from the tray brigade. What do you think you’re doing?! Do you want to get us all in trouble?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann didn’t wait for an answer. He tightened his grip on Edward’s shoulder, and led him back down the stairs. Once they were on the second floor, Egann breathed easier, and released Edward from his deathgrip.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What were you trying to do?” Egann asked again, “Get yourself torn to shreds? Trust me, it’s rather unpleasant.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I was information gathering.” Edward replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well...did you gather anything useful?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not really.” Edward said, thinking it best to keep his stolen trinket a secret for now, until he could study it in private.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann sighed. “Edward, I used to think like you do, a lot of us did. We thought we could think our way to a solution. We plotted and planned, to no avail. Nothing has worked; Zedda is as protected by her magic as by Blessure and Balooda. She can’t be killed; not by the likes of us, anyway. We just have to deal with the fact that while she’s alive, we’re stuck here; and she’s gonna stay alive for a long time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“But if we could find a way to negate her magic…” Edward said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’re forgetting one thing,” Egann said, “Zedda’s magic keeps us alive---all of us who have died at the hands of Balooda or Blessure. This includes your friend Mike, remember? If Zedda dies, so do we; and if we go, he goes too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward had to admit he hadn’t thought of that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Their situation now seemed even more insurmountable than it had before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-73384560299623721742010-12-24T00:00:00.001-06:002010-12-24T00:00:03.432-06:00Chapter 37<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Ick Box<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When Donna returned from her errands, she retook her post from Alixa, who in turn returned to her washing duties. Edward was relegated to drying and storing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The pile never seemed to diminish, since new batches of dirty dishes, silverware, pots, and pans were added every few minutes. The enormous table in the center of the kitchen was quickly filling up with trays of food: from meats and vegetable platters, to pies and cakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward spotted Egann as he entered the kitchen. He put down his drying cloth and ran over to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hey! Where’s Mike? How is he?” Edward asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He’s better now.” Egann said, scrutinizing the food on the table, “He’ll be here in a moment. Go back to your post. If there’s time later on tonight, I’ll fill the both of you in on the house rules in detail.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We didn’t come here to follow the shigging house rules</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Edward thought to himself, but said nothing aloud.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He returned to his duties.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When Mike at last found his way into the kitchen not five minutes later, Edward shouted “MIKE!” aloud; incurring a spate of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shush</i>es from the other kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh go shush yourselves!” Edward shot back at them, defiant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He ran to Mike and wrapped his arms around him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I am <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sooo</i> glad to see you!” he said, “I thought we’d lost you there, pal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m glad to be seen!” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s so hard to believe!” Edward said, releasing Mike at last, “You were dead, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really awfully</i> dead, but…there you are! Alive!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know, it’s bizarre.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’ll have to compare notes later,” said Egann, walking in among them, “Look.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He pointed to a kid entering the kitchen. The kid saw them and started walking toward them. Both Mike and Edward remembered him as the kid in Balooda’s office, polishing Balooda’s boots.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t think Balooda’s quite finished with you yet, Mike.” Egann said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The kid, whom Egann had referred to earlier as Jimmy, had the wretched look of someone who had just gone through hell, and still had more yet to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The kid walked up to Mike and said: “Mr. Balooda wants to see you. Now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do try to behave yourself this time, Mike.” Egann said, “Be humble and apologetic.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike gave him a look.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m serious!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He wants you there too, Egann.” Jimmy said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh,” said Egann, “It’s to be the Ick Box, then.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The what?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Tell you later. C’mon, we gotta go now. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hurry</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward watched as the three rushed back to Balooda’s office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Now what?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> he wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike, Egann, and Jimmy entered Balooda’s office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike’s blood had been removed from the walls and the desk, but the girl, now joined by two others, was still having a difficult time getting it all out of the carpet. Jimmy, having delivered Balooda’s message, went back to work with the others at this labor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“There you beee!” Balooda smiled his big ugly smile at Mike, “How nice to see you again! Are yoo feeleeng better now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">His voice dripped with sarcasm blunt as a sledgehammer and about as subtle; his humorous bearing as trustworthy as a crocodile’s smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are wee readee to tryee again?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike considered the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">If he was to find a way out of this mess, he would need time to think and observe. That goal would not be well served by being at the wrong end of this dangerous and black-hearted freak in front of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike swallowed his pride; and it was bitter as hell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes… Sir.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good! Veree good, boyee!” Balooda crowed, “Now tell meee, what ees your name?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Mike.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And your seester’s?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Callie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And your leetle friend’s?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Edward.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good! Good! Now…aren’t yoo sorree yoo speet at mee?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes SIR.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Veree good! Now, as puneeshment for your prior eensolence, yoo weell bee taken to thee basement. There yoo weell spend thee rest of thee day and thee rest of thee night. Unteel tomorrow morneeng, weell yoo bee let out. Eeegan, see to it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yessir.” Egann said, and motioned Mike to follow him out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Is that it?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Mike wondered, befuddled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once out of the hall, Mike asked, “What was that all about? What’s so bad about the basement? What kind of punishment is that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann led him through the hotel, to a large utility room in the back. In there, was a door marked BASEMENT.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Up until three months ago, there was nothing wrong with the basement,” Egann said, “Other than cobwebs and cockroaches, the basement was little more than storage space.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Then one morning, three months ago, Zedda called both Mr. Blessure and Balooda up to the top floor. She sounded excited, or frightened; maybe both. They were up there the whole day; the Morrtogs coming downstairs only to scrounge for wood, metal, and tools. The basement had a lot of all that stuff, then. They cleared it all out. I know, because many of us were sent down there to sweep and mop the floor. The sound of something being built could be heard from above. Then came the sound of some sort of ritual. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That evening, we were all told to go to our rooms and go to bed early; which is unusual because a lot of us on any given day don’t get to bed until very late.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That night, Balooda and Blessure carried something big and heavy down to the basement. Everyone heard it; it made a loud thud when they dropped it on the basement floor. Not long after that, the two Morrtogs went out somewhere. I know this because my room window looks out the front of the hotel. They took some sort of crate with them. When they came back, there was something inside the crate; struggling. I think it was screaming, or shrieking, or something, but I can’t be sure; the windows in the rooms don’t open, except on the third floor of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“They took it down to the basement. Then Zedda went into the basement. Some with rooms on the first floor say they heard more ritual sounds wafting up from below. She and the Morrtogs were down there a good long time. No one is quite sure when they came back up. Our days are long and tiring, and we all tend to fall asleep pretty quickly; no insomniacs here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Next morning, everything was business as usual, as if nothing had happened. Of course, nobody dared to ask questions. Two weeks later, Balooda started using the basement as a punishment; locking people down there for hours. We’ve come to call it ‘The Ick Box’. It’s one of the punishments we dread the most.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why? What’s down there?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“A monster.” Egann replied. He took a key hanging from a nail, and unlocked and opened the basement door.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">All Mike could see of the basement was a long narrow stairway going down into darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are you telling me there’s something down there worse than Balooda all bugged out?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, but not in the way you think.” Egann replied, “Don’t worry though, it can’t get to you; it’s locked in a box. The box is a cage surrounded by magic circles to keep it from escaping.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And it’s in a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cage</i> to boot?” Mike asked, “What’s got everyone freaked out here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’ll see,” said Egann, “It’s horrible down there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Has anyone ever had to spend the night down there before?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nope.” Egann replied, “You’re the first. You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> made an impression on Balooda.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Lucky me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The record is six hours. Daniel Pebcry, about five weeks ago. When we got him out, he was a basketcase. A blubbering and useless mess, until Zedda drained him. Believe you me, when Zedda drains you after your time in the Ick Box, you’ll call it a blessing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is there even a light bulb down there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“There used to be,” Egann answered, “But the bulb was never replaced after it went out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Fantastic.” Mike said. He looked down into the blackness of the Ick Box, and took his first few steps down the stairs. He turned and looked back up at Egann, “This is going to be harsh, isn’t it?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann nodded slowly. “See you tomorrow.” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He closed the door, and locked it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike was left in the dark, but not alone. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">From the pitch blackness somewhere below, the thing locked in a cage suddenly knew that there was someone close by, and bellowed in an impossibly loud and blood-freezing manner that tore a jagged hole in Mike’s nerves, and sent a dagger of mortal dread into his soul.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike grabbed the handrail with both hands, and closed his eyes; as much to still his heart, as to acclimate to the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was no way he could have been prepared for the effects brought on by the monster’s roar. Above and beyond the terrifying nature of the sound itself; it had about it a supernatural quality that attacked the core of one’s being with the depths of existential terror, and almost spiritual despair. Had Mike not faced a similar sensation before (when Callie put their father’s ring on Rynza Adreynac’s Spirit Table), he might have been reduced to screaming and scrabbling at the door, pleading to be let out (with a wet patch on the crotch of his new pants, to boot).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But Mike <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had</i> faced such an overwhelming sensation before, and had been the stronger. He used the memory of that to steel his resolve.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He opened his eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The stairway no longer seemed the black pit it had a moment ago. Gloomy, yes, but there was some manner of light here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The long stairway was enclosed like a hall, and one had to reach the bottom to get past the wall. Once past the dividing wall, there was a turn to the right, and you were in the basement proper.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike figured he should get a look-see at his companion, while there was still some light left in the day. There would be time for cowering in the stairway, when night fell, and all light was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He took a deep breath, and (as quietly as he could) descended the stairway to its end, and turned the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The basement was actually better illuminated than the stairway; lit by the afternoon sun filtering through a single grimy little window near the top of the ceiling. The window was no more than a rectangle of glass, too small to squeeze through. The basement itself was large and empty, except for that which occupied its center.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There it sat; a large, heavy wooden box about five by five by five: a perfect cube. There were magic symbols burned into the sides and top of the dark cherry wood. The front of the thing had crisscrossing metal bands set into its frame with sturdy bolts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">All around the box on the concrete floor, drawn with different colored chalks, were magic circles within circles within circles; with the box at the bull’s-eye. Between the circles there was writing, in some cabalistic script, in heaven knows what language.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But it was the creature inside the box that commanded Mike’s complete attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">That it had daggers for teeth, malevolent red eyes, and razorblade claws was easily ascertained. Beyond that, it’s exact shape was difficult to make out. It constantly shifted out of focus whenever the eyes tried to pin down it’s exact dimensions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Visually incoherent, it hurt Mike’s head to look at it too long.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The thing in the box was not silent throughout Mike’s observations; it kept roaring in it’s marrow-freezing manner. Mike’s whole body clenched whenever the thing made a sound, even when it just shifted it’s weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He wondered how many others, if any, had ever gone this far down the stairs to look upon that which made such terrible noise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">That’s enough of THAT</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Mike thought, and went back behind the wall and up the stairway a few steps, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this is gonna be a long night.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He had no idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann returned to the kitchen, to find Edward there, waiting to accost him with questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Where’s Mike?” he asked, “What happened? Balooda didn’t kill him again, did he?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, he’s okay.” Egann said, “He’s in the basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The basement? Why the basement?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s just one of the punishments Balooda makes us suffer. He’s in there till tomorrow morning. I wouldn’t worry about him, he’ll be okay. Now get back to work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann went back to his supervision of the food preparation. Edward went back to his drying. Donna had brought him a footstool, so he could better reach the sink. So now he stood side by side with Alixa.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Edward understood, in his gut, that every moment that passed with them still trapped here, the possibilities for resolving their sticky situation dwindled away like forgotten dreams. However, with both Mike and Callie currently unavailable, it now fell to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i> to do the resolving.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Well, you wanted to be needed</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Edward thought to himself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here’s your chance to prove your worth.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike was startled awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Had he fallen asleep? He had, but it couldn’t have been for more than a few minutes. He had just leaned back on the stairs, to get his thoughts together. Now he was here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But where was here?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He wasn’t on the stairs. He seemed to be face down on the basement floor, a few feet away from the monster in the box; facing it. Mike looked up at it, and it looked back at him with focused malevolence. What had awakened him was not it’s sounds, but it’s silence; which, in a way, was more unsettling.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike started getting up, and noticed that the palms of his hands had a yellowish powder on them. When he realized what this was, he looked down with a gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A good size section of the outermost magic circle, which his outstretched hands had reached, was smudged off. He had smudged it during his nap. Some of the writing within the circle had also been rendered a yellow blur.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">snot</i>.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Even as he wondered whether the other magic circles would be enough to “hold the fort”, so to speak; he was hit with a wave of drowsiness beyond his ability to resist.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What is…this…?” he muttered, as wakefulness became a burden too great to bear.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He slumped back face down on the floor, and was almost asleep again, when some part of him realized what was happening; and panic brought him up from the quicksand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“IT’S YOU!” he yelled at the beast, “You’re…doing this!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The thing made no sound in response; it just stared at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike tried to get up, but his sluggish body was too heavy. He fell back to the floor with a thump. He turned onto his back and tried to slap himself awake, but the energy required to do so was denied him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“oh gods…no…” was the last thing he managed to say, before sleep overtook him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5323951236996713220.post-50852896834667472372010-12-17T00:00:00.002-06:002010-12-17T00:00:02.075-06:00Chapter 36<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once Upon a Town<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Most of what I’m about to tell you is gleaned from what I know and saw with my own eyes; mixed with what others have told me, and also some speculation based on bits of information Zedda has let slip.” Egann said, in a precise manner that reminded Mike of Spencer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I wonder what the Dreadniks are doing right now</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">, Mike thought to himself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peggy especially</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t know if Zedda was born here in Murgent,” Egann continued, “But I do know she spent most of her childhood here. From what I gather, it was a lousy childhood.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She has my sympathy.” said Mike, with no small degree of sarcasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“When she was old enough,” Egann went on, “Maybe even before then; she left Murgent. She was gone a long time, twenty some odd years, by my calculations. At some point in that span, she gained access to a buttload of magical powers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No duh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here, speculation ends; and the true facts, as I know them, begin. Five years ago, Zedda came back to Murgent, and she didn’t come alone. With her, came the one we know as Mr. Blessure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What about Mr. Balooda?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He didn’t come until later. Anyway, the day Zedda came back was the worst day in the history of Murgent, and only the first of many. She worked fast; setting up the invisible force field upon arrival. Then, every animal other than human keeled over and died: cows, chickens, fish, horses, dogs, cats, etc. Birds fell from the sky in a rain of thuds; and every creature that died, putrefied in minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Zedda had only just begun.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Soon after, every town water source: the tap, the well, the lake; became foul and undrinkable. Even the thirstiest person in creation would not be able to stomach even smelling it. Boiling didn’t help; it just made the stench more pungent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Vegetation came next. Every crop, fruit, vegetable, flower, blade of grass, and weed in Murgent took on a yellowed and desiccated look. Trees became dark, twisted things.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Of course, nothing was edible; anyone doing so would suffer violent spasms and horrible <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">horrible</i> hallucinations.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Stocked away foods fared no better. Frozen, refrigerated, and pantried food all went bad overnight. Canned foods, boxed foods, preserves, the whole deal. You’d open up a jar or can of something, only to get squirming maggots, or rotting filth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Didn’t anybody realize it was her doing all this?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Eventually,” Egann answered, “But there was a lot of confusion in the beginning, as you can well imagine. Zedda and Mr. Blessure took over the Sarrgoset Hotel, after driving everyone in it out, with dread illusions. By then, the people of Murgent had put two and two together.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Did they try to stop her?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh yes. But nothing worked. Any gun or rifle aimed at her would jam, and then turn red hot, burning the would-be assassin’s hand. Anyone getting close enough to attack her would be torn to ribbons by Mr. Blessure. They tried burning down the hotel, but the fire wouldn’t take, even with gas. Some tried lobbing explosives through the windows, but they wouldn’t go off, until Zedda had them fly back to the throwers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was impossible to communicate with the outside world, as well. Help could not be called. At last, the townspeople decided to go after Zedda and Mr. Blessure <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">en masse</i>, with torches, knives, and clubs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Zedda made them all go insane.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“In one fell swoop, with one powerful incantation, every person in Murgent, above the age of fifteen, went stark raving bonkers. They started attacking each other, and other buildings in town, but never the hotel. They never get too close to the hotel. That’s a method in their madness Zedda made sure of.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why did she spare the kids?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I was getting to that.” Egann said, “That night, the night all the adults went nuts, we were all summoned. An irresistible urge to go into the hotel possessed all the youth of Murgent. It was like we were sleepwalking. Only when we were there, did we awake to where we were. Zedda addressed us all from the balcony, and told us that this was our new home, and that from now on, our lives were to be lived in her service.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I assume that didn’t go down very well.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No, but with the Bitch Goddess and her thug on one side, and insane townspeople running amok on the outside, we had no real options but to comply. Some did try to rebel, or escape; but there was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Those were the first to taste death at the hands of Mr. Blessure, and the awful return to life. Zedda had him kill us all, one by one, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">slowly</i>; and everyone else was forced to watch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Damn.” Mike said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“After that, everyone pretty much fell into line, myself included; my rebellious days are long behind me. I’m sure my parents, were they sane, would be amazed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Anyway, at first Zedda ran the show around here hands on. She wasn’t as heavy as she is now; she could still run things herself, with Mr. Blessure as back-up. Then, about a year-and-a-half later, she introduced us to Mr. Balooda, who started running things down here, while she and Mr. Blessure retreated to the top floor. Now, we only see her when she summons us up to be brain-drained.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Where did Mr. Balooda come from?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Haven’t you guessed? Blessure and Balooda are<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> not human</i>.” Egann said, “They’re some sort of demon, summoned by Zedda’s witch magic, to serve her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I figured it had to be something like that.” Mike said, remembering how Balooda had grown monstrous and oversized, when he spat on him. He shivered at the recollection. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ve heard her refer to them as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Morrtogs</i>.” Egann added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Morrtogs, huh? The name certainly suits ‘em.” Mike ruminated, “Wait a minute! I just thought of something.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Where are the older kids?” Mike asked, “You said that everyone below the age of fifteen was spared the insanity. That was five years ago. Those who were fifteen then, are now twenty; but I haven’t seen anyone around here that looks that old.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re here,” said Egann, “But the same spell that keeps us from dying, keeps us from visibly ageing. We have six and seven year olds among us who still look like toddlers. I myself am pushing twenty.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay,” said Mike, “Next question. If the food and water and vegetation all went bad, and all the animals died; what do you people eat? What does Zedda eat, for that matter? She lives here too, doesn’t she?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The hotel is the only place in Murgent where good water runs from the tap, and pantried foods stay fresh. Once every other week, Zedda sends Mr. Blessure to the nearest towns to get food and other supplies. He goes in a truck that used to belong to the grocer, and returns with the truck full of stuff. Neither the force field, nor the townspeople, gets in his way; Zedda controls both. The food, though, is only for them. Zedda’s spell is all that keeps <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us</i> alive,” Egann said, bitterly, “We’re not allowed to take the merest sip of water, or the slightest taste of food. Punishment is severe for any infraction, and Zedda <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> knows.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">At that moment, a boy of about (seemingly) twelve entered the bathroom. He carried a bundle of clothes with him, which he handed to Egann, who handed them to Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“These will do until we get the blood out of yours.” Egann said, “By the way, this is Ray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hi, I’m Mike.” Mike said, offering Ray his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I heard.” Ray said. He took Mike’s hand and shook it. “I also heard you pissed off Balooda big time and he messed you up good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He spit in his face.” Egann said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Whoa!” Ray said, “You’re either very brave or very stupid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s a combination.” Mike replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ray is working the laundry room this week.” Egann said, “Before you put these on, feel free to use the sink here to clean up; there’s washcloths in the shelf there. Just don’t taste a single drop of water, no matter how thirsty you are, if you know what’s good for you. Don’t ask how Zedda can possibly know; she just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Need help getting up?” Ray asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nah, I think I got it.” Mike said, but when he tried to get up, the walls started to move on him, and he had to fight to keep from swooning.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Egann and Ray helped him up. Once up, Mike stood and tried to get his bearings straight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Death’s a bitch, ain’t it?” Ray said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’ll pass,” Egann said, “Once you’re clean and dressed, you’ll find me in the kitchen; I’ll have to put you to work somewhere. You can go ahead and leave your dirty clothes in the hamper there; I’ll have Ray pick them up later. Any further questions?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Where’s my friend Edward?” Mike asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I have him working in the kitchen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is he okay?” Mike asked, “He looked kind of vacant when Zedda was finished with him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s just a temporary side effect of the brain-drain,” Egann replied, “Though, the shock of your death seemed to have knocked it out of him sooner than usual.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh yeah, he was there, wasn’t he?” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He saw the whole thing.” Egann said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Crap,” Mike said, putting his hand to his face, “Poor Edward…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Mind if I ask <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> a question?” Egann asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Shoot.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What happened to the girl who came in with you and Edward? Why didn’t she get sent downstairs?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The girl? That girl is my sister, Callie,” Mike said, “And that’s a question I’d like answered as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0