“Agreed.”
“Okay then, I’ll be going. Good night, Jay’gar.”
“Wait,” and he walked up and gave her a chaste kiss . . . on her lips. “Jax’x would be furious if I forgot to do that.”
“Oh.” A moment later, she returned the kiss. “I would hate for her to be mad at me too.” She smiled and in a flash was gone.
Jay’gar exhaled as he sorted out his emotions. Putting out the torches, he left his workshop.
About five minutes after he left, the individual who had been watching through the window pried it opened and entered. He scooped up the remains of Ziz, stopped to listen that no one had heard, and then left the same way he had entered.
It was Kr’eep . . . and he was smiling . . . an expression that looked strangely out of place on his face.
*****
The Next Morning
Po materialized outside of the house and knocked. Seconds later, Jay’gar opened the door . . . his face looking very grim.
“What’s wrong? You’re not upset about last night?” She was terrified that their moment of intimacy would make him feel guilty and cause a rift in their friendship.
“It’s gone.”
“What’s gone?”
“The rest of Ziz.”
It took her a moment to understand what he was referring to. “Oh, the bird. Are you sure?”
“I left it on the work bench last night. This morning it’s not there.”
“Do you think it was that disturbing friend of yours? What’s his name?”
“It’s Kr’eep. He’s not a friend . . . and yes, I think it was him. I went to his house but he’s not there. No one knows where he is.”
“Why would he steal a mechanical bird with no head?”
“He’s always been jealous of my inventions and he wants something that he knows he can never have . . . Jax’x. So whatever the reason, you can bet it’s for no good. Come on, let’s get to the library.”
“Sure.”
“By the way . . . I’m not upset about last night. Just the opposite,” and he squeezed her hand.
“Thank you,” she replied with great relief and not a little joy. She wanted so badly to give him a kiss . . . a proper kiss . . . but that could never happen. “Let’s go.”
*****
Jax’x didn’t know how to respond to the loss of the bird and, at the moment, was so distracted with the information she had uncovered, that she didn’t care. Whatever Kr’eep had in mind, she was sure Jay’gar could take care of it.
“Listen, I’ve completed my research. I just need your list of parts from those three artifacts to confirm the last part.”
He handed over the inventory. “Don’t forget, we only did the bird’s head.”
“That’s okay. It’s where I expect it to be anyway.”
“Expect what to be?” asked Po.
“Hang on while I scan this.” It only took her a few seconds. “Exactly what I thought.”
“Come on, Jax’x. Spill it,” demanded Jay’gar.
“There is a tiny amber heart in all three.”
“What are you talking about?”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she walked over to a table and dug around until she found what she was looking for. “Come take a look.”
“What is it?”
“A very old scroll. Most of it is long gone. But what remains is incredible. Here, read it for yourselves.”
However, she was so impatient for their reaction that she read it out loud. “And the rift between Hearts and Hexes began to grow. At first, it was a competition between brothers, and then it was a rivalry between adversaries. Eventually, it was war between enemies.” When she finished she asked, “Do you know what this means?”
“Is this supposed to be an account of history . . . or is it from a story?”
“It’s historical fact despite how poetic it sounds.”
“Are you ready to tell us what you think you’ve discovered?” asked Po whose curiosity was about to spill over.
“Yes. But I want to give you a demonstration first. Jay’gar, take the cross bow and shoot an arrow up to the ceiling.”
“Why?”
“Please, just do it.” Then she called up to her metallic pet. “Ziz, fly around the room. Okay, shoot the arrow.” Her lover did as he was told.
The projectile went up but before it hit the ceiling, it veered and headed straight towards Ziz. At the last second, instead of impaling the critter, the bird looped over and caught it in his beak.
“Ziz, bring it here,” and it did.
“How did you do that?” asked Po in wonder.
“I’m an Amber Heart . . . and probably the last of my kind.”
*****
For the next three hours Jax’x told them what she had unearthed, then spun it all together into a coherent, if unbelievable, tale of Spell ‘Bound’s history. She answered question after question, logically refuted any criticism of her assumptions and conclusions, and in the end converted her two friends into believers.
“I’m not surprised that Jay’gar accepts my theory . . . but Po, winning you over is a surprise.”
“Thank him for that. Last night . . .” and she hesitated for a second because she was beginning to blush at the memory . . . “Jay’gar told me he didn’t believe that what I do, what the Divine Ones do, is magic. I wanted to argue with him . . . but I found that I couldn’t. Well, I could but it would have been an emotional argument.”
Just like last night, Po’s blush didn’t go unseen. Jax’x had long ago sensed Po’s attraction to her man and wasn’t surprised that he felt the same way . . . at least to some extent. It was a prejudice that she would freely admit to . . . stroke a man’s ego and he’ll respond. To be fair, his feelings were probably honest.
Oddly enough, she wasn’t jealous. She trusted Jay’gar explicitly. As for Po, the girl would never do anything to jeopardize their friendship. So, unless they wanted to talk about it, she would not bring up the subject.
“So the question is what’s next?” asked Jay’gar.
“That’s entirely up to Po.”
“Up to me? Why?”
“Because if we are successful in turning off the M.A.G.E.K. machine, you’ll lose your powers.”
“Oh. Right.”
The other two waited in silence . . . giving their friend a chance to consider the implications to her, to this world.
“I want to say yes, turn it off. But . . .” She sighed then hung her head, ashamed to make eye contact. “I know I’m letting you down. That you must think me selfish.”
“Pond Ripple . . .”
The use of her full name startled the girl. She looked up at Jax’x, eyes wide. “Yes?”
“You can never disappoint me or Jay’gar. What we’re asking you to do is unfair. For that, I apologize. But, we have talked many an hour about how this world has evolved. The Divine Ones have everything, the rest barely survive. Having said that, you still need time to consider. This world has waited hundreds of years for change; it can wait a little longer.”
Jay’gar felt oblige to add, “Whatever you decide . . . it must come from your heart. Please don’t let your feelings for us . . . for me . . . persuade you into a choice that you feel is wrong. I will always love you, as I am sure Jax’x will, regardless of what happens.”
Po looked from one to another . . . and started to cry. Both her friends made a move to comfort her. But before they could, she vanished in a flash of light.
Chapter 11 - What a Kr’eep
He knew one thing for absolute certainty . . . he could never rat out a Divine One. He had no idea why this particular one had been helping that high-and-mighty Jay’gar, but she was.
If he got it wrong and made her angry, or any Divine One angry for that matter, he’d end up disappearing like Jay’gar’s parents. So, his best bet was to try and blackmail his neighbor. But he knew he couldn’t do that either. Jay’gar would beat him to a pulp. The big lummox could do it too
.
That left one course of action. He’d take the mechanical bird thingy to a different Divine One. Hopefully it would get Jay’gar into trouble and get him a reward. With him out of the way, all of Jay’gar’s things, including Jax’x, would belong to “his truly”. At least that’s what he would ask for.
As you might suspect, Kr’eep was neither intelligent nor completely sane. He was envious of someone who he could never be. Finally, after years of watching his neighbor’s continuing success, he had a chance to set things to right . . . to finally outsmart Jay’gar.
And now, he was standing in front of a one of the most powerful Divine Ones in the city named Forest Green. His legs were shaking so badly he found it difficult to stand. He would have been hyperventilating from fear but found he had forgotten how to breathe.
To his credit, despite his motivation, it was easily the bravest thing he had ever done in his life.
He had fallen to his knees as was proper but had been asked (told?) to stand. His eyes were downcast, staring intently at his dirty shoes. He held a cloth bag in front of him.
“You have one minute. I pray that it will not be a waste of my time. That would displease me no end.” She said it softly all the while smiling politely. On the other hand, her eyes bore right through him.
“Um . . . that is . . . um, your Divineness . . . thank you for . . . um . . . seeing me.”
“Yes, yes. I am a good and kindly person. Now get on with it. You have already wasted twelve seconds.”
Since trying to tell a coherent story without biting off his tongue would be impossible, Kr’eep somewhat wisely emptied the contents of his bag on the Absolute’s desk then quickly took a step back.
If Forest Green was surprised, she did not show it. Instead, she examined the headless bird then asked simple questions of her guest to illicit straightforward responses.
When she was done, she asked “And why did you bring this to me?”
“I . . . I um . . . that is to say . . . I was hoping for a reward.”
“Of course you were. Please wait outside and another Divine One will . . . administer a just compensation for your efforts.”
The idiot’s face lit up with unmitigated joy and he began to mumble and stutter his thanks. Forest Green had no time or patience to spare this cretin. “OUT”. It pained her to raise her voice in anger. Kr’eep only tripped and fell twice in his effort to obey.
As he left, an assistant entered. “Send him to the mines.” It wasn’t the reward he deserved since it gave the Absolute what she wanted . . . a reason to keep Grassy Knoll’s spy out of the Library. But Kr’eep was a loathsome creature and the world was a better place without him. “Wait.” Citizens who spied on their own kind were rare and this . . . person . . . might have additional value. “Forget the mines. Take him home and do what you can to improve his living conditions. Within reason.”
As for Forest Green, her desire to outsmart her adversary was so intense that she never thought to ask herself why. Why were they working on an artifact outside the Library? Why was Pond Ripple helping them? Why this headless bird?
It was a fatal mistake.
*****
Jax’x and her two guests were in the main book chamber so the hologram was not in use. Snow Flake sat in his usual comfy chair, out of earshot, half watching the others. The other half of the time, his eyes were closed from the boredom of this assignment. The man had never read a book in his life and had no plans to change that.
It should be noted that just because you were a Divine One, it most certainly did not mean you were more intelligent than the general citizenry. It only meant that you controlled enormous power. The smart (and ruthless) ones knew what to do with that power. Ones like Mum the Glum did not.
Po was addressing her two friends. “I’m sorry for leaving like I did. It was just too much to absorb and I . . . I got scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“Everything. Scared of the idea of giving up my powers, scared of losing your friendship, scared of the conflict that we’ll start. Well, you get the idea.”
“Does that mean you changed your mind?”
“Yes, Jax’x. I want to help. I just don’t see how we three can do that.”
“First, if Snow Flake wasn’t watching we would each give you a hug and a kiss.”
“Maybe two kisses,” added Jay’gar playfully.
“One kiss . . . but you can place it on her lips,” countered Jax’x.
“Done.”
Po smiled. “You two are unbelievable. Here we are plotting a revolution and you’re discussing the number of kisses I’m to receive.”
“Kissing is an art form and needs to be taken seriously,” teased Jay’gar. “The number, location and duration are all critical factors to be considered.”
The word revolution caused Jax’x to turn somber. “Po’s right, let’s discuss our plan.”
“Do you have one?”
“Kind of. One of the facts I discovered was . . . and you won’t believe this . . . we use to be a space faring world. We actually met aliens out there.”
The other two just stared . . . dumbstruck.
Since they weren’t going to reply, Jax’x continued, “Up in the chamber I have two scrolls. One describes a communications device that we can build to monitor these other worlds to see which one might help us. The other can project . . . well, it can project Po’s powers.”
“What does that mean?”
“It will let you do what you Divine Ones do . . . but on another world.”
“Why?”
“Maybe it was a way to demonstrate the power of the Divine Ones . . . to scare off any would-be invaders. I’m not really sure.”
“So we’re going to try and find help.”
“Yes, you big dummy. I just said that.”
“No you . . .” but his sentence was interrupted by a flash of light.
And there stood Forest Green.
*****
All three conspirators bowed their heads simultaneously. Po looked up and addressed the visitor. “Absolute, how may we serve?” That was a fairly typical greeting amongst the Divine Ones . . . especially if you were addressing someone with greater power.
There was another flash of light and the remains of the headless Ziz appeared at her feet. “Tell me how you acquired this,” she said softly to Jay’gar.
Jay’gar thought furiously for a reasonable explanation. If he said he was helping Jax’x on her research, his love would get into serious trouble. If he said Po created it so he could study the engineering, she would get into trouble. So, in less than a heartbeat, he answered, “I stole it. I fancy myself an engineer and a scientist and I wanted to study the technology. It might be useful in my business endeavors.”
The other two girls knew he was trying to protect them, as did Forest Green. But his chivalrous answer was exactly what she had hoped to hear. Before she could respond, Jax’x blurted out, “That’s not true. He was helping me.”
Po could not stop herself and she added, “I recreated it for him to study. The responsibility is entirely mine.”
“Enough.” It’s amazing the power of a word softly spoken. The other three simply froze. “There is sufficient guilt to go around. Po, you will be confined to the Crypt for as long as it pleases me. You will go there at once, stopping at his home to remove any other evidence that may be there from the Library.”
Po gave her two friends a quick look . . . her eyes moist. She could not argue against an Absolute. Her time with them was over . . . perhaps forever.
Forest Green turned to Jax’x. “You will continue your duties. I will replace him (and she nodded towards Snow Flake who was gently snoring and oblivious to the goings on around him) with someone more diligent. Your punishment will be the loss of your lover.”
“I won’t . . . “
“Silence. Disrespect will not be tolerated.” She turned to Jay’gar. “To insure Jax’x’s cooperation until, and if, she is relieve
d of her duties in this place, you will be placed in the Vault of Transitional Non-Being.”
Po’s eyes went wide. “No. Please, no.”
Alarmed by her friend’s reaction, Jax’x asked, “What is she talking about?”
But before Po could answer, Jay’gar was bathed in a flash of light, disappeared then reappeared inside . . .
A moment later, it faded away.
*****
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?” screamed Jax’x.
Ignoring the twin insults of questioning her actions and screaming, Forest Green replied in the same irritating quiet voice. “He is trapped in an inter-dimensional cell. He is no longer of this world, or any. Until I, and I alone, bring him back, he will neither exist nor not exist. You may think of him as both alive . . . and dead. His ultimate fate is in your hands.”
She turned to Po. “You may leave.”
The girl should have done as she was told immediately. Instead, she gave Jax’x a hug . . . and whispered, “I’ll get help.” Then she was gone.
******
Before materializing at Jay’gar’s workroom, Po went first to the Room of Doom. She found the two scrolls that Jax’x had mentioned and took them with her.
Next, she went to Jay’gar’s house. She knew there was nothing there either from the Library or from her own conjuring. But she needed to speak to Hay’gar.
She materialized outside the front door and knocked . . . with a little more urgency than she intended. Hay’gar opened it – ready to berate the noisy offender. “What . . . oh, sorry, Divine One. How may I help you?”
“May I come in?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t have much time.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand?”
“There is no easy way to say this . . . your grandson has been placed in . . . in custody. He is being used to keep Jax’x focused on her job.”
“Sorry, that makes no sense. They’ve allowed him to visit her every day. You, yourself, take him. His visits were to make her happy and therefore more productive. What’s changed?”
“Your grandson, Jax’x . . . and I were working on a plan to . . .” She hesitated because getting into all the details of Jax’x’s research, and what it implied, would take forever. Instead she said, “. . . to bring a greater equality to the Citizens of Spell ‘Bound. Unfortunately, an Absolute found out that we were up to something . . . though I think she came to the wrong conclusion. Regardless, I’ve been forbidden to enter the Library and, as I said, Jay’gar is being held captive to motivate Jax’x into cooperating.”
Box Set #5: Nemesis: [The 4 book 5th adventure of Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood] Page 10