by Alphya Cing
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Marlin flipped over the small card and read out loud, “This bag contains the infamous Harp of Harassment. Handle only with this bag. Nothing else. Do not touch the harp with your bare hands. You have been warned.”
“Somehow it ended up with my family,” Kyra shrugged.
“This might just come in handy. Thanks, Kyra.”
“See you back here soon?”
“I certainly hope so.”
He boarded the shuttle and it took off.
Arriving at the inlet he departed from the capsule.
He was dusting himself off from the journey when a much larger capsule popped out of the sea.
He walked over and opened the door. Inside he found two workers and his devices.
“Where should we take these?” asked one of the workers.
“Just leave them there,” Marlin told them. “Use the other shuttle to return to the city.”
The workers nodded and trudged over to the smaller capsule. They squeezed inside and the shuttle took off back into the sea.
Marlin was on his way up to Syngrine’s cave when he noticed a shadow fly over head.
Corbon came running out of the cave. “Zin-Garr has escaped!”
“How did that happen?”
“Well,” Corbon began sheepishly. “Syngrine and I were arguing and we sort of took our attention off him for only a moment...”
“Not a big deal. I think I can get him back.”
“He’s threatened to burn the entire country to the ground.”
“He won’t have time. Go get Syngrine.” Marlin went back to the capsule by the inlet while Corbon bolted back into the cave.
Reaching into the capsule Marlin pulled out the guitar.
Corbon and Syngrine, in human form, came racing out of the cave and down to the inlet.
“What’s that?” Corbon wanted to know.
“Bait,” replied Marlin. He turned the guitar on and started to play badly.
Within seconds a shadow appeared overhead. Zin-Garr landed and took on his human form.
“That’s pathetic,” he spat. “Here, give me that.” He advanced toward Marlin.
“Oh sure,” said Marlin innocently. He peeled the bag off the harp of harassment, being careful not to touch it with his bare hands.
Zin-Garr reached out for the guitar but instead touched the harp. He began to play it.
“Hey,” he said in a shocked tone. “What’s going on here?”
“That, my friend, is the harp of harassment.”
“I can’t stop playing it.”
“That’s the whole idea.”
Zin-Garr tried to stop playing the harp. He couldn’t. He tried to concentrate on turning into his dragon form. He was too preoccupied with the harp to do so. He couldn’t even muster a breath of flame.
“I’m hungry,” Marlin said to Syngrine.
“I could do with a snack myself,” she replied. “Let’s go back to my cave and I’ll whip something up.”
“What about him?” Corbon asked indicating Zin-Garr.
“He isn’t tired enough yet. We’ll come back for him after we’ve snacked. He isn’t going anywhere.”
“I will kill you all!” Zin-Garr screamed at their backs as they walked up the hill.
The trio had their snacks and sat around chatting for a few hours. Marlin told them about the harp of harassment. Finally they made their way slowly back down to the inlet.
Zin-Garr was still standing there playing the harp. Sweat was pouring down his forehead. He was visibly exhausted.
“Please,” he begged. “Make it stop.”
“Give him a hand, would you Corbon?”
“My pleasure.” Corbon’s sword sliced through the air and severed the harp.
The harp fell to the ground in two pieces. It quickly reassembled itself.
Marlin scooped it up with the bag it had come in.
Zin-Garr crumpled to the ground.
Syngrine moved in and picked Zin-Garr off the ground. She held on to him by pinning his arms together. “Where do you want him?”
“Toss him into that glass box in the capsule.”
Syngrine pushed Zin-Garr at the box. He rebounded off the surface.
“Oops, let me fix something,” said Marlin as he reversed the movement of the pass through glass. “Try again.”
Again Syngrine pushed Zin-Garr at the box. This time he went through the glass and remained inside the box.
Zin-Garr pounded against the glass.
“Uh uh uh,” chided Marlin as he waggled a finger at him.
“That material can withstand the pressure of several atmospheres. Expand your shape to try to break free and you’ll just end up crushing yourself.”
Zin-Garr grew until he was hunched over inside the cube.
He pressed against the cube with all his might. After a few attempts he shrank back to human size. “Well, if I’m going to be in here for the rest of whatever, could I at least have that guitar?”
“That gives me a great idea,” Marlin was inspired. “Let me make sure I’ve got my facts straight. You’re a trans-dimensional rock star who is avoiding unfriendlies in his own dimension.”
“Yeah.”
“You came here to hide out, gather as much coin as you could by whatever means possible; then return to your dimension to pay off your debts?”
“That’s it, yeah.”
“So, all you really want to do is have a steady gig where you can play your music and not keep getting hassled by creditors?”
“Pretty much.”
“Then have I got a deal for you.”
“What’s going on?” inquired Corbon.
“The end of our adventure together,” Marlin told him.
“Thank-you for all of your help. I’m taking Zin-Garr to King Avarice as promised. Then I’m going to taking Kyra up on her offer to give me a night club.”
Corbon grasped Marlin’s hand. “I’ll come visit you when everything is up and running.” He jerked a thumb towards Syngrine. “I might even bring her along.” He smiled.
Syngrine looked at them flatly. “Maybe. It has been fun. Good-bye, little man.”
As Marlin watched the two depart he couldn't help wondering, "Am I forgetting something? Wasn't there something I was supposed to do? Nah, couldn't be."
End
After Words
Thank you for reading my little novelette. This is actually a side-story in another series of books that I have written about the inhabitants of Antasta. The first book, 'Vexyna's Awakening', will be available soon. It should be noted that it is much longer (over 300 pages) and is not as humorous.
Sometimes when I write I hear actors in my head. This work was inspired by Bruce Campbell. He made the perfect accountant cum hero. As I was writing other actors popped in to play parts for me. As this will never become a screenplay I could create my own cast. Corbon the Carver was Christopher Lambert. King Gromwyn was Sean Connery. Patrick Stewart came in to play King Avarice. Zin-Garr's part went to Michael des Barre and Alexandra Tydings was my Kyra. Try imagining those people in those parts.
Your feedback is always welcome. You can reach me at mailto:[email protected]
Cheery Bye!
Alphya