by Chris Hechtl
“With this we can end this. He'll be trapped here though,” she said.
“Without his magic he's just a clone of Emperor Ming the Merciless or a wannabe. Jim will deal with him,” Henry said.
“Who?” The princess asked, confused.
He waved a hand. “Never mind,” he said, pulling the girl close to his side. “I'm proud of you kid; now go check on the others,” he ordered.
She nodded and did as she was told.
“You've got this right, Princess?” Henry demanded, turning to the princess.
She nodded. “Go, I can handle it from here. Once I am gone, the portal will close behind me, and he'll be trapped here forever,” she said.
“If this is goodbye, I wanted to say, it was a pleasure meeting you, princess” he said.
She chuckled. “No it wasn't; we've brought nothing but misery to your people. But I appreciate what you said,” she said.
He looked at her for a long moment. She smiled. “Go, she murmured softly. He nodded and left the chamber.
She started her spell, but the Wizard managed to summon earth dragons from the magic saturating the area around the portal. He had burrowed through the earth to get to them, bypassing the defenders at the cave mouth.
The defenders only had a momentary warning tremor before the dragon worms struck from underground. Great worm-like creatures blasted up out of the ground like air jaws, crushing anything in their jaws. They swung about smashing everything around them with their bodies. Amy moved in and used her staff to strike, killing one of the dragons, but others destroyed the wards.
Sarah was knocked back; she hit her head and was dazed. Her cat mewed, but then went to get Henry and others.
With the primary defenses down, the Wizard contemptuously smacked aside people who were still recovering and in shock. He smashed the last ward with his own staff. He entered the chamber in a swirl of robes, feeling triumphant, nothing could stop him now.
With the spell not finished, the princess felt the wards go down and hesitated. When she saw the Wizard march in the chamber to join her, she stopped and raised her own protective fields. She knew they wouldn't be enough; he'd beaten them down before.
He continued forward menacing her. “I should have ended you when I had the chance earlier,” he snarled. “I won't make the same mistake again,” he growled, beginning to chant.
Frantic, she tried to get to the artifact, but he blocked her with a wall of fire. Henry came rushing in. He immediately saw the problem. “Do something!” she begged him, practically screaming. “Before it's too late! Once I'm gone the conduit allowing you to use magic will be gone as well!” she said.
“Fool!” The Wizard snarled, lashing out. His staff morphed into a snake, flicking out to bite him. It missed but hissed menacingly at him. “A fool from a world of fools. But they do make suitable soldiers to use to re-conquer our realm,” the Wizard cackled. “My realm,” he said, eyes gleaming.
Henry danced around the spitting snake. “There is only one thing I can do to stop him, your majesty,”
She took his meaning immediately but knew there was no other choice. She closed her eyes and let her hands drop. “Do it. Any price is worth protecting my realm.”
Henry faked out Wizard zigging left only to go right. “I'll cover you!” a familiar voice snarled, just as a gun barked. Henry looked over his shoulder to see the wounded Jim there, cradling his left arm and side, blood dripping from his forehead. “I said go! Quarterback sneak on three. Hut hut!”
Henry grinned and moved for all he was worth as blasts from the Colt .45 hammered at the Wizard.
The Wizard backed off, putting up a wall of energy to protect himself from the weapons fire. “Fool!” he snarled. “You are only delaying the inevitable!”
“No, he's just the distraction,” Henry said as he got in next to the artifact. He raised his hammer and swung, smashing it into pieces. The portal above sparked, then closed, making the air pop around them. For good measure Henry slammed his sledge down on the shards, turning them into glittering dust.
The Wizard screaming in impotent rage as his force field died. He dropped to his knees in shock. “What have you done?” he cried.
“What it took to get the job done,” Henry panted, leaning on the hammer for support. He looked over to the snake, but it had already straightened out into a staff. He looked around the room frowning. Slowly, magical artifacts returned to normal. Those people who had been changed morphed back into their true forms but naked and terribly weak. He looked over to the princess; she was crumpled, weeping in a pile of robes.
He sighed, feeling a heavy weight hit him in the gut. She was like a beautiful flower, now plucked from her home soil forever. He shook his head and let the hammer go as he straightened.
The sheriff limped over to the Wizard. "You're under arrest Jafar or whatever the hell your name is," he snarled, cold cocking the gaping old man with a round-house punch. The Wizard fell backwards in a wail.
He looked up, rubbing his jaw in shock. The sheriff flipped him over onto his back then snapped handcuffs on his wrists. The Wizard grunted and struggled, but the metal was unyielding. The sheriff hauled him to his feet and shook his head. “No one was going to believe this,” he said. “Hell if I do,” he said. He hustled the Wizard out. “I have no idea what I'm charging you with, but for now we'll go with assaulting a police officer and disturbing the peace,” he said, then began to read the Wizard his Miranda rights.
“What do we do?” Henry asked. “You can't go back can you?” he asked. “What about your people?” he asked.
She bit her lip, looking at the broken shards of the artifact. She stroked them gently with her fingertips, then seemed to settle herself. “It doesn’t matter,” the princess said as she rested her hands on Henry. “We have work to do and people to see to. Help the others now,” she ordered.
He nodded. He helped her to her feet but held her fingers long enough to bring them to his lips and kiss them. She blushed, feeling better. She nodded to him as he wrapped his jacket over her shoulders. Together they helped the wounded without magic. All were forlorn, lost. He felt terrible but knew he had done the right thing.
The End
Sci-Fi
Some of the below I had planned on working into a full novel but I never found the time…or I felt there just wasn't enough there to go with. Perhaps things will change in the future...
Again, you'll find that some things are my own, some have obvious roots in one thing or another. But all have my fingerprints (or bruises) all over them. :)
The Cull
This is an odd little story of a techno sorceress vampire. I had thought to turn it into a full book, but I'm just not feeling it. Here it is though, in short (really short!) story form.
Several millennia ago a devious and cunning woman was told a prophecy when she entered puberty. She would become a goddess, one who would rule thousands and would have untold power. But if she abused such power, a man in glittering golden armor would be her downfall.
She smirked at such fantasy, but the idea held for some time. Just before she was to be sold and married to a rather ugly camel salesman, she was abducted one night by a group of aliens exploring Earth. She befriended the pacifist alien beings, gaining their trust in order to learn how their technology worked. When she had learned enough, she turned the tables on them; finding their weakness, she exploited it and killed them.
She managed to return the ship to Earth but found it changed, her family gone. Power filled her. She was drunk on it. With the ship she could become a god, rule the Nile, all of the world. She abducted people, mostly poor farmers and villagers, then used the alien's automated laboratory to reprogram them into her servants.
She built up a following of servants and followers who worshiped her properly as a goddess. She realized with a cat-like smile she had indeed fulfilled the first half of the prophecy. Her downloaded knowledge allowed her to realize a dream, one many shared, that she could
live forever and retain her youth and beauty. But to do so required a sacrifice, one of life essence from others. She preyed on her people until more aliens came to find the missing explorer ship. When they did she hid the ship in the asteroid belt. When they remained for a time, her impatience got the better of her. She decided it was better to escape, so they jumped into hyperspace and were gone. After all, she could and would return later she thought.
Woe befell them; in her haste to flee, she had neglected to program a course into the ship's computer. Her crew was too new; they didn't understand the danger either for she had managed to program them carefully to certain duties and knowledge with loyalty to her. The navigational suite and computer chose a random course, one that took them far across the galaxy. The ship was battered and thrown off course twice by black holes nearly destroying them. Each time the ship dropped out of hyperspace, reoriented and jumped randomly again.
When they arrived they were far from home, lost. She set upon a course to find a nearby world and then put most of her followers into stasis to conserve low resources.
She found through exploring the area, several systems, but only one could sustain life. She set down there and put her people to work building her a new citadel. She allowed them to use modern technology, crafting new ships and weapons for her and her army to use in conquest.
It took centuries for the computers and her servants to build the citadel and ships she required. Every few years she would require a servant, in truth a sacrifice. She always chose a woman of beauty for she could not tolerate a rival. She drained their essence and used it to fuel her eternal youth. For the first few years, her people didn't question this sacrifice, but the following generation did. She instituted a plan of deception to keep them off balance.
She lived off of the life energy of her slave sacrifices. Her people don't know this. She told them that they were being turned into energy to live within her, and their souls will go to heaven. She considered having children on occasion but changed her mind after a time. She didn't want a successor nor a rival to scheme against her. She didn't want a partner either, for she could choose any to bed with whenever she wished. Having many to choose from was quite thrilling to her, enhancing her sense of empowerment.
They lived in a giant flying pyramid ship, her palace, rebuilt from the alien ship. It floated in the air and through the void between the stars like a magnificent flying chariot. Around its base it had techno antenna and greebles. Its underside had an upside down mini pyramid and engines. It was her most powerful ship; she refused to allow any other ships to rival it.
Her followers flew in pyramid-shaped warships smaller than hers. Through the ages her techno mages and artisans had learned the making of the ships, as well as weapons and other things. Her army fought in powered combat armor designed to look like the ancient Egyptian gods. They were quite fearsome, and she admitted, alien looking.
When she became bored with guiding the citadel's construction, she used her army to conquer nearby worlds. Alien species were added to her ranks, but her own preconceptions limited her to allowing them only lower caste status. But since the species were alien, their life energy wasn't compatible with hers. She sent her forces out to find others, trying to find the perfect substitute as she devoured the life essence of one species after another.
However, sometimes over the centuries she had to cull her own ranks when they became a threat or when they had no new conquests for her. She did this and then erased the memories of the survivors. That turned out to be her downfall.
(I)^(I)
Her chief of security, Mahu, was a past lover as many on the ship were. This helped bind him and the others to her will but not completely. Over the millennia she had learned to use advanced alien technology, drugs, hypnosis, brainwashing, and conditioning to keep her people in line.
Over time she became bored and jealous of Mahu's love of his wife and daughter. Once he had wed, he had found excuses to not sleep with his goddess, remaining faithful to Ipwet. He was known as the Reaper by the slaves they had conquered; for where he goes, death followed in his wake.
He was also her general, taking the place of his father and grandfather before him. In fact, a vision of the future by a technomage told the sorceress that his father would kill her. She had had him killed in the battle arena, amused at the very idea. And she had sent the technomage Didia into the arena right afterward so none would know of his prophecy.
Her memory erasing and long life made her require more and more life energy to sustain her hunger and her eternal youth and vigor, but there was a problem. Her people were increasingly becoming sick, and fewer were born each generation. Ailments and still births plagued them. That was a problem; one she had to deal with in time she realized.
“Mahu, it seems quite an evening,” she murmured, stroking her general's arm as they walked among the grand corridors.
“It is indeed, Netjeret,” he murmured softly, using the ancient name for goddess as was her due. He nodded to the guard discretely following in their wake as he looked over his shoulder. “Do you wish to inspect the city?” he asked.
She looked at him with half-lidded eyes as her long delicate fingers traced the muscles up his arm. “I have other ideas,” she murmured huskily.
“Sir, a fight has broken out in the city market,” a guard said, intruding on them. The goddess turned a glower on the unfortunate man. He gulped but stood firm. “There was talk of rebellion again.”
“I'll handle it,” Mahu said firmly as her hand dropped away from his arm. “With your permission to leave, Netjeret?” he asked softly.
She nodded. “Very well,” she said, turning in a swirl of white silk. “Go,” she said, waving an imperious hand. “Bring the fools who should stand against me to my dungeons,” she said, voice cooling. He nodded, bowed and then retreated.
She looked out over the city, noting the smoke over the market area. She frowned thoughtfully; eyes narrowed in speculation. Finally, she turned in a whirl of silk to take her evening bath.
She was ever like this on the eve of a culling, randy, in the mood for love, for solace in another's arms. Over the centuries she had taken many a lover, and a few she had even mourned in her own way. A few she'd even put to death for transgressions, real or imagined. If those who would oppose her rule were really there, she would make certain they and their families felt her wrath. And perhaps, perhaps she could use them for her own youth.
The next day when it was reported that none of the offenders had been apprehended she decided to cull her troops in a fit of pique. If they were so inept to have missed the offenders, than a change in ranks was in order.
Mahu however…she shook her head. No. He would be spared. But Ipwet…she admitted she never did like a rival. She smiled with a small terrible smile as she made her selection for sacrifice. Mahu though would have to be handled if she wished to retain his services longer. She sent him away to lead her army to conquer a newly-found race.
When he was gone, she summoned Ipwet to her chambers. She fed on her when he was sent away, then erased the memories of her from everyone.
When Mahu returned he was taken prisoner by the ship, then his memory was erased. He returned to duty, ever faithful once more to his one true love. She enjoyed his embrace and passion in the bedroom, savoring it like a fine wine.
(I)^(I)
Life in the citadel returned to normal. Mahu returned to his post, overseeing the army and the processing of the new slaves. They were brought forth to be inspected by the computer and his goddess. She rejected the tentacle things, ordering their immediate disposal, repulsed by their writhing sight.
He did as she bid, then went about his duties before he returned home for a much needed break. When he was there, he bonded once more with Ipy, his darling daughter. She was nine local years old, and when her father returned, she refused to leave his side, wrapping an arm around him and tucking her small fists in his belt and kilt.
But he was puzzled by
her, by her presence and that of her nurse and Aunt Ipu. How had he come about Ipy? Why did he have no memories of her mother? He was frustrated by the holes in his memory, but dwelling on it only caused more headaches.
His thoughts were interrupted when a signal demanded attention. He waved a hand, and the house computer interpreted his gesture to connect the call. “General, the rebel leader Inaros has been spotted in the market again,” a guard reported over a holographic link.
Mahu looked up. “Either he is there to stir up trouble again, or it is a distraction.”
“Shall I send in the royal guard this time? The sorceress didn't like what happened the last time the citadel guard failed to catch him.”
“When was that?” Mahu asked, frowning. “Never mind. And Khawy,” the general said warningly, holding up a finger. “Do not ever, ever, disrespect Netjeret again. Do you understand me?” he growled menacingly.
Khawy nodded, gulping slightly. “Yes, general,” he said, giving a one-fisted salute over his heart.
“Is there anything else?”
Khawy hesitated and then nodded. “I beg to pass on the report that Khabekhnet has begun the overhaul of her majesty’s chariot. She has transferred to the summer palace for the time being,” he said.
“Very well,” Mahu said nodding.
He searched the house and then discovered mementos and a letter from his wife. These confused him further, angering him. “Why can't I remember?” he growled in frustration. He pulled up the house's holographic interface and did a computer search on her face but couldn't find her in the database. In frustration he checked Ipy's file. Her parentage should be listed, but under her mother's name, it was blank. His daughter was another piece of the puzzle.
Ipy was a beautiful child, in the flower of her youth. He doted on her when he could despite the nurse's objections. The child seemed to thrive in his presence, much like a flower. She brought a rare feeling of peace to him, a feeling like he was fulfilled for the most part. Still, there was something missing.