A Change For the Light

by Heather Maginnis

  "Everything go all right?" Angee inquired. Stephanie smiled. "Better than I could have hoped for, watch."

  She raised her left hand and pointed at the ground about twenty feet from the three bards. They jumped back as a fireball shot from a finger and hit the ground. Stephanie lowered her hand quickly and put both hands behind her back when she saw the three bards had linked and shielded in self-defense. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you, the know what happened when I had the fever, and it made me wonder. So I've been trying a few things out, and they worked."

  Stephanie was relieved to see the shield had dropped, they looked more than a little annoyed with her. Berating herself silently she realised that these three bards didn't really know her, and with their battle hardened reflexes it could have been very nasty.

  "I just wanted to show you what I could do" Stephanie said lamely. The atmosphere seemed to warm slightly, Bria took a step forward, "that's OK dear, just gave a body some warning next time, it was quite a shock."

  Angee had let Bria handle it, but was in fact more than a little curious at Stephanie's newfound gift. Walking over to her she patted her arm, "why don't you show us what you can do." Stephanie turned and narrated while she showed them, "if I left my left hand and point and also concentrate on my hand imagining that it is hot I can shoot a fireball", which she did.

  "Also if I lift my other hand I can fire ice bolts."

  "Handy for a cold drink I should imagine" Allia joked, Stephanie blushed.

  Angee though was analyzing what she had seen, "not to take anything away from your achievements, but, that was a tiny fireball and small ice bolts. Have you tried to increase their size?". That had never occurred to Stephanie, "I don't know, I just think about my hand getting hot or cold I never thought about the size of what I was throwing."

  "When you say you think about your hand getting hot or cold, are there variances, is it really hot?. Or really cold?". Allia wanted to know.

  Stephanie thought for a moment. "let me try something." Concentrating on her left hand she imagined it getting really hot, extremely hot and she pointed and a large fireball shot from a finger, she shivered. "I feel cold all of a sudden." Bria rushed over and touched Stephanie's forehead, "you are cold, I think your own body heat must have something to do with it. This needs further investigation, but not now," holding up a hand to forestall a Angee. "We should get her inside, the poor dear is freezing."

  * * *

  Here is the news. Police in three counties continue the search for missing transsexual Stephanie Fletcher. Miss Fletcher has been missing for three weeks she was last seen at Leeds train station heading for her car. Police admit they are baffled as there are no apparent motives for the kidnapping. The search continues.

  Twenty Nine

  Mol took Angeless for something to eat. Angeless looked half starved even though she insisted she was alright. But Mol would have none of it, she had coin in her pocket that was doing nothing, what better use than to feed a friend. After they had eaten Angeless took Mol on a tour of the city, pointing out where the important people lived.

  Mol found this fascinating and it also gave an idea. "Let's go back to your place, I want to talk to you about something."

  Mol had expected Angeless to ask about what the she remained silent till they got back to her room. She sat down and looked expectantly at Mol.

  "Apart from other Bards, you are the only one who knows I'm a Bard. I'm here investigating the death of the Bard Xeexa, who was murdered on her way back to the temple. I know you have helped us before, but this time I would like to put it on a slightly different footing. You know the city well, and I presume you have a lot of contacts here already, yes?".

  At Angeless's cautious nod she continued, "good, I want to organise a network of people, who will be my eyes and ears in the city. I will have no contact with these people, you will see to all that, for which I will make sure you are handsomely rewarded."

  Angeless didn't say anything immediately she sat and pondered the offer Mol had just made.

  It will be no hardship for her she realised to such a thing.

  But did she want to get mixed up with the bards again?. She had thought Angee was a friend, but to leave her hanging like that, she didn't want to be in that position again.

  "I could do that, but why should I?, the last time I got involved with you bards it cost me dearly."

  Mol could sense Angeless's obvious reluctance, but she needed her help more than Angeless knew. "Alright, we'll try it on a trial basis. If any time you don't like it you can back out." Since this was precisely what Angeless was thinking she agreed readily.

  "Now, I'm interested in the activities of Lord Werket, there is something not quite right about him and I want to find out what it is." She handed Angeless ten silvers.

  "This should do to get you started. Don't try to contact me at the palace, there is a Bard at the temple here called Jaynne. You can leave messages with her, or if you need to see me she can gain contact with me speedily, good look," And with that Mol left.

  Angeless knew just who to start with, L.J. , for that was all anyone knew her by was into everything and was a real street rat like Angeless. Tracking down L.J. was a different matter, she was never in one place very long and could be anywhere, but by a process of elimination Angeless found her, or rather L.J. found her. "I hear ye have been looking for me?". Angeless was wary, mainly because of the knife in L.J.'s hand.

  "Here, no cause for that, I only wanted to put some profitable work your way."

  The knife lowered, "profitable, how?".

  Angeless sighed in relief, "a friend of a friend approached me with some work. My friend trusts her so I know she is reliable, she needs someone watching. Lord Werket."

  L. J. whistled appreciatively at who the target was. "What sort of things the she want to know?"

  Angeless relaxed, she had L. J. hooked now, she could see the glint of greed in L. J.'s eyes.

  "She wants to know where Lord Werket goes, who he sees, and who visits him."

  Angeless felt safe to give a warning now, "this could make you quite a bit of money, but don't ever think of crossing me or my friends, they make Lord Werket seem tame compared to them."

  L. J. looked slightly defiant at that, "and will I get to meet these friends?". Angeless shook her head, "no, you'll deal only with me, it's safer for you and them. So don't get any ideas about following me, the consequences could be unfortunate." Angeless knew Mol had said organise a network but it was a dangerous business she was getting involved in, this time, she would take it slowly to minimise the risk.

  She left the alley where she'd talked to L. J. but she wasn't heading straight back. Angeless didn't quite trust L. J. yet, and she knew she could lose anyone in the maze of streets.

  The jingle of coins in her pocket reminded her of the silver Mol had given her she would keep some out for L. J. but it was time to replace a few things she left behind.

  Mol hoped she wasn't making a terrible mistake by employing a network of agents she couldn't think of any way other than this, she prayed she was right.

  When she arrived back at the palace Illia was waiting for her and seemed in quite a bad mood from look on her face.

  "Where have you been" she demanded angrily. "I have been worried sick."

  Mol was getting a little fed up of this type of treatment, fair enough she was young but she was not a child.

  "I had some business take care of, you want to catch Xeexa's murderer don't you?. Well, I needed to find someone to watch Lord Werket, a friend of Angee's is now in the city and I set her to watch him."

  Now Illia looked scornful, "and you think this will work?." Mol merely smiled enigmatically.

  Stephanie woke up, it was still the middle of the night she realised, but something was calling her. An insistent need filled her she had to go outside and quickly. She literally threw her clothes on and hurried through the quiet corridors of the temple.

  Rushing through the
outside those the guards on duty jumped with surprise, once they saw who it was though he returned to their parade ground stance.

  Stephanie ignore them completely, the wind was howling through the trees and she felt a need to get away from the temple into the trees. She almost ran to grove that seemed to shake with delight and she approached.

  Once in the middle of the trees her heart began to return to normal rate, she didn't know why the she stretched out her arms wide and threw her head back that keeping an eyes closed.

  The wind went straight through her she could feel it, there was a power coursing through her body. This was why she had to come here, she felt the power of the Earth she realised when she felt trees, this was a power of the air. It tasted different, there was subtlety to it in a way that was totally different to the feeling of the trees and yet she could sense the connection. Suddenly, the wind died and all was still. She lifted her head and could see her body was sparkling with white flecks of energy, and then it hit her, the four elements, she'd experienced earth and now air but what about fire and water?. May be these too would come in time.

  She walked back to the temple slowly, for all that she was shivering it had been a mind blowing experience in her view. Once back at the entrance she ignored one of the guards who gave her a quizzical look and went back to her room. Sleep was not an option now she was too enervated from what happened. It wasn't complete though, she knew she had to experience fire and water to receive and balance her full powers.

  What was she becoming?, some sort of elemental sorceress?. She could only guess a moment, whatever she knew she had to find those powers and would be leaving the temple as soon as possible.

  She had an idea that now she had experienced air she'd be able to do more. Like she thought sleep had been impossible, as soon as she heard other people begin to move around she got dressed.

  Dawn was just breaking when she went outside and the sky was streaked with pinks and reds making it seem as if the whole horizon was on fire, appropriate she thought on the quest that lay before her. Again she wanted no witnesses for her practice session. She didn't quite understand how she could throw ice and fire when they were of the two elements she had not experienced, maybe she would work it out in time, but for now it was air that was on her mind. There was no wind, the trees were totally still. So in a quiet breath she faced what she thought was in North been called.

  "Come to me."

  Those three words seemed to carry a whole other meaning and a gentle breeze started blowing from the north. "Stronger" she whispered with the whole fiber of her being, gesturing at the same time as if beckoning someone to come towards her.

  The wind picked up, she now turned south and whispered

  "Go."

  It seemed that the wind bypassed her completely for the trees either side of her were still, but in front of her they were bending under the force of the strong wind. She knew somehow she could make it a lot stronger, to use as a weapon, but this was neither the time nor place for that.

  She walked back and started feeling guilty about these secret sessions of hers, it felt right to do things on her own, she always had, but now, in a strange world with people she hardly knew could she still follow the same thinking, she honestly didn't know.

  At the same time she was thinking of the others, Angee was thinking of her, Stephanie's powers could be a threat to the Bard's and she didn't know yet whether she could fully trust her in spite of all that had happened.

  It was all very confusing, she instinctively liked Stephanie but that didn't mean she wasn't a threat. May be the best course of action is to stay close to Stephanie and see what happens.

  Stephanie had just finished another consignment of jewellery, in the past two days nothing new had happened, nevertheless she felt a need, she had to go somewhere.

  The one last glance she afforded the jewellery in her hand made up her mind, she'd take this jewellery to Nate and then explain to the Bard's she had to leave. She had money now and even if that ran out she still had a penny whistle.

  Angee had a strange feeling something was going to happen today, and it was unsettling. Her life as a Bard was a lot better than before but she still had to admit it was not an easy life.

  Thoughts of her past life brought her back to Stephanie and with that a revelation, maybe it was her similarity to Stephanie, the issues over being a woman when she was born a man,of course that didn't change how you felt inside but maybe that was where her problem laid?. Some sort of guilt?, a large sigh was all she could come up with, sometimes she wished she was elsewhere.

  The business with Nate had gone all right, well, as good as it could. He was very pleased to get some more jewellery but sad it would be the last.

  Stephanie hadn't really noticed the scenery on the way back to the temple, she'd been working out how to explain to the Bard's that she was leaving, she was not looking forward to it.

  Luckily Angee the others were all together.

  Stephanie had a knot in her stomach when she starts speaking. "I've come to tell you I'm leaving. I discovered a new power yesterday, to call the wind. As far as I can tell I am some sort of elemental sorceress.

  I've experienced earth and air but I feel to be complete I have to find fire and water.

  Where it will lead me I do not know. I just know I have to try to find it."

  The three Bard were stunned, at least that's what they looked like to Stephanie, in Angee's case she was totally wrong.

  Up to now Angee had managed to keep her temper but now she lost it completely.

  "What the hell do you mean you're leaving?. You go off on your own all the time, only telling us after the fact. How are we supposed to trust you?. I don't forget you swapped places with an evil being. I begin to wonder if you're not evil too."

  Allia and Bria were staring at Angee as if she'd grown horns. They'd never seen her like this before and were surprised at the tone their sister had used. "Hold on a moment Angee", Bria interceded,

  "there's no call for you to be like this with Stephanie."

  Angee rounded on Bria, "oh, so you trust her do you?. Well that's fine with me, I say she'll be the demise of us all. There something evil about her."

  Now it was Bria's turn to look angry, "I see, you can sense something both Allia and I cannot?" she asked in a frosty tone.

  Angee smiled, "well I am a White Bard."

  Allia pulled Angee round by the arm, "so you're saying you're better than us are you?, I think not!".

  Stephanie was getting increasingly alarmed at the way things were heading.

  "Please, no fighting, not over me."

  Her voice started to break in distress. "If I'd been evil I would of slipped away without telling you, or tried to kill you. I'm sorry if I gave you cause for concern. It's just I've been on my own so long I've gotten used to doing things or solving problems by myself. You're welcome to come with me if you want, I was going to ask but I thought you'd be too busy to bother with someone as unimportant as me."

  What a major error she'd made, she'd been suspicious of Stephanie for a while now, we know it turned out to be was an insecure woman who'd been alone so long she'd forgotten what friends were for. Angee felt mortified at the mistake she made, and she might of done irreparable damage, she hoped not was it jealousy?, she didn't know, but she didn't like what she saw when she took a look at what she'd said.

  Angee walked away from them and stared at the wall for a few minutes, no one bothered her, she took a deep breath and turned.

  "It seems I've been a total idiot, you aren't unimportant Stephanie. It's taken me till now to realise how lonely you must be, well I hope you'll forgive what I said to and allow us to accompany you on your quest."

  Stephanie was grateful of company, this was a whole new world and while she'd learned to survive on Earth, this was a whole new planet, and she didn't want any nasty confrontations from a breach in etiquette caused through ignorance.

  It would be strained at first, but
Stephanie wasn't one to nurse a grudge against someone till it died of old age, unlike some people she could think of. Yes, that was one thing she missed, her computer, she loved chatting in the Internet Relay Chat rooms, especially #TG-UK. Her friends would think her dead, she wished she could let them know she was alright.

  Oh well, you never know, I may get home sometime; now back to the subject at hand.

  While the Bards were feared and respected Stephanie didn't want to draw attention to herself. "OK, so how are we going to go about this quest?. If evil forces are on the move, wouldn't it be better for you to be in plain clothes rather than those uniforms."

  Angee hadn't considered that, their primary objective was to help Stephanie, not go looking for evil, and in fact, they may get more done in plain clothes. "I think you've had a good idea, we can take our uniforms with us, although we could do with some way to disguise our heart stone swords, or rather the jewels, as they do give us away slightly with their glowing, what do you think?" she asked Bria and Allia, " tie a strip of cloth around the hilt?".

  Stephanie remembered something she had in her bag, " I may have something better, something from my world, just a moment."

  She went back to her room and rummaged through her bag, yes, she still had it, in a brown paper bag.

  Returning with the bag the three Bards looked curiously, "this is something that may work" holding up a silver roll of tape,

  "masking tape."

  As Bria was closest she started with her.

  "Hold your sword out with the pommel to me", she pulled off a length of tape and wound it round the stone, squeezing the tape to make sure it would stick properly.

  The three Bards examined Bria's sword, "is it some sort of magic?" Bria enquired.

  Stephanie chuckled at that, "no, just something called technology, people make all sorts of things like this and sell them for people to use in their homes."

  Stephanie did the same for Allia's sword, Angee was distracted by self examination and didn't hear Stephanie approach from behind, she was musing over the upcoming quest, Stephanie in a business like fashion,reached for the sword and started to wrap the tape around the hilt, but as soon as Angie felt the sword move she jumped up and spun round "You touched it!, and you live!, how?".