Max Blizzard and The Scroll of Fate

by Patrick Hatt

  “Morris came through with us. No way they got him that fast,” Lester stated.

  “You must have had something to do with this.” Carter landed in front of his grandfather, ready to beat him until he gave them answers.

  “How? I never knew where you were, and you destroyed all of our equipment. There are backups, but without our leader they’ll take hours to get up and running.”

  “Why are you so quiet?” Trudesile asked.

  “That’s why.” Max pointed to Lester’s hand.

  “By me pot of gold.” Lester’s whole body began to shake until he dropped the Cup of Kings to the ground.

  Tru’s family crowded around the Cup while its glow continued to get brighter. They threw their arms over their eyes as the golden glow erupted from it and then opened them to find both their parents before them.

  “Chicken legs, why’d you bring that thing back here?” Tru scolded.

  “Don’t you want to be ruler?” Max smirked. “I thought that was your eternal goal.”

  “And deal with all of these whiny humans? My kids and the leprechaun are bad enough.” Tru wrapped her arms around her five kids as they hugged her and Morris.

  “Hey now. I don’t whine.”

  “But you complain a lot, chap.” Bazooka grinned.

  “Quiet, rabbit.”

  “What is going on?” Sarge hated not having all of the information.

  “Chap, that is a long, long story. We haven’t the time. But they do. Enjoy your family because you never know how long you have with them.” Bazooka patted him on the back and then joined the others in the middle of the lawn. He grabbed the Cup of Kings and threw it to Lester. “Don’t forget this, chap.”

  “Thank you for looking after him.” Tru rocked Harrison in her arms.

  “You’ll make a fine ruler,” Trudesile whispered.

  “Rulers. The Cup, Dad, whatever you want to call it, passed us both, you know.”

  “And Dad, we are going to need loads of help,” Morris stated.

  “Help with what? Ruling what? Earth? How?”

  “That’s the story. Fill him in and show the humans the recording. The rest will fall into place,” Max said. “Now, Lester, how good is your portal ability?”

  “I think better than ever.”

  “Good. Here is what we are going to do.” Max explained his plan to the others while Sarge learned of his family’s past and abilities.

  Sarge remained utterly confused as they continued.

  “Are you sure they can’t track us yet?” Max nudged Sarge to break him out of his stupor. “Sarge.”

  “Allow me.” Lester made a bucket of water appear over Sarge’s head and dropped the water over him.

  “Lester, they could still find us,” Trudesile scolded.

  “No. They’ll need hours.” Sarge did not say a word about the water and just shook it off while Morris continued recounting all he knew to him.

  “Okay then. Time we put Earth back on the Pedestal of Realms and got rid of Atlantis forever.”

  “Mom, we should help,” Duncan stated.

  “No,” Trudesile blurted out. “You stay here with your parents and protect them. They’ll need it in the coming months.”

  “But we want to see the realms,” Carter whined.

  “And you will. But not today. This is our fight and we are going to end it once and for all. You stay with your mother and be safe.” Trudesile turned her back to them and ignored their whining. She feared they would end up hurt and refused to let any harm come to them.

  “Thank you,” Tru whispered only loud enough for Trudesile to hear.

  “Allison, think of this realm.” Max used his imagination to create a painting of Avalon and placed it at Allison’s feet. “Lester, get ready.”

  “Ready and waiting.”

  Allison created a portal and the group stepped inches away from it. Lester concentrated and then gave Max a nod and Trudesile jumped through.

  “This is your end!” Atlantian guards burst through the door and electricity crackled across the room.

  “I won’t leave my friends.” Brozen stood firm near the portal device, ready to fight the whole horde.

  “Attach yourself to me. Make it fast.”

  “Your back? You just left.” Brozen eyed Trudesile in eel form at his feet.

  “Don’t think. Just do.” Trudesile waited while Brozen broke out of his outer casing and his water form swirled around her. She then moved a few inches to the side and took them through another portal.

  “They’re there,” Mary stated.

  “Give me a few seconds and then you two finish the job.”

  “Be careful, chap.”

  “I will. I’ll get them,” Max assured Bazooka.

  Max jumped through and then hit another portal directly on the other side. He appeared in Camelot as the whole place began to crumble around him. He ran to the Pedestal of Realms and unlocked Atlantis, quickly opening a portal to it.

  “Davy, hold tight,” Max shouted, as castle debris fell onto Davy’s shield. “Now, Lester.”

  A portal appeared beneath Max and sucked him through. He now stood beside Trudesile and Brozen while King Yenny eyed the trio.

  “This is our new home. You will not take me from Avalon.” King Yenny jumped over a portal that appeared beneath him.

  “Chap, you are going one way or another.”

  “Got that right.” Lester made an encasing cover King Yenny and then Bazooka shoved him through a portal.

  “Is that all of them?” Trudesile asked.

  “We will…”

  “Now it is.” Lester rubbed his hands back and forth as he sent the last Shangri-La plant creature through the portal.

  “They can fight on Atlantis for eternity now.” Max waved toward the one remaining portal. “Thanks everyone. We did it. Cut the connection before it happens.”

  “Are the kids safe?” Bazooka asked.

  “Davy and all the young beings are on Olympus,” Lester replied. “Max, did Adam see you?”

  “Not that I know of. Things were nuts there. We have to fix it.”

  “We will fix it, Max. We will fix it all,” Trudesile stated.

  “Even if you do whine, you aren’t half bad, chap.” Bazooka patted Lester on the back while everyone enjoyed the silence of Avalon for a few seconds.

  “All right. Now let’s find that fourth piece and end all of this,” Max stated.

  “Fourth piece? Where are we going?” Brozen asked, still trying to catch up with them.

  “Not you, Brozen. We’ll explain later. Maybe.” Lester snickered as he made a portal appear beneath Brozen and then closed it after he fell through.

  “And off we go one more time.” Lester created a portal to Ogerton and everyone stepped through together.

  The group took in the quaint town as many ogres went about their daily activities. Lester jumped out of the way as two kids, both three times the size of him, wrestled in the street.

  “Why do you like this place so much again?” Lester whispered.

  “They know how to have fun,” Max replied.

  “Yeah, have fun squashing us between their big toes. At least Dregg watches where he steps,” Lester mumbled.

  The ground beneath them quaked and before the group could react they found themselves being hauled into the air on a hand.

  “Max, my old friend, I see you brought lots of company this time,” Horace stated. He grinned while his huge eyes focused on Lester. “You even brought short stuff back. Didn’t he say he’d never visit again?”

  “You can’t take anything a leprechaun says seriously,” Bazooka added.

  “Quiet, rabbit.”

  “They do obsess about gold and whine a lot, huh?”

  The group laughed at Lester as he mumbled to himself.

  “Hold on. I thought you said she was dead.” Horace picked Trudesile up with the fingers of his other hand and dangled her before him.

  “I can assure you that I
’m not dead. But that does hurt.” Trudesile twirled her sore arm around after he placed her back with the others.

  “I’m sorry, Miss. We ogres don’t get many visitors besides young Max and the odd leprechaun.”

  “Horace, it’s a long story, but yes, she’s alive and there is something here that we need to find. If we don’t find it, it could mean the end of all the realms,” Max stated.

  “What is it?”

  “We don’t know, chap. First one was a page, second one was a moustache, and the third one was a tree.”

  “Are you on some scavenger hunt?” Horace laughed, his belly shaking so much that the ground beneath them quaked.

  “We really need to find it. This isn’t a joke. I’d so rather deal with fairies, pirates, giants…” Lester kept listing off other beings only loud enough for himself to hear.

  “Is there anything around here that never made sense? Something that looks like it fits, yet doesn’t,” Trudesile questioned.

  Horace rubbed his free hand against his chin. “Nope. Nothing springs to mind.”

  “Guess we’ll have to do all the work ourselves, as usual.”

  “Do you think you really can?” Adam’s voice echoed across Ogerton.

  “Horace, put us down and get everyone to safety. Don’t fight him,” Max instructed.

  “Now where is the fun in that?” Adam appeared overhead and snapped his fingers. Blue balls of light filled the sky and then the first beings plummeted to the ground.

  “How does he always know where we are?” Lester questioned.

  “Lester, he does always know. It’s the…” Trudesile realized how and the others did at the same time.

  “He’s been watching in the Observer Realm,” they all blurted out.

  “I bet that is where he has Dad and both halves of Mom,” Trudesile whispered.

  “How can we get there, chaps? I’ve never been able to home in on that place,” Bazooka stated.

  “We won’t have to if we find the fourth piece before he does. Everybody scramble.” Max brought forth a large cheetah and hopped on its back.

  “Hop in, rabbit.”

  “I don’t think so. You hop in, leprechaun.” Bazooka pushed Lester into the cart on the side of the motorcycle that Lester had made appear. “I was the one stuck racing forever after all.”

  “Horace, go now,” Trudesile shouted before turning into a hummingbird and fluttering away.

  “We never leave our home. We shall fight.” Horace pounded his chest and the whole town of ogres joined him. “Let’s show these things that they messed with the wrong realm.”

  “I guess it is not just humans who have small minds. Look at their futile efforts.” Adam snapped his fingers and Trinny appeared beside him.

  “They will never let you win.”

  “Let me?” Who’s letting anyone? I’m just going to. But we can give them a moment’s pause.” Adam grinned and then snapped his fingers, causing Trudesile to hit an invisible wall.

  Trudesile reverted to her true form and plummeted to the ground. She landed on her back, wallowing in pain, as she stared into the sky. Her pain rose even further as she watched Adam snap Trinny’s neck.

  “One will broken.” Adam bent down and whispered to Trinny, “Sorry, my love. This is the only way I know of to reform you. You’ll feel better soon.” Adam blew on Trinny and her body turned into tiny balls of light and floated off through a portal that he opened. “Now where are those other three?”

  Adam surveyed the chaos beneath him. He shrugged at the losing ogre horde, taking no joy in their defeat, finding it pitiful. He then smiled as he spotted Lester and Bazooka.

  “This should make that pet think twice before interrupting me again.” Adam created a box around Bazooka, causing the bike to crash and Lester to fly face first into a tree.

  “Chap!” Bazooka yelled as Lester lay unconscious against the tree.

  “I’ve thought up the perfect thing for you.” Adam appeared before Bazooka and his box started sucking the air from around Bazooka. “Not this time.” Adam snapped his fingers just as Bazooka was about to suffocate and air rushed back into him. “Let’s repeat the process for eternity, shall we?”

  Adam halted his assault on Bazooka after a twinge ran up his spine. He tried to hide his fear while he eyed the sky. He readied every bit of his power and waited. He sighed after time went by and nothing occurred.

  “I know you are out there. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be. Face me.”

  “Has all of that power gone to your head, chap?” Bazooka laughed and then Adam snapped his fingers and crushed him within the box.

  “Where are you?”

  “I’ll kill all your precious ones until you show yourself.” Adam focused on Lester as he began to glow. “Hiding within a leprechaun?”

  The Cup of Kings rolled out from behind Lester and transformed into the being from within. It basked Lester in a huge glow and sent him to Trudesile’s side.

  “Adam, you and your incessant whining about the boredom of it all drove her away. This is just another tantrum of a child. You must accept reality as it is and not as you want it to be. Eve loved me. Nothing changed that. I regret making the Scroll of Fate and have punished myself by imprisoning most of my power in this Cup. End this madness.”

  “You stole her from me.” Adam snapped his fingers. His eyes burned with rage as a ring of fire surrounded the pair. “I have the only one I need of you to make reality as it should be. You shall perish before me. This has been eons in the making.”

  “Adam, I’m truly sorry it has come to this, but I will not allow you to continue to harm the realms.” He raised his arms and the ring of fire vanished.

  “This is going to be fun.”

  Adam flew at the being and missed as the being went back inside the Cup. He turned around and the being popped back out. He swung both arms and an energy ball erupted from them. It slammed into Adam’s chest and tossed him into the tree. The tree blew to pieces and Adam stomped through the remains as they rained down upon him.

  Adam flung his arms to the side and spun them. The wood chips from the tree became as one mass and crashed down on the being with the force of a meteor. A crater remained in the ground as the mass blew apart and the being rose out of it.

  “They are going to destroy this realm.” Lester fought to force his achy body to sit up.

  “He killed Mom, Lester.”

  “Trudesile, he’s screwing with you. He didn’t. He’s probably putting her back together. Sir Dreadvent did the same thing after Bazooka killed him.”

  “Thank you, Lester.” Trudesile took solace in his words as she tried to turn over. “Lester, my spine. I think it’s…” Trudesile’s entire body began to convulse.

  “By me pot of gold.” Lester made a pot of gold appear and grabbed Trudesile. He slung her over his shoulder and then made stairs appear up to the top of the pot. He slowly climbed them but lost his balance and toppled in as an ogre slammed into the ground nearby.

  “Hold on, Trudesile.” Lester sunk them in the gold and the pair became oblivious to the battle raging on around them.

  “You can’t match my new power.” Adam turned into a creature that towered over the being. His body had molded dozens together, using their most deadly aspects as one.

  “Shortsighted as always.” The being took the exact same form.

  “You don’t have the ability of the first beings. This isn’t possible.” Adam angrily lunged toward the being.

  “No. But I have the power of any trapped within my Cup. A little safeguard in case you were to ever rise again.” The being locked horns and multiple arms with Adam and each held their ground.

  “But you haven’t it in you to destroy me. If you had, you would have done it eons ago. That is how I will win. I do what it takes to get the reality that is rightfully mine.”

  “Who says I need to beat you?” The being smirked and shoved Adam to the ground. He nodded toward Max and then covered Adam
in a sheet of ice.

  Adam erupted in fire, melting the ice, and lunged toward the being. He brought forth all of his strength to shove him to the ground. He then went to snap his fingers when roots sprouted from the being’s form and wrapped around every one of Adam’s multiple arms.

  “None of this will ever occur. You’re finished.”

  “Never.” Adam ripped his arms free of the being and the pair locked horns and multiple arms again.

  “Think, Max.” Max peered over his shoulder at the gigantic pair ripping apart the realm through their fight. “Death had it in his book. Ra had it just be by copying Eden. God used what he created to hide it. What would Eve do?”

  Max tugged at the cheetah’s neck as a huge fireball plunged into the ground nearby. He narrowly avoided it while it hit three small ponds and vaporized two of them.

  “Water? Could it be?” Max eyed the being’s sly smirk, realizing he had shot that fireball there on purpose.

  “Fix this, Max Blizzard. Everything now rests on you.” The being latched onto Adam and then shot the pair into the air like a rocket.

  “This will not stand,” Adam screamed.

  Max leaped into the water and expected to get wet. He remained completely dry as the water swirled around him. It then formed the final piece of the Scroll of Fate and fell into his hand. He grabbed the other three pieces and stuck them together, hoping they would form a complete scroll.

  “Work, you stupid thing.” Max used his imagination to bring forth some glue and tape. He tried each and watched as the pieces fell apart both times.

  “What is with this thing?” Max continued to try to shove the pieces together like he had done with Mimi and her puzzles. “Why can’t these things ever be easy?”

  “The boy has no idea how to make it work. Admit defeat and I will spare him.”

  “Mr. Blizzard has more imagination and strength in him than you will ever have. He’ll figure it out and end your madness once and for all.” The being discretely sent a root from its body toward Max as the pair fell and touched the fourth piece. “Now, Mr. Blizzard.”