The Revenge of Excalibur

by Sahara Foley

Turning to her left, she saw a beautiful waterfall, plunging onto the rocks below. She looked around, eyes wide with wonder, mouth hanging open. She took a deep breath. The air had a faint hint of oranges or something fruity. She gazed up at the two moons gracing the bluish-purple sky.

  “OMG, I'm on an alien planet,” she squealed in delight. “Mum would flip if she saw this. Oh, that's right. I'm supposed to take pictures.” She started reaching for her purse. Damn, my purse is still on my dresser, at home, back on Earth. That thought sent her heart soaring again. I'm on an alien planet.

  “Pictures, I need pictures,” she mumbled to herself. She concentrated on her smartphone, and it POPPED into her hand. Taking pictures of everything she saw, she slowly turned around, snapping away. In front of her stood a tall, black, rock wall, with a small cave opening.

  *Pamela,* came Weesa's harmonic voice. *What are you doing?*

  “I promised my mum I'd take some pictures.”

  *We are running out of time,* scolded Weesa, the phone disappearing from Pam's hand.

  “Hey!” Pam yelled, looking up at the sky, hands on hips. “That's my phone. Give it back.”

  *Your phone is safe with us. We have more urgent matters than appeasing your mother. Now, proceed into the cave. You will find Excalibur inside.*

  *Please, Pamela,* came Emeara's soft soothing voice. *We cannot save our King and Queen without you.*

  Pam gritted her teeth. Ugh, I'm getting so tired of this good act, bad act. It's like talking with someone who has multiple personalities. Stomping across the pale orange, sandy ground, she passed a well-used fire pit with several lawn chairs scattered around it. It seemed her father had made himself at home on Lear.

  Pam paused at the entrance to the cave, leaning forward, peering into the gloomy interior. She couldn't see much but for some faint glittering flashes of light. * Is it safe?* She didn't know Weesa from Adam. They could be sending her to her death. If I died, how would that help them save their Kind and Queen? She took a deep breath, trying to steady the beating of her heart. I'm going to have to trust them. For now.

  Biting her lip, she took a few tentative steps into the cave. She paused, waiting for her eyes to adjust. The small room was brighter than she anticipated. Glancing slowly around, she stared in amazement at the cave walls, which seemed to be filled with millions of silver lights. As she moved her head, they winked and blinked, like facets on a diamond.

  “Whoa. I've never seen anything like this,” Pam said, advancing toward the nearest wall, pressing her hand against it. The wall felt warm, and a powerful energy surged through her body, making the hairs on her arm stand up. She quickly withdrew her hand. “What is this stuff?”

  *That is Husken Silver, which can only be found on Lear. This cave has the highest concentration found anywhere on the planet.*

  Pam swallowed, remembering what they'd told her about how toxic this metal was for Calens. “Are you sure it won't harm me?”

  *Arthur, nor Daisy, suffered any side effects from staying on Lear. They visited here as often as they could. Have you located the sword? Daisy hid it in a niche Arthur carved into the wall.*

  Turning around, Pam surveyed the room. She saw a neatly made double bed, a table with two chairs, and several plastic, blue bins, overflowing with cooking items, and what looked like fishing equipment. Shaking her head 'no' to the question, Pam noticed in the far corner where part of the wall didn't twinkle with silver.

  “I think I found it,” Pam said, slowly stepping over to the non-sparkling portion of the wall. Once she moved closer, she noted it was some type of black cloth designed to blend into the surrounding wall by color and texture. The covering was five feet long, two feet wide, and started one foot above the ground. Pam tentatively reached out, pulling the curtain aside. She gasped, and backed up a step.

  I've heard tales about Excalibur and the evil Shalit since I was old enough to understand, but I never knew the sword would be this beautiful. It was sitting in a stand, shining so brightly, she shielded her eyes with her hand. The sword was surrounded by a glowing, silver aura, and she sensed the immense power radiating from it. Peering closer, she observed some intricate, delicate carvings on the blade and handle. Pam blinked in surprise. It looked new, no chips or marks on the blade, guard, or handle.

  *Pick it up.*

  “Are you sure?” Pam asked, biting her lip. “Mum told me how the Shalit almost killed my father. If it weren't for Daisy, he would have died.”

  *Must you challenge my every command? Now, pick up the sword,* Olso demanded in her arrogant voice.

  *Mother!* Emeara admonished. *Pamela, you need not be afraid. We have been communicating with the Shalit since before we found you. He will not harm you. He is eager to be released, and be reunited with his mate.*

  “He has a mate?” Pam asked in surprise.

  *Yes, but she is imprisoned in the silver ring Arthur wears. Excalibur's only thoughts are to release his mate, and to go home. This, he has promised.*

  Pamela stood holding the curtain, staring at the sword. Could Weesa be lying? Maybe they have a mad scheme to take over the universe using a Planet Destroyer. From everything her mother told her, the Planet Destroyers absorbed energy from every living thing they encountered. Would Weesa* be able to control, or defend herself from that type of power?* Pam didn't think so. From what she'd seen, she had more psychic abilities than Weesa did.

  Pam glanced down, shifting her feet. No, I believe Weesa. Well, at least Emeara. If her father and Daisy were being held prisoner, then it seemed she was the only one able to rescue them. Since she had no idea where they were, she'd have to go along with this crazy plan.

  With a sigh, she said, “Okay, I'll do it.” Taking a deep breath, Pamela reached out as far as she could, turning her head away, and lightly touched the blade with her fingertips. Nothing. All right, so far, so good. She trailed her fingers up the sword until she reached the handle, then tightened her hand around it. Releasing her pent up breath, she turned back toward the sword, and slowly withdrew it from the stand.

  Holding Excalibur in front of her face, she stared at it in fascination. The sword was lighter than anticipated, and a tingling sensation was spreading through her body, like a warm, fuzzy feeling. She also felt the radiation from the Husken Silver. But, there was another impression as well. As if something were moving inside the sword.

  “Now what?” she asked in a shaky voice, becoming creeped out by the shifting movement in the sword.

  *Place Excalibur on the bed, and then we will need your blood.*

  “What!?” Pam yelled, almost dropping the sword. “Is that why you brought me here? To be your sacrificial lamb? No way.”

  *Pamela, please, calm yourself,* Emeara pleaded. “All we require is one drop of your blood. Blood is the only catalyst that will break the seal of the Husken Silver.*

  Olso snorted derisively in the background.

  Pam held up the sword, glaring at it. She felt as though she were being used. Is Weesa* withholding some vital information about releasing the Shalit?* She stepped to the bed, sitting in a huff, laying the sword next to her.

  Leaning against the wall, she crossed her arms. “Before I commit to releasing the Shalit, I need to be a hundred percent certain I'm doing the right thing. Explain to me again why we need the Shalit. Why we can't do this on our own. There's more than you're telling me.”

  There was a soft whisper of a sigh in Pam's mind. *You are correct. We could breech the prison with our Ultilear's, and eliminate the psionic nullifier. However, we have no defense against The One. The brain housed in the basement of Bindkall Prison is one evolutionary step away from turning into either a Shalit or a Planet Destroyer. It is being used to absorb the energy from the prisoners as a form of torture. We know not whether these acts of aggression have tainted The One. Excalibur is the only entity able to ascertain if The One is good or evil. This is why you must release Excalibur from his prison.*

  Pam sat on the bed picking her cuticl
es, chewing on her bottom lip. What Weesa told her sounded plausible. How would I know? I'm a mere Human. She had no idea what was going on in the cosmos around her, and she really didn't want to. She'd known for the last several days something was wrong with her father, and that he was in some type of trouble. Apparently, it was up to her to save him. A man she'd never met.

  Pam sighed in frustration. What if I make a mistake? What if Weesa is wrong about Excalibur, and it actually holds a Planet Destroyer, instead of a Shalit? How can I live with myself if I release a terrible evil into the universe? She snorted. If it is a Planet Destroyer, I won't live long enough to feel any guilt.

  Pam peered down at the beautifully crafted sword. Even lying on the bed, it was outlined in a silver glow. As she stared at Excalibur, she felt that same warm, fuzzy feeling flowing over her body. Is the Shalit trying to communicate with me? She mentally probed the sword, but her scan was blocked by the Husken Silver. Still, she hadn't felt any malicious intent or evil

  “Okay,” Pam said to the ceiling of the cave. “I'll do it.”

  In her mind, she envisioned a straight pin, and one appeared in her right hand. Holding her left index finger in front of her face, she slowly inserted the pin, until it couldn't penetrate past her force field. Flicking her right hand, the pin disappeared. She squeezed the pin hole in her finger until a large drop of blood formed. Mouth suddenly dry with fear, heart beating rapidly, she lowered her left hand, smearing the drop across the blade of the sword.

  With a deafening clap of thunder, which shook the cave, a large bolt of silver lightning shot up through the ceiling, as Pam slumped over, unconscious.

  Chapter Nine

  Lips and tongues. Hands fondling intimate places. Bodies slapping together, faster and faster, harder and harder. Pam moaned in pleasure as she rushed toward her release.

  “Little one, are you all right?” a deep, male voice asked urgently.

  “Yes, oh, yes,” Pam muttered breathlessly, squirming in ecstasy, waiting impatiently for the orgasmic crest to wash over her.

  “Little one, have you been injured? Are you in pain?” the same deep voice rumbled in her ear, feeling her body being gently shaken.

  “What?” Pam mumbled, slowly opening her eyes, finding herself clutching a broad, hard chest. Her mind was disoriented, her body aching with need. Where am I? Have I been dreaming? She laid an arm across her eyes. It had felt so real. She never experienced an erotic dream that intense before. Her body still yearned for release. She shook her head, confused. If I was dreaming, then why am I laying in a man's arms? Who is he?

  With a cry, she started struggling, pushing against a chest that felt like a brick wall. “Where am I? Who are you? Why are you holding me?” Unable to break free of the vice-like embrace, she began to panic, her heart racing. She never felt this defenseless before, and she didn't like the feeling. She needed to get away. Now. Concentrating on her bedroom, she tried to BLIP!, but nothing happened. Why can't I teleport? What's wrong with my powers?

  Overcome by fear, she gave one last, hard push against the stranger's chest, yelling, “I demand you let me go.” Pam unexpectedly found herself falling off his lap, hitting the floor with a solid thump on her rump.

  “I am sorry, little one. I did not intend to harm, or frighten you.” A well-muscled arm, a match to the brick-wall chest, reached down to her.

  “No, stay away from me,” Pam ordered, scampering backwards until she slammed up against something flat. Looking behind her, she saw a silver wall. This doesn't make any sense. Why aren't I in the cave? How did I get here?

  “Pamela, relax. You are aboard Weesa,” came Emeara's calming voice. Two screens across the room flickered to life, showing the mother and daughter duo.

  “I don't understand,” Pam said, rubbing her aching forehead. “The last thing I remember, I was smearing my blood on the sword, and then a huge bolt of silver lightning shot through the ceiling of the cave.” She shook her head. “I must have blacked out.” A hot flare of pain lanced through her head, causing her to squint her eyes as she tried not to cry out. “What's wrong? Why am I in so much pain?”

  “What you are experiencing is the after effects of breaking the Husken seal on the sword. Your pain will diminish.” Olso peered down her nose, looking at Pam as though she were a wimp for complaining about having a hot poker shoved into her head.

  Pam gritted her teeth, scowling back at Olso. One of these days, she thought. “What about the silver lightning? What was that all about? You could've at least warned me.” She covered her eyes with her hand as the burning pain tore through her head again.

  Emeara cleared her throat. “We had no idea what the consequences would be by releasing the Shalit. This was unchartered sky for us, too. As for the silver lightning…”

  “That was me, little one,” the deep, male voice interrupted. “You released me from my prison.”

  Pam had been so angry with Olso she forgot the strange man. The man whose lap she'd sat on. The same man who saw her moaning and writhing in pleasure. Oh. My. God. Her cheeks and forehead lit up with fire, almost as bad as the hot pain in her head.

  Desperately wishing she could blend into the wall of Weesa, Pam felt a presence looming over her. Peeking through her fingers, she saw two enormous manly feet, encased in golden-colored sandals. The sandals were fastened with gold ribbons, which were also wrapped around thick ankles, and then disappeared from view, meandering up his hairy legs.

  Pam stared, fascinated. She'd never seen feet that looked this perfect. To her, feet were the ugliest part of the body. If his feet look this great, what about the rest of him? Curious, she spread her fingers, and slowly followed the golden ribbon as it wound around and around, traveling up bulging, but well-defined calves. The ribbon stopped just below the knees, and not the knobby, knock-kneed type. No, these were knees Atlas would've needed as he held the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  Pam inched her eyes up higher and higher, admiring the tanned, muscular thighs. How tall is he? His legs kept going and going. Just when she thought maybe he wasn't wearing any clothes, as she knew she had to be getting to the good stuff, a bright white tunic, trimmed in gold, came into view. Damn. She dropped her hand, disappointed. The tunic was short enough that, if she scooched down, she might catch a glimpse of what was hidden underneath.

  Pam licked her lips, feeling a flutter in her stomach. Get a grip on yourself. You're as bad as the women on Facebook who post pictures of mostly nude male models, just to tease each other with 'what ifs.' Still, she couldn't avert her eyes as she stared, transfixed, where his breeding organ would be. Breeding organ? Where did that come from? The tunic began to swell, showing the outline of a well-endowed man.

  She gasped, clamping a hand over her mouth. The urge to touch him was overwhelming, her body aching with the need to be possessed. What is wrong with me? She'd never reacted this way to a man before. Wait a bloody minute. Didn't he just say I released him? Pam shook her head, trying to think around the searing pain in her brain. I need a couple of extra-strength aspirins and some water to wash them down with.

  BLIP! Appearing in her hand were the aspirins and a bottle of water. She stared open-mouthed at them. * I didn't just make them materialize, did I?* Shrugging her shoulders, Pam tossed the pills in her mouth and downed half of the water.

  Stumbling to her feet, her eyes met the broadest chest she'd seen on a man. His shoulders were like a barricade, pinning her against the silver wall, making her feel small, weak, and defenseless. A feeling she wasn't used to, or liked. Being five foot eleven, very seldom did she meet men who were taller than her. Tall men felt threatened by her height, while short men saw her as a challenge. What jerks, the whole lot of them.

  Pam looked up, craning her neck, mouth agape in shock, as she beheld the most handsome, no, beautiful man in the world. He was too picture-perfect, with dazzling, pearly white teeth, making her squint from their brilliance. A square jaw so defined, it could cut paper. Lips, full and m
oist, begging to be kissed, a nose any mother would adore, and curly, shoulder-length, silver-blond hair that looked as if he were standing in a breeze as it rippled out behind him.

  Pam couldn't help herself, she burst out laughing. She looked into his eyes, the laughter dying in her suddenly dry throat. She tried to swallow, but she didn't have any spit. Remembering the water, she drank the rest as if she'd been wandering in a desert her entire life. Maybe I have been, Pam thought, finishing the water, then with a flick of her wrist, the bottle disappeared.

  Gazing into his eyes again, that same feeling of being 'home' enveloped her. Where the rest of his body was a caricature of her idea of a perfect man, his eyes were not. They were silver, fathomless, and Pam was being drawn helplessly into their depths. With a cry of surprise, or pleasure, she wasn't sure which, she smacked up against his rock hard body, feeling that which she saw outlined through his tunic, pressing into her stomach. A wave of lust consumed her. I want to jump his bones, right here, right now.

  Panting with need, confused and terrified of herself, Pam pushed away from the sex-magnet of a man. Wait a minute. He's not a man, is he? If this was the entity she released from the sword, then this was a Shalit, or a Planet Destroyer. No, not a Planet Destroyer, otherwise we'd already be dead. And the only thing being destroyed around here was her. Why is he affecting me this way? All she wanted to do was have sex with him for the next several years. Years? Hell, more like forever.

  Trying to look anywhere but his swollen nether region, which she was finding impossible to do, her eyes skittered across the smirking expression of Olso. Of course. This is her fault.

  Gritting her teeth, clenching her hands into fists, Pam squeezed around the hulking, hunk of a man, afraid if she touched him she'd end up a pile of goo at his feet. “Olso, what have you done to me?”

  “You Humans and your concept of love,” she scoffed. “The need to breed is a physical reaction, not an emotional one. Why fight it? He is a fine specimen. If I had a mortal body, I would be more than willing to copulate with him.”